Thank you to all those parents and carers who were able to attend last week's project evening, where children were able to display and share their various homework projects from this half term. 

As always, we really value your feedback, which again has been overwhelmingly positive. Have a look at some of the work shared by Mason (Y6), Emelia (Y3), Billie (Y2), Sutijay (Y2), Paige (Y2) and Aaliyah and her big sister (Y2).

Please also remember that while these half-termly homework projects will continue, pupils still have opportunity to practise and consolidate their basic skills through their personal logins to Mathletics, Active Learn and other online tools that the school has subscribed to. Challenge within these programs can be managed and adjusted by class teachers, so do speak to your child's class teacher if you have any further feedback or requests regarding the level of challenge in these activities.

The lightbulb moment for the children happened when they realised how their typed messages would appear on their classmate’s screens instantaneously.  Naturally, it didn’t take long for some children to work out how to post an emoji or two!  Billy (2JP) explained that he likes how he can “text the other people in class”.  Lacey (2JP) said that she is enjoying using Google Classroom because she can read the comments that other children post.  This shows a lot of promise for cultivating peer work alongside computing and literacy skills.
 
The school’s co-operative value of solidarity has helped embed a collegial culture which has enabled this innovative plan to become a reality.  It is great to see the children enthused as they learn and develop the key skills of creating, contributing and retrieving digital content.  By virtue of the iPad Mystery’s novelty the children are exceedingly engaged and have high expectations for what they will achieve.
 
For more information, please speak to Mr Powell or your child’s Year 2 class teacher.  As you are here, please enjoy the iPad Mystery videos that the children have seen in class so far.

Children in EYFS, Year 1,Year 2 and Year 3 will be performing in their Chriostmas Production on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th December. There will be a 9.30am and 1.45pm performance on each day. Check below to see the times each group will be performing.
 
​The performance times are:
 
​Tuesday 12th:                    EYFS/Yr 1  9:30am
                                               Yr 2/Yr 3  1:45pm
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Wednesday 13th:                Yr 2/Yr 3   9:30am
                                           EYFS/Yr 1   1:45pm 
 
We estimate that the performances will last for up to 60 minutes. For the afternoon performance, we aim to have the children changed and ready for collection by 3.00pm for EYFS/KS1 and 3.10pm for KS2. Parents/carers who have watched the performance and will be collecting their children should exit through the main community doors, walk round to the playground and wait for the children to be dismissed.
 
Complete the form below to book a seat on the production. Please read and follow the instructions carefully to ensure you book for the correct event.
 
​Each family may have two seats for each of their child’s performance. When you register you will receive a confirmation email. If you register for more than two seats or the names of the persons registered are not known to us as parents/carers, the booking will be removed. If there are special circumstances that require more than two seats i.e. parents have new partners, please email office.etp@stcleres.coop and a member of the office team will contact you to discuss your requirements. You must bring either a print out of the email you receive or show the email on your phone when you attend for the performance. There is a maximum number of one hundred and sixty seats per performance, once we reach this capacity it will not be possible for you to register for the performance.

In year 2 we have started off the year learning about food. We have already learnt about food groups and the types of food we need to stay healthy. We used inspiration from Giuseppe Arcimboldo to create our own fruit face pictures and have designed healthy lunch boxes. We are looking forward to learning more about food in year 2 and have a food workshop in school next week.

Welcome to our year 2 blog. This week, 2DG won the mathletics trophy! We won because we did so well on Mathletics. We were excited to hear that the chicks have grown even bigger. Mrs Evett showed us some photographs and videos of the chicks. We couldn't believe it that the chicks can fly out of a travel cot! They have changed a lot since they left year two. We have been doing lots of fun and exciting activities to keep us busy!

I haven’t met anyone else able to say that they spent their half term buying and blowing up planets…granted these were the inflatable type. Many of the Key Stage 1 children have been visibly intrigued by the sight of them since.  Brilliantly, it quickly led to a pupil initiated conversation among my class as to whether Pluto should or shouldn’t be suspended from the classroom ceiling along with the other eight planets, Earth’s moon and the sun.
 
Admittedly part of the decision to turn my classroom ceiling into a mini solar system was personal interest. A number of years ago I sent my photo off to NASA for them to fly on the last space shuttle launch.  Last summer I visited New Zealand’s National Observatory where I used a 130 year old telescope to take a look at Saturn. It is possible that I am just as excited for Year 2’s Planetarium trip in a couple of weeks’ time as they are!
 
Using the children’s wonder and curiosity, in class we have been researching different things about space. So far we have learnt how the sun is made up of gases, Saturn’s rings from ice and asteroids are lumps of rock. “I liked learning about the planets because they are different and far away” said Lauren.  “Neil Armstrong was the first astronaut to set foot on the moon, I think he felt excited and brave to be the first person in the whole world to do this” said Alfie.
 
For those who share my enthusiasm, the International Space Station is due to be visible in the night sky on Saturday 5th March for two minutes, somewhere between 6am and 6:15am. Check online for up-to-date details: in-the-sky.org or spotthestation.nasa.gov. There is a popular Android app called ISS Detector Satellite Tracker or for IOS users there’s a less well known app called ISS Spotter, both appear to have positive reviews.
 
It is only fair to admit, the awestruck but very satisfied teacher feeling about the Dwarf Planet conversation soon got a reality check. Alongside my inflatable planets are astronauts, space shuttles, rockets and some green aliens. The collection came in a range of different sizes. Therefore it didn’t take very long for a child to ask “Mr. Powell, are astronauts really that big?”  So, Major Tim Peake, if you are reading this please help, where should we put you on our school height chart?
 
#cosmicclassroom     #principia     @astro_timpeake

The children in 2JP agreed their class target for this half term would be: ‘amazing sentences and beautiful handwriting’.

These are not just idle words. We know that it is good to show off our work at its best.  This way we can more effectively show others what we have learnt.  In a recent visit Mrs. Coates was pleased to see Dayna looking back at her corrections within her Guided Reading book to enable her to correct how she joins when using the letter ‘f’!

In class individual achievement is celebrated through feedback.  Exemplar work is recognised in our displays.  Additionally we help each other along in raising the standard of our work through peer mentoring.  Our WOW window has the name of a boy and girl Writer of the Week who we can refer to for examples of good work.
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We know that our presentation matters throughout our learning, not just in our handwriting practice.  Please continue to encourage us at home with our written work to join up.  After all, you can see for yourself, below, the progress we have made in school.