Saturday, 31 March 2012

OUR SCHOOL NEEDS YOU!

Our school needs your help to collect Tesco schools vouchers! Vouchers
collected in previous years have exceeded 20,000 and have helped us to obtain
some exciting resources. This year we are looking to set a school record and
collect more vouchers than ever before! Please try to collect as many vouchers
as you can and do not be afraid to ask your friends, neighbours, work
colleagues for their vouchers as well. Many people who do not have children
simply discard these vouchers and we could make valuable use of them.
Collecting boxes are by the school office. Please bring in your vouchers on or
before 01/06/12.

Wednesday, 28 March 2012

Pyjamas on Friday

Just a quick reminder about our "Pyjama Day" on Friday when we will be working with the children from the Pre-school.
We will be looking at the work of children's author Pam Adams.
DM

Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Last Chance - Digital Leaders Application

Mr. Spracklen is welcoming children to apply for the role of 'Digital Leaders' within school. If you wish to apply, you will need to fill out a short online form (available now on SWGfL Merlin - see picture) before 7.00pm on 30/03/12. Children from Reception to Year 4 are encouraged to apply with the aim of appointing a child from each class to the 'Digital Leaders' team! The form will ask you why you should be considered for this role and we will be looking for original responses that come from the children. Below the responsibilities of a 'Digital Leader' are listed:
Website/Blogs/Online:
Write blog posts for your class and comment on other blogs across the school
Helping staff to upload pictures/videos to their blog

ICT Clubs:
Plan and lead ICT club at lunchtimes for Years R/1 and 2/3 (1 day each)
Possibly lead an after-school ICT club

Other
Change photographs on the TV screen in the reception
Organise competitions e.g. a drawing competition in Purple Mash
Possibly attend events and other schools to share ICT learning
Attend after-school training for staff and parents - with your parents' permission of course!
Trialling new software as required

Sunday, 25 March 2012

Bedtime Stories so wear your Pyjamas

On Friday (30th) the children in Year 3 will be joining the children from the Nursery Class for the day. They will be working together on a themed day about "Bedtime Stories". To capture the atmoshere of the event we are asking the children to come to school dressed in their pyjamas/ dressing gowns on that day! Oh, and don't forget to bring your Teddy! What a fun way to end this busy term.

Maiden Castle Farm

We are looking forward to visiting Maiden Castle Farm on Tuesday (27th) afternoon.
Hoping to see some busy lambing activity.
Don't forget your wellies/walking boots.

Friday, 23 March 2012

REMINDER - Ofsted Parent View

As you know at the Prince of Wales First School we are always looking for
feedback and encourage you to provide this in a variety of ways. Whether this
is through face-to-face conversation, comments on our class blogs or through
our annual parents questionnaire, we always welcome your feedback. Building on
this, we would now encourage you to go online and express your views using the
new 'Parent View' website from Ofsted. This 12-question survey will help other
parents as they make important choices about their child's education and
provide Ofsted with information about our school that will help them inform
their priorities for inspection. The questionnaire does not allow free text
comments but invites responses to a series of closed questions. To express your
view, please visit our school website now and click on the parent tab and look
for the link to the Parent View website. Alternatively, visit: http://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/.

Thursday, 22 March 2012

More ideas about Judaism

Today the children learnt about the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur)
We found out that it is a time to ask forgiveness for upsetting our friends and families. We also learned that during Yom Kippur Jews go without food or drink for 24 hours!
Can you find out if children fast during Yom Kippur as well as adults?

Sport Relief Mile

We are planning to join in with the “Sport Relief Day” on Friday 23rd March by all “running a mile” within the school grounds and dressing up in fancy dress (the theme being “something silly”). There will be a 3-lap course set up within the school. Different groups of children will be covering the mile-long course in different ways- mostly walking, some children using wheelchairs, some running parts of the course, there might be some skipping, dribbling footballs, balancing tennis balls on rackets etc. I’m sure you get the idea. We will be encouraging the children to come up with their own entertaining ideas for the event. Older children will be allowed to cover more than a mile if they are comfortable doing so, though we will be limiting the amount of time participating to one hour. The children will not be put under any pressure to actually finish the mile if they become tired. We will, however, be presenting the activity as a worthy challenge. We will be doing this on the morning of Friday 23rd March, starting at 9.30, though staggering the classes to avoid congestion at the start. The Reception class will be doing the “run” in the afternoon. We are asking the children to collect some sponsorship money. All money collected will go to the Sport Relief fund. We provide you with a copy of the Sport Relief sponsor form. As well as a funny costume the children will of course need appropriate footwear for the “run”. Thank you for your support. Yours sincerely, Mr D MacBean - P.E. Co-ordinator

Monday, 19 March 2012

Jurassic Coast Van

As part of our Olympic Humanities Week, all pupils will be visited by the Jurassic Coast Van on Wednesday. This is part of the ‘Big Jurassic Classroom’ project that the school is involved in which encourages us to think about our local World Heritage Site as the Olympics draws closer. On Wednesday why not ask your child what work they completed with the Jurassic Coast Team? Did they see any fossils? Can they remember the fossil names? How is a fossil formed?

Thursday, 15 March 2012

Dangers posed by Jequirity Bean Bracelets

The DCC Health and Safety team have alerted us to the dangers posed by Jequirity Bean bracelets. These bracelets have been on sale at various retail outlets across the UK,including the Eden Project in Cornwall.  The Jequirity bean bracelet ismade from the deadly seed of the plant abrus precatorious. It contains thetoxin abrin that if swallowed, has the potential to kill in doses of just 3micrograms. Abrin is chemically similar to ricin, a chemical warfare agent.People who have bought, or are in possession of the bracelets, are beingurged to bag them, then wash their hands and avoid touching their eyes.They should then hand the bracelet into their local police station where itwill be disposed of safely.There is further information available on the Public Health Agency websiteon the following link:http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/pha-issues-safety-warning-jequirity-bean-braceletsWe have attached an image of the bracelet for your information.

Wednesday, 14 March 2012

Home Learning- Interesting Facts about France

Home Learning- Year 3

Wednesday 14th March

FRANCE

Next week we are having a bit of a French theme to go alongside our “Olympics Week” and to overlap with our French lessons.

For home learning (over the weekend)  I have asked the children to find out some interesting facts about France that can be used to contribute towards a display. The children should write these facts onto a piece of paper.
Thank you,
Duncan MacBean Class Teacher

Friday, 9 March 2012

Students in the Classroom with Year 3

We have had visits from a number of students recently who have spent some time working with the children in Year 3:
Mr. Simon Swain, Mr. Matthew Smith and Miss. Natalie Bick are all graduates who are spending some time with us with a view to getting some experience before continuing into Teacher Training.

Home Learning and Assembly

Home Learning Year 3
Friday 9th March
I have asked the children to have a go at learning/practising their lines for next week’s assembly.
During the assembly they will be able to look at their short script if they want to. We would like them to read it confidently and fluently.

We hope that you can join us for the assembly which is next Friday 16th at 9.20am.

Many thanks,
Duncan MacBean

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Could you be a Digital Leader?

Mr. Spracklen is welcoming children to apply for the role of 'Digital Leaders' within school. If you wish to apply, you will need to fill out a short online form (available now on SWGfL Merlin - see picture). Children from Reception to Year 4 are encouraged to apply with the aim of appointing a child from each class to the 'Digital Leaders' team! The form will ask you why you should be considered for this role and we will be looking for original responses that come from the children. Below the responsibilities of a 'Digital Leader' are listed:

Website/Blogs/Online:

Write blog posts for your class and comment on other blogs across the school
Helping staff to upload pictures/videos to their blog

ICT Clubs:

Plan and lead ICT club at lunchtimes for 3/4 and 5/6 (1 day each)
Possibly lead an after-school ICT club

Other

Change photographs on the TV screen in the reception
Organise competitions e.g. a drawing competition in Purple Mash
Possibly attend events and other schools to share ICT learning
Attend after-school training for staff and parents - with your parents' permission of course!
Trialling new software as required

Friday, 2 March 2012

Home Learning- Maps

Year 3 Home Learning

Friday 2nd March- Friday 9th March
Geography – Map work
I have set the children the task of learning the locations of the following:

- the Continents and Oceans of the World

- the Countries in Great Britain

- ten of the other countries of Europe

I will be asking them to have a go at filling in details on a World Map and a Europe map next Friday.

Thursday, 1 March 2012

Friday's Celebration Event

On Friday 2nd March, there will be some displays in the hall from each class
showing their work this week on Global Awareness. Each class will also have
some food they have made to sell! We shall also be putting on some dance and
music displays throughout the afternoon. This is intended to be a very
informal celebration of the week's work and you are invited to join us at any
time from 2.15p.m. until 3.45p.m. There will also be a Traidcraft stall selling
Fairtrade items and providing information. If you are not able to come along
you might give your child a small amount of money for them to buy some food
from the other class stalls.