Welcome to Reception
All the children have now started their learning journey at Moortown with confidence and very few tears!
They have settled well and had fun exploring the areas of the classroom and making friends.
This week we will begin our ‘Relax and Read’ session on Wednesday morning and we have our first workshop on Thursday.
This workshop will explain how the children learn in Reception and how you can support their learning at home.
We hope you will attend the sessions at either 2pm or 6pm.
Platinum award
At the end of each year, schools are invited to apply for their School Games Mark. The School Games Mark rewards schools for their commitment to and development of competition, school sport and physical education.
We’re very proud to announce that our application has been verified and we have been awarded Platinum award.
Platinum award is open to schools who have achieved Gold award for the previous four years.
We have achieved this award due to encouraging a large number of children to participate in sporting activity; providing a variety of different sports; partaking in competitions; involving children in leadership activities and having many local links with external clubs and establishments.
Thank you to staff who have accompanied children to these events or run after-school clubs this year. Thank you also to Mrs Russell who provides excellent administration of our clubs and sporting events and competitions. Thank you as well to all parents/carers who have helped with transport and supported at our events this year.
Finally, well done to all pupils who have tried out a new physical activity either at an after-school club or as part of a competition or participation event and to those children who have represented our school so well this year.
Living and Learning
As we return to school, we begin our Living and Learning theme with a focus on manners: I can greet someone politely.
We’ll then continue by thinking about the ‘8 Rs for learning’. This theme is about promoting good learning behaviour for your child.
Each week, we’ll focus on two different ‘Rs’. We use an animal to symbolise each ‘R’, which might help your child remember all eight – can your child remember which animal matches the correct ‘R’?
You can support your child at home – we’ve listed a few ideas to help you below. Ask us if you’ve any questions or comments.
Download top tips for promoting the 8Rs for good learning behaviour.
I can show I am ready to learn.
Make sure your child is at school for a prompt start of 08:50.
Make sure your child has had plenty of sleep so they are alert and ready to learn at all times.
Encourage your child to ask lots of questions – that shows they want to learn!
I respond to feedback.
Ask your child if they remember their ‘stars’ and ‘steps’ in English and Maths.
I take a safe risk.
Talk about the difference between a safe and unsafe risk. At school, we want your child to take a safe risk by having a go at answering, even if unsure; trying something new and attempting harder learning.
I take responsibility for my own learning.
Provide time and space at home so your child is able to organise themselves: their PE kit, reading book, homework, spellings and tables… Don’t organise everything for them!
Make a link between rights and responsibilities: your child has the right to a great education, but needs to be responsible for their own learning.
I am resourceful.
Encourage your child to be organised so they can play with a range of different toys.
Encourage your child to try new ways to solve a tricky problem.
I am resilient.
Encourage your child to keep going! Set a tricky challenge or puzzle for your child to do.
Encourage your child to think of different ways of doing things.
Don’t let your child win when they play a game – they need to experience losing, too!
Celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn – be happy that your child found some learning hard and encourage them to ‘bounce back’ and learn from the experience.
I remember.
Make sure they have time to learn spellings, number bonds and times tables – a little practice daily is best.
Play memory games:
Kim’s game: show them objects for 30 seconds… can they remember all the objects?
Can they build up the sequence, ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple and a bike.’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple, a bike and a cucumber.’ etc … Take turns!
I reflect about my learning.
Talk with your child about what they’ve learnt, asking questions about:
how they learnt
why they learnt it
when they’ll use their learning
how they would teach this to someone else
what learning might link with what they’ve learnt today etc
As well as covering the 8Rs for learning, pupils will also learn about their rights and responsibilities.
Finally, we end the half term learning about democracy (one of the British Values). All children have the opportunity to experience democracy in our annual School Council elections. More details to follow.
Our full Living and Learning long term plan is available on the health pages and you can keep up to date with our weekly Living and Learning statements on the parent noticeboard in the playground and also on the school calendar.
New school meal menu
Our new autumn/spring school meal menu, starting in September, is now available on our Meals page. It continues to follow a three week cycle.
The menu has been created in liaison with Catering Leeds to ensure it meets the School Food Standards. We have also incorporated feedback from our school cook, pupils and parents/carers. We will continue to offer meat free Monday on one out of the three weeks.
Pupils will continue to make their daily food choices at the start of the day to ensure they receive their first choice of main meal.
If you would like a paper copy of the menu, please ask at the office.
School Savings Club paying in session
The next School Saving Club paying in date is 10 July 2019 at 3.15-3.45pm.
If your child opened an account in our Money Matters themed week, this would be a great chance to start their saving journey.
If you’re unable to attend in person, please hand in any money to be deposited to the office in a sealed envelope addressed to Mrs Tiffany.
This is the final paying in date for this year and dates for next year will be shared in September.
If your child would like to open an account, please ask at the office.
Yoga
The children really enjoyed their first yoga session.
All Stars Cricket FREE ‘Have-a-Go’ session
There will be chance to ‘Have-a-Go’ at cricket at an All Stars Cricket session at Old Leos Cricket Club (LS17 5PR) on Sunday 21st July 2-4pm.
All Stars Cricket gives girls and boys from the ages of four to eight an opportunity to become a star. All Stars Cricket ‘Have-a-Go’ sessions are suitable for all skill levels, providing your child with a fantastic fun and safe first experience of cricket.
This is completely FREE of Charge and NEW Participants will receive a free bat and ball!
Click on the following link to sign up for a free place.
This is a great opportunity for pupils to get in to cricket and have a taster of All Stars following the Cricket World Cup.
Sports day 4th July
We are looking forward to welcoming you to our annual sports day tomorrow. Here is some information about the day.
Location
Our sports day will take place offsite at Roundhegians Rugby Club (LS8 2AT). Access to the club is off Chelwood Drive and there is some parking available. Children will be walking to the field, escorted by adults. Thank you to those parents/carers who have offered to help with this. We will be leaving school at 9:05am for KS2 and 1:05pm for Reception and KS1.
Timings
The Key Stage 2 Sports Day will begin at 9.30am ending at approximately 11:30am and the Reception and Key Stage 1 sports day will start at 1.30pm ending at approximately 3 pm.
Normal lunch time and end of school collection arrangements will still apply on this day.
PE kit
Our teams will be: green, blue, white and red and your child/children has been told their team colour by their class teacher. If possible, please could your child wear a t-shirt to match their team colour. If your child does not have a coloured t-shirt, they should wear their white PE top and they will be given a bib to wear.
Children should come to school in their PE kit to be worn for the whole day.
On the day
Please could you ensure your child has their water bottle and a cap/hat at school; it would also be useful if you could apply sun cream before your child comes to school.
Events
The format of this year’s event will be competitive races and field events (KS2) with children having the opportunity to compete for medals. These will be awarded by staff and sports leaders from Allerton Grange, who will be placed on the finish line. No VAR this year, unfortunately! However, all children will be rewarded for taking part.
We expect each child to take part in at least two events. Some may take part in more depending on how many children are in their team. As far as is possible, we have tried to place children in events of their choice.
Seating
No seating is provided so please bring a rug or your own chairs if you come to spectate.
Gazebos
Thank you to those parents/carers who are able to bring gazebos on the day. Any additional gazebos would be welcome, to shade the children, if you can help with this.
Refreshments
The PTA will be selling refreshments for parents and carers on the day.
Photos
You are welcome to take photos on the day. These should be for your own use and as we have children in school who cannot be photographed please do not share these photos on social media.
Safety
For safety reasons, please do not cross the track to where the children are seated – thank you.
Showcase of skipping skills
Thank you to all parents, carers and family who came along to see the fantastic skipping skills on display at our recent skipping assembly.
Jodi, from Skipping School, provided skipping sessions for Reception class, Year 1, Year 3, Year 5 and Year 6 throughout the day and it was great to see all the new skills learnt. Year 2 and Year 4 have already been involved in their skipping projects this year and have taken part in festivals representing the school.
Skipping is one of the ways we encourage the children to achieve their 30 active minutes at school by providing short and long ropes at playtime and lunchtime.
If you didn’t get chance to buy a skipping rope after the assembly, we do have some available for sale. Please come to the Year 2 classroom on Monday or Tuesday, after school, if you would like to purchase one.
Wimbledon themed menu
Catering Agency, our school meal provider, will be running a special themed menu on Tuesday 9th July. Please contact the office, as soon as possible, if your child would like a school meal on this day (no action needed if your child normally has a school meal on this day). Subject to the weather on the day, we hope the children can enjoy this picnic themed meal outside.
