2nd November

A message from Mr. McGrath

Dear families,

Welcome back to another term at Shacklewell. I hope you were all able to take advantage of the time together over half term. I know the weather may have put a dampener on some plans but I think given our wider national context, it is important to reflect that time together as a family and community is so precious.

You will all be aware that on Saturday the government announced that we will experience a new national lockdown in England. At school we are very pleased that we are able to remain open to all pupils. We are very happy that the government has recognised that further disruption to the children's education would be damaging to their long term future. We do of course understand that there will be unforeseen challenges so please be reminded that at school we are ready and able to help. If you have concerns about food, supplies or vulnerable members of the community then please be in touch.

As you would expect school today has been straight back to normal. The children have been excitedly learning about their new history topics and diving into their writing week books. The children in Reception, Caterpillars and Butterflies have embraced the elements and taken their leaning outside. Across the week the teachers will be dedicating class time to allow the children to reflect upon and feel reassured as we enter this period of lockdown.

In addition to staying safe and healthy, our primary areas of focus this half term are:

  • Children understanding what it means to be kind and showcasing this to all members of the community

  • Children thinking carefully about their historical enquiry skills and how these link to their previous geography learning

  • Children will have a renewed focus on taking pride in their written work, particularly in how they demonstrate their understanding in a careful manner

  • Continuing to provide reading materials for the children which give voices to those communities and individuals who are often marginalised

We are looking forward to meeting with you all digitally next Thursday, for Parent Consultations, so please see the section below to ensure you know what to expect.

I hope you all continue to stay safe and please remember that if you require any support simply give us a call or drop us an email.

Rory

Key Dates

  • 4th November: ILD webinar for Preschool families am/pm

  • 12th November: School closes at 12.00pm for Parent Consultation

  • 12th November: 1.00pm - 6.30pm Parent Consultation

  • 10th November: Phonics webinar for Reception families am/pm

  • 16th November: 2W Abney Park Trip

  • 17th November: 2S Abney Park Trip

  • 17th November: Freshwater Theatre visiting Year 2, 3 and 4

  • 18th November: Freshwater Theatre visiting Year 5 and 6

  • w/b 1st December: Hackney Shed visiting Reception to Year 6 classes

  • 11th December: Christmas Jumper Day

  • 16th December: Christmas Lunch

  • 18th December: Last day of term. School closes at 2.00pm


Parent Consultations

Next Thursday, 12th November 2020, school will close to pupils in the early afternoon. The children in Reception and Years 3, 5 and 6 will be dismissed at 12.15pm from their usual gates. At 12.30pm the children in Year 1, 2 and 4 will be dismissed following their usual routines.

This closure will allow for the teachers to hold virtual Parent Consultations. Please ensure you have signed up for a meeting with your child's teacher by using this link: https://www.parents-booking.co.uk/shacklewellprimary. If you are unable to book an appointment this way then please contact the office and they will be more than happy to help.

We will be using Google Meets to conduct these meetings so please ensure you have access to a Google account to be able to sign in. More detailed information on how to access these meetings will be shared with you later in the week.

If you have any further questions about Parent Consultations then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Writing Weeks

Autumn 2 Writing Week Texts

At the start of each half term the children in KS1 and KS2 read a whole class text and use it as a stimulus for writing. We carefully select these stories so children hear a range of text types and see a range of representation in the characters that feature.

Why not have a chat with your child to see how they are enjoying their current class reader. Can they tell you the genre of the text? What do they think about the main character in the story?

We look forward to showing some of their writing outcomes next week.