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The children in the playground have built some fairy houses. This activity was designed to complement the themes of Traditional Tales and Houses and Homes.
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Dear Parents
We have a packed newsletter for you this week, and parent forum feedback to read through as well, so stick the kettle on and make yourselves comfy while you ooh and aah at all the wonderful things The Children’s House Team have managed to pack into the past few weeks. February, for many people the slowest and most dragging month of the year, has whizzed by here, and the bustle has been undeterred by the rain.
Taiba and I are currently in the midst of conducting termly observations of teaching staff. It is always a privilege to watch teachers at their craft, and I really enjoy the opportunity to settle in with the class for the full session, rather than the short snippets that I see daily as I walk around the school. The lessons that I have observed at the Upper School so far have been exciting and creative, with a focus on critical thinking and articulating understanding, such as through explaining or demonstrating knowledge to a peer, or debating a concept and justifying a point of view. I am very proud of the children’s growing confidence to express themselves, and we are really focusing on this as a staff. In a small school like ours, we can encourage every child to find their voice.
We have had a number of different visitors in the School in the past few weeks, including interview candidates and prospective governors. Frequently, I ask our Year 3 and 4 children to take these visitors on tours, and the feedback this fortnight has been that the children are articulate, knowledgeable and proud of their school. In the coming weeks we will be guiding some of our quieter children, who have expressed an interest in taking tours, but are currently feeling a little shy, in the art of touring, so that all those who wish to can have this experience.
Speaking of visitors, we had a very important one arrive out of the blue on Wednesday morning, an ISI inspector! We have been preparing for this moment since October, and I look forward to sharing the outcome of this progress monitoring inspection with you when the report comes, usually within a couple of months.
Before I sign off, I'd like to remind all parents to be extra careful when operating the gate. Please ensure it is not left open, especially if a teacher is not present at the gate. This is crucial to prevent the gate from being left ajar, as occurred this afternoon, when it was hooked open and remained open after a family had left. This poses a security risk to our students by potentially allowing unauthorised access to the school premises. Thank you for being extra vigilant as you enter and exit the building.
Enjoy the weekend,
Ellie
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Dear Parents
We were thrilled to host our first EYFS Cluster meeting, bringing together practitioners from various schools in the borough. It was a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge and insights with fellow teachers, all dedicated to enhancing early years education.
The discussion, led by the early years consultant for Islington, focused on maths. It was inspiring to explore best practices for engaging children in mathematical concepts, and our teachers were praised for their expertise in early years education and their ideas on finding creative solutions to engage children in maths.
Our displays were also commended for their high standard, showing the learning journey of our children with a special emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It was great to give the teachers a tour of the nursery and see our efforts recognised and appreciated by our peers.
Overall, the meeting was a success, and we all left feeling a little bit proud of ourselves and the work we do every day to support our children's growth and development. It also gave us an opportunity to consult with others ahead of our categorisation visit from Islington next week, during which we will be assessed based on our quality and adherence to EYFS guidelines and standards.
During the visit, inspectors typically evaluate various aspects of the setting, including the quality of teaching, learning environments, safeguarding procedures, leadership, and management. This process helps ensure that early years settings in Islington are providing high-quality education and care that meets the standards set out in the EYFS framework. I look forward to reporting back on this achievement in the next newsletter. In the meantime, enjoy reading about what your children have been up to and have a lovely weekend.
Taiba
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Nursery School Dates
Thursday 7th March
World Book Day Children are invited to dress up as a favourite character from a book or nursery rhyme.
W/C Monday 11th March
Recycling Week Includes Saul and the Junk Orchestra Performance and workshop for children.
Wednesday 13th March
Open Morning 8.15-9.00 am for Mihaela’s Class. Parents invited to come in to see their child’s work.
HALF-TERM
Friday 9th February – Friday 17th February
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Upper School Dates
w/c 26th February
Empathy Week. No special arrangements.
Thursday 7th March
World Book Day Dress up as your favourite book character
W/c 11th March
Recycling Week includes Paper Making Workshop for children and collections.
HALF-TERM
Friday 9th February – Friday 17th February
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Spring Term Important Dates and the term dates for the next academic year can be found here.
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Parent Forum Feedback, Head's Report to Parent Committee and Social Media
Please click through to the parent portal to see our latest Parent Forum notes.
Our social media handles are:
Facebook - The Children's House School
Instagram - @childrenshouseschool
We'd love it if you'd follow us. Please review our image consent form here.
Parent Forum Feedback & Head's Report to Parent Committee, can be found here.
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Calling All Caring Hearts: Support Our Local Food, Book & Toy Banks!
We are writing to invite you to join us in supporting two vital causes within our community: the Food & Book Bank at St Jude and St Paul's Church and The Toy Project, in Archway.
The food bank provides essential food and hygiene items to individuals and families facing financial hardship, offering much-needed assistance during challenging times. It doesn't aim to replace an entire grocery shop but rather serves as a temporary safety net, easing the burden of rising living costs for our neighbours. They currently support around 50 households and rely on the generosity of the community to keep their shelves stocked.
Here are some of the food items currently in high demand:
- Cereal and porridge
- Pasta
- Rice
- Baked beans
- Tinned tomatoes
- Sardines
- Long life milk
- Tea
- Toilet rolls
St Jude and St Paul's is also now working with a fantastic new charity called Bookbank. https://www.bookbanks.co.uk/, run by Emily, who is an expert in literature. We will be collecting adult and young adult books for the Bookbank and children's books and toys for the Toy Project in Archway The Toy Project - Homepage, to mark The Children's House Recycling Week.
Last year we were very proud of the way our school community rallied together, demonstrating the power of collective action. We are reaching out again, hoping to spark another wave of generosity, this time focusing on essential food items, books and toys.
Books, toys and food can be sent directly to the School office, who will then distribute them.
Many thanks in advance!
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PE and Games
Welcome to an exciting new half term in PE with new skills to learn, games and sports.
We kicked off this second half of the term, with an exhilarating fixture with Annemount School. Year 2 had a fantastic day participating in various races, showcasing their skills in football and dodgeball, and concluding with a spirited group game. It was an invaluable experience for all involved, fostering teamwork and sportsmanship.
Our youngest learners in the Nursery program are exploring a diverse range of equipment, from quoits to balls of different sizes, cones, and bean bags. The focus is on developing fundamental skills such as equipment swapping, cooperation, and team-based activities. The little ones are having a blast while laying the foundation for their future sporting endeavours.
In Reception class, our eager learners are delving into different ball skills. From controlling the ball to manoeuvring it around their bodies and the floor, the students are engaged in interactive games like "Tidy up the room" and "The Pirates." These activities not only promote physical activity but also enhance coordination and teamwork.
Moving up to Year 1, students are immersing themselves in the world of jumps and turns. Essential skills for building the groundwork for sports in the coming terms, they are learning skipping and various jumps combined with movement and hurdles. The focus is on creating a solid foundation for their physical development.
Year 2 students are currently exploring the world of gymnastics. From understanding shapes and jumps to emphasizing the importance of warming up, they are taking on the role of mini-teachers, sharing their newfound knowledge in group settings. At the end of each lesson the goal is to put together a gymnastics sequence incorporating the elements learned and perform it for the class in groups.
In Years 3 and Year 4, our students are immersing themselves in the realm of netball. Gaining proficiency in the vital elements of teamwork and collaboration, they are grasping the non-contact rule, time constraints with the ball, and the art of interception. The thrill of working together to move the ball forward and score is creating memorable experiences and a great sportsmanship atmosphere.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend ahead. Stay tuned for more thrilling updates!
Pablo
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Art Club
We are making personalised wind chimes. There are three elements involved with this project. A self-portrait, a scene of their choosing and threading of the chimes.
The needle threader proved to be a tricky tool to use. You can see how well they rose to the challenge.
The task was to thread 4 chimes. (1 string per chime). Mila mastered the art so well she went on to create a ten-chime necklace.
Year 1
We are now finished our two week study of British birds. Last week they did two sketches using only colour pencils. This week they chose the best one and created a final picture. There was also the opportunity to change the medium. Here are two creations of the Great Tit. I am very impressed with the outcome.
Ottilie
Mila
Year 2
Year 2 were split into three groups to create their final bird study masterpiece. A) Collage with tissue paper. B) Water soluble graphite crayons and C) soft pastels. It was their first introduction to these three mediums and they clearly enjoyed it.
Year 3.
Year 3 have done some lovely sketchbook studies and are looking forward to exploring different mediums for their final product.
Year 4
The planning and logistics for the Trojan horse are now complete. It has been scaled up and is ready to be cut out and constructed. In addition, they are also juggling the bird study project.
We are hoping to enter some of this bird art into an ISA competition.
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Hola a todos!
We are excited to start our new half term! Here's what we have been up to:
In Nursery, we're continuing to review numbers and colours through various activities. Additionally, we are learning about different parts of the body through fun songs.
In Reception, we have wrapped up our unit on transport and now the children are singing a song that includes all the modes of transport we have learned. They have also mastered short phrases related to transport, such as "the car is moving" and "the bus stops."
In Year 1, the children have finished learning about different places one might find in a town and can now create short sentences about each respective place.
In Year 2, the kids have started exploring the theme of family. They are learning how to say each family member in Spanish and how to differentiate between the articles used to describe feminine or masculine nouns, for example: "la abuela" (grandmother) and "el abuelo" (grandfather).
In Year 3, students are diving deeper into the world of vegetables, learning about different types and practising language skills required for purchasing specific quantities at a market stall.
And finally, in Year 4, students are continuing to learn more about the objects they use in class. They are learning to talk about what they do or do not have in their backpacks and are writing, constructing simple sentences.
We are thrilled to witness how our students are enjoying and learning Spanish in class!
Martha
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Tech for good.
Another two weeks filled with exciting learning opportunities have flown by in the IT classroom! Let's peek into the amazing progress our young minds have made:
Reception:
Our youngest tech explorers continue their journey on Chromebooks, focusing on developing essential maths skills alongside crucial e-safety practices. These engaging activities are equipping them with the tools they need to navigate the digital world both confidently and safely, laying the foundation for responsible digital citizenship.
Year 1:
Year 1 is diligently honing their typing skills, mastering the home row keyboard layout. Their journey continues soon with an exploration of engaging e-books, further enriching their digital literacy and fostering a love for reading.
Year 2:
Year 2 students are delving deeper into data analysis and presentation. They're exploring diverse ways to showcase the information they collect, learning about the limitations of pictograms when striving for more precise representation. This exploration equips them with valuable skills for effectively communicating data insights.
Year 3
After solidifying their understanding of e-safety and identifying potential online dangers through spoof websites, Year 3 has shifted its focus to creating informative pie charts and bar graphs. This allows them to visually represent data and develop critical thinking skills for interpreting information in various formats.
Year 4:
Year 4 embarked on a journey of responsible digital citizenship. They analysed their screen time, comparing it to other activities and exploring the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between digital and physical activity. This self-reflection fostered critical thinking about using free time effectively and recognising the importance of limiting screen time. Additionally, Year 4 learnt the essential steps to report any distressing or inappropriate online encounters, empowering them to use technology safely and responsibly.
Remember, technology remains a powerful tool for learning and exploration. We encourage you to continue engaging with your child's digital journey. Parental controls like Google Family Link, Apple ScreenTime, and Microsoft Family Safety can work alongside our classroom learning to ensure their online experience remains safe and enriching.
By working together, we can empower our children to become responsible and safe digital citizens, equipped to utilise technology for positive impact and lifelong learning.
Have a wonderful weekend!
David
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Year 4
It has been an exciting few weeks in Year 4!
In English and history, we have been learning about the Greek gods and goddesses and created beautiful portraits of them which now loom above us as we work! Each child also took on the persona of their god and wrote a persuasive text for the competition, ‘The God Factor!’.
The children have now moved on to learning about the Olympic Games and have designed advertisements, using persuasive language and catchy headlines.
In maths, we have been learning about measurement, shapes and more recently, fractions. The children have really risen to the challenge and have shown resilience and perseverance to complete more challenging work.
In science we have finished our sound topic, but not before completing our final investigation about hearing trumpets. The children wanted to know if the size of the cone would affect the volume of the sound being heard. They worked in groups to design and carry out a fair investigation and they presented their findings in their books. We look forward to our next topic: Electricity!
Lastly, the children had great fun creating entries for the ‘Funniest Potato’ competition! In PSHE we have been learning about achieving goals and working as a team and the children certainly achieved their goal of making me laugh!
Keep up your effort, Year 4! It is really paying off!
Sinead
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Year 3
Dear Parents,
I trust you all had a rejuvenating half-term break. It's been delightful to witness the children return with a renewed vigour for learning, brimming with enthusiasm.
During the past few weeks, the children have diligently worked on crafting diary entries, incorporating various literary devices such as reported speech, first-person narrative, and chronological recounting of events. Their empathy for the characters amidst the backdrop of Pompeii's tragedy has been palpable, and their descriptive abilities, particularly in depicting the more visceral aspects, have flourished.
In mathematics, our focus has been on tackling measurement problems, particularly exploring perimeter, and we are now immersing ourselves in the realm of fractions. It's heartening to see the students displaying resilience and a genuine appetite for challenging themselves.
Looking ahead, we're eagerly anticipating our upcoming excursion to the British Museum on March 11th, 2024, where our exploration of Roman life will continue. Meanwhile, in class, we've embarked on a study of the geographical features of England, drawing connections to the Roman invasion and the naming of counties. The children have not only learned to identify these counties but have also grasped the use of compass points to describe their positions relative to London. In the coming lessons, we'll be delving into counties distinguished by their hills and mountains, encouraging the children to conduct research on their unique features. Be prepared for some enticing holiday suggestions for Easter; the children might just convince you to explore these captivating counties.
In our science lessons, the children have been deepening their understanding of living organisms and ecosystems, particularly focusing on the impact of human activities on habitats and ways to mitigate this damage. If you haven't had the chance to see the remarkable human features projects completed by the children, you're in for a treat. Their projects were not only meticulously crafted but also showcased their creativity, and the students presented them with remarkable articulacy and confidence, gracefully accepting both constructive criticism and compliments.
It's truly a joy to witness the growth and enthusiasm of our students across various subjects. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Warm regards,
Kim
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Year 2
It’s been a busy and exciting time for Year 2 since we have returned from our half term break. We have all picked up where we left off and the classroom has been filled with the whizzing of brain cogs turning and the buzz from children working, collaborating and calculating.
I am writing this after our wonderful trip to the RAF museum. A huge thank you to Christine (Fynn’s mum) and Alexa (Oscar’s mum) for supporting and joining us on this trip. I think it’s fair to say that the children learnt so much about the history of aviation, the materials used to build aircraft and the different names of aircraft. It was also an honour for us to be able to see two aircraft that were flown by Camille’s great grandfather and Juniper’s great-great uncles who flew the Fairey Battle 1 and the 609 Squadron Spitfire (respectively) . We managed to track down both aircraft in the museum and one of the photos below is us all standing in front of the Fairey Battle 1. The museum organised a very informative workshop for us all about what materials were used and how aircraft has changed over the last 120 years.
We kicked off our first day back with a fixture against Annemount school. Watching the class head into competitive fixtures against another school was so amazing to see. The sense of unity and teamwork between the children was there (we still need to work on passing… but we will get there!). I was so pleased to see the sportsmanship from both sides and everyone should be proud of their attitude and performances.
Our focus on literacy has been using conjunctions to join sentences. We have used various texts and stimuli to write, and the children have all started to be conscious of how long our sentences are and when we need to use a conjunction or when we need to stop! We have all become more comfortable at re-reading our work for sense and making edits to our pieces. We have also started to create a document to describe transport from the past and present using Purple Mash. The children had to change the font and select photos for their piece alongside writing thoughtful sentences about different modes of transport.
We have been looking at the close relationship between multiplication and division in Numeracy. The children have been listening hard to find out about all the little tips and tricks we can use when calculating. In Science, we have been predicting, recording and evaluating how different materials change shape. The children twisted, squashed, stretched and bent a range of different objects to see which item could change the most.
One of my highlights last week was reading Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson, in our P4C lesson. The inspiring story moved us all and was the catalyst for some exceptional child-led mature discussions about the big ideas from the story. I was so impressed with how Year 2 discussed and shared their ideas of the story of this true hero.
Have a lovely weekend,
James
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Year 1
Year one has had a great start to the second half term of Spring. They have been working in new Literacy books, pushing themselves in Maths and enjoying their continued topic of houses and homes.
In Literacy, last week, the children wrote a poem using prepositions all about their homes and the surrounding areas. We had houses with parents in the attic working, neighbours laughing next door and a ‘hard working mum.’ Emily and I were both very impressed with the results. This week, we have begun looking at diary entries and the children wrote exciting entries about what happened over the weekend. We then explored the events of the Great Fire of London and the importance of Samuel Pepy’s diary, which the children will write their own versions of next week. To help with their diary writing, we have looked at how to show an emotion without saying the word (show, not tell) and described what people may have seen, heard, smelt, or felt during the great fire. The children’s handwriting has come on far and they are really enjoying learning about the Great Fire of London.
Last week, in Maths, the children looked at measuring length and height. They started off using non-standard units of measurement to measure the length of everyday objects in the rooms. Some children used cubes, pencils and some even used themselves to measure the carpet! They then went on to measure using centimetres and how to use a ruler correctly. This week the children have explored a varied range of topics including money and time. They have ordered coins in value and started to look at how to tell time to the hour and half past. It’s been good fun and they are all great mathematicians.
During Topic this week the children have looked at how houses have changed over time and the difference between houses from the Tudor era right through to the modern day. The children really impressed me with their ability to place houses in chronological order and their ability to remember all the differences- even picking them out in the first place!
On Friday, the children are going to the Tower of London to take part in a workshop about the Great Fire of London. I am sure they will have stories to tell so please ask them! Keep up the great work and positive attitude Year One!
Eliot
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Reception.
Last week Reception were discussing what it means to be brave. We explored the texts ‘Oona The Brave Little Mermaid,’ ‘Jill and the Dragon’ and ‘The Knight Who Wouldn’t Fight’. The children developed their questioning, theorising, and evaluating skills through Philosophy for Children by discussing what being brave truly means. The children used their phonics to write about a time they were brave. We explored the textures, colours, and patterns within the illustrations of ‘Oona The Brave Little Mermaid’ and created illustrations of the story, with chalk to create the background and recycled Christmas hats to create Oona’s tail. The children were so proud to be told that the author and illustrator of the story had seen their artwork on Instagram and commented on how wonderful it was!
We also looked at the story ‘Jill and the Dragon’, as the book is part of a series of collaborations with the Tate Modern, Reception looked closely at the illustrations and created their own dragons inspired by Lesley Barnes’ illustrations.
This week we have been learning about ‘Gender Swapped Fairytales’, we discussed some of the gender stereotypes often found within traditional tales and whether or not adapting characters' genders affected our enjoyment of the stories. It did not! Reception rewrote a story of their choosing and inverted the characters' genders. Next week the children will be becoming authors and to prepare for the task, the children created a plan for their story. We discussed their characters, setting and what challenges their characters will face.
In Maths we have been exploring grouping objects into groups of 10, 5 and 2 and then counting the groups to find their totals.
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Pre-Reception News
We have started the term by exploring toys, and throughout the week, the children learned that toys are more than just fun and games!
Turning into mini scientists to investigate how different types of toys work-pull along, wind up, friction, electronic and string puppets, has allowed the children to develop their motor, problem solving, creative thinking, numeracy and communication skills whilst having such delight on their faces.
They were encouraged to make comparisons and find similarities and differences, sort according to various attributes and record their findings by creating tally marks and writing numerals.
Our Philosophy for Children session presented the group with another big question this week ‘Do you need a toy to play?’. This sparked lots of careful thinking and the children enjoyed listening and sharing their ideas with each other. They are developing into such thoughtful thinkers.
Voting for the home corner’s next transformation has been eagerly anticipated by us all, with the Post Office being the most popular choice. The real-life experience of visiting a post office inspired the children to enthusiastically plan what would be needed, and it has been a joy to see them apply their phonic skills when immersing themselves in their social imaginative play. They have been busy writing post cards, labels, addresses on letters and parcels, before delivering them to excited friends. It’s wonderful to see some of the children confidently attempting to spell more complex words, even writing captions and sentences independently!
This week our circle time discussions have centred around kindness and being empathetic. By listening to stories, playing ‘kindness captains’ and creating their own posters, the children had the opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a good friend and use words to negotiate when solving problems during play.
Here are some of children’s thoughts on kindness:
Rollo: “Being kind is when I give a present to Dahlia because I love her.”
Iris: “Kindness is when I help my mummy.”
Eliza: “Holding hands and looking after my baby brother is kind.”
Ivy: “Sharing and playing together is kind.”
Mihaela and Jess
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The Downstairs Team
The children have been learning about the world of animals and why it's so important to take care of them because they can't tell us what they need. Over the past couple of weeks, they've been focussed on Jungle and Savanna creatures, figuring out what homes and care they need to live happy lives. They even looked at maps and photographs to see where these animals live around the world. Leo correctly noted that the Jungle gets really hot and has lots of rain.
We've been reading lots of different books about these animals, both fiction and non-fiction. From thrilling adventures to fascinating facts, the children have really enjoyed this topic. We've also had fun making animal crafts, like collages and paper plate snakes, to practice our cutting skills. The children had a great time using torches in the dark to look at animal books. It was great to see them identify common animals they see at the zoo and which animals they don’t, they particularly loved to join in with appropriate noises and movements while listening to songs.
During roleplay with her friends, Caoimhe pretended to be an elephant, showing how much she's learned about them. She told them all ‘Here I come, I’m stomping like an elephant’.
The Nursery Team
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