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Connecting with Nature for

Mental Health Awareness Week

The children and staff have really embraced the 5 steps to wellbeing this week by being active outdoors, taking notice and really connecting with nature… despite the weather! Everyone has been busy learning about caring for our environment, ourselves & each other.  The school has been filled with positivity and smiles, thanks to everyone taking time to give to others, through random acts of kindness and affirmations pinned around school.  Feeling the George Spicer community love!

Enjoy finding out from your child about the activities they’ve taken part in and how these have helped them look after their own mental health.

“I really like this week, it’s given me time to think” (Lola, Yr1)

       

Reception class - 'Growing' topic

Reception have been working on the topic of, ‘Growing.’ We learnt all about what seeds need to grow and followed a careful sequence of steps on how to plant a seed. These are our runner beans that we are watering every day. As part of our daily routine we closely examine each bag to look for roots and shoots! We are looking forward to cooking and eating them. 
 

Year 1 Mental Health Week 

"This week Year One have been exploring nature and the environment as part of mental health awareness week. The children have enjoyed reading for pleasure outside and sharing stories with each other. We created some fantastic artwork by exploring tree rubbing with natural materials. We left our artwork outside for the local community to enjoy and shared acts of kindness by leaving positive messages for them to find. The message reads: "In a world where you can be anything, be kind". 

  

 

Year 3 - Mental Health Week 

This week for mental health week, Year 3 have enjoyed exploring our natural surroundings. The children went to the park to look for natural resources to create art.

 

 

Year 3 - Navajo

In Navajo Class (Year 3) we have loved mental health week and we have learnt all about what makes something inspirational so we decided to make our book corner inspirational - some quotes the children came up with:

"Our school without books is like a universe with no stars" (Jack L)

"A book warms the heart" (Edward)

"Earth without books is like space with no planets" (Riyah)

"A book without a title is a tragedy of the heart" (Sebastian)

Year 5 - Mental Health Week 

This week in Year 5, as part of Mental Health Week, we have been developing our sketching skills. We have looked at different grades of pencil and the ways we can use these to create different shades and tones. Here we are experimenting with different techniques e.g. cross-hatching, stippling to create tone and texture whilst drawing a sunflower.

In addition to our 4 amazing Learning Mentors who make a big difference to the wellbeing of our school community day in day out, our Wellbeing Practitioners, Clare & Vic, are also continuing to support our pupils and families. Alongside MYME they have now supported over 60 pupils since January.  If your child is showing anxiety or challenging behaviours and you feel that you would benefit from working with one of them on a guided self-help programme, please contact the Learning Mentors or Miss Southgate via the office.

                                           

MYME are also running a free session on Monday for all Enfield parents of school aged children who would like to learn various tools to support their child with anxiety issues.  It can be accessed via Microsoft Teams (no account required). Book your free place through https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/supporting-my-child-with-anxiety-tickets-152319831717

Miss Grant’s Reading Challenge 

Thank you to everyone who sent in photos of last week’s reading challenge of making a reading den! This is Sophia from Daffodil class enjoying her den made from blow up mattresses that she decorated with fairy lights. Mati from Bluebell made a den under the table and read books with his little brother. 

      

    

This week’s reading challenge is to turn the subtitles on for a T.V show you watch. It is a great way to do some reading while enjoying your T.V time. Please send any photos of you using subtitles to primrose@georgespcier.enfield.sch.uk 

 

Teacher Recommendations 

Reception 

Miss Grant – Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae. The thing I like the most about this book is that it tells us that everyone is different and that it is good to be yourself. 

Mrs Schmitz – The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson. This story is about kindness and loving who you are. It is also a good book for rhyming words. 

Mrs Howard – The Story of the Little Mole by Werner Holzwarth. I like this book because it is funny and tells the story of a mystery. 

Miss Cunningham – Ten Little Superheroes by Mike Brownlow. This nook is helpful for counting and adding. I like that the superheroes help everyone. 

Year 1 

Miss Spillman -  Billy the Beast by Nadia Shireen. I like the different animals in the book. It is a funny story. 

Mrs Wright – The Book with No Pictures by B.J Novak. I like this book because the children find it really gunny. It encourages them to use their imagination and get involved in the story. 

Miss Davis – Shhh! By Sally Grindley. I like this book because it grabs your attention because you have to be quite not to wake the giant. 

Ms Elston – The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. This book reminds me of my childhood. I like the books that have the holes in the food the caterpillar has eaten to make it a beautiful butterfly. 

Year 2  

Mr Roberts – The Train to Impossible Places by P.G Bell. I love this book because it takes you on a magical adventure to an amazing new place. You should read this book if you want full-steam imagination and adventure.  

Mrs Kyriacou – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. I love this book because I am interested in how sweets are made. You should read this book if you want to laugh.  

Miss Buckley - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K Rowling. I like this book because I love magic and I want to go to Hogwarts. You   should read this book if you love adventures and lots of funny characters. 

Miss Guy – The Chronicles of Narnia. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis. I love this book because it makes me use my imagination. You must read this book if you like adventures. 

Year 3 

Miss Ring – Violet the Pilot by Steve Breen.  It is about a girl who invents things, which is great to encourage other girls to become inventors.  It has some very funny moments (like when she gets flies stuck in her teeth) and is a lovely story. 

Year 4 

Mrs Conway – Demon Dentist by David Walliams. I enjoy reading the different voices of the characters because David Walliams brings them to life. 

Mrs Thomas – Cliffhanger by Jaqueline Wilson. My class enjoy hearing about all of the jokes. 

Ms Tighe –  Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson. I love the language used by the author, it means that I can picture everything that happens. 

Miss Foster – Skellig by David Almond. This book is very mysterious with lots of twists and turns. 

Year 5 

Miss Price – Holes by Louis Sachar. I like this book because it has an element of adventure and is funny! It also has some important lessons for us to learn and reflect on. I think this book is suitable for children who enjoy stories with a sense of adventure and mischief!  

Year 6  

Mrs Wellbrook - Once by Morris Gleitzman.  This is a beautifully written book written from the perspective of a Jewish boy living through WW2. 

Miss McNamara - Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. This is an action-packed book that brings the Greek Myths into the 21st Century. 

Mr Demczuk - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. A heart-breaking story about the unlikely friendship of a Jewish and a German boy living in WW2. 

Miss Keceli - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling. Harry and the team face many adversities in this thrilling third instalment of the series. 

Ms Anyanwu - The Tiger who came to Tea by Judith Kerr. A lovely story about an unlikely friendship a mischievous tiger and a kind girl. 

Katie from Willow Class gave a book recommendation for 'Big up a book'

"I chose this book because there is a secret door and I don't know what's behind it. I also like it because it has dinosaurs and it has my name on it.'

        Spicer’s Spectacular Book Swap 

Don’t forget Spicer’s Spectacular Book Swap on Friday the 14^th May! 

How it works 

• Bring in a book from home that you want to swap on the 14^th May 
• Your child will then be given a book swap token  
• During the week of 17^th May children will use their book token to choose another book 

We would like donated books to be in good condition and well looked after so they can be read and loved in their new home. 

Edible Garden Project

This week has been a great opportunity to kickstart our Edible Garden Project at George Spicer. We wanted to say a big thank you to three parents who volunteered with helping with digging, clearing and preparing the raised beds in the meadow. Zuzana, Tatiana and Sam did a brilliant job with the support and expertise of Mr Burr on Monday and Tuesday morning. Their enthusiasm and hard work are greatly appreciated, and the children are very excited to start growing their seedlings.

If you are a keen gardener or would love the opportunity to support the school with our project, then please contact the office to register your interest. 

 

School Bikes - Year 5/6 families

The school currently has two bikes that are no longer needed and taking up valuable storage space.  We are offering them FREE to children in Years 5 or 6.  They are in need of some TLC and will be given to a family on the condition that you get them serviced before use and where possible use them to travel to and from school with a helmet (not included).  

Please email the office confirming you are able and willing to do this before Monday 24th May.  If there are more than two families expressing an interest, then names will be chosen from a hat.

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