This week’s newsletter for Rossall Junior School and Nursery.
YEAR 6
Is it really the Easter Holidays? Having only just returned to school, it seems a little bit naughty to be thinking about having a break already. However, we are mightily impressed with what the Year 6 children have accomplished in the short time back in school; there is a real sense of positivity and excitement about returning to school and the events and fixtures that are being put into the calendar: roadmaps allowing! This week the children completed some fabulous artwork for the Medical Centre in order to brighten the place up a bit. They have also been enjoying creating some chocolatey delicacies at the Rossall Kitchen, drumming in unison during music lessons, presenting their speeches in drama, thinking about friendships, and reflecting on the last year of lockdown. All this as well as English, Mathematics, Topic and Science lessons is really quite remarkable. We can’t ask any more of the children and we truly hope that the upcoming Summer Term provides them with the experiences and fun they truly deserve. Well done Year 6, we are incredibly proud of you all! |
YEAR 5
Another Term has come to an end and what an action-packed final week we have had! Year 5 have enjoyed learning about the many different types of aeroplanes that there are in existence. From seaplanes to sports planes, cargo jets to commercial planes that whisk us away to far-flung places for our holidays! We have investigated the different styles of these aircraft and have been amazed at the versatility of the aeroplane. We have also enjoyed learning about Neil Armstrong and Chris Hadfield. Chris is the boy who was afraid of the dark in our book, ‘The Darkest Dark’. He overcame his fear to achieve his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut. He achieved his goal in 1995 when he visited the Russian space station ‘Mir’. Chris said: “I wasn’t destined to be an astronaut. I had to turn myself into one.” His hard work and perseverance have allowed him to follow his dream, a good lesson. We had enormous fun designing, testing and redesigning our helicopters in DART. The children showed super resilience when their design did not work properly and they worked well in their teams to rectify problems with their design. I could not be prouder of Year 5 over this Lent Term. They deserve a super Easter holiday! |
YEAR 4
What a busy end to the Lent Term we have had in Year 4! We have used our book ‘When the Giant Stirred’ to create and present news reports about a volcanic eruption and tsunami featuring a presenter in the studio, on the scene reporter, an eyewitness and in some cases a volcanologist, too! In Science, we have investigated global warming and carried out an experiment to find out what will happen if the polar ice caps melt! We have also been investigating ‘strong shapes‘ and have used our knowledge to help us design an earthquake-proof building! It has been lovely to see the children cooperating and collaborating so effectively in these group tasks – there really has been some impressive teamwork and it has a great way to end the Lent Term! Have a happy Easter holiday Year 4! |
YEAR 3
We can’t believe it’s the end of term already! Another great week of learning in Year 3 to finish the term with a bang. We have finished off our English unit about the ‘Big Blue Whale’ by writing wildlife articles persuading people to save whales. In Science, we looked at how water is transported through plants, although our experiment didn’t go very well! In Maths, we’ve started learning about fractions and we’ll continue after Easter. As part of Rossall Rotation, we went to the Rossall Kitchen to bake chocolate muffins, practising both our booking and teamwork skills! Have a great Easter everyone! |
YEAR 2
What a super final week to the Lent Term Year 2 have had! We have written our final piece of writing on ‘Major Glad, Major Dizzy’. We were transported back to 1940 and wrote a diary entry on how Major Glad became a hero by risking his life to put out a fire. In Maths, we are still becoming shape experts; this week we have focussed on categorising 2D and 3D shapes and creating patterns. In Science, we continued our ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ topic and learned about the benefits of daily exercise. We completed different activities for one minute to see what changes would happen to our bodies. We all noticed we were a bit out of breath and our hearts were beating faster. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and a great break! |
YEAR 1
It seems like much longer than a few weeks since we returned to school in the physical sense. It has been lovely to see the children settle back into school, playing with their friends and participating fully in our classroom activities. This week we have been busy measuring pretty much anything that can be measured. We have especially enjoyed measuring our beanstalks and have been surprised at how much they have grown by each day. We have also been learning about capacity and comparing different sized containers to see which holds the most and least amount of liquid. We have been learning about the Easter story, the symbolism of the cross and the Easter egg and why we celebrate Easter. We enjoyed making Easter baskets and wreaths during our creative lessons. A big congratulations to Wyatt and Abrianna who were voted to be the School Council representatives for our class and attended their first school council meeting this week. Happy Easter and have a lovely break, hopefully with some fun in the sunshine! |
RECEPTION
The EYFS ensures that creativity and critical thinking are developed through play-based learning across the curriculum. It also stresses the importance of children learning in an environment that encourages exploration and active learning experiences. This week Reception has used their observational skills to paint daffodils that we have noticed on our walks around school. We have created chicks printed with forks and decorated hard-boiled eggs. The children thoroughly enjoyed working out how to melt our frozen chicks by very cleverly finding a warm pipe nearby to help. There was lots of collaboration as the children worked together completing our composition of numbers to ten Easter Egg Hunt. We have investigated how much Easter pasta we could fit in a plastic egg and investigated how many ways we could make ten. We have finished our story ‘The Journey Home‘, where the children have created their own journeys with Hattie Peck. As part of World Water Day, the children were also very inventive as they thought of ways they could save water … no baths or showers! The children have had plenty of opportunities to take risks and make mistakes this week, in order to learn and feel safe to be creative. Providing a stimulating and safe environment is essential for children to be able to express themselves creatively and take these necessary risks. I would love to see ways you have been creative at home, perhaps by making a den or decorating Easter cards. Have a fun and creative Easter break! |
NURSERY
Jack and the Beanstalk is still going strong in the preschool room where the children have been independently building their own castles in the construction area and acting out the story in their play. We have planted some beans in the hope we can create our own beanstalks but unfortunately, they aren’t growing quick enough for the children as they want instant giant beanstalks. We have taught them how to care for the plants and like us they need sunshine and water to grow. Even a little talking to them may speed up the process. Following on from when the children wrote their rooms class rules, the children have taken being kind and helpful to such a level we now have little helpers at lunch time helping clear away and serving the dinners. The children also support each other through the day by helping with coats and wellies and putting the taps on in the bathroom for the younger children. It is so lovely to see and all the staff are immensely proud of how helpful and caring they are. We’ve been working together collaboratively whilst playing ‘hot potato’ passing the ball to our friends whilst not burning our hands and also our feet. The Football Academy better watch out we have some budding stars in the making. Spring has sprung at Rossall and the Sandpipers have embraced it fully. They have enjoyed the sunshine as much as they can by taking in the lovely surroundings on campus. They have been very creative with soap to create the most amazing Hyacinths that smell divine. They have also been exploring real spring flowers bring the learning to life so they can use all their senses for their development. Sanderlings have been getting messy down on the farm using a variety of sensory materials in the tuff tray alongside the animals. This all develops their fine motor skills by building up the muscles when they squash and grasp the sensory materials. Mess is what the babies like to do the most and this was apparent whilst playing with brushes and rollers in flour – it was a fun sight to see. They have also been out enjoying the sunshine picking up treasures whilst out on campus. Being able to get the babies out of the pram and letting them explore the textures of grass and sand in a safe space is amazing and we are so lucky. |
INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS
At Rossall Preparatory School, all pupils have the opportunity to receive one-to-one instrumental tuition. Whether students wish to learn purely for fun or to achieve ABRSM/Trinity/Rock School qualifications, we have a dedicated team of expert teachers to support and guide them along the way. Lessons take place before, during and after the school day (subject to availability). Students who take instrumental lessons will have the opportunity to participate in co-curricular clubs and perform in school concerts and external events. We offer tuition in: Piano, Organ, Singing, Guitar, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Flute, Bassoon, Oboe, Saxophone, Clarinet, Drums, Violin and Cello. Lesson packages of 10 one-to-one sessions (30 minutes each) cost £210. In the Summer Term, we are launching shared 30-minute violin lesson packages for students who are interested in playing the instrument. The loan of a violin, equipment and music is all included in the cost of the package, which is £105 per child for 10 sessions. Please click here to apply for instrumental lessons. All fees are subject to periodic increase in accordance with Rossall School’s Terms and Conditions. Please note that a half-term’s notice is required to cancel lessons. If you have any questions regarding instrumental lessons at Rossall Preparatory School, please contact Mr Adam Dobson on [email protected]. |
AWARD WINNERS
RECEPTION – This weeks certificate of achievement go to Valencia and Josephine. Both girls have demonstrated fantastic observational skills whilst out walking around school and have spotted lots of daffodils in different shades of yellow. Back in the classroom, they have painted beautiful pictures of daffodils, remembering to use different shades of paint. YEAR 1 – Our Year 1 award winners this week are Anthony and Isla for excellent measuring work in Maths YEAR 2 – This week’s awards go to Ben for great determination in his Maths learning, and Archie for wonderful imagination on our writing sessions. YEAR 3 – This week’s awards go to Hollie and Thomas for effort in writing. YEAR 4 – This week’s certificates were awarded to Lulu for being knowledgeable about the multiplication tables, and Lex for having a balanced approach to school life – work, friends and play! YEAR 5 – This week’s certificates were awarded toAliyah and Ava for super work and effort. Kameron and Aran were awarded the Headmaster’s Award for outstanding effort in all areas of school life. Bailey and Isabelle won awards for super teamwork and research skills, and Maya was awarded her pen license. YEAR 6 – Joel for being a reliable and caring friend, Buster for being principled and a positive role model, Ruby for being an outstanding role model to others, and Ollie for being a good friend. Well done to all! |
NEW SCHOOL CAPTAINS AND LEADERS
Congratulations to our new Captains and Monitors. School Captains: Jasmeet and Adhil House Captains: Sinmiloluwa, Buster, Sophie and Alicia Playground Leaders: Dexter, Isaac, Ranveer, Kacey and Bella Music Captains: Liberty and Roxanne Digital Leaders: Esteban, Joe and William Library Leaders: Theia, Aarunima and Shamini School Council: Annabel, Ollie, Sophie and Evie |
STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS
This week we have held our school council elections! Two representatives from each class have been elected through a democratic vote and some candidates had the opportunity to present their ideas and views to their class beforehand. On Wednesday, the newly appointed School Council met for their first meeting to discuss the menu for our first week back in the Dining Hall. There was a healthy debate to decide what the Prep School’s favourite meals are and we are looking forward to eating them all soon! The School Council will meet fortnightly and there will be a different agenda for each meeting. They will have a chance to plan activities, discuss school improvements and act as a voice, feeding information back to their classes. The children elected are: Reception – Junior and Fox Year 1 – Abrianna and Wyatt Year 2 – Spencer and Lara Year 3 – Karanjot and Rhiannon Year 4 – Jack and Jessica Year 5 – Alicia and Aran 6R- Sophie and Evie 6S – Ollie and Annabel |
GO NUTS FOR NETBALL!
What a fabulous sight to see, when all Year 5 and 6 girls took part in the netball house matches on a glorious Wednesday afternoon at Rossall! The standard of play and teamwork were top notch across all three teams. The girls clearly loved playing competitive sport again. Clifton clinched the trophy by going unbeaten, but well done to Assheton and Hesketh for putting up such a superb battle on the court. |