'Peace Begins with a Smile'

Name…………………………………………………………… Class……… 18th December 2015 Menu for week commencing 4th January 2016 Week 2 Thought for the week ‘Peace begins with a smile’ Mother Theresa. Dates for your Diary 4th January – School opens and children return at 8.45am Advance Notice to Parents of School Closure Staff Training Days (Inset) Inset Dates for 2016 & 2017 are as follows: April 7th & 8th 2016 June 6th 2016 September 5th & 6th 2016 June 5th 2017 July 24th 2017 July 25th 2017 Star Pupil of the Week Week Beginning 7th December 2015 Year 5 Year 6 Max Wyllie 5JB Maddie Brassington 6SB Braden Webb 5LM Sophie Dawson 6JW Kai Wollaston 5CWK Kym Pearson 6LH Phoebe Clarke 5SC Todd Richardson 6ME Year 7 Year 8 Rochelle Heyhoe 7LW Molly Ayling 8SH Bella Price 7EN Larni Clarke 8SS Chloe Monteiro 7LP Archie Hodkinson 8JL Anya Kainth 8CWT For all pupils Set Changes in Years 5, 6, 7 & 8. As is expected after the first round of termly assessments, we would like to take this opportunity to let you know that there will be a handful of set changes for the children in January. These changes will be made with close moderation of the children’s work and discussions about the child’s contribution to lessons and their level of independence shown in lessons. Reading! From January 2016, we will be re-vamping the way reading is considered at Penkridge Middle School. Reading is one of the most effective and powerful ways to ensure a child progresses in all subjects and, therefore, we feel that that message needs a boost across the school and also in the community. It will be a ‘non-negotiable’ that children are to have a book in school with them at all times that is of suitable content and of suitable challenge. Please can we ask that Parents/ Carers of children in ALL year groups, ensure that their child is reading at home on a regular basis (and recorded for Year 5 & Year 6 in their reading records). In addition to this, we ask that you listen to your child read and discuss their reading with them on a regular basis, ensuring that they are understanding the characters, the plot and the inferences made by the writer. We support a lot of readers in school through extra-intervention and peer-reading programmes. However, it is vitally important that this is an additional reading opportunity and does not replace the valuable reading which should take place at home. Thank you, in advance, for your continued support. Mrs Bennett (Head of English/ Literacy) A useful website for guidance with how to read with your child effectively can be found at: http://uk.pearson.com/content/dam/ped/pei/uk/pearson- uk/Campaigns/Enjoy_Reading/Pearson_EnjoyReading_03.pdf Year 8 Study Visit to France 11th—15th April 2016 Thank you for all your payments so far. As mentioned in my last letter, there will be an information evening in the school hall for the children going on the study visit to France and their parents on: Thursday 21st January at 7.00pm. I will send out a letter to give you further details about the evening immediately after Christmas. In the meantime: Mme. Wilson For all pupils Important information from the PE Department We would like to ask you to take time to read the following information carefully, so that it can help your child to have a smooth return to PE in the New Year. In Physical Education, your child/children will begin a new module after each half term. Each module of learning will require specific kit. Pupils need their red top (boys) /black sweater (girls) to feel warmer as the colder months are now here. Pupils are to attend Physical Education lessons with all their kit so that learning can take place from the moment they enter the PE department. It is important for you and your child to know that pupils will receive lunch-time detentions for kit or part of kit that is forgotten on three or more occasions in a half term. If your child is unable to do the lesson because of injury/illness, then a note must be provided on a piece of paper that is signed and dated by the parent (please do not use your child’s planner for this). Even if your child is abstaining from the ‘physical’ part of the lesson, they must still change into their PE kit as part of the class and participate in an alternative role such as umpiring, scoring, organising equipment or evaluating/analysing performance. We do understand that there may be circumstances where your child will not be able to change into their kit (i.e. limb in a cast). The table below shows the module/s your child is participating in and the kit they will require. We would like to suggest that you put this information up at home to remind you and your child/children of the kit required and the modules/activities that your child/children will be learning. Week 1 - 7 (w/b 4th January November – w/b 14th December): Please look at the table below to see what your child’s learning will be for this spring half- term and the kit they will require for it. The curriculum map for the year will also be available on our school website in due course. Gender Year Learning through the Kit required: module of: Boys 5LM/CWK red top, black shorts, red socks, shin pads, trainers (Mon P3/ (Group A) Fitness & Problem Solving and boots Tues P4) Girls 5LM/CWK Dance/Health Related White top, black shorts, Fitness (HRF) white socks and trainers (Group A) (Mon P3/ Tues P4) Boys 5SC/JB Monday Period 4 – Boys – red top, black Football continues shorts, red socks, shin (Mon P4/ (Group B) pads, trainers, towel and Tues P3) boots Swimming kit Tuesday Period 3 – Swimming OR ABC activities The swimming group will continue until February 2016 Monday Period 4 – Dance/HRF Girls – white top, black Tuesday Period 3 – shorts, white socks and Girls Swimming OR ABC trainers activities (Group B) 5SC/JB (Mon P4/ Tues P3) Boys 6 Dance White, black shorts, white socks & trainers Girls 6 Hockey White top, black shorts, black sweater, red socks, shin pads, gum shield & trainers Boys 7 Orienteering and Problem Red top, black shorts, red Solving socks, trainers and boots Girls 7 Dance White top, black shorts, white socks & trainers Boys 8 Gymnastics white top, black shorts, white socks and trainers Girls 8 Hockey White top, black shorts, black sweater, red socks, shin pads, gum shield & trainers Please note that this timetable of modules is subject to change. Please note that Y6 and Y8 will learn through hockey during this academic year. We strongly advise a gum shield to be used in hockey. Y5 (5SC/5JB) Swimming continues on Tuesday 5th January 2016. Useful things to know: Your child will be able to participate fully in a lesson if they have all the kit required for the activity. In the event of your child abstaining from PE; then a note must be provided and signed and dated by the parent/carer. Pupils must also change into their kit and take an alternative role in the lesson. Thank you for your co-operation and continued support in this. A towel is required when the lesson is football. Pupils are encouraged to demonstrate good hygiene, washing their arms and legs, as time does not allow for/permit a full shower. Black tracksuit bottoms are an option during the colder months if the teacher deems it necessary for pupils to wear them. Please bear in mind that your child still needs shorts with them when the weather keeps us indoors. It is important that your child wears the appropriate top for the weather (i.e. red top/black sweater - cold days, white top –warm days) Pupils with long hair must have it tied back. For safety reasons, ear studs, watches and charity/friendship bands are to be removed at the beginning of PE lessons and when participating in any other physical activity. If your child wants to have his/her ear(s) pierced, then we suggest that this is done at the start of the summer holidays so that it can be removed for PE lessons when pupils start back in September. If you choose to have the ear/s pierced at any other time, then the parent of the child should supply pupils with something (like plasters) to cover ears during the lesson. Please note that your child will be unable to participate in activities where the piercing poses a risk, even if it is covered up. Please encourage your child to keep their nails short, especially in games like basketball/netball. Aerosols/deodorant aerosols are not allowed in PE or at school. Please encourage your child to be hygienic and not to wear PE kit under their uniform before or after the lesson. Please encourage your child to be organised with their uniform and kit at the beginning and end of lessons. Please ensure that every item is named, as our lost property area becomes full within a few weeks into the new term. Pupils are responsible for taking care of their own kit/uniform. They must make an effort to look for it themselves. If you have any questions/issues about kit or any of the above points, then please contact the PE department on 01785 355548 Have a fantastic Christmas everybody! Sportshall Athletics You may remember a few weeks ago now, when our Y5/6 athletes performed at the annual Sports hall athletics competition at Aldersley leisure village and doing very well overall.

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