Page 67 - Phonebox Magazine 2013

Newton Blossomville School The older children have taken part in
arrival of. It will be fascinating to watch the birds nesting from the comfort of the classroom. We have been doing lots of exciting activities linked to the Chinese New Year, including making lanterns, Chinese dragons and preparing and cooking a healthy stir fry.
the RSPB Bird Watch and spent a wonderful morning in Mrs Pudneyʼs garden recording all the birds that they spotted. The whole school enjoyed bird week and used the data to make a variety of different observations. Our Living Eggs have arrived ... we are watching the eggs hatch into chicks to show that Spring is really on its way! Every day is a surprise waiting to happen!
This term we have a trip planned to Stoke Bruerne to learn all about floating and sinking, and how a blacksmith does his work.
The school council organised a non- uniform day to raise money to fund the purchase of a bird box camera which we are all now eagerly awaiting the
We are all looking forward to World Book Day, as we have a pyjama party planned after school. We will be wearing our onesies, drinking hot chocolate and sharing some of our favourite stories together.
River Meadow Preschool Celebrates Chinese New Year at the Magic Wok
News from Emberton School We completed our Toys topic last half term
On Tuesday 12th February 30 children, aged 3 and 4, and staff from River Meadow Preschool in Newport Pagnell walked to the Magic Wok Chinese Restaurant in Tickford Street. There they were treated to seats in the restaurant and were given the opportunity to try prawn crackers, rice
made a replica toy train and toys with wind up magnetic mechanisms. The Busy Bees have been looking at old and new bears and comparing how large and small they are. We have also had a visit from a Bedford Museum volunteer who showed us how toys were designed before the invention of batteries! We really enjoyed playing with all the replica old toys that she brought along.
noodles and spring rolls in order to celebrate the Year of the Snake.
We would like to say a big thank you to Tim and his team at the Wok for treating us so well and teaching the children to say Happy New Year and Thank You in Chinese. They all had a fantastic time.
children have made pancakes and toasted marshmallows on an open fire, played the Fox and Mouse Game which encourages counting, co-operation and spatial awareness, and hunted for Tickle Monkeys in the woods!
with a focus on Bears. The Learning Ladybirds wrote character studies on Winnie the Pooh and the Busy Bees made porridge after listening to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. On our last day before half term the children brought in their favourite teddies and everyone enjoyed a proper Teddy Bears’ Picnic, munching on homemade honey sandwiches and flapjacks. The Learning Ladybirds have
The cold and snowy weather has not deterred us from our outdoor Forest Schools learning! With Mrs Kirkland the
ICT plays an important part in our learning environment and we have recently introduced our children to our new virtual learning platform D B Primary containing educational activities and games which they will be able to access from home as well as in school.
Federated with St Andrewʼs C of E School
The Spring Term progresses with only the barest signs of the season - a few snowdrops seen outside the Reception Class door. The Reception class celebrated the Chinese New Year with vegetable stir-fry, traditional money envelopes containing gold (chocolate) coins, research into real snakes and some fierce- looking dragon puppets for role-play and story making.
(construction of a sewn and embroidered banner) also add their community support. Mrs Jane Castle from the Bridgebuilder Trust has lent her expertise to the latter project as well as illuminating bible stories with her ʻmagicʼ painting the style of which has been added to the childrenʼs artistic repertoire. We welcome Bed student Simon Spillings who will work within the KS1 team.
School update Pupilsʼ taste buds were tickled at
A pink fairy hunt was organized and conducted by Y1 whereby 100 numbered pink fairies were hidden around the playground and when collected reassembled into a number line or grid for work in Numeracy.
Key Stage 1 have been enjoying Literacy activities based around traditional tales from other cultures such as Siegfied the Dragonslayer (echoes of Wagner) or Robin Hood. Additionally KS1 Design Technology has involved designing and making winding mechanisms. History has been the warming topic of The Great Fire of London with amazement that Samuel Pepys safeguarded his favourite cheese and wine by burying them in the garden!
Mrs Betty Feasey continues to support the school in many ways (lately a date with pancakes on Shrove Tuesday) while Revʼs Mandy (Jewish dancing in assembly) and Pam
Before Christmas the children wrote heartfelt ʻget wellʼ letters to Malala Yousafzai who, injured by the Taliban for promoting the rights of girls to go to school, has been much in the news. We all made a ʻKite for Malalaʼ on Universal Childrenʼs Day and gave a great degree of thought to how lucky we are at Sherington to enjoy a good education.
All 26 children from Early Years Foundation Stage through to Year 2 cooked their very own pancakes, reading the recipe and weighing and measuring their own ingredi- ents. Of course they all had a chance to toss their own pancakes before devouring them!
Sherington C of E School News
Stoke Goldington CE First
Dear Malala,
...We hope you get better...You were right, girls should go to school, it would not be fair...If I didnʼt go to school I would not be able to give you this letter...You are right and very brave...I hope you have fun and learn lots of things...Iʼm lucky because I go to school... Youʼre a very special girl... You have very good ideas...
As part of their studies on Chinese New Year, all the children sampled home-cooked egg fried rice and noodles whilst mastering the tricky art of using chopsticks – quite chal- lenging when youʼre little! They were all very excited to try a fortune cookie at the end of the session!
Stoke Goldington CE First School with Pancake Day and Chinese New Year activities falling in the same week.
Our future citizens have followed this remarkable girlʼs recovery with a continuing interest in current affairs. Now we just need to find those last few fairies! CS
Phonebox Magazine 67