Newsletter
Dear Families,
Thank you for a lovely start to the new term. The days are slowly starting to get lighter. The first few weeks of this term have been extremely busy and I have been so impressed with the work that children have been showing me. The quality of the writing they have been producing is outstanding. Teachers will be proudly taking this work to moderate with other schools in Southwark.
Lots of trips and events have already happened across the school with more to come. I would like to thank all of the Parents’ that volunteer on these trips, as they wouldn’t be able to happen without you. As you can see below we have not only had children out on trips but also had a lot of events happening at school as well. This has included piglets in the Nursery to help with their understanding of the traditional tale of the ‘3 little pigs’ and an immersive experience of what it was like during the stone age days in year 3 to name just two.
A huge thank you to the PTA who have helped raise money for the school that teachers are now able to bid for to help support the children’s learning even further. Please look out for future events and if you would like to join the PTA please ask or attend one of the meetings.
Groundworks have been running a number of workshops for parents to support your children’s mental health and wellbeing. The last one was about supporting with anxiety. Please keep an eye out for the next workshop. Feedback around these workshops has been very positive.
A reminder that you are now able to sign up for your parent/teacher meetings on Arbor. If you are having any issues please speak to a member of the office staff.
Kind Regards,
Mr Vernalls
We are off to a brilliant start to the year! The children across the school are settled and are focused in on their lessons. Here are things that each year group is up to:
Nursery - In addition to the pigs, Nursery has also been reading The Three Little Pigs and retelling the story during carpet sessions and in their imaginary play across the wider provision. Their weekly mark making and writing activity has also been focused on the book.
Reception - Are currently reading Stanley's Stick and they are discussing how they would feel if they throw their stick into the ocean and it was gone forever. The children also wrote speech bubbles about their feelings, applying all of their wonderful phonics learning as they work out the spellings for their feeling words.
Year 1 - Finally the rain cleared and Year 1 children were able to go on their Winter Watch Walk in the park. Because of the rain, the children had to avoid so many puddles! In the end they were able to see that many of trees still did not have leave and the evergreens were still green and not impacted by the winter weather.
Year 2 - There has been a little noise coming from Year 2 this week as they have been learning about peaceful ways to stand up for what they believe in. During their drama lessons they created a protest to save the local library. Now they are creating posters to support their cause.
Year 3 - The children have been learning about the Roman's in History and the gory battles that they had during the expansion of their empire. They have been acting out the battles in drama to help develop their writing.
Year 4 - Children have been coming down to see Mr Sinko and Mr Vernalls on a daily basis to share their wonderful writing about the Egyptian Gods. The children have written fabulous descriptions using adventurous vocabulary.
Year 5 - Across the year group, the children have been excited to learn about WWII. In History they are learning about the events that lead up to this historic war and impact it had on the world. The children are writing and engaging in art activities to further understand and interpret the personal and family impact the war had on so many.
Year 6 - Have been reenacting scenes from MacBeth during their weekly drama lessons. In groups of three or four they discussed the nuances of vocabulary words they are going to use in their writing later this week. The children had a lot of fun acting out the murder scene within their small groups.
This year, our school is celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week by using Place2Be’s Disney resources from Inside Out 2 to help children understand their emotions. Throughout the week, pupils will take part in PSHE lessons focused on recognizing and managing their feelings, as well as learning about the importance of emotional regulation. To encourage daily reflection, children will participate in check-ins where they can express their emotions in metaphorical ways, making it easier to talk about how they feel in a supportive and creative environment.
Ms. Shuttleworth will be leading workshops across the school, guiding children in understanding the power of self-talk before applying regulation strategies. These sessions will equip pupils with practical tools to manage their emotions effectively, helping them develop confidence in handling different situations. In addition, we are excited to welcome Groundworks, who will be delivering a whole-school assembly on Monday to kick off the week with inspiring discussions on mental health and well-being.
To conclude the week, the children will celebrate their learning by watching Inside Out 2, reinforcing the key themes explored throughout the activities. This will be a fantastic opportunity for students to reflect on their emotions, relate their experiences to the characters in the film, and recognize the importance of emotional awareness. By taking part in these activities, we hope to create a school environment where every child feels heard, understood, and empowered to take care of their mental well-being.
In today’s digital world, it is more important than ever to teach young children about internet safety and responsible online behavior. Many apps and social media platforms have age restrictions in place to protect children from inappropriate content, online risks, and potential dangers. It is essential that parents remain mindful of these restrictions and monitor their children’s online activity to ensure they are using age-appropriate platforms. Developing good digital habits from an early age, such as setting time limits, avoiding oversharing personal information, and using privacy settings, helps create a safer online experience for children.
As part of their learning, children will explore the dangers of online scams, phishing emails, and fraudulent text messages that could trick them into sharing personal information. Understanding how to recognize and avoid these scams will help them develop critical thinking skills and stay safe while using the internet. By educating children on safe online practices, we empower them to navigate the digital world responsibly and build positive habits that will protect them now and in the future.
