Dear Parents and Carers,

what an exciting beginning to our new term! In our EYFS classrooms Jack could be found climbing up the bean-stalk into the roof! In KS1 a nest of dinosaur eggs was discovered! Our KS2 classrooms were full of robots and space buggies!

Our first whole school Worship for the new year helped us to think about 2024 being an unknown adventure! We used the image of a road to discuss adventures and journeys. The following passage written by the prophet Isaiah helped us to reflect on new adventures moving from the past to look towards the future. Isaiah 43:18-19

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Each class was given a kindness calendar for the month of January with a different act of kindness for each day.

Thank you to Carlee and Michael for helping to write our Prayer for January. I have attached the prayer for you to share at home if you wish.

We ended our week with a whole school Worship centred on the feast of the Epiphany. Molly and Lilli M (two of our house captains) led this Worship. They told us about the 3 kings visiting the baby Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem. We learnt that in some countries people put out drinks for the wise men and straw in shoes for their camels.

FRIDAYS IN THE FOREST- WELLBEING

Following the work that we carried out in the Autumn term around the Five Ways to Wellbeing. We have further developed this so that our Fridays in the Forest have the Five Ways to Wellbeing as the focus. The Forest School curriculum has been planned to incorporate;

1- Connect

2 – Be Active

3 – Keep Learning

4 – Give

5 – Take Notice

Portchester Class were the first class to enjoy this new approach and they had a fabulous time, particularly eating the nachos that they had prepared and cooked on the camp fire.

MULTIPLY – MATHS SUPPORT FOR PARENTS

I have attached a flyer for a free coaching programme for parents of children in KS1-3. This will help you to become more confident to help your children with their maths and understand how maths is taught in schools now. I hope this is helpful for you.

Have a lovely weekend.

Take care

Kim Huggett