What a busy 'hope for the future' kind of week!
This week at school has all been about the future. We continue to push back against the virus and put in measures to try and prevent illness and absence. On Wednesday we announced the name of the new Headteacher who starts in January, and I am already working with her on projects and improvements that will continue through to the Spring and Autumn. Also on Wednesday we interviewed and appointed two new Teaching Assistants to help deliver our current catch up programme in Intervention groups across the school into the new year. Finally, last night, the PTA held their Annual General Meeting, welcoming several fantastic volunteer new members and together they planned future fund raisers.
The future that we hope for looks bright - but please help us to keep it so - please stick to the Covid Guidance and keep your child protected.
Nursery - Stars
We have enjoyed learning about the Hindu festival of Diwali this week. We have enjoyed exploring clay and have made our own diva lamps. We have created our own rangoli patterns and found out how and why Hindu’s prepare for and celebrate Diwali. In phonics we have explored instrumental sounds. We have been learning the names of the different instruments we have in Stars and playing them quietly, loudly, quickly and slowly. In maths we have been using the language of size and categorising objects according to their size
Superstar - Oliver Dockray
FS - Moon and Mercury
EYFS have had a brilliant start to this half term topic ‘Terrific Tales’ and have been retelling the story ‘The Little Red Hen’. They were so excited to do some baking this week. “We’re being just like the Little Red Hen and making our own yummy bread” And they all enjoyed eating their delicious bread too. On Thursday we really enjoyed celebrating Diwali. The children decorated diva lamps, danced to Hindu music and created Rangoli patterns on the floor with chalk. We also made puppets and used them to retell the story of Rama and Sita.
Happy Diwali!
Superstars - Teagan Dos Santos, Isla Sheldon
Y1 - Galaxy and Venus
Welcome back everyone! It has been wonderful to welcome children back to school and begin our new space-themed topic, ‘Reach for the Stars’. We have started to read the story ‘Look Up’, about a little girl called Rocket who has inspirations of becoming a famous astronaut. We have watched Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon and started to create a historical timeline to track the important events of space travel. In English, we have asked questions and recorded facts with interesting sentence openers. In Maths, we have continued to subtract using a number line and practised finding the difference.
Superstars - Hazel Smith, Amos Barker
Year 2 / 3 Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune
Another busy week! We have been looking at poetry in English and Guided Reading - finding the features and using them in our own compositions. We have included noun phrases and onomatopoeia to make them stand out and excite the reader.
In maths we have been working on column addition and looking at how we need to exchange ones for tens when we cross a ten.
In art we have studied Jackson Pollock and created our own firework pictures using pipetttes and PVA paint.
In RE we reminded ourselves of the ten commandments and linked this into PSHCE (looking after our world) where we discussed COP26 and the changes we could make to help stop climate change.
Superstars - Isla Lodge, Oscar Betteridge, Ewan Leadbeater
Year 4 Mars and Earth
What a fold it, stick it, paint it and create it sort of week we have had.
It's been a great start to our new half term and a continuation of our Viking quest to train our dragons. We have been creating a Viking timeline and seen the importance of the Vikings in our area, with the capture of York back in AD 866
Alongside our addition and subtraction problem solving in maths, we've had great fun creating paper Viking longships and making diva bowls for Diwali as part of our RE unit focusing on what it means to be a Hindu in Britain today.
Superstars - Elias Smart, Peter Vickers
Year 5 Asteroid and Pluto
Despite the weather keeping us off the grass, it has been lovely to see how inventive and creative Year 5 have been with their imaginative games at break times this week. The children have fully embraced the topical issue of climate change, with some insightful discussions about our involvement in affecting positive changes. Many promises have been made, from walking to school more often, to switching lights off when leaving rooms, and we can't wait to see our whole school forest of promises display in the hall. Together, we can make a difference.
In science, we have investigated which materials dissolve in water. Some solutions fizzed, some clouded, one even turned blue, but not a drop was spilled. Our investigative skills continued in maths, working with multiples and factors. We agree, learning our times tables is so important. What a varied, thought provoking and "we can make a difference" week.
Superstars - Oscar Miller, Lucas Richardson
Year 6 Nebular and Constellation
This week in year 6, there has been some Cosmic learning occurring! We are finally finding out how our good friend, Liam Rigby (No, not a member of Nebular or Constellation) ended up in space and thousands of miles away from safety. The children have worked on many different elements of our guided reading foci and are as enthralled in this book, as the adults are. In English, we have been using poor Liam as our inspiration for our persuasive letters. Let's hope Dr. Drax listens to the pleas from his parents to go and save him! In Maths we have been working on all things fraction related. The teachers have been so impressed by the children's determination to challenge themselves and make progress in each lesson. We have also been working scientifically in Science, investigating air resistance and how it affects objects which are dropped. Well done everyone - a great first week back!
Superstars - Lyla Butler, Joshua Smart
Samaritan's Purse - a message from Mrs Watson
In worship next week we will be thinking about our school value of Service and about how we can help others. As part of this, the children will be learning about the Samaritan's Purse Shoebox Appeal. As in previous years, we will be collecting filled shoe boxes at school. If you would like to fill and send a shoebox to a child please could you bring it into school by 17th November. It is also possible to fill a shoe box online and both of these ways are a wonderful activity to do with your child whilst encouraging them to be advocates of compassion to others. We will send the leaflets home as soon as they arrive in school but please see their website for more information.
https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/
Thank you in advance.
Children In Need - a message from Mrs Howard
Friday 19th November is Children in Need and this year we are doing it in style. The theme is 'Get Your Strictly On'. For anyone who doesn't know the show 'Strictly Come Dancing', that means the dress code is glitz and glamour; the more sequins the better (Mrs Butler is already excited about coming in her ball dress and favourite sparkly wig). The staff are all very much looking forward to seeing Mr Osborne, Mr Close and Mr Fash-Hill in a tuxedo.
It would be so good to have a bit of sparkle and fun but of course anyone who really doesn't want to wear sequins can simply wear the usual Pudsey ears and t-shirts. There will be collection buckets at the school gates for your contributions.
How teachers celebrate the day in their classes is their choice but I'm imagining sparkly buns, dancing competitions and prizes for the sparkliest outfit. We feel that it is also important to discuss why we are having this day. All year groups have PSHCE objectives relating to charity, community and global issues. We will be thinking about social injustice and helping our neighbours.
I'm confident we'll celebrate in typical Brayton fashion- we really will 'shine as one'!
