This week’s Lancashire Youth Games Challenge is tri golf. Come on…LET’S GET INVOLVED!
Read more'Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.'
Each week, I am trying to create virtual experiences of the things that you may be missing from your final term at Our Ladys. You are a wonderfully talented class and at the end of this week, you should have been sharing your talents with each other at Water Parks. I am really proud that I can share your talents, not only with our class mates, but with our whole school community. For those children who didn’t manage to send me anything, you are all talented. Listen carefully…your voice is there for all to hear!
Read more'When you possess light within you, you see it externally.'
Another heartfelt thank you for all of your efforts this week. If you are anything like me, you will have had a little sadness in your heart this week as I feel this was the first big thing that the children would not experience this year. I was determined to try and get something out of SATs week and give the children a smile along the way.
Read moreLancashire School Games KS2 Virtual Competition - Challenge 4 Tri Golf
This week’s Lancashire Youth Games Challenge is tri golf. Come on…LET’S GET INVOLVED!
Read more'When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind!'
This week, I have seen such a WONDERful amount of home learning and it is clear that you are all really enjoying our book Wonder. I have made a little movie of all of the work that I have received this week - watch out for our documentary scientists at the beginning
Read more'For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.'
Romeo, O Romeo, where for art thou Romeo! I have loved this unit of work and hearing and seeing the children’s engagement in it. Shakespearean language is complex and often takes time to unpick. The children have all listened and responded to this wonderful tragedy (do you like my oxymoron), and as a result, they have created some fantastic work.
Read moreLancashire School Games KS2 Virtual Competition - Challenge 2 Hockey
This week’s Lancashire Youth Games Challenge is hockey - don’t worry, you do not need a hockey stick!
Read more'Blessed are the curious; for they shall have adventures.'
I have been absolutely blown away by the enthusiasm and the quality of work from the children this week. When I set the geography task to plan a holiday to a coastal resort, I did not realise how absorbed the children would be. Thank you for being so enthusiastic children and as a family.
Read moreLancashire School Games KS2 Virtual Competition - Challenge 1 Rugby
The Summer term is all about competition and this Summer is no different. Every year, the Lancashire Youth Games is hosted in Blackpool. For the past number of years we have had various teams complete. Last year, our Year 3 & 4 athletics team were there representing Wyre and Fylde. This year it is still going ahead…we can compete against other schools…virtually! Come on, let’s get Our Ladys involved!
Read more“To find yourself, think for yourself.” - Socrates
Here we are, the end of Week 3 of home learning and getting ready for another 3 weeks. As we heard from the government this week, we know that we won’t be returning to school in the near future - but I still have lots of hope that we will be back before the Summer holidays start. I look forward to seeing you all again.
Read moreHoly Week Home Learning
This week we would like you to take some time this week and to spend some time with your families.
Read more'Let your smile change the world but do not let the world change your smile.'
I don’t know about you, but this has felt like a long two weeks - saying that, you are always going above and beyond to make sure that the children’s learning is at the forefront of everything you do at home. I totally understand that under these circumstances it is tricky and the children are having to really become independent with their learning, a little sooner than we anticipated.
Read more'Sunshine is most certainly the best medicine.'
What a glorious week to be at home completing home learning. In extraordinary circumstances, the weather is certainly providing us with lots of hope and a smile. Thank you all so much for engaging as much as you have with learning - I have loved receiving photographs of you all working and playing and one or two videos
Read more"Life is a one time gift. Use it in the best possible manner. So love, laugh and live. Be yourself and have trust in God."
I am sitting here, writing this blog, with a huge smile on my face. This week has been challenging to say the least. We have laughed, cried, been frustrated but more importantly, we have continued to live our lives and to enjoy every moment of it. There is no doubt that we are all sad about what has happened. I have watched the children be the most wonderful, compassionate, caring and humble group of children this year, who have led our school with such respect.
Read more"We are more powerful when we empower each other."
This week has been really busy, as per usual in the Year 6 classroom. I am sure you will have all heard about Dorothy’s adventures in Kansas and her whirlwind of a journey to Oz. For two weeks we have been immersed in the land of the Munchkins as we have written our own versions of the story with a new disaster and a new character. Yesterday, the children turned their stories into a first person story; they were Dorothy travelling to Oz. These stories, are turning into novels.
Read more'Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think.' Budda
Since September, we have been learning how to practise yoga and mindfulness, alongside Mrs Ward. The children have learnt how to be still, to be relaxed, to be mindful and to be at one with themselves. It hasn’t been until this week that I have seen the true power of it.
Read more'Don't wait for an opportunity, create it!'
This Wednesday saw the start of Lent, the receiving of ashes and thinking about the journey ahead over the next few weeks. We celebrated such a beautiful mass, full of contemplation. The children read beautifully and allowed us to reflect on what the coming weeks will bring.
Read more'The only time that we have no opportunities, is when we choose not to take them.'
What a way to finish the half term - an inspirational visit from a Paralympic star. We could not help but be inspired by Craig’s story and how he overcame a diagnosis that changed his dreams. The children were full of enthusiasm and excitement completing a fitness class in the morning, before joining the rest of the school to listen to Craig and the lessons that we can learn from him. Craig made us promise that we were all to take any opportunity that will come our way - who knows what we can achieve. In the afternoon, we continued to take part in all of our sporting activities, completing the 400m and the vortex howler! Sport can open so many doors and teach us so many lessons - I think we have all learnt something from this day. A special thank you to our sport captains and leaders who supported the school during the day. They led activities, cheered each other on, took photographs and showed wonderful organisation skills. Thank you so much children.
Online Safety Day - Free to be me
I could not have been prouder of the digital leaders on Tuesday as they visited each class to help educate the children in our school on how to be safe online. The theme for the day was about being ourselves and not having to change too much whilst online. We discussed how using an avatar of yourself online, is better than a photo and can keep us much safer. The children celebrated their identities and what makes them different and unique. Please visit the online safety page on the website to see the video that our digital leaders put together.
Learning…
In amongst all of the excitement of our visitors and the online safety day, we have packed learning into each day. Myself and Mrs Webster loved reading the passionate letters that the children wrote for homework, from the perspective of PL Travers. If I was Walt Disney, I would be quaking in my boots! We edited and improved them before rewriting them. I cannot read the final versions over half term. In maths, we have continued to look at fractions; comparing, ordering, adding and subtracting them. The children are tackling these head on!
Water Parks
Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting on Tuesday evening, I hope you found it informative. I have attached the presentation below for you to look at again. Could any outstanding medical forms be returned after half term? Thank you
Celebrating each other…
At the end of each half term, the children vote for the learners who they want to celebrate. I asked them to consider people who light up and radiate our classroom and someone for progress. Congratulations to Marwa, Maryann and Pedro. The other children said such beautiful things about each of the children, please read their certificates below.
Mock week of assessments…
I have slightly changed the mock week for when we get back due to Ash Wednesday mass and I am out on a course too. So, the first week back we will focus on English and the second week back, we will focus on Maths.
Week 1:
Monday - Grammar and Spelling
Tuesday - Reading
Week 2:
Monday - Arithmetics and Maths Reasoning A
Tuesday - Maths Reasoning B
Have a lovely week on holiday. Please encourage your child to revise where needed ready for the first week back. Success is always about effort…the more that goes in, the better the children will feel. Find time to relax and celebrate the year that the children have had already.
Mrs Gregan & Mrs Webster
'You have always had the power, you just needed to learn it for yourself.'
Huge apologies, I wrote my blog on Thursday night and it seems to have vanished! Anyway, here it is…
It is hard to believe that we are just one week away from being at the half way point of the school year. Time really has flown. The children are working harder than ever to tackle all of the learning that I am throwing their way at the moment - and surpassing every target possible! We know that we are approaching our end of year assessments, and with so much learning still to do, time is very much valued. For homework next week, over half term, I will be giving the children a list of things that they could revise ready for after half term. These will just be refreshing their minds of previous learning and looking at concepts taught. The children will also be bring their spelling books home. The first set of assessments are just that, I am excited to see how the children do and it will give us a firm plan of action moving forward. Please encourage the children to revisit areas that they find tricky. I will also be putting a maths website on the homework blog that is brilliant for teaching concepts and giving some questions for them to practise.
Water Parks is also fast approaching and this week I have been putting together the pre - course information for the week. Please come to the meeting on Tuesday night at 6pm where I will be handing out relevant paperwork and going through exactly what the children will be getting up to during their week away.
After half term, I will be taking a group of children to Brian House to present them with the donation of money that we have raised as a school. I will choose these children randomly and let the parents know if their child has been asked to go.
Learning Awards
Well done to Anwar and Mati this week who are both really challenging themselves with their learning. Both of the boys are incredibly focused in class and are improving their confidence on a daily basis. Well done boys.
Reminders:
Water Parks meeting on Tuesday - 6pm
Athlete visit on Thursday in school. Please return all sponsor forms on Thursday/Friday this week.
Have a lovely weekend
Mrs Gregan and Mrs Webster
'In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun,' Mary Poppins
Although the pace and the depth of learning is continuing to grow in Year 6, we still always have fun with our learning. I always think that the fun is in the challenge. In maths this week, we have been using the bar modelling kits to help us solve some tricky word problems. It really helped the children visualise who had what and what calculations they need to do. In english, we have continued to read Mary Poppins and explore other classic texts. The children have enjoyed finding the similarities and the differences between the text and the film, there were far more differences than we thought! Learning has continued in all the other areas of the curriculum; classifying in science, researching the mountain ranges of the UK in geography, learning about the penitential rite in RE and so much more. PE has been a favourite of mine this week - tennis at the YMCA. The children are making such progress with their skills and game play. Wimbledon here we come!
We have had a visitor in class this week, Mr Lyons. A past pupil of the school, Mr Lyons is completing a 2 week work experience with us. The children have welcomed him fully into class and immersed him into Year 6 life.
Learning Awards
Well done to Ryan and Troy this week. Both of these young men have been really enthusiastic in class - it has been lovely to see. Ryan has been really confident with his answers in class, constantly contributing to class discussion. Troy has shown real attention to detail in his work. He has listened carefully to feedback and implemented it into his work. Also, an excellent class councillor!
Friendships in class
A number of children have brought something to my attention this week, something that is making them feel uncomfortable and we needed to discuss in class. There has been conversations about relationships and crushes. Some children are being told that they have a crush and some are discussing this for themselves. It also appeared that Whatsapp is playing a role in these discussions.
As a class, we had an open and honest discussion. We discussed what rumors can do to a person and how this can make a person feel. We also discussed what a relationship means and that at the age of 10 and 11, we are still developing friendships with each other and learning what makes a good friend. When issues such as football and playtime cause issues within class, the children need to learn how to handle these situations first.
It also seems that messages are being sent on Whatsapp about this. In May 2018, Whatsapp legal age was raised to 16. Please can you have a conversation about this matter with your child at home to avoid other children feeling uncomfortable in school. It is such an important part of the children’s lives and there is so much change that will be happening over the next few months; let’s keep them as settled and as happy as we possibly can. I am always here if anybody needs to discuss this further.
Paralympic Visitor
On Thursday 13th February, Craig McCann (a Paralympic fencer and cyclist) will be visiting our school to talk to the children about his sporting journey and how a brain tumour that had developed, led him down this path. The children will be sponsored to take part in a fitness class alongside Craig in the morning, and then to continue in a sporting event in the afternoon. On this day, the children can come into school wearing the sports kit from the teams that they represent outside of school or some sportswear of their choice. So many of the children are involved with clubs in our area, it would be great to see just how many there are. Sponsor forms will be coming home tonight. The money we will raise will contribute towards the improvements on the trim trail outside.
Reminders:
Water Parks meeting - Tuesday 11th February 6pm
Mock assessment week - Monday 24th February
Have a lovely weekend with your families, let’s hope the rain holds off!
Mrs Gregan and Mrs Webster