8th May 2008

• This week’s bulletin begins with a call for help. Our School pond is in need of clearing! Mr Bowers, PTAFA Chair, and Mr Bowers Senior are coming into School this Saturday 10th May to get the job underway.  A band of adult helpers would really help move this project along. The aim is to start at 9a.m. and to just see how things work in terms of timings.  Mr Bowers asks that parent helpers meet outside the School Office.  If you can’t arrive until later in the morning then don’t let that put you off.  Come when you can!  Please bring a pair of gloves and a trowel if you can, because we need to clear the surrounding weeds.  If we get sufficient numbers we will sanding and painting the picnic benches, so make sure that you wear old clothes. You may want to also bring a snack/lunch box and a drink too. 
   
• Reception Class presented their assembly to the School this morning.  The theme of numbers was explored through counting rhymes, and it was marvellous to hear our young students also counting in French.  The excellent presentation skills our pupils leave with by the time they have finished Year Six are often noted by parents, and also by teachers in their secondary schools. It was clear from this morning’s assembly that making an early start on developing an awareness of public speaking is essential. What is more, young children enjoy the opportunity to speak and behave in a formal way too!
   
• And now to give you an update on the work currently being undertaken in Music lessons:

In Nursery our younger children have the opportunity to experiment with a variety of sound sources, and a selection of new instruments has been introduced for these activities.  The older Nursery group has participated in a variety of action and movement songs to aid coordination and spatial awareness.  Songs that link to the current Nursery topic have also been sung, and sounds of a large variety of percussion instruments have been explored, with simple accompaniments being added to songs to enable children to develop their sense of rhythm.

The music lesson for Reception children is divided into three sections: the children sing a greeting song followed by a variety of action songs and dances to aid coordination and spatial awareness. A new song is then learnt, and the last section of the lesson involves music making with percussion, with this term’s focus being upon different rhythm patterns.

1KS have further developed their confidence in playing rhythm patterns, and are now using their skills to create their own rhythmic compositions. This work is being extended so that pupils are now combining rhythm patterns to accompany poems and songs. This is quite a difficult task, but Mrs Cruickshank reports that they are making excellent progress. 1KS are also expanding their repertoire of songs.

 
Having achieved excellent results in the Kettering Eisteddfod, pupils in 2SW are now concentrating their skills on combining singing and playing percussion instruments. They are learning how to play tuned percussion instruments to make chord accompaniments to a variety of new songs. 2KS have also played the ocarina to accompany a hymn during whole school assembly, impressing their older fellow pupils with their confidence and accurate playing.

3CVR are preparing for their first Key Stage Two Summer Concert, which takes place later this term. Having also demonstrated their ocarina skills during a school assembly this year, members of 3CVR are now learning a number of new songs for the concert.  These will be accompanied by percussion instruments and ocarina.  Mrs Cruickshank would like to remind pupils in this class that it is vital that ocarinas are brought to the lesson, which takes place on Wednesdays.  She has devised a slip to send out to parents informing them of forgotten ocarinas-so watch out, 3CVR!

4AH are working on a musical play which involves every pupil singing, acting and playing a variety of instruments. The class are continuing to learn the recorder and they can now read music notation quite fluently, because so many of the pupils in this particular class practice their recorder at home regularly.

After all the excellent performances from Year 5 pupils in the recorder class at the Eisteddfod the recorder playing in this class continues to improve every week! The children are busy rehearsing songs and accompaniments for the Key Stage Two Concert which involve 2-part singing and recorders. They are also using percussion instruments to accompany a poem. The talents of this year group show no bounds!

Year Six are regularly rehearsing a short musical entertainment on an Egyptian theme ready for the Summer Concert. Pupils have composed their own accompaniments to songs using percussion instruments and also recorders. The children have interpreted the Egyptian style in a variety of interesting ways, showing great musicality and enthusiasm.  Recorder skills are also being further developed, and pupils are working on pieces in two parts.

• The Key Stage Two Summer Concerts take place on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th June.  Details of tickets for this event will be distributed after half term.
   
• A netball league match was played at home on 1st May 2008 against St Mary’s School, resulting in a 21-0 win for our team.  Mrs Van Rensburg and Mrs Marshall report that the performance of all our players was outstanding, and that Dempsey Ainsworth and Abigail Flatman warrant special mention for their part in securing this winning result.  I know that our team is looking forward to the tournament in June.
   
• Yesterday, our Year Three football team played Havelock. This really was a challenging game, because our boys were up against a Year 4 team who were more experienced and bigger too!  Nevertheless, our team really wanted the opportunity to play this team so they did.  Despite the goals going in, it was good to see our young players demonstrating a determined and competitive spirit.  Well done boys!
     
• The Year Six team also played Havelock. With a bigger pitch to cover, our team certainly had to adjust their game.  Again, regardless of goals in, the team’s supporters witnessed a determination from the team, that will stand them in good stead as they eventually move into secondary school level football.
     
• PTAFA plant orders are now ready for collection from outside the School Office.  Many thanks to Gail Kirk for sorting out the orders when they were delivered today.
   
• The next PTAFA meeting will be on Tuesday 20th May.
   
• It was super to see children enjoying the PTAFA discos that were held last Friday.  Thanks to Mrs Drury and her team of helpers for their assistance at the discos, and to parents who accompanied and supervised their children at the first disco.  The afternoon and early evening was blessed with glorious weather, which provided a wonderful backdrop for some outdoor play in between dances and games inside.
   
• The next bulletin will be issued on Thursday 22nd May.