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To contact staff please phone 01228 675 283 or email contact@fir-ends.cumbria.sch.uk
Autumn 2025 News
Christmas Song List
Children are very keen to practise their songs for the Carol Concert on Thursday. Here is a list of the songs we are singing if they'd like to do a bit of singing at home.
Jingle Bell Rock
Once in Royal David's City
We Wish you a Merry Christmas
All I Want for Christmas is You
Last Christmas
Merry Christmas, Everyone!
You should be able to find them all on Youtube or Spotify.
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A very busy first couple of weeks back, so I felt the need to share photos and mention a couple of things.
Today saw us go to Talkin Tarn and we brought home silverware! The mixed girl/boy cross country team did amazingly well and won the trophy with a score of 37 points. This was made up of 4th, 9th, 11th and 13th place 'point scoring' finishes.
Every single child who ran did the school proud; the future is looking bright too. A special mention to those who could not attend despite wanting to. We are seeing this more often now where we have such an interest in competing, not all children are automatically selected. It is always a tough decision determining who misses out. But later on this school year we have the Lanercost cross country to defend KS1 and Year 3/4 titles and maybe this year we could toy with the idea of Y5/6 stealing a trophy!
Thank you to those parents who came along and gave their support too. And Miss Potts, who definitely helped push some children on with her vocal encouragement from her marshalling point!
Please see photos below from; Remembrance, Keeping tea warm in science, UK geography, Catherine's farm and new toys in class for well-earned brain breaks.
Please keep up the great work supporting your child. New maths homework will be set next week when we have taught the final part of the fractions block.
Have a lovely weekend
Mr G :)
A very rare, mid-term update from Class 2...
Robinwood
What a brilliant few days we had up in the rainy Alston moors! The children were amazing and tried and conquered lots of new things - they should be so proud of themselves. Hopefully, they all got slept out over the weekend ready for the start of the Christmas happenings. Thank you so much for all of your support in getting them there with full and organised cases. Unfortunately, their cases won't have been as organised coming home so if you are missing anything or have a few too many socks or tops etc, please send them into school and we'll try and find a home for them. Equally, if you're missing anything, let me know.
There's a few photos from the trip so you can see what they got up to!
Homework
The children should have came home with their red book last night. Spelling and handwriting checks have resumed after a break for residential. Due to various things, we don't quite match up with the timetabled White Rose homework yet, so that hasn't gone home this week. Hopefully, we should get back on track next week. Please just stick to a week at a time as this ensures the children are only doing homework on things they have already learnt.
Miss Fisher :)
Autumn Term -Dates for the Diary
November
Monday 3rd November - Return to school
Wed 5th Nov - Class 3 Forest School @ Catherine's (more info in email 16/10)
Thurs 6th Nov - Class 2 Residential Meeting (time TBC)]
-ASC Gymnastics starts
Tues 11th Nov- Remembrance Day
Fri 21st Nov- Talkin Tarn Cross Country
Tues 25th Nov onwards- Book Fair
Wed 26th Nov- Individual School Photographs (Class 2 to bring/wear school polo shirts and jumpers and then change)
Wed 26th-Fri 28th Nov- Class 2 Robinwood Residential
December
Thurs 4th Dec- Aladdin Panto Trip @ Theatre Royal
Thurs 11th- Christmas Jumper and Headwear Day for Mrs Smith
Fri 12th Dec- Christmas Dinner Day (you can wear your jumpers and headwear again today, but no donation this time!)
Mon 15th Dec- Skitby Christmas Workshop
Thurs 18th Dec- KS2 Carol Concert @ Kirklinton Church
Our Classroom Staff
Class 2 is taught by Miss Fisher Monday - Friday.
Class 3 is taught by Mr Greenslade Monday - Friday.
Other adults regularly involved with our classes include:
Mrs Thompson - pupil support and interventions
Mrs Laurie - pupil support and interventions
Mrs Robertson - pupil support and interventions
Mr Draper - singing & recorders
Madame Leighton - French
Mr van Iterson (Paul) and Mr Barnes - Monday PE
Uniform
Uniform
Black trousers or skirt (not leggings or PE shorts unless it's a PE day, please)
Green polo shirt
Green jumper
Black shoes suitable for daily running activities
School book bag NOT rucksacks, please
click for Uniform specification
We do ask that long hair is tied up and no jewellery apart from stud earrings to be worn. Earrings must be removed for PE and swimming sessions.
PE
PE
Class 2 and 3 PE will be on MONDAY and THURSDAY this term.
Outdoor Ed - dates TBC
Outdoor Ed - dates TBC
Homework
Homework
Weekly homework will be set and it is important that children complete the majority of it independently; although some adult support to organise the time to complete it and to ensure the task is understood is sensible:
Class 3 - Once we are actively teaching each maths unit in class, they will go live for completion at home. This will be highlighted inside the front cover of the maths book. They should be completed and handed in by the date set.
For those handed in after completion of the first unit, I have added a corresponding End of unit test report inside each front cover. This should show progress from before the unit was taught to after all the lessons in class were complete.
Actions to take depending on 'Post test scores' should be something like that outlined below:
Score of 0-5 Review all taught concepts ensuring your child understands the most basic of concepts (outlined in the homework but additional lessons can be used here https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/key-stages/ks2/subjects )
6-12 Review the more challenging elements, referring to the more challenging aspects in the homework - again, the lessons above could plug gaps
13 - 17 As above, with less review. Begin to push on to deeper understanding by accessing the website below
18-20 Push on learning using the following website https://nrich.maths.org/number-and-place-value-0
Maths Part A : Weekly exercises in the White Rose Maths practice Journal (see here)
Maths Part B: Children should practice times tables at least three times a week (see 'supporting mathematics at home')
Spellings and spelling sentences will be set on a Tuesday and are due on the following Monday. The children will be tested on these spelling words on a Monday.
Regular reading is also required (a minimum of 4 entries in their reading record per week). Your child is able to complete the reading record independently.
Children should practice recorder pieces for at least 15 minutes a week (3 x 5 minutes)
Failure to complete the homework will result in children being asked to do it during break times.
Times tables
Times tables
Please keep practising those times tables in front of the mirror at home. It has been noticeable who has been practising and it's been great to see some surprise children leading the way when reciting times tables aloud to the class, under time pressure.
NEW: KS2 MATHS HOMEWORK - WHITE ROSE WORKBOOKS - INFORMATION PAGE
Supporting mathematics at home:
The best way to support maths is by helping children to secure basic number facts - bonds to ten, fifty and a hundred; times tables and division facts; ten more, ten less. All of these facts are used in calculations and the more fluent we are the easier maths becomes!
The White Rose maths scheme includes some useful tools for parents.
1-Minute Maths - does what the title suggests , and covers all the mathematical facts that children should know to become fluent mathematicians Browse to https://whiteroseeducation.com/digital-tools and use our unique 3-word code: bib-teg-beg
Online lessons - these replicate what is covered in the classroom using the same presentation slides; allowing you to repeat anything your child found difficult - or missed due to absence. We use the V3 scheme. CLICK HERE
TIMES TABLE ROCKSTARS MODES
GARAGE - build up your child's heatmap of known facts - and earn coins. Automatically chooses the ones they need to practice.
STUDIO - get a 'Rock Status' based on the average of the last 10 studio sessions - and contribute to our school's chart position
GIG - 100 questions in 5-minutes to check what you really know!
JAMMING - choose the ones you want to practice
SOUNDCHECK - simulates the Year 4 tables check
Note: we appreciate that it may be tempting to play the games yourself as they're quite a lot of fun - but this plays mischief with the algorithms that award certificates and select the right things for your child to learn. Please don't. :-)
Class 2
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