Embedded Files
Principal's Message
Principal's Message
As we enter the final week of term 3, we are nearly halfway through the school year. Sadly, we say goodbye to Miss Eastwood who is on a sabbatical until the summer. She is volunteering in a turtle sanctuary in Sri Lanka and we wish her a safe and exciting journey. We hope to see her again next academic year. We do have a new Learning Support Assistant joining us on Monday, whose name is Mr Reynolds, so please do give him a big Marden welcome when you see him around the site. Mr Reynolds attended Marden as a child and it is great to have yet another member of our close community join us at Marden Primary Academy.
A big thank you to the PTA again for supporting the school in purchasing new dining tables for our school hall. They are practical, good quality and will be used daily - thank you again! We are always looking for new members to join the PTA, it has been a difficult time with the pandemic and is a great way not only to fundraise for the school but to meet other parents in the community. Please do speak to Vikki in the office for more information on how you can get involved.
Lastly, I really enjoyed being pitched business plans in 3/4D this week on how we could make the school more sustainable. I can't promise that I will put wind turbines at the bottom of the field or put solar panels on the Victorian roof, but I do promise to give some real thought as to how we can run the school in a more environmentally friendly manner. A special mention to Isla Stevens, who not only presented alone but provided some excellent financial breakdowns as to why her turbine idea could work - very impressive indeed.
Mr N Dosad
Monday 7th February - KS1 Football Match Marden v Greenfields (Away)
Tuesday 8th February - KS1 Football Match Marden v St Georges (Home)
Thursday 10th February 2022 - Last Day of Term 3
Friday 11th February 2022 - INSET Day (No pupils in school)
Monday 21st February 2022 - INSET Day (No pupils in school)
Tuesday 22nd February 2022 - First Day of Term 4
Thursday 24th February 2022 - Year 6 SATs Parent Meeting. Time TBC
Thursday 3rd March 2022 - World Book Day
Friday 18th March 2022 - Red Nose Day (£1 Non Uniform Day)
National Online Safety - Free Support for Parents
National Online Safety - Free Support for Parents
At Marden Primary Academy, we take online safety seriously which is why we have subscribed to National Online Safety. It is important that the academy, parents and carers work together to take an active role in teaching children about online dangers. Learning how to act safely when using the internet is an incredibly important part of safeguarding our children.
As part of our subscription, parents and carers also have accounts so that they can take advantage of the wealth of resources available. The resources include parents and carers courses (presented by Myleene Klass), online video resources and weekly guides covering a huge range of topics, including fake profiles, online bullying, screen addiction, social media platforms, age inappropriate content, fake news, personal data, games and more.
To create your account, please follow https://nationalonlinesafety.com/enrol/marden-primary-academy and complete your details. When you’re set up, you’ll be able to set ‘Parent/Carer’ as your user type.
You can access National Online Safety online via any device - including via the smartphone app which can be downloaded from the links below:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/national-online-safety/id1530342372
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.nationaleducationgroup.nos
Alternatively, search for ‘National Online Safety’ in the App Store/Google Play Store.
Answers to frequently asked questions and customer service can be accessed at https://helpdesk.thenationalcollege.co.uk/helpcentre
We think this resource is really valuable and we would love your feedback on the courses.
National Online Safety - Youtube
National Online Safety - Youtube
YouTube is a video-sharing social media platform that allows billions of people around the world to watch, share and upload their own videos with a vast range of content – including sport, entertainment, education and lots more. It’s a superb space for people to consume content that they’re interested in. As a result, this astronomically popular platform has had a huge social impact: influencing online culture on a global scale and creating new celebrities.
In the guide, you'll find tips on a number of potential risks such as connecting with strangers, inappropriate content and high visibility.
Curriculum & Learning
PYP - Transdisciplinary Learning
Learning in the PYP is transdisciplinary. It means that the learning is between, across and beyond subjects. It begins with a problem, issue or theme and is driven by the children’s interests and questions. Learning is pursued without regard for subject boundaries. Subjects become a tool, instrument or resource to explore a theme, problem or concept in depth. Teachers no longer plan for topics or individual subjects, but use the key concepts to support the children with deeper, critical thinking of a broader nature within the transdisciplinary themes. For example, the children might be inquiring into the concept of conflict. As part of this learning, they will be using reading, writing, speaking and listening skills from the English curriculum whilst also using geography and history skills. Art skills could be intertwined as a way of demonstrating understanding too. By learning in this way, the children have an in depth knowledge and make contextual links easily.
In the PYP framework, there are 6 transdisciplinary themes that are inquired into in each year of primary:
Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organise ourselves
Sharing the planet
A description of the themes is outlined in the slide below. Each year, the children undertake a unit of inquiry in each theme that builds on prior knowledge. The national curriculum is interwoven with PYP concepts and approaches to learning, leading to a rich programme of inquiry delivered throughout the primary education years.
Currently, all of our classes are inquiring into how the world works. Talk to your child to find out what they have been inquiring into this term.
KS2: Spelling Shed
We have invested in Spelling Shed for all of our Key Stage 2 pupils. Spelling and word knowledge are key components in the process of learning to read and write. Spelling Shed makes the acquisition of these key skills fun and engaging for pupils and easy to plan for teachers.
The Spelling Shed scheme aligns with the English National Curriculum. The game aspect of Spelling Shed ensures children are engaged and eager to practise their spellings regularly. The low-stakes games, quizzes and reward systems ensure that children find spelling fun. The games can be played in class or assigned for home learning.
In the coming week, children will be coming home with their logins for Spelling Shed. We have also encouraged children to save this to their Google Account so, when signed in at home using their school email, they do not need the login details - it should do it automatically! This can be accessed via the internet using play.edshed.com or by using the Spelling Shed app. This can be found in the Apple App Store or the Google Play store and can be purchased for a small fee for mobile and tablet devices.
1/2S: Habitats & Food Chains
3B: Volcanoes
Times Tables Rock Stars
A big congratulations goes to this weeks winners of the class Rockstars competition who are, after weeks of finishing second, 4WB: very well done! They win Ringo the Rockstar Teddy for the week!
A special mention to 2D who finished 5th out of the 7 classes taking part which is a fantastic effort considering how new they are to their times tables.
The individual class winners are:
2D: Alexandra H
3B: Sarah-Anne S
3/4D: Stanley M
4WB: Rowan T
5DK: Darcy S
5A: Alice W
6CK: Charlie W
With 5 days to go, we find ourselves second in the LAT schools competition, but not by much. Can we all put in one final push to reach first place?
High scores league table
High scores league table
Each week we will be celebrate the class and individuals who achieve the highest scores throughout the week. Make sure that you practise regularly.
Class league table: A big congratulations goes to the winning class: 6CK
The individual class winners are:
3B: Max Burns
3/4D: Stanley Mitchell
4WB: Clementine Thompson
5DK: Emily Aslett
5A: Lewis Mackenzie
6CK: Kacper Wilkosz
Sports News
KS2 Football Matches
KS2 Football Matches
On Thursday the 27th of January 2022, we played in a football match against Oaks Primary Academy. The end score was a comfortable 10-0 victory after Ollie scored 5 goals, Josh scored 1, Kacper scored 2 and Louis scored 2, with a penalty save by Albert - his second of the season - and 7 assists from Samuel. Thank you to Mr De-Keyzer for coaching us, Mr Dix for refereeing and all of the parents for supporting us.
On Tuesday 1st of February 2022, we played in a football match against Ditton Junior School. We ended up winning 6-1, with Ollie, Josh and Louis on the scoresheet. Amazingly, we scored in the 5th second of the match after tackling our opposition from a kick off. Daniel made an excellent debut for the team and Albert saved one shot but couldn’t get his hand on the other, which equated to them scoring their first and only goal of the match. Thank you to Mr De-Keyzer for once again coaching us and Mr Dix for yet again refereeing it.
KS2 Hockey Tournament
KS2 Hockey Tournament
On Thursday 3rd February 2022, a team of Year 3 and 4 pupils travelled to Dulwich Prep School for a friendly hockey tournament. Having been expertly coached by Mrs Payne-Cook, the team put in a brilliant display, winning 3 games and losing 1. Individual awards were given out for:
Most valuable player - Connie
Most improved player - Annabella
Sportsmanship - Nellie
The awards were tough to choose and any of the players could have received one. They represented the academy impeccably and it was a pleasure to take them. Well done to all involved.
Olive Dining News
Chinese New Year Themed Menu
Chinese New Year Themed Menu
The children (& staff) were treated to Chinese cuisine for lunch on Tuesday in celebration of Chinese New Year and it was absolutely delicious. All dishes were freshly prepared on site by our fabulous kitchen team who worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth lunch service.
Fish & Chips - Thursday 10th February
Fish & Chips - Thursday 10th February
Please be advised that the kitchen will be serving fish and chips in place of the beef lasagne on Thursday 10th February as a treat for the last day of term.
The self-isolation advice for people with coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed. It is now possible to end self-isolation after 5 full days if you have 2 negative LFD tests taken on consecutive days. The first LFD test should not be taken before the fifth day after your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you did not have symptoms).
This means that if, for example, your symptoms started at any time on the 15th of the month (or if you did not have symptoms but your first positive COVID-19 test was taken on the 15th), you may take daily LFD tests from the 20th of the month. If your LFD test results are negative on the 20th and 21st, and you do not have a high temperature, you may end your self-isolation period after the negative test result on the 21st of the month.
If both your LFD test results are negative, it is likely that you were not infectious at the time the tests were taken.
The self-isolation period remains 10 full days for those without negative results from 2 LFD tests taken a day apart.
Office Messages
LAT Annual Parent Survey
LAT Annual Parent Survey
Just a friendly reminder to parents to complete the LAT Annual Parent Survey before the end of term.
As an academy, we feel it is important to understand the views of our parents about what’s going well and how we can improve further. Every parent is entitled to complete the survey once (you do not need to complete it multiple times if you have more than one child here). We value your feedback and will analyse it carefully to underpin our future plans.
Cool Milk
Cool Milk
School milk at mid-morning break is an important part of a child’s diet. Milk provides a number of health benefits and social opportunities that ensure children get the most out of their school day.
Register online today at www.coolmilk.com
Principal's Awards
Principal's Awards
RM: Lucy has been an excellent communicator this week. She has invited a number of children to play with her, finding roles for everyone. You are a wonderful friend Lucy!
RMC: Chloe has been a brilliant communicator this week. She has shown she is able to communicate how she is feeling with grown-ups and other children in and seek help when she needs it! Well done Chloe!
1MT: Esme for consistently being a fantastic thinker and for trying your best at all times.
1/2S: Sophie has shown how open minded she is this week. She listens to others and understands we are all different.
2D: Damian D for being a superb communicator in his maths this week, using relevant mathematical language and reasoning skills to help solve and explain solutions to problems.
3B: Percy C for being such a brilliant thinker this week! He has shown his incredible knowledge and understanding of volcanoes and is confident to share this with the rest of the class! Keep it up!
3/4D: James B has been a brilliant communicator this week. He has confidently shared his mathematical knowledge with his peers to support them in completing their challenges.
4WB: Jake is a really enthusiastic member of the class. He has a real thirst for knowledge and is always engaged in class discussions.
5DK: Bethany has worked hard to improve her knowledge this week, researching and writing about how technology can support the development of Africa.
5A: Buddie has demonstrated through his work, his ability to research and inquire on the technological difference between China and Africa. He has been able to construct a text to highlight and persuade others to support Africa.
6CK: Yas has shown she is a caring member of our group, showing a really mature attitude through her ability to consider the feelings of others and identify ways to mediate and resolve issues.
RM Class ~ Year R
RM Class ~ Year R
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Eyad
Eyad
Eyad has used his mathematical knowledge to accurately count and record the legs of different mini beasts he has found in the Early Years setting. Eyad carefully compared the marks that he made and he was able to say which minibeasts had the same number of legs.
Luka
Luka
This week, Luka has used his joining skills to create a car park for all of the cars in our learning environment. He carefully measured the width of the cars to ensure they all fit before making a new level. He used his inquiry skills to test which materials would be strongest for the ramp. Amazing learning Luka!
RM Class Reminders
Team RM have had a wonderful week. We have recorded our experiences outside using maps and the adults have observed some wonderful, collaborative learning!
We are making significant progress in Reading. Please remember to bring in reading books on Mondays and Thursdays so they can be changed.
Next week, Team RM will be having their first official PE lesson. Please ensure that your child has a PE kit in school on Monday for use next week.
RMC Class ~ Year R
RMC Class ~ Year R
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Freddie
Freddie
Freddie has been an excellent risk-taker this week. When creating an extraordinary jet pack, Freddie took several risks and tried new techniques that he hadn't tried before and found them to be great successes! Freddie was then a great communicator as he told others about the features of his jet pack!
Ava
Ava
This week, Ava has been a reflective learner. When challenging herself to build a tower that was as tall as she was, she encountered several issues, such as towers collapsing. Instead of giving up, Ava reflected on what had gone wrong and used this to improve her tower and was so proud when the tower was taller than her!
RMC Class Reminders
RMC have had a fantastic week this week! So many children have shown excellent progress in reading and writing! Please keep reading and practising sight words at home as really is making a difference! Thank you for your support with reading and home learning challenges.
Next week, RMC will be having their very first official PE lesson. Please ensure that your child has a PE kit in school on Monday for use next week.
1M Class ~ Year 1
1M Class ~ Year 1
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Astinos
Astinos
You have been a fantastic inquirer this week. You have shown this particularly when we were learning about the different climates around the world.
Damon
Damon
You have been so open-minded this week. You have shown this when we were discussing the equator and all the interesting facts about it. Even though some information was difficult to understand at times you continued to remain interested!
1M Class Reminders
1/2S Class ~ Year 1/2
1/2S Class ~ Year 1/2
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Fin
Fin
Fin has shown what a super inquirer he is this week. He has found out lots of facts for his Arctic Animal Fact File. Great work Fin. Keep it up!
Italiarose
Italiarose
Italiarose has been reflective this week. She always tries her hardest to listen to feedback and improve. Well done Italiarose!
1/2S Class Reminders:
As we head into the final week of Module 3, and the final week of our PYP Inquiry - All living things need the right conditions to live- I have been amazed by the enthusiasm and joy the children have found by inquiring into habitats and animal and plant adaptation. Thank you for the brilliant home learning which has supported the children's knowledge and understanding. Next week I will share with you our new PYP Unit of Inquiry ready for module 4.
Please remember Outdoor Learning clothes on Monday 7th February and book folders for your reading day (Pink reading group please bring your folders in on Thursday so your books are changed for the half term)
2D Class ~ Year 2
2D Class ~ Year 2
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Evie K
Evie K
What fantastic work you have done this week Evie, especially in being a superb inquirer. It was lovely to read your writing on the butterfly and see how you used a range of sentences to show what it's life is like- well done!
Kacey T
Kacey T
You have been a brilliant knowledgeable and reflective learner this week Kacey. I have loved seeing you go from strength to strength in our maths work, but also had the enjoyment of reading your great piece of work all about owls. Keep up this effort!
2D Class Reminders:
The children have been doing some fantastic learning this week in their inquiry, all centred around the life cycle of a chosen animal. It has been fantastic to see their use of scientific vocabulary and their understanding of where their animal sits within a food chain- you will see how their home learning relates to this by allowing them to explore their animal further!
Our class came 5th out of the 7 classes in the TTRS competition which is a fantastic effort! I have set them the challenge of reaching 4th next week, so please help them achieve this with practise at home! Please make sure your child has their outdoor clothes for their outdoor learning session on Monday afternoon.
3B Class ~ Year 3
3B Class ~ Year 3
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
3B
3B
All of 3B have worked extremely hard this week to design, create and erupt their very own volcanoes. The children have worked independently on this project with their unit of inquiry and have produced some super volcanoes. They have been brilliant communicators, thinkers and reflective learners within their inquiry. You should all be so proud of all your hard work! Well done!
3B Class Reminders
Continue to use TTRockstars for your times tables and Languagenut for Spanish at home!
Remember to keep reading to reach our target for our reward afternoon!
3/4D Class ~ Year 3/4
3/4D Class ~ Year 3/4
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Isla and Stanley
Isla and Stanley
Stanley and Isla worked together in a project this week. They demonstrated good knowledge of renewable energy sources and the importance of using more renewable energy to power the devices that we use everyday.
They prepared a well considered plan and presented it with confidence. Well done, keep up the great work.
3/4D Class Reminders
Continue regular practise on TTR and Languagenut.
Read for a minimum of 5 times a week.
4WB Class ~ Year 4
4WB Class ~ Year 4
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Jacob
Jacob
Jacob worked really well with the other members of his team in netball this week. He was engaged in the game and took risks to intercept the ball. Well done, Jacob.
Leah
Leah
Leah is a caring and considerate member of the class. She thinks about other people's feelings and sets a good example to her fellow classmates. Well done, Leah.
4WB Class Reminders
Continue to read at home and hopefully we can reach our target. We have one week left!
Keep up the hard work with TTRockstars. We have finally knocked 6CK off the top spot and we're sure we can do it again!
Please make sure you have your PE kit in school. We have PE on a Thursday afternoon every week.
5DK Class ~ Year 5
5DK Class ~ Year 5
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Jack B and David
Jack B and David
Jack and David worked together this week, showing excellent communication skills. They have produced a brilliant TV advert for a charity, thinking about how to persuade people to part with their money and how technology can support growth in Africa.
Jenson and Alex
Jenson and Alex
Jenson and Alex showed excellent skills to extend their knowledge of division problems this week, using resources to show their working and then drawing these pictorially as well. Well done boys!
5DK Class Reminders
Please can you ensure your violin comes back to school this week, ready for our last session next week. It can come in on any day, as long as it's back by Thursday.
5A Class ~ Year 5
5A Class ~ Year 5
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Zak
Zak
Zak has worked really hard this week during inquiry and has produced a letter that presents his knowledge on the issues Africa faces. Well done Zak!
Harry
Harry
Harry this week has come in and proven that he is willing to overcome challenges he faces in his learning. On our first lesson of fractions, he was able to identify what a fraction is and draw representations of fractions in his book. Well done for being a risk-taker.
5A Class Reminders
6WCK Class ~ Year 6
6WCK Class ~ Year 6
Star Pupils
Star Pupils
Harry & Kohinoor
Harry & Kohinoor
Harry and Kohinoor have collaborated together during PE over the last 4 weeks to create an imaginative dance that shows great expression and fluidity of movement. They have used inspirations from character development and storytelling to communicate creatively and choreograph a really meaningful piece. Well done.
Shane L
Shane L
Shane has shown his very best engagement as an inquiring learner this week. He has shown thorough engagement in science when making a periscope to investigate how light reflects - following instructions to work independently and thoughtfully as well as supporting others in the process. Keep it up, Shane, you have shown such determination this week.
6WCK Class Reminders
Please see the letter about the CGP revision books that will be sent home to you shortly; we highly recommend these excellent books and welcome any questions or feedback from you regarding them.
The children have all been working extremely hard on their group campaigns to raise awareness about the negative effects of unsustainable palm oil production. As a result of a communication sent by a group to the 'Born Free Foundation' we have secured an online workshop which will enable year 6 to learn about and hear stories about some of the primates that Born Free works to protect, before writing short speeches highlighting why the rainforest is important to them, and how we can all protect primates. The workshop will take place on Tuesday 8th February in the afternoon; children just need to come to school as normal. How exciting!
We hope children will be excited to engage in our new Spelling Shed as part of their daily practise at home in addition to reading and times tables. We have already set the children an assignment for them to complete, which they have begun using in class. Their homework task next week is focused on spellings so please look out for the next set of instructions on Monday.
We have all become so well engaged in our learning about the changing rainforests over this term - you may be interested in a wonderful book: 'Journey to the River Sea', by Eva Ibbotson. It is set in the Amazon Rainforest and tells the story of orphan, Maia, who is sent to live with distant relatives in the depths of Brazil. It is a tale of friendship and adventure - a real page turner that brings the magic of the rainforest to our homes!
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