Week Ending 1st March 2013

Another week has flown by.  This week has been History Week.  Each class has been learning about a different period of history, and the children have been moving from class to class to find out more about the Victorians, Tudors, The Great Fire of London, Pirates and Explorers.  So much fun, when you are a Reception child, to be taught by the Year 4 teacher in the Year 4 classroom!  The highlight of the week was Thursday, when children and staff dressed up as characters from the past, ranging from chimney sweeps and urchins, vikings and astronauts, bakers and dinosaurs!

Our hens have returned from their half-term holiday, and are busily laying lots of eggs again.

The class gardens have been replaced by extra playground surfaces, to give the children more  scope for their imaginative play.

This weekend, our new classrooms will arrive from France. Watch the changing landscape by Hedgehogs/Pre-School as the classrooms are erected.

There is also a new surface by the steps in the playground, for the replacement "Chatterbox."  This area will be used as an outside stage for drama activities... Open Air Theatre comes to the village!

The date for our World Book Day is Thursday 14th March... the topic for all children is a character from Shakespeare.

Week Ending 15th February 2013

Another week that started with snow!

Fortunately this did not cause any closure, and only a few children could not reach us.  The children enjoyed the snow at lunch time play, and made some wonderful sculptures.

On Tuesday, there was a Sharing Assembly in the hall.  Many parents and visitors attended and braved the cold weather.  There was a wide range of achievements to be celebrated, including some didgeridoo music!

Tuesday was also Pancake Day, and many children enjoyed pancakes with their school dinner.  As you know, we like to invite parents, grandparents, and other adults connected with our School, to join us for a school dinner, and we were delighted to receive the following review of our lovely meals this week:

"My personal experience of school dinners has not so far been happy.  A particular grey/beige congealed spag bol served to me over 50 years ago still haunts me!

Despite this, I was happy to accept an invitation to lunch at Eaton Bray Academy today.  I was very impressed with the delicious roast chicken dinner on offer along with a pasta dish,  plenty of wonderful fresh vegetables, salad and fresh fruit plus a pancake option to mark Shrove Tuesday.  All this was prepared and cooked ‘in house’ to the highest standards.

The atmosphere was buzzing, with the children obviously enjoying the food they had chosen and being encouraged by the staff on duty to finish everything on their plates. 

What an improvement on the school dinners I remember!  Such a fresh and colourful spread of food at such a reasonable price.  Come and try for yourselves!"

Hamsters are continuing to have fun watching the builders.  They have also enjoyed the snow, during outdoor play times, and have been celebrating Chinese New Year with noodles and prawn crackers.

Hedgehogs have been dramatising "Hansel and Gretel", and enjoyed "hot-seating" the main characters.  Otters have been studying houses from past and present.  Squirrels have been thinking of "Punch and July" shows from the past, and are busily planning which puppets to make for a modern 2013 Puppet Production.  Rabbits have made a pop-up book, which all the School will be able to access and enjoy.  Badgers have been making advertisements for products from the past, and even had fun with a tin of Spam!

Next week is half term holiday, so enjoy the rest.

On return to School, the first week is History Week, when the children will rotate from Hedgehogs to Badgers, in the afternoons.

REMINDER: DRESS UP DAY ON THURSDAY 28th FEBRUARY (each class has already been informed of their topic)

Week Ending 8th February 2013

The building work is progressing very well and consideration  is now being given to the internal features and finishes.  Hedgehogs have a clear view of building site from their windows, and can retell each day's events in details!

Many of our children have been investigating houses from the past, and in Rabbits Class there is a map of Eaton Bray, depicting three-dimensional buildings, made from collage materials, and "nets" of shapes.

Squirrels have been investigating Aboriginal Art, from the past, that will contrast with modern Australian art work, next half term.  They have designed and made didgeridoos, which will explain the strange music emerging from the room, as well as the reason for the upturned tables.  (Table legs make superb props for didgeridoo cylinders!)

DO NOT READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU WANT A MOTHER'S DAY SURPRISE!

Mother's Day cards and treats are being made throughout the School, and children are proving very adept at keeping secrets!  There's a wide range of treats, including cakes, lavender bags and pots of spring bulbs.

HALF TERM: w/c 18th February

Week Ending 1st February 2013

SPECIAL NOTICE: The photos in this week's blog are all brought to you by the children from the "Exploring ICT" Choices group!

Work is progressing well on the foundations for our new classrooms, and hopefully the actual rooms will be erected around half term week.  The children have enjoyed watching the activities, and lots would now like to drive digger trucks!

The School corridors and rooms are looking bright and jolly, with lots of new displays based on this terms "Now and Then" theme.  There are many photos that will bring back memories for villagers, who have been residents for some years.  The children are thoroughly enjoying comparing our village long ago, with the village of today that they know so well.

If you would like to sample some of our hens' eggs, please enquire at the office, and you could be baking cakes with EBA eggs!

Our class gardens are going to be replaced with extra playground space.  It has been difficult to keep our little gardens looking nice, as items are often trampled on or broken, sadly, either before or after School hours.

A reminder to all parents:
Our car park is open for STAFF only between the hours of 8.40 - 9.10am and 3.00 - 3.40pm.  Please do not bring your vehicles in when dropping off or collecting children at the beginning or end of the day.  Many thanks for your co-operation in this matter.

Week Ending 25th January 2013

A shorter school week, due to the snow!  On returning, the children had fun on our snow covered field, showing great imaginations.

Tuesday was the morning for celebrating children's achievements, which ranged from Flamenco dancing to recipes for "GIRL PIE!"

The choir, for KS2 children, meets on Wednesday, and they are already practicing for their next public performance... watch this space for details!

Thursday afternoons are very busy and exciting, as Choices run from 2.15 - 3.15pm.  Here are a selection of our present topics:
     Paper Craft
     Philosophy
     Tag Rugby
     ICT Exploration
     Orienteering
     Percussion
     Cooking
     Spanish

Hopefully next week will be free of snow and work will continue on our new classrooms!

Week Ending 18th January 2013

Winter has well and truly arrived this week!  The children enjoyed playing on the field in the snow, and showed wonderful imaginations in their snow games.

The HSA held a meeting on Tuesday evening, and it was felt that attendance may be increased if the start time was 7.30pm.  Hopefully most members will be able to attend the next meeting.

On Wednesday, work began on preparations for the erection of our two new classrooms.  As you may have noticed, our "field" shed has a temporary home on the edge of the playground, until work is complete.  In the next few weeks, steady progress will be made on the classrooms, and both will be completed by Easter. Younger children have enjoyed watching the digger at work, and were being keen photographers.

Our new classrooms will look a bit like this!

 Some Key Stage One children have been following the adventures of Christopher Columbus, and had fun making pop-up models of the "Santa Maria".  Older children have been in Egypt, studying the history of the country.

Badgers and Otters have enjoyed investigating the village, going on a walk, whilst all enjoyed an "Eaton Bray in the past" film show by local historian Peter Mayne.

Week Ending 11th January 2013

Happy New Year!

Welcome to our new Hamsters.

2013 is off to a very exciting start, with work beginning on our two lovely new classrooms.  This will be a very exciting term, and, by Easter, the new rooms should be complete and ready for occupation.  How exciting to be the first children to use the new rooms!!

The whole School topic for the term is "Now and Then."  Badgers have already been on an informative walk around the village, having studied information and photos about our village "then," enabling comparisons with the "now".

Rabbits have been investigating materials used "now" compared to those of "then".  Squirrels have compared the Spain of long ago, with the modern Spain, and especially enjoyed Gaudi's mosaics.  Otters have been learning about the Great Fire of London, and enjoying the humour of "Horrible Histories".

Hedgehogs have been busy helping to clear storage areas, in preparation for the building changes ahead.  Watch this space for updates!