Happy New Year … let’s find out what makes a great scientist! 2020 got off to a great start this week as we returned to school and embarked on our new topic for the term. Every class has been absolutely absorbed by the new topic and school has been a busy busy place. The photographs here don’t do the week justice so please check out the class facebook pages for more photographic updates where staff have posted some great memories of the week’s learning.
Early years have welcomed the school nurses who visited on Monday and talked all about how to keep hands germ-free, using ultra violet light machines, then later in the week they were able to watch me bath a 7 week old baby (huge thanks to Charlotte’s family in reception!) The children were so excited to see her tiny hands and feet and baby Grace seemed to love the nice warm water – but not when she was lifted out…she showed us how loud she could scream!
Then in Year 1 and 2, they have had a gecko, a pet dog, chickens and the pigs as a focus, with the gecko and dog visiting. They have shared their photos of their pets, and listened to how important it is to care for them, thanks to Allison and Debbie T for bringing their knowledge to the classes – they thoroughly enjoyed your visits.
Year 3 welcomed Dr Martin Cook – who has a PhD in Petrology which is the study of rocks. The children were able to carefully analyse different rock types and then collected lots outside – explaining the features of rock types to their friends as part of our oracy programme.
Year 4 disappeared to Hawes in Yorkshire to a cheese-making factory where they observed the different states of matter that foods are processed by to make cheese – looking at liquids and solids and discussing irreversible changes.
Years 5 and 6 visited Sunderland University as part of the University aspiration building programme. They visited the mini medic club and were able to experience a ‘fake’ medic’s ward and practice on the dummies and anatomically correct body replicas!
It was lovely to receive feedback from the University who said that the speaking skills shown by our children were noticeably improved on what they were used to from similar aged children! Well done Y5/6 – so good to know that your much improved oracy skills are impressing people outside of school!
Talking of oracy we have an exciting visitor next week when Catherine Pass from Voice 21, will be coming in on Wednesday to review our oracy programme, deliver some model lessons in Y1 and Y3 for all our staff to see – we can’t wait!
Tag rugby
This starts for Y5/6 Tag rugby got off to a great start this week on Monday and will continue for the rest of this half term. Please ensure that the children have suitable outdoor trainers to wear as they will be out on the field in all weathers for this session.
Attendance
We are required to keep families informed when their child’s attendance drops dangerously close to the nationally agreed minimum of 90%. This figure ismonitored by statutory bodies, and as a school we have a responsibility to encourage attendance and maintain positive attendance figures. Due to the huge number of viral infections we recognise that for many children attendance has dropped significantly. Consequently we have reduced the % at which notification letters are sent out. Even with this reduction, to maintain our policy we are still sending out letters to around half the school after last term’s attendance! Please don’t worry if you receive a letter – it is part of procedure, but also keeps you appraised of your child’s individual attendance %. Those below 90% are classed as persistent absentees, and subject to referrals to the education welfare officer. Please speak to Amanda Milligan or Angela Hall who both manage the attendance at school if you have any questions.
Attendance and Punctuality
- YR 93%(3)
- Y1 92%(6)
- Y2 98%(6)
- Y3 99%(4)
- Y4 95%(2)
- Y5 97%(2)
- Y6 90%(1)
Well done to Y3 this week for excellent attendance.
Achievement awards
Kindness Champion – Amelia Tobin
Ashleigh’s Outdoor Idea
We have started our new rotation of activities this week in Forest School. I would like you to research facts about squirrels and bring them to Forest School.
Dates for your diary
Please check all the dates below so you don’t miss out on what’s happening this coming term.
