Just one week until Big Pedal starts
It’s just one week to the return of the Big Pedal.
We’re looking forward to taking part in Sustrans Big Pedal 2019, the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting challenge, that inspires pupils, staff and parents to choose two (or three) wheels for their journey to school. We would love everyone to be involved.
For the first time, walking (and park and stride) will be counted alongside cycling and scooting. This year’s Big Pedal will run for five days, from 25th March to 29th March.
On each day, schools compete to see who can get as many of their pupils, staff and parents cycling or scooting to school then our results will determine our final position in the national league table.
To help parents prepare, Sustrans has developed a handy free guide packed with advice, games and challenges to help with having a hassle-free cycle, walk or scoot to school.
Help! We need your junk!
Mrs Bharath is Junk Modelling on Hobby Half Day this Friday.
If you have any clean empty boxes, tubes, cartons, plastic bottles lying around at home please drop them in at the Year 1 classroom by Thursday.
Thank you!
Cycling opportunities
Here are details of local cycling events due to be held in the Easter holiday.
Beginners Learn to Ride Sessions (FREE)
For non-riders aged 5 years and above
Tuesday 2nd April, Thursday 4th April and Tuesday 9th April – limited availability
At Carr Manor Community School (Secondary Phase)
Times: 9:30am, 10:45am, 12:30pm and 13:45pm (Tues 2nd only)
Improvers Cycling Session (FREE)
For ‘new’ riders aged 5 years and above
Thursday 4th April
At Carr Manor Community School (Secondary Phase)
Time: 13:45pm
The Brownlee Centre will also be hosting a pop up school holiday ride.
School Savings Club paying in dates
Please note a change of day for the remaining School Savings Club paying in dates.
If your child has a School Savings Club account, we hold paying in sessions on the penultimate week of every half term.
Thursday 18 October 2018 3.15-3.45pm
Thursday 13 December 2018 3.15-3.45pm
Thursday 07 February 2019 3.15-3.45pm
Wednesday 20 March 2019 3.15-3.45pm
Wednesday 15 May 2019 3.15-3.45pm
Wednesday 10 July 2019 3.15-3.45pm
If you are unable to attend in person, please hand in any money to be paid in, to the office in a sealed envelope addressed to Mrs Tiffany.
If you would like your child to open an account, please enquire at the office. Pupils in Year 3 can still take advantage of the £10 incentive offer.
Why is travelling actively to school important?
Sustrans have recently published this article about the importance of travelling actively to school.
With just two weeks to go, Sustrans Big Pedal, is one way we will be encouraging active journeys this term alongside our year round Living Streets WOW sustainable travel initiative where the children record how they travel to school on our daily travel tracker.
Sustrans Big Pedal is the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting challenge, that inspires pupils, staff and parents to choose two (or three) wheels for their journey to school. We would love everyone to be involved. For the first time, walking (and park and stride) will be counted alongside cycling and scooting.
This year’s Big Pedal will run for five days, from 25th March to 29th March.
You might also be interested in a current bike promotion from our local Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative branch.
EasyPeasy app
By now you should have been receiving weekly text messages with game ideas to support your child’s learning.
We hope you have enjoyed playing these games.
We would love to hear about your child’s experience with these games.
You can comment on the video on the EasyPeasy app or email us at moortowneyfs@spherefederation.org
Phonics
Thank you for attending our Phonics Mornings this week- we had record attendance!
We hope you found the sessions useful in showing how we teach phonics and how you can support your child at home.
Below are sentences taken from ‘Letters and sounds’ which your child should be able to write independently using their phonic knowledge.
Mark and Carl got wet in the rain.
The farmer gets up at six in the morning.
Jill has fair hair but Jack has dark hair.
Jim has seven silver coins.
I can hear an owl hoot at night.
Nan is sitting in the rocking-chair.
Bow down to the king and queen.
Gurdeep had a chat with his dad.
I can see a pair of boots on the mat.
It has been hot this year.
Don’t forget to let us know about the writing and reading your child is doing at home.
moortowneyfs@spherefederation.org
Phonics mornings
Don’t forget our phonics mornings on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Come along and see how the children have progressed and learn how you can support them in their reading and writing at home.
See you there!
Active travel update
Here’s an update on our latest active travel initiatives for this half term.
Living Streets WOW Travel Tracker
Meltem from Living Streets visited school for an assembly today to launch a new challenge for our WOW active travel tracker.
Currently, children record how they get to school on the WOW daily online travel tracker and those who complete at least one active journey per week to school (bike, scoot, walk or park and stride) are rewarded with a themed monthly badge.
As this has been a big success, with increased active journeys and less journeys by car, from March, we will be challenging children to make at least three active journeys per week to earn their monthly badge.
There were some queries that were raised at the assembly.
Can your three active journeys be different?
Yes – active journeys include walking, biking, scooting and park and stride so as long as your journeys are any of these three in a week you would qualify for a badge.
What can be included as park and stride?
Ideally park and stride is where you park away from school and walk the final 5-10 minutes to school. This ensures that areas close to school are free from traffic. Marks and Spencer has many spaces available for families to park and walk the final part of the journey to school.
Sustrans Big Pedal 2019
Get set… the Big Pedal is back! We’re taking part in Sustrans Big Pedal 2019, the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting challenge, that inspires pupils, staff and parents to choose two (or three) wheels for their journey to school. We would love everyone to be involved. For the first time, walking (and park and stride) will be counted alongside cycling and scooting.
This year’s Big Pedal will run for five days, from 25th March to 29th March.
On each day, schools compete to see who can get as many of their pupils, staff and parents cycling or scooting to school then our results will determine our final position in the national league table.
If you need the car to bring your child to school, perhaps you could park and stride the last part (our suggested park and stride site is Marks and Spencer car park).
The Big Pedal will run alongside our year round Living Streets WOW sustainable travel initiative where the children record how they travel to school on our daily travel tracker.
Why we’re taking part
It’s a great way to get more of our pupils travelling to school in an active way. Also, schools will be entered into a daily prize draw for rewards including equipment and accessories if over 15% of our school community cycle, walk or scoot on that day of the challenge.
What do you need to do?
All you need to do is encourage your child(ren) to cycle, scoot, walk or park and stride to school every day during the event, and join them on their way.
Living and Learning: Being me
- I cover my mouth (when I yawn, cough, sneeze). Get your child to demonstrate the ‘vampire’ method to family members at home.
- I can say something good about myself. It’s important that your child can confidently talk about themselves in a positive way.
- I pay and receive compliments in a sensible way. Try paying compliments each day to each other! Some children struggle to hear positive words about themselves, but this is important for self-esteem. Try paying (and listening) to praise and compliments.
- I recognise my talents. Talk to your child about talents, whether academic, physical, social or emotional. Some of us may have a natural talent, but most have talents that derive from lots of practice.
- I know the difference between being proud and showing off. We encourage compliments to be paid – but encourage your children to know the balance between being having self-esteem and showing off.