Calverley News - Spring 1 (19.1.24) | Calverley CE Primary School

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Reception Class

In the Boogie Bug class we have had a fanta-STICK first couple of weeks back reading books all about sticks! First we read Not a Stick and went on a stick hunt in the woodland area for our very own Not a Stick. This week we have been reading Stanley’s Stick. We have been using our imagination to pretend sticks can be anything from a huge lolly, to a sword and even a pen! We have been using lots of adjectives to describe the sticks this week such as wobbly, bumpy, zig zag and bendy. We have been collecting sticks outside to make cosy bird nests for the birds during this cold weather and we have been using sticks as a campfire in our new tent role play area that Miss Price has made for us! Mrs Halliwell has created a special Valentines themed playdough area and we have been creating special Valentines treats with loose parts and writing cards to our loved ones. It has been a great way to get lots of discussion in around our school value of ‘LOVE’ too and everyone has been sharing the resources wonderfully with their friends! Mrs McGeehan has been busy enhancing our construction area with lots of opportunities to write and the children have been writing lists of all the different materials they used for their constructions. It reminded us of the materials used in The Three Little Pigs and we have been reading a variety of these traditional tales. In one we learnt that the Big Bad Wolf wasn’t mean at all, he just had a bad cold and needed to borrow a tissue! We have also started to attend all the assemblies with the rest of school and all the grown-ups are incredibly proud of how smart and sensible reception have been in these. Well done Boogie Bugs on a very successful return to school.

Year 2 enjoyed creating their own 3D relief maps in Art this week. Firstly the children drew a map of a familiar journey into their sketchbooks, ensuring they included key features and landmarks, as well as including a range of colours and details. Following on from this, everyone worked as a team on their table to produce a collaborative 3D collaged map. The children combined elements from their own drawn maps, as well as using their creative imaginations to incorporate new imaginary features. Everybody worked really well together and ensured all members of their team were included. In particular, the children were very successful at thinking about how we could build up layers and textures, to add interest and represent different geographical features. Finally, we placed our maps together to make a whole class map, which looked very eye catching and prompted lots of further discussion. Well done Year 2, you have blown us away with your imaginative artwork this week!

Year 5 have been creating stop motion movies! They came up with the initial creative idea, story boarded, created characters, settings and props and then filmed their masterpiece! The children really engaged with this topic and produced films which they should be proud of! There are some budding JJ Abrhams and Agnes Varda’s.

Last week Year 6 took part in Young Voices in Sheffield performing alongside 4,500 children from schools all across Yorkshire. To be part of such a wonderful spectacle was a fantastic experience. As well as singing a variety of songs and performing to a huge crowd, the children really enjoyed watching performances from dance group Urban Strides and the brilliantly talented 13-year-old drummer, Nandi Bushell. They also got to sing and rap along with guest artists Natalie Williams and MC Grammar. Year 6 put their all into the performance and really impressed us with their enthusiasm and excellent behaviour – they were superb representatives of our school. Well done, Year 6!

Every year, Bradford Cathedral runs singing workshops in primary schools all across Bradford. They are an inclusive, free singing opportunity for children in Years 2 to 6. We hear every child sing, and promising children are given golden tickets, inviting them to attend Cathedral Sing!. Our Years 2 - 6 took part in one of these workshops on Tuesday where it was explained about breathing exercises which the children found fun and interesting. Some of the children found the singing quite challenging but they all had a go and it was brilliant to see the children's confidence grow in such a short session.