Having fun filming!

We have been exploring stop-frame animation this term using the i-motion app. It has been great fun developing our animations, which we based on a traditional story from India. We were very surprised at how many photographs we needed to take to make the characters look like they were moving effectively!

Reading in Dragonflies

Over the past couple of months we have been developing the reading areas in our classroom. In discussion with the children, the books have been re-organised and four quiet areas have  been established with new lighting, cosy rugs and cushions. The children have been enjoying sharing books with their friends and taking responsibility for keeping the areas clean and tidy.

 

A busy week in Dragonflies!

This week we have started to explore the characteristics of play scripts and have had fun working in groups to present a short play to the rest of the class. We have also carried on with our learning about the geographical features of India and have been putting the final touches to our Indian dance in PE.

This week’s Maths and Computing

This week we have worked hard in Maths developing our understanding of metres, centimetres and millimetres. We have also started to explore the iMotion app in Computing and over the next week will go on to develop our own stop-frame animations.

Spaces still left on after school clubs

Spaces are still available on the following clubs

As at 20/01/25

Monday Board Games All classes
Tuesday Textiles Bees & Scorpions
Tuesday Athletics D/F, Bees & Scorpions
Wednesday Yoga for relaxation All classes
Wednesday Tennis / Badminton D/F, Bees & Scorpions
Thursday Lego All classes
Friday Multi sports / Invasion games All classes

 

 

Please contact Mrs Godfrey

After-School Clubs for Spring Half Term

Noticeboard poster Spring Term 1 – 2025

Please note that after-school clubs will now need to be booked and paid for on ParentPay.

 

To so, please click the yellow box “Pay for other items”:

This will open up all the available options to pay:

 

Care club bookings should be being paid this way (unless using the tax-free childcare payment system).

Cross Country – Next Week

With next week’s cross country (Tuesday 15th), we have been asked by the event organiser to ask parents to car share (where possible) as parking could be an issue at Swancote.

 

There will also be tea/coffee/refreshments available to purchase.

As always, Year 3 girls will be the first event – and this race will begin at 4:30pm, so please ensure you arrive before this.

Upcoming Football Events

For those attending the upcoming football competitions, children will need shin pads (if they don’t have any, then they will need to let me know and I can sort some for them to borrow). They will also be playing on grass at Oldbury, so football boots would be preferable; however, trainers will be also fine.

Please note that there are two events:

Girls’ Football Competition: Tuesday 8th October
Mixed Football Competition: Tuesday 22nd October

Please note: your child may have been chosen to take part in one or both competitions.

Times tables practise in Dragonflies, Bees and Scorpions

Times Tables

Children in Dragonflies and Bees will focus on a specific times table each week, their knowledge of which will be tested on a Friday. Children may practise using Times Tables Rockstars, but will also need to rehearse the specific times table that they are working on either verbally or with a pen or pencil in their Home Learning books. Scorpions will be tested on all times tables every Friday and should use Times Tables Rockstars.

Spellings for Dragonflies, Bees and Scorpions

Spellings

Every Friday, children in Key Stage 2 will bring home a list of ten spellings to learn. They will be given a test on these words the following Friday and a new list will be shared. Children in Dragonflies and Bees will focus on recapping high-frequency words and Year 3&4 common exception words. Children in Scorpions will recap the above-mentioned words and in addition will also focus on Year 5 & 6 common exception words. These word lists will be made available each week for children to practise on Spelling Shed. The full 3&4 and 5&6 word lists are available on Spelling Shed should your child wish to do any further practice.

KS2 Swimming – Sept ’24

Please see below a letter regarding swimming in KS2 for this term.

Paper copies of the letter will be sent home with children on Monday.

Swimming Lessons – Sept 24

KS2 Evening Performance

As you will be aware, the KS2 performances will be taking place next week.

 

For the evening performance (Tuesday 16th July), could all pupils return to school from 17:15 (17:30 at the latest). This will give us chance to get changed and ready ahead of the performance itself (at 18:00). If you would prefer, children can be booked into careclub (by emailing careclub@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk).

 

If, for whatever reason, you think there may be an issue with your child(ren) attending this performance, please let us know as soon as possible – as we can see what we can do to help.

Arthog 24-25 Update

Following the questionnaire sent out a couple of weeks ago regarding next year’s Y5/6 residential trip (https://browncleeschool.org.uk/arthog-2024-25/), we would like to confirm that we have booked our place at Arthog for next academic year (25.11.24 – 29.11.24)

 

The questionnaire unanimously voiced the importance of a residential (something which we whole-heartedly agree with). We understand the small number of concerns about the November date – as well as the cost. We did explore multiple different options – but found that, although there was availability in the Summer Term at other locations, Arthog still proved to be considerably cheaper – as well as providing a wider range of acivities and experiences.

 

Please rest assured that Arthog will have fully risk assessed all activities (and they run activities throughout the whole year – including the even colder months). It is likely that some of the more weather-dependent activities, such as surfing and sea-kayaking will not be possible (these activites are often not possible for all groups in the summer anyway); however, the bulk of the usual activites will still be the same (as well as the possibility of some activities that we have never done before!).

 

We will also continue exploring ways in which we can reduced the overall cost (including the additional transport costs).

 

So that you have a clear picture (especially with it being in the Autumn term of next year), here is an estimated timescale of things between now and the eventual trip:

  • Return from Arthog: 29/11/24
  • Leave for Arthog: 25/11/24
  • Final payments required: First week back of next academic year (approx. 06.09.24)
  • Deposit required: 25/05/24

 

We will share more information as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions, please do not hesitate in getting in touch.

Arthog – 2024/25

Looking ahead for our biennial Arthog visit, which is due to take place in the academic year 2024/25, we have found there is very limited availability at our preferred dates – with the only suitable available date being November 2024. There has also been a significant increase in the cost of this per pupil compared to previous years – which is £373 per pupils (before adding transport costs). We have been exploring further options – but have found that these are all coming up as just as much – or, in some cases, significantly more. We are going to look into how we can, as a school, help minimising the cost of this cost for yourselves.

 

Before we make our booking official, we would like to gauge the interest level of parents of current Year 4 and Year 5 parents. If you are a parent of a Year 4 or 5, we’d very much appreciate if you could fill in the following Microsoft Form: https://forms.office.com/e/aLrS7aXjvX