What a fantastic week it has been at Rockliffe Manor! Our school continues to thrive, with children fully engaged in their learning and participating in exciting activities. We’ve had some brilliant opportunities for our children to grow, whether it’s through inspiring visits, fun challenges, or raising awareness for important causes. As always, we are incredibly proud of the dedication and enthusiasm shown by our children, and we are so grateful for the ongoing support from our parent community. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from this week:

On Tuesday, we were delighted to welcome the school governors to Rockliffe Manor for a visit. During their walk around the school, they observed the high expectations set in the classrooms and were impressed by the outstanding behaviour for learning displayed by our children. The governors also noted the strong, positive relationships between the children, especially in how they support one another, fostering a culture of coaching and collaboration. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to see firsthand the nurturing and ambitious environment and incredible learning taking place at Rockliffe Manor. The visit highlighted the commitment of both staff and children in striving for excellence, and the governors left feeling inspired by the vibrant, supportive atmosphere that encourages every child to thrive.

This week, Miss Lambert kicked off our much-anticipated Reading Challenge, and we’re more excited than ever! Last year, we didn’t quite gain the momentum we hoped for, but this time, we’re ready to dive into a world of adventures, and we hope you are too! As Dr. Seuss once said, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go!" Reading opens up endless possibilities, and we can't wait to see where your imaginations take you. The Bronze Challenge needs to be completed by the end of autumn, so let's get started! Our teachers are eagerly awaiting your progress, and remember, every page turned is another step toward building a lifelong love for reading. Let’s make this the best reading challenge yet! Ready, set, read!

On the theme of reading, our Year 2 children visited the library! The trip was a wonderful experience designed to spark their love for reading and explore new books. Over the next few weeks, other classes will also get their turn to visit, if they haven’t already. Who knows? Their library adventures might just inspire them to conquer their reading challenges!

Continuing with this theme, we would like to remind you about the upcoming parental engagement session next week, focusing on Phonics and Early Reading for Reception and Year 1. The session will begin with 30 minutes in the classroom, allowing parents to see firsthand how their children are learning. This will be followed by an informative presentation by Mrs. Aliaj, our Phonics and Early Reading Lead, in the hall. We look forward to seeing you there!

On Thursday, we saw a vibrant sea of yellow as the children came through the school gates to celebrate World Mental Health Day. From hair accessories, t-shirts and onesies, the array of outfits were delightful. The day kicked off with a special assembly where we explored the meaning of World Mental Health Day and why it’s celebrated globally. We emphasised the importance of children understanding mental health; how it affects our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour and why looking after it is essential for our well-being. By understanding mental health, the children learned how to take care of themselves and others, promoting a happier and healthier school environment. Thank you to all the parents for your support with this, your involvement really helps raise awareness of such an important issue.

Next week, we look forward to welcoming families into school for our first parents' evening of the year. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to meet with teachers, discuss their child's progress, and gain insights into what they are learning in the classroom. We encourage all parents to attend, as your involvement is crucial in supporting your child's educational journey. We are excited to share their achievements and to collaborate with you in ensuring our pupil’s continued success!

We hope you all have a lovely weekend and we can’t wait to see you all in school on Monday. 

With very best wishes, Mrs Cook and the Rockliffe Manor team 

Let’s take a look at some of the learning this week … 

This week in Nursery, the children have been enjoying learning all about Numicon in maths and exploring how it can support their learning. They had the opportunity to engage with the Numicon, discovering the different colours and the quantities each piece represents. In addition, the children also collected natural items from our garden and used them to create their own faces.

In Reception this week, the children have been busy exploring the Zones of Regulation in literacy. They learned what the zones mean and how they can be used to help manage emotions. Throughout the week, the children had opportunities to discuss how they were feeling with their peers and consider what actions could be taken to either maintain or regulate those emotions. It was wonderful to see them demonstrating active listening skills and strengthening relationships by supporting classmates who found it challenging to share in front of others. Well done, Reception!

In Year 1 this week, the children have been working hard in their English lessons. They wrote their own guides to being a good friend, starting by thinking about what qualities make a good friend and how they can show kindness, just like the characters did in Beegu. The children then connected their ideas using conjunctions to form complete sentences. It was wonderful to see the growth mindset they brought to their learning, and how much kindness Year 1 displayed!

This week in English, Year 2 has been busy learning about the 'power of three' and how to use conjunctions in their writing. They explored the concept of the 'power of three' and took part in a carousel activity, where they generated adjectives that matched a story image. The children showed great enthusiasm and hard work, embracing a growth mindset as they developed their ideas. Later, they practised combining two simple sentences with conjunctions, creating more detailed and informative sentences for their readers.

In Year 3 this week, the children had successful French assessments, testing their knowledge of greetings, colours, and food. They also enjoyed a fantastic RHE lesson where they learned about friendship conflicts and how to resolve them through role play and thoughtful discussions.

In Year 4, the children had an engaging history lesson about democracy in ancient Greece, building on their previous learning about oligarchy in Greek society. They did a brilliant job role-playing different social classes and exploring how they might have felt before democracy was introduced. The children also made connections to their JLT voting process.

In Year 5, the children have been demonstrating great effort in their spelling and handwriting. They have been learning various spelling rules and are proud to see their rapid progress. Miss Lambert is extremely proud of this as well as the efforts shown in daily arithmetic. The children are proud of their growth, as are we.  

In Year 6, the children have been studying the effects of human activity on the rainforest. They discussed how the Amazon is being exploited for economic benefits, leading to the clearing of vast areas of land and significant deforestation. Throughout their lessons, year 6 have engaged in lively discussions and debates, reflecting on their original viewpoints and allowing their opinions to be challenged.