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Living and Learning: 8Rs

Posted on Friday 11 October 2019 by Mr Roundtree

Having reflected on all eight Rs for learning, Year 4 decided they learnt most about resilience this term in our tower building lesson.

 

As a team, we had to try and build the tallest tower but it kept getting knocked down. Despite our frustrations, we had to encourage each other to carry on and start again. We talked about situations that make us feel like this and strategies we had to help us to keep going.

At home, see if we can tell you what the 8Rs are and ways we can showing we’re using them in our learning.

 

World Mental Health Day

Posted on Friday 11 October 2019 by Miss Wilson

Yesterday was World Mental Health Day, and Y6 did some research to find out more.

First, we learnt what makes efficient search terms. Challenge your child to explain! Take a look at this RIC:

For example, to find out the answer to this question: “What is the population of people living in Leeds, West Yorkshire, this year?” you would use much more efficient search terms. Ask your child what they would enter into the search engine.

Next, we focussed on being safe online by discussing bias (ie paid advertising vs factual content), quality of life (ie were these web pages contributing positively to our lives?) and protecting ourselves (ie not entering passwords/email addresses, avoiding pop ups). We researched some questions about World Mental Health Day using effective search terms, a variety of search engines and trusted websites.

Some important information we found out is that mental health can affect everyone. To look after yourself you need to:

  • know you’re not alone
  • understand it will pass
  • talk about your worries
  • keep active
  • get enough sleep

 

Healthy Schools revalidation

Posted on Wednesday 02 October 2019 by Mrs Taylor

We are proud to continue to be a happy and healthy school.

‘Congratulations on re-validating your Healthy Schools Status using the School Health Check tool, indicating that your school has self-evaluated whole school health. This demonstrates that your school is continuing to embed and improve provision against the four core areas of Healthy Schools.’

Health and Wellbeing service, Leeds City Council

Our re-validation was based on the four core areas of Healthy Schools –

  • Personal Social Health Education (PSHE)
  • Healthy Eating
  • Physical Activity
  • Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health

A visit will be arranged later this year to externally reassess this self-validation.

 

 

This status is valid for three years before re-validation is necessary (August 2019 – August 2022). During this period, a visit will be arranged to externally reassess your self-validation. Once the school has had a successful reassessment, you will then receive a Healthy Schools plaque and feedback report. In the meantime, we do recommend that you update the School Health Check on an annual basis.

 

Science and dance

Posted on Wednesday 02 October 2019 by Mrs Taylor

Monday afternoon is when Year 2 become scientists. With the help of our materials monster, we’ve been busy learning lots about everyday materials.

This week, the children were provided with a selection of objects and they were asked to generate some questions of what they wanted to find out.

We decided to test whether we could change the shape of the objects by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching (one of the science objectives for Year 2).

Here are some of the working scientifically objectives we covered as well.

I can ask simple questions and recognise that they can be answered in different ways.
I can observe carefully, using simple equipment.
I can perform simple tests.
I can identify and classify.
I can use my observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions.
I can gather and record data to help in answering questions.

Following on from this learning, Year 2 used their bodies in dance to show some of these properties. Can you guess which of the poses show ‘stretch’, ‘bend’, ‘squash’ and ‘twist’?

 

Aldi Kit for Schools

Posted on Thursday 26 September 2019 by Mrs Taylor

Aldi’s Kit for Schools promotion is giving twenty primary schools the chance to win £20,000 to kick-start a health legacy for their school.

What’s more, every school who enters by completing their Aldi’s Kit for Schools poster will also receive an exclusive school sports kit! Help us collect stickers with every £30 you spend in store and fill up our school’s poster to give us a chance to win. Please bring your stickers to the school office before the promotion ends on the 3rd November. Thank you for your support.

Bike to School Week

Posted on Sunday 22 September 2019 by Mrs Taylor

This week, it is Bike to School Week. Bike to School Week is a week long event designed to showcase the benefits of cycling to school.

Have you been inspired by the current UCI Road World Championships to get on your bike? Could you make biking to school one of your active methods of travelling to school this week?

To link with Bike to School week, our Year 1 class will be completing their Balance, Pedal, Go bike training this week.

If you are wanting to explore the area further by bike, this West Yorkshire Cycle map can help to find recommended routes.

Finally, have you visited the local Brownlee Centre? Take a look at some of their Let’s Ride sessions.

 

Somebody swallowed Stanley

Posted on Wednesday 18 September 2019 by Mrs Taylor

Somebody Swallowed Stanley is a brilliant picture book telling about the tale of Stanley – a jellyfish unlike other jellyfish, because he is a plastic bag – and what happens to him when creatures of the sea try to eat him. Some manage to spit him back out, but one of the creatures isn’t so lucky, until a brilliant young man comes along and saves the day. The book has provided a great link to our current materials science topic.

This week, we brought the story to life with a drama session led by Sam and his team from Leeds Playhouse. We enjoyed fun games and we became the characters from the story. It was great to see the creativity of the children and how they were taking ‘safe risks’ with their learning.

If your child enjoyed the session, Leeds Playhouse run drama classes for children on a Saturday (details will be coming home in book bags). They have asked us to pass on the following message.

If any of the young people who would like to join Playhouse Youth are from low income households they can apply for a bursary by contacting Ellie Manners (playhouseyouth@leedsplayhouse.org.uk).

Lexia

Posted on Monday 16 September 2019 by Mrs Taylor

Today, the children have brought home information about Lexia and a reminder of their login and password.

Lexia is a computer based program that builds reading skills and complements your child’s learning in class.

Where possible, we encourage the children to access Lexia at home to support this learning. Your child will make much more progress if they can regularly use this programme at home on either a computer or tablet.

Children should aim to achieve Level 9 by the end of Year 2.

If you have any problems accessing Lexia at home, please let us know.

As always, thank you for your support in continuing learning at home.

Place Value

Posted on Friday 13 September 2019 by Mr Wain

Year 5 have had a brilliant start to the year in all areas of school! They have thoroughly impressed with their appetite for learning and improving.

For Maths in particular, we have been looking at place value. The children have been using an array of methods to support their learning.

 

We have been using Denes, number lines, bar-models, counters and part-whole models to really show off how many different ways we can represent numbers!

In another area of the curriculum, we have enjoyed diving into our new class novel – Marianne Dreams. This has been the main focus for our Art topic, where we have incorporated artistic techniques such as cross-hatching, stippling and gradient into our artwork.

Ask your child what media has been used in the pieces of art above!

Platinum award

Posted on Sunday 08 September 2019 by Mrs Taylor

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.