Junior Newsletter 13 October 2017

Winter uniform

Please be prepared for the switch to compulsory winter uniform after October half-term.

Foundation+

Places are still available for October half-term. Speak to the office or Miss Hillery if you are interested. In previous years we have stopped this service after Year 2 but if there are enough Year 3 girls wishing to make use we may be able to help; do let us know.

Martial Arts club

We have been unable to locate a new judo coach but have been recommended a local Tae Kwon Do instructor who could deliver sessions on Mondays during the previous judo session slots. Before proceeding we must check interest, please inform the office or class teachers if you would like your daughter to take part. Year 1-3 from 3.30 to 4.15 and Year 4-6 from 4.15 to 5.00.

Morning sport clubs

When dropping off for early morning sport clubs, please escort your daughter into the sport complex and into the care of the teacher in charge. This is a precaution in case staff are late, unwell or if the club has been cancelled.

ParentPay

Please note that it is advised that all parents set up email notifications within their account so that you receive a message when new payments are due.

Parents evening

These take place next week. Please remember that children do not attend appointments, which will take place in classrooms. Each appointment is set at 10 minutes and teachers will be strictly following timings; additional meetings will be set up if more time is necessary.

Tuesday appointments are only for 5N in place of Thursday. Nursery appointments are only on Thursday.

Year 3 and 4 hockey club

There will be no club until after half-term as there are under 9 fixtures taking place as well as the FONHS pumpkin party which most girls are keen to attend (but not as much as Mr Urquhart!)

Hobbies morning for Year 5

Please save the date of November 15 when all Year 5 Parents are invited to visit the classroom during the morning to see displays and hear the girls oral presentations.

Swap Shop

Swap Shop will take place in the Junior School Hall during both Parents Evenings.

On Wednesday 18th, Swap Shop will be available between 6pm-8.30pm and on Thursday 19th between 3.30pm-6.30pm.

We will accept items into Swap Shop from Monday 16th up to and including Wednesday morning.

You will no doubt be aware of the logo changes and we are working with the school to come up with a plan regarding a deadline for taking items bearing the old logo. For now we will continue to take and sell current uniform.

Healthy snacks

Apart from special occasions and the treat of tuck shop for older girls on Fridays, all girls should be bringing a healthy snack into school and at no time should sweets or lollipops be considered a snack option.

Sports

U11 Hockey V Akeley Wood School

On Wednesday 11 October, the C team went against Akeley Wood School. In the first half Akeley Wood scored 2 goals but many were stopped by Freya Harrison, C team goaly. Sadly we didn’t score any goals but played very well. At the end of the match we all got three cheers and the player of the match was chosen as Kyla Watson. Overall, we played very well and learnt lots from this match.

Kyla Watson

The U11 A team played Akeley Wood and won 2-1. We did not play well in the first half and let one goal in. However, in the second half we brought it back by scoring two goals one by Arianna H and one by Harriet. Charlotte U got man of the match.

Arianna H, Captain

Ballet

Exam coaching for Yr 4 starts next week. The girls have a message in their planner confirming which day they should attend.

Unfortunately, I will not be in school next Thursday so the Thursday group will have an extra lesson on Wednesday lunchtime instead.

Nursery

This week in Nursery the girls have had a lovely time participating in a range of activities including parachute fun in gym, improving our maths skills by threading pasta onto the string to match with a given number, making observational drawings of vegetables and fruit and making a leaf crown during forest school.

At Forest School this week one of the activities was to thread Cheerios and hang on a tree to feed the birds.

This week in Nursery the girls have had a lovely time participating in a range of activities including parachute fun in gym, improving our maths skills by threading pasta onto the string to match with a given number, making observational drawings of vegetables and fruit and making a leaf crown during forest school.

Next week we will be celebrating

The school’s 25th birthday and Diwali.

In Elmer room the girls will be creating their own clay masterpieces.

Food tasting

Learning about our feelings.

Outside the girls will be working on their physical skills and development.

Reception

This week we have finished our re-tell of Goldilocks and have been thinking of how we can change the story using our own ideas.  The girls were very keen to bring it home to tell you all about it.   We have also been investigating the number 5, the pentagon shape and the colour blue.  Our letter sounds this week have been g, o, c, k.  We have painted c c c caterpillars and made k k k kites.  For our learning about senses we used our noses to decide what was in the smelly pots.

Year 1

Wednesday was amazing… we started off our morning with an Indian Drumming workshop. It was really loud but we loved it and the teacher was very impressed with how well we picked up the rhythm.

We have been thinking about the properties of materials in Science. On Wednesday afternoon we tested different objects to see if they were bendy, waterproof and transparent. As you can see girls took this investigation very seriously!

As a special treat to link in with our toy topic, Mrs Duck brought in a spectacular marble run made by her husband. We all had a go and the girls could hardly contain their excitement when, on the last run, the marble finally made it to the glockenspiel.

Year 2

Year 2 have had a great week this week. They were very proud of their assembly and thanked every one for their donations to the Hope Centre.

They drummed to the beat with King G, faces alight with delight!

Using the i Pads to reinforce times tables. Great fun had by all.

Year 3

Year 3 have worked hard this week and had some exciting practical lessons. In our Maths investigation lesson, girls needed to sort coins into different bags.

On Wednesday the Wake wing was full of the sounds of India as we welcomed Gurcharan from Primary Workshops to lead some drumming sessions.  Girls from Years 1 -5 had the opportunity to play exciting rhythms on the Dhol. They learnt that the sticks are called daga and tilli and enjoyed clapping and dancing as well as drumming.

The girls in Years 2,3 and 4 experienced a second activity learning about the history of Batik. Andrew, also from Primary Workshops, showed them some beautiful Asian designs. The girls then worked on silk squares to create their own design using wax crayons. The wax is heated and then colour is added using procion dyes.

Year 4

Year 4 had great fun at Piddington Roman Villa Museum to launch our topic about life in Britain in Roman times.

Many thanks to Mrs Harrison and Miss Warner for accompanying us.

Ballet

Exam coaching for Yr 4 starts next week. The girls have a message in their planner confirming which day they should attend.

Unfortunately, I will not be in school next Thursday so the Thursday group will have an extra lesson on Wednesday lunchtime instead.

Year 5

On Wednesday we took part in an Indian drumming workshop; great fun!.

Save the date! Wednesday 15th November is Hobbies Morning. More information to follow next week.

Year 5 Science Club had fun making a circuit using a lemon, lime or orange to create a ‘fruit battery’.

Year 5 had a great time at our first Forest School session. We collected materials and used them to make collages.

The weather was kind to us this week but next week we ALL need waterproof trousers to wear over leggings AND waterproof shoes. We will be going in all weathers!

(This is great practice for getting our kit ready for Grafham Water.)

Year 6

This week has been filled with fun activities. Year 6 were intrigued with their debate about Sparta and Athens; the motion was Sparta is better to live in than Athens and they are looking forward to voting. In Mrs Bleech’s Maths group they completed a very interesting investigation called ‘The Ginger Bread Challenge’ and they had a lovely treat afterwards! In Science, we have started a new subject on the human body and we learnt about Mrs Gren and our organs.

Jane Sigobodhla and Lucie Coombes
House and Vice-Captain of Artemis

GAP Club

We have had a busy week in GAP Club. The girls have experimented painting in different styles using watercolours, dabbers and used brushes to add texture to their hedgehogs paintings. They have also created Autumn wreaths to hang up at home and made kites which we took up to the back playground to fly. The older girls have also been preparing Rangoli patterns ready for next week.

Just a reminder that the younger GAP Club will be in the main GAP Club Room on Thursday 19th October due to parents evening being held in Nursery. The older girls will be located in the Languages Room. If you require GAP Club that night the booking forms are located on the wall next to the Junior School library.