Week 12 - 3.12.2021

At the weekend I slept out in a cardboard box in the grounds of Hemel Hempstead school for a charity called Dens supporting the homeless. We arrived and we got our beds ready setting up our boxes to give us as much shelter as possible. Then there was a silent disco with hot dogs to warm us up for the night. We then settled down in our shelters and sleeping bags for a tough night ahead.

The weather was freezing cold and during the night, storm Arwen hit and didn't stop. The rain came and hit our box shelters that became soggy and some ripped but we stuck it out till morning where we were rewarded with hot drinks and bacon sandwiches. It was a real experience and really made you think about homeless people enduring this every night.

I was glad of my own warm bed, but will be back to support this charity again next year it is definitely a worthy cause and eye opener to experience this.

Sophia

This week the children have been thinking more carefully about how to turn a nice idea into a reality. In assembly, the children had to think of a plan to make someone happy.

Nice Ideas included:

• Supporting the Road Safety of our school

• Wave every day to a neighbour I see each day, who appears to live alone.

• Be respectful to the opposition team when I play my football match later on in the week.

• Helping mum babysit for our next door neighbour.

• Look out for someone who is upset or hurt and help them.

• Be friendly, say hello.

• Have more of a conversation with someone who says hello to me.

We also considered how they would know if they had achieved the desired impact - did their plan make someone more happy?

If they have had an impact, they will be able to show and tell us this impact. We will share the impact of these acts of kindness next week - perhaps a pebble in the pond...

A few bullet point updates - we are working hard behind the scenes:

• Thank you to the road safety officer's making their presence felt. This came about due to the number of concerns that were raised directly with them - so thank you to you!

• Road Safety Council have been finalising their first prototype posters - we will trial them and then get your feedback - see image!

• Skanska are very kindly donating some yellow bibs for children and staff.

• We are looking to create a volunteer force of Deputised Parental Parking Advisors. Thank you to the parents I have approached - if you feel you could also support parking in our local area, do contact the school office: admin@littlegreen.herts.sch.uk

It doesn't come with a pointy badge but you can still call yourself a deputy!

Finally, we are working closely with the road safety team at County so watch this space for a range of measures coming to support you, the community and your children to be safe.

Mr. Hyde (Year 6 Lead) Mrs. Roe (Governor) Mr. Lloyd (Chair of Governors) and some environmentally minded Year 6 students were proud to support our environment and The Queen's Green Canopy initiative:

The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.

We welcome and introduce you to our little apple sapling - we will look after her in this pot until she is a little more developed and ready to be planted in the grounds.

With Standardised Assessment Tests coming back this year, although unpublished, I wanted to remind you of the phenomenal successes we achieved as a school in the last round of published results 2019. This is obviously a few years ago, however, the two key points are important for you all to learn, understand or remember! DO read the letter to understand the detail around the misrepresentation of progress data when considering infant and junior schools compared to all through primary schools.

1. We are an inclusive school and aim to support all of the children of differing needs across our community - this means we will never be likely to attain 100% ARE - as an Inclusive Community school, some children's needs prevent this. Nevertheless, we were 10% above HCC average for ARE.

2. Our Higher standard: 27% in Reading and Maths was the best in Croxley and Rickmansworth in the last reported data set and placed us 29 /497 schools Or in the top 6%! The data table 2019

That being said, we believe data does not do the children justice and offers, at best, a window into a child's development. I refer you to Week 10's Newsweb reflection on Teacher Assessment for more assessment considerations.

We were delighted to join a Zoom call with Greg James and Chris Smith, Radio One DJs and Authors, on Wednesday afternoon. They read passages from their new book, The Great Dream Robbery, and shared with us how letting your imagination run free can inspire any new story. Here are some of the thoughts of Year 6:

It inspired me to make my own book and to laugh. They were like two boys who haven’t quite grown up yet. - Amy

The book seems really wacky, quirky and funny. - Naomi

I really enjoyed the video call and I can’t wait to read the book. - George

It inspired me to use my imagination even more. They said there was no such thing as a bad idea! - Isla

I’m also inspired to write my own book - Alex

It was really funny and I might even start listening to him on the radio. - Charlotte

Key Dates:

• Wednesday 8th Dec - 6E Swimming at York House

• Friday 10th Dec - Salvation Army gifts being collected in school

• Friday 10th Dec - Christmas Jumper Day in aid of Save the Children, £1 suggested donation