17th September 2021

This week the children have really settled into their topics and have begin exploring lots of different areas of learning. In Year 2 their Romans topic is well underway with the English learning focusing on the 'Escape from Pompeii' story, learning about the continents in Geography and exploring different types of Roman chariots in Design & Technology. Year 1 are learning about Superheroes and thinking about makes someone a superhero. Nursery Rhymes are being learned in Reception this half-term and the different areas of learning are linked to the theme of Nursery Rhymes - this week has been Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

It was good to see that so many Key Stage 1 parents joined us for Meet the Teacher on Tuesday. The PowerPoint  presentations that the teachers used are now loaded onto the class home pages which are now up to date and live for the current cohorts.  On Monday next week, we will be holding our first curriculum evening for Reception parents. There are details about how to sign up below.

The highlight of the week for me has been seeing all the children in school worship this morning. For the first time in over 16months we had our Reception and Key Stage 1 children in the Hall together. It was celebration worship today and this was an additional thing to celebrate! 

We will be visiting All Saints church a week on Sunday when Sandygate children will be singing a song for the rest of the congregation, please see the article below which gives more detail and provides a link to let us know that your child will be taking part.

Mrs Reynolds

Awards

Over the next few weeks we will highlight each of the awards that we give in school so that parents have an understanding of what each one is given for.  Most of these awards are distributed in front of the whole school during our Celebration Worship on a Friday morning.

The Value Award

This is linked to the school values which are Service, Respect, Kindness, Perseverance, Forgiveness and Thankfulness.

Each half term we will link school worship and the value award to one of the values.  There will be a series of themes which help the children understand what the value is and these will be the focus of each week’s award.

Each week teacher’s will choose someone from their class who has demonstrated the relevant value during the week. Each child will be given a leaf shaped certificate and a sticker.  The leaf certificates will be attached to the Values tree in the hall and children will take home their sticker.

Report from School Council/RRSA/Eco Warriors/Arts Council

Last week the children in KS1 voted for their class representatives on the various pupil councils we have in school. The children representing each class for the coming academic year are:

School Councillors

• Ladybird - Finn & Nancy
• Butterfly - Joshua & Lily
• Grasshopper - Dylan & Becky
• Dragonfly - Archer & Ella

Rights Ambassadors

• Ladybird - Kitty & Jack M
• Butterfly - Amber & Samuel
• Grasshopper - Poppy & Zach
• Dragonfly - Gracie & Annabelle

Eco Warriors

• Ladybird - Woody & Megan
• Butterfly - Daisy G & George H
• Grasshopper - Jasper & Lotte
• Dragonfly - Luca & Sophia

Art Councillors

• Ladybird - Lola & Oliver C
• Butterfly - Fergus & Maddie
• Grasshopper - Grace & Alec
• Dragonfly - Denny & Jake

Science Councillors

• Ladybird - Herbie & Alice
• Butterfly - Cora & Rufus
• Grasshopper - Leo & Alexandra
• Dragonfly - Jake H-J & Amelie

Over the next few weeks we will feature what these roles entail and the types of things the children will be getting involved in.

Reception - Curriculum Information Evening

Monday 20th September 7 - 9 pm

On Monday evening we will be holding an Information Evening for parents of children in Reception. This will be in the school hall and we would ask that parents wear masks whilst they are in the school building for this meeting.

We will be outlining the Foundation Stage Curriculum and explaining how the children will be learning this year and giving you some ideas on ways to support your child's learning at home.

In order that we can set up resources we do need to know how many people will be coming so can we ask that you register for this meeting by the start of school on Monday? Please register here

Parent Consultations

Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th September

Thank you to all those parents who completed the questionnaire to let us know whether they would prefer Parent Consultations to be online or face to face. We had 143 responses and a large majority said they would prefer to meet in person and so our Parent Consultations will be held in school. 

Bookings will be done via our school website/app and these will go live on Monday morning.

Appointments are 10 minutes each, and we can only give one appointment for each child.

All parents for whom we have an email address should now have been sent log in details for the school website, and we would recommend that you download the e4Education app. Please check over the weekend that you can log in and see your child's class on the Class Homepages. 

School Photographer 

Wednesday 22nd September

Our school photographer, Stanley Baker Studios, will be in school next Wednesday to take individual photographs of all pupils. They will also take group pictures of any siblings in school. Your child will bring home a leaflet with instructions on how to register to order the photographs.

Sandygate Sunday at All Saints Church

Sunday 26th September 10.59

Once a term we are invited to take part in the 10.59 service at All Saints Church. Sometimes some of our pupils read prayers they have written and we lead the congregation in some of the songs we sing in school.

All Sandygate families are welcome to come along to the service. We ask that children wear their red sweatshirts/cardigans to identify them as Sandygate pupils. They should sit with their family during the service and the school staff in church will invite them up at the appropriate times. 

So that we have an idea of how many children might be coming could we ask that you register here if you are planning to come to the service.

Year 1 - Walk to the Woods

Tuesday 19th October - Help needed

We are hoping to take the children to the woods to start our termly work on the seasons - hopefully the leaves will have or be falling and changing colour. To make the trip work we will need a number of kind volunteers from each class. If you would like to join us and are able to spend the afternoon with us please can you let the office know by Thursday 23rd September. 

Looking forward to hearing from you and sharing this experience with you

Mrs Downing, Mrs Howarth and Mr Creese. 

Wanted - Pebbles

If you have any pebbles left over from a garden project that you could donate to school we are looking for some to created a cobbled path near our Reflection Area. Please email the school office if you have any.

Bag2School 4th October

If you are having a clear out at home please save those clothes and bring them in to school on the morning of 4th October for our Bag2School collection. We will be sending home collection bags nearer the date but any bag will do. Clothes, paired shoes, sheets etc are all accepted but not duvets, pillows, items with work/school logos