Message from Mr Spong 

This week's assembly encouraged children to think about an important question: "What do you want to be in the future?" We explored how exciting the future can be, while also recognising that none of us can predict exactly what lies ahead.

We began by celebrating local success stories for Black History Month; our focus was on Coach Keiron, who has worked hard to build a successful career as a sports coach and mentor after dealing with the disappointment of not making his dream of being a professional footballer.  He has done this through determination, commitment and perseverance. His journey reminded us that achieving our goals takes dedication over many years.

The children then reflected on how difficult it is to predict the future. Using examples from popular culture and famous figures, we discussed how life does not always go exactly as planned and how challenges can arise when we least expect them. What matters most is how we respond to those challenges.

A key message from the assembly was the importance of making every day count. We explored the inspiring stories of Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield, who have faced adversity with courage and positivity, showing that even during difficult times we can continue to make a difference to others. If you are interested in their journey, then there is a documentary released on the iPlayer this coming Monday.  The children were particularly inspired by their examples of kindness, resilience, determination and helping those in need.

We also focused on one of our school values, Friendship, discussing what it means to be a good friend and how our actions can have a positive impact on those around us.

The assembly concluded with a challenge for the half-term break, encouraging children to take part in our 7 in 7 Challenge and to remember that small actions can make a big difference.

Above all, the children were encouraged to:

• Dream big and have ambitious goals.
• Make the most of every day.
• Be brave when facing challenges.
• Be kind, respectful and supportive friends.
• Strive to be the very best version of themselves.

As we approach the half-term holiday, I reminded the children to stay safe, be sensible, show respect to others and continue to demonstrate our school values wherever they go. Most importantly, never let anyone limit your dreams, because the possibilities are endless.  Tag you’re it –see you all on Monday 2^nd November.

House Points

The children have been working very hard to display our 4 Be’s since September, the Staff have also contributed today by wearing Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Day (Make sure you check) and it was brilliant to see so many children representing too, after I mentioned it in assembly.  As parents it is your chance to contribute – there are points on offer to everyone who has signed up to the Juniper Parent App by the end of the holiday – keep an eye out for the welcome email tonight.  Points so far are:    

Blue	2352
Red	2419
Yellow	2498
Green	2741

Important Dates for Diary

Monday 2nd November - First Day of Term ALL children back to school.

Thursday 5th November - Prospective parent tour for Reception 2027/28

Monday 9th November - Individual photographs 

Tuesday 10th November - Amazon maths workshop - 9.15am - 9.45am

Wednesday 11th November - Rhine maths workshop - 9.15am - 9.45am

Tuesday 17th November - Flu vaccine re-visit SR/KG 

Tuesday 17th November - Nile maths workshop - 9.15am - 9.45am

Wednesday 18th November - Thames maths workshop - 9.15am - 9.45am

Friday 20th November – Prospective parents tour for Rec 2027/28

Monday 23rd November - Year 1 & 2 letterbox workshop

Wednesday 25th November - Year 3 & 4 letterbox workshop

Thursday 26th November - Year 5 & 6 letterbox workshop

Wednesday 2nd December - Prospective parents tour for Rec 2027/28

Friday 4th December – Year 3 & 6 Carol Service 

Friday 4th December - Winter Wonderland 

Wednesday 9th December - Christmas Dinner & Jumper Day

Wednesday 9th December - Poppy Nativity - 2.30pm - 3.00pm

Reception 

This week Reception have been asking who is Malorie Blackman? 

   

We read the book ‘We’re Going to find the Monster’ and discussed the journey the children took to find the mysterious monster. 

For Maths we have been exploring composition of 2,3 and 4. Looking at different ways to create these amounts with a variety of objects. 

Year 1 

Year 1 enjoyed a lovely school trip to St Andrews Church, where the children learnt all about Harvest and the importance of being thankful. They reflected on the things they are grateful for and wrote their own thoughts, sharing what makes them feel thankful. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Harvest season and think about the many things we appreciate in our lives.   A special “Thank You” goes out to Rev Dr Steve and all the parent helpers who supported the children and helped to make our trip so exciting!

    

  

Year 2 

To celebrate Black History Month, Year 2 have been learning all about the inspiring author Malorie Blackman. The children explored what inspired her to become a writer, the titles and themes of her books and discovered the interesting fact that she originally wanted to be a teacher when she was younger.

Using the facts they gathered, the children wrote summaries of her life and published their writing on their very own book blurb templates. They have also enjoyed sketching their very own portraits of Malory Blackman to create the front covers of their books.

We also had a fabulous time on our trip to Capel Manor, exploring the gardens and looking at different plants. We even found a tree that smelled of toffee when the leaves fell in their sensory garden.

   

Year 3

Year 3 have had a packed couple of weeks! In Geography, the children have been learning about how rivers change along their course and how erosion and deposition shape the land. Working collaboratively in pairs, they created and labelled 3D river and V-shaped valley models to showcase their learning, linking to UNCRC Article 29 (Aims of Education) which promotes the development of children's talents and abilities

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During our Black History focus week, Year 3 enjoyed learning about the life and achievements of Malorie Blackman. They explored her poem ‘Cloud Busting’ in Reading, wrote a blurb for her biography in Writing and designed biography front covers in Art. The children produced some fantastic work and showed great appreciation for her resilience and success, linking to UNCRC Article 2: No discrimination.

 

Year 4 

We have thoroughly enjoyed our Black History Month (BHM) focus on the inspirational author Malorie Blackman. Throughout the month, we have discovered fascinating new facts about her life, achievements and journey to becoming such a successful black female writer. We have put our writing skills to the test by creating engaging blurbs to celebrate her biography, capturing her incredible story and inspiring readers to learn more about her life.

In Art, we have explored printmaking to design and create eye-catching front covers for Malorie Blackman’s biography, combining creativity with our growing knowledge of her achievements.

We have been truly moved by Malorie’s courage, perseverance and resilience. Her determination to overcome challenges, keep going and never lose sight of her dreams has inspired us all. What a wonderful month of learning, creativity and reflection!

   

          

Year 6

Last week, we celebrated Black History Week by exploring the life and achievements of the inspirational author Malorie Blackman. The children discovered how her creativity, imagination and passion for storytelling have made her such an important figure in children’s and young adult literature.

As part of our celebration, the children reflected on the qualities and characteristics they felt best represented Malorie Blackman. They came up with a wonderful range of words, including creative, brave, inspirational, talented, determined, original, thoughtful and hard-working. These thoughtful choices showed how much they appreciated not only her achievements as a writer but also the positive qualities she represents.

The children then used their chosen words to create unique portraits of Malorie Blackman. Instead of simply drawing her face, they carefully arranged their words to form the outline and features of each portrait. This creative activity combined art, literacy and learning about Black history in a meaningful and engaging way.

The finished pieces are truly impressive, showcasing the children’s imagination, artistic skills and understanding of the importance of celebrating inspirational people from diverse backgrounds.

We are incredibly proud of the children’s efforts and the thoughtful way they approached this activity. Their work reminds us that stories have the power to inspire, challenge perspectives and help us see the world through different eyes. What a fantastic way to celebrate Malorie Blackman and her lasting contribution to literature!

    

Boys' Football

Huge congratulations to the boys' football team who had an incredible season with only one loss throughout. The league table was very tight and the results all rested on the final set of games. After a tough game with Lavender and having suffered a crucial injury, we finished second overall. 

I cannot commend and praise the team highly enough. Not only for their teamwork and personal conduct, but also for the amazing football played. 

Once again, very well done to you all – we are all very proud to have secured our strongest finish in the last four years. 

Cross Country 

Very well done to all the runners who competed in the Borough Cross Country competition. I was so impressed with the level of stamina and resilience displayed. The team did very well, with the boys finishing overall in 10^th place out of 25 schools and the girls a respectable 17th. I would like to give a further special mention to Nate, who finished 28th, and Polina, who finished 20^th in their respective races out of over 100 runners. 

Cookery Club

The Cookery Club has learnt many skills, such as weighing, cutting, grating, as well as safety tips, like the claw grip. The delicious delights made so far, include fruit kebabs, pitta pizzas and banana and chocolate muffins. This week, the Yr5 children designed orzo salads, some with olives and cucumber, and some with tomato and sweetcorn, all drizzled with a tasty basil, lemon and parmesan dressing. This is not just food, this is George Spicer Cookery Club food!

 

Safety in the community