Samba Drumming and Carnival Dance Day - 26th June 2024
Last week, our school was filled with the vibrant sounds and colours of Brazil as our students participated in a Samba Drumming and Carnival Dance Day. The event was an incredible success, with every child enthusiastically joining in to learn and experience the rich cultural traditions of Samba music and dance.
Throughout the day, our students were guided by professional instructors who introduced them to the rhythmic beats of Samba drums and the lively, energetic movements of Carnival dance. The atmosphere was electric as the children immersed themselves in the activities, showcasing their creativity and enthusiasm.
This event was not only a celebration of music and dance but also a valuable learning experience. By exploring the traditions of another culture, our students took an important step towards becoming informed and empathetic global citizens. Understanding and appreciating the diversity of cultures around the world is a key part of their education, helping them to grow into responsible and open-minded individuals.
Dental Care Day: Promoting Healthy Smiles! - 10th June 2024
Today, our school had the pleasure of hosting a Dental Care Day, featuring a special visit from a Dental Nurse from Finkle Hill Dental Practice. The children participated in an informative session that emphasised the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene habits.
During the session, the Dental Nurse shared several key messages that we encourage you to discuss with your children at home:
-
Brush Twice a Day: Children should brush their teeth twice daily—once before bed and once more during the day. Each brushing session should last for 2 minutes, using an age-appropriate fluoride toothpaste.
-
Supervision: It’s important for children to be supervised while brushing their teeth until they are at least 7 years old. This helps ensure they are brushing effectively and developing good habits.
-
Spitting, Not Rinsing: As children grow, typically around the age of 3, they should be encouraged to spit out excess toothpaste after brushing. Rinsing with water should be avoided to ensure the fluoride continues to protect their teeth.
-
Limit Sugary Foods and Drinks: Reducing sugary foods and drinks is essential for maintaining healthy teeth. When consumed, these should ideally be part of a meal to minimize their impact on oral health.
-
Regular Dental Check-Ups: Regular visits to the dentist are crucial for keeping your child’s teeth and gums healthy.
We are grateful to Finkle Hill Dental Practice for helping our students understand the importance of dental care. By reinforcing these habits at home, we can work together to ensure our children have bright, healthy smiles that last a lifetime!
Safer Internet Day - 6th February 2024
The children celebrated Safer Internet day in school. This is an annual global event that promotes the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, with the aim of inspiring conversations about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively. In the UK, Safer Internet Day is organised by the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC), a partnership of three charities – Childnet International, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and SWGfL.
Mr Butterwick and Miss Dunsmuir led assemblies introducing the day, with each class then partaking in their own events and activities.
Anti-Bullying Week 2023 - 13th to 19th November
During this week the children were immersed in texts which helped to illustrate, inclusion, acceptance, kindness and friendship. The children completed work around being up standers and every
class produced a class anti bullying book taking inspiration from the class book....
Reception – Elmer David McKee
Years 1 & 2 - The Peace Book Todd Parr
Chestnut – One by Kathryn Otoshi
Sycamore – It’s Ok to be Different Todd Parr
Oak – Troll Stinks! By Jeanne Willis
Practical Scooter Training - 13th October 2023
Over the autumn term the children in Years 3 & 5 really enjoyed the practical scooter training with Leeds City Council’s Influencing Travel Behaviour Team. This initiative is part of the Leeds 2040 Vision Zero strategy, which aims for no road death or serious injury in Leeds by 2040.
The training was delivered in three sessions to help support the children and build awareness and confidence:
Classroom session about active travel, road safety, air quality and the climate
Playground skills to learn or improve scooter skills such as balance, gliding, braking, steering and road safety awareness.
Off-site session: children put their skills into practice outside the school. This includes scooting on pavements and walking across roads safely.
British Science Week 2023 - 10th to 19th March.
British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths. This year's theme was "Connections"! Children in all year groups took part in the celebration, with activities ranging from building bridges, to taste-testing foods, and trying to make a noise louder than a jumbo jet! We also took part in some 'live lessons' online, hosted by Science Live.
World Book Day - 2nd March 2023
This year, World Book Day took place on Thursday 2 March 2023 and the emphasis was on making it YOUR World Book Day. Since it was first celebrated in the UK and Ireland over 25 years ago, the day has grown to become an essential calendar fixture for schools, settings and communities. It provides a fantastic opportunity to focus on reading for pleasure, supporting children's autonomy in book choice, and embedding a habit of reading that brings a wide range of benefits. We had a wonderful day in School, with the grounds converted into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory! Staff members all chose to dress as a character from the popular Roald Dahl book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, handing out Golden Tickets to the children upon arrival!
Safer Internet Day - 8th February 2023
Safer Internet Day 2023 took place on 7th of February 2023, with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’.
Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the celebration saw thousands of organisations get involved to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.
Mr Butterwick led an assembly on Safer Internet Use, explaining how important it is to talk to a trusted adult if you see anything that worries or upsets you. Then, back in the classroom, children did a variety of activities provided by the Safer Internet Centre and ThinkUKnow (CEOP).
If you have any Internet safety concerns please speak to Mr. Butterwick.
Children's Mental Health Week -6-12th February 2023
Place2Be launched the first-ever Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015 to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health.
Now in its ninth year, they hope to encourage more people than ever to get involved, spread the word, and raise vital funds for children’s mental health.
Mrs Smith led an assembly on this as well as strategies for coping when we have lot on our minds. Then, back in the classroom, we did a variety of activities to promote positive mental health. One class at a time, we also visited the Hall where Mrs Smith led a pilates session. The children did fantastically well!
