Ickford News audience were inspired in some way by his talk.

This week we welcomed Luke Delahunty, an athlete, cyclist and scuba diving instructor to Ickford who spoke to the children about his sporting life and the preparation for some of his competitive events. The children were enthralled as he talked about his many adventures and presented a slide show which included diving with sharks, climbing, cycling to I have been looking very closely at Paris, completing the London marathon teaching maths in school and, although and learning to fly a plane. He also had our results are very high, I am always some pictures, including one with Prince searching for ways in which we can Harry, from when he represented the improve. One thing I do notice is the United Kingdom at the Invictus Games discrepancy between some children’s which, as many of you may know, is an knowledge of number facts such as event organised by Prince Harry for doubles, halving, coins, reading scales, disabled ex-servicemen and women. Luke telling the time and multiplication facts, is paralysed from the chest down and which could be practised and consolidated confined to a wheel chair making his outside of school. We recently ran a achievements quite remarkable. maths workshop about calculation procedures but we have in the past also The children were fascinated by Luke and run workshops on supporting your asked many questions including whether children at home and maths is certainly a he could pull ‘wheelies’ and complete subject area in which a child’s ‘donuts’ in his wheelchair (he can) and he understanding can be enhanced so much encouraged them to aim high and through home activities. persevere in everything they do. It was great to have such a positive role model in It really is important that every child school with such an enthusiasm for life spends a little time each day learning and I have no doubt that all those in the ‘times tables’ and I would suggest wall charts and musical tapes are a useful  Continue to emphasize need for resource to help with this. Looking at till regular and consistent sleep receipts and counting change is also a schedule and bedtime routine good way of reinforcing addition and  Make child's bedroom conducive subtraction (card payments don’t help) as to sleep – dark, cool and quiet well as getting children used to the value of money.  Keep TV and computers out of the bedroom If you are cooking and weigh out ingredients why not get the children  Avoid caffeine involved and also challenge them to A short, but very important edict to follow measure out liquids using litres and and it makes such a difference to the millilitres. children’s progress at school. The greater amount of number facts Have a good weekend, children can commit to memory, the easier calculations and problem solving Mr Ronane become and there are so many opportunities for ‘real life’ maths that you Ickford News from the office can engage in with your children. Dates for your diary… It is also around this time of year that I School Nurse in: make a stand for realistic bed times on 26th January Y6 Height & Weight school nights and removing televisions YR Health Screening Check 2nd February Cheerleading Assembly from the bedroom. It is very depressing to 9am 6th February see children coming to school tired from Parents Evening 4-6.30pm being up too late or falling asleep with a 8th February Parents Evening 4-7pm T.V. on. The National Sleep Foundation 10th February School Disco recommends the following for children at 5-6.30pm th Primary School age: 10 February Last day of term 9th March Ballet Assembly  Teach school-aged children about healthy sleep habits