FEAST DAY

This term our aim is to bring together staff, parents and friends socially to fundraise for our school. Our primary aim will be to support the school to enhance the educational experience of our children. We need your links to gain more support from the local community, especially small and large businesses, as well as parents who have their own businesses.

Please email ebrocklesby@emmausmac.com if your business can support us or if you know a way we can source support from local businesses.

Being part of our PTA will be great fun, and rewarding seeing the smiles on the children’s faces when they are enjoying themselves at events.

There are always small tasks that can be done from home once the children are in school or in bed, e.g. poster designs, social media enhancement, preparing raffle tickets, and plenty more. All help small or big makes a huge difference to the bigger picture. It would be wonderful to get parents involved even if it is only helping out at events on the day for whatever time you can spare. 

Please check your emails as a flyer with details for our first meeting has been sent this week.

Next week, we invite family members to come into school on Wednesday 24th January with their child/ren first thing in the morning from 8:50-9:30 AM to participate in a reading lesson on vocabulary. Class teachers will demonstrate the teaching of vocabulary skills in a reading lesson in your child’s classroom. At 9:30, there will be a reading workshop in the hall with Mrs Tasker. The workshop, ‘Developing Children’s Vocabulary’ will follow on from the lessons on vocabulary that you will have seen and will focus on speaking and listening opportunities at home. This approach applies to all learners, whether they are confident or reluctant readers.  

The children in Reception have been enjoying the cold weather we have been having as it has allowed for some very exciting learning opportunities! The children were amazed to find a thick sheet of ice on top of the water tray this week. They had lots of questions about where it had come from, how long it would stay and why there was water underneath it. The children enjoyed breaking the ice and enjoyed spotting the different shapes it had broken into. The children were very keen to try and melt the ice and made predictions for how they could do this. The children enjoyed testing out their ideas and they worked well together to find the quickest ways of melting the ice. Lots of fun was had by everyone!

Key Stage 1 have begun their Design Technology projects this week.  They have been practicing threading needles and running stitch ready to design and create their own pouches later in the term. 

This week Year 3 have been investigating some of the different properties of rocks such as which rocks are permeable and impermeable. They have also started to begin to think about why we need to classify rocks and how we can use them to make/build things. Year 3 have also started their new History topic this week. They have started to look at Early Civilisations and have made some fantastic links between this topic and their new Geography topic. Noticing that some Ancient Civilisations built their settlements close to rivers for a source of water. Well done year 3!

This week, Year 4 started the week learning about sound and vibrations in Science. They investigated vibrations using musical instruments and recorded the decibels these instruments made using decibel meters. The children then continued to develop their confidence using decibel meters by recognising how the volume of sound can be changed from different sources. On Wednesday, the children began their new Design and echnology unit which will look at different cooking techniques and nutrition. The first lesson asked the children to taste and evaluate different types of biscuits on the market and what their target audiences are. The children came up with some excellent vocabulary to describe the texture, colour and taste of the different biscuits. The children have really enjoyed celebrating St Wulstan's Feast Day and have written some excellent prayers, celebrated Mass and contributed to the school mosaic. Well done, everyone!

This week Year 5 have been investigating and exploring the properties of materials for their new Science unit and have been thinking about why certain materials are used for certain objects. They were very careful in selecting their vocabulary when describing properties. Year 5 have also started reading their new book, ‘Cloud Tea Monkeys’ and have been predicting what they think might happen based on images and words that have been read so far. They have also had another visit form Mr Mallinson who reminded them just how close their performance at Symphony Hall is! Remember to keep practising Year 5 – learning all of those words is tricky but we know you will be amazing! And parents, don’t forget to purchase tickets if you haven’t already! Also, a special 'Well Done!' to Year 5 for leading Mass so well on the feast day of Saint Wulstan!

This week in Science, the Year 6 children have been naming and identifying simple parts of the human eye and discuss their functions in relation to being able to see objects. Children also explored the idea that some objects emit light while others reflect light. They identified that light travels from a light source to an object, then to the eye. On Wednesday, we had a wonderful class liturgy on the life of Saint Wulstan. He was known to have performed many miracles, which included the tale of a workman who fell 40 feet from the roof of the Cathedral. He is the patron saint of vegetarians. On the 19 January, we celebrate his feast day, remember his good works and miracles.

Spring Term Parents Evenings: we will be holding two Parent Evenings this term. On Tuesday 6 February, there will be face to face meetings in school from 4:00 - 7:00pm. On Thursday 8 February, there will be face to face meetings in school from 4.30-5.30pm followed by virtual meetings via School Cloud from 6:00-7:00pm. For all appointments to run smoothly and equitably, it is essential that all parents adhere to the 10 minute allocated time slot. If you feel you need additional time to discuss your child, you must make an appointment with your child's class teacher after your initial appointment via the school office.

Saint Wulstan,

WE gather here today as one community under your love and protection.

Thank you for your example of faith and kindness.

Help us to be kind and helpful to everyone in our school.

Guide us in our work, play and everything we do.

Saint Wulstan, pray for us.

Amen.

Dates for your Diary