This week at Gainsborough…
Happy New Year!
We have come back with a bang this week. Our teachers had professional development days (INSET) on the last day of term and first day of this term. We have developed our approach to maths teaching over the Autumn term and teachers are now really confident in planning and delivering maths lessons using NCTEM materials as a starting point. These materials are well structured, often open ended and support really meaningful maths lessons that the children are really enjoying. We have also tightened our precision when teaching reading strategies to the older children which has meant more focus on word level and sentence level construction to aid comprehension, this has benefited the children in answering different question types more confidently. This half term we are focusing on writing, we are refining our writing cycle and we hope to ensure children become better equipped to write different sentence types with more confidence. At Gainsborough we are always striving to better to what we do and keep in touch with current curriculum development. When teachers are passionate about their development it transfers to the children’s engagement and progress, we have seen this happen this week with teachers honing their skills in writing and all the Gold awards for class this week relating to writing.
Keep Safe
Each half term we focus on a different Gainsborough Keep: kind, connected, safe, healthy, green or giving. This half term we have introduced the idea of giving your time to causes and issues.
Rights Respecting Schools
This half term we are whole school assembly and homework follows two threads: Keep Safe and Rights Respecting Schools. Gainsborough has been a Rights Respecting School for over a decade. We talk about children’s rights weekly in assembly and link learning to the UNRC Rights of the Child. You can find more information about this global initiative here
This half term we have decided to bring the initiative to the forefront and Ms Clark will focus each assembly on the Rights of the Child, one article at a time, and homework will then link to this. If you child is of an age to read the news, or access a smart phone, they may be aware of the current conflicts across the world, particularly in Palestine and Ukraine. These topics can become very hard to discuss with children as the Rights Respecting agenda advocates for: protection from war, Governments and the UN ensuring children are safe, happy, learn and play with access to clean water and food. While our assemblies will be based on the Rights of the Child, your child may come home and ask questions about global issues and how the Rights of these children are being upheld in countries at war.
These links are to documents that have been developed to help families discuss war and the impact of this on children’s mental health:
Safer Internet Workshops
In week 6 we are running a series of workshops for parents around internet safety. We will be inviting you and your child to attend these workshops to share what the law states about the use of the internet, develop rules around the use of the internet for children, and look at strategies you can use to manage your child’s screen time and the use of the internet in your home.
Years 1 and 2 Weds 8th February 3.30pm
Years 3 and 4 Thurs 9th Feb 3.30pm
Years 5 and 6 Tues 7th Feb 3.30pm
Reader of the Week
Each week we will award one child from Years 1-6 with a new book, as the Reader of the Week. The award is for commitment, reading progress, engagement or sharing their love for reading. Please support your child with reading at home! After all, reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
Year 1 Vasil
Year 2 Tamiyah
Year 3 Zayaan
Year 4 Marty
Year 5 Eddie
Year 6 Daniella O
Keeping Connected in our Community…
Year 1 Visit to Strong and Bendy
Year 1 are learning about Jobs. They were lucky enough to visit our friends at Strong and Bendy in Hackney Wick. They learnt about the different jobs people have in the gym and how the gym works. Thank you for your support Strong and Bendy!
| GOLDS! | Each week we celebrate an amazing achievement from each class. Children are celebrated in assembly, receive a gold certificate and their name in the newsletter. Please celebrate their learning at home too! |
| Nursery
Geese |
Muaz has been awarded a Gainsborough Gold for communicating his ideas and wishes and showing great listening during carpet sessions. |
| Nursery
Swans |
Isla was nominated for a Gainsborough Gold. She asked lots of good questions and helped her friends this week. Well done Isla. |
| Reception
Wrens |
Kamari was nominated for a Gainsborough Gold for settling into Reception class really well and accessing all of the activities. Well done Kamari! |
| Year 1
Owls |
Year 1 have made everyone incredibly proud this week. They have been kind, worked hard and learnt loads this week. They were fantastic on their trip to Strong and Bendy. Well done Year 1! |
| Year 2
Hummingbirds |
Year 2 were awarded the Gainsborough Gold this week. Year 2 have started 2024 with remarkable attitudes to learning, showing great kindness to one and other and incredible learning has taken place in reading, writing and maths! Wow Year 2! |
| Year 3
Herons |
Year 3 have been awarded the Gainsborough Gold this week. They have rehearsed and performed a very informative assembly about composting and shown great attitudes to learning this week. |
| Year 4
Skylarks |
Year 4 were awarded the Gold Award as a whole class this week. They have worked incredibly hard in writing, behaved perfectly on a school trip and have shown excellent attitudes to learning all week. Well done Year 4! |
| Year 5
Magpies |
Macey was nominated for the Gainsborough Gold this week for some incredible writing. Macey has begun to write an explanation text about the Egyptians. Well done Macey! |
| Year 6
Doves |
Tommy Boy was nominated to receive the Gold Award this week for making a huge effort, working really hard and producing some great work in writing. Well done Tommy Boy. |
