5S Visit to Southfields Lawn Tennis:

On Tuesday, the Y5 had an exciting opportunity to visit Southfields Tennis Club as part of a unique program aimed at enhancing their learning experience beyond the classroom walls. This visit aimed to introduce the children to the sport of tennis and all its enriching benefits. Under the guidance of experienced coaches, the students engaged in various tennis drills and activities specifically designed to cater to their age and skill level. Besides promoting physical activity, the programme instilled essential values such as discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship. As they learned basic techniques and honed their hand-eye coordination, the children had a blast and enjoyed the opportunity to stay active while having fun. The visit to Southfields Tennis Club was a great learning experience that not only contributed to their personal development but also left them with a newfound passion for the sport.

Adele Stewart

School Lunches:

All children should stick to either a school lunch OR a packed lunch for the whole half term unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please do not send in any sweets, chocolate or NUTS.     Thank you.

Also please remember to complete new allergy forms as relevant.

Walking Unaccompanied:

For Years 5 and 6 only:

If your child has permission from you to walk to/from school unaccompanied please email the school office or complete the appropriate form on the website.

LINK

Autumn Term Clubs:

Now that everyone has had a chance to book their first choice of clubs there are still plenty of spaces available via parentmail.

Please be reminded that there are two amendments to the schedule for two of our external clubs this term:

Karate is on a Wednesday commencing at 4:45-5:45  and The Jam is now open to pupils in Years 1 - 6

Also, as always, all clubs will commence in the second week of the new term.

Lower Phase Review:

It has been all-go in Key Stage One! If you would like to see 120 hardworking children and nine hardworking grown ups - make an appointment to visit! 

Year One have been busy writing a narrative story based on the book ‘Stanley’s Stick’. We found our own sticks and then imagined what our stick could do and wrote a story with a beginning, middle and end. We had to decide on a problem and then how to resolve it as part of our story. In mathematics the children have been learning about numbers to 100 and how to make these with Base 10 equipment. We can now count in 2’s, 5’s and 10’s! We have also learnt about money and time. Be prepared grown-ups, for the children to make a plan of how to earn money around the house!  Keep working on number bonds and number patterns at home, as this is the basis for all mathematics and it is important that children have a good basis on which to build mathematical understanding. 

In science, the children have been exploring a very important scientific question ‘Can your tongue taste the difference between different flavoured crisps?’ We planned a scientific enquiry and then carried this out. We gathered our results, made a pictogram to show our results and then analysed the results. Our conclusion was that it is easy for everyone to taste the difference between crisps, but it was more difficult for some children to identify particular flavours.

In RE the children have been asking the big question ‘Why is it good  to listen to and remember the stories that Jesus told?’ We have read the parables about the lost sheep, good Samaritan, the sower and the unforgiving servant. We have had many wonderful discussions about what Christians learn from these parables. We have had a busy term full of learning in Year One and the teachers are proud of all that the children have achieved. 

Year Two have been working extra hard on their writing skills and have learnt how to write a narrative story based on the book ‘The Journey Home’. This book is about endangered animals. The children have had many discussions about what an endangered animal is and what this means for our world. In mathematics the children have been learning all about strategies for answering mathematical questions and how to use these strategies independently. 

They have been focussed on a unit about measurement involving height and length. In science, the children have been  looking at animals and their habitats! What do you think makes the perfect habitat for a human or the perfect habitat for an animal? Do all animals have the same habitats - or do they need different habitats? What about humans?  In Geography the children have been looking at weather patterns and discovering how weather changes during the year. 

In RE the children have been answering the Big Question’ Why did Jesus teach the Lord’s Prayer as a way to pray?’ This unit of work has explored each line of the Lord’s Prayer and why this is important for Christians. The children have shared their thoughts and reflected on each line. 

I hope you all have a wonderful summer break. Do make the most of the local library, park and the free museums and galleries in London to get out and about. We are so pleased with all of the children and their learning, they are growing in independence in all areas. Use this growing independence and share out the jobs at home!

SHARON CUNNINGHAM

Middle Phase Review:

This half term seems to have flown by and it has been jam-packed with learning, assessments, sporting events, educational trips, fun and celebrations across the school. In the Middle Phase, there has been a really productive ‘buzz’ every day and here are some of the highlights…

Year 3 have been investigating magnetic forces in their Science lessons, learning about which materials are magnetic and which are not and how opposite magnetic poles attract. In French lessons, they have been combining their scientific knowledge with a foreign language as they discovered how to describe animal life cycles and habitats in French. They are now really knowledgeable as they have completed their learning about prehistory with information about the Iron Age, made all the more real for them by the lovely trip to the hill fort in Hampshire before the half term. To consolidate the Geography learning about rivers, the children went on a fascinating trip in June to explore the River Wandle with a local conservation expert, Robyn. In Art, Year 3 children have been working on representing light and dark in their drawing and painting.

In Dance lessons with Louise, Year 3 have been learning and choreographing break dance routines and, in PE with Mr Rochford, they have been honing their athletic skills and multi-sports techniques as they prepared for Sports Day. We were very lucky to have a GB sprinter (Aidan) and a hurdler (Emma) visiting us to give us all some top tips during Sports Week as well.

In Maths lessons this half term, Year 3 have been learning to add, subtract and compare fractions and are now studying statistics. The Big Writes have been exciting, firstly a biography of a famous author, the choice was either to write about Maya Angelou or Mallory Blackman. More recently, the children have enjoyed researching their own lives to write a detailed, chronological autobiography as well. 

In RE, in Year 3 the topic has been The Bible; discovering how it came into being, identifying its different books and whether they are in the Old or New Testament, understanding its importance for Christians and how it can be used as a map or guide for living. The children have worked hard on their reflection comments, making links with their learning and their own beliefs and actions. The same can be said for Year 4, who make thoughtful responses in their RE lessons too. This term, Year 4 have been studying what it means to be a Muslim and they were warmly welcomed at the Fazl Mosque on their visit last week, which was a super finale to their in-class learning.

Year 4 have worked hard in maths, being especially interested to learn about shape, statistics and geometry. They have loved all opportunities for reading this term and the Whole Class Reading sessions are popular with everyone. As inspiration for their writing this term, Year 4 have read One Plastic Bag which raised the issue of plastic pollution. With this in mind, we have written two powerful Big Writes- one of which was a persuasive letter to the CEO of Tescos asking him to reduce the use of single-use plastic and the other was a newspaper report in response to the ‘shocking’ discovery of litter in the Sensory Garden. They were particularly enthusiastic about this issue.

In Geography lessons, Year 4 have been getting to grips with map coordinates and are very knowledgeable about significant lines of latitude and longitude around the globe. The DT project has linked very well to the Science topic of electricity, as the children have created light boxes complete with a bulb and circuit inside. In French lessons, Year 4  have worked hard to learn the vocabulary for various foods, role playing ordering in a cafe and using Euros - all of which may come in handy if you are lucky enough to be travelling to France in the summer holidays.

Louise has been teaching Year 4 some wonderful moves in Afrobeats in dance sessions and  Mrs Minster has continued to inspire and motivate some wonderful ukulele playing and singing - it is delightful to hear the melodies and voices floating from the music room! What a talented bunch!

As we finish the year it is sad to say goodbye to a few pupils who are leaving St. Michael’s but we hope they go with very happy memories, they will be missed and we wish them good luck in their new schools and new surroundings. I would like to thank all the parents and carers for their ongoing support and to say a massive thank you to all my wonderful, dedicated, hard-working team in the Middle Phase. Have a wonderful Summer break, everyone!

RACHEL LEE

Upper Phase Review:

With joyous hearts and beaming smiles, we have reached the end of another unforgettable academic year. As we bid farewell to this chapter, we can't help but look back with immense pride at all of the achievements and joyous moments that have graced our upper phase.

This review is slightly different the children from year 5 and year 6 have chosen their best moments of the term and the year. I hope they can spot their contributions!

Our Year 5 students have truly made this term a season of celebration. They embraced every opportunity to showcase their talents and collaborate as a tight-knit community. Let's take a moment to reflect on some of their cherished moments:

The Summer Fair: Our young stars brought the stage to life with their musical numbers and mesmerising cheerleading performances. The energy and enthusiasm were contagious, leaving everyone with lasting memories.

Sports Day: Demonstrating exceptional sportsmanship and team spirit, our Year 5 students showcased their athletic prowess and left us feeling proud as they demonstrated the spirit of the games.

Junior Librarians: Their dedication to fostering a love for reading has helped make our school a special place to enjoy a love of reading.

Design and Technology: The creativity and ingenuity on display were remarkable as they crafted impressive castles.

Trips to Remember: The excursions to the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, and Southfields Tennis Club were resounding successes, providing invaluable experiences and learning opportunities.

As our Year 6 pupils prepare to take flight, they took a moment to reminisce about their most cherished moments of the summer term and the year as a whole:

Y5 vs. Y6 Rounders Games: The friendly games allowed the children to collaborate and demonstrate their excellent rounders skills! A moment which year 5 will certainly not forget. 

PGL Adventure: Facing fears and pushing their limits with abseiling, zip-lining, and the giant swing, these brave learners embraced every challenge with courage and persistence.

Beach Walks and Hiking: Creating memories of tranquility and adventure, these walks left lasting impressions on our Year 6 students and teachers

Excellent Relationships with Staff: Feeling safe and supported by the upper phase team, our Year 6 learners thrived and formed strong bonds with all the adults they interact with.

Ambassador Roles: Proudly taking on ambassadorial responsibilities, they have been exemplary role models for our school community.

Shakespeare Rocks: Their fantastic end-of-year show won hearts and applause from all who witnessed their incredible performance.

Emotional Year 6 Leavers Service: Saying goodbye was bittersweet, but the love and camaraderie shared on this day will forever remain in their hearts.

Kids vs. Teachers Netball Game: Celebrating victories in netball and fundraising events, our Year 6 students proved their determination and team spirit.

Indeed, this has been our best Upper-Phase year yet, filled with accomplishments, camaraderie, and growth. We are immensely proud of our students, and we express our sincerest appreciation to the upper phase team for their tireless dedication and commitment. As our Year 6 students embark on their new learning journey, we eagerly await the arrival of new Year 6 children who are ready to rise to the challenge of being at the top of the school. We wish everyone a delightful and relaxing summer break. Enjoy quality time with loved ones, make precious memories, and return rejuvenated for the exciting adventures that await in the next academic year.

See you all in the new academic year!

ADELE STEWART

Gold School Games Gold Award 2023

"Congratulations, St Michael's on being awarded the Gold School Games Mark Award for 2023. 

This is a fantastic achievement and well deserved accreditation for an ongoing commitment to providing high quality PE, Physical Activities and Sporting opportunities to ALL students in your school. 

Please pass on our congratulations to everyone involved in PE, Physical Activities and Sport at St Michael's.

The Gold SGM Award signifies that a high level of best practice has been maintained over the academic year and shows how central PE, Physical Activities and Sport has been to your school."

As we come to the end of another successful year of PE and Sport it is important to reflect on our achievements as a school community. Feedback from the PE and school sport has been very positive and the children are enjoying their PE lessons which is so important. 

Aside from our brilliant Gold SGM Award, some of the  achievements from this year include:

• We have participated in 21 inter sports competitions including AEND, girls and more able competitions with 228 participants across all competitions.

• Extra curricular programs for sport this year included 46 active clubs with 915 participants. All children in years 1-6 have now taken part in an active club with the exception of one child.

• We have run at least 1 inter-house competition for each class per half term and awarded the house cup each half term.

• Our sports leader program has been a huge success this year with 20 children completing the training and supporting our extra-curricular program.

• We had children representing the Borough football team and the cross country team at the London Youth Games.

In preparation for the school holidays we had Angel Swim come to do an assembly on water safety which is so important, especially for the summer holidays when we tend to be around water much more. Children showed fantastic knowledge of how to stay safe around water and were able to spot hazards.

I would like to thank all the parents for your support this year which is so vital to help your children progress physically. 

I hope you enjoy the holidays keeping active over the summer holidays with your children remembering that the government guidelines are 60 minutes a day on average per week. 

Have a great holiday.

CARL ROCHFORD

Happy Summer Holidays from the Library!

A short note to wish you all a happy and adventurous summer holiday with your friends and family. We have ended the year well in the library with the children focusing on returning all their books over the past couple of weeks. As always, a big thank you for your support throughout the year in helping your children to remember their books each week. 

As well, at this time of year it’s time to bid farewell to our wonderful Year 5 Junior Librarians who were celebrated and thanked last week with a special afternoon tea party! The Junior Librarians have been such an active and enthusiastic bunch who love our library passionately and have taken on their role with such a high regard - see their gorgeous quotes opposite. They’ve even offered to help out where they can next year as we train up our incoming Junior Librarians.  A big thank you to you all once again! 

Over the summer, please do remember to make use of our wonderful local Southfields Library and sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge if you haven’t already!

Keep on reading and challenging your mind over the summer! And come back with a book review or two!! 

Finally, thank you to our volunteer Anne for all her help in the library.

Warmest wishes

Natalie and the Library Team

We've had a lovely term together once again and the highlight was the military families tea in the outdoor classroom.  The weather was kind and the strawberries and scones and meringues were very popular.  

We are sorry to see two lovely families (3 children in total) leave us this week and we wish them well with their new schools and really hope they stay in touch. They have all been such popular and friendly members of the group and we will miss them.

We are also delighted that we have new arrivals, both this term and also starting in September.

Have a wonderful summer holiday.

CAROLINE JOPP

Prayer Box:

Please put your prayer requests in the box in the front office for the Prayer Group to refer to when they meet.