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The Voice of st leonards

Friday, 9 December 2022

Sense of Community

As we sat in the Byre Theatre on Wednesday with 150 VERY excited children waiting eagerly for the commencement of the pantomime, I was struck by the sense of community. As the story unfolded, they shouted, they laughed, they screamed and they danced and sang. It was the pure unadulterated delight and the sense that they were themselves but safe in their community to behave as they saw fit was moving to observe.

This term has been one for performances. We are a school that cherishes the opportunity to work together, to be a team, to support each other and to achieve great things. This half term alone has seen the Year 4 Pantomime, the Years 4-6 Informal Concert and the Years 1-3 Nativity. Inspirational and dedicated staff ensure that our children receive the very best attention and care, allowing them to explore and develop skills they may not have known they had.

Our sense of ‘self’ is key and whether your talents lie in acting, singing, playing an instrument or writing a script or a story, we encourage every pupil to be their best selves. It is the sense of ‘togetherness’ whilst being our best selves where there is real power.

This is a special time of year. Our children have achieved many special things and with our Carol Service and the end of Autumn Term just a week away, we look forward to sending everyone into their festive holidays with that special sense of our community and togetherness in our hearts.

Claire Boissiere, on behalf of the PYP Leadership Team

The ‘Inn-Spectors’ Nativity

We are delighted to share with you a compilation of photographs from this year’s Nativity, The ‘Inn-Spectors’ performed excellently by our pupils in Years 1-3. It was a pleasure to watch our talented children perform on stage for parents and friends in the School Hall. A huge congratulations to the cast and crew, all of whom have worked incredibly hard, learning their lines, practising catchy Christmas tunes and rehearsing together. A huge well done to all involved, we hope you enjoy looking through the photo album below.

Island of the Week

It was an incredibly close contest for Island of the Week this week. So close that we had joint winners! Well done to Harris and Skye for your fantastic achievement! Watch Caitlin below (Harris’ Captain) add their Yellow flag to the flagpole, joining Skye’s from the previous week.

Year 1

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

As the snow fell on Thursday morning, the children were eager to get outside and play. The pupils wrapped up warm and headed onto the playground to create snowmen with their friends.

1C

Christmas Crafts

1C kicked off their week creating lots of colourful Christmas crafts as the holiday season approaches. Their first craft session was with Ms McIntee to create beautiful tree decorations. The pupils carefully followed the instructions to ensure they added each part in the correct order. Well done 1C!

The fun continued, this time with scratch decorations. One minute black, then as if by magic, they turn rainbow colours and patterns! The pupils created wonderfully designed Christmas trees, presents, bells, snowmen and even gingerbread men!

Christmas Wreaths

1C spent an afternoon creating Christmas Wreaths with sparklingly holly and glittering bows. Their finished wreaths are looking beautiful on display in 1C’s classroom!

Christmas Tree Decorating Competition

Huge congratulations to Maggie who was the winner of our Christmas Tree Decorating Competition as part of the Parents Association’s Christmas Tree Festival. Well done Maggie - what a wonderfully creative approach!

1P

Santa’s Little Helpers

1P have had a festive week this week, creating a Christmas Elf workshop in their classroom. The pupils have enjoyed writing letters and cards to Santa with their Christmas wishes, before weighing the parcels up for Santa. The pupils have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the concept of weight, using the language of heavier and lighter. The students then created a wonderful sleigh for Santa to carry all of the heavy presents! Fantastic work, 1P!

Year 2

Taking Action: Family Histories Museum

Over the past few months, our inquisitive Year 2 pupils have been researching their fascinating family histories, uncovering interesting artefacts, preparing polished presentations, and even spent time dressing up as individuals from a bygone era. This week, they were delighted to present and celebrate their learning as they opened the doors to their Family Histories Museum, which featured independent research by every member of the class. The museum featured the children’s family trees, WW1 medals, vintage sewing machines and much much more! Tuesday saw visits from children in Years 1 to 6, while on Wednesday they were very excited to welcome parents and friends from our wider school community.

A huge round of applause for the budding historians in Year 2 - you have achieved great things this term!

Year 3

Trip to the Pantomime

The children in Year 3 were delighted to visit the Byre Theatre with the rest of the Junior School to watch the production of Snow White. There was plenty of laughter and festive fun as the pupils were fully engaged throughout the performance.

Christmas Jumper Day

The pupils are looking forward to Christmas Jumper Day on Tuesday, 13 December. In anticipation, the pupils have created wonderful advertisements and posters to promote the event and raise money for Save the Children. Well done Year 3!

Year 4

Sporting Success

We are delighted to share and celebrate Teddy C’s sporting success from last weekend. On Saturday, Teddy took part in an ice hockey tournament, where him and his team competed in a variety of matches and impressively managed to win every game! Not only that, but Teddy was awarded Man of the Match for his excellent sportsmanship and skill!

Then on Sunday, the sporting success continued for Teddy as he took part in a gymnastics competition. Teddy wonderfully came first in the men's artistic gymnastics category, having taken part in all 6 disciplines- floor, pommel horse, vault, rings, high bar and parallel bars. This is an incredible achievement, Teddy - a huge congratulations from all at St Leonards, you should be very proud of yourself!

Active Maths

Year 4 worked together to solve challenging subtraction equations this week. Calculating the answer and then locating them in St Katharines Hall. Great work Year 4!

Year 5

Letters of Gratitude

In Year 5, they have been discussing ways in which we can be caring throughout December. The children have written positive messages for others to find, they have given compliments to their peers and teachers and are trying to think of ways in which they can help others. They have also written letters to members of the school community showing gratitude for what they do. Fantastic role models Year 5, well done!

Risk Taker

Well done to Harrison who received a special Risk Taker certificate this week for showing bravery and determination when asked to go in goal at a hockey match. Great work, Harrison!

Year 6

Library Buddies

This week, Year 6 buddied up with Year 2 for some very special library time. Year 2 chose a book and the Year 6s read it to them. It was wonderful seeing how engaged both sets of pupils were. The Year 6 pupils were very enthusiastic, wanting to do it every week. A Year 2 pupil even asked when they are next reading with the older boys and girls. Definitely a good sign, well done Year 6!

Certificates

There was a special certificate assembly this week for Year 1-6. Mr Brian introduced the assembly, thanking the pupils for their hard work preparing for the Nativity and Carol Service. Certificates were then handed out to all those who have distinctly shown November’s IB Learner Profile Attribute, Knowledgeable.

Well done to Bertie, Arthur, Harriet and Flora in Year 1 for demonstrating wonderful inquiry skills in their Christmas celebrations topic.

Congratulations to all in Year 2 who received a Knowledgeable Certificate for their hard work creating their Family Histories Museum.

Well done to Flora and Ray in Year 3 who received certificates for their outstanding research in their current Unit of Inquiry, Heroes.

Congratulations to Year 4 pupils Johnnie, Toby and Agnes demonstrating the Learner Profile Attribute, Knowledgeable by making relevant contributions in class.

Well done to George and Dylan in Year 5 for their fabulous knowledge shared during their Shackleton project.

Congratulations to Jonathan, Theo, Eleanor, Caitlin, Ramsay and Phoebe who all received Knowledgeable certificates in Year 6! And well done to all of 6C who received a class certificate!

Pen Licence

Well done to Max, Michelle, Maryam and Caitlin who all received their Pen License this week and were awarded with a special St Leonards pen to start writing with!

Birthdays

Milla M, we hope you have a wonderful day!