Newsletter 27
w/c 26th April
REMINDERS
Monday 3rd May - Early May Bank Holiday
Wednesday 5th May - World Book Day
Wednesday 5th May - World Maths Day
Wednesday 5th May - 1 Year Five class National Archives online workshop
Wednesday 5th – 19th May - Online Book Fair
Thursday 6th May - Year Two to Barnes Wetland Centre
Wednesday 19th May - Year Six to Greenwich for Investigating the River Thames workshop
Friday 21st May - Reception hearing tests
Monday 24th, Tuesday 25th, Wednesday 26th May - Year Three Safe Walking Programme
Monday 31st May – Friday 4th June - Half Term Holiday
Monday 7th June - Children return to school
This week Year Five met the author Jenny Pearson through a Google meet. Year Five teacher, Amanda Taylor, gave us her report: "Jenny is one of the authors of the local Spark competition. She told the children about her experience writing 'The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates' and shared some of her inspiration. A funny lady. It really inspired us all to read the book and try some of the other Spark titles, which are all available in our library, thanks to our wonderful FOSS."
MAY 5TH - A DAY TO REMEMBER
Put the date in your diary. It is the day when we celebrate our belated World Book Day - get those book character outfits ready. You don't need to buy a costume, you can be creative with cardboard and your own clothes. Our theme for this year is classic poetry. Each class has been assigned a poem they will recite and record on Google Classroom. Classes will be free to perform the poem in whatever way they choose, singing, drama, music, actions. A top team of judges will then select the best - although performing classic poetry together will be fun, so they will all be winners. The children will also get a chance to join some online live chats with the Spark Awards authors. (See Year Five left).
However, the fun does not stop there, as it is also World Maths Day. To mark this, Mathletics is running a live competition where children simply login and play 20 one-minute games to be in with a chance to progress to the next round. It's all to play for. Our children will be assigned Mathletics as their homework on that date, so that they can take part. For more information, click on the link: https://www.mathletics.com/blog/news/world-maths-day-is-back/
ACTING HONOURS FOR FARLEY
We are so proud of Year Six's Farley for gaining a distinction in his first LAMDA exam. Mr Sam, his drama teacher, sent us this report:
"Farley’s examiner was really impressed and the feedback shows: “You perform with enthusiasm and a strong sense of character Farley. You clearly enjoy performing.”
Farley had lessons over Zoom before moving to face to face classes during the day at school.
LAMDA exams are world renowned and can be taken by children of all ages. They can even be used as UCAS points for University!
We notice a huge improvement in children’s reading, speaking and confidence after LAMDA lessons.
Younger children learn a short poem which they recite in an exam. As they get older, children learn monologues and act our characters from famous plays."
If you are interested in signing your child up to LAMDA lessons at St Stephen's, please contact Sam on 07429478447 or via email: sam@elizabethsamuelsdrama.com.
RAISE MONEY WITH FOSS FOR THE CAPTAIN TOM FUNDRAISER
Heard of Captain Tom? As part of his legacy, FOSS would like to invite your family and you to get involved and take on a 100 challenge to raise money for school, in honour of Captain Tom!
How? Simply donate directly or set up a fundraising page at https://bit.ly/2QuNIEl and share the link with family and friends to ask for sponsorship.
When? Anytime between 30 April to 3 May.
What? Do it your way. The family /child challenge could be walking 100 steps, practise music for 100 bars, cycling 100 km, scoring 100 goals, baking 100 cakes, climbing 100 steps, hopping 100 laps, building 100 sandcastles, writing a 100 word poem, flipping 100 pancakes, tell 100 jokes - anything at all, inside or out.
Need some inspiration? Watch the video at https://bit.ly/3aIHWWw
FABULOUS FOSS NEWSLETTER
Click on the link for the latest newsletter from our marvellous FOSS: https://sites.google.com/view/fossnewsletter/home
ENTER THE ROYAL MAIL 'HEROES STAMP DESIGN COMPETITION' HONOURING THOSE WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND DURING THE PANDEMIC
The Royal Mail has been honouring history and achievement on its stamps for more than fifty years and this year it would like to commemorate those who stepped up during the pandemic. If you would like to enter this wonderful competition, click on the link below for more details:http://www.stampcompetition.ichild.co.uk.
Sleep Advice Session with Kingston Parent Carer Forum and Sleepwise
Wednesday 5 May 2021, 10am - 12noon
Hosted by Jan Jenner qualified Sleep Expert. Trusted by the NHS, Sleep Wise will give you as a parent the tools to help young people's sleep difficulties, within the home. Know what's important, up to the minute, evidence-based, reliable strategies.
Sleep advice to include sleep needs, how our sleep works, how to get further help.
Easy hacks to help sleep in children with additional needs.
Bring your questions!
You can register for this free session event on the Eventbrite link here.
Psychology masters dissertation study
One of the Kingston primary school governors, Louise Groves, is recruiting participant families for her Psychology masters dissertation study. She is carrying out qualitative research into the experience of autism diagnosis for parents of girls.
If you know of families with a daughter who has an autism diagnosis who might be interested in taking part (via video call sometime in May) please contact her for more details or pass on her contact details to the family. All participant details will be kept confidential and the names of families, their daughters and their schools will be anonymised in the final write up.
Contact Louise Groves by email for more details: l.groves2@my.bpp.com