News
Newsletter for the week ending 10th December
A very busy week with the chidlren rehearsing and performing their nativities to the camera. A big thank you to all the teachers with organising these and also Mr Fitzgerald for giving up much of his time (and expertise) recording the pieces in the church.
To support teachers with achieving a sustainable work life balance we ask that any emails you want to send to a class teacher is sent to admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk. Teachers receive a copy of this email and will respond if required. Please be aware that emails sent direct to staff from parents will not be answered.
Whilst Covid is reported to be more widespread in our local area than on average across the country and that we currently have larger than usual pupil absence, relatively few of those absent have tested positive for Covid. There are lots of other bugs going around at present and a huge thank you for your vigilance and willingness to LFT and PCR test your children when they present as unwell. Of those who have tested positive some have presented coldlike symptoms and not the symptoms typically and previously associated with Covid, so please comtinue to be cautious and test your child if you are unwell.
Wishing you all a super weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
AROUND THE CLASSES
This week in Turtles and Dolphins we have thought about what Christmas means to us and what Advent is. We have been busy making things eg paperchains, snowflakes, Christmas cards (we will keep those ideas a secret until next week) and Christmas biscuits. Inside our cards we have all had a go at practicing our writing. On Thursday the children had fun in an outdoor learning session.
This week in Year 1 we have been diving into Christmas preparations by rehearsing our Christmas play. The children have really impressed me with their singing and acting skills. On Thursday we filmed the play and again the children were stunned me with their concentration, effort, and enthusiasm. We will be putting the film together over the coming days and share with you via Google Classroom. A text will be sent when you will be able to view it. In our writing this week we have been using The Bear and The Hare advert to inspire our writing. So far the children have thought about what Christmas means to them and explored what the different characters might be saying. Have a restful weekend.
This week in Lundy Puffins we have been focussing on our Nativity. The children have done really well learning their lines and all the songs. We hope you enjoy watching it when the editing process is complete. We have also started learning about Multiplication, by making equal groups and arrays. In English we have been writing a story to go alongside the Man on the Moon Christmas advert. Everyone tried really hard to make good word choices. We have made Diwali hand patterns and Christmas cards. Don’t forget to bring in any homework you have done next week.
The children have polished their performances and our wonderful director of photography has attended rehearsals so that he is familiar with the staging. The children are excited to be filming in the church this Friday and Monday. A gentle reminder that years 3, 4 and 5 will need their hats, scarves and gloves on the day of filming. That is Friday 10th for years 3 and 4 and Monday 13th for year 5. Year 5 will also need to remember their Christmas jumpers on Monday as this is not a normal Christmas jumper day for them. Year 6 are filming on Friday 10th and should be wearing their jumpers anyway. They do not need hats, scarves and gloves unless they have been specifically told otherwise. Details of how to view the performance will be sent out later. Thank you again for your support with the learning of words. Bah Humbug to Covid the show will go on!
HMS Echo have had a busy week getting ready for Christmas and completing assessments as well as continuing to work on their writing skills ready to produce their own non-fiction reports about Boudicca’s Rebellion next week. They have also explored the Roman Empire using globes and atlases to locate and name some of the countries. Finally, they all performed brilliantly when we went to church to record their songs. They were all amazing in their attitude and enthusiasm. We’re really looking forward to seeing the finished version next week!
Beechcroft has continued listening to and writing Viking sagas. We have finished our stories about Thor and the Giants and are now learning the story of Luna and the magic apples. We are developing our use of dialogue and correct use of inverted commas. In numeracy we have been finding out about square and cube numbers. We have also started to secure a method for short division. Our topic work has been looking at the Danelaw and thinking about the question ‘Should King Alfred have given land to the Vikings to have peace?’ We are looking forward to our day at RHS Rosemoor where we will be making Christmas decorations.
Year 6 have had a busy week rehearsing for 2 different Christmas plays and have been really enjoying this. They have also been trying to complete work on fractions in Maths – which has linked many skills together and researching for a biography that they are going to write about Harry Clement in Literacy. In topic, they were finding out about why Britain won the Battle of Britain and trying to evaluate the evidence. They have also enjoyed an outdoor learning session which has involved aspects of their WW2 garden – who is going to win the onion competition?
