Friday, 15th February 2019

Headteacher: Mr Darren Jones

No. 3

Headteacher Message

I can hardly believe the first half term of 2019 has gone by so quickly. Once again

we have packed in lots of exciting learning! It was wonderful to see so many of you

at the Open Morning where you had the chance to see the vibrant and colourful

school displays, the excellent work produced by the children and an opportunity to

chat with teachers.

Children have enjoyed many contextualised experiences in line with our cutting

edge curriculum offer punctuated by school visits. Year 5 returned excitedly

following their tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre where I hear we have some

budding Shakespearean actors in our midst! They also gained an insight into

journalistic writing through their visit to the Guardian newspaper. I too was

fortunate enough to accompany Year 4 on a super visit to the British Library where

we explored the exquisite Anglo-Saxon exhibition! Reception children visited our

local Fire Station and I know they all had a great time and learnt lots about people

who help us in the community!

This term we have had the pleasure of watching two creative, informative and

exciting assemblies led by Year 4 Pine and Year 2 Maple class. We are immensely

proud of the acting, singing and exciting performances the children gave us along

with an insight into what they have been learning in class.

It was a pleasure to see so many of you at our recent Parental Workshops about

Mathematics at Grove Park. Miss Arnaouti gave an overview of Maths and in

particular teaching fractions and Miss Barton took us through our new cutting edge

‘Maths Through Story’ approach in EYFS and KS 1.

Importantly, last week children were engaged in our annual Mental Health Week.

We celebrate this week each year to highlight the importance of mental health and

well-being and children were involved in learning about this topic through a range

of creative and engaging activities.

I am delighted to announce that Miss Baker is having her second child, a little girl and will begin maternity leave in

early May. I know you will join me and the whole school community in wishing her every happiness.

Next term we look forward to celebrating our Reading Festival which will include a host of exciting activities to

engage us in reading. Many more class assemblies, trips and our Easter Bonnet competitions.

May I wish you all a very happy break and look forward to seeing you soon.

Monday, 25th February - Children’s first day back

Wednesday, 6th March Mini Grey Author Visit

Thursday, 7th March World Book Day

Monday, 1st April Parents Teachers Meeting 16.00 to 19.00

Wednesday, 3rd April Parents Teachers Meeting 15.30 to 17.30

Thursday, 3rd May

Nursery

Applications Deadline

Year 2

Year 2 have been very busy this half term. We have been learning all about Florence Nightingale for

our Topic. We even got to go on a trip to meet Florence Nightingale at Gunnersbury Park Museum.

When we got there we were able to take part in the retelling Florence Nightingale’s life through

drama. The best part was that we all got a turn some of us were nurses, other soldiers and some even

got to pretend to be Florence’s mum and dad. We learned lots of interesting facts about her life.

Miss Barton & Miss Taylor - Year 2 Class Teachers

Year 1

Year One have been very busy this term as usual! Our book in Literacy has been ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ by Michael Rosen. We began the term by going on our very own bear hunt in the playground! Then we learnt about onomatopoeia and we used this in our own writing. Now we are combining all our knowledge to create our own alternative version of the story. We are going on elephant hunts, snake hunt, hedgehog hunts and lots more too! This term we have been using our book "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen to learn all about rhythm and onomatopoeia! We then wrote our own version of the story - we went on skunk hunts, snake hunts and even a unicorn hunt! We have also spent some time learning all friendship and how important it is. During Children's Mental Health Week we learnt all about mindfulness and how important it is to talk about our feelings. We made shooting stars with some of our mindful qualities.

Miss Alderson & Miss Fane - Year 1 Class Teachers

Year 4

Darwin, Einstein, Curie, Hawking…just add Birch Class to the list! This term we have become Super

Scientists! We have been learning about States of Matter and been experimenting with all things solid,

liquid and gas. We discovered that Carbon Dioxide had a mass and that white chocolate has a lower

melting point than milk or dark chocolate. We have been making predictions, learning how to make a

fair test and writing detailed conclusions using scientific language. The term was off to a great start for

Pine class with our Anglo-Saxon assembly. The children were all fantastic and rocked the stage with

their two songs, a big hats off to the boys who were confident and cool enough to enter the stage in

full rock mode with wigs and guitars. Acting clearly comes naturally to Pine class and it was a total joy

to watch them.

Miss Leatherland & Mrs Willis - Year 4 Class Teachers

Year 3

Year 3 are thoroughly enjoying their topic of Japan. They have learnt how to introduce themselves in

Japanese, as well as writing their own names in Japanese (Katakana). Our favourite lesson so far is

sampling some delightful Japanese delicacies – although some of us found the wasabi slightly too spicy!

Ms Gallagher & Mr Hibbert - Year 3 Class Teachers

Year 6

Amongst the hard work and rigour of mock week, Year 6 spent their afternoons being mindful and discussing the importance of being kind - both to others and ourselves. To remind us of how important it is to motivate and care for ourselves and one another, we studied the artist Charlie Mackesy, who amongst other things, is famous for his 'motivational' prints. Each of his drawing contains three characters: a horse, a mole and a boy. In each case they are having an interaction in which one character is sharing wisdom and kind words with another. Inspired by these touching messages, Year 6 created their own Charlie Mackesy style prints and shared our own messages. We so much enjoyed spending time sharing our 'Words to Live By' and the prints can be found decorating each of the doors in Year 6 - a daily reminder to be positive and go through each day with a happy heart! Here is one of our favourites:

"Now here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only with one's heart that one can see clearly.

What is essential is invisible to the eye."

Miss Irwin & Miss Arnaouti - Year 6 Class Teachers

Year 5

Year 5 have had a fantastic start to 2019. We have been reading and performing Romeo and Juliet in many

exciting ways such as: re-enacting the masquerade ball, making masquerade masks and this half term

culminated in an incredible trip to the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. This was a great trip and one in which

we were lucky enough to get onto the stage itself to perform a line from Romeo and Juliet to a audience.

Mr. Holmes Reed & Mr. Charlesworth - Year 5 Class Teachers

Mental Health Week

Last week, Grove Park celebrated Children’s Mental Health Week. This year’s theme was feeling healthy, inside and out. Many of the classes focused on what we can actively do to keep us feeling positive and happy on the inside. This included researching how much sleep children get and what foods we eat to make us feel energetic.

Our main aim of the week, is always to spread kindness and look out for one another. Both staff

and children were given their guardian angels for the week. We were allowed to send kind notes

and messages as well as make cards for our guardian angels. This certainly created a cheerful and

positive atmosphere throughout the whole school. We hope to continue spreading the message

that ‘no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted’.

Junior Travel Ambassadors

We would like to introduce our Year 5 Junior Travel Ambassadors (JTA’s) who will be helping make our travel to and from school safer, more active and more sustainable.

Their first plea is for anyone who does drive to school to try Walking Wednesdays. Don't take the car, or park 5 minutes away and walk to school! Stretch those legs and get yourself fitter – you could even do it every day.

Competition Time!

Yum Yum in my tum!!

School lunches for the Spring Term are now available to be paid on Parentmail (PMX).

Unless you’re Free School Meals everyone in Years 3-6 is required to pay for school meals. If you have changed your child’s lunch provision to a packed lunch then let the office know promptly.

Please ensure that school lunches are paid up-to date and remember that payment is due in advance of meals being taken.

Key Stage Assemblies

During our Key Stage Assemblies this half term, we have loved exploring our TREE values: Trust, Respect, Empathy and Enthusiasm. High quality children’s picture books are at the heart of our curriculum offer at Grove Park and we use these in our assemblies too.

This half term we have used the following beautiful books in Key Stage Assemblies to help us reflect and think and wonder: Looking for Yesterday by Alison Jay, The Things That I Love about Trees by Chris Butterworth and The Last Wolf by Mini Grey.

All of these stories explore a variety of important themes including: relationships, managing and valuing change, looking after the environment and finding value in the present. The children in all year groups have given really positive feedback about these assemblies and they should feel so proud of the way in which they always listen and reflect so maturely. We are also really looking forward to welcoming Mini Grey (the author of The Last Wolf) to Grove Park during our Reading Week in March!

KS2 Lunches are £2.30 per day, which is £11.50 per week

First half of term: £69.00

Second half of term: £69.00

Important reminder!

Please be reminded that because of children's SEVERE ALLERGIES, this school is a NUT, KIWI & PINEAPPLE FREE ZONE. This includes in your child’s lunchbox, boxes of chocolates, tropical juice and birthday cake brought in. Please check ingredients.

Grove Park Primary School Calendar of Events—Spring Term 2019

Monday, 25th February Year 3 trip to The V&A Museum

Friday, 1st March Year 5 Hawthorn Class Assembly

Wednesday, 6th March Mini Grey Author Visit

Thursday, 7th March World Book Day

Friday, 8th March Good Work Assembly

Monday, 11th March BOOK FAIR Abi Elphinstone Author Visit

Thursday, 14th March Year 2 Chocolate Workshop at School

Friday, 22nd March Year 1 trip to Hounslow Urban Farm Year 2 Cedar Class Assembly

Friday, 29th March Year 1 Beech Assembly

Monday, 1st April to Thursday 4th April Year 5 Bikeability Training

Monday, 1st April Parent Teacher Meeting 16:00 to 19:00

Wednesday, 3rd April Parent Teacher Meeting 15:30 to 17:30

Thursday, 4th April Easter Bonnet Parade

Friday, 5th April School Finishes 13:30

Term Dates 2018/2019

Spring Term 2019

TERM DATES Monday, 7th January – Friday, 5th April 2019

HALF TERM Monday, 18th February – Friday, 22nd February 2019

Summer Term 2019

TERM DATES Tuesday, 23rd April - Tuesday, 23rd July 2019

HALF TERM Monday, 27th May – Friday, 31st May 2019

* Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May 2019

* Inset Day Monday, 22nd July 2019

* Inset Day Tuesday, 23rd July 2019

*children do not attend school

Grove Park Primary PTA News February 2019

We kicked off our musical movie month this week.

This week we showed the Greatest Showman which was great fun!

On Wednesday 27th February 2019 at 4:30pm we will be showing ‘Sing’ Tickets £2:50, on sale now.

Upcoming events:

Quiz Night - Friday 29th March

EYFS/KS1 Spring Bop -Thursday 9th May

Grove Park Summer Festival - Friday 28th June

Email us:

ptagroveparkprimary@gmail.com

Follow us on Facebook:

“Grove Park Primary School PTA”

Message from the Attendance Officer.

Please remember to call the school office by 8.50am each and every day when your child is absent from

school. Please make sure to state the reason for the absence clearly (not just “unwell”) when leaving a

message on the voicemail service.

Karen Rawlings - School Attendance Officer