Year 5 Spring News

As we prepare for the final term of Year 5, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on and celebrate all of the wonderful activities, clubs and competitions that have taken place this term. Thank you for your support on fundraising days, trips and ensuring your child is always prepared and ready to learn.

We are thrilled with how well the children have settled and the contributions they make to our school everyday. At the beginning of this term, I collected their views on how they felt they had settled into Valley and what they have enjoyed so far and wanted to share some of the results with you.

Almost every pupil has taken up at least one extra-curricular opportunity and pleasingly, over 30% of pupils have joined three or more clubs so far this year. My hope is that every pupil will have taken part in a club by the end of the year as they provide opportunities to develop resilience, new skills and friendships. We really do have something for everyone and always strive to offer more.

We say a fond farewell to Miss Horsman this term; a much loved member of staff who will be greatly missed. We wish her every success in her new school and know she will continue to delight pupils with her singing, humour and drama skills as she has at Valley.

We are all looking forward to the Summer Term and enjoying more fun experiences and making memories.

Kind wishes

Miss Hayley McElderry

Head of Year 5

hayley.mcelderry@valleygardenmiddle.org

• This school welcomes you with open arms.
• I’m really enjoying Valley and I also would like to thank all of the teachers.
• Thank you to all the teachers that give their time after and before school to do clubs for all of us children.
• I loved doing the performances, and making new friends.
• Thanks for an INCREDIBLE first term at V.G.M.S!
• Thank you to all teachers.
• I am looking forward to the rest of the year.
• I enjoy school a lot, and I would like to say thank you to the teachers.
• I enjoy this school and never want to leave :)

To celebrate British Science Week, Mrs Hill organised a STEAM (science, technology, engineering and maths) drop-down day linked to Formula 1 racing cars. Pupils worked in teams to design and build a car and merchandise and used a variety of skills including: problem-solving, teamwork, and our core values: kindness, resilience and respect.

The end of the day was one of great excitement as the teams raced their cars and then awards were given for the best car performance, merchandising and teamwork.

Every fortnight, Year 8 Street Scientists take over form time and perform an experiment for our Year 5s. It is always a highlight and they love learning about chemical reactions and properties of materials.

Our whole school enjoyed an amazing performance from ‘He Knows She Knows' today. Silver and Sharna performed songs and talked about mental health and LGBTQ+ issues.

We think they have lots of new fans! On the 5th April, Year 5 had an amazing experience with the band, 'He Knows She Knows'. They explained mental health issues and how to fix them. They sang five unbelievably great songs and it made us all feel positive and happy. In our opinion, they were amazing singers and entertainers.

Rowan, Sam and Jack.

I really enjoyed the Houses of Parliament trip because we got to visit lots of different places like the London Underground and we got to go to Kings Cross. I really enjoyed having the tour of the Houses of Parliament because I learnt something new that I will use in the future when I learn about it in school. We learnt about how to debate and what to do in the House of Commons. MPs use a technique called ‘bobbing’ to catch the speaker's attention. When they do this, the speaker may give permission for you to add something to the debate.

We debated whether we should ban cigarettes. There were many arguments and we agreed that we should gradually stop selling cigarettes and lower the number of vapes. I think the trip to London was amazing!

Leo, 5VSC Representative

We are thrilled to have our residential trip to High Borrans up and running again. It looked like it was a jam-packed week filled with windswept walks, stunning views and many opportunities to try new challenges and build resilience.

Some highlights included: walking around Hodge Close Quarry; gill scrambling; climbing and caving in Humphrey Head; reaching the summit of Raven's Edge and canoeing. Lots of fun was also had back at base: fire building; model making; film night; fashion shows and reflection time on memories made for a lifetime.

Well done to our first groups of cyclists, training for the level 2 Bikeability badge, which teaches children how to grow more confident and follow expert instructors onto quiet roads, to experience “real” cycling.

We are thrilled to have secured further dates in the summer term due some sessions being cancelled due to adverse weather.

Well done to Jayden, Jack, Annabel, Nancy, Jack and Nara who were runners up in a tennis event earlier this term. They were absolutely thrilled to come away with medals.

A number of Y5 pupils took part in the North Tyneside Hoops 4 Health basketball tournament. We entered two teams and both of them won their group and qualified for the knock out stage. Having won their first knock out game, the two Valley teams were then drawn against each other in the quarter final. The result meant that one team was unfortunately knocked out and the other had the chance to play in the semi final at the Newcastle Eagles home court on the evening the Eagles took on the Surrey Scorchers.

Although not victorious, the Valley team had a great experience playing on the Eagles' home court. Well played to Wellfield Middle School, the well deserved tournament winners.

Mr Best was incredibly proud of all the pupils involved; everyone did themselves and the school proud. Congratulations and well done to: Cameron, Sam, Emily, Carys, Emily, Jack, Brody, Theo, Will, Lana, Beatrice, Arran, Jacob and Fin.

The Y5 football team were invited to take part in a 7aside football tournament at RGS on Monday 31st Jan. The boys played some excellent football and didn’t concede a single goal throughout the tournament. They won in convincing fashion and displayed our core values impeccably. Congratulations and well done to: Max, Henry, Jason, Joseph, Ben, Kian, Jacob, Will, Cameron and Jack.

Well done to Alice, Polly, Vienna, Ava, Alice, Libby, Carys, Hanna and Lucy who played in a friendly against Marden Bridge Middle.

Congratulations to our North Tyneside runners up in the Yr 5/6 Hockey competition against Kings Priory School. Well done to Maddie - the only Y5 player on the team.

U10s took part in a Rugby Festival. All boys were fantastic throughout, there were some excellent tries scored and great teamwork from start to finish. Well done to all involved. Thank you to Kings Priory School for organising.

Girls footballers have had an extremely successful term with the U11s reaching the Premier League National Finals to be held at Watford FC in May. They made it through qualifying rounds at Cochrane Park and then, on NU Foundations fantastic new rooftop 3G, beating Ovingham Middle 2-0 in the decider.

Later that week the U11s travelled to Liverpool FC Academy for the Northern Finals of the ESFA 6-a-side Cup performing amazingly to qualify as runners up for the forthcoming National Finals.

To cap off a fantastic hat-trick the U11s reached the County Cup Final to be held at the end of April after convincingly beating Highfield Middle School in the semis.

Well done to Freyja in 5CJA, who has donated her hair to the Little Princess Trust. They provide real hair wigs, free of charge, to children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other conditions. A true act of kindness!

am pleased to tell you that next term we will be participating in the NSPCC’s Speak out. Stay safe. online programme. This consists of an online assembly and supporting classroom based activities. Speak out. Stay safe. is a safeguarding programme available to all primary schools in the UK and Channel Islands. It aims to help children understand abuse in all its forms and to recognise the signs of abuse in a child friendly way. Children are taught to speak out if they are worried, either to a trusted adult or Childline.

In the online assembly, the Speak out. Stay safe. messages are delivered in a fun and interactive way with the help of their mascot Buddy as well as special guest appearances from Ant and Dec.

We have studied the content of the materials and are extremely confident that they are appropriate for primary-school-aged children. By the end of the programme, we’re convinced children will feel empowered – knowing how they can speak out and stay safe. If you would like to know more about the Speak out. Stay safe. programme you can find information on the NSPCC website www.nspcc.org.uk/speakout or I would be happy to discuss any questions that you may have.

Please find a letter attached with further information below.