News
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 25th November
Two timely seasonal reminders are the first showing of the John Lewis Christmas advert and the sounds and sights of nativity rehearsals in school. Both are now upon us and so the magic of Christmas begins! Please see below the dates for the various nativities and services and we hope to see you there.
An impressive £260 raised by you for the worth Children in Need appeal. Thank you.
If you are aged 18, living in North Devon and struggling with low mood, anxiety, stress or sleep difficulties NHS support is available. TALKWORKS is a free-to-access NHS service for adults. If you feel you are in a mental health crisis and need an urgent response please contact the First Response Service on 0808 196 8708, your GP, NHS 111 or Mental Health Matters on 0800 4700 317.
This week staff have safeguarding training on harmful sexual behaviours. This NSPCC link includes information for parents.
Please click on more to find out what has been happening in all the classes and we wish you all a lovely weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Diary dates:
- Turtles and Dolphins nativity Tuesday 6th December 2.30pm and 6pm
- Years 1&2 nativity Wednesday 7th December 2.30pm and 6pm
- Christmas Fair Friday 9th December 3.30pm-6pm
- Christmas lunch Wednesday 14th December
- Years 3-6 Christmas Service Friday 16th December at St Mary’s Church, 2pm
- Sports Day for Dolphins and years 1-6 is scheduled for Tuesday 23rd May
AROUND THE CLASSES
This week Turtles and Dolphins continued learning about Diwali. We have found out where India is and we know that people all over the world celebrate Diwali and not just those living in India. We have looked at artefacts and pictures of Diwali and sorted pictures into those that are associated with Diwali and those that are associated with Christmas. We have also finished decorating our Diva Pots.
In Year 1 this week we have started a new book in Literacy: The Three Little Pigs. We have been looking at lots of different versions of the story and compared two books, recording their similarities and differences. We have also created a story map for the book we have been reading. In Maths we are finishing off our subtraction learning by using a number line to show our working and completing word problems. In our Topic lessons we have been learning which countries make up the UK and labelled them on a map. We also looked at the capital cities and matched them to the correct countries. We had our visit from the hygienist on Friday and enjoyed using the disclosure tablet to show how well we are brushing our teeth!
Lundy Puffins have been busy this week writing a class story about a lion who loses its roar based on the ‘Augusts and his smile’ book. Next week they will be writing their own stories about a different animal using all the skills they have learnt. In Maths, they are learning about shape for the final weeks of the Autumn Term. Addition and subtraction skills will still be practised, so please keep learning the number bonds using the games on the Google Classroom. In Science, they have been learning about food chains and then had a go at creating their own food chain. In their Geography work, they learnt that India is in Asia and sang a very catchy song to help them remember the names of all the continents. Christmas play practices are taking place and we have been very impressed by how well the children have been learning their lines – thank you for your support with this
Year five did some hot seating whereby they interviewed key figures in the nativity story. Year 3 looked at different aspects of their personality so they could understand the Hindu belief in a one God who can take the form of many different deities. Year 4 wrote their own baptismal prayer for an infant baptism. Year 6 updated their RE floor book with work on the Seder plate and Jewish bible.
Year 3 have had a wonderful week. In maths, we have continued learning how to use the column method for addition and subtraction and we challenged ourselves to learn how to exchange. We then applied our learning to some word problems and problem solving questions. In geography, we have continued our learning on Saint Lucia and this week we drew our own maps of the island with a key to show the different features. In English, we planned a conversation between Tranio and Livia from the story Escape in Pompeii, and we thought about what the characters might say to each other as they escape from the erupting volcano. In PE, we practised our football skills including dribbling and passing the ball to each other – there were some impressive skills!
It’s been a busy week this week in HMS Echo (Year 4) ! To begin with, on Monday, the children participated in some outdoor learning in relation to their Science topic of ‘Teeth and Digestion’, where they looked at the different types of teeth and looked at skulls to work out what sort of diet some animals ate. In History, we have been looking at Queen Boudicca’s rebellion, and why she was so significant in British history. The children had a go at drawing her using clues that were left as evidence in the past. In PE, the children have been perfecting their throws in netball, and we looked at an overhead pass this week and when it is appropriate to use it. Finally, in Philosophy, we are looking at the story Willy and Hugh, where it discusses friendship which gives the children the opportunity to reflect and talk about their own friendships
Year 6 have been busy finding their character voices in Literacy, writing diary entries for ‘Friend or Foe’. In maths, work has moved onto fractions, beginning with simplifying, equivalent and ordering and comparing fractions. In art, there was some great homework using vector drawings in the style of Andy Warhol – some children were very inventive. We have also been making decorations following a Word War 2 theme of ‘make to and mend’. In science, they have been learning about the circulatory system and how the heart works. Don’t forget your secret Santa gifts by Wednesday next week.
