School Council

Our School Council recently enjoyed a wonderful visit to Watermill Residential Home, where they spent time with the residents helping with their pumpkin patch. The children worked alongside the residents, getting involved in a range of fun, Halloween-themed activities and sharing plenty of smiles and laughter along the way. It was lovely to see different generations coming together, building friendships and creating special memories. As a lovely finishing touch, each child was given a pumpkin to take home. A huge thank you to Watermill Residential Home for such a warm welcome and for making our visit so special! 

Luca and Maisie said:

The people at Watermill Residential Home were really welcoming and talkative. We appreciated the fact that they let us choose our own pumpkins and take them home. We enjoyed the fun activities for example word searches and cross words. Overall, it was a very enjoyable trip and we hope the new school members will be able to experience this too!

Black History Month

As a whole school, pupils explored Black History Month through a range of engaging learning experiences that celebrated diversity, promoted equality and encouraged reflection on the contributions of significant individuals throughout history.

Children listened to and discussed Coming to England by Floella Benjamin, learning about her journey from Trinidad to England and considering the challenges that can come with moving to a new country and starting a new life. Through discussion and creative activities, pupils reflected on how they can help others feel welcome, valued and included within our school community.

Across the school, children learned about influential individuals who have worked to make the world a fairer place, including Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, Malala Yousafzai and other significant figures who have championed equality, justice and human rights. Pupils explored the positive impact these individuals had on society and discussed the qualities of courage, resilience and determination that helped them bring about change.

Collective discussions focused on fairness, respect and the value of diversity. Children shared their thoughts about what makes each person unique and why differences should be celebrated. Creative activities provided opportunities for pupils to express these ideas, reinforcing the message that everyone is equally important and valued.

A whole school assembly further deepened pupils' understanding of Black History Month, exploring its purpose and significance. Children learned about the achievements, contributions and experiences of Black people throughout history and reflected on the importance of recognising and celebrating contributions from people of all backgrounds. Pupils engaged thoughtfully in discussions and demonstrated a genuine interest in learning more about equality, diversity and inclusion.

Cross Country 

Before half term, children from Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 enjoyed taking part in the Longdean Cross Country event. Despite the typical cross-country weather of rain and muddy conditions, our pupils embraced the challenge with enthusiasm, resilience and determination.

The children were impeccably behaved throughout the event and represented the school wonderfully, demonstrating excellent sportsmanship and perseverance in every race.

A special congratulations goes to Beau and Flynn, who finished first and second respectively in the Year 6 boys' race, Gladys and Mai, who finished first and second respectively in the Year 6 girls' race, Ashton and Henry who finished second and third respectively in the Year 5 boys' race and Blake and Rudi, who secured first place and third place in the Year 3 and Year 4 boys' race. We are incredibly proud of all the children who took part and the grit and determination they showed. Well done to everyone involved!

EYFS

In Reception this week, the children have enthusiastically embraced our new topic, We Will Build. They have enjoyed designing and constructing models of castles, aeroplanes, houses and schools, using a variety of materials. They showed excellent team work! The children have been drawing and labelling their own house. Also the children loved listening to stories and exploring non-fiction books linked to our theme, helping them to develop their understanding of different structures and how things are built.

Key Stage 1

At the end of half term, Year 2 had a wonderful time dressing up as inspirational people from history and the present day. The children proudly came to school dressed as amazing role models, including Dolly Parton, who is known for her kindness, music, and charitable work; Emmeline Pankhurst, who bravely fought for women's right to vote; and Muhammad Ali, the legendary boxer who showed determination, courage, and stood up for what he believed in. Throughout the day, the children shared the achievements of these remarkable individuals and facts about how they have inspired people around the world. It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate resilience, equality, kindness, and perseverance while encouraging the children to dream big and believe in themselves.

Lower Key Stage 2

Year 3 and Year 4 Remembrance Day 

To mark Remembrance Day, the children in Year 3 and Year 4 worked with Mrs Gazza to create beautiful poppy artwork. The children explored the importance of remembrance and reflected on the sacrifices made by servicemen and women. Using a range of artistic techniques, they carefully designed and created poppies, showing great creativity and respect. We are incredibly proud of their thoughtful work, which serves as a meaningful tribute and helps keep the spirit of remembrance alive. 

Thank you to Mrs Gazza for supporting the children with this special project.

Upper Key Stage 2

Year 6 Class Assembly

Year 6 Red Kites put on a brilliant class assembly for parents and carers. They performed a play about World War One, showing what they have been learning in history, and impressed everyone with their confident acting and speaking. They also shared a fun and energetic rap about the circulatory system, helping the audience learn all about how the heart and blood work together. The children worked incredibly hard and should be very proud of their fantastic performance.

Year 5 Church Visit

Before half term our Year 5 classes enjoyed a visit to the local church as part of their Religious Education learning. Reverend David kindly hosted both classes and helped the children develop their understanding of the features and symbols found within a church. The children were given the opportunity to explore the church and take part in a range of engaging activities organised by Reverend David, including writing a poem and creating a card. The children were exceptionally well-behaved throughout the visit and represented the school brilliantly. They asked thoughtful questions and demonstrated their understanding by answering questions with maturity and enthusiasm. We would like to thank Reverend David for providing such an enjoyable and enriching learning experience.

Remembrance Day

Poppies for Remembrance and Peace

This week, children across the school have been taking part in a special whole-school art project inspired by poppies, remembrance and our shared hope for peace.

The artwork has been carefully adapted across the school so that each year group could explore the same shared theme while developing skills appropriate to their age and stage. Reception children explored printing by using round sponges to create their poppy petals and fingerprints for the centres. In Years 1, 2 and 3, children developed their cutting, shaping, layering and joining skills through increasingly detailed paper poppies.

Years 4 and 5 developed their observational and creative skills using oil pastel and watercolour. They looked closely at the shapes, colours and details found in photographs of poppies and learnt how to use two very different materials together effectively.

Year 6 built on their recent work exploring abstraction. Each child created an individual section of a poppy which, when brought together with the work of their peers, formed unified images of a poppy. 

Throughout the week, we have talked about how art can help us express ideas and feelings that are sometimes difficult to put into words. We hope our finished poppies not only show the wonderful creativity across our school, but also reflect something we value greatly: helping our children to grow into thoughtful, respectful and caring members of their community.

Clubs

Basketball Club Success

Mrs Claridge recently visited Basketball Club and was delighted by the enthusiasm, skill and teamwork on display. The children demonstrated excellent ball control, dribbling and passing skills, as well as growing confidence when shooting and participating in small sided games.

It was wonderful to see pupils encouraging one another, showing great sportsmanship and working together to improve their play. Most importantly, the children were clearly having a fantastic time, with lots of smiles, energy and excitement throughout the session. Basketball Club is proving to be a popular opportunity for pupils to develop new skills, stay active and enjoy being part of a team. Thank you Mr Wheeler and well done to everyone involved!

Writer and Maths Star of the week

Congratulations to all the pupils who received a certificate in assembly, your teachers have noticed that your work in English and maths lessons has been outstanding!

Writer of the Week

Key Stage 1: You You (Year 1 Goldcrests) 

Lower Key Stage 2: Elsie-Ann(Year 3 Jays)

Upper Key Stage 2: Shayan (Year 6 Red Kites)

Maths Star of the Week

Key Stage 1: Joshua (Year 1 Firecrests)

Lower Key Stage 2: Nyasha (Year 4 Owls)

Upper Key Stage 2: Angus (Year 5 Hawks)

Community and Family Information