Newsletters

George Spicer Newsletter - 9th June 2023

Welcome back to the last half-term for the 2022/23 academic year, which is going to be very busy with lots of exciting activities.

Hot weather - Please keep an eye on the weather.  On hot days please ensure your child brings in a water bottle, a hat/cap and apply sun cream at home.

Hay fever/Allergies - If your child has hay fever or any other allergies please can you administer antihistamine in the morning before your child comes to school. 

Lost property/labelling - We have already accumulated a mountain of lost property, please ensure all your child's clothing is labelled especially jumpers/coats as these seem to be left in the playground/classroom. If labelled we can then return to the child.

Donations - Please may we have donations of colouring pencils/pens, crayons and chalk for lunchtime colouring club. 

Welfare Donations - Please may we have donations of shorts/jogging bottoms for both sites.  Also wipes, plasters and tissues.  Thank you

Our value - Resilience 

As we enter the final half term we introduced the new value of Resilience in assemblies this week.  Resilience isn’t just bouncing back after a failure it is also keeping on going to see something through to the end.  I asked the children to focus on the goals they had set themselves at the start of the year and to see if they had achieved them then if not then re-focus and try their best until the end of the year.  I gave all the children some things to do and say to themselves when things got tough, ask them if they can remember any.  Please demonstrate resilience to your children as much as possible over the coming weeks whilst also remembering to model our other essential values of kindness and respect.

Important Dates for Diary

4th July - Sports Day - Years 2 and 3 - QE2 Stadium - 9.30am - 12pm 

6th July - Sports Day - Years 4, 5 & 6 - QE2 Stadium - 9.30am - 12pm 

7th July - Sports Day - Reception 9.30-10.30am  and Year 1 10.30-11.30am

School Trips Coming Up:

13^th June - Year 3 Trip to Whipsnade Zoo

15th June - Thoth and Anubis will be visiting the Nanak Darbar Gurdwara

19^th June - Ra and Osiris will be visiting the Nanak Darbar Gurdwara

21^st - 23^rd June - Year 4 Cuffley Camp residential 

11^th July - Year 1 Trip to Walton on the Naze

Attendance week ending - 9th June 2023

Overall school = 94.32% Lates = 51

Best attendance: 1st Odysseus 100% 2nd Ash 99.63% 3rd Apache 97.58%

Punctuality: Well done Odysseus with 100% for their punctuality 

PSHE - Changing Me  

Over the coming weeks, we will begin out learning about this half terms topic ‘Changing Me’.  It deals with changes of many types, from growing from young to old, becoming a teenager, assertiveness, puberty, self-respect and safeguarding. Each year group thinks about looking ahead, moving year groups or the transition to secondary school and how to cope positively with such changes. As usual, a detailed year group specific overview will be sent to your email.

Rainbow Class

In Rainbow Class we have been on another taste adventure with the children and this time we tried a pomegranate. The children were wondering, what is it? Is it a fruit or a vegetable? Will we like it or not? This was a first-time experience for some of our children and for others, they couldn’t contain themselves with excitement, wanting to describe what the inside is like to their friends. One of the children said “ it has little red circle pieces inside, is very juicy and I have it at home with my family.”

This time the pomegranate was part of our conversational topic during our session. The children got to practise their active listening and conversation skills in a group discussion, expressing what they thought about the pomegranate. We also used our comparing skills to describe how it tasted, the texture and what it feels like to bite into the pomegranate. Most of the children enjoyed tasting the pomegranate even though upon opening it up some were a bit dubious about whether it was something you can eat. Others might try it again with their families.

Reception Class

We have had a great first few days back! This term in our PSHE lessons we will be focusing on 'Changing Me', learning to understand that everyone is unique and special and to respect changes to that may happen. For our first lesson, we thought about our bodies and how we have grown! We enjoyed thinking about how each of our bodies are strong and unique. We drew around one of our friends and labelled all the different parts of the body, both inside and outside. Karis said 'Our belly button was there when we was born because it was connected to our mummies'. Adam said 'I have long legs, I am tall'. 

Year 1

This week in Year 1 Maths we are learning about time.  We have practised recognising the minute hand and hour hand, we know that the minute hand is always longer. We have been telling the time to the 'o'clock and half past. 

In PSHE we have started our new topic 'Changing Me'. We looked at a life cycle of different creatures and discussed the changes that take place. We then looked at the cycle of our life so far - we discussed what has changed since we were a baby. Kaleem said, "When I was a baby my hair colour was different". Lyra said, "As I have got older my eye colour has changed". 

Year 2

This week in Year 2 we have started rehearsals for our upcoming performance to parents. The children have behaved really well throughout and have sung the chosen songs beautifully. As part of our Art and Writing sessions, we have continued to learn about Claude Monet and Impressionism.  The pupils enjoyed photographing nature to capture light and shade and then creating their own artwork in the style of Monet. They have started writing a critique of his painting ‘Cliff at Porville’, writing about his use of colour and brushstrokes.

Year 3 

This week, Year 3 were learning all about plants!

We discussed lots of different types of plants and their features including the different parts of a plant, for example, the roots, stem, leaf, petal, to name a few.

The children then got their hands dirty and learnt how to plant their own seeds/bulbs into pots with their partners, filling them with soil and watering them after. 

They really enjoyed this task and are looking forward to taking care of their plants and seeing how they develop over the coming weeks.   

Year 5 

This week in Year 5, the children have been writing a set of detailed instructions on how to mummify a body! They really enjoyed this work, even if some were left feeling slightly faint when discovering some of the methods used! As usual, Year 5 never disappoint. Well done all.

Over the last few weeks in our PSHE lessons, we have been thinking about our relationship with technology.  This week, we created posters, which offered advice about keeping ourselves safe and happy online. We spoke about not putting ourselves at risk or making ourselves vulnerable by sharing private information or pictures online. We also discussed how we have the right to be treated with respect online and we have the responsibility to do the same for others. We also made sure that all the children know to tell a trusted adult if something online is worrying them or a friend.

Year 6 

This week, Year 6 have started their Science topic on Space. We looked at different theories about space and how they have changed over time. They had a great time learning about the order of the planets away from the sun and how the planets got their names. 

Most Innovative School in North London

Before Half Term we were visited by Alex Kidd from Enfield Council who presented representatives from our Community Council with a certificate for "Most Innovative School in North London".  This was awarded by Transport for London in recognition of all the work the Community Ambassadors do to promote healthy and sustainable travel to school.  

Well done to ALL the Community Ambassadors who meet regularly to discuss road safety, active travel as well as caring for our Community Garden.  This flower bed is located along the fence by Sketty Road and is filled with a range of herbs.  Please feel free to take a sprig to enhance your cooking.

Travel Survey 

Enfield Council are asking parents and carers to complete the following travel survey.  The data will be used by the Journey’s & Places team to help them when delivering projects in the Borough.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/parent-staff-travel/survey_tools/parent-survey

Bike Week 5th-16th June

Bike Week this year is  5-11^th June and this year is the 100^th anniversary, marking a century of celebrating everyday cycling for everyone. 

We would like to celebrate by trying to get as many pupils and staff as possible to cycle to school over a 2 week period 5^th – 16^th June.

Enfield Council will award schools with the most bikes a prize!!! Let’s get pedalling!!

Our bike racks may get full so please park your bike responsibly and always wear a helmet!