Living and learning: mindfulness
As a happy and healthy school, we encourage pupils to look after their mental health as well as their physical health. Read our mindfulness newsletter for ideas and techniques to try to support this.
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Chirpy, in Chapel Allerton, are hosting FREE after school Mindfulness Moments For Minis workshops. A time for children to reconnect and calm their minds.
Wednesday 11th May 4:30pm – 5:15pm Age 5-10
Thursday 12th May 4:30pm – 5:15pm Age 5-10
Friday 13th May 10am -10:30am pre school
Bookings can be made here.
By teaching mindfulness to children they learn the skills they need to build self-awareness, confidence and cope with stress. Mindfulness can help children deal with tough emotions and help them learn ways to relax and calm the mind and the body.
Living and Learning: democracy
This week we are looking at democracy and making democratic decisions. We discussed the importance of democratic decisions and everybody having a say. We understood that some people might be disappointed in the result of the vote but it is the fairest way to decide. We talked about how important a secret ballot is so that everyone has the freedom to decide themselves.
We learnt a little about how adults use their vote to decide who runs the country. Our JLT in school is also decided by a vote and we discussed why this was fair system for everyone.
Finally, we held our own secret vote to decide which book we should read at home time. The three choices are below and the result was:
Specs for Rex – 6 votes
Are you the Pirate Captain? – 13 votes
Rosie is my best friend – 9 votes
A clear winner! We all enjoyed the story no matter how we voted!

Leeds Fun Run 8th May
The Arena Group Leeds Fun Run is back for 2022, taking place on Sunday 8th May.
It offers a great opportunity to get families together, while staying and active and healthy at the same time.
Children of all abilities are encouraged to take part as they wheel, walk, jog or run the 1.3 km route around the city centre.
Catalan Soccer
This week, all classes are taking part in sessions led by Catalan Soccer.
Thank you to the Year 5 pupil, who currently attends Catalan Soccer sessions outside of school, who requested they came into school.
The classes have been brilliant and the coaches have fed back what a delight the kids have been to coach!
The coaches also commented how welcome they have been made to feel by your staff and teachers, so a huge thanks for that!
If your child enjoyed their session, please contact Catalan Soccer to find out more about the classes and holiday camps they run in Leeds.
Living and Learning: democracy
This week we are looking at democracy and making democratic decisions. We discussed the importance of democratic decisions and everybody having a say. We understood that some people might be disappointed in the result of the vote but it is the fairest way to decide. We talked about how important a secret ballot is so that everyone has the freedom to decide themselves.
We learnt a little about how adults use their vote to decide who runs the country. Our JLT in school is also decided by a vote and we discussed why this was fair system for everyone.
Finally, we held our own secret vote to decide which book we should read at home time. The three choices are below and the result was:
Specs for Rex – 6 votes
Are you the Pirate Captain? – 13 votes
Rosie is my best friend – 9 votes
A clear winner! We all enjoyed the story no matter how we voted!
Big Walk and Wheel
Thank you to all the families who have supported the Big Walk and Wheel over the last two weeks.
Overall, we were placed 150th in the small school category, out of 643 schools, with a daily average of 74.29% of journeys to school being active. In Northern England, we were 18th out of 107 small schools. Well done to everyone who took an active journey to help to achieve this.
Over the two week period we actively travelled 1,358 times!
It would be great for these active journeys to continue. Travelling actively (walking, park and stride – Marks and Spencers car park, scooting or biking) is a safe and healthy start to the school day.
Happy Holidays!
Everyone in Year One would like to wish all your families and children a very happy holiday! The children have worked really hard this term and have made some brilliant progress and produced some outstanding work! Well done Year 1!
In your children’s bag there is some sheets of paper to help with learning at home. There is their Numbots log in, in case you have misplaced it, so that the children practise their number facts. This really does help with their fluency in calculations.
There is also the tricky words we have been learning this term in phonics. Initially, the target is to read these fluently but if your child can do this the next target is to be able to spell them.
I have also included some of the new graphemes we have learnt this year with some example words. It is really important that children can read these automatically in order to become fluent readers. I have also encouraged the children to read their ebooks, their sharing books and any other books they can get their hands on over the holidays!
Finally, there is a table of all the number facts from 0+0 to 10+10. We learnt these in a specific order so that children build on their knowledge progressively and this order is shown at the side of the table.
Thank you for all your support and have a restful and relaxing break!
The Year 1 team.
Living and Learning: First Aid
This week in Living and Learning we learnt about first aid. First of all we thought of some of the illnesses or injuries that might need first aid. Then we discussed what first aid those injuries might need, from a cold compress to calling 999. Finally, we shared our ideas as to what you should say to comfort someone who is hurt or unwell. The children did a great job!

Computing – Beebots
During our Computing topic this half term we have been learning all about algorithms. These are sets of instructions and we can use them to program computers. We have practised writing our own algorithms as well as debugging (fixing) them.
So far, we have only written algorithms for games on pieces of paper so we can learn the process securely. This week we got out the Beebots and had a go at writing algorithms for it to follow. We tried to make the Beebot escape a maze, draw a square and move to our partner. We made sure to write down our algorithm first and then debug it if it went wrong. It was great fun!
Next week, we will create our own game and use the Beebot to play it! We can’t wait!
Science!
Over the last two weeks we have been learning all about microbes in our science lessons! We have learnt that there are three main types of microbe: virus, bacteria and fungi. Last week, we made our own microbe out of playdough and gave it a name. We had some wonderful models! Well done everyone!
This week, we conducted an experiment to show us how important it is to wash out hands with soap! We first dipped a cocktail stick in water and then in water with black pepper in it. The pepper stuck to the cocktail stick just like microbes stick to our skin. Finally we dipped the cocktail stick in the soapy water and all the pepper washed away! It was great fun.