Newsletters

Newsletter - Friday 29th April 2022

Dear Parents,

Welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and that the children enjoyed the break. They certainly seem refreshed and ready for the action packed term we have in store for them.

In just the first week back we have already had a visit from Fantastic Fred to support the children's emotional wellbeing. Early Years have enjoyed a Vaisakhi Celebration Day. The children loved the Easter Bonnet parade, showcasing entries to the Headteacher's Challenge and Trans G led a beautiful Liturgy that parents were at last, able to attend. Today we welcomed Ark Farm, a petting zoo, into our Early Years department, and hosted a successful Parent-Toddler group for the local community.

Looking ahead to the rest of the term we have so many exciting things already planned. School trips to the Living Rainforest, National Gallery, Ufton Court, Brighton Beach, Matilda, Mary Poppins, Chessington and Legoland.

We have academic events such as the Spell It! Challenge, Baylab science trip, SATS week, UK Maths Trust and GCSE papers for Year 6.

Productions and performances, from assemblies to plays. We are taking part in a Berkshire Maestros performance at the Hexagon in Reading and can't wait for our annual Elocution Challenge.

Our sports teams will be busy with summer term fixtures in cricket, rounders, and athletics, in addition to our two Sports Days, one of which will be at Thames Valley Athletics centre.

It's full speed ahead, and we're delighted that this term parents will be able to attend many of our events. We look forward to sharing a busy and brilliant term with you.

Building work begins!

Next week we break ground on our building work and renovations. Exciting times!

The Farm

Linked to Early Years Farm topic, we were joined by Ark Farm this morning. The children adored seeing the animals and getting to hold them.

Music

Music Successes

Devam – Year 6 Singing Grade 5 with distinction

Oscar – Year 5 Piano Grade 2 with distinction

Kabir – Year 5 Drum kit Grade 1 with distinction

Anuj - Year 2 Drum kit Debut- Prep test exam with distinction

Please let the school know of any pupil that have taken music exams on any instrument so we can celebrate their achievements.

Music lesson vacancies

These lesson times have become available for pupils for start lessons:

Guitar lessons

Monday lunchtimes only - Two vacancies for any Year 3 – 6 pupil

Flute/Clarinet/Saxophone or Piano

Thursday 2.30 – 3pm Year 5 Miss Carter’s class

Drum lessons

Wednesday 4.30 – 5pm Any year 2 – 5 pupil using free Homework club before lesson

Piano or violin lessons

Tuesday 9.30 – 10am Year 1 Mrs Hupalo’s class

Piano

Wednesday 0930 – 1000 Year 2 Mrs Sugden’s class only

Friday 4 – 4.30 Any Year 1 – 6 pupil using free Homework club before lesson

Spotlight on Success

Congratulations to Musa in Lower Trans (Yr 3), Sara in Upper Trans (Yr 5) and Ryan in Prep (Yr 1), for making fantastic progress in handwriting. The children have worked really hard on their handwriting, not only during handwriting lessons but also in all other subjects. The progress between the two pieces of work from September to March is evident. Well done Musa, Sara and Ryan!

I was also like to celebrate student voice in our Spotlight on Success this week. XX and XX from Year 6 have, inspired by their love of music and dance, organised a school dance competition this week. It is wonderful to see our pupils bring ideas and initiatives to the teachers and then have the skills to organise and execute the event. Well done girls.

(If you're reading your newsletter on a tablet of mobile device, it may be easier to see the before and after pictures next to each other on a computer.)

Walking Against Hunger

This year we we supported CAFOD's Walking Against Hunger as our Lenten appeal. Thank you to all the children who raised money and awareness for this important cause. The sponsored walk, reflective breakfast, cutting back on waste and the walking bus were all very successful, and we raised a whopping £1203! Thank you so much for your generosity.

Headteacher's Challenge

Over Easter we tasked the children with creating their own Easter Bonnets, and they didn't disappoint! Thank you to everyone who entered. We now has a fantastic display of bonnets up in the school gallery. There were some incredible creations, but a special congratulations to our winners:

For more bonnets please visit the school website.

Wellbeing Workshop

When the children returned to school after lockdown, we had a big drive on mental health and wellbeing. The children really needed extra emotional support after such a difficult time, and that hasn't stopped. Mrs Clark is now running a workshop on Thursdays so that the children have somewhere to go if they need some quiet time or would like to chat about anything worrying them. We have also introduced wellbeing monitors to every classroom so that the children can help each other too.

Reminders and dates for your diary for the Pentecost Term:

Thursday 5th May - Year 4 Eagle House Spell It! Challenge

9th May - Year 6 SATS week

9th May - Year 1 School trip to Living Rainforest

11th May - Year 1 Liturgy

12th May Early Years Coffee Afternoon

13th May Little St Bs toddler group

13th May Years 3, 4 and 5 Peace Performance

14th May - Open Morning

16th May - Year 6 Trip to Brighton

26th May - Prep and Upper Prep School Production.

- Trans and Upper Trans School Production

23rd/24th June - Remove School Production

Mr B's Sport Report

Mrs Verma's Big Ideas for Curious Minds

As a school we love to stretch and challenge our children, to enrich their education beyond the curriculum. Every week I will be sharing with you some discussion topics, new vocabulary, Maths riddles and book recommendations, that will infect our children with a love of learning. These will all be posted in the Parent Portal section of our website as well.

Word of the week -

In The News This Week - Jessica Watkins

Nasa astronaut Jessica Watkins has made history by becoming the first black woman to head to the International Space Station (ISS).

Watkins, from America, is part of a four-person crew on the SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the ISS.

It's Watkins' first trip to space, where she will spend six months carrying out science experiments.

Calling All Book Worms

Do you think that books have more male than female characters in them?

That's what a new study of 3,000 English language books has found.

Researchers used artificial intelligence and discovered that on average there were four times as many male than female characters.

However, that number was lower when the author of the book was female. This week we have chosen books with female protagonists.

“Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest,
if we do not give up. So then, while we have the opportunity,
let us do good to all” (Gal 6:9-10)

Yours sincerely,

Mrs A Verma