Bacon and Book Swap - Thursday 5th December

After the phenomenal success of our Books and Bacon event last month we are already planning our next book-related breakfast.  On Thursday 5th December from 8am to 9am we will be hosting a Bacon and Book Swap.

Children are invited to bring along a grown-up and a book (or books) you have enjoyed but would like to swap for a different one.  Then you can enjoy browsing and reading whilst have a delicious bacon sandwich - once more cooked for by Mr Howe and the team!  (We will have more frying pans this time...)

Look out for more details coming soon.

Mrs Sheila Stansfield

TA & Library Co-ordinator

Silver Birch Cake Sale - Wed 13th November

Silver Birch will be selling lots of yummy cakes on Wednesday 16th November.  Cakes will be 20p each.  All money raised will go to new things for the Silver Birch Classroom.

Thank you!

New Dance Club!

New Dance Club starting on Thursday mornings (8-8.45) for Years 3 to 6!

If you’d like more details, please see Ms Sims. 

Maths at Hogwarts

This week we have been learning about number lines including landmarked and unmarked lines. Yesterday we made a 0- 1000 number line using a piece of string and pegs. Today the challenge was to create a number line using only a piece of string and some post its. Labelling the start as 9 and the end as 10, where on the line is platform 9 and 3/4? Great partner work and learning through talk with a practical task.
AH

Children In Need

To raise money for Children in Need on the 15th November we will be doing the following things:

• Children dressing up as teachers - 20p
• Cake sale - cakes cost 20p
• Colouring competition - design a uniform for Pudsey which will cost 20p (we are collecting entries in the glazed link - no entries later than Wednesday please)
• Collecting copper coins for extra donations

Thank you

Tia & Zoe, on behalf of the School Council

Chestnut Spellings Due 12th Nov

Spellings 6th Nov

All groups in one word document

Chestnut Home Learning

Spellings - Homophones - Due in Weds 6th Nov (first day back)

All three groups are in one word document

Spellings activity sheet  - everyone needs to do this too (print off the sheet, complete and bring in back on Weds 6th Nov)

Multiplication Poster - everyone should have got a copy of this with them Friday but if you need another then download here - A3 size

Charmed Keys

I'll let you in on a little secret - I have wanted to make 'flying keys' for a long time. Well, it's not a secret as such as Mrs Evans and the other staff have known about my idea ever since we discussed the school's vision at the beginning of the last academic year and the line 'we unlock hidden treasures' was born. I just couldn't get it out of my head but I'm not sure anyone else is as obsessed with Harry Potter as I am (where have you been for the past 10 years?)

What is really great is that it is something that I could share with my new class, who are thoroughly enjoying our Harry Potter themed learning and they are as excited as I am. I would put this lesson on a par with our Wand Making at the beginning of the term: Half an hour of pure delight - learning/developing an art technique as well as having something real and meaningful that relates to the stories we are engrossed in.

Come and have a look in our classroom!

Want to make your own? Download the wing template here

All you need to do is trace over the wing template with permanent pens (check with mum and dad first!) onto clear acetate - I have plenty in school if you need it. Then cut out your template and glue to an old key - I have 5 left over - using a glue gun (again check with mum and dad first!)

AH

Administrative Officer Vacancy

We are looking for a highly organised Administrative Officer to work alongside our Admin Assistant and School Business Manager in our busy, friendly school. 22 hours per week, term time only. Kindly email the school for more information : admin@neston.wilts.sch.uk
(Closing date: 18.11.2013)

Holidays in Term Time

Dear Parents

I am writing to inform you of the Government’s intention to change procedures surrounding holidays taken in term time.

Previously, as Headteacher, I have been permitted to authorise up to ten days leave of absence for “Special Circumstances”.  With effect from September 2013, amendments to the 2006 regulations have come into force.  The amendments make it clear that, as Headteacher, I may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are “exceptional circumstances”.  If this is the case, I should determine the number of school days your child can be away from school.

If a parent were to choose to ignore these regulations then there would be a Penalty Notice issued; the timescale for paying will be £60.00 within 21 days or £120.00 within 28 days. Please be aware that Penalty Notices are issued to each parent/carer for each child.

In the past we have been able to manage the process effectively; the diverse needs of our families have been valued and parents/carers have respected decisions made. My plan is for us to continue to work in partnership, taking account of the new regulations and following the “exceptional circumstances only” criteria.  We have adjusted our Leave of Absence Request Form accordingly. 

This letter and the revised request form are available from the school office and can be found on our school website, along with additional information from Wiltshire Local Authority plus links to the Department for Education website .

Yours sincerely,

Pam Evans

Head Teacher

Chestnut Spellings

Spellings Due in 22nd October 2013

All three groups are in the same word document

FoNS Fireworks Posters

If you missed them in the book bags, or want to go wild and keep drawing, click here to print out more! 

Strike on the 17th October

Please click here for the letter explaining the strike on Thursday.

Neston Reading Festival

I am delighted to announce the launch of Neston's very own Reading Festival. We are running this in conjunction with Booktrust's National Children's Book Week and the Travelling Book Fair and we are hoping our Festival will be an exciting celebration of reading for pleasure.

Neston Reading Festival will launch on Thursday 10th October with a Welcome Event for Willow & Oak Class children and their parents at 3.30pm in the hall. This event will include a treasure hunt in the grounds, storytelling with our very own Barefoot Storyteller and hot chocolate and cookies. This fun event is organised by FONS (Friends of Neston School). 

On Friday 11th October there will be a book-related whole school learning. More to follow! Also look out for information about Booktrust's 100 Best Books www.booktrust.org.uk/cbw - a chance to vote for your favourite book and win a complete pack of 100 books!  

Our festival will continue on Monday as the Barefoot Storyteller hosts an intriguing storytelling assembly for the children ... look out for the lead character ... will you recognise the damsel in distress and who will save her? 

On Wednesday 16th October our Book Fair will open after school in the hall. There will be lots of great books to buy at affordable prices. The Book Fair also helps raise funds for us to buy lots more books for school.

The Book Fair will be open at 8.30am every morning and straight after school until Tuesday 22"d October. be open at 8.30am every morning and straight after school until Tuesday 22"d October. 

Also, on Friday 18th October we are asking all children (and staff) to "Spend a Day in a Book Character's Shoes". There will be more information about this with the whole school home learning.

Happy Reading! Mrs Pam Evans I Mrs Sheila Stansfield 

Under A Spell In Chestnut

In Chestnut class, our cross-curricular topic until Christmas is Harry Potter. This fits the whole school, overarching theme of 'Enter the Castle'.

The children are enjoying the start of our Harry Potter themed topic. In the Summer Holidays I watched all of the films and thought how great it would be to get through a book every fortnight and therefore the whole series would be completed by Christmas. This has turned out to be grossly optimistic but nonetheless what we have done so far has still been very entertaining. It has been great to hear of children reading the stories/watching the films for the first time or rediscovering them.

Just because we are making our way through the first one doesn’t mean they can’t read the seventh, or watch the film to find out what happens next. We are learning from the story; going into the finer details to unpick literary techniques and using the characters to think about the moral and social perspectives portrayed. Also, we will be watching sections of the film to make comparisons and spot differences between the books and the films.

In other words, yes we are reading the books in chronological order but don’t let that get in the way of a child wanting to get lost in the magic at Hogwarts.

Bringing the magic to life

Room with a view

In Chestnut we have absolutely fallen in love with our new classroom. The high ceilings allow the room to feel bright and open, even when it has been dark and dreary outside. One of our favourite features is the amazing doors that line the entire wall facing the playground. Whilst we are slightly conscious that we are on show, we would not change it for anything. We are very lucky that we get this wonderful, inspiring, landscape to send our minds off wandering, day in, day out.

Possible Strike Action Letter

Please click here for the letter sent out to parents / carers today. 

Parent / Teacher Meetings

Our Parent / Teachers meetings will be held on Monday 21st and Thursday 24th October. Sign up forms will be put up in the 'glazed link' shortly. If you can't get into school to book your appointment please call the school office and we can try to find a suitable time-slot on your behalf.

Berkeley Castle

On Monday 30th September, Hazel and Chestnut classes will be visiting Berkeley Castle  to support our learning in Literacy, Science, History, Geography, D+T and Art. 

Click here for the letter to parents