This week’s newsletter for Rossall Nursery, Pre-Prep and Prep School.
Dear All,
It is genuinely such a lovely time of year in Prep and Nursery. Despite all of the Christmas shenanigans, there has been some wonderful learning taking place in the classrooms. I know that Mrs. Scott was hugely impressed on her learning walk earlier this week. Children are motivated to succeed and there is also significant challenge across all areas of the curriculum. This despite the sheer excitement of this most festive time of year. I witnessed a wonderful display of scientific knowledge as Year 3 explained to Year 4 their understanding of magnetism through the games they had created – super work, Year 3!
Huge congratulations to all of the children across Nursery and Pre-Prep who were involved in some wonderful performances of their Nativity, The Grumpy Sheep. It was clear to see the huge efforts that had gone into the delivery of words and songs – we really do have some stage stars of the future within our School and Nursery.
Further congratulations to our wonderful Nursery that has once again claimed a 10/10 rating on daynurseries.com. The award recognises our fantastic Early Years setting through the reviews from our current parents and is an excellent gauge of just how well our Nursery is doing from both the perspective of the parents, but also against other nurseries across the region. Well done to all of the Nursery team for all they do to deliver such a caring, purposeful and nurturing environment for our youngest learners.
The children across Prep were treated to a wonderful rendition of some festive songs from our new flute teacher, Mrs. Catherine Bates. We are very excited to welcome Mrs. Bates to Rossall who also teaches at the Lancashire Music Service and brings over 30 years of teaching experience. If you are interested in lessons for your child, please contact [email protected].
Finally, the Elf Run went ahead today and despite some rather chilly conditions, the rain held off and our children from Reception to Year 6 ran their courses in an array of festive headwear. The Santas, elves and reindeer all thoroughly enjoyed the crazy fun run that supports such a worthwhile charity, Brian House. At the last count, we had just topped £1000 raised – my sincere thanks to all members of the Rossall community who supported us both on the day, as well as through donations.
With only two and a half days of term left, we finally bow to parties, the Prep concert and a pantomime! We look forward to seeing you at ‘Christmas at the Movies’ on Monday evening (6.00pm start in Big School) and at our Carol Service in Chapel on Wednesday (10.45am start).
Have a festive weekend!
Mr M Turner
Headmaster of Preparatory School & Nursery
Year 6
What an exciting and enriching week it has been in Year 6! As we approach the festive season, we have been diving into a variety of activities that blend both fun and learning seamlessly.
In Maths, we embarked on a journey through pie charts and line graphs. The lessons were not only about numbers but also sparked some delightful conversations about unexpected topics, such as our favourite sandwich fillings and favourite ice cream flavours. Who knew that the world of data representation could lead to such tasty discussions!
In English, creativity soared as our pupils imagined winning a competition to fly on a hot air balloon. We skillfully penned diary entries, capturing the excitement and anticipation the night before, as well as the reflections and memories from the night after. The power of imagination and language came together beautifully in this activity.
Turning our attention to Topic, Year 6 took on the challenge of designing inventions to combat climate change. The range of ideas was awe-inspiring, from drones to water crops in arid regions to solar cars and even innovations aimed at reducing methane emissions from cows. The pupils’ passion for making a positive impact on the world was evident in every blueprint.
Thursday afternoon brought a wet but lively Rossall Rotation, marking our final visit to the farm this term. Despite the weather, spirits remained high as we engaged in hands-on learning experiences, connecting with nature and appreciating the world around them.
And of course, the week concluded with our Elf Run, where Year 6 showcased not only their speed but also their competitive spirit. Who knows, with such athletic prowess, Father Christmas might just be in touch to recruit some of our speedy elves for his upcoming adventures!
As we look forward to the holiday season, our Year 6 pupils have been diligently preparing for the Prep Christmas Concert. The anticipation is building, and we can’t wait to welcome parents on Monday to witness the showcase of our talents.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and we wish you all a joyful and restful weekend!
Year 5
‘Tis the season to be jolly! Season’s greetings to you all from Year 5. The festive fun is building steadily with the class preparing for the Christmas Concert, as well as keeping fit and ‘elfie’ on the sponsored Elf/Reindeer and Santa Run for Brian House.
However, the Yuletide activities are not the only source of excitement in Year 5. We have been developing our writing skills, creating our own Norse myths based on our captivating book ‘Arthur and the Golden Rope’. The children have loved sharing their imaginative ideas, and we look forward to reading each other’s completed stories next week. Our research into Scandinavia culminated in the children creating PowerPoint presentations to present in class. We have thoroughly enjoyed learning how to include animations, transitions and add striking photos and research to our presentations: we have learnt so many IT skills.
We cannot wait to perform on stage next Monday; make sure you are there, even Hollywood are coming!
Year 4
Well, we are in the final full week of term and we are certainly building up to all the exciting festive celebrations. We loved practising for our Christmas Concert performance this week, ready for our show on Monday. Then, of course, our much anticipated Elf Run happened today – thank you to all who donated!
In English, we wrote diaries pretending to be Leon entering ‘The Place Between’, and what imaginations the children have. Magical performances abounded and there was a vivid array of jugglers, rabbits and magicians all starring in the children’s inventive creations.
Our History of Entertainment topic came to a close this week as we learnt all about the film industry. We looked back at 1939 and discovered one of the first colour films made – The Wizard of Oz! We created a film poster to promote it; taking into account the use of vibrant colours and information on the actors and actresses.
In Maths, we have continued to look at our 3, 6, 9 and 7 times tables – delving deeper into their facts, multiples and relationships between each other. We would like to wish all our children and their families a wonderful Christmas holiday when it arrives next week.
Year 3
It’s hard to believe it is almost the end of the Michaelmas Term! The amount of progress everyone has made in Year 3 since the start of September is astounding. The children should all be so proud of themselves! Of course, we are having a very fun run-up to the holidays.
The children worked exceptionally hard on their fantasy stories as their final piece of writing in English this half-term, inspired by our book Winter’s Child. We wrote plans and then drafts before our final versions, acting on feedback and editing our work. The stories demonstrate the amazing creativity and imaginativeness of Year 3, not to mention the fabulous progress everyone has made in their writing!
In Maths, we finished off our first unit on multiplication and division with a real bang, looking at the connections between the 2, 4 and 8 times tables and doing some problem solving. Everyone in the class has been challenging themselves super hard and it has been wonderful to see all the children reaching various extension activities. Next week, we will make a brief start on the next multiplication and division unit with further challenges, new strategies for larger numbers and deepening of understanding!
We finished off our topic Riotous Royals this week with a look at the modern Royal Family. We learnt about the life of Queen Elizabeth II and what an inspirational woman she was, and discussed King Charles III, reviewing what ‘heir to the throne’ means. As a final task, we wrote letters to the new King which will be sent off to His Majesty soon!
Our Science unit also ended on a massive high note with the completion of our magnet games! Everyone took such pride, care and ownership over their games which was heartwarming to behold. Year 3 presented their games to each other and then we invited Year 4 to come and have a go too. Of course, Year 4 had made their own magnet games last year, so it was wonderful to share our games with them and hear their feedback! It was a super project to apply our learning about magnets.
We also had our final Rossall Rotation in the Astronomy Centre with the inspirational Dr Lister, and we were thrilled to have a visit to the planetarium! Year 3 have really loved asking challenging questions in these sessions, demonstrating their curiosity and extending their knowledge of space.
Finishing off the week with the Elf Run was the icing on the Christmas cake! Well done for a fabulous end to the term Year 3, not long now and you can have a well-earned break!
Year 2
What a start to the week we had on Monday morning, the excitement of getting into our costumes was nothing compared to performing for parents, friends and loved ones. The Grumpy Sheep nativity was an absolute success, all the children performed brilliantly and the teachers could not have been any prouder. If you were not lucky enough to attend Monday’s performance, do not worry too much: the Pre-Prep children will perform a couple of numbers at the Carol Service on Wednesday the 13th December. If you want to get into the festive spirit, there’s no better opportunity!
The children have been trying to cram so much in this week, as is the way at this time of year. Shape work in Maths, our final written pieces for our class book “The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark”, swimming, dance, Spanish, music and the highlight for lots of the children: Rossall Rotation.
This week, Miss Fletcher helped to warm us up by getting the camp fire started and letting us toast some delicious marshmallows. With only three more get ups to go, and loads of fun ahead, the holidays will be here before we know it!
Year 1
What a fabulous, but very grumpy start to our week on Monday, with our much anticipated performance of ‘The Grumpy Sheep’. I am sure that anyone who had the opportunity to see it would agree the children were fantastic.
This week we have completed our Maths unit on addition and subtraction, and finished our class book ‘Nibbles The Book Monster’ where we discovered that Nibbles had managed to nibble his way out of his book again and has gone travelling. Where will he go? We have written postcards in the first person as if we are Nibbles, and what marvellous ideas we had. So far, he has been to Lapland and nibbled presents, to Garstang and nibbled canoes, to Spain and eaten mountains, to name just a few of the places.
We have also been working hard to finish our monster puppets, carefully sewing and decorating our hand puppets. We had our final cookery session in Rossall Rotation too, and made festive pizzas. Although many of our festivities are already done, such as the nativity, Elf Run and Christmas craft morning, we still have lots to look forward to next week: our School Council Christmas party, Christmas lunch, the pantomime and the carol service. What an exciting time, and an excellent way to finish the term. I wish all our Rossall families a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.
Reception
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about the first time you ever saw a live performance. Chances are, no matter what age you were, you felt the childlike joy performances can bring to people of all ages.
Over the last few weeks the children have had several opportunities to watch and take part in numerous performances. We have enjoyed singing Christmas carols at the tree switch on, and next week we will sing in the dining hall at the Christmas lunch and in the carol service. In music, we even had the opportunity to perform Christmas songs in front of our friends.
Next week, we will watch a live pantomime ‘Cinderella’, which I am sure will have the children captivated from start to finish. Taking your children to live performances comes with more perks than just creating memories. It can also help spark their learning, both emotionally and academically. Live performances can help expand your children’s ability to retain information as well as teach them how to interact with new communities and learn how to interpret the emotions of others.
When watching a story unfold during a live performance, it’s a safe place to witness scenarios and people that your children might not be exposed to otherwise. Through this witnessing, they learn to better understand the choices and backgrounds of others and gain new perspectives.
Watching a live performance creates an entirely different entertainment experience than they might be used to. They’ll learn how to be engaged in something from the beginning to the end without any extra screens, video clips, or texts to distract them. Not only are live performances fun and engaging, but they help your children to learn and grow!
The children have also thoroughly enjoyed taking part in our nativity play which has long been a tradition in schools up and down the country. Based around the story of a grumpy sheep, this play has given the children the opportunity to get involved in a production and try their hand at performing in front of a big crowd of parents and peers. The confidence that the children have gained out of being a part of a performance such as this, is the kind of thing that can benefit a child for life.
A perfect end to their first exciting term in School! Happy Christmas from everyone in the Reception Class!
Nursery
“A language-rich environment is one in which adults talk with children throughout the day” – The Reading Framework 2023, Department for Education
This week in the Nursery, we have focused on Communication and Language.
The Sanderlings
This week, The Sanderlings have taken part in a new educational session called Taste Education, where we allow the children to explore fruit and vegetables through touch and smell before tasting them. This is great for introducing the babies to new flavours and textures in a calm environment where everyone is encouraged to have a try if they want to. The babies looked at foods with the different colours of the rainbow and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The focus for the Nursery this week has been Communication and Language which, for our babies, means lots of songs and stories, including some festive songs as we get ready for Christmas. The younger babies were encouraged with lots of babbling, getting ready to make initial sounds and mirroring the use of words. When telling stories, we talk to the children about what the characters are doing or what is happening in the story, using and repeating single words clearly to make sure the children understand. Our babies have taken a keen interest in the story series titled “That’s not my…”.
The Sandpipers
The Sandpipers have been using lots of new words and have been supported to add them to short sentences when talking in play. The children have been getting into the Christmas spirit by singing lots of songs such as ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘When Santa Got Stuck Up the Chimney’ and ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star’.
The children have taken part in lots of focus time this week with their key worker or in key worker groups. In these sessions the children looked at different pictures and were supported to explain what they could see, Miss Chapman also played different ‘everyday’ sounds the children may hear in their home such as the TV, a phone ringing and a microwave; the children were then encouraged to say, “I can hear…” then following on with what they thought they could hear. This type of activity has encouraged the children to use bigger and longer sentences.
Over the course of the week, the children have been on different walks both along the promenade and around the Rossall grounds. On frosty mornings the children went to the field to make lots of frosty footprints. The children’s vocabulary was further expanded by using words such as ‘crunchy’, ‘cold’, ‘big and small’. It was lots of fun exploring the icy, cold grass. On the walk along the promenade, the children were able to explore their surroundings and told the Sandpiper team what they could see. They said, “Look I can see a boat” and “The sea is noisy”.
Pre-School
The Pre-School children have had a fantastic week starting off with a brilliant performance of their nativity show ‘The Grumpy Sheep’! The lead up to the nativity enabled the children to show off their amazing communication and language skills through retelling the story of Baby Jesus which was then showcased in the nativity. The children were incredible, we are so proud.
The Pre-School book of the month is ‘The Snowman’. The children have loved reading and creating their own stories, using props and the pictures in the story for reference. The children have also enjoyed creating their own Christmas cards with lots of glitter and festive pictures. The children enjoyed this activity, especially when it involved writing their own names. Our cheeky elf has also been up to no good this week, the children have been chatting excitedly about all the mischief he has been up to. Finally, the children enjoyed going on a winter adventure around the Rossall grounds looking for all the places the frost had made sparkly.
Awards
Year 6
In 6R this week, our awards go to Kyell for thoughtful work in English showing an understanding of the problems endangered animals face, and Reuben for excellent perseverance and resilience in Maths.
In 6S, Sam earned a certificate for working hard in all lessons this week, asking for help when he needs it and taking responsibility for his own learning journey, and Amelia for being solution focused and resilient in all her learning.
Year 5
The certificates this week go to Olivia for outstanding progress with her creative writing, and Benjamin for outstanding ability and effort in performing arts.
Year 4
In Year 4, our certificate winners this week are Matilda and Stanley for creating a well-presented, excellent diary entry in the role of Leon from our English novel.
Year 3
This week’s certificates in Year 3 go to Ayana and Aidan for both challenging themselves in maths with our learning about multiplication and division!
Year 2
This week, our certificates go to Jaxon and Bow for outstanding performances in the nativity.
Year 1
This week’s awards are for Kennedy, for amazing effort and presentation in English, and Vova for fantastic creativity and focus in art.
Reception
This week’s certificates of achievement go to George and Rory. Both children are always eager to complete our Rainbow Challenges in class. They tackle tasks confidently and independently everytime, well done to both!
Parent Lunches
We would like to invite you to a Parent lunch which will take place in the Lent term. We pride ourselves on our relationships and hosting a lunch gives us a great opportunity to meet new members of our community, welcome back existing parents and provide an opportunity for conversation, interaction and friendship. Members of the Prep School and Nursery Leadership team will be in attendance, alongside class teachers.
Places are limited, therefore please kindly RSVP to confirm your attendance and any dietary requirements using this form. If you have more than one child across different year groups, please complete a separate form for each lunch attending.
End of Term Buses
Christmas Dates for your Diary
