Whitehouse Weekly Bulletin 189

Thursday 7th April 2022

Message from Mrs Hall

It has been great to see the peer mediators and prefects supporting children across the school at lunchtimes. They have really enjoyed the opportunity to play games and to help resolve any conflicts that may occur. They are clearly demonstrating excellent leadership skills and are modelling ‘The Whitehouse Way’ – (courage, reflection, perseverance and responsibility) – well done everyone.  I do hope that everyone has a great, relaxing Easter Break. School starts back on Monday 25^th April. Thank you for your continued support.

Attendance for the previous week

Classes with the Best Attendance – Owls (97.7%)

Assemblies

The theme of our assemblies for the week after Easter will be: Going for RRSA Gold.  UNRC Link: How can we build upon our RRSA Silver to aim for Gold?   Resources related to this assembly will soon be available on our website.  To access them, simply go to Learning and click on our Enquiry Based Assemblies.

Purple Man Reading Competition

Well done to Hedgehogs (LKS2) and Chameleons (UKS2) for winning the reading competition last week.  Great job!

Reading Competition

Where do YOU like to read?  We really need new photos on our library walls and with the Easter holidays coming up and more freedom to get out and about what better opportunity to take some photos of children reading in different places, the more unusual the better.  Please email the photos of your child reading a book somewhere unexpected and email it to the school by Friday 29^th April.  The photos will be displayed on the walls in the libraries with book prizes for the best in each phase.  We look forward to seeing your pictures!

Library News

We ran a competition last month called Reading Stars, to help us celebrate World Book Day. Well done to all the children who took part, they have all received a certificate.  All the names were put in a draw for one child from each KS2 Year group to win a book prize.  Special congratulations to: Deanna (Tigers), Tommy (Lizards), Dylan (Squirrels) and Sophia (Owls).  We hope you enjoy your prizes!

Awards

EYFS:

Key Stage 1:

Lower Key Stage 2:

Upper Key Stage 2:

Online Safety

The online safety experts in INEQE have put together a really helpful guide about the Online Safety Bill.  The guide includes information on what it is and what to expect from the document.  Scan the QR code below to take you straight to the poster.

Year 6 Art Club

In Art Club, Year 6 have worked hard to paint unique watercolour birds to create an inspirational piece of collaborative art for their corridor.  They spent time looking at watercolour techniques and bird forms in flight.  Hopefully you will agree the finished result is very effective and beautiful.

Families Connect

Well done to everyone who graduated from our recent Families Connect course.  It was lovely to have you join with us each week and wonderful to hear how helpful you found the course.

Spectrum – Help for SEND children

Spectrum is a multi-award winning, parent/carer-led children’s charity who provide support for families of children with Autism, additional needs, learning difficulties and disabilities. Their aim is to increase inclusion and reduce isolation and membership of the charity is free.

Parents/Carers are able to become members, and as a registered Spectrum member, will receive support and understanding of the difficult journey many parents/carers face with accessing help for their child as well as assistance with the EHCP and DLA processes.  In addition, they are also a distributor of the ‘Max Card’.  This card enables families who have a child with additional needs to get discounts at local venues around the Ipswich area, making days out more financially accessible.

Please follow this link for more information and details on how to register as a member: https://spectrum.org.uk/

Visitor to School

We were pleased to welcome local MP Dr Dan Poulter along with two local councillors, to the school last Friday morning. The visitors enjoyed a tour of our Key Stage 2 area where they looked at the lovely displays and stepped into lessons to see what the children were learning.

They also had the opportunity to speak to some of our Year 6 Prefects and House Captains, who were able to share their experiences of home learning and then returning to school after the national Covid-19 lockdown.

Year 4 Victorian Day

Year 4 experienced life in a Victorian classroom this week, which they found was rather different to school today.  The children used chalk and black sugar paper as whiteboards.  They learnt all about the 3 R’s approach to teaching: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic and had fun playing hopscotch outside.  The costumes the children wore were fabulous and they certainly looked the part.  Thankfully, all the children agreed that they preferred the teaching style we use today!

Easter Activities

St Thomas’ Church on Bramford Lane are again holding one of their Messy Church days during the Easter Holidays on Good Friday, 15^th April 2022 from 9.30am.  It is always a fun day full of stories, crafts and food.  There is no need to let them know you are coming, just turn up on the day and have some fun!

In addition, there is an Ipswich ‘Messtival’ event at St Matthews Church, Portman Road, on Saturday 23^rd April from 2.00pm to 4.00pm.  Families are very welcome to come along for fun things to make and do, along with some refreshments.

Netball Camp

We have been advised there are a couple of spaces left on the Netball Camp running in the Easter Holiday, on Friday 22^nd April.

If you are interested in booking a space for your child please contact Chloe on 07876 768043 or chloe.anderson21@yahoo.co.uk.

This is aimed at children in Years 2-6 and costs £15.00 per child.

Quilling Club

In the Spring Term, Year 4 pupils were introduced to the art of quilling which involves strips of paper which are rolled, shaped and glued together to create decorative designs.  The children very much enjoyed learning a new skill together and completing various collective and individual projects.  They are particularly proud of the peacock they created as a team.   The children said they liked the club because: “it helped me learn new things,” “quilling relaxes me,” “you get to help your friends” and “it helps your hand skills and your concentration.” 

Why not try and have a go at quilling in the Easter holiday?  Here are links to a couple of easy projects to get you started: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU6U1npuAaI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fFXAoi2Vrc

Year 5/6 Boys Football

After what has been a very busy half-term of fixtures for the boys’ football team, this week they faced Castle Hill Junior School in their IPSSA league match. The game was a very entertaining match with both teams giving their all to close down and win back the ball for the team.  As a result, both teams enjoyed good spells of possession with the ball and created a number of chances to score.  After a very quick counter attack, the boys found themselves a goal behind early in the match.  However, the boys were not deterred and continued to play some fantastic football during the first half, dominating large spells of the game.   As a result, the boys were able to score two goals before half time.  A very classy finish by Romey from an excellent through ball from Hayden, and an exceptional goal directly from a corner kick from Theo.  The boys continued to work hard during the second half and some fine saves from the Castle Hill keeper prevented the boys from extending their lead.  Unfortunately, a scrappy goal line scramble late on in the match allowed Castle Hill to equalize.  Castle Hill piled on the pressure towards the end of the game, however some fantastic saves from Bahez ensured that the game finished 2-2.  Well done boys, enjoy a well-deserved break over Easter!

Dates for the Diary

Friday 8^th April – PD Day (School Closed to Children)

Monday 11^th April to Friday 22^nd April – Easter Holiday

Tuesday 26^th April – Y3 and Y6

(3.15 pm look at the children’s books in their classrooms)

Wednesday 27^th April – EYFS, Y1 and Y4

(3.15 pm look at the children ‘s books in their classrooms)

Thursday 28^th April – Y5 and Y2

(3.15 pm look at the children ‘s books in their classrooms)

Tuesday 3^rd May – Year 3 Colchester Castle Trip

Wednesday 4^th May – Year 1 Colchester Zoo Trip

Monday 30^th May to Friday 3^rd June – Half Term Holiday

Tuesday 14^th June – Year R Easton Farm Park Trip

Friday 17^th June – Year 2 Duxford Airfield Trip

Friday 24^th June – Career Day

Tuesday 28^th June – Year 5 Kentwell Hall Trip

Monday 4^th July to Wednesday 6^th July Year 6 Mersea Residential Trip

Friday 22^nd July 2022 – First day of the Summer Holiday