Taking Stock: 1st December 2023
Friday 1st December, 2023
Ms McIntosh's Update
The second half of each term are Stockwell's busiest times.
This half term, Year 6 visited PGL, accompanied by Ms Kelleher, Ms Ali, Ms Philocles and Mrs Osaghae. I am incredibly grateful to the team for giving up their time to take the children on such a great adventure.
It was wonderful to see the children learning new skills and developing their independence. Many faced challenges that they were worried about and had conquered them by the end of the week. Watch this space for information about next year's visits.
Anti-Bullying Week
The week beginning 13th November was Anti-Bullying week. The children took part in lessons about the difference between 'banter' and ''bullying'. We explored the fact that banter can sometimes go wrong if the other person doesn't like the joke and we talked about how to avoid this.
We spent the week making a noise about bullying and this work will continue throughout the school year. We set the children PSHCE homework on Anti-Bullying behaviours and I am still welcoming posters about how we can 'Make a Noise about Bullying' so, if your child has made one, or wants to have a go, please send them my way.
Class Assemblies
My goodness, I just love a class assembly. We host these in the second half of each term and they are an opportunity for classes to showcase their learning.
This half term we have been treated to explorations of life in the Ancient Kingdom of Benin, journeys through time, visits to Ancient Rome and we have spent time in both Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt.
Our class assemblies give the children the opportunity to practise their speaking and listening skills, giving their learning in this area a purpose. They work together, improving their team work skills, to develop their performances and, in many cases, have a hand in writing the scripts along with their teachers.
Whether the children were acting in role as the Obas of Benin, showing off the fierce battles between the Romans and the Celts, dramatising the Roman myth of Romulus and Remus, sharing their learning about life in the Stone Age or singing about life as an Ancient Egypytian, they rose to the occasion and put on some great shows.
Well done to everyone and to all of the staff who worked so hard to put everything together.
School Uniform
School uniform should be worn throughout the school day. While we do not enforce that all school uniform should be branded, children should be wearing the correct colours (white t-shirt tops, navy trousers/ skirts/ pinafore dresses, sensible black shoes). Football boots/ coloured trainers are not school uniform and should not be worn.
Children should be changing into their PE kits for PE lessons (Blue or black tracksuit bottoms, plain white t-shirt, trainers). We have made arrangements for girls and boys to be able to change separately, so the expectation is that all children change for PE.
While our supplier of school uniform is WearAbouts, we do some some items available for sale from the school office. Please check with us to see if we have what you need in stock.
Reading
Early Reading Development
At Stockwell we use the Essential Letters and Sounds program for reading. In EYFS and KS1, children do 20 minutes of phonics everyday. Ask your child what sound they are currently learning.
We encourage children to continue applying their phonics learning to support their spelling in KS2, particularly for those tricky words. You are never too old to use phonics!
At Stockwell we teach reading discreetly; this means it is taught as a single subject. Each day we have a different focus:
On Mondays it is ‘Text and Talk'. The children are introduced to their new text for the week. Children are exposed to a variety of different text types and genres. The children hear the text being read to them and identify new vocabulary and meaning of words.
On Tuesday, the children become ‘Word Detectives’. The children answer retrieval questions. This is where they can find the answer in the text. Children use their skimming and scanning skills to find their answers.
On Wednesday, children use their ‘Thinking Caps’. They answer a variety of inference and deduction questions. They are taught the skills that help them use their prior knowledge and contextual information to draw conclusions, make critical judgments, and form interpretations of a text.
Thursday are our ‘Building Blocks’ lessons. This is where children look at the grammar, layout and structures of the texts they have been reading.
On Fridays, children answer opinion questions. We call this our ‘Points of View’ lessons. Children are encouraged to express their opinions and make links to the text and their own experiences in the world.
The children revisit the text daily, reading it aloud, independently and with their peers. Try reinforcing the day's learning with focused questioning during home reading time!
Your child should have a reading book that they bring home each week. They should read at home for 20 minutes every evening. Reading records should be written in three times each week.
Makaton
School
Walk
Play
Sit
Monthly Value
Our monthly value for December is 'Generosity'. If someone is 'generous' they give others more than is usual or expected.
Generosity is a willingness to share or showing unselfishness.
Synonyms for 'generosity' are goodness, kindness, selflessness
Dates for your Diaries
- 1st December - Pre-School Craft Morning
- 1st December - Book Fair begins
- 1st December - Winter Fair
- 4th December - EYFS/ KS1 Parent Forum
- 5th December - NOPA Wellbeing Parent Workshop
- 6th December - Enterprise Event
- 7th December - KS2 Parent Forum
- 8th December - KS1 Production
- 11th December - Open Morning
- 12th December - Year 3 and 5 Theatre Trip
- 13th December - EYFS Production
- 13th December - Pre-School Singalong
- 13th December - Y1 Trip to Horniman Museum
- 14th December - Christmas Lunch/ Christmas Jumper Day
- 15th December - House Celebration Event
- 18th December - Topic Day
- 19th December - End of Term - 1:30pm
- 9th January - Term Begins
Pre-School Craft Morning
Scholastic Book Fair
KS1 Performance
Enterprise Market Place
EYFS Performance
Christmas Jumper Day
Inclusion
Have you read the BJS Federation Newsletter? You can find it below.
A Whole School Approach to Anti-Bullying
Going forward, I will be adding a little information to each newsletter about bullying and the strategies we use to prevent and combat this in school. Firstly, it is important to establish what the term 'bullying' means. While children may have disagreements or arguments, this is not always bullying.
We work very hard to deal with conflict between the children, helping them to resolve their differences. We also teach the children what bullying is and what it isn't.
The Anti-Bullying Alliance and its members have an agreed shared definition of bullying based on research from across the world over the last 30 years.
'The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online’.
If you are worried about your child, and think that they might be having friendship issues, or that they might be being bullied, please speak to a member of school staff. In the first instance, please speak to your child's class teacher. If they are unable to resolve the problem, please speak to the phase leader.
Not sure who to ask for help? Please check the chart below.
Attendance
Central to raising standards in all schools and ensuring all pupils can fulfil their potential is the need for children to attend school regularly to benefit from their education.
There is a strong link between good learning, high achievement, rapid progress and developing good social skills with excellent attendance.
We want to take this opportunity to outline our expectations for school attendance this academic year.
If your child arrives at school from 9.02am they will be marked as LATE, if they arrive after 9.30am, they will be classed as “late after the register is closed” and their attendance is classed as absent for the morning session. As the registers would have already been returned to the Department for Education.
Regular poor punctuality can also have a negative effect on your child’s attendance as well as their academic learning. Being 6 minutes late each day equals 30 minutes of missed learning every week.
If your child’s attendance drops below 90%, we will need to share our concerns with the Local Authority Education Welfare Officer at Lambeth Council.
Attendance Winners
EYFS Attendance Winners
RA - 96.2%
KS1 Attendance Winners
2B - 99.2%
LKS2 Attendance Winners
3T - 99.2%
LKS2 Attendance Winners
6A. - 97.4%
Parent and Carer Support
Friends of Stockwell PTA
We have an active PTA, called Friends of Stockwell, who do a brilliant job of fundraising for the school and bringing the community together. Last year, every child was given a £5 donation to reduce the cost of trips; the PTA contributed to class Christmas presents; they also raised money for vulnerable families at Christmas.
It is great to see new faces getting involved. Every parent is a Friend of Stockwell. I ask that everyone gets involved. If you can spare an hour per term (that's three hours per year), your contribution would make a huge difference.
Please email friendsofstockwell@gmail.com to get involved.
Winter Fair
Preparations are well underway for the Winter Fair, which will take place this afternoon.
If you are able to lend a hand,, please contact friendsofstockwell@gmail.com
Call to Action
Can you help out around the school? Are you a keen gardener? Do you have skills or knowledge that the children would benefit from? Visit our Call to Action page to let us know how you can help.
Reporting a Concern
If you have a concern, please see your child's class teacher in the first instance. If they are unable to resolve the problem, please speak to your child's phase leader.
If they are unable to help, please see one of the school's Assistant Headteachers.
If you are still dissatisfied, please see the Acting Head of School.
Phase Leaders
EYFS
Pre-School, Nursery and Reception
KS1
Years 1 and 2
LKS2
Years 3 and 4
UKS2
Years 5 and 6
Assistant Headteachers
Mrs Fraga
Ms Mansell
Acting Head of School
Ms McIntosh
Parent/ Carer Conduct
I would like to take this opportunity to remind parents and carers of the expectations for conduct on the school grounds. Please remember that everyone in our school community deserves to be treated with respect. While we may have differences of opinion, it is vital that we continue to communicate effectively with each other.
Breaches of conduct towards staff, children or other parents may result in the school taking further action.
If you have a concern about your child, please speak to members of the school team. Members of SLT are always on the gates at the front and back gates. Class teachers can be contacted by email via the school office.
Lettings
We let space around the school.
You can hire the school hall, and grounds, on a regular basis or as a one off.
Need a space for a party?
Looking for a pitch for your team?
Contact the school office on:
clericalofficer2@stockwell-pri.lambeth.sch.uk
to make an enquiry.
Out of Hours Clubs
The BJS Federation of Schools is running a number of low-cost out of hours clubs for the children of the local community. A number of these are taking place at Stockwell Primary School, on Stockwell Road. Are clubs are run by professionals, who hold up to date DBS checks.
The clubs taking place at Stockwell are:
- Table Tennis and Short Tennis
- Boxing
- Girls Football
Please see the attached flyers for more information.
Please visit: BJSFederationclubs.classforkids.io to book a place for your child.
Our Learning Updates
EYFS
What are Pre-School, Nursery and Reception learning about? Find out below.
KS1
Years 1 and 2 are incredibly busy with their learning. Find out more on our website.
LKS2
Are you keen to find out more about the learning in Years 3 and 4? If so, have a look by clicking the button below.
UKS2
Please check our website, to find out what the children in Years 5 and 6 are learning about.
Community Events
Unicorn Theatre
The Bolds
Julian Clary’s popular stage adaptation of his bestseller book The Bolds returns to the Unicorn Theatre until 31 December.
The Bolds are just like you and me. They live in an ordinary house on an ordinary street, and they love to laugh. But there’s one slight difference… they are hyenas! Expect fantastic songs, secrets and wild laughter in this incredible show about a family of hyenas relocating to London!
★★★★★ 'A genuine Christmas cracker' WhatsOnStage
★★★★ Sparkling… will delight youngsters and parents alike The Telegraph
★★★★ An absolute delight The Times
Tickets start from £18 only. Special offer to local business on selected performances:
Save £10 on top two ticket prices on Wed 20 Dec, Thu 21 Dec and Fri 22 Dec with promo code LOCALFRIENDS when booking online or over the phone (offer subject to availability)
To book tickets call the Box Office on 020 7645 0560 or visit