Mrs Holcroft's Daily Blog...

Wednesday 20th July 2016

A very emotional day, all round! Today we said goodbye and good luck to our wonderful Year 6 children who have been amazing ambassadors for our school in every single way. I wish them all a bright and happy future! Below are a few extra photographs of them as 'tots', kindly donated by Mr Painter (if you look carefully you may also see some of our current Year 5's!) I would also like to say a huge thank you to our parents and the families who have sent in so many lovely messages, of thanks, in to school over the last few days, they mean a lot!

Advanced warning... We will be updating our website during the summer, hopefully this will go smoothly!

Hope you all have a restful summer and I will see 'most' of you on 5th September 2016 ready for yet another exciting year at GV!

Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th July 2016

Y2 have had an amazing time at Beeston Outdoor Education Center! Over the last two days they have enjoyed den building, campfire, the farm and the ice cream factory. This afternoon, as they enjoyed a lovely cold ice cream, in this beautiful weather the children met Paul Crone's, the Granada Reports presenter, who was running a news report about the lovely hot weather. Our children will feature in this evenings news at 6pm!

Tuesday 12th July 2016

Today we had our Masterchef competition.  We have been looking at how we can further improve lunch times and our lunchtime menu in school.  We have been liaising with  Andrew Ferguson, who is over the school kitchens and a chef from our Local Authority. Andrew has kindly been into school and met with parents to discuss school lunches and answer any questions parents might have. Following this meeting our Grange Valley Masterchef competition came about. A group of parents were given food standard and nutritional information in relation to what can and can't be used in their cooking and then were asked to come up with a recipe to enter the competition.

Yesterday parents came into our school kitchen and prepared their dishes under the watchful eye of Masterchef Andrew!  

At 3pm the dishes were prepared, cooked and ready for our celebrity judging panel to taste!   The panel consisted of Mrs Threlkeld, myself and members of our School Council.  Before the judges came into the kitchen the contestants had to leave to enable the meals to be judged anonymously . The meals were tasted and each judge gave a score out of 5.  

I was so proud of our celebrity judges for their  comments and feedback. They not only thought about their own tastes but that of the whole school.  Adam said, "I like the different combinations and I can see how other children in school would enjoy this meal, however it's just not to my personal taste because I just don't like spicy food!"

It was a very close competition and children liked elements of all the meals presented to them. They really enjoyed the chicken legs!  The overall winner was the Greek inspired, minted lamb burgers in a pocket of pitta bread with hummus. Some of the children had not tasted hummus before and they absolutely loved it!  

Andrew now has the job of including this recipe on our school dinner menu for all the children to enjoy.

Thank you to all parents involved and Andrew for supporting us.  

Monday 11th July 2016

Thank you to Year 4 children today for their Brass Performance, it was amazing.  Well done to you all!  Thank you also to all Parents for your support, we hope you enjoyed the performance as much as we did.

Friday 8th July 2016

Today children had their last School Council Meeting of the year.  They reviewed and discussed all what they have achieved this year.  They then opened the class suggestion boxes and looked at children's views across school and made a note of these in preparation for next year's council.

Children all then received a certificate and a little treat to say thank you for all their  hard work and commitment throughout the year

We have also had The Prince's Trust Fun Day.  Students from the trust came into school to say thank you for all our support and worked with groups of children across school. The children had great fun! 

Thursday 7th July.

Today has been the school discos, everyone has had so much fun!

It looks like Year 6 have had another great day at PGL!  I am so proud of the children, we have had such good feedback from the staff there in relation to how amazing the children have been, such a lovely group of children with impeccable manners. Well done Y6.  

Wednesday 29th June 2016

Parents joined us for our weekly 'Welcome Wednesday' this morning and the our tots enjoyed 'Twisting Tots' in the hall.

Children have enjoyed another transition afternoon. The children I spoke to today are really looking forward to September! Reception children enjoyed writing about themselves with Mrs Dolman, while our Nursery children visited Reception with their parents.

Tuesday 28th June 2016

Well done to our cricket team today who came second in their group. The children would have probably got through to the quarter finals if the weather  had held out. Unfortunately the games were rained off.  Well done children!

Monday 27th June 2016

Well done to all the children in assembly this morning who brought in awards that they had received outside of school, I think we had a record today of ten children! 

Friday 24th June 2016

We have had to cancel Sport's Day today, unfortunately,  due to the condition of the field. Due to the heavy rain overnight and the forecast for today, the field is unfit to use on health and safety grounds. 

Today in assembly we talked about what had happened overnight in relation the EU referendum. Y5 were so interested in this topic that  when  they got back to class they decided that they would have their own debate giving their views on whether Britain should leave or remain in the European Union and have their own referendum. From what I heard I think there will definitely be some future politicians in this class!

Thursday 23rd June 2016

We are all hoping for dry weather tomorrow as the children have practiced hard for sports day! Unfortunately, if we have rain during the night or early morning we will have to cancel and try to re-arrange.

Wednesday 22nd June 2016

Today has been incredibly busy! this morning our Governors joined us in a whole school learning walk focusing on assessment and learning in the classroom. Governors were very impressed with the high standards in all areas and will report this to parents in there end of year report which is due out soon.

This afternoon the Local Authority moderated our Year 2 results and books which again was a very positive experience and confirmed our excellent judgments and high standards.

Tuesday 21st June 2016

Today we have had a visit from the Mayor of St. Helens to help us celebrate the work of the Princes Trust group that developed a lovely sensory garden for our children. It was a lovely morning! (more photographs to follow)

Monday 20th June 2016

No wonder I woke up at 4:30 this morning, as today is the summer solstice, which means that it is the longest day of the year and there will be approximately 17 hours of light. This morning the sun rose at 4:45am and sunset will happen at 10:34pm.

The name 'solstice' comes from the Latin solstitium meaning “sun stands still”. It happens because the sun stops heading north at the Tropic of Cancer and then returns back southwards. In the northern hemisphere this means the days begin to get shorter.

But 2016 is a special year, because the solstice coincides with the Strawberry Moon, a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. 

What is the Strawberry Moon?

It is a full moon, which occurs in June, named by early Native American tribes. It is a full moon like any other, but marks the beginning of the strawberry season. The two events coincide once every 70 years. 

Coincidentally, Aiden and Ewan picked our first strawberries today and they were delicious!!  

Friday 17th June 2016

We had a longer than usual Celebration Assembly today as we gave out awards and prizes for last week's competitions for the Queen's celebrations. Well done to Chelsea, Zilan, Summer, (who wasn't in today!) and Megan. Well done to all our other superstars who have won awards today, see class blogs for this information. Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Thursday 16th June 2016

EURO 2016 - Children who wanted to watch the England game this afternoon really enjoyed watching them beat  Wales.

Wednesday 15th June 2016

Our children's art work, based on he Queen's 90th birthday, is on display at Christ Church!

Tuesday 14th June 2016

The children and staff arrived safely yesterday, and enjoyed some activities during the day, climbing seemed to be a favourite! How brave they all are! 

The children were excited to see where they were going to sleep! It looks great!

We have heard this morning that the children had a good night and were up early and in for breakfast at 7.20am!  There looks like there's some tired faces there this morning!!

They have two more activities today and then they will be leaving to head back to school.  We are expecting them back just in time for home time.

Monday 13th June 2016

Year 5 were so excited this morning for their trip away.  All ready for the coach to arrive!

All aboard!  Have a great time Year 5!

 Friday 10th June 2016

What a fantastic day it has been!! 

Thursday 9th June 2016

We are all praying for dry weather tomorrow so that we can celebrate the Queen's birthday in style!

Wednesday 8th June 2016

Welcome back! It was so lovely to see all our children and families safely returning to school after a very sunny half term holiday. It has been a busy first day back, first thing this morning Andrew Ferguson, the Chef in charge of school catering for the Local Authority, met with several of our parents regarding a 'Master Chef' competition, were the winner will have their meal appearing on the school menu. More information will follow if any other parents want to take part.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Today we have also had a very important visitor, Mr Mike Wyatt, Strategic Director for People's Services in St Helen's. Mr Wyatt has been visiting all school in the local authority as part of his new role. Mr Wyatt was impressed with how calm and lovely our school was and described it as a little 'oasis'. I was so proud to show off our children and school. The children were incredibly impressed when I told them that Mr Wyatt was 'the big boss of everything in St Helen's'  Cameron in Year 3 asked him if he knew the Mayor!

..........................................................................HALF TERM BREAK................................................................................

Friday 27th May 2016

A huge thank you to the college students associated with the Prince's Trust, they have done an amazing job with out sensory garden! all we need now is for the squirrels to keep away. Could I please ask parents to remind children, when coming in to school and leaving at night, to not let children walk along the newly planted beds and tyres, Thank you!

Have a great week (and two days) off, see you all on Wednesday 8th June!

Nursery have had their last balance bike session today and will be getting certificates! Well done children!

Thursday 26th May 2016

The reptile man (Rowan's dad, Dylan) came in to assembly to tell the children all about animals from around the world. We all had a great time learning about all the reptiles, finding out what they like to eat, how they grow and develop, their habitats and lots more!  The children had so many questions to ask, but the best bit was when they got to hold them!  

Wednesday 25th May 2016

Today we had a visit from three teachers and leaders from a school in Knowsley. They came to see how clever our children are at maths and learn all about our Singapore approach. It was an amazing morning reflecting on the outstanding practice that happens in our school!

At the end of the day I received a lovely letter from Summer! Thank you Summer for making me smile!

Tuesday 24th May 2016

I am so glad  the sun is shining today, so that our group of college student from the Prince's Trust can continue developing our garden area. Small group of our children will be joining them for some planting fun!

Monday 23rd May 2016

A huge well done to all our dancers who took part in the annual show at the Theatre Royal last night, What an amazing show it was!

Friday 20th May 2016

I am so proud of Year 2 this week, they have all tried really hard with their end of  Key Stage 1  Assessments. They were so excited today when they realised that the ice -cream van had come to school just for them, to say a big well done! Some of the children were invited to make their own ice- cream!  

Thursday 19th May 2016

This week Nursery have been doing 'Balance-ability' in the hall. It has been lovely to watch how confident some of them have become on their bikes they have made amazing progress!

Wednesday 18th May 2016

Today has been another busy day in school!  Our 'Twisting Tots' group is growing week by week and the children are getting more confident as the weeks go on.  Also we had 'Tempting Tots' during our 'Welcome Wednesday' group, we invited the Healthy Living Team into the group to talk to our parents and share samples of healthy snacks with the children. 

Tuesday 17th May 2016

Work has continued on our allotment today, all the fences have been sanded down and all the weeds along the back fence have been cleared. We have even started doing some planting!

Monday 16th May 2016

You have probably noticed that work has begun in our allotment area today.  For the next two weeks a group of people from the Prince' Trust will be working with groups of children developing this area. Today they have been cleaning up the area and they have started to sand the wooden planters in preparation for painting.  Click on the images below.

Friday 13th May 2016

It has been a beautiful sunny day today and the atmosphere around school has been fantastic!  Especially in Year 6, as they were celebrating finishing their assessments with an ice -cream, a game of football and a game of cricket with Mrs Threlkeld, myself and all their teachers!   (photographs to follow!)     

Thursday 12th May 2016

It's a busy day ahead for our Year 6 children; today they will be sitting the last maths paper. So far, the children have approached the tests with fantastic attitudes and, at the end of the day, whatever level they get we will be very proud of them!

Wednesday 11th May 2016

Year 6 will tackle their first Maths SATs paper today, they have worked really hard to prepare for this and I'm sure they will show everyone how fabulous they all are! 

Tuesday 10th May 2016

Today, our Year 6 completed their Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GAPS) test in style!

Over the last two day we have had members of our Governing Body in so they can see how we organise and  run the test week. Last night, Mr Rouch (Chair of Governors) emailed me the following...

Dear Mrs Holcroft

I wanted to drop you a quick note in respect of thanks in allowing me to review the SATs process earlier today.  I learnt an awful lot about the process and the rigorous way in which this was enforced within the school.

My observations from this morning are :-

• A very calm and reassuring environment 
• Delegation of responsibilities to various members of the team.
• Children clearly briefed to ensure that they knew where to go and what to expect.
• A very thorough approach to opening the papers and checking them.  Both documents and opened boxes were signed by all in attendance.
• Information regarding the DFE number and start and end times were clear for all to see.
• Clear collaboration between the rest of the school and Y6 giving every Y6 child the opportunity to succeed.
• Thorough checking of the register and following the protocol before the papers were put in sealed envelopes for return.
• Rooms layed out in a structured way.

In summary a well thought through process that was executed by the teaching team who clearly knew their role and ensuring that the children were in environment that gave them every opportunity to succeed.

I wish Y6 the very best of luck for the rest of their SATS this year.

Regards

Mr Rouch

Monday 9th May 2016

I am so proud of our Year 6 children! Today they sat their first Reading SATs test and gave it all they had!! They were calm, sensible and worked really well.   

Tomorrow it is Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation so make sure you all get an early night, Year 6, ready to show us all how clever you all are, again!

Friday 6th May

Today has been Art Day for most classes  in school, some classes have this planned for next week. The children have really enjoyed learning some therapeutic art techniques and learning about the different artists.  Can you guess the artists from the photos?

Thursday 5th May

Thank you to all parents who completed feedback forms at our  Parent's Evening.  We were really overwhelmed with all the positive feedback received. See details below.  

Issues and actions outlines below.

Wednesday 4th May 2016

It's so lovely to see the increasing number of parents attending our 'Welcome Wednesday' sessions now.  The toddlers are really enjoying Mrs Pender's 'Twisting Tots' sessions in the hall, before parents have a well deserved cup of tea and piece of toast back in the sunshine room!  Don't forget all our Parents and Grandparents are welcome to join us with or without toddlers! 

Tuesday 3rd May 2016

I hope you all had a good bank holiday weekend! I can't believe we are in May already!  School council have spoken to their classes and had a meeting today to feedback children's ideas for this years PTFA Sponsored Event.  The children have decided to go with an idea of Baking for the Queen, as part of our Queen's project later this term. It sounds like a great idea, I can't wait!

Thursday 28th April

I enjoyed looking at some Year 1 work today, they were talking about Aliens!  They produced some fantastic writing, using adjectives to describe their Aliens. 

Wednesday 27th April

I have really enjoyed chatting to the children, at lunch time today, on the playground.  The sun was shining and the games were out! 

Tuesday 26th April 2016

Our keen group of gardeners have been dodging the rain and cold weather to tender their garden and plant some new plants. 

Monday 25th April 2016

During this mornings assembly we watched the second series of  the 'Big Ideas' Dojo video. In this episode (1), “Katie Discovers the Dip,” Katie learns about a common challenge that faces everyone when learning a new skill.

You can watch the link below and ask your child the following questions tonight.

1. What is "the dip"?
2. Discuss an example of a time you've felt the dip (student share, parent share.) How did it feel?
3. How does what we've learned about growth mindset help us get out of the dip?

Friday 22nd April 2016

We had lots to celebrate during our assembly this morning, our bronze, silver and gold awards were given to children who were very reflective about how they make other feel. The attendance award went to Year 4 and I have challenged all classes to achieve 100% next week! Have a lovely weekend see you all on Monday morning. 

Thursday 21st April 2016

Daniel couldn't wait to show me his amazing portrait of the Queen!

Happy 90th Birthday to  Queen Elizabeth II. Today the Queen will celebrate her birthday with her family at Windsor. Lots of public events are planned to take place in April, May and June. In school we will be doing lots of classroom activities about the queen and we are planning a final celebration that will end with a huge street party in June. More information will follow!

Wednesday 20th April 2016

Our new starters in Nursery have settled in really well, well done children!

Tuesday 19th April 2016

Today during assembly we launched our very own 'Children’s University' which aims to encourage our children to access learning beyond the normal school day and to be recognised for their commitment to enhancing their own learning.

The Children's University aims to promote social mobility by providing high quality, exciting and innovative learning activities and experiences outside normal school hours to children aged 5 to 14 and engaging the wider communities as learning partners in the realisation of this. At the heart of its work is the ambition to raise aspirations, boost achievement and foster a love of learning, so that young people can make the most of their abilities and interests, regardless of the background into which they were born.

Children will bring a letter home about this tonight!

This morning our Junior Road Safety Officers have been out  checking the roads are safe for our children and families who walk to school.

Monday 18th April 2016 (SUMMER TERM 2016)

Welcome back, It was lovely to see everyone at the gate this morning, even though it was a little chilly! Below I have attached the new dinner menu for the summer term. The three weekly menu will start on the 9th May and we will soon be installing a system that allows the children to choose their dinner every morning as they enter class.

END OF SPRING TERM 2016

Friday 1st April 2016

This afternoon children will receive certificates for 100% attendance. The amount of children who receive certificates is growing, which is amazing! In my humble opinion children who attend school and don't miss any learning opportunities achieve great things. Our whole school attendance figure to date is 96.42%, this is above our 95% target but I would love to get it higher! Our children at Grange Valley love school, I see this every morning when I'm on the gate, children skip happily along and openly saying "I can't wait to get into school!".

Have a great Spring Break, see you all on the 18th April, bright and early! x

Thursday 31st March 2016

Yesterday morning we had lots of parents and tots joining in with Welcome Wednesday and Tumbling Tots. The atmosphere was amazing! The Community Police Officers, Elaine and Natalie also joined in!  

Wednesday 30th March 2016

Nursery have had so much fun paining flowers!

Tuesday 29th March 2016

Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a lovely break over Easter and didn't eat too much chocolate! 

Thursday 24th March 2016

Well done to Olivia's Nan from Reception who won 'Guess the number of Eggs' and to Ellen in Y6 who won 'Name the Bunny' Easter photos below,  enjoy the Easter Break see you all on Tuesday 28th

.Wednesday 23rd March 2016

Thank you to  everyone who came to the Easter Bingo tonight, photos to follow!  We will let you know how much we raised as soon as we have counted up!

Tuesday 22nd March 2016

First Aid fun! Year 4 had a wonderful time learning how to respond in an emergency situation.

Monday 21st March 2016

During Magical Maths club this week the children had some mind boggling puzzles and super fun games. The games and maths problems were so tricky that children were asking "is this even possible?!

Friday 18th March 2016

I can't believe it is the end of yet another busy and exciting week at Grange Valley, next week is looking even busier! Next week we have First Aid training across the whole school, orienteering training for staff, progress meetings, Easter bingo and an assembly, all in 4 days! Have a lovely weekend everyone! 

Year 6 Easter church visit! All classes have loved visiting the church. 

Thursday 17th March 2016

Thank you to all the parents who have attended parents meetings this week, we have had some incredible feedback about how happy your children are in school and how much progress they are making! We really appreciate your support! 

Wednesday 16th March 2016

The book fair has been a huge success, the children love the range of book this year! If you haven't had the opportunity to visit it yet don't worry I will be open during parents evening tomorrow!  

Tuesday 15th March 2016

Last night during maths club everything was sports related the children took maths adventures to a whole new level! The 'Olympic Mathletes' came dressed in their sports gear to complete lots of maths work-outs! The childrens favourite activity was the parachute number games.

Monday 14th March 2016

During assembly today we watched the last episode of our 'Dojo, Growth Mindset' videos. In Episode 5, “Little by Little,” Mojo and Katie embark on their greatest challenge yet - but still face a setback. You can watch it from the link below, and ask your child these questions.

1. Sometimes when we are working on a challenging task, we may think, "just try harder." Is there a way to change this phrase?
2. What are some strategies we can use when facing a big challenge, so that we don't burn out?
3. Brainstorm phrases we can use to keep us going when facing a challenge (e.g., "Nice effort trying to solving that math problem!")

Friday 11th March 2016

Today in Year 1 the children were really busy enjoying their work, concentrating on the task in hand! So much so that  they didn't even notice I had walked through they were so engrossed in their learning!

It's Parents Evening  next week, you should have all have received times back now from teachers.  If you haven't yet made an appointment please see your child's class teacher to arrange one. Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Thursday 10th March 2016

Thank you to Mr Murphy from Haydock High School  who came to do assembly today, he talked to the children about resilience and working hard.

Wednesday 9th March 2016

Thank you to our Parent Group at the Wednesday Welcome session for making items to sell at our Easter Sale, we really appreciate this. Please support our Easter Sale and Bingo see flyers below.

Tuesday  8th March 2016

Tonight the children enjoyed learning about Pointillism at Art and Design Club with Miss Daniels. 

Monday 7th March 2016

During maths club there was mind-reading, fun & games from a certain wizard called Potter, and a 'Maths Cauldron' game this week was another cracking week of magical maths, in fact, this week was PARTICULARLY magical, as the children had a guest appearance from our very own Mathemagician. He had an amazing time with the children, and taught them some really exciting stuff!

Friday 4th March 2016

Thank you to everyone who has supported World Book Day with us today, the children looked absolutely amazing.  We started the day with a celebration of books in assembly, followed by lots of exciting lessons linked to literature. 

Don't forget to get your free book, available from Tesco! Have a look at the link below for more information.

http://www.worldbookday.com/books/

 Thursday 3rd March 2016

More adventures from Year 4, who are having the most wonderful time!

Wednesday 2nd March 2016

Fun and games! 

We have a very excited Year 4 class on their way to Winmarleigh Hall! The children have left school for two days of action packed fun, I will try and blog as much of their adventure as possible. This afternoon will start with raft building!

Tuesday 1st March 2016

This afternoon years 4, 5 and 6 have left school for an amazing adventure, they are on their way to Manchester MEN arena to join in with thousands of other schools at the Young Voices concert. I will try and post some photographs later. Enjoy everyone!!

During assembly today we watched our forth Dojo video “The World of Neurons,”. In the video Mojo and Katie learn that challenging things help their brains grow stronger. You could watch the video at home and ask your child the following questions.

1. What part of the brain did you learn about today?

2. What did you do today to make connections between your neurons?

3. What is one big challenge you've faced that has helped grow your brain?

4. What’s a new challenge you want to tackle now?

After watching the video I introduced our 'Dojo Warriors', children who I will choose every Monday during assembly. Chosen children will have the power to give out special Dojo points for 'Growth mindset'. Dojo warriors have a special badge to help them!

Monday 29th February 2016

Today, February 29 is a date that only occurs every four years, and is called a leap day. This day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the Earth does not orbit the sun in precisely 365 days.

Friday 26th February 2016

Happy Friday! Nursery are having great fun in the hall with the parachute!

Thursday 25th February 2016

I've just watched a great lesson in Year 5! The children are writing newspaper reports about a 'Mummy' that is on the loose in the local area. The @mummy' should be on display in a museum and has shocked us all!! When Year 5 have finished their writing I will post some on my blog, so that you can see how amazing they are.

Wednesday 24th February 2016

A great 'Twisting Tots' session!

Tuesday 23rd February 2016

Yesterday, Professor Poopenshtinken travelled 25 hours straight out of Eastern Europe when he spotted our school in the area beside the road looming with a powerful presence in the cool air. He saw young pupils, not very old, ten or eleven at most, rushing around with a look of excitement. It was clear they were here for Magical Maths...

The Professor steered himself toward the school, and down to the room where many energetic youngsters were already waiting. Week one of Magical Maths had begun, and here is the story of how it panned out... In Key Stage 1 The children investigated the following number games - Biggest Body Number and Shape Bingo! Whilst in KS2 each child that started with the Professor was given the genius training booklet. All children had so much fun working with maths and can't wait for next week!

Monday 22nd February 2016

Welcome back! This morning during assembly we talked about the last two 'Dojo' videos we watched before the half term, then we watched the third in the mindfulness series which was all about the power of YET. We thought about  asking others for help!! You could use the video (below) at home and ask the children the following questions...

1. Name a time you were afraid to ask for help. Why were you afraid?

2. How can you improve the phrase "I can't do this?”

3. Think of a time where you just didn't get “it.” What could you do in that situation?

Friday 12th February 2016

Have a wonderful half term break everyone!

Thursday 11th February 2016

All children have had a great time in the valentine discos and even managed to show the staff a move or two! 

Wednesday 10th February 2016

Today I have been so proud of all the children and staff.  We have had a visit from Mark Cotton who is our Singapore Maths Trainer/Advisor. Mark met with teachers and looked at the children's maths journals.  As well as this he took part in some team teaching with staff and observing maths practice across school. Mark was very impressed at how, as a school, we have embraced this approach to teaching maths in order to challenge all children and develop those higher order thinking skills. When looking at KS2 maths journals Mark said, 'Your Journals are the most thorough I have seen.'   When he looked at KS1 journals he said 'The meticulous attention to detail in these journals is breath taking!'  Well done everyone!

Tuesday 9th February 2016

All classes have talked about being safe online today, including Reception who enjoyed writing kind words all over Mr Threlkeld, while I wrote lovely things on year 3's t-shirts!

For more information about how to keep your child safe visit http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2016

Monday 8th February 2016

Don't forget your T-shirts tomorrow for Safer Internet Day! 

Friday 5th February 2016

Today Year 5 have really enjoyed themselves when they visited Haydock High School to learn about Science.  They have been developing their skills, working scientifically.  While back at school, Year 6 spent the afternoon break dancing!  Thank you to the staff and children at Haydock High for their support today and also to Tom and Phil from U C Crew for sharing their break dancing moves, the children really enjoyed learning how to dance the 'snake!' Have a look at the photographs below!  You can see what else  U C Crew have to offer, have a look at the website www.uccrew.co.uk for more information and for details about classes in the area.

Thursday 4th February 2016

Harry Potter bedtime reading fun!

Wednesday 3rd February 2016

It has been such a busy day! This afternoon we have had our Reception parents in to take part in 'Messy Maths', Mrs Threlkeld has enjoyed our forth 'Chatterbook Club' with Y3 boys and a small group of children loved starting our 'Clean for the Queen'  by visiting Scott at 'Cory Environmental'. Our children teamed up with a small group of Haydock High pupils and had great fun building hedgehog homes, tidying the woods and discovering the pond life. 

Tuesday 2nd February 2016

In classes, this week the children will be watching Episode 2 of our Dojo videos, “The Magic of Mistakes”. In the video Mojo learns an important lesson from Katie about what mistakes really do for the brain. After watching the video the children will be discussing the following questions...

1. What does the quote from the video, "mistakes can make you smarter" mean to you?
2. How can we learn from our mistakes?
3. If you were building a robot and kept "failing,” what would you do?

The children will also bring home a few “take-home” questions for parents, please watch the video and reinforce the concept at home! 

Monday 1st February 2016

Today we have had a visit from Steve Hartley author of the Danny Baker Record Breaker books. Steve was fantastic with the children and really inspired them to write and read. You can find out more about Steve and his brilliant books from his website http://www.stevehartley.net/.

Friday 29th January 2016

In Nursery today there were lots of exciting things happening!  I was really impressed at how children were taking turns and using their manners and take a look at some of the writing!

Thursday 28th January 2016

I walked around school today and saw some fantastic reading taking place! Next week is National Storytelling Week and we will be celebrating this in school with a visit from an author Steve Hartley. We are also having bedtime stories later in the week with Harry Potter! Check class blogs and the newsletter for more details.

Wednesday 27th January 2016

Today is National Breakfast Week!  Today in assembly we discussed the importance of having breakfast. Have a look at the presentation below. For more information visit http://www.shakeupyourwakeup.com/breakfast-week

Tuesday 26th January 2016

Unfortunately, we seem to have quite a lot of absences due to stomach bugs and high temperatures. When your child is unwell, it can be hard deciding whether to keep them off school. These simple guidelines from the NHS should help. The following link will also take you to the NHS page with lots more advice  http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Yourchildatschool/Pages/Illness.aspx.

Monday 25th January 2016

During assembly we watch a 'Dojo' video about the brain and how it strengthens and grows the more you use it. We talked about finding challenges difficult and how if we try and believe that we can do things, eventually we will! You could use the video (below) at home and ask the children the following questions...

What was the biggest challenge you faced today? (Ask your child, and then have them ask the question back!)

How can you and I think about these challenges in a new way?

What can we do differently tomorrow if we face similar challenges?

Friday 22nd January 2016

I can't believe that it is the end of yet another fun filled week at Grange Valley. The highlight of my week was watching the excitement on the faces of our Reception children when they came to tell me about the dinosaur invasion. The children produced amazing newspaper reports and loved showing every adult in school!  The next few weeks will be just as busy and exciting as we have plans for a Harry Potter reading night, Discos and Singapore maths workshops for parents. Letters for all activities will be sent home with children. Have a great weekend, see you all bright and early on Monday!

Thursday 21st January 2016

Dinosaurs have invaded...

Wednesday 20th January 2016

Fantastic learners! Keiron has learnt his 6 times tables while Paddy and Jessica have independently written some amazing facts about jumping spiders. Reception have built a dinosaur land together, with a very explosive volcano. Well done children I am so proud of you all!

Tuesday 19th January 2016

Our whole school display on values is coming along nicely! Each class were challenged to create a face that would epitomize both British and our school values. Their creations are amazing... In nursery the children talked about themselves, their interests and what made them special. In reception they looked at friendships and designed a face that represented them all. In year 1 the children enjoyed creating a Royal Guard to protect us and talked about 'right from wrong'. Year 2 designed and made Pinocchio to show that being honest and trust worthy is important. Year 3 discussed different national symbols and chose a lion to celebrate our talented school and country. In year 4 the children made a brave dragon and discussed 'having a go' and how as a country or as individual people we can be brave in uncertain times! Year 5 made their face into Tim Peakes who has inspired us all with his journey into space, they spoke about the importance of individual liberty. Year 6 chose our Queen and spoke about how important she was to the country. Last but not least Breakfast and After-school club designed a fantastic Police officer who represents law, order and democracy in both school and Britain. We love our 'Face Values' and hope you do to! 

Monday 18th January 2016

Due to issues with the electricity supply in the Haydock area, over the weekend, we now have a huge and very noisy generator in the car park and no electricity in Nursery (from 9:30). My apologies to those Nursery parents who we had to let down, this afternoon, due to us closing the Nursery. We are now back to some kind of normality with heat and sockets working so will be opening as usual tomorrow.

I am very proud of our school's report in the Liverpool Echo Real School Guide, this year. It reflects all the hard work by staff, children and parents. As always we are not perfect and there is always a little room for improvement! Our overall attendance figures are excellent but last year the requests for holidays, which are now classed as unauthorized absences had a big impact, as you can see below (2 stars). This year we have started really well please think twice before taking children out of school for holidays and routine appointments. Make every day count!

If you would like to see more of the report or compare us to other schools follow this link...http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/local-news/grange-valley-primary-school-6486281 

Friday 15th January 2016

I had a lovely start to the day when I bumped into Eleanor, who was engrossed in a book, as she walked into school! 

The Nursery children were so excited to show me that the toys had frozen during the night.  When I asked them what they were going to do with the toys they came up with some  great ideas, such as put them in hot water or sprinkle grit on them, like we do on the car park. 

When I visited all classes this morning I was so proud of our school, all children were on task and enjoying learning. 

                                     Nursery were dancing in the hall.                                              Reception were busy writing with Miss Daniels.

     Year 1 were completing their report on the walk they went on.                                 Year 2 were working hard on their Singapore maths.

                        Year 3 were completing their maths challenges.                                                   Year 4 were enjoying a creative writing session.

Year 5 were telling funny stories... I could hear the laughter from outside the classroom!                    Year 6 were making maths revision posters.

Well done to everyone including my fantastic teachers!  I can imagine teachers found it very difficult to choose their award winners for this week!

Thursday 14th January 2016

Today we had the Haydock Headteachers walk around school and observe classes in Singapore Maths. The children were a credit to us, so well behaved and engrossed in their learning, well done children! 

Wednesday 13th January 2016

'Chatterbooks' our boy's after school reading club started tonight with Miss Kelly and Mrs Threlkeld. The theme this week was action adventure and  it seemed like the children were having great fun!

Tuesday 12th January 2016

The weather is definitely turning and snow is forecast for Thursday. Today the children have spent the majority of lunch time inside away from the rain. Please ensure you  send your child in with the appropriate winter clothing and footwear as we will try and make sure they manage to get some fresh air when possible. Our children love being outside!

Monday 11th January 2016

During assembly the children were asked to look at themselves, as if they were looking into a mirror but with a difference, and tell each other what they saw... not physically but from within. What type of person are they and what word would other use to describe them? We had some fantastic answers such as... kind, gentle, competitive, helpful and hard working. The children also enjoyed listening to 'The Man in the Mirror' by Michael Jackson. 

Friday 8th January 2016

WOW, we have 3 classes with 100% attendance this week, Well done children! Please take a look at our attendance page you will find on the drop drown menu that appears via HOME tab above.

Thank you to the children in Reception, who have had a Dinosaur theme this week , for adding their models to our Library, they look amazing!

Thursday 7th January 2016

Mrs Lyon's book club began again today. The children had so much fun reading to each other in the library!

Wednesday 6th January 2016

During our SEAL assembly today the children have been given 3 special challenges (and a big number 3 balloon!) please ask your child what the challenges are! 

Tuesday 5th January 2016

Today is a very busy day in school as we have 15 Schools Direct teaching students with us all day for training. The students will be looking at our provision for children with additional needs, how we tailor our curriculum and support various individuals and groups. Our children love having visitors around school and always make them very welcome!

Monday 4th January 2016

Happy New Year everyone, it was so lovely to see all the children back safe and sound! During assembly, this morning, we talked about the spectacular  New Year celebrations that took place in London, our capital city. The children enjoyed watching the count down and listening to Big Ben's chimes. We spent time reflecting on 2015 and thinking about the year ahead. I set the children the task of writing two New Year resolutions that they could achieve in 2016. The first had to be related to reading, as we have lots of plans in this area for the year ahead, and the second had to be a personal one. All resolutions will be displayed in school.

END OF AUTUMN TERM 2015

Friday 18th December 2015

Merry Christmas all, have a lovely holiday from all Staff and Governors of Grange Valley Primary School. See you all in 2016!

Thursday 17th December 2015

Four children from Y5 had a great time at Haydock High's Christmas markets, this morning. They came back with lots of lovely gifts for me and Mrs Threlkeld as well as themselves. 

Wednesday 16th December 2015

Wow, what a great evening I've had watching our Key Stage 2 Christmas X Factor performance! The children were amazing and I think that we have the most talented children in the whole of St. Helens!!

Tuesday 15th December 2015

Nursery sing a long was lovely this morning! The children were so brave singing in front of all their parents and family members, well done children!

Monday 14th December 2015

Our school choir had an amazing time singing for the lovely residents of Heyeswood, Merry Christmas all!

Friday 11th December 2015

This morning all the children have been treated to a puppet show, in school, telling the story of Christmas. The performance was amazing and all the children really enjoyed it. We would d like to say a massive thank you to our Community Governor, Sandra, for organising and paying for this event. Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 had a great time this afternoon at their Christmas party, lots of dancing, fun and games.   A visit from Santa was the highlight of the day, especially when they realised he had a sack of presents for them all! 

Thursday 10th December 2015

The infant Nativity was amazing, this morning. The children certainly saved the best for last, well done to all children and staff! Tomorrow we have a Puppet Show in the morning and the Infant Christmas Party in the afternoon, school is such fun as this time of year!

Wednesday 9th December 2015

What a way to start the morning! Dance club enjoyed showing off their skills with their Christmas routines. Excitement is building, today, for our Christmas dinner... let the festive fun begin!

Tuesday 8th December 2015

This morning, both Reception parents and I watched an amazing performance of  'Wriggly Nativity'. The children's story telling and singing was the best I've ever heard! This afternoon they will perform for their Grandparents and the residents of Heyswood. 

Monday 7th December 2015

The PTFA have raised £585 profit from the Christmas Fayre so this with other fund raising activities, we have planned, will help us develop a new reading garden, just outside the main school library. We are hoping to get all children and parents involved in the planning and developing of this space so I will let you know more in the new year! 

Friday 4th December 2015

Thank you to everyone who supported our Christmas Fayre, this year, we have been overwhelmed with donations for the event. Thank you to everyone who helped on stalls and to those who came along, everyone had a great time. A special thank you to Mr Baldwin and all the PTFA members for organising the event, we will let you know next week how much money we raised, I know the children have lots of ideas for what we can spend the money on !!

Thursday 3rd December 2015

Unfortunately, we had to have our Tree Lighting Ceremony inside this year due to the wet weather, so were unable to invite parents in on this occasion, due to limited space in the hall.  The event went ahead however, with visitors from our local community, Church and Community Centre, Heyswood joining us .  The children were amazing and really did us all proud, their singing just gets better and better! There was excitement all round when half way through the event we had a visit from someone very special!! 

Hopefully, if the rain stays away we will have tree lighting this afternoon. I will let parents know by text around 12 o'clock if it's going ahead!

Wednesday 2nd December 2015

Nursery and Reception had a great time at Underwater Street, so did Elvis!!

Tuesday 1st December 2015

There has been lots of excitement in Nursery today as one of Father Christmas' Elves has come to stay. The children were so excited to see what the cheeky little Elf had been up to in the night. Take a look at the Nursery blog for daily updates!!

Monday 31st November 2015

School is starting to look a little more like it's Christmas! The children now have a 'Winter Wonderland' reading library, with an Ice mountain and a snow cave where they can enjoy their reading!

Friday 27th November 2015

To complete 'pet week' for Nursery and Reception they had a visit from Pugalugs, Dug and Bella along with the author of the Pug books. To find out more take a look at their blogs. Information about 'Pugalugs' can be found via this link...http://www.pugalugs.co.uk/ 

Thursday 26th November 2015

I had a little shock when visiting Nursery and Reception, this morning, as they both had four legged visitors! Mrs Abbott and Miss Daniels had brought their pet dogs to school to show the children, as they have been learning all about animals. The children were so pleased to see both dogs!

Wednesday 25th November 2015

The playground looks more like a fishing pond, this morning! Thank you to all children and parents who have patiently and sensibly walked round to avoid the water! 

Tuesday 24th November 2015

Rain, rain go away! Doors will be open early so children and parents don't get too wet.

Monday 23rd November 2015

It was lovely to see the children this morning their behaviour in assembly was exemplary! 

Friday 20th November 2015

A big thank you to all parents who donated a bottle for our Christmas Fair! All children enjoyed wearing their own clothes in school, today. Year 3 and 4  stood out from the crowd in their 'Who First Lived in Britain?' costumes. Next week, own clothes day is for donations of chocolate, my favourite!

Thursday 19th November 2015

Reception children and parents have had a lovely time exploring phonics and reading during their fantastic interactive assembly. Lots of ideas were given to make phonics fun and help develop children's reading skills at home. 

Key Stage 1 parents have been had at work in a maths workshop designed to highlight the importance of having fun with maths at home.

Our whole school anti-bullying pledge is complete, all children and staff have signed their hand prints in agreement! 

Wednesday 18th November 2015

Today, I have been interviewing prospective 'Schools Direct' students, who are hoping to start in September 2016. The UCAS round for  next year is now open, if you know anyone who is interested in a teaching career please let them know about the 'Schools Direct' route and our involvement in the training of potential teachers. If anyone would like more information please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Tuesday 17th November 2015

Year 5 children and parents working hard in the forensic science workshop, looks like fun!

Monday 16th November 2015

This morning's assembly was based on 'Anti Bullying Week'. The children watched a clip that highlighted what a bully was then had to answer questions in the style of  'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?'. All children were very sensible and agreed to sign a school pledge (below) that states "at Grange Valley we do not put up with bullies!" All children will be exploring this important issue within their classes, throughout the week. Year 4, 5 & 6 had an extra assembly so that I could introduce a website called tootoot. Tootoot is the first safeguarding platform and app used in primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, and universities, which allows students to safely report any worries and incidents of bullying, cyber bullying, racism, extremism, radicalisation, sexism, mental health and homophobic issues directly to their place of learning. The children in Year 4, 5 and 6 will receive a username and password by the end of the week. If you would like to know more about tootoot follow this link... https://tootoot.co.uk/ 

Friday 13th November 2015

The children have had such an amazing day today supporting the Children in Need Charity. Thank you to all Parents / Carers for supporting the day for this worthwhile charity. Not only have the children thought about others who are not as lucky as we are but they have also reflected on what makes someone a hero. 

Thursday 12th November 2015

Thank you to everyone who has attended Parents Evening tonight and for the overwhelming positive comments received.  If you haven't already seen your child's class teacher they will be catching up with you soon!  

Wednesday 11th November 2015

Thank you to all the Parents and Grandparents who joined us this morning for our Remembrance Day Assembly.  A very special thank you to Y6 for leading the assembly, wearing their poppies with pride! 

Tuesday 10th November 2015

Reception children and parents had a great time at the 'Charlie & Lola' workshop, this morning!

Monday 9th November 2015

Today, all children should be bringing home a new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste as part of our keeping healthy program. 

Friday 6th November 2015

Our weeping window is starting to look amazing, thank you to all the children, staff and parents who have joined us today. It will be finished by Wednesday for our Remembrance assembly at 10:30. During the assembly we will be remembering all soldiers, as well as the soldiers that our children and their families know. We have added some photographs, of known soldiers, to the PowerPoint that will play during the two minute silence. If you would like us to pay our respects to a particular soldier it is not to late to send a photo into school either via the school email or bring it in and we can scan it on to the PowerPoint. 

Have a great weekend!

Thursday 5th November 2015

It's been quite an exciting morning for me... I have just had a phone call from a headteacher of a primary school in Islington, London, who had heard about our curriculum developments in maths (via searching the internet). The headteacher was lovely and very impressed with the information on our website. We welcome links with other schools and I think this one is going to be great! Hopefully we can work together for the benefit of our children and staff, even though initially it will be a long distance working relationship. 

Please remember... If you are having or going to a bonfire party over the next few days -  enjoy but keep safe! 

On 5 November every year, children in Britain get excited because it is Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes' Night). We lit bonfires and enjoy fireworks displays. On top of the fire is a guy (a homemade model of a man, like a scarecrow). We do these things because we're remembering when the King of England, James l, and the Houses of Parliament were nearly blown up with gunpowder.In classes the children will be finding out more about the history of this historical day, why not ask them about it to see if they remember the facts?!

              Houses of Parliament, London                                                Guy Fawkes was one of a group of men.                               King James 1

Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason, why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, guy, t'was his intent
To blow up king and parliament. 
Three score barrels were laid below
To prove old England's overthrow.

By God's mercy he was catch'd
With a darkened lantern and burning match.
So, holler boys, holler boys, Let the bells ring.
Holler boys, holler boys, God save the king.

And what shall we do with him?
Burn him!

Wednesday 4th November 2015

This morning, the fire service delivered a 'fireworks and bonfire safety' assembly to all children, warning them of the dangers. Teachers will also touch on this during lesson times. Further advice and support can be found on the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website. The following link will take you straight there. http://www.saferfireworks.com/firework_code/ 

Tuesday 3rd November 2015

Please join us on Friday to create our own 'Weeping Window'!

Monday 2nd November 2015

Welcome back everyone! It was lovely to see you all skipping, through the leaves, into school this morning. 

Thursday 22nd October 2015 (End of Autumn Term 1)

Well, I can't believe it is the last day of this half term! We have had such a great start to this academic year. Children and staff have worked so hard they certainly deserve a weeks break. We will see you on Monday 2nd November for part 2 of the Autumn term.

Lots more exciting things to come next half term such as... Parents Evenings, in school Panto, Christmas fayre, Tree lighting, Trips and sporting competitions.

A big well done to our Year 2 football team who were amazing today and managed to reach the final in the LA sports competition, at Ruskin Drive. The team Won 3 games, drew 2 and lost their last one (score 3-2) which was the final. We are very proud of our budding footballers!

Wednesday 21st October 2015

It has been a very wet and busy day!

Welcome Wednesday - Thank you to all parents who came to meet  Dawn Sweeney our local Family and Adult Skills Development Officer, who has lots of ideas and courses she could help us run, in school, for our parents and caregivers. Potential courses include: A Learning Assistant course, First Aid course, A KS2 Maths course, Charlie and Lola and  Forensic Detectives workshops. Most courses need around 8 people to be viable so if you are interested in any of them please let us know!

This afternoon the whole school and parents were treated to a  fantastic harvest assembly, led by Year 3 and Year 4 children! We were all impressed with their singing, dancing and speaking, well done children!

Ready to play at Gioco Play Centre!

Tuesday 20th October 2015

Children had a fantastic time at the 'Ugly Bug Balls'!

Monday 19th October 2015

This morning, during assembly we talked about teamwork and how if we worked together as a 'school team' we could achieve great things! We watched a short video adapted from the traditional version of the Hare and the Tortoise, who after working together and combining their skills achieved great things! The children were really inspired and couldn't wait to show their teachers how combining their skills both in class and outside would make them the best! (video below)

We also celebrated 4 classes getting 100% positive Dojos, 1 class achieving over 400 points for last week and not 1 child got less than 70% which means that no one needed to reflect on their behaviour, with me, at break time. Reception, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 will get extra special treats on Thursday! Well done children I am so impressed with your excellent behaviours both in the classroom and outside.

Friday 16th October 2015

A big well done to Mr Robinson who has passed his 'Swimming Instructor' course yesterday!

Thursday 15th October 2015

This afternoon we had a very special delivery... three more fish joined our tank, which is situated just outside my room. We now have five lovely fish called Lilly-Jake, Chloe, Molly, Grange and Valley. The children love them as they are so calming and interesting to watch!

Wednesday 14th October 2015

There has been a lovely smell coming from Nursery today, making me very hungry! After a very busy day and not having time for lunch, I was so pleased when a little visitor brought me some homemade bread! Thank you Nursery it was delicious! 

Tuesday 13th October 2015

I have had a lovely morning observing lessons!

In Year 5 the children were looking at the features of persuasive speech and even watched Martin Luther Kings famous speech 'I have a Dream'. The children, in groups, had to discuss, write and debate persuasively why they think I should or shouldn't ban all computers for children under the age of 11, as you can imagine the children loved the subject matter!

In Year 4 the children were being detectives and had to find out what were the unique features of a letter. I was so impressed with the children's work and attitude to learning, well done children!

On the way back to my office I spotted some fantastic imaginative play by some of the children in Year 1. The children were so engrossed in building a fairy tale castle together they didn't even notice that I was watching! 

At lunchtime the Year 6 'book club children' really enjoyed reading stories to the younger children!

Monday 12th October 2015

I am so proud of the children who get involved in activities outside school! This morning, during assembly we had  a record number of 9 children who wanted to share their achievements. The children had a range of certificates and medals to show from activities such a Karate, Football, Rugby and Morris Dancing. We have some very talented children!

Friday 9th October 2015

I am so proud of Year 5 today, as they have won Class Dojo of the week! Well done children!! Have a lovely weekend! 

Harvest 2015 This year we would like to ask all children to donate an item of food, such as a tin or dried food for eg. pasta or rice. This will be collected and sent   to a local charity, The St Helens Trussel Trust Food Bank who will benefit tremendously by your gesture of good will. Thank you for your kind support!

Thursday 8th October 2015

Year 1 & 2 had a great time in Liverpool. The children said it was the best trip ever!!

Lots of comments were made, from the staff at the Beetles Experience and from the general public about how pleasant and well behaved our children were! Well do Year 1 & 2!

Parents having great fun yesterday 'Wednesday Welcome!'

Wednesday 7th October 2015

The children had a great morning with a local chef who showed them how to make a delicious salmon with noodles dish, yum,yum! A great way to start 'Healthy Food and Exercise Day!'

Tuesday 6th October 2015

Individual photographs went without a hitch! Our new photographer was very impressed with the children and atmosphere in school, he referred to our school as a 'little oasis of loveliness'!

Monday 5th October 2015

This morning, Year 5 and 6 were very excited to be going on their trip to Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre! The Discovery Centre is a great day out for all, you can explore the wonders of the universe and learn more about the workings of the giant Lovell Telescope. I'm sure the children will come back with lots of exciting facts to tell us all!

Friday 2nd October 2015

A big thank you to all parents, who bring or pick up children from Breakfast and After School Club, for not parking on the yellow lines or in front of the main entrance. It has been much calmer and safer in the morning!

Thursday 1st October 2015

We had a great turn out for our Nursery Open Evening, Thank you all for coming! Application forms are available from the school office if you didn't manage to make it.

Wednesday 30th September 2015

Today our Governors have been into school to look at our developing 'Singapore' approach to maths. In the classes that have begun to develop this approach the Governors were very impressed with the problem solving skills that the children have! You can have a look on the maths page under the curriculum tab to find out more.

This afternoon the Sunshine group went to the pet shop to buy our new fish, the children were so excited! We will soon have 5 fish that will live in the new tank, donated by Mrs Walford, outside my room.

Tuesday 29th September 2015

Did you know?... today is the 272nd day of the year  and  there are 93 days remaining until the end of the year. Where has the time gone?

Monday 28th September 2015

A big thank you to Max and Mia's dad who works at United Utilities. Mr Broughton has very kindly donated water bottles for every child in our school, the children had great fun giving them out!

Friday 25th September 2015

Year 3 and 4 had a lovely time at the 'Clonter Opera'!

A lovely time had by all in our Macmillan Coffee morning. A big thank you to all who have helped us support this worthy cause! 

Thursday 24th September 2015

Cake baking ready for our Macmillan Coffee morning tomorrow! 

Wednesday 23rd September 2015

It has been a lovely day, first I joined the mums in Wednesday Welcome and managed to feed baby Justin, he was adorable! This afternoon the Nursery children went on a teddy bears picnic and were kind enough to bring me a cake, thank you Nursery!

Tuesday 22nd September 2015

So proud! Today we receive our Quality Mark for Geography!

Monday 21st September 2015

During this mornings assembly we had a record number of children wanting to share trophies and certificates, that they had achieved outside of school. It was lovely to celebrate such wonderful achievements, well done children! We also gave Y4 and Y6 Dojo champion trophies for their excellent behaviour last week. All classes start a fresh this week and trophies will be re-issued in next weeks assembly, I wonder which class will be champion next week??

Friday 18th September 2015

This week is National Letter Writing Week and this morning I received a lovely letter from our Sunshine Group asking for a pet in their class. The group would like a goldfish, so I think over the weekend will I defiantly have to write a letter back to them!

Thursday 17th September 2015

Well done Joe, for making our first School Council suggestion box of the year, at home! You are a super star!

Having fun building dens!

Wednesday 16th September 2015

Our first 'Wednesday Welcome' began today, thank you to the parents, children and grandparents who came to have a cup of coffee with Mrs Barker and myself. It was a lovely way to start a day! 'Wednesday Welcome' will take place again next week so why not join us.

Lovely lunchtimes...

Tuesday 15th September 2015

Improving our playground!

Monday 14th September 2015

It has been a busy day! Today our school improvement adviser has been in to observe lessons with both Mrs Threlkeld and I. He was so impressed with the children's behaviour, attitudes to learning and the work they produced in each and every lessons. It is always nice to show someone else how wonderful our children and staff are!!

Friday 11th September 2015

Today the new door is being installed in our 'Sunshine Room' ready for the children to use when they play out in the new area, next to Nursery. It will also be ready for our new 'Wednesday Welcome!' there is more information about this on the news letter or please speak to Mrs Barker, who will be on the gates every morning.

Thursday 10th September 2015

Thank you to everyone who has signed up for Class Dojo it has been a great success in school, helping to promote positive behaviour and parent involvement! It is encouraging to see how many parents have been in contact with both myself and the class teachers, who are also really pleased with the comments they have received.
As you can imagine it is difficult for teachers to respond to messages throughout their busy day therefore if you have questions that need a response please speak directly to staff before or after school when possible, as I don't want direct contact to be taken over by this virtual world!
If you have not already signed up please see your child’s class teacher for more information. Please don't forget that teachers also 'blog' weekly via the website/class tab above, giving you a detailed overview of the week.
Thank you for your continued support

Wednesday 9th September 2015

Today we will be celebrating our Queen's reign! Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for  23,226 days,  surpassing the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria. Photographs of the children having a Royal Picnic have been 'Tweeted and put on 'dojo' for parents to see.

Tuesday 8th September 2015

After-school club are busy tonight making crowns ready to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's II long reign, tomorrow!

Monday 7th September 2015

It has been a busy start to the week and the children were keen to show of their learning to our Chair of Governors, Mr Rouch, who popped in this morning to welcome the children back to school. When visiting the classes, from Nursery all the way to Y6, the children enjoyed sharing what they were learning.

Reception came in to their first assembly today, they sat and listened perfectly!

Friday 4th September 2015

Kean has been working extremely hard during the summer holidays, writing his own book! Well done Kean!

I sat with year 6 for lunch today and had such a lovely time. The Y6 children enjoyed sharing their holiday stories and talking about our new 'class dojo' I even used the 'dojo' APP to send a message to two of their parents telling them that I was 'having a lovely lunch and that their child had lovely manners!

Thursday 3rd September 2015

Today has been busy in Nursery as all of the children are in! Our new little ones have been fantastic and settled in very quickly. The whole school environment has such a lovely vibe!

Wednesday 2nd September 2015

Welcome back, it was so lovely to see everyone this morning! The children looked very smart in their school uniforms and came into our first assembly very sensibly, I've got a feeling it is going to be a fantastic year! A big welcome to our new Reception children, who were so happy coming into school and really have enjoyed exploring everywhere.

During this mornings assembly we talked about targets for this school year and how we would like everyone to behave in school. We listed all the different rewards we get and I introduced the children to 'Classdojo' (see the video below or log in to https://www.classdojo.com for more information). All parents will receive a login code so you can see your child getting lots of positive 'dojo' points and receive personal messages, about the work your child is doing, from the class teacher.