...and now the end is near...

As in the title of this week's blog, we are speeding towards the end of the school year, with tremendous speed. I can't believe how quickly this year has gone and how much we have managed to achieve in the year.

You will all have received your end of year reports last Monday and hopefully you will have enjoyed reading the contents. It would be great if you could spare a few minutes to send a comment back to us, using the sheets supplied in the envelopes. We do like to read them all and they provide a lasting memory for us, of each of our classes.

Even though it is the last week of term, it is probably the busiest one, so here goes with the diary for this week...

Monday

9.30am sees the 'Musical Medley' production in the hall. As always, entrance will be strictly by ticket only in order for us to comply with Health and Safety regulations. We are thrilled with how much effort the children have put into this, and have in fact, done most of the preparations themselves. From singing and dancing, to some fabulous musicians, there is something for everyone to enjoy and it will memorable end, for some, to their time at St.Vincent's.

Tuesday

As you will know by now, Sports Day has had to be cancelled for this year, due to the unseasonal weather we have had. The children and staff are disappointed, but mini-sports activities will take place during the day - one of which will undoubtedly be 'Shower-Dodging!!'

The evening performance will start at 7pm. We would be grateful if you could ensure that children return to school no earlier than 6.30pm, when the doors will be opened. Again, please ensure that you remember your tickets, as they will be requested on the door. Many thanks for your co-operation with this.

Wednesday

We're all going on a ... school trip!! Yes, it's the day many of us have been waiting for - the whole school outing to Gulliver's World! You will have also received a letter of the things to bring and the timings. We will return to school for 3pm in order for children to be collected in the normal way - please allow the children to return to their classrooms, so that they may be dismissed from there, rather than trying to collect them from the coaches. Please ensure that you have returned your permission slip by Monday - thanks.

Thursday

We will be finalising a few things in school today, but mainly we will be practising for the Leaver's Mass.

Friday

A very sad day for everyone - our Leaver's day. The most important part of today, will be our Leaver's Celebration Mass, taking place at 10.30am. You are most welcome to join us in the school hall, although please note that space is at a premium for this Mass. It is a very special occasion and a very fitting end to the school year.

As is tradition, the Year 6 children are allowed to bring in AN EXTRA shirt for their friends and staff to sign, as a keepsake of their time at primary school. From experience, a little tip is NOT to use permanent markers on the shirts, or else you could end up with what looks like 'mini-tattoos'!!

and finally...

As you all know by now, I shall be moving to Year 1/2 in September. I shall miss working with everyone in Key Stage 2, but will still see everyone in and around school! You will still be able to access this blog on the internet over the holidays, so you can look at past weblinks, but from September, Year 5/6 will have a new blog address http://www.year56.blogspot.com/ If you click on this now, there are no posts as yet, but you will still get your weekly updates from September.

Thank you for all the lovely comments I have had this week and the comments on this blog.

Good luck in Year 6 and 7 - you will be fantastic!!

Mrs Worrall, Mrs Millington and Mrs Morgan xxx

Week beginning 9th July

Well, we begin this week's blog with an apology. Last week, we promised that the reports were going to be sent home this Friday. They are all ready to go, complete with envelopes...however, the SATs results for the Year 6's have not yet arrived in school. Unfortunately, this is completely out of our control, as we rely on external markers and assessors to return the marked scripts by the deadline. We hope to be able to able to send them out on Monday, so let's just keep our fingers crossed that Parcelforce arrive early!!

Production

You should have all received your tickets last Wednesday, apart from a few children who were absent due to 'bug' which seems to have infiltrated school. If you don't require tickets for a particular performance, please retuen them to school so that they may be utilised by another family. Again, please remember that admittance will be limited strictly by ticket only, to adhere to Health and Safety regulations. Thank you for your co-operation with this.

Although this Friday is 'Friday the 13th' (oh dear, better not say 'break-a-leg to anyone to wish them luck!) we will hopefully be performing the dress rehearsal for the rest of the school.

The children have also come home with lots of words to learn, so please indulge them the 'hairbrush in front of the mirror' technique for this weekend! They really are true performers, and they are really giving it some 'welly' (I had to get in some joke about this fabulous weather we are having!!)

Here I Am

During the rehearsals this week, we will be completing our final Here I Am topic this year of Special Places.

We will:

Recognise a place that is special for people from all over the world

Reflect on some other places that are special for people from all over the world

Reflect that many places from all over the world are regarded as special

We would like you to come armed with lots of photographs and stories of all the places that are special to you. The teachers might even bring some of their embarrassing holiday photos in...!

Numeracy

The year 6's will continue their transition booklets, whilst the Year 5's will be working on the second week of problem solving. Look on the websites from last week's blog and remember to apply the 3 step strategy.

Remember, you can also check on http://www.numeracybooster.blogspot.com/ for booster group sites. This week, you will be investigating fractions.


Other curriculum

During the 'in-between' rehearsal times, we will be working on the Geography activities from last week's blog. Some children have even brought in some of their own research work from home, so we would love to see more!

If you would like to see some of the artwork we produced during our African week, have a look at the display in the junior area, complete with African Dan masks. A big thank you to Mrs Clancy, Mrs Riley and Mrs Hemmings who have worked their magic on making the display, complete with animal print background, look so fantastic!

And finally...

You will have read in the newsletter about the staffing changes for September. Just to clarify, the teachers will be:

Foundation Stage - Mrs Narraway

Year 1/2 - Mrs Worrall, Mrs Pinto-Edwards, Mrs Malone

Year 3/4 - Mrs Harding, Mrs Bethell, Miss Robinson

Year 5/6 - Mrs Morgan (Wilson), Mrs Millington, Miss Wright

Mr McGreal will continue to be the floating teacher, until Mrs Morgan returns from her maternity leave in February 2008.

Miss Wright has been into school to meet the children and staff, and she is delighted to be joining the team from September. I am sure she will be a great asset to the Year 5/6 team and we are looking forward to welcoming her to St.Vincent's.

Have a good week!

Year 5/6 team.