Friday 29th November 2024
As we approach the festive season, I want to take a moment to reflect on the exciting events and activities planned for the weeks ahead. This is always a joyful time of year at Woodberry Down and we look forward to celebrating together as a community.
We are thrilled to announce several festive highlights, including the much-anticipated pantomime trips, where the children will enjoy some theatrical magic. Our Christmas lunch will be a delightful occasion for everyone to come together and share in the festive spirit. Additionally, our Carols and Crafts family sessions will provide a wonderful opportunity for creativity and connection – we hope to see many of you there!
A letter which lists all of the dates for the upcoming events has been shared on the MCAS app and can be located on the school website here.
A reminder that the school will close for the Christmas break at 1.00pm on Friday 20th December. Please ensure arrangements are in place for your child’s early pick-up on this day.
Thank you for your continued support throughout the Autumn term. We wish you all a happy and restful festive season, filled with warmth and joy. Let’s make these last few weeks of term truly memorable!
Warm regards
Our whole school attendance figure for the school year to date is 95.0%. This figure remains slightly below our target but we continue to work hard to improve overall attendance and to remind our families of the importance of good attendance. At our school, 19.2% of the children have an attendance figure below 90% so far this school year.
During the week ending 29th November, the classes with the best attendance were:
EYFS - Blue Class 92.9%
KS1 - 1W 94.3%
KS2 - 5W 99.3%
During the week ending 22nd November, the classes with the best attendance were:
EYFS - Green Class 94.5%
KS1 - 1B 96.7%
KS2 - 4B 99.6%
As always, we wish to be clear that we know that those children who attend school regularly achieve better results before leaving primary school and therefore enter secondary school at a better advantage. Children with lower attendance are less likely to leave our school prepared for the next stage of their education.
If your child is unwell, you must contact the school as soon as possible to inform us that they will not attend school on that day. We appreciate you support and with this matter. You can reach the school by using your MyChildAtSchool app.
We were thrilled to have Science as the focus of our first 'Come Learn with Me' event of the school year. The children at Woodberry Down are remarkable budding scientists and it was especially exciting to celebrate World Space Week as the theme. Everyone fully immersed themselves in the captivating topic of space, exploring the wonders of the universe, our solar system and the characteristics of its eight planets. The children were also fascinated by the history of space travel and enjoyed discussing the technology that makes space exploration possible.
To enhance the experience, we included several hands-on activities that children could complete with the fantastic support of the parents who attended. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 created 3D models of the solar system, which they were able to take home and will also be displayed around the school. Years 3 and 4 crafted beautiful, decorative rockets, while those in Years 1 and 2 made lovely space-themed collages, showcasing different objects found in space.
The event was incredibly well attended and we can't thank you enough for your continued support. Our children truly valued the experience. Please keep encouraging their curiosity by talking about space at home—ask them what they’ve learned, share your own fun space facts, or, if possible, visit a local planetarium or science museum to further inspire their interest.
It has been a wonderful half term for Year 3. The children have settled brilliantly and it has been a joy to watch their curiosity grow. They are embracing new learning experiences with enthusiasm, setting a positive tone for the year ahead.
This half term, our Year 3 children have been thoroughly enjoying their drumming lessons, where they are learning to play to a rhythm. It’s been a joy to watch them show off their creativity and enthusiasm, as they develop their musical skills, coordination, and teamwork.
Year 3 have also been spending time with Chef Luis, harvesting the potatoes they planted last year and turning them into delicious, crispy chips. The children had a fantastic time learning about the farm-to-table process and of course, enjoying the tasty results of their hard work!
As creative learners, Year 3 children have been extending their learning with fantastic home projects, including making their own globes to showcase their geography knowledge of continents and lines of latitude, as well as creating impressive structures representing climate zones. We are incredibly proud of their creativity and hard work. Well done Year 3!
In advance of the upcoming fluoride varnish programme, we kindly request that you complete the online consent form by midday on 6th December 2024. This has also been shared with you by letter.
Please use the following link to access and submit the form:
https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/forms/dental-school-fluoride-varnish-programme-form
It is important that this form is submitted by the deadline to ensure your child can participate.
It has been a busy and exciting time in Year 6, with children engaging in a wide range of hands-on and creative learning activities across the curriculum.
In History, we have been exploring the fascinating Kingdom of Benin. As part of our topic, the children have studied the significance of the Benin Bronzes and their cultural importance. They then had the opportunity to create their own Benin Bronzes using traditional patterns and designs. The results were truly impressive, showcasing both their artistic skills and their understanding of this unique historical period.
In Science, our focus has been on Electricity. The children conducted experiments to investigate what happens to the brightness of a bulb when additional bulbs are added to a simple circuit. This practical activity helped deepen their understanding of electrical circuits, allowing them to explore concepts such as resistance and current through observation and discussion.
In Design and Technology, the children have been hard at work on a project to create vehicles with pulley mechanisms. This involved careful planning, problem-solving, and teamwork as they designed and built their models. The finished vehicles are a testament to the children's creativity and engineering skills.
It’s been wonderful to see the children so engaged and enthusiastic about their learning this term. Thank you for your continued support at home.
Year 4 has had an incredibly busy Autumn term so far, especially with the start of swimming lessons! Each class is attending sessions at Clissold Leisure Centre for two weeks, beginning with 4W. This has been a fantastic opportunity for students to enhance their swimming skills, build confidence in the water and learn vital water safety techniques. Akilah shared, “It’s been really good! The coaches are nice and encouraging; they help you if you have any questions.” Both 4B and 4D are eagerly anticipating their turn in the pool – 4B will attend from Monday 18th to Friday 30th November and 4D from Monday 2nd to Friday 13th December.
Meanwhile, back at school, the rest of the year group has been deeply engaged in their curriculum learning. In our first History unit of the year, we are studying the Romans. We’ve started exploring where the Roman Empire originated and how it grew to become the largest empire of the ancient world. In Computing, the children are delving into the world of podcasts. They will have the chance to create their own audio stories, learning to plan, record and edit their podcasts. This exciting project not only teaches technical skills but also fosters creativity and collaboration. We can’t wait to hear their final creations!
We have had a fantastic few weeks in Year 2! The children are working hard and are enjoying their new topics It’s been great to see their enthusiasm for learning and their curiosity about the world around them.
In History, we began exploring the fascinating history of Hackney. This week, the children learned about the diverse people who live in and have moved to Hackney over the years. They were also invited to share interesting facts about their own families as part of their homework, and it was lovely to see so many children learning about each other's families.
In Maths, Year 2 had fun measuring objects and practising drawing accurate lines in centimetres. The children enjoyed using rulers and exploring how measurements are used in everyday life. They also began to understand the importance of accuracy when measuring objects.Next week, Year 2 will begin an exciting new topic in Maths – Representing Data! We will be learning how to collect, organise, and interpret data using different methods like pictograms, tables, and block diagrams.
In Science, we explored food webs and discussed how animals and plants are connected in nature. The children enjoyed creating their own food webs, learning about predators, prey, and how energy flows through different ecosystems. It was a fun and hands-on lesson that sparked lots of interest and discussion.
We also had a very exciting visit from the London Fire Brigade, who taught the children about fire safety. The children learned about the important role the fire brigade plays in keeping us safe, as well as how to stay safe at home in case of a fire. It was an informative and engaging session, and the children asked lots of thoughtful questions.
This week we hosted a hugely successful Read Write Inc workshop for Year 1 parents! It was amazing to see so many parents in attendance. Mr Waldon gave an overview of our reading provision at school and explained some of the strategies that are helpful for our younger readers. Parents then had the opportunity to go into classes to practise reading sounds, words and stories with their children.
Next week, we resume teaching Read Write Inc for KS1 and some KS2 pupils. Please encourage your child to read their home reader every day to help them improve their decoding skills and their fluency. If you have any questions or concerns about RWI, please don't hesitate to ask class teachers or Mr Waldon!
Maths
This week in year 5 the children have been making rapid progress in developing their mathematical reasoning skills. The children have taken the opportunity to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving strategies. The children are also being encouraged to explain why they chose a particular method, how they arrived at an answer and to recognize if their solution makes sense. Here's a look at how your children have grown in these areas.
History
This week also saw the start of the children's new History topic on the Vikings. Learning about History exposes the children to the richness of diverse cultures, beliefs, and ways of life. By learning about different civilizations, traditions, and historical experiences, they get to develop empathy and a broader worldview. This helps the children to foster a greater appreciation for cultural diversity and promotes tolerance and understanding in a globalized society. The children in one week have learnt how the Vikings were innovative explorers and warriors and they really enjoyed making their Viking shields.
Writing
Finally the children started their new writing unit on Myths and Legends! They relished the opportunity to write using challenging vocabulary, adverbials and speech. Then the children did a fantastic job editing and improving their work further to make it more engaging to read.