Furze Platt Juniors 2024-25 Newsletter

It has been lovely to see all of our children having the opportunities to try out new and exciting activities in which they had to put in a lot of concentration and show resilience- I really enjoyed watching children spinning plates and balancing things on their heads in the circus skills sessions! The beat-boxing and breakdancing sessions were also a lot of fun and it was great to see everyone having a go, not being afraid to experience things that may have taken them slightly out of their comfort zone!

Outside of our "booked" sessions, the children have been taking part in many different creative opportunities through many different subjects- which you will see from our year group pages- taking part in art, music, drama and even learning card games! It really has been a fantastic week and we have been so proud of all of our children for the passion and energy they have shown in everything they have taken part in. Our visitors have all commented on how wonderful our children have been to work with too!

We look forward to term 4 with lots of excitement- World Book Day is just around the corner - with a fantastic author visiting us, followed shortly after by Comic Relief Day with a FPJS talent show in the planning...read more about this below AND a fantastic opportunity to visit the houses of parliament- all school council members will be automatically gain a "seat" on the trip plus other children will have a chance to visit- see the image below!

We hope everyone has a wonderful half term break- we would love to encourage families to take part in our fantastic well-being challenges over the half term- https://www.furzeplattjuniorschool.co.uk/our-rainbow-challenges/- it would be lovely for our children to share some of the things they have been doing with their classes after half term- look out for the well-being cards being handed out today!

Enjoy the break!

Anna Clark

Head of School

Diary Dates:

Mon 17th-Fri 21st Feb- Half term holiday
Mon 24th Feb- Term 4 begins
Weds 5th March- Fri 7th March- Scholastic book fair in hall (3.15pm)
Fri 7th March- World Book Day- dress as a character or a hint of a character
Weds 12th March- Author visit- M.G. Leonard
Fri 21st March- Comic relief day- dress down and talent show (seem below)
Tues 25th March- Kite Class Assembly 9am
Weds 26th March- Eagle Class Assembly 9am
Thurs 27th March- Kestrel Class Assembly 9am
Mon 31st March- Parent consultations 3.30-6.30pm
Tues 1st April- School council & Competition winners visit to Parliament (see poster below)
Thurs 3rd April- Parent consultations 3.30-6.30pm
Fri 4th April- End of term 4

Coming up after half term- Calling all Talented Children!

We are excited to announce that we will be holding a Talent Show in support of Comic Relief! This is a wonderful opportunity for our children to showcase their talents while raising awareness for a great cause.

We are inviting children to audition for a place in the final show. Children can choose to perform individually or as part of a group with their friends. Each act will have a maximum of one minute to perform, and they can sing, dance, do a comedy routine, play an instrument, or entertain in any other fun and creative way!

Auditions will take place in the week after half term and will be held by the child’s class teacher. If children are performing as a group, they will audition for just one class teacher. We kindly ask that all acts be ready to perform during that week. If needed, children should bring in any props, costumes, music, or instruments as per instructions from their class teacher.

The most impressive and entertaining acts will be selected to perform in the final Talent Show on Friday 21st March in the afternoon, where they will have the chance to showcase their talents to the whole school.

We encourage all children to take part and have fun, whether they are seasoned performers or just want to try something new. We look forward to seeing the fantastic range of talents our pupils have to offer!

Quick Links

Curriculum

Lunch Menu

Term Dates 24-25

Calendar

Who's who at FPJS

Website including housepoints update

FPJS School News

Enrichment Week

What a week! Our children have been on visits, taken part in circus skills, first-aid training, beat-boxing, break-dancing and learned all about what truly makes them happy through "Brilliant Schools". Our selected photos is just a flavour of the week at FPJS

New FPJS Library Mural

Thank you our resident artist (and parent!) Emma Sweeting (sweetingsgreetings.com) who has been in school over the past few weeks creating this fantastic mural outside the SMaRt library alongside some of our gifted and talented artists who are pictured below from across Y3-Y6.

As you can see, the mural is an fantastic array of library books with 15 hidden images which are clues to well-known children's books. We hope our children today and many children of the future will enjoy spotting the clues, guessing the book titles and exploring our amazing library to discover these gems!

Thank you Emma!

Y4 Everest Talk

Year 4 had an exciting and educational experience with mountaineer Al Sylvester! The children were captivated as he shared thrilling stories of his extraordinary climbs up Everest and other mountains. Al not only discussed the challenges faced during these breathtaking expeditions, but also emphasized the importance of safety while exploring the great outdoors. To top it off, some children had the opportunity to try on Al's climbing equipment!

Y4 Class Assemblies

Well done to all Y4 classes for their brilliant class assemblies all about Everest! It was lovely to see every child take part with such confidence! Well done Y4 and Y4 team.

Y5 Greek Day

On Monday the 27th of January, Kites, Kestrels and Eagles came to school as Ancient Greeks! They dressed up fabulously and participated with great enthusiasm during all our Ancient Greek Day activities: playing Olympics games; crafting laurel wreathes; discovering interesting artifacts; drawing mythical creatures and last but not least, food tasting. They tried many foods such as olives, olive oil, pita bread, flatbread, humous, taramasalata, tatsiki, feta cheese, goat's cheese, honey, pomegranate, grapes and figs. We hope they enjoyed this immersive experience to complement our learning about Ancient Greece this term. Thank you parents and carers for your support in helping your children look the part!

Y3 and Y4 Themed days: Y3 Egyptians and Y4 Vikings

Well done to all our children who dressed up today either as an Egyptian or a Viking and took part in a variety of activities in order to enhance children's learning in history!

Y3 British Museum Trip

On Monday the 10th February, Year 3 went on a trip to the British Museum in London as part of our Ancient Egypt topic. The children were very excited to be travelling to London on a coach and when we arrived, we made our way to the Ford Centre. The children moved around the museum looking at may artefacts, some of which we had learned about in school including King Den's shoes. We then all made our way to the theatre to listen to the mummy talk. Here, the children learned all about the mummification process as well as being shown CAT scans of what the sarcophaguses looked like underneath. The children were fascinated by the real mummies in the museum as well as the many wonderful canopic jars and paintings from that time. The children all had a wonderful day and were impeccably behaved. Well done Year 3 - what a great start to our enrichment week!

Stars of the week - Class Stars & PE Stars and Well dones!

Star of the week Newsletter 6: 14th February 2025

Well done to all our stars over the last few weeks:

Our stars are chosen from following the values of the school: Passion, Well-being and respect.

We also chose children who have made exceptional effort in their work or attitude to learning.

TT rock stars and Bedrock Learning

TT Rockstars- Fastest speed

Well done to our superstars below who are the fastest in their year group this week

TT Rockstars- Most Progress

Well done to the following children for the most progress since the last Newsletter:

Bedrock Learning- Most Progress

Well done the following children who have made the most progress since the previous Newsletter:

Bedrock Learning- Most Time dedicated

Well done the following children who have devoted the most time to practising their bedrock learning skills since the previous Newsletter:

Sports Update

PE update

P.E. this term has been fantastic! The children have thoroughly enjoyed their lessons, making great progress in their skills and abilities across various sports.

Looking ahead to after the half-term break:

Year 6 will focus on Football and continue with Gymnastics.
Year 5 will take on Basketball while also continuing with Gymnastics.
Year 4 will work on Fitness and carry on with Dance.
Year 3 will participate in Outdoor Adventure Activities and continue with Dance.

We look forward to another exciting term of P.E.

Miss Gill- PE Coach

Dance Festival

Eagle Class Shine at the Junior Dance Festival!

On Thursday, 13th February, Eagle Class (Year 5) proudly represented Furze Platt Junior School at the Junior Dance Festival at Braywick Leisure Centre. They performed a fantastic Charleston dance to "You Give a Little Love" from Bugsy Malone, wowing the audience with their energy and enthusiasm.

After four weeks of dedicated practice, they took to the stage and absolutely smashed it! Their creative input, beaming smiles, and polished performance made Furze Platt incredibly proud. We couldn’t be more delighted with their hard work, teamwork, and professionalism—what an incredible achievement!

Miss Gill

Netball

🏐 Monday, 3rd February – The Year 6 netball team played a home match against Braywick Court and put on a fantastic performance! Their teamwork was outstanding, securing an impressive 10-1 victory. A huge congratulations to Freddie, who was awarded Player of the Match—a well-deserved recognition for his efforts. Well done, team!

🏐 Wednesday, 12th February – The team faced Cookham Dean in a competitive away match. Both sides played brilliantly, but Furze Platt came out on top with a hard-fought 7-4 win. Special congratulations to Henry, who earned Player of the Match for his incredible shooting skills.

A huge well done to the whole team—I’m so proud of you all! Keep up the great work! 🎉👏

Miss Gill

Year Group Updates

Year 3 News

We have had a fantastic few weeks in Year 3.

In English the children have been working on recounts. We have focused on the past and present tense, how to use paragraphs and the use of time adverbials.

In maths, the children have been focusing on measurement of length. The children have looked at metres, centimetres and millimetres. We measured our peers and then other objects in the classroom.

In science our topic is plants and the children have discussed how water is transported through a plant as well as how seeds are dispersed in a variety of ways.

In French we have been learning how to say and spell a variety of musical instruments as well as recapping the colours in French.

In history we have been learning about 'Ancient Egypt'. We have discussed Howard Carter and the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb as well as what treasures were found. We have also looked at the mummification process.

In DT we have been designing our own Egyptian collars.

Mrs Barry- Y3 Team Leader

Year 3- What are we learning?

Ask your child the following questions to see what they have learnt over the last few weeks!:

What treasures were found in Tutankhamen's tomb?

What time adverbials do you remember?

What would be the best measurement to use for a football field?

Our current reads we are enjoying in Y3...

I am the seed that grew the tree - Fiona Waters

Matilda - Roald Dahl

Ancient Egypt - National Geographic

Year 4 News

What a busy final few weeks of the half term we have had in Year 4! The children have performed excellently during their class plays and loved sharing their learning with you all.

They have applied their knowledge of spooky word classes, prepositional phrases, and using senses for descriptions to their fantastic spooky stories!

In maths, we have finished learning about the different methods used to multiply and divide and are continuing to practise these when answering word problems.

We have completed many experiments during our science lessons this half term, investigating sound. We have learned how sound is made and how we receive it.

In computing, we have been programming our Lego We-Do kits. The children have thoroughly enjoyed creating their bots and sequencing actions and colours.

Finally, the children have had a blast learning all about the Vikings, especially on our Viking Day—they all looked amazing!

Mrs Batchelor - Year 4 Team Leader

Year 4- What are we learning?

Ask your child the following questions to see what they have learnt over the last few weeks:

What are the main rules of direct speech?
What techinique can you use to remember your 9 times tables?
How is a sound produced?

Our current reads we are enjoying in Y4...

Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

By Alexandra Stewart and Joe Todd-Stanton

Anisha Accidental Detective

By Serena Patel

Football's Greatest Moments

By Tom Palmer

Year 5 News

Wow – what a busy few weeks we have had in Year 5!

In English, we have completed our gory Greek myths and have enjoyed acting out some myth stories.

In Maths, we have completed more work on fractions as well as continuing to secure methods for both multiplication and division.

For Science, we have been making a mess exploring how to separate different mixtures – including using a filter and a sieve.

In History we have been continuing to learn all about life in Ancient Greece ( see note above re Yr 5 Greek day)

For RE, we discussed and responded to the question Are Sikh stories important today?

For French we have consolidated our learning of the days of the week, the months of the year and numbers 1 to 31.

We have completed our learning about the artists Stephen Wiltshire and Vincent Van Gogh and created our own colourful cityscape.

We are looking forward to lots of fantastic learning after half term – including the Year 5 class assemblies!

Miss Scott & Mrs Slyfield, Y5 Team Leaders

Year 5- What are we learning?

Ask your child the following questions to see what they have learnt over the last few weeks:

What would be the best method to separate a mixture of water and gravel?
What effect does the Ancient Greek civilisation have on us today?
Which was your favourite Greek myth?

Our current reads we are enjoying in Y5...

Year 6 News

What a brilliant first half of Spring term we have had.

In English, we have been writing non-chronological reports. The children had to research an animal of choice and create their own bank of specific vocabulary. These have been put together to create a class book.

In maths, we have completed our work on percentages and we have delved into the world of algebra. It was brilliant to see children engage and show a passion for maths throughout this unit.

In art, we have created sculptures inspired by the work of Giacometti and Degas. Throughout this unit, they have worked on drawing the human body in proportion using mannequins.

In History, Year 6 have been gathering all of their previous learning on the ancient civilisation and they have been comparing their greatest achievements and advances.

Finally, we have loved our class book this term ' Orphans of the Tide' by Struan Murray. It has been a book full of twists and turns and has left the children continuously wanting to read more.

We hope everyone has a restful half term!

Miss Morales, Y6 Team Leader

Year 6- What are we learning?

Ask your child the following questions to see what they have learnt over the last few weeks!:

Which civilisation had the greatest advances in the writing and number system? Why?
What were your three sub-headings for your non-chronological report? Can you tell me a fact for each?
If x = 10. Explain to me how you would work out 2x+5

Our current reads we are enjoying in Y6...

Celebrating Art at FPJS

The last newsletter's pictures showcased some of the skills learned in art and this week the Year 5s have drawn on these to create their own unique final pieces. We love how varied these artworks are and how children have interpreted the learning and made it their own. They have particularly tried to use analogous colours, shading techniques using fine liners, visible brushstrokes and a sense of 3 dimensions. Underpinning all of this, they have also worked hard at planning an interesting composition to capture the viewer's eye.

Eco at FPJS

Exciting Eco Initiatives at Our School!

Our Eco Club and School Council are excited to announce that we are working towards earning the prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag Award. This award recognises schools that have made significant strides in environmental sustainability and education.

After conducting a comprehensive survey of our school environment, School Council And Eco Council have identified key areas to focus on: energy conservation, litter reduction, and recycling both within our school and in the wider community. Additionally, we are raising awareness about the dangers of plastics in marine environments. To support local wildlife, be on the lookout for new bird boxes and feeders around the school next term!

Our recent survey revealed that many students bring single-use plastics in their lunchboxes, such as sandwiches wrapped in plastic bags and individually packaged snacks. In our quest to become a single-use plastic-free school, we encourage everyone to use reusable containers for their lunches. This small change can make a big difference in reducing waste and protecting our planet.

Newsletter Environmental Tip:

Did you know that batteries can be recycled alongside your weekly recycling bin collections? Simply place the batteries in a plastic bag on top of your recycling bin on collection day. It's important not to put batteries inside the recycling bin itself, as this may prevent your bin from being emptied.

Together, let's make our school and community a greener, more sustainable place!

FPSA Update

Quiz Night - Oakwood Boards Sponsorship update

Thank you to everyone who signed up to have an Oakwood Estates board outside their house advertising the upcoming quiz night. We had 40 households sign up in the end which will mean an extra £250 raised for both schools. Boards will go up ~Friday 7th March.

Disco Night - Friday 28th February (8pm-11pm)

Calling all parents (and friends) to the dancefloor, the disco night is back and tickets are on sale! DJ Dee (parent of year 1 and year 4 boys) will be bringing her incredible deck to play the music. Tickets are just £10 so come and have a boogie whilst helping to raise money for both schools. Feel free to invite your friends and family too.

Buy your tickets here: www.pta-events.co.uk/fpsa

Quiz Night - Friday 21st March (8pm-11pm)

Mr T's Quiz Night is back again! Get your team together, book the babysitter and start brushing up on your general knowledge. There will be picture rounds, a music round, a brand new round and more including 'Play your cards right' bonus game. Prizes for top 3 teams as well as a prize for best team name.

The quiz starts at 8pm but doors open at 7pm. There is a licensed bar serving real ale, wine, Prosecco and soft drinks. Tickets include lovely food from Palmieri's.

AGM - Wednesday 2nd April

Come along to our annual AGM to hear how much money was raised in 2024 from our fundraising events. Both heads of school will be present to update how money was spent over the last 12 months as well as share their wish lists for the next year. A great chance to meet the FPSA team and talk to Mrs Indge, Mrs Clark and Mr Wallace directly.

Bingo Night - Friday 9th May

Eyes down for a full house! Our very first bingo night for the grown ups will take place in May at the Juniors hall. As well as traditional bingo games there will be some music bingo games too with lots of prizes to be won. A licensed bar will be available. It should be a fun night!

Summer Fair - Saturday 28th June

The summer fair is back! Lots of fun for all the family. Please save the date for our biggest event of the year.

Personalised name label stickers

We have an updated discount code for buying school uniform labels and labels for water bottles etc. from the 'Easy2Name' company. Simply order from the following site: https://www.easy2name.com/stickeasy, quote code 'FR-FPIS-72' and not only will you will get free delivery, the FPSA will receive 20% of the order value. These labels will help the schools return mislaid uniform and will help cut down on the lost property.

Windsor & Maidenhead Community Lottery

This is a weekly lottery that raises money for good causes in the Royal Borough including the FPSA. Tickets for the lottery cost just £1 and from that 60p goes to good causes including 50p to the FPSA. Each ticket has a 1 in 50 chance to win a prize each week with a top prize of £25,000!

So please sign up and buy a weekly ticket or two using the following link: https://www.windsorandmaidenheadcommunitylottery.co.uk/support/furze-platt-schools-association

Useful Information For Parents

Maidenhead's Big Read- 8th/9th March: Maidenhead Library

Maidenhead's big read takes place 8th/9th March and they have some excellent authors coming! - Nick Arnold writes the Horrible Science books, Zak Simmonds-Hurn is an illustrator for The Phoenix magazine and will be doing draw-alongs, Iszi Lawrence will be entertaining the children with stories of WWII at White Waltham Airfield and Catherine Bruton, author of 'No Ballet Shoes in Syria', will be talking about her latest book, 'Bird Boy'. All events are free to attend, with no advance booking.

Final Schedule-MBR Poster.pdf

Final One.pdf

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