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• World Book Day

  Thu 24 Feb 2022

  *World Book Day Information*
  
  World Book Day this year is on Thursday 3rd March (that’s next Thursday!) and we are looking forward to celebrating all things reading in school on this day.
  
  On Thursday 3rd March all children (From Mini Meteorites to Year 6) can come to school dressed in pyjamas (this can include onesies too). No slippers please. There will be no charge for this.
  
  If your child normally has PE on a Thursday then they can still come to school in pyjamas but please make sure they are wearing trainers to complete their PE session in. Rainbows and Sunshines you will receive a separate message about Forest School kit and pyjamas.
  
  In school on Thursday our Year 6 Gold Leaders will be paying a visit to different classes to read a story to them. We will also be completing lots of interesting book activities on Thursday afternoon. Look out for an exciting book challenge posted onto Dojo too.
  
  We would also like to run a Book Swap activity on World Book Day. If you have a book that you’ve read lots of times and think someone else would love to try too then bring it in and on Thursday you can swap it for a different book. Books for the Book Swap need to be brought into school by Friday 25th February please. (Please bring them into their class teacher who will provide them with a voucher allowing them to attend the swap session on World Book day).
  
  On Thursday your child will come home with a voucher allowing them either £1 off any book or to buy one of the World Book Day titles. You just need to take the voucher to the shop with the book of your choice. Here is a link to the special Book Day titles if you'd like to take a look.
  https://www.worldbookday.com/

• An overview of what's been happening in school this week

  Fri 11 Feb 2022

  Dear Parents and Carers,
  
  We have had busy final week of this half term in school this week. Our whole school attendance last week was 93.7%, which is below our whole school target of 97% and has dropped from last week. Well done to Miss Norris’ class who had the highest attendance last week with a brilliant 97.4%! Just a reminder that our gates are open between 8:40am and 8:50am and collection time is 3:05pm.
  
  This week, Mini Meteorites have been exploring emotions and talking about why we feel the way we do, coinciding with Children's Mental Health Week. We have also been looking at healthy eating and now award the healthy lunch of the day. We have seen a huge difference in what is being brought into school for lunch; well done and keep it up. Our poem this week is Chop, Chop. Can they retell it to you at home?
  
  The rest of the school have also spent some of their afternoon learning time exploring a range of mental health based activities, including exploring the artwork of Charlie Mackesy’s book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. The imagery is spectacular and inspiring. The children have enjoyed thinking about how we can support and help each other to grow, remembering to be kind to ourselves along the way. The artwork and quotes the children have produced have been incredible; I have attached one of my favourites from Mia in year 6. Look out for your child's on their ClassDojo page.
  
  We are looking forward to seeing all of the children dressing to express in their non-uniform tomorrow in celebration of Children’s Mental Health week.
  
  Thank you for all of your support this half term. All of the staff hope you enjoy your half term week and we look forward to seeing you all back in school on Monday 21st February.

• Internet Safety Day

  Thu 03 Feb 2022

  FEBRUARY 8th 2022 – INTERNET SAFETY DAY
  
  Next Tuesday is the annual Internet Safety Day. During the next week, your child will participate in an assembly and some class-based activities designed to make time spent on the Internet a safer and more enjoyable activity. The theme for this year’s event is Respect and Relationships Online. In order to further support your child, an internet safety webinar for parents/carers, led by John Hammond of Leicestershire Police will run on February 8th at 6:30pm-7:30pm.
  
  Here is a link for the event:
  
  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-safety-advice-for-parents-tickets-251105923577
   

• An overview of what's been happening in school this week

  Thu 03 Feb 2022

  We have had another great week in school this week. Our whole school attendance last week was 95.6%, which is below our whole school target of 97%, however, we are getting closer each week. Thank you for your support with this. Well done to Mr Causon’s class who had the highest attendance last week with an amazing 99.3%! Just a reminder that our gates are open between 8:40am and 8:50am and collection time is 3:05pm.
  
  Early Years have had an exciting week exploring Chinese New Year. They have tasted some new foods at the Newlands Chinese restaurant and danced like dragons. Which ones did they like? Can they share their dragon dancing with you at home?
  
  Key Stage 1 started their new theme of Memory Box this week. They have been naming parts of the body and exploring which ones are linked to senses. The children loved going on a sensory walk and using their senses to explore. Which ones can they remember?
  
  Lower Juniors have been working hard in English this week, Innovating their information texts about dragons. They have been focusing on including lots of details about their chosen dragon including their habitat, appearance and a special feature. What was the special feature your child chose?
  
  Upper Juniors have enjoyed writing dialogue this week in English based on the cartoon clip ‘The Bridge’ - https://www.literacyshed.com/the-bridge.html. They focused on including stage directions to show how the characters and setting needed to look. Can they write their own version at home?
  
  Cross-Country – last weekend, two of our Go for It Gorillas, Josh and Julian, took part in the Hinckley and Bosworth cross-country race. The boys battled through the cold and windy weekend weather and did an amazing job! We are very proud of both of them for taking part; well done.
  
  Just a reminder that next week is Children’s Mental Health week in school which will be linked to the National theme of ‘Growing Together’. Children will be taking part in some mindfulness activities and thinking about how we can support each other, and ourselves, to be the best we can be. Friday 11th will be Dress to Express Day where children can chose what they would like to wear to school in celebration of Children’s Mental Health week.
  
  Please get in touch if we can support you in any way or if you feel you can support our learning in school. If you have any queries about something which has happened during the school day, please get in touch with your child’s class teacher, rather than other parents, so that we can discuss this with you. Teachers will respond as soon as possible but please be aware that they will be teaching for the majority of the day.
   

• An overview of what's been happening in school this week

  Fri 28 Jan 2022

  We are having another great week in school this week. Our whole school attendance last week was 94.5%, which is below our whole school target of 97%, however, we appreciate that Covid has made this challenging and thank you for your support. Well done to Mrs McEntee’s who’ve had the highest attendance for the second week in a row – 98.6%. Just a reminder that our gates are open between 8:40am and 8:50am and collection time is 3:05pm.
  
  Early Years have taken a trip to the Antarctic this week where they met penguins and explored the landscape. They have written postcards explaining all about their adventure. In Maths, we have been recapping the numbers 1-8 and exploring how to make 8. We have also been learning about alphabetical order through our Alphabet Rap. Can they share it with you at home?
  
  Key Stage 1 hosted their Art Showcase this week where they shared lots of the amazing artwork they have created. The children enjoyed painting in the style of Michelangelo – even heading under the tables to really get into character! In English, we have been writing our final character descriptions about the Giant or Goldilocks. Could they choose another character at home and show off their amazing writing skills?
  
  Lower Juniors have loved their Roman Day visit this week. The found out lots about the Roman Emperor Caligula, the Roman army and Roman life. The children are now well prepared for battle after practising battle formations, designing and making Roman shields. Can they remember any of the name of the Roman armour or show you any battle formations at home?
  
  Upper Juniors have started to explore character emotions and dialogue this week linked to their English unit, Warning Stories. They have tried to use a variety of words for emotions and have thought about how someone would show (not tell) their feelings. What feelings vocabulary can they remember at home?
  
  Monday 7th February – Friday 11th February is Children’s Mental Health and Safer Internet week in school. The children will be completing lots of activities linked to being kind to yourself and others, within the national theme of ‘Growing Together’. We are hoping to create an amazing display linked to this at the front of the school – watch this space! Friday 11th February will be ‘Dress to Express’ non-uniform day where children can wear an outfit of their choice which expresses something about them.

• Cross Country

  Mon 24 Jan 2022

  The Hinckley and Bosworth area cross country series will be held on Saturday 29th January and Saturday 26th February at Brookvale Groby College in Groby for children in years 3 - 6. The HBSSPAN primary cross country events are incredibly popular with hundreds of young people attending to compete and represent their schools in a quest to qualify for the County finals.
  
  If your child is interested in running in these races, please let Mrs Cooling know via class dojo and she will send a letter home with your child with more information including timings. She will be at both events.
  
  Races are approximately one mile.

• An overview of what's been happening in school this week

  Thu 20 Jan 2022

  What another busy week in school! Our whole school attendance last week was 94.1%, which is below our whole school target of 97%, however, we appreciate that Covid has made this challenging and thank you for your support. Well done to Mrs McEntee’s who had the highest attendance. Just a reminder that our gates open between 8:40am and 8:50am and collection time is 3:05pm.
  
  Early Years have enjoyed continuing their learning about the polar regions this week and have been sorting animals into polar and non-polar. Can they remember any at home? They have also been very busy learning new digraphs in Phonics – oo, ue and oi – and learning about the number 8.
  
  Key Stage 1 have produced some fabulous art work this week as part of their Muck, Mess and Mixtures topic. They explored the work of the artist Kadinsky and created their own artwork in his style using oil pastels and concentric circles. We are very excited to put in onto Class Dojo and on display at school.
  
  Lower Juniors have enjoyed exploring the volcanic eruption in Pompeii this week. They watched an hour-by-hour retelling of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, considered how the people there might be feeling and what they would do. Can they remember any of the key events at home?
  
  Upper Juniors have continued to travel the world this week through their Frozen Kingdom learning. They have explored the different climate zones across the globe and what their climate is like in relation to the Equator and Tropics. Which ones can they remember at home?
  
  Please get in touch if we can support you in anyway or if you feel you can support our learning in school.

• Change of Menu on 20th January

  Wed 19 Jan 2022

  Due to it being census day tomorrow Thursday 20th we have changed the menu and will be offering the following:
  
  Fish Fingers and Chips, or;
  Jacket Potato and Beans
  
  Fridays menu will remain unchanged and will also be:
  
  Fish Fingers and Chips, or;
  Jacket Potato and Beans
  
  Please send your EYFS or KS1 child in for a hot meal tomorrow if you can - it is free for any child up to and including year 2!
  
  Please visit our school food page on the website at:
  
  https://www.newlands.leics.sch.uk/school-food/
  
  to see our full menus.

• Latest Isolation guidance

  Mon 17 Jan 2022

  From Monday 17 January, people who are self-isolating with COVID-19 will have the option to reduce their isolation period after 5 full days if they test negative with a lateral flow device (LFD) test on both day 5 and day 6 and they do not have a temperature. For example, if they test negative on the morning of day 5 and the morning of day 6, they can return to their education or childcare setting immediately on day 6.
  
  The first test must be taken no earlier than day 5 of the self-isolation period, and the second must be taken the following day. All test results should be reported to NHS Test and Trace.
  
  If the result of either of their tests is positive, they should continue to self-isolate until they get negative results from two LFD tests on consecutive days or until they have completed 10 full days of self-isolation, whichever is earliest.
  
  Anyone who is unable to take LFD tests or anyone who continues to have a temperature will need to complete the full 10 day period of self-isolation.
  
  Many thanks for your continued support,