This week’s newsletter for Rossall Nursery, Pre-Prep and Prep School.
Dear All
The final week of term has absolutely flown by and is it any wonder? A sports day, house challenge day, a beach party, Rossall Rotation, Reception Stay & Play and Transition Day. It is no wonder the children are looking shattered. Incredible enjoyment and making of memories.
We began the week with our delayed sports day. I felt a little silly postponing the event last week when we were left with blue skies after a rather miserable start to the day – who believes weather forecasters? However, I was delighted that the decision proved to be a wonderful one as we basked in the heat of the Rossall Riviera, enjoying some splendid performances.
View the Sports Day photos here
House Challenge Day was an incredible day filled with camaraderie and house spirit. Tuf of wars, the floor is lava challenge, orienteering, dodgeball, and golf to name but a few. The children have great pride in representing their houses and it was a joy to watch our Pre-Prep children taking part with such enthusiasm.
View the House Challenge photos here
The weather once again played its part as we enjoyed a sun-filled beach party. All year groups were on the beach enjoying a multitude of activities. For many, this end of year treat is their favourite moment of the ear and it is not difficult to see why. Thank you to our School Council for their organisation.
View the Prep Beach Party photos here
For Year 6 it has been a week of ‘finals’. Even though they will be moving through to Senior School, many of the activities seem so final in their young lives. They have been nurtured and cared for and are so ready for their next educational step. However, it can be hard to let go of the elements they have enjoyed so much over the past few years. Change can be hard to accept at any stage of life but I know that, despite the upset of ‘the final kwik cricket’ or their last ‘Prep beach party’, they are absolutely ready to become the little fish in the big pond once more. As the saying goes, ‘Don’t cry that it’s over. Smile because it happened.’
I am very much looking forward to our Prize Day celebration of this year on Tuesday. Whilst there will not be a write up on this specific event, we will be emailing all parents with a link to a Flickr set of photographs and videos from our day.
Another year passes by. What a year it has been for our fabulous pupils. I am so proud of all of them and their hard work and determination to be the best versions of themselves. The newsletter has been filled with stories of amazing enjoyment over the past few weeks, from residentials to the array of events this week; this is reward and balance for the industrious efforts they have put into their learning. I am proud of all of the children and I wish all members of our community a safe and relaxing break over the summer.
Until September…
Mr M Turner
Headmaster of Preparatory School & Nursery
Year 6
“When this adventure ends your next one will begin.” – George Ezra
The penultimate week…. A week full of excitement, hard work and change. Year 6 have embraced their final weeks in the Preparatory School with enthusiasm and a commitment to make the most of every single second. Mrs Scott and I (Mrs Kenmare) are so proud of all their achievements over the last year, whether in the classroom, on the stage or on the sports field. We have spent the week preparing our final Chapel Service and having great fun on our last beach day. House Challenge Day was the House Captains final opportunity to lead their Houses, and they did so with great enthusiasm. The friendly rivalry between the Houses was plain to see, with every child using both brain and brawn to give their all.
Thursday saw the final Rossall Rotation for Year 6. A blustery ( it really would not be Rossall if it wasn’t!) afternoon was no barrier to the children lighting the campfire and enjoying s’mores. More precious memories.
On Friday Year 6 took part in the Year 7 Transition Day. Mrs Scott and I enjoyed watching the children interact with the new, soon to be Rossallians on Friday and were excited to see the warm welcome our children gave their soon to be classmates.
A truly wonderful and memorable final full week in the Preparatory School.
Year 5
As we come to the last full week in Year 5, the class have enjoyed reflecting on the highlights of the year that has flown by too quickly. From the Viking trip to Martin Mere to our Tudor day at Turton Tower; stage peformances of Nativity and Henry VIII; sports fixtures and House competitions; class challenges and quizzes; not to mention all the wonderful lessons that we have shared together that have developed our knowledge and learning skills. It has truly been a memorable time, and the Year 5 Class of 23/24 have been outstanding.
This week has been no exception, showing support for each other at Sports Day, House Challenge Day, Beach Day, and to top it all off, a trip to Farmer Parr’s as an end of year Rossall Rotation treat! It has been so much fun, and we all agreed that we do not want this week to end, as we know we are left with just two and a half days of the summer term.
The excitement is building as we now realise as the next Year 6 class we will be the oldest children in the school. One thing is certain that next year’s Year 6 are going to be fantastic role models for the rest of the school.
Well done Year 5, and thank you for an amazing year!
Year 4
We have gone out with a bang on our final full week from Sports Day and House Challenge Day to Beach Day and Rossall Rotation. Year 4 has exemplified exceptional teamwork and collaboration within these exciting days. They have eagerly participated in group projects, sharing ideas and working together harmoniously to achieve common goals.
As we approach the end of another extraordinary academic year, it is time to reflect on the incredible achievements and dedication shown by Year 4. Throughout the year, we have demonstrated perseverance, resilience and an unwavering commitment to our learning. It has been an absolute joy to be your child’s teacher. I am so proud of each and every one of them, and their growth and achievements have been an inspiration for me.
Throughout this year, I have witnessed your children demonstrate incredible determination, enthusiasm, and a love for learning. They have tackled challenges head-on, shown kindness to one another, and continuously strived to do their best. These qualities will serve them well as they move on to Year 5 and beyond.
As they continue their educational journey, I encourage them to keep showing that same determination and enthusiasm for learning. Continue to shine brightly and aim for the best in everything you do. Your potential is limitless, and I am confident that you will achieve great things.
Thank you, parents and guardians, for your support this year. It has been a wonderful experience working with your children. Wishing you a safe and joyous summer and all the best for the future!
Goodbye! – Mrs Brown
Year 3
What a special and marvellous final full week of term we’ve had. Starting off with Sports Day there was impressive performances by all of Year 3 and they all loved participating in the different events. Tuesday of course was Challenge Day, filled with House spirit and fun activities. Wednesday was our Beach Party, for which we had perfect weather, and great activities, music and food all organised by our brilliant School Council. So much fun!
Believe it or not we have also had time for some learning in between all the celebrations and events! In English this week we finished off our final piece of writing for the year. This took the form of a persuasive leaflet advertising the Jardin des Plantes inspired by our book Zeraffa Giraffa. It was truly wonderful to see the amazing creative writing shown by the children and reflect on the progress they have made this year!
In Maths we finished off our unit on Statistics by looking at interpreting data shown in two-way tables. We also had another look at telling the time, focussing on durations in seconds, minutes and hours.
We loved our final Rossall Rotation session in the kitchen, this time cooking up pizzas! The children honed their chopping skills and assembled their pizzas fabulously, and by all accounts they tasted delicious!
With only two and half days left of the School year, and Prize Day and final assemblies to come, it’s hard to believe that the year has whizzed by so quickly and we are now at the end of Year 3 together! It has been a wonderful year and the Year 3 children have approached everything with energy, enthusiasm and joy. It has been such a privilege to teach you all and I wish each of you the very best for Year 4, I will miss you all!
Year 2
Just like that, the final week of year 2 comes to an end and what a week it has been! Finally we got the summer weather we have all been waiting for, we were so lucky to have it arrive this week for all of the events we had taking place. Starting the week with Sports Day, then House Challenge Day followed by the Beach Party, Rossall Rotation and then ending the week with the children moving up to Prep School to meet their new teacher for transition afternoon.
On Monday the children were amazing at Sports Day. The weather was beautiful and the children tried so hard in all of their events. From cone drop, to jumping and throwing, the children gave it their all and worked really well as a team. I was also impressed with how supportive they were of other houses and were very complimentary to each other. The races were so close and the children enjoyed showing off their super speed to their parents. Although Hesketh took home the trophy, all the children were winners that day.
On Tuesday the competition continued with House Challenge Day. The children started with some activities during their PE lesson, they showcased how well they could skip, run and play ball games. Later in the afternoon we completed some tricky team building challenges in houses where speed and teamwork were put to the test. Not forgetting the famous tug of war and the suitcase race. What a fantastic day!
The hottest day of the week fell perfectly for our Beach Party. Showcasing their fantastic array of beachwear the children put on their sunscreen and hats and headed for Rossall Beach. There was dancing, games and arts and crafts which were enjoyed by all. Not forgetting the delicious lunch we had and the epic dance off. What a special way to end the year.
Finally the week ended with Year 2 going to meet their new teacher. They are all so excited to go up to Prep School next year. They are more than ready for the new challenges ahead and they will continue to thrive as they move through the school. This term has been amazing getting to know the children and I wish them all the very best of luck for next year and beyond.
Year 1
What a jam-packed full final week we have had. The children have performed brilliantly in all of this week’s activities. On Monday was Sports Day, with the glorious weather on our side. The children had so much fun taking part and competing for their houses in all of our events. Everyone was a winner in my eyes!
Tuesday was the day for the House Challenge Day. What an action packed day! All of the Pre-Prep joined their house members from other classes to compete in house competitions, the tug-of-war, and the legendary Rossall Suitcase Relay.
Wednesday was another glorious summer day and we got to join all of the Prep School on the beach for the School Council’s Beach Party. We had such an amazing time playing beach games, building sandcastles, painting pebbles and even a whole school dance off. We enjoyed a pizza picnic lunch. The conditions were perfect. Some children said they wished we could do it every day. I’m not sure they would feel the same on a wet, windy Rossall day.
On Thursday we had our final Rossall Rotation session of Astronomy, and of Year 1. We got to visit the planetarium to have a better look at our galaxy and the constellations we might be able to spot in the night sky. Dr Lister told us some of the names of the constellations. It helped us imagine what the toys would have experienced in our class book.
Finally, on Friday the children visited Year 2 for transition afternoon and met their new teacher. I’m sure they will be eager to tell you all about it.
Reception
What we eat can play a critical role in determining our health, whatever our age. The eating patterns established in the first few years of life influence our health during childhood and adulthood. Encouraging good nutrition during the early years of life is therefore an investment in the health of our population for years to come. Recently we have been looking at a healthy diet and the children have looked at foods we should eat and foods we should only eat some of the time. They have also learnt that they need plenty of energy (calories) and nutrients, eg protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. They have sung songs and rhymes that tell them these needs can be met by including a variety of foods from each of the main food groups in every meal.
General eating habits and patterns are formed in the first few years of life. We therefore have a key role to play in introducing our children to a wide variety of foods and establishing a pattern of regular meals and healthy snacks. The children have loved our new outdoor arrangements for snacks, choosing and serving their own cereal or fruit and of course, washing up afterwards too! The children can choose to eat their snack at any point in the morning. You may have heard your child use the term ‘pussycat plate’, where a plate looks like it’s been licked clean by a cat. This is to encourage the children to eat all their lunch or at least try all the food on their plate and believe it or not … it works! After reading ‘Supertato’ the children are definitely more eager to eat their vegetables, especially to stop any more peas from escaping!
It has been shown that children who develop an active lifestyle when they are young are more likely to maintain a healthy active lifestyle as they get older. We encourage our children to be active all year round and not just in the summer months. Visits to the beach, a run on the field, free flow into an outdoor classroom, daily playtimes or through special events such as, House Challenge Day, all happen regularly for Reception. Outdoor play provides great opportunities for learning; children can learn about the environment around them and playing with other children can develop their social skills and help build their confidence. Where will you venture to this weekend?
Nursery
This week in Nursery we have focused on Outdoor Learning.
This week the Sanderling babies have been focusing on outdoor learning, the Sanderlings staff organised a wet play day, where the children got to wear their swimming costumes and have a splashing time in the water tray and paddling pool. This was another great opportunity for the children to practise their maths skills by filling and emptying containers.
In addition the Sanderlings staff have provided a variety of different plants and herb cuttings for the children to explore, these have been added to the mud kitchen to allow the children to investigate the different textures and smells using all of their senses.
This week the Sandpipers have made the most of the beautiful weather and they have taken the indoors outdoors! While out on a walk the children have been learning about shadows and how they are created. The children had lots of fun making shapes with their bodies and seeing the shapes in their shadows. In addition the children have been introduced to new maths activities outdoors where they have been encouraged to work out and identify the next number in a sequence using songs and visuals. Furthermore the children have enjoyed outdoor story time with their book of the month. The children can now retell the story, fill in gaps, name all the characters and explain what is going to happen next.
This week in Pre-school the children have spent the majority of their time outdoors to make the most of the beautiful weather. During various parts of the day the outdoor area has been set up like an outdoor classroom with a variety of stations for the children to explore all different areas of learning. During free play the children have been making mud pies in the mud kitchen and making a variety of obstacle courses using the crates and other loose parts. In addition the children have also enjoyed outdoor storytime and circle time, been on walks to the sand dunes and took part in sports day. This week the children have also been discussing life under the sea and they have named an array of sea creatures. This is in preparation for their new book of the month that will be introduced next week ‘Rainbow Fish’.
