Well done to Steve Backshall class for having the best attendance this week in EYFS and KS1.  In KS2 this week, David Attenborough class were the winners with the best attendance.  It is a shame to see how our attendance for the whole school has dipped from 97% to 92% in the first week of term 6. Children are missing vital learning and seeing their friends when they are not in school. 

Julia Donaldson Class - Katie (Caring) & Teddy (Thinking Skills)

Steve Backshall Class - Ollie (Inquirer) & Lenny H (Self-management Skills)

Malala Yousafzai Class - India (Self-Management Skills) & Hollie (Caring)

Ellie Simmonds Class - Jackson (Research Skills) & Jason (Balanced)

Rosa Parks Class - Zoha (Research skills) & Richard (Balanced)

Ian Rose Class - Darcie (knowledgeable) & Frankie (social skills)

David Attenborough Class - Year 6 (Self-management) & Rihanna (Communicator)

Ian Rose & Rosa Parks Class

This week, Year 5 has been buzzing with inquiry and learning! In English, we've dived deep into the life of Queen Victoria, preparing to write a monologue from her perspective. We've explored her journey from a young queen to a powerful empress, understanding the huge social changes of her reign, from new inventions to the growth of the British Empire. All this research helps us reflect and capture her voice and emotions, bringing history to life!

In Maths, we've become masters of adding and subtracting decimals. We've learned the importance of place value, lining up decimal points, and regrouping with precision. These skills are vital for understanding real-world finances and becoming more knowledgeable decimal users.

Our PE lessons have focused on athletics, specifically running and throwing. We've worked on sprinting techniques, building stamina for longer runs, and improving our power and accuracy in throwing events like javelin and shot put. These sessions have not only boosted our physical fitness but also taught us about teamwork and perseverance, helping us to be more balanced individuals.

International Mindedness 

At the end of last term, our school held an assembly where children shared their inquiry into fascinating Spanish traditions and celebrations.

One of the most striking traditions we explored was La Tomatina, the famous tomato-throwing festival in Buñol. Imagine thousands of people playfully throwing tomatoes at each other – it’s a truly messy but incredibly fun way to celebrate the summer harvest! We also discovered the spectacular Las Fallas in Valencia, a festival where giant papier-mâché sculptures are paraded through the streets before being spectacularly set alight in a grand bonfire, symbolising the welcoming of spring.

The children were also fascinated by Semana Santa, or Holy Week, which is celebrated with solemn and elaborate processions across Spain, especially in cities like Seville. People dress in traditional robes and carry huge, ornate floats, creating a powerful and moving atmosphere. We learnt that music and dancing, like the passionate Flamenco, are also a huge part of Spanish culture, particularly in the Andalusia region. From the delicious "churros con chocolate" often enjoyed for breakfast to the lively "siesta" (afternoon nap) tradition, the assembly truly brought the vibrant spirit of Spain to life, helping us to be more open-minded and knowledgeable about different cultures around the world.

Spanish 

Each week in our Spanish lessons, we embark on a new adventure, becoming more communicative and knowledgeable about the language. We begin by exploring a fresh topic, from introducing ourselves and describing our families to talking about food or hobbies, encouraging inquiry and reflection. After grasping new vocabulary and phrases, we engage in a variety of activities to strengthen our skills. We practice our speaking through lively pair work and simple conversations, our listening by responding to Spanish instructions and songs, and our writing by creating short sentences and descriptions. To consolidate our learning and make it even more enjoyable, we then dive into fun, interactive Spanish games on Languagenut, which helps us to be risk-takers and practice independently, tracking our progress and building confidence in a playful way, and helps us to be more balanced individuals. 

A Gentle Reminder: Water Bottles and Bags

As we move further into the term and look forward to warmer weather, we'd like to remind all parents and carers about the importance of pupils bringing a named water bottle and a suitable school bag to the academy every day.

Being well-equipped helps ensure your child is ready for learning and can stay hydrated throughout the school day, especially as temperatures rise.

Academy staff will be checking for these essential items over the coming week. Your support in ensuring your child comes to school with their water bottle and bag each day is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for helping us keep your children hydrated and organised!

Attendance

Holiday request reminders for Term 6

As we move onto the final term of the academic year, I am writing to highlight the significant importance of your child being in school every day.

We are sure you will agree that consistent and uninterrupted attendance during this period is absolutely vital for your child's learning, progress and transition. This final term is packed with important learning, consolidation of knowledge, and preparations for transition to the next academic year. Taking any time off, even for a few days, can mean children quickly fall behind with their work and may find it challenging to catch up on missed information and key concepts for their new year group in September.

We are sure that parents and carers would agree that children having the opportunity to be part of transition events before the summer holidays aids in addressing any anxieties, worries or questions that they may have and if they are absent and miss these events, then this could impact them over the summer break. We will also have a celebration day organised by the PTFA on Monday 21st July which will include an ice-cream van as a treat and other fun events for all of our children to reward them for their brilliant work in school this year.

The Department for Education (DfE) and the Local Authority are very clear that Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are truly exceptional circumstances. This guidance recognises the significant impact that absence can have on a child's educational journey.

Therefore, we want to reiterate that we will not be authorising term-time holidays during the remaining school days. We understand that families may wish to take holidays, and we kindly request that these are planned to coincide with the thirteen weeks of school holidays available throughout the year. Requests for holidays due to cheaper travel or celebrations abroad that are not considered a necessity, unfortunately, do not meet the criteria for exceptional circumstances as defined by the DfE and Local Authority.

Should you choose to take your child out of school for a holiday during term time, this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and may result in a Penalty Notice being issued by the Local Authority.

We understand that there may be rare and unavoidable exceptional circumstances requiring a leave of absence. In such cases, a letter or email outlining the specific reasons, addressed to the Headteacher, should be sent to the school office with as much advance notice as possible. Each request will be carefully considered, and you will receive a response. Please be aware that taking holidays without any prior communication with the school can also lead to a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).

Please also be aware of the Local Authority's updated penalties for unauthorised absence, effective from August 2024. These penalties are issued to each parent/carer for each child and can range from £80 to £160 depending on the payment timeframe. Repeated unauthorised absences can lead to higher penalties and even prosecution by the Local Authority. If a second penalty notice is issued within a rolling 3-year period, then the charge will be at a flat rate of £160 per parent per child if paid within 28 days. In both instances failure to pay the penalty notice in full at the end of the 28-day period may result in prosecution by the local authority. Importantly, any payment for a Penalty Notice should be made directly to your Local Authority, not the Academy.

We are committed to ensuring that every child at Peninsula East Primary Academy has the best possible opportunity to succeed. Your support in ensuring their full attendance, particularly during this crucial final term, is greatly appreciated and makes a real difference to their learning.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.