Newsletter

May 2023

Principal's Welcome


Dear Parents/Carers


This module always seems to go particularly fast but we have still managed to fit a lot in (even with the extra bank holiday!) As usual you can read more about what each class has been up to in this newsletter. 


Year 6 completed their SATS assessments this module. We have been so proud of them for showing such resilience and focus to complete each test. We always say to the children that as long as they can leave each test knowing they tried their best then we can’t ask anymore of them - they certainly did that so should be feeling very proud of themselves!


As we come to the end of Module 5 we are finally seeing some sunshine! As we tend to spend more time outside during Module 6, please make sure your child comes to school wearing sun cream and has a hat in school. Your child can bring a small bottle of named sunscreen to reapply themselves in school too. 


Module 6 is when we look forward to lots of end of year celebrations including our Sports Day which will take place at the Recreation Ground on Friday 30th June.  More details will be shared soon. We also start planning for the school year ahead. I wrote to you previously to share that Mrs Wilson will be leaving us at the end of the school year to take on a new challenge. We have successfully appointed a new member of the teaching staff, Miss Tyler, who will join us for September. She will, however, be coming into the academy for some days in July to join us for our transition days when the children get to spend some time in their new classroom with their new teacher. The final plans for next academic year are still being made so I will write to you again soon to share details of the staffing arrangements for each class.


I hope you all enjoying the May Break and we will look forward to welcoming the pupils back on Tuesday 6th June. 



Mrs G Stangroom

Grasshopper Class

We have had such a busy half term in Grasshopper Class! This half term we have enjoyed learning all about different minibeasts. We looked for minibeasts both at home and at school and learnt all about the life cycles of different animals - including the life cycles of a frog, ladybird and finally the life cycles of a caterpillar. We have been very lucky and have had our own class caterpillars that we enjoyed looking after and watching turn into butterflies! 


We have worked on our gardening skills and have each planted our very own bean to grow a magical beanstalk and grass seeds!


In maths we have been learning our number bonds to 5 and 10 and we have spent time exploring teen numbers and what these are, alongside our addition and subtraction which we have been working on over the last two modules. 

Dragonfly Class

Wow what a busy module we have had in Dragonfly Class! We have learnt all about the habitats around the world, how they have changed and what we can do to help. We started off the module by becoming scientists, classifying animals by their animal groups, by what they eat and where they live. We created fantastic slider mechanisms to show these animals and their habitats.  Some of us even made more of these at home or during our shining stars!  We became very knowledgeable about the oceans and continents in the world and used this to help write fact files of different sea creatures. Who would have thought that dolphins can jump as high as six metres or that jellyfish are able to make their own light?  One of our favourite parts of the module was reading the story of The Little Mermaid.  We had lots of fun creating our own mermaids to write our own version of the story. 


Dragonfly class have been very caring learners this module after finding out about climate change and how this is affecting habitats around the world. We have come up with lots of ways that we and others can help the environment and slow down the effects of global warming. 


We hope the Dragonfly Class parents enjoyed our class assembly. 

Ladybird Class


This module has flown by as we have been so busy in Ladybird Class again! This module in inquiry we have been looking at the human impact on the environment with a focus on the Polar regions. We learnt that the ice floes are melting at an alarming rate in both the Arctic and in Antarctica and that this is affecting all the animals that live there such as polar bears. 


We looked at how the polar bear has adapted to live in the cold climate in the Arctic and then we created our own polar animals, thinking about what features they might have to help them live in the Arctic. We had some fantastic ideas and some very original names for our animals such as ‘porca’ - which is a cross between a polar bear and an orca and a breed of hedgehog which only lives in the Arctic!


We have also been writing our own stories based on the text ‘The Secret Cave’ and this has demonstrated the wonderful progress the class have made in their writing this year.

The whole school celebrated the coronation on Friday May 5th. The pupils had opportunities to make crowns, have a turn on a bouncy castle, have face paint and tattoos and play some games such as giant Jenga. The children had a fabulous day as did all the staff! 

Spider Class

What another action packed module! We have enjoyed our two open mornings, our class assembly and coronation celebrations.


This module, our central idea has been; ‘Change requires responsibility’. We learnt about protected characteristics and then found out the women have not always been treated equally to men. We learnt about several different influential women from history, including Emmeline Pankhurst. Without Emmeline and the suffragettes, women today might not be able to vote. We also learnt about the artist Frida Kahlo and the struggles she had to overcome before we created self-portraits in her style. We also researched famous women in the tech world and created biographies on them.


We got to enjoy the special coronation celebrations which was also a historical moment.  We wrote acrostic poems all about it.

Cricket Class


Cricket Class have fully embraced our central idea this term and have immersed themselves in everything WW2.  We have been extremely fortunate and have had access to some fabulous resources to support our learning and deepen our understanding.  We have tried on some WW2 clothing, read some fascinating extracts written by a family member of a child in the class and have explored a range of photographs from the time.  We cannot thank the parents enough for sending in these resources and supporting us with our learning, they really do make the world of difference and help the children to make strong connections with the past. 


In English we have written some letters in the role of an evacuee, documented the events of the blitz in a diary entry and have explored vocabulary and word classes when writing kennings about WW2.  In maths we have tackled fractions, learning lots of new mathematical vocabulary along the way and who can forget the Challah bread that we made during our R.E lessons that didn’t quite go to plan!  Whoops!


In our art lessons we have been learning to draw in perspective by using vanishing points and produced some incredible watercolour paintings of railway tracks and the views that evacuees might have seen during their journey to the countryside.  We also looked at the famous photograph of St Pauls Cathedral during the blitz and recreated the scene using chalk contrasting against a black background.  Once again, our results were incredible demonstrating the artistic flair and talents we have in Cricket Class.  


I cannot believe that we are now approaching our final module of year 4!  The children are rapidly becoming year 5 ready and have dramatically grown in confidence this term to push themselves beyond their comfort zone to try new things and independently uplevel their work.  Well done team Crickets.

Ant Class


What another fantastic module in Year 5!


Our inquiries have been all about great leaders, starting with how individuals can impact how society treats the environment. We created presentations around different environmental issues and learnt about the work of Greta Thunberg. This then led us to learning about some key historical figures, who we like to call ‘game changers’.  We’ve learnt about the impact they have had on society and how they have changed societal behaviours for the better. The class researched Rosa Parks excellently and wrote brilliant playscripts about the Bus Boycott.   From this, we learnt the part Martin Luther King has had in the history of the American Civil rights movement, as well as reading about many other great leaders, such as Emmeline Pankhurst and Nelson Mandela. 


This week we have combined our new art skill of Pointillism with our knowledge of great leaders to create a Pointillism portrait of one of the leaders. 


The class has also been really enjoying our PE sessions this term; athletics. We have learnt both track and field events. We’re now very excited for Term 6 - the term we have Active Week!

Butterfly Class


Butterfly Class has been buzzing with excitement and hard work this term! The children have shown incredible dedication towards achieving their targets and have made impressive academic progress despite many challenges! The class has been exploring new sports skills, particularly in rounders. They have demonstrated great teamwork and sportsmanship while honing their abilities on the field. In English, the children have been engrossed in the captivating world of Michael Morpurgo's Kensuke's Kingdom. They have been actively engaging in discussions and forming balanced arguments while analysing the writer's voice. A particular focus has been placed on descriptive devices, allowing the students to enhance their writing skills. Expanding their horizons, Butterfly Class has embarked on a journey to discover North America. They have delved into key concepts related to tourism, developing a deep understanding of various countries on the continent. Impressively, they have even demonstrated their knowledge by accurately placing landmarks in the USA.


Butterfly Class has shown remarkable dedication, growth, and enthusiasm throughout the term.

The King's Coronation


On Friday 5th May, we spent the afternoon celebrating the King’s Coronation! The whole school enjoyed a lunch party in the hall, before the sun started shining for us!  After lunch, we had a fantastic afternoon outside, enjoying various activities such as bouncy castles, face painting, garden games and crafts.   Most definitely an afternoon to remember!

School Council Charities



The next charity day is Friday 9th June 2023 - Team Seas Day (come in wearing something blue for a suggested donation of £1)


Julia and Remi

Chair and Secretary

Class of The Week - "Jazz and Baxter Ready"

Our latest class of the week winners are Ladybird Class.  Jazz enjoyed spending some time with them in their classroom.

Sensory Processing Workshop


Medway Small Steps/SEN Connect will be running a Sensory Processing Workshop for parents/carers on Tuesday 6th June (10am-12pm) at The Academy of Woodlands. 

 

In this interactive workshop we will look at how sensory differences can impact people on the autistic spectrum. We will also look at possible support strategies and will bring along with us some examples of things you might be able to use at home to support your children.  There will also be an opportunity to view the Sensory Room at the Academy.

You will have the chance to ask questions and talk about your child’s unique sensory profile. It’s also a great opportunity to meet other parents on a similar journey; teas and coffees will be provided on the day.

Please note due to limited space we can only allow one person per family to attend. 

 

Please book using the following link:

 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/638717159217

LOST PROPERTY


Please look through the lost property box for any lost uniform.  This will be out on the South Path on various days throughout Module 6.  Please note that anything not collected by the end of the school year will b e disposed of.

Reporting Absence - School Text Number


You can text the school directly on 0786 005 4448.  Please use this or the messaging function in MCAS if you need to report your child's absence from school.  For safeguarding reasons absences must be reported by 09:00am.  Please note that all TEXT messages will be read and acted upon but we are unable to send a response.


Learning starts at 08:45.  Please ensure that your child arrives at the gate by 08:35 to ensure a prompt start.


May Break: Monday 29th May 2023 (Late May Bank Holiday)  to Friday 2nd June 2023

Dates for your diary - Module 6


Start: Monday 5th June 2023  (Professional Development Day) – PUPILS DO NOT ATTEND

Pupils Return: Tuesday 6th June 2023

23rd June 2023, 14:45 - Cricket Class Assembly

30th June 2023 Sports Day - more details to follow

10th July 2023 - Year 6 Production to Year 6 Parents/Carers - more details to follow

21st July 2023, 10:30am - Year 6 Leavers Service (Year 6 Parents/Carers invited) - more details to follow

Early Finish:  Last Day of Term Friday 21st July 2023 

Year R: 1.20pm

Years 1 and 2: 1.25pm

Years 3 to 6: 1.30pm






Term Dates 2023-2024


As advised previously, please note slight changes:-

Tuesday, 2nd January 2024 will be a Professional Development Day so pupils will not be in school.  Friday 9th February 2024 will be a normal school day.

MODULE 1

Start:  Wednesday 30th August  and Thursday, 31st August 2023  (Professional Development Days) – PUPILS DO NOT ATTEND

Pupils Return: Friday, 1st September 2023

Finish:  Friday 20th October 2023

Autumn Break: Monday 23rd October 2023 to Friday 3rd November 2023


MODULE 2

Pupils Start: Monday 6th November 2023

Finish: Friday 15th December 2023

  Christmas Break: Monday 18th  December 2023

  To Monday 1st January 2024 (bank holiday)

    MODULE 3

Start: Tuesday 2nd January 2024  (Professional Development Day) – PUPILS DO NOT ATTEND

Pupils Return: Wednesday 3rd January 2024

Finish: Friday 9th February 2024 

February Break: Monday 12th February 2024

to Friday 16th February 2024

MODULE 4

Start: Monday 19th February 2024

Finish: Thursday 28th March 2024

Spring Break: Friday 29th March 2024 (Good Friday) to Friday 12th April 2024 


MODULE 5


Start: Monday 15th April 2024

Finish: Friday 24th May 2024

Early May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 6th May 2024

May Break: Monday 27th May 2024 (Late May Bank Holiday)  to Friday 31st May 2024


MODULE 6

Start: Monday 3rd June 2024

Finish: Friday 19th July 2024