October active travel prize winners
We’ve awarded the final voucher prizes for our October active travel prize draw.
Well done to Isla, Year 2, and Jasraj, Year 4, who won the week 4 and overall October month prizes for travelling to school in an active way.
The Living Streets’ WOW interactive travel tracker allows children to record, in class, their daily journey to school and children will continue to be awarded themed badges at the end of every month for travelling actively.
An active journey includes:
- walking
- scooting
- biking
- park and stride
We want to reduce the number of cars outside school so if you do have to travel by car, we recommend parking away from the school gate maybe at our preferred park and stride location, Marks & Spencer.
As always, keep safe while travelling.
DT Catapults!
We’ve been designing and making catapults in topic lessons this week. Children used elastic bands, lolly pop sticks and a spoon to create their catapults. It was tricky to get the elastic bands attached but it was good fine motor skill practice! We then tested our catapults by trying to fire a fuzzy missile over the wall of a castle. Finally, we evaluated the effectiveness of our catapults and suggested improvements. 
Spelling strategies
We’ve been using different strategies to help us to learn spellings.
Word shape Children draw around the shape of the word to remember the shape the letters make. 
Word pyramids Children begin with the first letter of the word and then add an extra letter on a new line until they have the word written in full. 
School Council 2018-2019
Meet our newly elected school councillors, chosen democratically by their class.
Their first meeting will be held next week. On the agenda is to discuss bullying (as part of anti-bullying week), Takeover Day and to consider what they might want to spend their library and class reward budgets on.
All children are encouraged to make suggestions to their school councillors (by posting their suggestion slip in each class’ Living and Learning box) for ideas/concerns to be discussed.
Anti-bullying week – odd socks day
Next week is Anti-bullying Week. This year’s theme is ‘Choose Respect’ and we will be joining in with Odd Socks Day on Monday 12 November.
This day is to raise awareness of our differences, individuality and personal choice. There is no need for any payment – your child should simply wear odd socks and join in the fun!
Thank you for your support.
Living and learning – Identity
Our Living and Learning theme this half-term is Identity. Pupils will learn about what makes themselves and others special, valuing the similarities and differences between themselves and others and what is meant by community. This will be taught through our Living and Learning sessions and also a focused week – Anti-bullying week (12 November).
Also this half term, our new school charity will be chosen. Every year, we nominate a new charity to support. This year, we have been supporting MakeAWish. We decide this on the basis of a Talk Time homework, and then school councillors make the final decision.
Our Living and Learning long term plan details the learning for each year group across the year 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. We will begin and end this half term with a focus on manners.
I apologise when I need to.
I say please and thank you.
Bonfire night themed menu
When we return to school, on Monday 05 November, there will be a bonfire night themed menu.
Election ready
The polling station is all set up and ready for the annual School Council elections tomorrow.
Good luck to all candidates.
Active travel in October – week three winner
Well done to our week three winner who made active journeys to school every day last week.
Our active travel section on the website has recently been updated. Have a look at some of the initiatives we take part in to encourage a happy and healthy start to the school day.
Living and Learning – democracy
Within the upcoming School Council elections, we’ve been considering one of the British Values, democracy, in our weekly Living and learning lesson.
This week, it’s our School Council elections. School Councils are democracy in action and we want to promote democracy as a way for children to have a say in what goes on.
Voting is all about democracy:
demo means ‘people’ and cracy means ‘ruling and decision-making’.
We’re excited to hear all the candidate’s speeches ready for the election on Thursday and we reminded ourselves about the voting process:
- Vote once for one person
- You can vote for yourself
- Choose someone who has the best qualities to become a good school councillor rather than just voting for a friend
- You can abstain, not to vote
Thank you to Olivia and Eleanor who have represented the class so well as our school councillors and good luck to all the candidates this week.
