We have been talking about the importance of Narration and using your voice as a teaching staff and with our whole school. This term we will be considering the importance and power of developing and having a VOICE in Learning. Many of the children already have an excellent understanding in theory: We asked them what is voice and how does it help us to learn? Here are some responses!

When you are talking it comes out and your can share your ideas - Emy

Going home and using our voice to talk about learning and taking our learning further. Researching learning more than I've been asked to by asking questions. - Ava

I get raffle tickets for being brave and putting my hand up to ask questions and give answers - Penny

Being heard and making a contribution

Mason says it's a way of helping people around the world

Being different as we all have different voices - Layla

Molly - a right to express your opinion

You can use it to give great answers - Rosie

Daniel says people can learn from us sharing and discussing our ideas.

Narration - being able to talk about what we are learning - Aldona / Tom

Answer your questions and share and model your knowledge Emily

To collaborate, share ideas in class discussion - Anon

Milo - if you try your best and attempt at an answer, you can be rewarded for it

Leon - by answering questions, sharing our learning, helping others.

As well as launching our focus on VOICE, we also had the exciting pleasure of drawing our House Raffle. To remind you, Raffle Ticket House Points are given to children who demonstrate their own personal improvement in one of the three areas of the ethos: Community Wellbeing, Attitude to Learning, Powerful Knowledge. The MOST important thing is that children are trying their best. We hope to encourage this with a little extrinsic reward. Congratulations to the eight lucky winners who all receive a £25 Amazon voucher (decided by the children.)

Thank you to FOLG for funding the prizes for our House Raffles. Well done to Leon, Isla, Teddy, Uma, Aisha, Lotta, Emily and Eesha! Enjoy your winning!

Whilst not everyone can win the raffle, everyone who adds raffle tickets to their jar has shown WINNING!

Please encourage your children to keep winning.

You have to be in it to win it!

On the last weekend in January (28th - 30th), you will have the opportunity to take part in this year’s birdwatch.

The RSPB will use the statistics that they gather to help discover more about the health and welfare of bird species in the country. By doing so, they can implement changes to help where needed.

You can sign up to take part at home by going to:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/getinvolved/activities/birdwatch/

But we will be taking part as a school too!

"What a fantastic way to begin a new term!" "I can't wait until we carry on tomorrow."

These are just two of the comments made by some of the children in Year 5 when we began a new term by designing and making our own chocolate bars.

Over the past two days, we have been conducting market research, looking at how branding and packaging effect the customer as well as creating catchy and effective names for our chocolate bars. We used a computer program to design and make the labels for our boxes and used our Maths skills to measure and make a mould for our chocolate bars ensuring they would fit into the boxes we made. I think it is safe to say that we had a fantastic start to a new term!

Calling all Parents/Carers who are working/have worked within a scientific/engineering field who would be willing to share their enthusiasm and expertise!

In previous years parents have come into the school, as part of British Science Week, (www.britishscienceweek.org) and presented to pupils about areas of science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) they work in.

Could you be one of those parents this year to support us with an assembly on 11th March? (you don't have to present or even be there, you could share some information that is shown via presentation slides to the pupils)

or

Do you have ideas or resources in STEM through work that you could share with the school?

If you can help please get in touch - Gillian Batchelor STEM Ambassador (Gillian.Batchelor@Skanska.co.uk)

Numbers appear to be have peaked - we shall see!

Currently 9 positive cases isolating from school with no clusters identified. The guidance on testing and isolating is in regular flux. If you do have to let us know of a positive case, we will be able to share, what we believe to be, the latest guidance. Of note - not all incidents of a positive LFT require a confirmatory PCR currently. Do check the Government guidance:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Update as I write - it looks like a 5 day isolation period has just been announced starting next week...

HCC Communication:

Everyone aged over 18 who has received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccination three months ago can get their booster.

It’s easier than ever to get vaccinated – check https://covid.healthierfuture.org.uk for the latest information on where to get your jab, including local walk-in sessions.

You can also book an appointment online at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine or by calling 119. If you have recently had COVID-19, please wait 28 days before getting your booster.

Happy New Year from FOLG!

Meeting Date: Thursday 20th January 8pm.

Meeting location and format to be confirmed.

Key Dates:

• Wednesday 19th Jan - Yr. 6H swimming at York House

• Thursday 20th Feb - FOLG meeting 8pm