Welcome to issue 123 of our whole school newsletter. Don't forget to follow us on X for regular updates on achievements, class news and whole school updates.
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Coming up in this issue:
Learning updates
Attendance
This Week's X Posts
Upcoming events
Anti-bullying Week
Children in Need
World Science Day
The gift of a book
Notices
FOMS
Road Safety Week
Foundation Stage and Key Stage One As part of Science Week, KS1 have been busy testing a variety of materials to discover which ones would be best for keeping the Three Little Pigs safe and dry. The children explored the properties of different materials, such as strength, waterproofing, and durability, before making predictions and carrying out their own experiments. They had great fun investigating which materials could withstand the “Big Bad Wolf’s” huff and puff, while learning about how scientists test ideas in real life. It was a fantastic, hands-on way to bring science to life through a much-loved story!
Reception children have been focusing on the story The Magic Porridge Pot. To bring the story to life, the children had the chance to taste some porridge last week and used lots of wonderful describing words to talk about its texture, taste, and smell. They discussed whether it was sweet or plain, smooth or lumpy, and even imagined what it might be like if their own magic pot started to overflow! It was a lovely way to combine storytelling and language development. We also had a wonderful time listening to a famous author Joshua Siegel online, as he read and performed his poems. They had lots of fun joining in and learning how fun poems can be.
Lower Key Stage Two This week, Lower Key Stage 2 have had a fabulous week of learning!
In English, we have been diving into the world of the rare, wild swamp goblin, discovering how it clambers up ancient trees to build its home. The children have done an incredible job learning our model text, complete with actions to support their future writing. Their enthusiasm and creativity have been wonderful to see!
In Science, we’ve been investigating freezing and melting using juice ice cubes and chocolate buttons. The children loved observing the changes — and of course, having a little taste along the way! It’s been a fun, hands-on way to explore these scientific processes.
Our Geography lessons have continued to focus on the water cycle and rivers. We’ve been learning about how rivers begin, where they end, and what happens along the way. This led to some brilliant conversations about fresh water and salt water, sparking curiosity and lots of new questions for us to research.
Throughout the week, we have also been taking part in Anti-Bullying Week. We’ve shared thoughtful books, joined a BBC live lesson, and taken part in some deep, meaningful discussions. The children have shown such kindness and insight — something we truly excel at in both the Toucans’ and Penguins’ classes!
Well done, everyone, for another amazing week of learning and kindness
Upper Key Stage Two This week in UKS2, the children have been taking part in Anti-Bullying Week, exploring this year’s national theme, “The Power of Good.” Through a range of thoughtful, age-appropriate activities and discussions, pupils have been learning how to recognise bullying and, importantly, how to speak up safely and raise awareness—both in person and online. In English, our Talk 4 Writing unit has seen the children take part in hot seating to gain a deeper understanding of a person’s life and experiences as they prepare to write their own biographies. In Maths, the children have been getting stuck into fractions—ordering, comparing, adding, and subtracting simple fractions with growing confidence. Over in Religion and Worldviews, pupils have been exploring the enquiry question: Do Christian celebrations and traditions help Christians understand who Jesus was and why he was born? This has led to some wonderfully insightful and reflective class discussions, showcasing the children’s developing critical thinking skills. In French, our learning has focused on “le temps” (the weather), with children enthusiastically practising how to ask and answer “Quel temps fait-il ?” Finally, we round off the week with Children in Need Day!
130 pupils have maintained 100% attendance so far this academic year.
Last years whole school attendance figure was 96.4%
Current whole school attendance is 96.6%
Our attendance figures for this week are as follows:
Advanced Notice
Monday 24th November-KS2 Vision Screening (permission required)
Thursday 27th November- FOMS Winter Disco
Anti-Bullying Week kicked off with odd socks day! It was a brilliant opportunity to remind ourselves to celebrate our individuality. We talked about kindness, what bullying is and how to set boundaries by clearly saying 'stop, I don't like it!'.
Classes have been full of kindness this week and they have enjoyed kindness themed stories too.
What a spotactular day! Thank you to everyone who helped us raise pennies for this wonderful charity. We will announce the total raised and share photos from today in next week's newsletter. Thank you to our School Council for planning a special day of fundraising.
Due to the weather, our whole school walk will be re-arranged....again! Watch this space!
On Monday, we celebrated World Science Day by learning about different careers linked to Science. Pupils have been inspired by learning from some of our parents who have shared their experiences of Science related jobs and why they love working in STEM.
If you would like to gift a book to school for a special occasion or 'just because', please see our Amazon Wishlist for some ideas. All books donated are marked with a special 'gifted by...' message and added to our library.
It's nearly DISCO time!
Make a note of the new timings and please check your email communications for more details.
Tickets will not be available on the night.
Buy your ticket now on Parent Pay!
Next week is Road Safety Week, and our children will be taking part in a variety of fun, engaging workshops and activities designed to help them learn how to stay safe near roads. We look forward to a valuable week of learning that will help keep everyone safe in our community.
We have adapted resources to ensure all messages are delivered in an age-appropriate way and are mindful of how delicate this subject is for us as a school.
