October Newsletter
Friday 25/10/24
Well, I can't believe we are at the end of a very busy and rewarding first half term.
It has been fantastic to welcome our reception children and to watch them blossom and grow in confidence. They have been supported at lunchtime by our wonderful Ash Class buddies and at playtimes by their Y6 buddies. We truly are one big family here at Pollington-Balne.
We have had the opportunity to share our learning with our families. We held a phonics and early reading meeting, stay and play sessions, parents' evenings and our Harvest Festival at the Church.
I have had the privelidge this term of visiting each class and talking to the children about their mathematical learning at school. We are following our new Number Sense programme to embed skills and increase fluency. The children were keen to share and could speak confidently about their learning with me. They were extremely proud of thier achievements, especially in their times tables challenges where they have all made progress.
I have enjoyed leading worship with the whole school and sharing in their successes, both at home and at school. We have some amazingly talented pupils and supportive parents.
We had a successful afternoon on Tuesday at our Open Day for prospective parents and reception class new starters. Our newly appointed school council did a fantastic job as ambassaders for our school.
Thank you!
I hope you all have a wonderful half term holiday and some much deserved family time.
Mrs Batty
Head of School
School Council
Congratulations to our new school council
Oak Class - Zadie and Alex
Ash Class - Grace and Molly
Maple Class - Ernie and Oliver
Willow Class - Betsie and Noah
Birch Class - Caitlyn and Oliver
Attendance
Our Attendance to date is: 95.60%
Authorised Absence: 2.46%
Uauthorised Absence: 1.66%
School Meal Survey
Thank you to parents and pupils that completed the school meal survey's in the summer term. We have now collated all the forms and will use this to improve our school meal service. We have had some positive feed back and some things that we can improve on. Your ideas wil be take on board and will help us to make our lunch time service even better. All our meals are cooked fresh in our school kitchen by Mrs Davock and Mrs Scott, who do a fantastic job and produced approximately 24,000 meals last year . All our menus and recipies are created by the ERYC catering team and conform to the school meals standards, providing a balanced 3 weekly winter and summer menu for schools in ERYC.
You can find the results below.
Scarecrow Walk
Thank you to the PTA for organising the Scarecrow Walk, they all look amazing driving through the village. If anyone has photos of your scarecrow would you like to upload them to your childs Class DoJo.
Little Red Hen
Oak Class have really enjoyed the story of the little red hen. When Mrs Bodle asked them 'who will help me bake my bread?' it was a resounding 'I will!!'. They loved shaping, kneading and rolling their dough. The classroom smelled delicious. The next day they could not wait to tell me how they ate their bread buns, some with cheese, marmalade, butter and some were eaten on the car on the way home!
Tooth brushing and floride varnish programme
As part of a drive to increase awareness of good oral health.
Our school is taking part in daily brushing following or lunch time meal.
Dental nurses Kirstie and Laura vissited Oak class with Keith the teeth! They showed us how to brush our teeth correctly. Each child, whose parent has consented, will have their own toothbrush each term.
Ash Class
This term Ash Class have been studying the much-loved children's author Julia Donaldson.
We have been writing a Non-Chronological Report with facts about the friendly dragon Zog.
We have developed our drawing skills in Art focussing on the illustrator Axel Scheffler and have drawn Zog and the Gruffalo.
The children have also shared lots of fantastic stories from home including Tiddler, The Baddies and The Highway Rat to name a few!
In RE we have learned about a Sacred Places for people of different faiths, including a church, mosque and gurdwara.
We've embraced the changing of the seasons through our Science topic, learning about changes in nature during autumn and into winter. In addition, we've begun to consider the weather and how it also varies during the seasons.
Maple Class
Maple Class have been reading 'How to Train Your Dragon' this term. We have created our own stories, reports and written a new ending for the story.
We have linked our work on settlements (in Geography) to develop our own dragon islands; using OS symbols and our map skills to create our own islands, based upon the Isle of Berk from our class text.
We have also been using dragons as a focus for our drawing skills in art.
Willow Class
Willow Class have enjoyed learning about The Windrush as part of Black History Month and the Story of Creation in RE. We have really enjoyed reading the Wizard of Oz and linking it to our Christian Values. Year 4 have enjoyed swimming and everyone loved Rugby.
Birch Class
During October, we have continue writing our chapters on, The Malfunctioning Typewriter. Children have enjoyed adding their ideas into a much loved book, 'Harry Potter and The Philosophers Stone'.
In Mathematics, we have deepened our understanding of addition and subtraction as well as applied what we already know to develop our application of multiplication and division facts.
Earth and Space has been our topic this half term, in Science. Children have learned about the orbits of the planets and moon as well as theories about the solar system.
We continue to enjoy swimming and have been complimented, manners and behaviour on our effort in rugby by Coach Andy.
Forest School Fundraiser Evening
We are holding a Forest School Fundraising evening after school at 3.15 to 4.15 Friday 8th November. We would welcome donations of cakes. Children will be able to buy hotdogs and hot chocolate. Please bring a torch!
Friday 8th November will also be a non uniform day, recommended donation £1.00.
Donations
Thank you for all your amazing donations this Month!
£39.65 received by Christian Aid from the summer term.
£103.05 for Christian Aid Harvest donations
£210.00 from Ms Warren for Reflexology sessions
Remembrance Service 10th November 2024
Every year school help the RAF to commemorate Remembrance Sunday at Pollington Airfield. Children from Pollington and Snaith school lay wreaths in the memorial garden following the main service in Pollington Church. Children from both schools also go on Friday to clean and wash the plaques in the garden ready for the service. If your child would like to be involved in the cleaning party on Friday and attend the service at the Memorial garden on Sunday, please complete the slip on the letter attached and return to the office.
Communication with school and staff
Please can all parents contact the school office on 01405 861916 as soon as possible before the start of the school day, if your child is going to be absent from school.
Please write in your child's diary if they are going to be picked up at the end of the day by someone else or going to preschool. You can also contact the school office prior to 3.00pm.
We continue to use Class Dojo as our main means of communication with you to share exciting news and updates. Pease note for all urgent messages for staff, the first point of contact is the school office. You can reach Ms Bainbridge or Ms Warren on 01405 861916 or email on office@pollington-balne.eriding.net.
Thank you for your support.
Cross Country
Well done to Eli, Emily, Jocelyn, Kiera, Amelia, Bodie and Joseph who had amazing runs at Cottingham High School. Congratulations to them all they came in the top 40 runs from schools round the East Riding.
Sports
This half term we have participated in table tennis, football and cross country. The girls got through to the next round of the East Riding football tournament. Unfortunately, the boys after very competative games were pipped at the post with a penalty shoot out. The Snaith High School did comment how supportive our children were to other schools and themselves.
Next half term we have bench ball and athletics coming up for year 3-6.
Reminders
Reminders
Flu Vacinnation - 4th November - Parents should have already signed up on the parent link sent out to all pupils.
Girls football - 7th November 2024 - The qualifying girls will be representing the school again.
Non uniform day - 8th November - £1.00 donation
Bike Ability - 8th to 15th November - Groups have already been sent out to parents involved. Please use the Bike safety sheet to check your childs bike is road worthy as they will NOT be able to participate on the day if there are any defects.
Odd Sock Day - 12th November - Don't forget to wear odd sock for Anti Bullying.
Children in Need - 15th November - Children in need dress code with £1 donation. Further details to follow.
Forest School - Ash Class has now finished their in school sessions after halfterm Maple Class will start Forest School.
Swimming lessons - Swimming lessons will continue from the 4th November for year 4 and year 6 and run until 2nd December 24.
High School Applications - A reminder that high school application deadline is 31st October 2024.
Help in Class
Thank you to everyone who has already completed DBS forms, once this is received please arrange to bring it into school and discuss you available times and we can get you into school.
After school activities
Selby and Goole Ladies Netball Club are recruiting for junior members and encouranges all abilities and levels to come down and give it a go.
Selby train on Tuesday at The Sports Hall at Selby High School
Goole train on Wednesday at The Sports Hall at Goole High School
Year 6 and below 6pm to 7pm