Newsletter December 2013 MillsMills HillHill atat thethe HeartHeart ofof thethe Community!Community!

Diary Dates

December

20th School closes

We wish This term, we have worked in partnership Year 4 have had several trips out in our local with members of our local community to area where they have studied how land and You well both enhance our learning and also to buildings are used in our neighbourhood. build up links with those people who we They have produced some excellent sketches in 2014 ! live alongside and work with. of the various buildings ‘en-route’. Reception and Year 1 classes have welcomed Year 6 took up their regular spot on the the local Police Community Support Officers to Christmas market. This year the January and have learnt about how the Police stall had a magical Harry Potter theme (linked help us and how to keep ourselves safe. The to their learning in class). They sold magic

6th School opens for children even tried on the uniform to see if wands, potions, pot-pourri, reindeer dust and they were big enough to join up! Year 1 gift tags, in order to raise funds for their year Spring term children also enjoyed finding out about the group charity, ADS . work of the paramedics and got to sit in the The school choir also braved the elements to paramedics emergency vehicle. February walk to Chadderton Mall in order to perform As part of their Celebrations theme, Year 3 their Christmas songs at the market, where 6th Lower School walked to Mills Hill Baptist Church where their singing was well applauded by the large Rev’d James Pate spent time talking about the crowd that had gathered. The choir also Celebration Assembly different celebrations that take place there. performed at another community event, the The links between Mills Hill School and the switching on of the Christmas 7th Upper School church have been built up as Rev’d Pate has lights. Year 5 & 6 choir went on to sing at taken several assemblies and hopes to start a Total Care and Year 4 added to the festive Celebration Assembly fun lunchtime club, initially for Year 6 children, spirit when they sang to the community

11th & 12th Parent All in a Good Cause The various Christmas events have given us Consultation an opportunity to raise money for some of our Children and staff alike enjoyed dressing up as other class charities. Meetings rock-stars to raise money for Children in Need. We raised a fantastic £482; thank you for your Foundation Stage winter songs raised £214 for Francis House. 14th School closes support! Year 4 Brass performance raised £40.70 for half term for Dr Kershaws.

Year 6 Christmas market stall raised £250 24th School re-opens for ADS Oldham

Year 2 hope to be equally successful when they perform their Christmas Nativity play at the end of term, raising money for their class charity, Shelter Box. Foundation Stage News

It has been another busy and exciting term. All the children in nursery and re- ception have been working hard and are ready for a well earned Christmas break. Nurse- ry had a visit from the local PCSO and were able to try on police uniforms. Reception had a visit of another kind and we found large, strange foot prints around school and a mys- terious egg in Mr Mason’s office. Finally, I’m sure you’ll agree that the children were amazing in our Nursery Rhyme Nativity.

Dinosaur footprints

Nursery Rhyme Nativity

Next term we will be running a series of drop-in sessions to help parents in Nursery and

Reception to support their children in literacy and numeracy. A letter has gone out on parent mail. Please complete the slip at the bottom of the letter or just write on a piece of paper to say whether you would like to attend just so that we have some idea of numbers.

Foundation Stage staff would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and we look forward to next term and the New Year. Year 1 We have been very busy learning about different jobs. We have been lucky to have visits from the Ambulance and Police Service. We have learnt lots of new facts about how these people help us.

Year 2 Year 2 have been learning all about Antarctica. We have looked at maps to find out where Ant- arctica is in the world, researched about the various animals that can survive there and found out all about some famous Antarctic ex- plorers. We also created some fantastic pen- guin art work.

Super stars Year 3

Richard Anson As part of our learning about celebrations we Nujhat Kabir visited Mills Hill Baptist Church. We were warmly Damon Illing welcomed by James, the minister, and some church Oliver Potts members. James talked to us about celebrations and Harry Weaver the history of the church. Isreal Adepoju James also played his guitar for us and we all sang a song. We were treated to juice and biscuits as well! Year 5 Trip to Bramall Hall,

On the 22nd November 2013, 5H and 5C travelled (by horse and carriage) to the spectacular, breath-taking Bramall Hall, located in Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire. The purpose of the trip was for Year 5 to learn even more essential facts about the poor and rich (but highly interesting) Tudors! We discov- ered how to get rid of the terrible smells which the Tudors would have had to live with. We did this by making small par- cels, known as nosegays. On this amazing trip, we met Nan Bowker, who had unfortunately lost the Yuletide (Christmas) pig! Also, we met wealthy Lady Prudence, elegant Lady Doro- thy and servant, Mary. Overall, the day was thoroughly en- joyed by everyone who was lucky enough to attend.

By: Catherine Harrison (Amy – 5H)

Agnes O’Keeffe (Heidi – 5C), both in Year 5.

Year 4 Location, Location, Location Year 6 Christmas Market Stall

This term we have been learning about our local area, the On Friday 29th November Year 6 had a stall at the annual Christ- history of Mills Hill school and what it would be like to be a mas market in the Chadderton Mall. The stall was supplied with student or a teacher at Mills Hill school in the past. products based around our topic this half term ,‘Harry Potter. 'The products included ; Wands, Potions, Christmas Por Pouuri ,Christmas gift tags and Reindeer Dust ,in order for our cus- tomers to have MAGICAL CHRISTMAS! All year 6 had the oppor- tunity to sell the products on the stall. It was a successful day as we raised £250 for our charity ADS Oldham.

Year 6 would like to thank Mr Bayley and Mrs Hale for man- ning the stall all day in the freezing cold and Mrs Whiston and Mrs Hill for helping us all Did you know? in making the products.

Originally our school opened in the church on Mills Hill Road We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. in 1871 with 2 teachers and 59 children . By Ben Branford and Alex Martin. 6W We have completed 3 walks around the local area. We have seen lots of interesting buildings. On one of the walks we Congratulations to all our Star Students for this Half Term. travelled to and sketched the beautiful, 6H Tahsin Kabir rural landscape.

6W Nayeem Hassan Also Mr. Smith [ a past Head teacher] brought in a huge book that his students completed. They gave them to him 5C Damii Chalobah when he retired in 1971. It was filled with fascinating pic- 5H Emily Blackhurst tures and astonishing facts about Mills Hill School 4G Lucy Aplin By Elizabeth Smith and Megan Windsor 4G 4R Jessica Jones