| Key dates up until the end of March 2017 | |
| Tuesday 31st | Writing workshop in class – parents invited (see below) |
| February | |
| Wednesday 1st | Writing workshop in class – parents invited (see below) (not penguins or Seahorse) |
| Thursday 2nd | Class photo to be taken by Stanley Baker Studios
Writing workshop in class – Penguin & Seahorse class NSPCC assembly for children and staff only – Keeping children safe (information was given in last week’s newsletter) |
| Friday 3rd | Snow Leopards Assembly – cancelled now on 17th March at 2.15pm |
| Friday 10th | Seahorse Assembly from 9.05am
Non Uniform Day – donation to the Friends of Downs View Last day of term |
| Monday 20th | Children return to school |
| Friday 24th | 9.05am Birthday assembly – parents of children with birthdays in February invited to attend |
| From Monday 27th | Book Week |
| Tuesday 28th | Parents Evening 3.15pm – 6pm |
| March | |
| Thursday 2nd | Parents Evening 5.30pm – 8pm
World Book Day – dress up day as a book character for children and staff |
| Friday 3rd | Starfish Assembly from 9.05am |
| Friday 10th | Turtle Assembly from 9.05am |
| Friday 17th | Penguin Assembly from 9.05am
Snow Leopards Assembly 2.15pm |
| Thursday 23rd | Reception classes Mother’s Day Assembly 2.15pm – 2.45pm |
| Friday 24th | Polar Bear Assembly from 9.05am
Year 1 Mother’s Day Assembly 2.15pm – 2.45pm Comic Relief Day |
| Monday 27th | Year 2 Mother’s Day Assembly 2.15pm – 2.45pm |
| Friday 31st | 9.05am Birthday assembly – parents of children with birthdays in March invited to attend
Last day of term |
| April | |
| Tuesday 18th | Children return to school |
| For those wishing to book summer holidays, the last day of the school year is Thursday 20th July as the 21st is an Inset Day. | |
| Weekly school attendance | Days missed across the school
this week |
Best class attendance for the week | Overall attendance for the year | |
|
95.12%
|
52 |
99.35% Starfish
|
96.68% |
| Reading award | Active award | Sunshine award | Feet on Friday | Star table | |
| Pengion | Harry | Micah & Jessica | Chloe | Maddie | |
| Polar Bear | Tilly | Evie & Rebecca | Kassidy | Kassidy | |
| Snow Leopard | Hari | Kadie & Frank | Frank | Cerys | |
| Sea Horse | James | Julia & Sienna | Alfie | Sophie | |
| Star Fish | Gracie-Mae | Bella & Jiah | Jiah | Scarlett | Tallulah |
| Turtle | Jazmin | Catalina & Alfie | Maryssa | Noah | |
| Fox | Charley | Gabriel & Laceigh | Fox | Jimmy | Christine |
| Caterpillar | Sammy | Joshua & Inaaya | Lesley | Sofia | |
| Owl | Manni | Logan & Alexa | Charlie B | Thomas | |
| Bonus card winners this week – Penguins | |||||
Writing Workshop
As you should be aware (letter sent out earlier this week) there is the opportunity for you to visit your child’s class to observe how writing is taught and to learn alongside your child. The sessions will begin at 9.05am and finish around 9.45am. They will be on Tuesday and Wednesday for all classes except Penguins and Seahorses which will be on Tuesday and Thursday (see dates on calendar above). We hope this will be useful and help you continue to support your child’s learning in this area of the curriculum at home. Unfortunately we cannot accommodate younger siblings on this occasion because of limited space in classrooms and also the distraction this may cause whilst the children are learning. We do offer a crèche whenever possible but unfortunately due to room and staff constraints on these days, this will not be possible. We hope you will be able to join us!
Rapid Fire Cricket Tournament
Well done to the children in Year 2 that took part in the Rapid Fire Cricket Tournament at the Stour Centre on Tuesday 24th January. We had a fun afternoon competing against other Ashford schools and managed to win one of our matches against Furley Park.
Rebecca, Oscar, Oscar, Carys, Toby, Maisie, Jacob, William, George.
Dropping off at school
We are so pleased with how many children are coming in independently now but please can I remind you that you must ensure that you see your child go into the door before leaving them. There is an adult at each entrance and in the classroom/ corridor to receive them each morning.
If your child is coming through the front reception entrance and is being signed in as late we request you say goodbye to them at this point and they walk to their class on their own. Obviously if they are upset a member of staff will accompany your child to their class.
Here are a few more resources we would like if anyone is able to help.
Chinese rice bowls/spoons
Heavy duty Padlocks/keys for fine motor and problem solving
Short sleeved white school shirts (no bigger than age 7)
Small baby or dolls clothes
Dolls accessories
Superhero bedding/sheets
Superhero figures
Chinese New Year decorations
Tea set/ teapot etc.
Easter accessories: soft toys, plastic eggs, decorations, hats
Mechanical bathroom/kitchen scales
Electric Solid Plate Hob – doesn’t need to work
Anything to do with The Incredible superheroes
Artificial flowers
Pastel coloured plant pots/baskets
Metal lantern
Class Photographs
Stanley Baker Studios will be in school on Thursday (2nd Feb) to take photographs of the whole school in class groups. We will send out the proofs once they become available and you can choose whether or not you would like to purchase a class group photo.
Sainsbury’s vouchers
Vouchers can be collected instore and online at Sainsbury’s from 25th January until May. Please bring any vouchers you have and ask friends and relations to start collecting for us too.
What we’ve been up to……..
This week in EYFS we have been learning about the people who help us when we feel poorly or get hurt and injured. In Literacy we had an opportunity to role play our own scenarios and tried hard to log this in the form of an accident report. In Maths we needed to help find bandages the appropriate lengths for different types of injuries. We also confidently used the vocabulary longer and shorter to compare the lengths of these bandages. We also measured them using a variety of manipulatives i.e. unification cubes and wooden bricks.
Please help! Please make sure that you read with your child at least three times a week and sign the Monkey book to show this. Your comments are really valuable to us but if you are short of time a tick and a signature to show you have shared the book is great!
In Year 1 this week the children have been continuing to learn about time. The children learnt the concept of quicker and slower, earlier and later. The children learnt about recognising coins and notes from the UK. They were able to look at the coins and recognise their worth. In English the children have used the facts they learnt about animals from the UK to write riddles. In R.E. the children have learnt about Christianity and the miracles performed by Jesus from the Bible. They were able to recall lots of previously learnt knowledge and new stories including Jesus feeding the 500 and healing people that are sick.
In Year 2 we have started to write about a certain horrid character. We had to read through some text to figure out who it was, we found clues about the Purple Hand Gang and how he hates his brother Perfect Peter. We all knew it was about Horrid Henry! In Maths we have learnt more about 2D shapes, we have practised copying and moving them using directional language and created repeated patterns. We have recapped physical and human geographical features and found these on fairy tale maps. In P.E we have started gymnastics and have practised jumping and landing safely.
CATs Collective Choir
We are delighted to announce that Downs View is going to be part of a CATs Collective Choir which will be made up of seven local schools. There will be 30 children across year 2 taking part. If your child has expressed an interest in taking part you will have received a letter in their book bag. There will also be four joint workshops and a final concert at the end of the year which parents will be invited to. These workshops will be supported by Miss Anderson and Mrs Troman who currently lead our choir at Downs View. The Collective Choir will be led by Josh Cadman who is Director of Sing Academy who held workshops at the school last year. Since then Josh, who is also a conductor for a gospel choir in London, has been a finalist for Songs of Praise Gospel Choir of the year and appeared on the television in November. We are so excited to have this opportunity! Please can you return the slip by Monday 30th January.
Travel to school questionnaire
Your child will have received a travel to school questionnaire which we kindly ask you to complete. This forms part of our travel plan and supports the reviews we are continuously making about parking and traffic around our school. All children who return their questionnaire will receive a sticker and be put in a raffle for some great prizes. Please return this by Wednesday 1st February. The working party meets again on Friday 3rd February at 2pm at Downs View. If you would like anything raised or would like to attend please let the office know. We currently have attendance from our Governors, parents our local Councillor Phil Sims, the Headteacher of Kennington Academy Katie Wratten and local residents. We are still looking for a crossing patrol warden so if you are interested or know anybody please let Tracy Kent or the office know.
Half Term Activities
Ashford School Swim Team – Learn to Swim
Ashford School are offering a number of crash courses and technique courses in the half term. The courses run for 5 mornings from Monday 13th – Friday 17th at 9am, 9.30am, 10am and 10.30am. The 30 minute sessions are progressive through the week and all swimmers would be expected to attend every day. If you are not sure which stage your child is swimming at the Ashford School will advise you. The course cost £27.50 and payment will be required in advance at time of booking.
For further information contact Lorraine Mullaly, mullalyl@ashfordschool.co.uk or phone 01233 739039. Courses cater for Ducklings 1 & 2 and 3 & 4, stages 1, 2 and 3 aquatic skills and stages 4, 5 & 6 – Butterfly and Diving.
Elite Community Coaching
Elite are holding Multi Sports sessions at Lympne Primary School from Monday 13th Feb until Wednesday 15th February.
There are also dance sessions, gymnastics and an inflatables day at Saltwood Primary School
Football sessions are being held all week at Three Hills Sports Park.
If you are interested in any of these you can contact Elite on email elite_office@aol.co.uk or phone them on 07885 982598
Flyers with more information have gone out in book bags.