Head Teacher's Blog 02.10.23
1st October 2023
The autumn term is certainly in full swing now! As I’ve walked around school this last week, I have been so impressed with children’s behaviour for learning, enthusiasm and interest in their work. It was great to chat with children in Willow and Chestnut about new knowledge they are acquiring about sound and how it travels. I heard about the experiments they are going to conduct and saw their interest and concentration as they began to learn about writing up scientific investigations. I also spent some time with our Plum Year 1s as they made moving helicopter launcher pictures using a ‘slider’ mechanism. As they worked, it was great to hear them linking their learning and chatting, not only about transport that flies, but also George Stephenson’s rocket which was such an important invention in the development of transport in our history. Great work Plums!
That leads us nicely onto the important information for the week:
-
All of our KS1 children (Year 1s and 2s in Plum, Oak, Ash and Beech classes) will be visiting Aln Valley Railway on Monday morning as part of their travel and transport topic. Children must have a waterproof coat with them in case of rain! Children will be back in school in time for lunch.
-
12 more Apple Class children will be visiting Summerhill care home on Tuesday for a Little Movers session. This intergenerational work brings so much joy to the residents and is thoroughly enjoyed by the children too!
-
Please remember that Tic Toc will be closed on Wednesday evening for essential whole school safeguarding training.
-
The school photographer will be back on Thursday to complete the last of the sibling portraits.
- Our Children and Families worker, Nick, is really looking forward to welcoming you for coffee, a chat and a Sainsbury's goody bag on Thursday morning from 08.40. Please meet at the Park gate entrance and the kettle will be on!
Our KS1 children are certainly having a busy time at present, they all thoroughly enjoyed their trip to the Playhouse on Thursday or Friday to see the Lightbulb Princess. This was a fantastic play about the science of electricity. The children learnt how movement can generate electricity, the need to conserve energy and not to waste resources…and also how to care for each other through thoughtful actions. And all this with some added dancing, singing and audience participation! The children behaved impeccably and can’t wait to go back to the Playhouse later in the term for another performance! Well done for representing our school so well KS1!
I’m delighted to bring you news of the grand total that we raised for the Pearl of Africa. Thanks to the generosity of our school and wider community, £1975.42 was raised and will be supporting the needs of children in the Molly and Paul Foundation. Organisers from the foundation have asked me to pass on a huge thank you to everyone who donated. Once again, our Swansfield community shows how deeply it cares for the needs of others. We will be working with school council in the coming months to look at ways that we can continue to help our friends in Uganda.
Thank you so much to everyone who made a scarecrow for the Lilidorei competition. What amazing creations they were! They have all been transported to Lilidorei and will be on display in the coming weeks. Visitors to Lilidorei will be voting for their favourite so if you can, head down and cast your vote. Fingers crossed for a Swansfield winner!
As always, it’s a pleasure to bring you news of our recent stars of the week. A huge well done to: Emmie Gattens, Quinn Miller, Casey Smith, Poppy McMullen, Artie Potts, Elanor Towers, Katy Hutchins, Jasper Potts, Louis Watson, Alex Jepson and Brydon Armstrong.
I’ve had lots of requests for music you can dance to but since I’ve been telling you about the children’s enthusiasm for learning, I’ve plumped for Y6’s Freya and Mamie’s choice. They tell me that their classmates will be ‘very surprised’ when they hear this. It’s the Water Cycle Song which is a current class favourite as part of their river investigators work. Enjoy - and learn as you sing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWb4KlM2vts
See you in the week,
Mrs G.