Welcome back, Year 3!

Hello! Mr Freeman here welcoming you back to another fantastic year at St James. Year 3 have started extremely well in lots of ways:

• We know our school rules and how to follow them well every day.
• Our effort levels in learning have been superb!
• The children have really enjoyed their new classroom layout and the table points.

Most importantly, the children have had a really happy and healthy return to school. Here’s a brief look at our journey this week:

History

For our first topic unit this year, we are exploring the depths of Ancient Greece! Above is our first class novel, ‘Greek Myths’, by Marcia Williams. The children have really enjoyed listening to these stories and discussing links to our Christian Values. Here are some of the links from the children.

“Arian showed compassion when he let the sailors live who stole his treasure that he earnt from hard work” – Max

“Orpheus showed perseverance to travel a long way to reach the underworld, so that he could get his wife back” – Lillie Jane

Science

Today, we put on our biologists’ uniforms and uncovered our first unit – skeletons, movement and nutrition. We focussed on 5 bones in the human body today (shown above). Some of these bones are there to protect certain parts of our body, and others are used to support our movement.

Help at home:

Please read regularly with your child and sign their reading record. A good strategy would be to read for a short while, every day, to build up fluency. Also, your child has gone home with their Times Tables Rockstars logins (stuck to the back of their reading records. Please encourage your child to practise for at least 5 minutes per day – focus on the 5 times tables this week!

Finally, if you have any questions, please feel free to have a chat with me (Mr Freeman) and I’ll absolutely do my best to help.

Living and Learning: I folllow the school rules.

Our Living and Learning statement for our first week is:

I follow the school rules.

Our three school rules are short and snappy to remember:

We are respectful.

We are ready.

We are safe.

As a class, Year 3 have discussed what the rules mean and how to follow them in school. We know that being respectful covers lots of things, such as listening to others, being kind to everyone and using our manners in school.

Help at home:

Talk about the three school rules with your child. Which is the easiest to follow? Which is the most difficult? Come up with some top tips on how to follow our school rules every day.

First week in Year 1

We’ve had a brilliant first week in Year 1. We’re really impressed with how the children have settled into their new classroom. Changes can be tricky to manage and we are always here to help if your child struggles to cope with this. Reception Class to Year 1 is a big leap but we do find that the children adjust well to the new staff, routines and environments.

Here are a few things to note:

• Mrs Palmer – class teacher – Monday and Tuesday
• Mrs Bye – class teacher – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
• Miss Cairnes and Mrs Daracott – Teaching assistants
• PE – Monday and Thursdays (please dress your child in their PE clothes on these days)
• Library – Friday

Please ensure your child brings a water bottle to school every day and healthy snacks for playtime (if required).

During PE, the children are not permitted to wear earrings. Please can you ensure these have been removed prior to attending school on PE days.

The office will issue a milk list so that we are aware who can have it and also a medication update will be given to the Year 1 staff.

Homework and spellings will go home every Friday and the children will be tested on their spellings every two weeks.

The children will read daily in school and we encourage you to read with your child daily at home.

If you have any concerns or questions please either catch us at home time or make an appointment via the school office.

Here’s a few pictures from our first week in Year 1.

Welcome to Reception

We’ve been busy over the summer holidays washing all the teddies and toys so we’re ready for when you start ‘big school!’

Your classroom is all ready and set up and we’re looking forward to lots of learning, making new friends and having fun!

If you need to get in contact with a member of the team please use our dedicated email: stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org

We’re looking forward to the year ahead, getting to know you and your children.

Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Miss. Feldman and Mr. Smith

Teddy Bears Picnic

We had a fun filled day when our teddy bears came to school for the day. They sat beautifully with us on the carpet and as we did the register and they even joined in for reading practice. Our reading team teachers were so impressed with them all!

In the afternoon we went out onto the big field and had a lovely picnic with sandwiches, cucumber and carrots and a few crisps it was so much fun!

“This is the best day ever!”

“My teddy really likes school!”

What a Year!

It has been an absolute pleasure to teach and get to know all of the children this year. Thank you for all of the support you have given your children at home; it really helps!

We wish everyone a very happy and healthy summer break and we look forward to seeing the children return to school on Tuesday 3rd September 2024.

Please note that the children will be in a new classroom which means they will need to turn right when the school gates open and walk through the playground where they will be met by a member of staff.

For the first week, parents can accompany their child to the classroom door. Following this, the children need to be dropped off at the school gate. There is always a member of staff in the playground to ensure the children make their way to the classroom sensibly and safely

The Fish Who Could Wish

This week our focus book was The Fish Who Could Wish by John Bush and Korky Paul.

The children have enjoyed talking about the things they would wish for if they were special like the fish.

“I would wish for a new bike.”

“I would wish for a swimming pool.”

“I would wish for lots of friends.”

Our word of the week was Unique the children have really enjoyed using this during their learning.

“I am unique because nobody has hair like me.”

“I am unique because I have legs like this.”

Poetry Picnic

This week our poem was Dance by Nancy White Carlstrom (good luck with the actions!)

Do a dance says one foot.

Other foot says let’s jiggle.

Hands say clap, slappity slap.

And all of me says wriggle.

Help at home: can you teach our poem of the week to your family, don’t forget to include the actions?

The classroom Challenges this week have been

• to write a message to the fish who could wish.
• to sort the pictures into morning activities and night time activities.
• to draw and label a fish.
• to paint a self portrait.

Move Up Day Fun

The children had a great time when they went to visit their new classroom and teachers. Miss Bye and Mrs Palmer as really looking forward to getting to know ‘the best class in the school’ in September.

Nell Bank

What an amazing, but slightly wet day we had when we went on our school trip to Nell Bank, the children were so fantastic and showed great resilience. During the day we listened to a story called Tidy about Pete the Badger who likes everything in the forest to be neat and tidy. We went on a walk and found some rubbish that we sorted it into things that can be recycled and things that can’t. We crawled through some badger tunnels, had our lunch,  (the highlight of the day!) went looking for minibeast and then made a home for a baby badger. It really was a jam packed day out!

Reminders and Notices

Please can you send your child to school with a sun hat and sun cream already applied.

Waste Innovation– Please don’t forget to send in any donations for us to be creative.

Have a happy and healthy week and please don’t forget to email any pictures from home to stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org thank you as always for your support.

Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman.

Staying Safe Week

Staying Safe Week

This week has been a special week at St James’. We’ve been exploring lots of different ways to stay safe. We’ve discussed:

• sun safety
• first aid
• online safety
• staying safe in the community
• staying safe at home
• staying safe on the road
• staying safe on bikes/scooters
• staying safe around animals

The children have contributed their ideas maturely throughout the week and I feel confident that they all know how to stay safe!

We’ve been lucky to welcome some fantastic visitors this week.

Lou, a local PCSO, gave us some fantastic tips about road safety and staying safe in the community.

Mrs Hill from Dogs Trust spoke to the children about staying safe around dogs.

Dave from D:side gave a brilliant workshop on online safety.

Jed, a first aid expert, taught the children about how to call for help and administer some basic first aid. The children had a fantastic time practising CPR and putting bandages on one another’s (very imaginative!) injuries.

Help at home by discussing Staying Safe Week with your child.

• What have they learned this week?
• Can they share a top tip from each of our visitors?
• Are there any safety features in your home?
• Can your child memorise their address and a guardian’s phone number?

I make safe choices, including online!

This week has been safety week across school. In Nursery and Reception we had a visit from Dave at D-side.

He spoke to us about the importance of being safe online and what we should and shouldn’t do!

We watched a little video about a girl playing a game on her Daddy’s computer and all of a sudden an advert popped up to win a toy.

Should the girl click on the prize?

‘ No, it could be dangerous’

Here are some other response we had from the children in relation to sharing personal information online ..

‘They might ring your number’

‘They might drive to your house’

‘Because they might find where you are playing’

Who should we ask before we go online? use a computer, Ipad or phone?

Mummies, Daddies, Grandparents, uncles, aunties older people’

Help at Home:  Can you remember what these numbers mean? 

Have a happy and healthy weekend!

Miss Ward, Miss Harvey and Miss Feldman

Daily Poem (Safety Week)

To fit in with our safety theme this week, our daily poem has been about crossing the road.

We have shared this poem every day and would like you to enjoy it at home too!

Help at home by asking your child  to read the poem with ‘prosody’.

You’ll be impressed!