Scaffolding coming down outside Reception classrooms
Reception trying out the new climbing wall
Buildings update
As you can see from the above pictures , Galliford Try finished the South playground in time for the start of the Summer term. The children have loved playing on the new equipment and rolling around on the fake grass.
We are 99% sure that both Year 1 and Year 2 will be returning to Fox on May 2nd. The hall floor is being laid and the reception classrooms are all but finished. Unfortunately, we will not have access to the new kitchen and therefore children in Years 3/4/5 and 6 will have to continue bringing in packed lunches. We will continue providing children from Years Rec /1 and 2 with a home cooked lunch.
We would like to stress to parents in Years 1 and 2 that moving back to Fox is something that all staff are very keen to do and that it will not be disruptive to the children's education. All the classrooms will be set up and ready to go by Tuesday 2nd.
The LA are confident hat the project will be completely finished by the 2nd June and children will have full access to the whole school.
Changing Maths Home Learning
This term we are changing our approach to mathematics home learning. The focus will be on developing fluency which requires children having speedy recall of key building blocks which under pin calculations e.g. times tables – which includes division facts alongside multiplications facts ; addition and subtraction bonds, multiplication/division by 10,100, 100 , rounding numbers, estimation skill and similar skills . There will also be a focus on children practising taught writing methods. Methods sheets will be provided so there is clarity about what method children are being taught.
The format will be as follows: On Friday, class teachers will give out fluency goal for the forthcoming week together with practice sheets to reinforce this. Children should then do these sheets over the course of the week and also practice recalling these with parental support. Sheets will not be marked as these are seen as an aid for practice and recall. . Children will then be given a test on whatever the skill/written method on the following Friday and this will be put into the home learning book so that you can see how well your child is doing. So rather than homework being a long and lengthy ( often night before it’s due in chore!) – we would ask that children practice skills given on daily basis for around ten minutes. Teachers will also give suggested websites for children to use.
St Annes Update - the last one!
Year 1 have had a great start to the summer term! In Literacy, they have been writing instructions about how to make a soil head man and they worked with their talk partner to make their own. They can’t wait to see if he grows grass hair! In Maths, the children have impressed us with their place value knowledge. Today, they looked at number bonds to 100. The children used their knowledge of numbers bonds to 10 to reasons and explain how they can find number bonds to 100. In Geography, they looked at weather patterns in the United Kingdom and made up their own weather forecast with their talk partners. They are hoping for perfect weather conditions on Sunday as Miss Hollingworth takes on the London Marathon! Miss Hollingworth would like to say a massive thank you to all of the parents and carers who have helped her raise money for the NSPCC. With your support she has nearly raised £3000! If you’d like to follow the marathon on Sunday her race number is 45680 and if you’d like to add a last minute donation please visit www.justgiving.com/sarahlondonmarathon2017 Thank you!
Year 2 have had a short yet fun packed start to the Summer term!
They have begun a new unit in literacy based on the adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey. The children have loved exploring all the details of the illustrations and using these as clues to predict the ending of the story.
In Numeracy, the children have been practising addition and subtraction equations, including missing number problems. Today, they created their own missing number problems by drawing pictures and hiding animals under a flap. The children worked in partners to guess what the hidden number was. In RE, they have begun a new unit on Hinduism and the children explored the Hindu God Brahman. They thought about 3 aspects of themselves that were important to them, based on three representations of Brahman.
School nurse drop-ins
Our school nurse, Nadine Powell, will be available between 8.30am and 11am on Monday 24th April. Please sign up for a time in the office if you would like to meet with her about anything relating to your child's health.
Football matches at Westway Mr Millett will email the parents of children participating in next Tuesday’s matches. Training will commence week beginning Tues 2nd May as per start of clubs.
Next Week's Fixtures:
Westway Year 4 Boys Football Draw
Tues 25th Apr
4:00
4:15
4:30
4:45
Barlby v Bevington
Fox 1 v St Clements
Avondale 2 v Fox 1
Avondale 1 v St Charles
St Charles v Colville
St Francis v St Mary Abbots
Fox 2 v Oxford Gardens
St Francis v Bevington
Westway Year 5/6 Girls Football Draw
Tues 25th Apr
4:00
4:15
4.30
4.45
Thomas Jones v Avondale 2
St Clements v Bevington
Ark Brunel v Thomas Jones
Oxford Gardens v Fox
Clubs
Last chance to book clubs this weekend. Please check available clubs on School Gateway. Confirmation emails and Payment Requests will be sent on Monday 24th April.
PSHE half-termly theme – Relationships
Each half term there is an overall theme for PSHE which all the children’s learning is based around. This half term the theme for all year groups is ‘Relationships’. The children will spend their PSHE lessons discussing ideas such as making and sustaining friendships, different types of relationships, identity and self-esteem, peer influence, how to support each other and themselves and anti-bullying. Please do ask your child what they have been learning in PSHE and continue these discussions at home. For more detailed information on each year group, please see the PSHE curriculum overview which is available to view on the school website.
