Kindness is free. It does not cost anything but it gives so much and can provide a safety net for those around us. In this week’s gospel, we are reminded that we are not just here for ourselves, but we are here for others too. Through kindness, goodness and care, we can improve the lives of others. Our role in life is to bring light to those around us. Explaining and reinforcing this important concept was my main message in assembly this morning. Often, when the children are outside and are not within the same structure of a class, this is the time when they can forget that they still need to show kindness and goodness and respect. However, this is this time when it is often the most important.
As a whole community, we have looked at the rules that we have when the children are outside and how we can ensure that everybody is safe - through our words and actions. We are all role models to each other; parents, staff, children, each one of us has our part to play in demonstrating this.
On Tuesday, we welcomed The Yogi Group into school to lead us in a mindfulness day. The children (and staff) were all taught ways to relax themselves and to stay calm, ultimately improving their mental well-being. If you visit each class page, you will be able to read about what the children learnt. Why not try it at home too? These techniques really work and can make a difference to well-being if practised regularly
Mrs Gregan’s Week in School
I started my week so incredibly calm. Nursery invited me to join them for a worship all about how God had made them. Through song, the children told me how they were each a blessing from God. They really are! They then took me through some mindfulness techniques, which really helped me to keep calm. It was a lovely way to start the week.
Brains were firing when I visited Year 5 for maths. Being in the upper juniors requires speed, but also precision. I was really impressed by the efficient strategies that were being used in class to double and half some tricky numbers. The children were sharing the different ways in which they calculate things, there most definitely is not a ‘one size fits all’. Keep it up Year 5!
Our Learning and Virtue Role Models
Please visit each class page to see which learning characters these children have demonstrated this week, they really have embodied all of our characters. We are really proud of you!
Role Models who have demonstrated virtues this week.
Our Whole School learning Role Models for this week.
Well done to HARCOURT & PLESSINGTON who have both won the highest house points total for this half term! You can come in your house colours next Friday.
Online Safety - What support do you need?
There is still time to book onto our session for parents next week. Do you know what your children do online? Are you looking for ways in which you can support your children further? Have you got some specific concerns?
On Thursday 9th February, we are hosting a parents’ session about the issues that your children are currently facing and will face when being online. A local advisor will be coming into school and presenting current findings, they will then able to answer any questions that you have. The session will start at 9am, after drop off, and last around 90 minutes. It would be wonderful to get as many parents there as we can (there will be tea, coffee and cakes on offer too!). If you are able to join us, please complete the form below so that we can plan for numbers. We already have lots of parents signed up for this. Please do come along if you are free. It is a really good opportunity to come into school and to have a discussion about factors that are impacting on your children’s life.
“Behind every young child who believes in themself is a parent who believed first.”
One of the hardest things about the pandemic was not being able to invite parents into school as much as we had done before. As we look forward, this is something that I am trying to prioritise. You are your child’s first educators and we would love to share your child’s journey in school with you. Below are some dates for your diary where you will be able to come in and work alongside your child or to see just what wonderful work they have been completing. Please visit the calendar on the website for more specific timings. The class teacher will also pop this on their blogs nearer the time.
Thursday 9th February - Online Safety Parent Workshop.
Tuesday 21st February - Year 1 Reading Stay and Play
Thursday 23rd February - Year 1 Reading Stay and Play
Monday 27th February - Year 3 Book Look alongside the children
Tuesday 28th February - Year 2 Book Look alongside the children
Wednesday 1st March - Year 1 Book Look alongside the children
Monday 6th March - Year 5 Book Look alongside the children
Tuesday 7th March - Year 4 Book Look alongside the children
Wednesday 8th March - Year 6 Book Look alongside the children
Reception will also be running ‘stay and plays’ throughout March too.
Parents’ evenings will take place towards the end of next half term. You will be able to book these next week via the newsletter.
As we approach Easter, the class Easter assemblies will be another opportunity for you to share with us. The children in Year 2 through to Year 6 will each portray an aspect of Holy Week. They are incredibly special and thought-provoking.
Over the past six weeks, I have been working closely with the staff, governors and children to gather their views about how special our school community is. On my blog a few weeks ago, I spoke about four key questions that will provide an initial starting point for us. I would really appreciate it if you could complete the four key questions to contribute to the discussion. Please click on the form below to contribute. I really look forward to reading your thoughts and sharing them with our school community.
Attendance
Office News
Thanks as always to everyone for communicating with us in so many different ways, either reporting absence or ringing in with queries etc. It helps us so much when we can let class teachers know any important information if you have been unable to contact them direct.
We’d like just to remind those on foot, especially parents and children who walk or let the children walk alone, that there is still no replacement on the St Alban’s Rd/St Patrick’s Rd junction for Pam our Lollipop lady who retired. John, who mans the St Annes Rd E junction thinks that his vehicle traffic flow is down whereas at St Alban’s Rd it is up. If you have any concerns, please let us know at school and ideally, telephone LCC’ s School Crossing Patrol on 01772 646 810.
Well done Year 1!
This week, our whole school attendance is 96.2%. I will be going through individual attendance next week and touching base with the children whose attendance has dipped. Hopefully we can turn it around into the second half of the year.
Extra-Curricular Opportunities
We are very lucky in school to have Mr Nay and Mr Murrey who provide the children with high quality physical education and support the class teachers in their delivery. They have also been able to run some of our extra-curricular clubs this year. As we continue through the year, we are trying to include some other opportunities for the children, that are not necessarily sport. Below is a link to the extra-curricular offer for after half term. Judo will be for Years 5 & 6, and some in Year 4. Those places have already been booked. All the other clubs will be available to be booked next week if your child would like to attend.
After Easter, there will be more of a focus on our younger children - keep an eye on what is happening!
Have a lovely weekend.
God Bless
Mrs Gregan