Friday 28th September
Update from Mr. McGrath
Dear families,
Shacklewell has been alive with learning this week and it has been wonderful seeing our children in Years 1-5 settle into their new SFA and RWI groups. The children in Year 6 also began new English and Mathematics groups and these have already had a very positive impact upon their learning.
The children have continued to return some excellent home learning from their maker mats. The creativity and vision behind them is so inspiring and they are truly bringing the school environment to life. Remember that the maker mat tasks do not all have to be completed, just a selection across the half term.
It wouldn't be a weekly bulletin this term without an update on the building project! This week the first ground has been broken and the new walk way between the playgrounds is well underway. The main news to share however is regarding the access to the school at the start and end of the day.
From Monday morning there will be a new gate system instigated between the bike shed and the main entrance. Access between 7.30am and 8.30am via the main gate will be reduced. This will also be the case between 4.00pm and 5.00pm. This new system will allow the construction team to move equipment and materials via the Reception play area and will ensure all children remain safe.
Please may I ask that you speak with the office regarding any outstanding debts. It is imperative that these are cleared to ensure access to breakfast and after school clubs. If you are having difficulties paying the money owed, please come and speak with the school so we can support you. If you are not yet using ParentPay it is vital that you set this up because after the half term we will become a cash free school office.
This morning there was a hugely beneficial session for parents about Google Classroom. We discussed how the website can be accessed and how to return work to the class teacher. We also spoke about why the school had moved to Google Classroom as a tool for home learning.
We worked through some issues that the children might have, including not having access to a device at home. Thank you to the parents who came and shared their views. If you were unable to attend the session then please do not hesitate to speak with me at any point.
If you would like to have guardians access to the Google classroom just tell the office that you consent to them using your email address on our system and our digital team will set it up for you.
I will share a shorter version of the training on the afternoon 9th October from 3.00pm for those of you who couldn't attend today.
Parliament Visit
Today year 3, 4, 5 & 6 had the privilege of working with a member of staff from the Houses of Parliament.
The children learnt about the process of democracy and how the House of Commons and House of Lords are integral to it.
They also had to choose an issue which they felt strongly about. The different issues included smoking, uniform, healthy eating and climate change; the ensuing debates were very robust!
It has been a great opportunity for Shacklewell to inspire our children about the process of government in our country.
Year 1 Learning
This week Year 1 have truly been travelling through time! The Jurassic Period, the Fire of London and the Moon Landing were all stops on their journey. They used green screen technology and iPad photography to complete their time travel mission.
The children have combined their history learning with a character from their English learning, Halibut Jackson. David Lucas' story about Halibut, focuses on a man who wears a different outfit for every new occasion because he wants to blend in.
The children have absolutely loved taking him through time, see if you can spot him in the photos! They have then written about their adventures together and produced some amazing work.
What a blast!
Shacklewell Day has been another huge success for Shacklewell Families!
The food was delicious an the children had an amazing time. Well done to all involved and thank you to you all for attending and supporting the school.
Stay tuned for the fundraising total next week!