Clawton Primary School Newsletter | 16/12/2022
Dear Parents/ Carers,
It has been a wonderful couple of weeks leading up to the Christmas period with lots of festive based learning happening and some fabulous singing echoing out across the classrooms. I am sure you will agree with me that the Christmas Service on Wednesday demonstrated just how wonderful the pupils are at singing and bringing joy to all.
The cold snap at the beginning of this week brought its challenges however I would like to thank all staff, parents and the local community for supporting us with the gritting and ensuring that we were safe to open each day. The community spirit around Clawton Primary School is really remarkable and I am very grateful to all for supporting us. Thank you again.
As we come to the end of this term, it is with sadness that I write to say that, after a period of absence, Mrs. Skinner has decided to step down from the administrator role at Clawton. She has worked at the school for many many years and will be truly missed. She was a dedicated and exceptional member of our team; in the new year we will ensure to invite her in for a tea party to celebrate and thank her.
You will have heard this week that in the New Year, Mrs. Steyn will be the named Head Teacher for Clawton Primary School. Over the past two years I have watched her grow as a leader and this last term she has proven time and time again her commitment, dedication and ability to lead school improvement. I am very proud and excited for Mrs. Steyn as she starts on this new journey. From a day to day running point of view you are unlikely to notice a huge difference. I will still be on site at points, you will still see me on the school gates at times and I will still be overseeing the work and progress of the school as well as line managing Mrs. Steyn.
I have truly enjoyed being the head of Clawton and seeing the growth over the last 2 years. I am grateful to all for supporting both myself, the staff, the pupils and the school and look forward to still being part of the journey.
Wishing you a wonderful festive break,
Warmest regards,
Mrs. R. Sharpe
Academic
Owls: Owls have been awarded their Inspiring Researcher challenge certificates for their amazing research into their area of interest relating to space. We displayed their findings on our topic board…
Hedgehogs and Squirrels: Hedgehogs and Squirrels have been learning all about subtraction facts this week. We enjoyed using snowballs to bowl over some snowmen and then telling subtraction stories using the language ‘first, then and now’. The year 1 children also used a number line to help them write some subtraction sentences.
Squirrels: Squirrels have been very busy finishing off their fractions learning in Maths. They have now covered halves, quarters, thirds and even simple equivalent fractions. Well done everyone!
Foxes: Foxes have been learning the different meanings for the 12 days of Christmas. The children were curious to discover the hidden meanings behind each of the days. The Children were also curious to realise that the 12 days of Christmas started on the 25th December!
Badgers: Badgers have completed their maths units of work so worked on problem solving and reasoning this week. This was challenging for everyone and meant that they had to really think hard about everything they had learnt this term in order to work out the answers.
Character
Owls: Owls performed ‘Ten Tubby Snowmen’ at the Christmas Carol Service, displaying courage standing in front of the school and parents and singing beautifully. Owls melted in time to the song and performed some actions whilst singing. They were confident and motivated!
Hedgehogs and Squirrels: Our focus virtue this week has been compassion and two members of Hedgehogs have shown compassion and generosity by raising some money to put towards Nick’s education in Uganda. They have been busy helping with jobs at home and have raised £7.50 between them. Well done Lil and Kieran!
Squirrels: Squirrels enjoyed being Inspiring Adventurers on their trip to Rosemoor. We explored the gardens and braved the super fast slide before doing some different festive artwork activities with the staff in the learning centre. It was a lovely day and everyone showed beautiful manners when moving around the gardens.
Foxes: Foxes demonstrated so many character virtues whilst performing at the Carol Service on Wednesday. Also showing what Inspiring Speakers they are all becoming. The Choir was also exceptional with such Courage and Confidence! Well done Foxes you were fantastic!
Badgers: Badgers had a great time at RHS Rosemoor. They loved hunting for the sculptures and were horrified at the cost of some of them. They also enjoyed their art activities and made beautiful cards and wreaths.
Community
Owls: It was lovely for Owls to join the school on the Christmas Craft Day at Rosemoor Gardens. Big thank you to our parents for joining us and allowing Owls to join in. We went on a leaf hunt creating natural wreaths, planting in the sunshine and enjoyed being in the company of the rest of the school for the day.
Hedgehogs and Squirrels: The children have been extremely busy getting ready to celebrate Christmas this week. They have learnt about the nativity, written their lists, made decorations, mixed up some reindeer food and baked some delicious treats. We enjoyed a delicious dinner cooked by Sue on Wednesday, followed by our Carol service where all the children performed brilliantly!
We also had a marvellous time at Rosemoor last week. The cold weather didn’t put us off and we had lots of fun making Christmas crafts and exploring the gardens.
Squirrels: Squirrels had such a lovely time performing at the Carol Concert. They were truly Inspiring Speakers and demonstrated nerves of steel when reading their poem. Thank you so much to everyone who helped them practise at home, it really made a difference!
Foxes: Foxes demonstrated creativity and courtesy whilst at Rosemoor last week. The children represented Clawton into the wider community and the creativity skills demonstrated whilst making all of the crafts were brilliant! Alongside friendliness towards all the staff and members of the public!
Badgers: Badgers showed courage and certainly became inspiring speakers at our Carol service on Wednesday. They all spoke out beautifully and could be heard at the back of the hall. Well done to all of them, they were amazing!
They also enjoyed making Christmas biscuits with ingredients bought by the school council who were inspiring fund raisers.
Digital & Innovation
Owls: Owls have been learning about our community so we took Father Christmas on a walk around the school community, we took pictures of him in different places then enjoyed looking back at the pictures.
Hedgehogs and Squirrels: Help! Santa’s sleigh is broken! Not to worry though, the children have been dynamic designers and have come to the rescue by building him a new one! Some designs even had a hot tub built in!
Squirrels: Squirrels have been so innovative during their play recently! They work together brilliantly to make cars using the construction equipment outside. They have developed methods to join together the different materials seamlessly and have really impressed all staff with their thinking!
Foxes: Foxes have been digital researchers this week. They all researched each one of the days of the 12 days of Christmas and created a speech to say at the Carol Service independently.
Badgers: Badgers have used their chrome books this week to design moving Christmas pictures using scratch. They enjoyed this task so much, that they even asked to continue with it in their free time.
Clawton 16th December 2022.Download HERE
