Beauclerc Infant & Nursery School
116 French Street, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, TW16 5LE
Tel: 01932 780672
[email protected]
http://www.beauclerc.surrey.sch.uk
Friday 9th December, 2016
CHENNESTONE CHRISTMAS FAIR
TONIGHT!!!!!!!
6:00 – 8:30PM
Dear Parents,
Thank you to the PTA for organising an amazing Christmas Bazaar with so much to do. It was really a great team
effort from our brilliant new committee. All your hard work is really appreciated. Thank you as well to everyone who
came to support or to lend a hand behind a stall or to set up and clear up or donated things to sell or be prizes.
Father Christmas was especially thrilled with the wonderful grotto that was built for him – so he will definitely be back
next year.
New Governors
We are very pleased to announce that we have three new School Governors, two parent governors, Mr Chapman and
Mr Cholewa, and a co-opted governor, Mrs Bowman. We warmly welcome them to the Governing Body of the
Federated Schools of Beauclerc and Chennestone and hope that they find this role a rewarding one.
Sue Jackson
DATES FOR THE DIARY ~ DECEMBER
Dec
Mon 12th
Tues 13th
Weds 14th
Thurs 15th
Thurs 15th
Main School Dress Rehearsal to Chennestone Year 3 09:30
Nursery Christmas Play 2:00pm (Mon/Tues/Wed Children)
Main School Christmas Play to Red & Yellow Parents 09:30
Main School Christmas Play to Orange & Blue Parents 09:30
Main School to Chennestone for Year 3 Christmas play – Volunteers required please
Dep: 13:10 Ret: before end of school day.
Fri 16th
Fri 16th
Fri 16th
Fri 16th
Mon 19th
Tues 20th
Weds 21st
Christmas Lunch
Nursery Christmas Play 2:00pm
Nursery “Wed/Thurs/Fri” last day at Nursery before Christmas Nursery Closes after
Christmas Play.
Xmas Jumper Day!!!!! Donations to Shooting Star Chase
Choir perform to Elizabeth Gardens 10:00
St Marys Christmas Carols – come and join us
Last day of term – Main School at 2pm
“Mon/Tues/Wed” Nursery Closes at 12:00pm
Successful Learners
Confident Individuals
Responsible Citizens
Looking at what we’ve learnt this week!
Blue
In Blue Class this week we have been editing and improving our sentences. We have been working
together collaboratively to ensure we are choosing the best words e.g. adverbs, adjectives and
connectives. We have been checking that we are using the correct punctuation. In Maths we have been
consolidating our knowledge of addition and subtraction with a new game, ‘Guess my Number’. Your child
may want to play this game at home? We’ve also been developing our acting skills ready for the Christmas
Play next week. Jazz Hands at the ready !
Orange
This week in Maths we have been learning about measurement. We learnt that we can use different tools
to measure with. For example if we’re measuring things of a short length we can use a ruler and things of
a longer length can be measured with a metre stick. We enjoyed using the metre stick to measure the
length of Mr Singh and Mrs Dalton. In English we explored a picture of winter, we learnt to record what
we can see using a list. We then wrote sentences adding describing words. This week we developed out
computing skills by programming “Beebots”. It was so much fun to tap in the instructions and watch the
machine follow the instructions. We learnt that wrong instructions could mean the Beebot crashes into
another one.
As Christmas is in the air and certainly in our hall, we learnt about the story of Christmas and why
Christmas is important to Christians. We heard the story of the good Samaritan from the Christian
parables. We learnt that charity and kindness are part of the spirit of Christmas.
On Friday we went on a trip. We saw the Santa’s grotto, played games and learnt that the park looks very
different in late Autumn because the trees did not have any leaves. The yellow bus kept us amused but
the trip was fun and very tiring…
Red
This week we all went to Painshill Park and the children thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Here is a recount
written by Charlotte and Bobby to tell you all about it:
On Wednesday we went to Painshill Park. First we went on a coach. It was really fun. Next we collected
leaves in a field and played some games. Then we went to feed the ducks. After that we made Christmas
cards using our leaves for Santa and the elves. Then we had lunch. I had a ham sandwich, it was yummy. I
also had a biscuit and that was yummy too. Then we made Christmas decorations outside, they were nice.
Finally we went back to school.
Thank you to all of the parent helpers that assisted with trip, it was very much appreciated.
Yellow
At the start of this week, Yellow Class were excited about their forthcoming trip to visit Santa’s Grotto
at Painshill Park. This excitement inspired us to create a grotto with an elf workshop. The children
created tickets, labelled and wrapped presents and arranged them in size order. They created a quality
control system whereby the present got graded using a traffic light system. Red meant there was
something wrong or missing and green meant the present were ready to be sent. The children decided to
prepare food for Santa’s reindeers and learnt to estimate amounts. They learnt that estimating means
guessing an amount before counting to check. In addition, we learnt that estimates need to be sensible
guesses.
On Wednesday we visited Painshill Park. The children went on a journey to find Santa’s Grotto and
discovered that it was made of real crystals. In the afternoon, the children created a range of craft
activities using natural materials such as logs, bark and pinecones.
We spent the rest of the week writing thank you letters to Santa and the special elf’s that looked after
us all day. We used our phonics knowledge to sound out words. We tried to write simple sentences such as
‘I had fun.’
Successful Learners
Confident Individuals
Responsible Citizens
Purple
This week in Purple Class we have begun our Christmas craft activities. We have been learning lots of
different skills while creating Christmas cards and Christmas decorations. In Santa’s workshop we have
been writing letters to Father Christmas and learning how to use scissors and cello tape when wrapping
up a range of presents of various different sizes. Once our presents were wrapped we then wrote out
labels for them so that Santa knows where to deliver them. In Santa’s workshop we have also been
drawing plans of toys before making the toys using a variety of different construction toys. Purple Class
are very excited about Christmas and they have been very busy practising their Christmas songs. On
Wednesday morning some of the nursery were able to perform their songs for Blue and Orange Class.
The children were fantastic and we are now all looking forward to sharing this with you next week. We
hope you can make it and look forward to seeing you there.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Nursery perform their songs to parents on Tuesday at 2pm.
,lWednesday, Thursday and Friday Nursery perform their songs to parents on Friday at 2pm.
Christmas Jumper Day - Friday 16th December
This Christmas, as well as donating money that we would have spent on Christmas cards, we decided
that it would be fun again to join with others in wearing a Christmas jumper on Christmas Jumper
Day. Please don’t go out especially to buy a jumper, any jumper can be jazzed up with tinsel or
th
something similar to look very Christmassy! The day is Friday 16 December and we suggest that
children bring in a small donation. We have chosen to give the money to our local charity, Shooting
Stars Chase this year. Ellie Christianson the Shooting Star Chase Education Fundraiser visited
Beauclerc last week and spoke to the children in assembly about what happens to the money that they
raise.
Parenting Puzzle
We are running an 8 week Parenting Puzzle Programme for parents next term.
To find out more come and talk to either Ruth Kendrick or Gail Foot at the Christmas Fair on the 9th December
2016
Successful Learners
Confident Individuals
Responsible Citizens
#
Beauclerc and Chennestone Schools
for Reading at home -Part 12.
Comprehension and the different types of questions to ask
Being a good reader is so much more than just being able to decode the words on the page. It’s about understanding, evaluating
and responding to the text. When your child reads, whether it’s a story, poem, information book, or any other type of text, they’ll
bring with them their own experiences and these will influence their interpretations of what they read.
For children to develop their comprehension skills we need to provide them with a range of texts that they can access because they
have some experience or understanding of the subject being communicated. This is particularly important when we consider the
needs of very young able readers. In our eagerness to match materials to their reading ability we can be in danger of offering them
texts that begin to go beyond their conceptual understanding. If they can read the words, but have no understanding of the text
then this is not providing opportunities for your child to become a ‘good reader’. Your child’s teacher will be evaluating your
child’s reading ability as well as their comprehension skills at every stage of assessment.
With this in mind, let’s look at the different types of questions that you could ask before, during or after your child reads to
develop their comprehension skills:
1.
Literal Questions – these are questions that require children to find information that’s specifically stated in the text.
“Who are the characters in the book?” “Where did they go on their holiday?” “What do monkeys eat?”
“How does sound travel?”
2.
3.
Inference and deduction questions – these are questions that require children to “read between the lines,” to interpret
information implied in the text. They will need to look for clues or piece together more than one piece of information to
find the answer. It’s here that they’ll need to draw upon their own experiences to help them.
“What do you think will happen next?” “Why do you think he acted in this way?” “Describe in your own words what has
happened’” “What do you think the character was thinking? “How do you know that the person writing this letter wasn’t
happy? Find some evidence to support your opinion.”
Evaluative or response questions – these are questions that require your child to go beyond the text.
“What makes this a successful letter?” “Which of these 2 newspaper reports is the most effective in describing the key
events?” “Did the author succeed in her aim to make this play a comedy?”
4.
Philosophical questions – these are questions that have no right or wrong answer. They are questions that really get
children reflecting upon issues, questioning their own and others beliefs and ideas. Once you’ve read a text a question
may come about from the main idea of the text.
“Does money bring you happiness?” “What does it mean to be a friend?” “Can kindness change the world?”
It can be fairly easy to think of literal questions, where the answer is directly linked to the text. It’s the inferential, evaluative and
philosophical questions, however, that will really get your child thinking! These types of questions require your child to use their
problem solving skills, to be reflective, questioning and evaluative. Practising these skills will make a significant contribution to
the development of your child’s comprehension skills.
Next time – strategies to help with answering comprehension questions
Successful Learners
Confident Individuals
Responsible Citizens
BEAUCLERC P.T.A.
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The PTA would like to say a massive heartfelt thank you to all that made the Christmas Bazaar a
success.
To everyone that has helped with the lead up to the event, the generous donations from you all and all
the parents who gave up their time to help on the night. We couldn't have done it without you.
Thank you!!
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR...RAFFLE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We are currently contacting all the people who won prizes on the raffle and were not present to
choose and collect. Please do get back to us as soon as possible if you are contacted with which prize
you would like.
SCHOOL TEATOWEL SALE - THURSDAY 15th DECEMBER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We will be selling the final few tea towels created by the children after school on Thursday 15th
December. If you have not already bought any please do come and see us, this will be the last day
before school breaks up that we will be selling them. If you would like one and cannot make it on that
day, do contact us and we can arrange to hold one for you.
Thank you for your continued support and contributions!
Emma, Caroline, Diane & Sara
You can email us at: [email protected] or contact Emma on 07879 637206 and Caroline
on 07880 785502 Or catch any of us at pick up or drop off :o)
Successful Learners
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Alice’s Adventure In Wonderland – A Riverside Youth Theatre Production
Come follow Alice down the rabbit hole between 7th and 10th December 2016 at 8pm.
Venue: Riverside Arts Centre, 59 Thames Street, Sunbury TW16 5QF
Box Office: 07871992988 or visit www.riversideyouththeatre.co.uk
School Dates for Academic Year 2016/2017
Mon 5th Dec – INSET day
Weds 21st Dec – Last day of term, school closes 2:00pm
Tues 3rd Jan – Start of term – back to school
Tues 10th Jan – Parents Eve – early
Thurs 12th Jan – Parents Eve - Late
Fri 10th Feb – INSET day
Mon 13th – Fri 17th Feb – Half Term
Mon 20th Feb – Back to school
Fri 31st March – Last day of term, school closes 2.00pm
Mon 3rd Apr – Mon 17th Apr – Easter Holidays
Tues 18th Apr – Start of term – back to school
Mon 1st May – Bank Holiday
Mon 29th May – Fri 2nd June – Half Term
Mon 5th June – Back to school
Fri 21st July – Last day of term, school closes 2.00pm
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Responsible Citizens