How pleasing to look back on the amazing progress that our children have made this first academic term.
In just over 15 weeks they have settled so well and been able to experience so many things both in class and with Enrichment sessions that have helped them have such a great start to their learning journey this year.
Here are some highlights.
Lady K Grundy
Highlights of the Autumn 2 Half Term
Nursery
The Nursery children took part in an exciting Bear Hunt, with a “swishy swashy” journey through the long grass! We talked about harvest and food in celebrations – Diwali, bonfire night and Christmas. As Christmas came nearer, we practised lots of singing and actions for the first ever Nativity at STP, made lovely Christmas cards and other crafts. We’re looking forward to a new Year and a new E3L theme, ‘Build Me a Home’.
Reception
The outdoor area has been a focus for development, and we are delighted to report that the children now have access to a fire pit, canopy cover to enable access outdoors in all weathers and a mud kitchen. We had an Early Year’s Advisor come in and look at our provision outside at the start of December which she judged to be outstanding.
The children have really enjoyed taking part in music lessons with a specialist music teacher Mrs Shaikh. They have learnt how to keep a beat and rhythm using claves and other instruments, as well learning a Spanish dance, what talented children we have!
Next term our topic will be “Toy Story” where we will be learning about robots and other mechanical toys and inventions, making, and designing new toys and comparing toys from the past to toys that are played with today.
Year One
Dear Santa Trip
We had our first trip this year for the children in Year One, who were very excited to attend the Birmingham Hippodrome to see ‘Dear Santa’. All children joined in with the pantomime and they had an enjoyable time singing along to Christmas songs. Excitingly, and unexpectedly, they also had the chance to meet Santa who happened to be passing STP on the same day and received a special present from him. It was an enjoyable day for all staff and children, and we cannot wait to go on more trips like these in the future!
Computing Focus Day
During this half term, Year One have taken part in their very first Computing Focus Day. They used ‘Scratch Junior’ to programme a character to make appropriate sounds and used software called ‘Garage Band’ to perform beats and notes inspired by their E3L theme ‘Twist and Shout.’ Their creations focused on the music of Queen and their hit song ‘We will rock you!’. This day inspired creativity through technology in a way the children have not experienced before!
True Colours Performance
Year One learnt the song “True Colours” by Cyndi Lauper. We were so inspired by Rose Ayling Ellis that the children also learnt the Makaton signs. We are so proud of the children for their beautiful performance. All members of staff and pupils here at STP thoroughly enjoyed watching them all perform this song in such a unique way.
“We are British”
In January, the children in Year 1 will begin their new theme, 'We are British'. They will learn the names of the countries of the UK, the Kings and Queens who have ruled and how the British Values keep us safe and help us to live together peacefully. Children will even explore British food and prepare and cook their own meals. How exciting!
Year Two
Visit from artist James Brunt
As part of our E3L theme, ‘Worth Repeating’, we welcomed artist James Brunt to Shireland Technology Primary. James works with natural materials found in the local environment to create impressive artwork using repeating patterns. The children created an amazing piece of outdoor, collaborative artwork using everything from leaves and bark to stones and conkers! It was such an exciting and memorable day, and all the children were left feeling inspired.
“Roll Up, Roll Up!”
In Year Two, our next topic will be ‘Roll Up! Roll Up!’ where we will be learning all about the history of the fairground. We will study the sights, sounds and smells of the funfair before designing and …… constructing our very own carousels!
Year Three
Prehistoric Planet
Our theme this term has allowed us to step back in time and explore the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages in Britain. We’ve discovered how each age began, its impact on human progress and how technologies developed. We have some fantastic historians in Year Three who will be thrilled to share their knowledge with you if you ever visit us!
Music and Computer Programming Focus Days
In our Computing focus day this half term in Year 3 we used Scratch to create animations following a storyboard. The children were able to create sprites (characters) and animate their movements, sounds, speech and even the backdrops of the settings.
For the Music focus day, we explored rhythm and musical notation, playing a range of pieces of music with claves, chime blocks and glockenspiels. We performed at the end of the day and our audience were blown away by our musical skills. We have some amazing videos of our performances on Class Dojo.
It’s Not Fair!
Does this phrase sound familiar? The next half term will see Year Three learn the real meaning of fairness, as we explore our needs and wants, where our food comes from and how farmers around the world are supported by the Fairtrade movement.
Times Table Rock Stars – Legends or Heroes?
Over December, children in Year Two and Three have taken part in a tournament at school and at home – the ‘Battle of the Bands!’. We would like to say a huge well done for all the effort which has been shown! Keep ‘rockin’ on’ to learn more of your times tables!
Pupil Forum
Our Pupil Forum has continued to meet this half term, including our first whole class meetings in class. This term, pupils focused on human rights due to Human Rights Day and across the school voted that they would like to find out more about them, so there will now be an additional assembly on Human Rights and their importance in the New Year.
Additionally, pupils have come up with a huge number of ideas for how to make our school an eco-friendlier place. Look out for our first actions at the end of this update and our full agreed action plan in the New Year!
Children in Need 2021
We had lots of fun in aid of the BBC Children in Need Appeal, dressing in yellow and spotty clothing, working out our bodies and brains with Joe Wicks and raising an amazing £488.86 for the charity. Thank you to our children and families for your enthusiasm and generosity!
Attendance Awards
To promote good attendance, we have been celebrating those children that have achieved 100% attendance this term (COVID related absences not counted). We had a special assembly about it at the start of the year.
Many children have attended every day this term and each of these children received a special certificate in our Christmas Celebration Assembly on the final day of term and 50 Dojo points. Our aim is for every child to achieve 97% or above across the whole year.
At the end of the year there will be a special certificate and 50 Dojo Points for those who have achieved attendance of 97% and above, with those achieving 100% attendance across the year receiving 100 Dojo Points, a Gold Certificate, and a prize each.
Christmas at Shireland Technology Primary
Although Christmas was still not as we had hoped due to COVID and the high cases in our area in December, we still managed to get into the Christmas spirit at Shireland Technology Primary.
Christmas Jumper Day and Santa’s Grotto
We kicked off our 6 days of Christmas with Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day where everyone wore their best Christmas Jumper and there was an extended assembly. In the process, we also raised £385 for Save the Children.
It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas, as our Christmas Grotto was also open for business, with the jolly fellow himself in residence. Santa and his little helper Miss Sutch met all our children and gave them each a special gift from STP.
It was a truly magical experience for our children.
Christmas Cinema Club
Our second day of our STP festive activities saw the return of the staff choice, Christmas Cinema Club which was a wonderful, cheerful treat for all! Our children cosied down in the dark to enjoy a hot chocolate and a cookie in front of a yuletide favourite film with their friends.
Christmas Sing-alongs and Parties
On our final days of Christmas, we all enjoyed a delicious Christmas lunch, Class Christmas Parties and Festive sing-a-longs. What a marvellous way to get into the Christmas spirit and end a busy but wonderful first term.
EYFS Nativity
On our third day of our special Christmas celebrations, we had our first ever STP Nativity. We were all very proud of the children’s efforts in learning the songs, practising lines, and becoming confident performers. We all agreed you truly SHONE!
Coming Up Next Term
Encyclopedia Britannica Magazine Competition for Years 2 & 3
Thank you to our families in Year Two and Three for taking part in our exciting and creative Shireland Trust ‘Challenge’ – 21 different things that happened in 2021. Winners will be announced on Friday 20th January 2022.
We are working with the creators of the brand-new Britannica Magazine that will be launched in April 2022 and have lots more follow up events lined up in the New Year with our children having the chance to contribute to some of the articles. What a great motivation for expanding your general knowledge and writing!
Family Forum - January
Our next Family Forum is on Wednesday 19th January is a morning session from 9.15 – 10.15am.
Family Forum is an opportunity to get a little more involved in what is happening in school and find out how we have responded to feedback from previous forums. Families are welcome to attend with each family that attends earning a stamp in their Passport to Success Booklet which builds towards a Trust funded FREE family Trip to the Seaside in the Summer.
Chinese New Year – February
We are very much looking forward to a delicious, themed, food-fest lunch on February 1st to celebrate the Chinese New Year. There will also be an amazing Immersive Room Learning Experience all about the Chinese New Year that each class will take part in and a special assembly. The Trust are also running a Chinese New Year Competition for pupils to get creative and celebrate the Year of the Tiger.
Safer Internet Week - February
As a Technology Primary, we are particularly aware of the positive impact and possibilities offered to us by technology, but we are also aware of the risks and the need to keep our pupils safe online and our families informed. This year’s Safer Internet Week will be 7th – 11th February 2022.
This year our Safer Internet Week will include sessions for pupils, families, and staff to ensure we keep all of us safe and informed when using the internet.
Welsh National Opera project – February / March
We have been approached as a feeder primary to the Shireland CBSO Music School, opening in September 2023, by the Welsh National Opera Company for our Year Threes to take part in a unique project in Spring 2. The children will develop their storytelling and writing skills to write and produce their very own opera. What an incredible opportunity! Watch this space!!!
My Cultural Journey – Spring Term
It’s been wonderful to see so many of the children in Year 1, 2 and 3 completing activities and gaining new experiences using their 50 Things to Do lists from the My Cultural Journey programme. We have seen photos of children visiting museums, going to the theatre, creating artwork, playing in the snow and baking cakes.
Children are busy completing portfolios for every activity they complete. We will be checking portfolios next term and hopefully giving out our first Bronze awards for 25 completed activities at the end of the Summer Term!
Edulink One: Reducing our Carbon Footprint
As mentioned earlier in this newsletter our pupils have told us through the Pupil Forum that they are very concerned about the school being more environmentally friendly. As such they have asked us to find ways of reducing the amount of paper we use as a school. Our teachers are already using less paper in lesson preparation and now we will be focused on reducing our paper-based correspondence in the New Year.
All letters home will be via the Edulink One platform, which is available either online or via the app. We hope that lots of small changes like this add up to a big impact for the environment. That you Pupil Forum for leading the way.
Admissions for next September are now open!
Admissions are open for children joining us in Reception and Nursery next September 2022. In our fourth year of operation, we are looking forward to welcoming another new cohort joining our growing school. Reception admissions are run by the Local Authority, whereas we run our own Nursery admissions. For more information on admissions, please contact Mrs Shocker in the school office to arrange a visit and look around our amazing school.
Remember the deadline is 15th January – so let friends and family members know and act fast if you have not already applied for a place.
Remember to select our full name Shireland Technology Primary.