Dear Parents and Carers,
The weeks are flying by. Please read on to see what we have been up to this week.
NOTICES
New Morning Timetable
The new timetable appears to be working well from a school perspective, and I understand from the children that they prefer the new timings, particularly with assembly being later on in the morning, and not feeling so hungry between break and lunch!
Parent Meetings including support plans
A few parents have asked when support plan meetings with teaching staff will be. These will be incorporated into the parent meetings, with additional time allowance. This approach has been changed from last term, due to staff feedback.
Dogs
My thanks to those parents who remain outside the playground when they have dogs in tow. Please would all pet owners ensure their dogs are kept off the playground area; i.e. stand by the gate and await your children to be release. Thank you in advance for your co-operation.
After School Club
Staffing our After School Club is proving extremely challenging. I understand the facility is valued and required by several parents however I wanted to make parents aware that staffing is an issue, so if you are able to help do please shout!
After School Club Staff Needed
The school is looking for individuals to share the covering of our After School Club provision on a daily basis. Hours: 3.20 – 4.30pm. This is a paid position. If you are interested please contact the school office or Mrs B.
To help ensure we have the necessary staff in place to care for your children in After School Club, I would request that bookings for the Club are made at the start of the week and made through Mrs Pike.
We appreciate that unforeseen circumstances may mean that late booking is necessary, however in principle weekly bookings by Monday would be much appreciated – thank you.
Gym and Swim
Remember PE and swimming kit is needed every MONDAY for Oak and Chestnut pupils!
Pupils experienced their first gym and swim session for this half of term at Port Regis on Monday afternoon. Transport and the gym experience is supported through the sports premium payment, however swimming is not, therefore a voluntary contribution of £25 is requested to cover the cost of the swimming pool and swimming teachers. If you have not yet made a contribution, yet intend to do so please would you hand your £25 (or contribution) to cover the 6 week block of swimming in the school office.
THIS WEEK
Assemblies
Monday’s assembly this week focused on friendships. Characters and stories from Winnie the Pooh were shared and important messages within the tales shared:
- Be nice and love your friends
‘A friend is someone who helps you up when you’re down, and if they can’t, they lay down beside you and listen.’ ‘Any day spent with you is my favourite day.’
‘A friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be.’
- Enjoy every day
‘What day is it today?’ asked Pooh. ‘Today!’ squeaked Piglet. ‘My favourite!’ said Pooh.
- You are important and valuable
Christopher Robin once said to Pooh: ‘Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’ And Winnie the Pooh reminded himself that: ‘The things that make me different are the things that make me.’
Tuesday’s assembly continued along the friendship vein, looking at varying our friendship groups.
Lego Club
This week’s challenge was to create a motorbike. Hugo and Jasper were our Monday winners with Archie and Lily-Mae winners on Thursday with a bike and rider.
FRIENDS OF STOWER PROVOST
Save the dates:
| 12th Feb | 15.30 – 17.00 | Friends Friendship Disco – wear something cheerful!
15.30 – 16.15 Hazel and Beech Class disco 16.15 – 17.00 Chestnuts and Oak Class disco |
| 1st March | 09.30 – 11.30 | Friends Jumble Sale |
| 3rd April | 15.30 – 17.00 | Friends Friendship Disco – bounce and spring!
15.30 – 16.15 Hazel and Beech Class disco 16.15 – 17.00 Chestnuts and Oak Class disco |
NEXT WEEK and BEYOND
20th January – Gym and swim at Port Regis for Chestnut and Oak classes.
After half term 24th February – Gym and swim at Port Regis for Hazel and Chestnut classes.
CLASS OVERVIEWS
Oak Class
This week, Oak Class we started a unit in Maths on measurement. We have been learning how to work out the perimeter of rectangles and rectilinear shapes, looking for more efficient ways of calculating the answer. In Computing, we have been learning about variables when programming. We learnt what a variable is and how it changes depending on how you programme it. We learnt how to create and change a scoreboard for a football match using Scratch. In DT, we have been learning about bridges and the engineers behind the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, the Menai Bridge in North Wales and the Forth Bridge in Scotland. We looked at the four main types of bridge and then had a go at making a paper bridge between two piles of books, testing the strength of them – much fun! In music, we are learning to sing A New Year Carol by Benjamin Britten written in 1934. Next week, we will go on to compare it to the Urban Gospel version of the song. In French we have started a new unit about where we live and began learning the phrase ‘J’habite dans’ for ‘I live in’, learning 5 different phrases to complete the sentence (the countryside, a village, a town, the mountains, by the seaside)
Have a lovely weekend. (Mrs Toy)
Chestnut Class
In Chestnut class we started a new topic in English. We are using as an inspiration the book “Float” by Daniel Miyares. Children have been excited, enthusiastic and showed resilience in making paper boats setting the start of our writing.
In Geography, we have learnt about the upper, middle and lower course of the river, including understanding of how the landscape changes.
In PSHE, we are identifying actions that we can take to keep us safe when we are dealing with risks, including what our responses could be when dealing with “dares”.
In Science, we discussed materials that can be classified in more than one state of matter group. Children were excited to manipulate some of these materials e.g oobleck (solid and liquid).
In RE, we are focusing on Sikh religion. We explored what happens during the ceremony “Taking Amrit”.
(Mrs Sanda)
Beech Class
This week in Beech Class, the children have continued to develop their versions of the story ‘Building Boy’. They have enjoyed describing fish and how they move through the water. In Maths this week, the children have been continuing to work on their addition and subtraction skills with multiples of ten and thriving using 100 squares.
During the afternoons, Beech Class have explored the difference between physical and human features that are found near our coastlines. The children looked at different scenarios to decide if they are safe or not and if they are not – how can we make them safe. During Science, we looked at different items and had to decide what materials they are made from primarily. (Mrs Whelan)
Hazel Class
We have had lots of conversations about bedtime this week which have made us super sleepy. As part of our topic, we have looked at bedtime routines, how they differ between children and why we do certain things like brush our teeth. We have started an experiment with eggs immersed in different sugary liquids, some with a protective layer of toothpaste, to see the impact sugar and toothbrushing can have on our teeth. In Forest School we looked for signs of nocturnal, diurnal and crepuscular animals. We found bird poo as evidence of a diurnal animal, a mouse hole and entrance to a badger sett as evidence of a nocturnal animal and deer footprints as evidence of a crepuscular animal. (Miss Buxton)
Diary Dates
| 4th Feb | 15.30 – 17.30 | Parent meetings (which will include support plans if required) |
| 6th Feb | 16.30 – 19.00 | Parent meetings (which will include support plans if required) |
| 12th Feb | 15.30 – 17.00 | Friends Friendship Disco – wear something cheerful!
15.30 – 16.15 Hazel and Beech Class disco 16.15 – 17.00 Chestnuts and Oak Class disco |
| 12th Feb | 8.25 – 15.20 | Beech Class trip to Lyme Regis |
| 13th Feb | 15.20 | First half of term ends – no after school club |
| 14th Feb | All day | INSET |
| 24th Feb | 08.50 | Second half of term starts |
| 1st March | 09.30 – 11.30 | Friends Jumble Sale |
| 12th March | All day | London Trip for Year 6 pupils – times tbc |
| 3rd April | 15.30 – 17.00 | Friends Friendship Disco – bounce and spring!
15.30 – 16.15 Hazel and Beech Class disco 16.15 – 17.00 Chestnuts and Oak Class disco |
| 4th April | 15.20 | Second half of term ends – no after school club |
As ever any queries do please ask.
Best wishes,