Western Community Primary School
Summer 2
The end of a super academic year!
It's the end of another year at Western and what a year it's been! We're hugely proud of each and every individual child and staff member for all that has been achieved across the year. We hope you enjoy reading a snapshot of the adventures that have gone on in each year group in our final half term.
We would like to take this opportunity to say the fondest farewell to children who are leaving us as the year closes. We know our Year 6 children are set to make a hugely positive contribution in their new schools. It's been a joy and privilege to work with these remarkable children over the years and we could not be prouder of all they have achieved both academically and personally.
We also say a bittersweet goodbye to a number of staff members:
Mrs Norris is retiring after many years of tremendous work in school. Most recently, Mrs Norris has had a specific focus on Dyslexia support. She is a much-loved member of the team and I know you will join us in saying a big thank you for all of her dedication to Western families over the year.
Mrs Walton has been promoted to Deputy Headteacher at a North Tyneside school. We're thrilled for her and know she will be fantastic in the role.
Mr Carling and Miss Mason are joining new schools in September. We are very grateful for all of their hard work and wish them lots of love and luck as they progress in their careers.
A number of our wonderful support assistants have come to the end of their time with us. Miss Taylor, Miss Lowther, Miss Robinson and Mrs Galley have truly been stars in supporting children post-pandemic and will be missed by all of us.
All of our leavers have had a significant impact in their respective roles and will be missed. We thank them for all of their hard work and wish them every success in the future.
We look forward to welcoming new staff, children and families in the new academic year.
We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank you - our brilliant families - for all your support and positivity this year. It is an honour to work in this community with such supportive families. We look forward to achieving great things with you all in the new term in September.
All that remains is for us to wish you all a very happy summer break. We hope you're able to enjoy some quality family time over the coming weeks. We will be so excited to see you all back in school on Wednesday 6th September.
Nursery
What an exciting and busy half term we have had in nursery! We were lucky enough to enjoy Sports Day in the lovely sunshine with our families. The children were amazing and showed off their brilliant teamwork. In Nursery, we have been working really hard on those super important fine motor skills and some of us have started writing our names. We have spent a few busy weeks getting ready for our new classes in September and had a lot of fun spending quality time with our teachers and other grown-ups in school during Transition Week. We have a few more exciting things planned to end the start of the first phase in our Western journey. As always, we have had lots of fun learning outdoors and going on forest walk adventures. We are so proud of each and every one of your talented children and have had such a brilliant year.
Reception
Reception have been working hard to practise singing and performing songs this half term for a celebration at the Sage Gateshead. We learnt the songs and actions and joined other schools to sing as musicians performed on stage. As part of our day in Gateshead, we also visited the Quayside where we drew what we could see. We also visited the Baltic where, most of us, enjoyed the ride in the lift to see the tremendous views of the bridges. We used the top floor of the gallery as a place to continue our artwork as we sketched the bridges from our view point. We were also very excited by the coach ride and our picnic!
We will be sad to say goodbye to our buddies at the end of time but have really enjoyed our time with them this year and the way they have helped us settle into Western. To celebrate this we have been busy writing them letters and making them picture frames. We are also going to surprise them with a little party - but ssssshhhh - they don't know about that yet!
Year 1
In Year One, we have been finding out about urban, rural and coastal regions in the UK with a particular focus on our local coastline.
We used GoogleEarth to follow the course of the river from Wallsend and out to the river mouth at Tynemouth. We have looked at the landscape of the coast using geographical language and we have had great fun identifying past-times and activities that can take place on the beach and in the sea.
We also identified the human impact on our coastal areas and discussed ways that we can reduce pollution on our beaches.
Year 2
Museum Madness
As part of our History topic on the Great Fire of Gateshead and Newcastle, we were lucky enough to visit the Discovery Museum this half term and take part in a workshop which focused on all aspects of life at the time, as well as how the fire started and how it spread. It was really interesting to be hands-on with the various items and see if we could match them up with their name. At the end of the workshop, we took part in and watched a puppet show! It was really funny to see the puppets pop through the set and hear them speak, knowing it was our classmates putting on funny voices.
Rain stops sports day
Our Sports Day was split into two parts this year due to the weather. We did not let this stop us though, and we made our way to the field knowing it looked a bit grey and gloomy. We had lots of fun joining in with every activity, as much as we could in between the rainy periods, and gave our all. We leaped over the hurdles, ran with an egg and spoon, threw some javelins, and balanced our buckaroos before the rain started getting too heavy and we were unable to complete our final big race. This did not stop us though, and we all raced on the following Thursday to see who would be awarded medals and trophies. As a year group, we showed resilience and respect during our two-day event.
Puppeteers
As part of DT we have made our own hand puppets using felt. We had to draw an initial design, choose our felt, cut it out, and then sew it all together. The cutting was tricky as the felt was tough to get through, but the sewing was amazing and we had a blast seeing how they came together. After they were finished we added details to them and then created our own puppet show, spending time creating a script and rehearsing our parts, as well as creating a set.
Year 3
Dancing Through the Decades
The children in Year 3 thoroughly enjoyed rehearsing and performing in our first ever KS2 Summer Show. They felt so proud to take to the stage and show you all of the hard work they had put in. I know you will agree they were amazing! The children absolutely loved watching their siblings and friends in other year groups perform too. A fabulous event all round!
Online Safety
The children have been working on their knowledge of online safety this half term. We know children choose to spend lots of time online and want to ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge they need to stay safe.They have been thinking about what information is ok to share online and what needs to be kept private and also what is meant by a digital footprint and the information that others will be able to see on our digital footprints.
Athletics
In preparation for Sports Day, Year 3 worked on our athletics skills with our NUFC coaches. We played a variety of activities such as football and javelin to prepare us for the big day. We also talked about resilience and how we should act when things don't go our way in sports.
The two Year 3 classes were asked to enter a competition to design a poster aimed at saving energy which is a priority for Kajima, the company who owns our school building. The children researched the topic and looked at examples of ideas to help inspire their posters. Dave Moss from Kajima then looked carefully over our competition entries, which were all of a very high standard making it a tough decision, but ultimately decided that Harry Lambert and Oliver Tang had designed the winning entries. Both boys were given a £25 Amazon voucher as their prize. Congratulations to Oliver and Harry!
Year 4
This term has been an extremely busy one for Year 4! We have enjoyed lots of exciting activities and can't believe how quickly the term has flown over. There have been so many amazing events that it has been difficult to choose between them, but here are some of our favourites from the final term of Year 4...
In Literacy, we hugely enjoyed getting to write our own newspaper report based on The Creature by the organisation Surfers Against Sewage. We 'interviewed' eyewitnesses and spent time considering the impact of plastic pollution on our oceans. We really enjoyed participating in some group drama work centred around the newspaper report too.
Secondly, we had a fantastic time at Beamish! Thankfully, the weather was on our side which meant we got to enjoy all areas of the museum and we especially enjoyed an exciting workshop about the historic mine nearby where we watched a science experiment - it was EXPLOSIVE fun! We had a super time at the funfair experiencing all the Victorian-style amusements and then we hugely enjoyed our fish and chip supper followed by our campfire, where we toasted marshmallows. We would like to thank the children for behaving so positively throughout the entire two days and for being super representatives of Western whilst we were away - they really were amazing. A big thank you to the staff for organising the trip too!
Finally, we know many of you came along to see us perform in the end of term Summer show where both Year 4 classes sang their class songs as part of our journey through the decades of music - 4AW sang I Have A Dream by ABBA and 4SW sang I'm A Believer by The Monkees. Both classes hugely enjoyed rehearsing and preparing for the show. Again, we have been so impressed by the fantastic attitudes of all of the children and we hope our singing blew your socks off!
It has been a brilliant year with lots of special memories and we wish you a relaxing, sunny and safe summer break - and we wish the children lots of luck for their Year 5 journey!
Year 5
Year 5 were lucky enough to travel to St James' Park. It was a beautiful day and we travelled by Metro for our exciting afternoon.
The children were all super excited to be able to see parts of the stadium they had never seen before. Highlights were the home dressing room and the press room where lots of them sat in Eddie Howe's seat. They even had the chance to pretend they were the team walking down the tunnel to get on the pitch.
This week, the children have undertaken their 'Big Art' project based on the works of Damien HIrst and Yayoi Kusama. They looked at examples of each artists' work and spent time sketching out their initial ideas. For Hirst, they looked at images of Day of the Dead skulls and went on to his own skull sculptures. They chose a design they liked and tried to create their own version using 2D and 3D art. They also studied the pumpkin works of Kusama and used several techniques such as wax resist and water colours to create their own.
Year 6
Delightful Design and Technology
This half-term, Year 6 designed a toy that involved a movement using a CAM mechanism. Their research required them to do a survey with their Reception Buddy because they were making the toy to help their buddy with their transition to Year 1. They designed, built, tested and then delivered their toy to their buddies and received some useful feedback.
Enterprise project
As many of you know, Year 6 carried out an enterprise project across a week in June. They learned about key features of a business including: business plans, sales pitches, marketing and calculating profit. Thank you to everyone who came along and supported our businesses. We raised a fantastic total of £249.13. The children voted for how they would like to spend their profits and chose pizzas to have as part of our Yr6 Award Ceremony and then selected to donate any money leftover to a charity. The Charity that received the most votes was Cancer Research. Well done to everyone involved. You showed great business understanding.
Desert Island Careers
Year 6 a visitor from NTLT who did a workshop with them to encourage them to think about and consider a wide range of careers. Their tasks centred around a desert island scenario where the teams had to make decisions about who would live on the island and the service they would provide. They had to justify their decisions and present them to the class. Julie from NTLT then fed back on working behaviours she had observed and whether she would employ individuals or teams and why. The workshop helped us to think wider about the qualities and skills different jobs require and supported us when we considered future careers we may want to consider.
NTLT Star Awards
We are so proud of all of our Western children who were nominated by staff and families for this year's annual North Tyneside Learning Trust Star Awards. Three children were voted as finalists at the tenth anniversary award ceremony which was held at St James Park. It was a delightful event where children were all celebrated for their achievements and made to feel special. All of our nominees were voted the winner in their respective categories and left the event with a bag full of goodies and a stunning, engraved star award. Staff, children and families are all eligible to nominate a child so we'll remind families when nominations open next year with instructions on how to nominate a child!
Teacher of the Month Winner!
We are delighted that Mrs Howe was honoured with the Wallsend Teacher of the Month award for the second time. Mrs Howe was thrilled to accept this award, it means such a lot that families took the time to vote for her!
Segedunum
Segedunum are inviting their neighbours to visit Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum as much as they’d like with no charge at the door.
North Tyneside residents with an NE28 postcode can enjoy unlimited FREE admission to Segedunum Roman Fort & Museum.
Adult tickets are currently £6.95* / £5.95* concessions, and Season Tickets £15 / £11*.
Kids under 16 always go free.
Terms and Conditions:
- Only 2 adults per household per visit
- Residents will be requested to supply name, postcode and email address on their visit
- Proof of address is required: residents must produce documentation, a recent council tax bill, recent utility bill or driving licence
- This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer
- Occasionally, some performances will have an additional charge
Care, Guidance & Support
Wellbeing Ambassadors
A massive thank you to our 2022-2023 wellbeing ambassadors. Throughout the year they have shown true dedication and commitment to improving the mental health and wellbeing of all at Western. This year we have completed a daily mile with a difference to honour childhood day, created positive messages for our classmates and so much more.
Thank you to Drew, Archie M, Suzie-Ella, Sophia, Freya, Jack J, Lola, Aiden, Cooper, Romie-Rae, Nell and Archie F.
Summer holiday activities
Wallsend Children's Community have organised a number of different summer holiday activities. Please see the links on how to book directly with event provider:
1. Universal (HAF) for aged 8+ at Wallsend Memorial for 50 children (30 funded by HAF and 20 funded by WCC), commencing 24 July, running 10-3pm Monday to Thursday for the first 4 weeks
The Mem https://easeinto.northtyneside.gov.uk/
2. Universal (not HAF) for 20 school aged under 8 at the Baptist commencing 24 July, Monday to Thursday 10-3pm weekly for the first 4 weeks
Wallsend Baptist Church https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/summer-of-fun-2023-wallsend-baptist-church-2329989?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=creatorshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=odclsxcollection&utm-source=cp&aff=escb
3. Universal (not HAF) for 20 school aged under 8 at the Allen commencing 24 July, Monday to Thursday 10-3pm weekly for the first 2 weeks
4. Stay & Play at Battle Hill Multi-Use Centre commencing Tuesday 25 July, Tuesdays and Thursdays for the first 4 weeks 10-12pm and 1-3pm
Stay and Play sessions https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-of-fun-2023-stay-and-play-tickets-664579925447?aff=oddtdtcreator
5. Family Fun Fridays for the first 4 weeks 10-3pm wk 1/3/4 @ Richardson Dees and week 2 at Howdon Parks
The ease INTO Summer programme offers a range of exciting, fun and enriching activities to children during the school holidays, created to help them be healthy and active while off school. Activities on offer include free swimming, sports camps, theatre, surfing, gym memberships, forest schools and more. All activities include a free meal as part of the day.
Activities are free for children who receive income-related free school meals, but other children can also attend where paid for places are available.
To find out more and register online, click here
Although most spaces are free for children who receive FSM, we do have a small number of ‘non-eligible’ spaces available which are also funded
https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/category/1553/book-ease-activities
MJ Sports are delivering Activity and Sports courses at Shiremoor Community Centre and Holystone Primary School over the Summer holiday period. Please see the information below and register if your child is eligible for free school meals and would like a place.
Shiremoor Community Centre & Shiremoor Primary School - 31 July, 2, 4 & 7 August
Holystone Primary School - 8, 9, 10, 11 August
Free School Meal Places - For children aged 8 and above
We can also offer 'Free' places through government HAF funding to children that are aged 8 years and above. To access the FSM places you are required to click on the link below and register with North Tyneside council. When North Tyneside Council have accepted your registration, you will receive an email allowing you to register for our courses.
As part of the FSM offer your child will be provided with a packed lunch, healthy snacks and refreshments.
Free School Meals registration link - https://easeinto.northtyneside.gov.uk/
Here are some of the activities that we will be offering during our week at Holystone Primary School:
Sports including dance and gymnastics
Gymnastics workshops with former GB gymnasts Jessica Ross
Music and Art
Commando Joe Challenges
KS1 & KS2 NUFC Foundation football workshops
KS2 visit to Gutterball Alley
Water Activity days
Bring your bikes and scooters to camp days
Plus much more!!
If you have any questions, or require some support with registering for paid places or FSM places, please email mjsportsstars@googlemail.com
Helix Arts’ Well Summer activities programme. Helix Arts is a North Tyneside arts charity that is working with artists to provide a summer of free, creative well-being activities at Wallsend Library.
The sessions run through the summer holidays from Wednesday to Friday and will involve a wide variety of creative and artistic activities. These sessions are aimed at 5-12 year olds and are free to attend, although booking is essential. The Wednesday and Thursday morning and afternoon sessions are just for children and the Friday morning sessions are for all the family.
The sessions are run by fully-trained and DBS checked staff and a qualified youth worker will work with each group.
To book- click on this link
Check out Helix art’s website www.helixarts.com or call 0191 241 4931.
ONLINE SAFETY
As we approach the summer holidays, it is likely our children will be spending more time online. Playing games on rainy days or using the online community to keep in touch with friends and family. Whilst we appreciate that the online world can be a useful tool, we also know that it can be difficult to manage and navigate the online world and most importantly keep our children safe.
Please see below for a range of useful resources and links that can help parent/carers keep their children safe online:
Thinkuknow http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk
Thinkuknow is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command. Since 2006, it aims to ensure that everyone has access to this practical information – children, young people, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them.
Internet Matters https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/esafety-leaflets-resources/
A comprehensive web resource with a wide array of tips and advice on how to navigate the online world with your child. Some of their guidance we attach below but you can find even more by visiting the link.
National Online Safety https://nationalonlinesafety.com/resources/platform-guides/
National Online Safety's mission is to make the internet a safer place for children. They aim to do this by equipping school staff, parents and children with the knowledge they need to understand online dangers and how best to react should an incident arise. The link above provides up to date information about a wide variety of social media apps and platforms your child might be using.
NSPCC http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/
The NSPCC are the first to admit that the internet is amazing. Children can play, learn, create and connect - opening up a whole world of exciting possibilities. But with the digital world changing all the time, how can you make sure your child’s staying safe? That’s where the NSPCC come in. Whether you’re an online expert or you’re not sure where to start, their tools and advice will help you keep your child safe.
Childnet http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
Childnet International is a registered UK charity that aims to make the internet a safe place for children and young people. Packed with resources it is a great resource for parents.
CEOP http://ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) is part of the National Crime Agency and their website can be used to report if you are worried about online abuse or the way someone is communicating online.
The BBC have a website and app called Own It. The website has a lot of content for children to help them navigate their online lives, and the free smartphone app comes with a special keyboard which can intervene with help and support in the moments that children need it the most.
SafetoNet https://safetonet.com/
SafeToNet is technology that educates children “in-the-moment” as they use their device. It is a safeguarding assistant that helps them become responsible and safe digital citizens. Its power lies in a smart keyboard that detects risks in real-time. It steers children away from trouble by filtering harmful outgoing messages before they can be sent and any damage can be done.
A guide to Apps & Social Media
The number of apps and social media channels your child could be exposed to grow all the time, as does an app's functionality. We recommend you visit Net Aware to read the latest and most current advice on over 70 apps to ensure you know what they do, how you can limit their features as well as recommended age restrictions.
The apps included are:
Fortnite Instagram
Snapchat YouTube
Minecraft Clash of Clans & Clash Royale
Kik Friv
Dubsmash Wink
YOLO TikTok
Social supermarkets – Quality food at low cost prices
There are several ‘social supermarkets’ in the borough, offering low-cost or free food. Please find more information below.
Cedarwood Trust’s Community Membership Store has been created to offer a quality shopping experience via a weekly membership system to support those on low incomes to reduce food costs and food waste. Members simply pay £4 to get at least £15 worth of shopping, which includes fresh fruit and veg, chilled and frozen foods as well as toiletries and cleaning goods. The store runs alongside existing services at Cedarwood Trust, so anyone using the store can access everything else on offer, including debt advice, budgeting, family and pastoral support, training and volunteer experiences and so much more. To join the subscription supermarket, pop into the Cedarwood Trust with proof of address and £1 to join. https://www.cedarwoodtrust.com/nourish.html
Wallsend Food Pantry is located at The Allen Centre (formally the Allen Memorial Methodist Church), The Green, NE28 7NP. The pantry operates Wednesday mornings, 10am to 12pm, where residents can save up to 50 percent on their food shopping. Pop along to register. You can find out more and contact the service via its Facebook page. https://www.popup-pantry.uk/
Justice Prince, based at Longbenton’s Oxford Centre on West Farm Avenue, runs a food pantry every Friday from 11am to 2pm. https://www.facebook.com/groups/804384186639916
Wallsend-based Walking With, which supports refugees or people seeking asylum in the UK, runs a food pantry for those they work with. No appointment is necessary, and you can find out more information on its website: Walking With. https://walkingwith.co.uk/services
Forward Assist, based at John Willie Sam’s Centre in Dudley, has a food donation point where members of the community can pick up donated food. https://www.forward-assist.com/contact
That Bread and Butter Thing. North Tyneside has welcomed three new The Bread-and-Butter Thing hubs as the service expands across the borough. Shiremoor, Fordley and Longbenton have all benefited from the addition of the affordable food service into the community in recent months, where residents can access roughly £35 worth of food each week for just £7.50. https://www.breadandbutterthing.org/news/tbbt-launches-first-north-tyneside-hub-in-howdon
Mindstars, in partnership with Feeding Families, are providing Emergency Food Boxes from the Star Hub in North Shields. Email info@mindstars.co.uk or visit the Hub any Friday from 10am – 2pm. https://www.mindstars.co.uk/
Whitley Bay Big Local’s ‘pay as you can pantry’ is open every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There's a range of fresh fruit and veg, milk, bakery items, tins and dried goods. The Big Local can be found at 158 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, NE26 2LY. TEL: 0191 2523570. https://www.whitleybaybiglocal.org/
Summer holidays 2023:
Restaurants/cafés where kids can eat for FREE or £1
Here you’ll be able to find all the restaurants and cafes where your kids can eat for FREE or £1 this July and August over the summer holidays.
The Real Greek
Kids eat FREE every Sunday for every £10 spent by an adult. More info HERE https://www.therealgreek.com/offers/
Morrisons
Only one free meal from the kids menu with any one adult meal with a value of £4.49 or over. TS&CS can be found here https://my.morrisons.com/kids-eat-free---tscs/
ASDA café
Kids eat for £1 at Asda. Each child is entitled to a meal when they spend £1. Maximum of 1 meal from the kids menu per child, per day https://www.asda.com/about/instore/cafe
Kids eat FREE at Dobbies
Purchase an adults meal and your kid can eat for FREE at Dobbies. The meal includes their kids lunch menu or pick ‘n’ mix’ meal, plus a drink. Available daily from 12 noon. https://www.dobbies.com/terms-and-conditions
Hungry Horse
Every Monday Hungry Horse have selected Kids’ meals for just £1 and larger meals for £1.50. More info can be found here. https://www.hungryhorse.co.uk/deals/kids-eat-for-1/
IKEA
Kids eat from 95p at IKEA. Your little ones can enjoy Kids Pasta with Tomato Sauce and a soft drink for 95p or any other Kids Meal for £1.50.
Premier Inn
At Premier Inn, you don’t have to be a guest in order to enjoy breakfast. Enjoy their all-you-can-eat Premier Inn Breakfast from just £9.99 and kids eat FREE! More info can be found here https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/food/breakfast.html
Travelodge
Unlimited breakfast starts from only £8.99 and kids aged 15 and under eat completely FREE. Up to 2 kids aged 15 or under eat FREE for every full paying adult. More info can be found here https://www.travelodge.co.uk/about/breakfast/
Beefeater
Kids under 16 eat for FREE with every adult breakfast purchased. More info here. https://www.beefeater.co.uk/en-gb/breakfast
Sizzling Pubs
From Monday to Friday, between 3-7 pm, you can get a kids’ main meal for £1 if you buy an adult main meal in the same transaction. More info can be found here. https://www.sizzlingpubs.co.uk/offers/kids-eat-for-1pound#/
Tesco
During the summer holidays, from Monday 24th July to Friday 1st September, children can enjoy a complimentary meal at Tesco when accompanied by an adult making any purchase. For additional details, please visit the following link: Tesco Café Kids Menu. https://www.tesco.com/zones/tesco-cafe/kids-menu
Sainsbury’s
At Sainsbury’s, kids can get a delicious children’s hot main meal or lunch bag for only £1. To avail this offer, an adult must purchase a hot main meal starting from £5.20 in the Sainsbury’s café. Terms and conditions apply. https://help.sainsburys.co.uk/client/asset/Cafemenulightbiteskids.pdf
M&S
From the 3rd of July until the 1st of September, M&S offers a delightful FREE Kids Munch Menu to children, provided that you spend £5 or more in their café.