Stanmore Post - 27 November 2020
Thank you for attending the virtual parents evening this week. I appreciate that a phone call cannot replace a visit with the teacher in person. However, I trust that you were able to find out about how your child has settled this term and hear about their wellbeing and progress. The targets will have given you an indication of their next steps and I am sure you were proud to see the writing that came home before the meeting. If you have any concerns or unanswered questions following Parents Evening, please contact the school office to arrange a follow up appointment with the class teacher, myself, or Mrs Fenton.
Some parents are telling us that they are noticing a change in their children's behaviour since lockdown. Mrs Fenton and Mrs Mason have invited parents to an informal workshop, which will offer strategies which might help at home. We are most likely to bring about change if we are working together using similar language and consistent expectations. This virtual meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd December at 10am and 6pm. Please contact the school office if you would like to attend.
We are so fortunate to have fantastic support locally to ensure that the children have a memorable Christmas. Hillier's Garden Centre have donated a large Christmas tree that we are placing opposite the library so that all the children can see it from the inside and it can also be seen on the walk around school at drop off. In addition to this, we are expecting a delivery of 10 Nordmann Fir Trees on Tuesday 1st December, thanks to a wonderful anonymous donation and generous discount from Burcot Farm. We are very grateful. Each class will decorate a tree and we will work towards a 'Festival of Light' in the last week of term so that parents can also enjoy the creative designs. Christ Church are working with us on a virtual Christingle Service and the Friends of Stanmore are arranging a Christmas Market for children to choose a present for members of their family. This is already looking very popular. Children can wear Christmas Jumpers on this day, Friday 11th December. All children will have a special Christmas Dinner in the hall in year group 'bubbles.' It will be different this year but we will still be creating lasting memories for you and your children.
INSET day today was the second day of staff training in delivering reading and writing through the Read write Inc. programme. The impact of our improvement work can be seen in the high quality writing from children in Year 2 https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/news/2020/11/27/year-1-and-2-poetry-the-sea
Yours sincerely,
Sharon Taylor
Year 1 and 2 Poetry: The Sea
Year 1 and 2 were set a poetry homework challenge. They read a poem based on a wave and then had to have a go at creating their own. Here are some examples.
“Waves Across the Shore
When I splash in the ocean I make waves,
Big ones, small ones, all around the world they twirl.
Blue,green and turquoise they splash upon the beaches
With sparkly rolling edges.
On a stormy day, they grow and grow
Bigger and darker and dangerous
Grey and black they crash into the shore
They are not safe anymore.
I like the waves best of all
When they are flat and warm and swimmable
I can get inside them and feel comfortable
Surrounded by their wet hug. ”
“Sea sea beautiful sea.
Sea sea beautiful briny sea.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing sea and waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering salty waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering salty rolling waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering salty rolling spraying waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering salty rolling spraying rapped waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering salty rolling spraying rapped wild waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering salty rolling spraying rapped wild powerful waves.
Sea sea beautiful briny crashing thundering salty rolling spraying rapped wild powerful pushing waves.”
“The waves are as blue as the sky on a sunny day.
The waves are loud.
As the waves drop it looks like a bubble bath.”
“The waves are soft like a teddy bear.
The waves are as beautiful as a flower.
They splash onto the gold sand.”
“Waves can be big,
Waves can be small
Waves do a jig,
They always fall.
When big waves crash down,
It makes a huge sound
On to the sea and fish below,
Splashing water all around.
Dolphins love to ride the waves
Next to passing ships.
In the underwater caves,
On to the rocks the octopus grips.”
“Big Waves, small waves, every kind of wave,
ginormous waves and icy waves
That makes you shiver to the bones.
Salty waves and frothy waves,
That sting when they go in your eyes,
Crashing waves and splashing waves,
Of every shape and size. ”
“Huge waves
Splash down.
Little waves,
Near the sand.
Following me,
Caught me.
Now I have wet cold toes. ”
School Improvement - Parent Survey November 2020
The results of our parent survey are out.
See how we are improving - https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/parent-view
Stanmore Post - 20 September 2020
Dear Parents,
Thank you to everyone who attended one or both of the virtual meetings held yesterday. Working in partnership with you continues to be an important part of our school value ‘belonging.’ At the first meeting, we were able to share our progress on our school improvement journey. The aims of our school: Purposeful, irresistible learning where children are inspired to thrive and everyone is the BEST that they can be is at the heart of our Curriculum Strategy. The intention of our Curriculum is that children are given the skills that they need to be successful now and in their future. If you would like to hear excerpts from the meeting, this is available at: https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/how-are-we-doing
Chris Lindsay, our Chair of Governors, shared the views of parents from the parent questionnaire. The increase in positive responses reflects the improving profile of the school. Your positive feedback and constructive comments help to shape our school improvement journey.
Parents were able to view the early plans for our new building project which will provide a modern, more accessible entrance to our school. The plans also include an upgrade to some KS2 classes. We are working with Hampshire County Council and hope that the build can begin in the Summer Holidays.
The second virtual meeting yesterday was held by the Friends of Stanmore School. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is a formal meeting to elect members. I would like to thank all members of the FOS past and present for their valuable work in supporting the school, ensuring that all of our children benefit from a variety of enrichment opportunities.
As you will be aware, due to Covid restrictions we are unable to hold Parents’ Evening in person this year. Instead we are offering telephone consultations from 3:30pm on Tuesday 24th and Thursday 26th November. Please sign up for these now on ScoPay if you have not done so already. We will contact you at the time you requested on the phone number that we hold for you so please let the school office know if there has been a recent change. If you are unsure of your time, please contact the office.
The structure of the 10 minute consultation will be:
To answer any questions that you may have
To share with you how your child has settled in to their class this term
To share with you whether your child is on track to meet their end of year expectations in reading, writing and maths
To share targets for the spring term
This week we have taken part in Anti-Bullying Week 2020. This year the theme is: United Against Bullying, many children came to school in odd socks today in support of this. Work has focused on empowering children with strategies to work together to tackle bullying. Any child experiencing bullying should talk to one of their 5 trusted adults, or put a message in the worry box. Incidents of bullying are dealt with through our behaviour policy. Parents will be invited in to discuss their child’s behaviour and in the first instance sign a Code of Conduct. Support is offered to children who are showing bullying behaviour and to any child who has experienced bullying. If you have any concerns please talk to your child’s class teacher or Mrs. Taylor.
Best Wishes
Sharon Taylor
Stanmore Post - 13 November 2020
Thank you to everyone who completed the recent parent survey. Your response reflects an improving view of the school. I am particularly pleased to see that parents feel their children are safe, happy and are taught well. You may have noticed the wordall on the website which highlights the words chosen by parents to describe the school.
Working in partnership with you continues to be an important part of our school value ‘belonging.’ We recognise that this is difficult at the moment with restrictions, including wearing face coverings, in place. Your positive feedback and constructive comments help to shape our school improvement journey. Parents would like more feedback on school routines, mixed year groups and progress that children are making. We will be holding a webinar to share more information about the school improvement journey on Thursday 19th November at 6:30pm https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/calendar/2020/11/13/school-improvement-update-autumn-2020
Parents were also asking about what Parents Evening will look like this year. Parents Evening will be a telephone consultation from 3:30pm on Tuesday 24th and Thursday 26th November. Please sign up for these now on ScoPay. We will contact you on the phone number that we hold for you so please let the school office know if there has been a recent change.
This week we have taken part in ‘Maths Week England,’ celebrating and sharing the positive image of mathematics. Across the school, children have been learning about important mathematicians, funny maths facts and even a bit of Maths Magic. In addition to this, there were challenges between the classes in KS2 on Times Tables Rockstars and we have been taking part in a national challenge called 'Barvember'. https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/news/2020/11/13/maths-week-at-stanmore-primary-school
In other curriculum news, Children in Birch and Maple were excited to hear from children’s Author Anne Wan. She is looking for inspiration for a new book that she is writing. The children made deep sea diving googles and explored beneath the sea by watching ‘The Blue Planet.’ They are now working on their book ideas to send back to Anne. https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/news/2020/11/13/what-is-at-the-bottom-of-the-deep-blue-sea
The ‘Incredible Italia’ topic continued in Year 3 and 4 this week with the children all making delicious pizzas to bring home in their custom made boxes. https://www.stanmore.hants.sch.uk/news/2020/11/13/incredible-italia
Best Wishes
Sharon Taylor
What is at the bottom of the deep blue sea?
We used painting and collage to create deep sea diving masks that we then used when exploring the deep blue sea (through the wonder of Blue Planet 2). This was to help inspire us and learn some facts about the ocean, at the start of our "What's at the bottom of the beautiful briny sea."
Maths Week at Stanmore Primary School!
Amazing maths has taken place this week in every classroom in the school. We wanted to recognise that it is Maths week and we celebrated this by learning about important mathematicians, funny maths facts and even a bit of Maths Magic!
In addition to this, there were challenges between the classes in KS2 on Times Tables Rockstars and we have been taking part in a national challenge called 'Barvember'. Where we are learning how to represent challenges by drawing bar models to help us to visualise a range of word problems.
Don't worry, the teachers have been learning some new maths too. We had some new maths training this week to use a 'Number Link Board' which will be appearing in a maths lesson near you soon. Watch this space!
Incredible Italia
All three classes in Year 3 and 4 have taken part in our exciting Design and Technology unit to create a pizza this week.
It really showed how exciting and irresistible our curriculum is.
Our curriculum is shaped around three key words:
Appreciate - Children were taught about the historical context of how pizzas became a popular food and the language needed to access the learning (dough, utensils method).
Participate - Children researched and evaluated popular pizza toppings and the packaging needed. They thought about the information that might be needed on the packaging as well as thinking of a snappy title!
Innovate - They were able to develop their own pizza, designing it as well as the packaging. This week the children have been able to create their own invention that they have seen through from idea to the fully formed product.
These three elements of our curriculum work together to create irresistible learning.
We hope that your child might have let you try a bite - we've heard that they were delicious!
Well done to all of the budding chefs in Birch, Sycamore and Willow!
Reception - artists in the making
By exploring different media and new techniques our children get to learn through play and experimentation, expertly guided by our experienced team of educators. We investigated making art on the playground in the rain - that was fun! Our printing made some fantastic artwork.
Pumpkin fun in Reception
What can you do with a pumpkin? Well it turns out that the children in reception found lots of great learning opportunities when they explored pumpkins for the day.
We identified different types of squash vegetables, learned about their seeds and how they grow. Then we made pumpkin soup and got to taste it! Yum!
