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We’ve got ‘soul’!
The school year has got off to a great start! Everyone has settled
in, and there’s a positive, calm and vibrant feeling around school.
The whole Grangetown team – staff and children - is giving 100%. The
children are working hard, behaving brilliantly and are already
making good progress in their learning. Earlier this week, one of
our colleagues from the Local Authority, a Literacy Adviser who
knows the school well, commented on how positive the school felt,
and that we now had a real ‘identity’ - she also used a phrase that
we really liked – she said “this school has soul”! Yep, we’ve got
soul…and now we’ve got the t-shirt too! |
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Welcoming our new teachers
I know you will join me in welcoming our new teachers, all of whom
joined us on 1st Sep. They have settled in really well,
and we wish them a fulfilling and happy time at Grangetown. Our 4
new teachers are: Victoria Holt (Early Years), Natalie Johnson (Year
1), Nicola Grainger (Year 2), and Kayleigh Heddle (year 4). |
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That's the way to do it!
On Monday 27th September Year 2 had a visit from
Llewellyn’s Punch and Judy show. This linked into our curriculum
topic ‘Oh I do like to be beside the Seaside’, particularly the
history element of seasides in the past. To begin the day the
children experienced a traditional Punch and Judy show in which they
were all involved. This was very well received and the children
participated enthusiastically. They then had a short talk about the
history of Punch and Judy and how the show had evolved over time.
The children had the chance to look at a variety of puppets, both
old and new, then ask questions which they had prepared earlier. To
finish, the children made their own Punch and Judy show with card
and coloured pens. They then used this as a basis for writing their
own play script the following day in the literacy session. The Year
2 children had a fantastically engaging and fun-filled morning with
lots of learning opportunities- thanks Punch and Judy! By Miss
Grainger. |
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Uniform Update
Thankyou for supporting our new uniform colour. The children look
fantastic in royal blue – smart and ‘ready for learning’! We will be
working with Asda soon, to arrange for a small stock of uniform to
be kept on the school premises, so that you can buy it from school
if Asda doesn’t have your size in stock. Remember too that you can
get uniform from any shop of your choice, and of course there’s also
the online option. Soon we will be launching a competition to help
us design a new school logo, and we have already been in touch with
a local company able to embroider a logo on sweatshirts and
pullovers. Watch this space! |
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New school logo!
We are keen to involve our children in designing a new logo for
the school, to go along with our recent change of uniform. We’d like
the logo to be aspirational and positive, linking with the happy,
can-do and vibrant spirit of adventure that now sums up our school!
The ‘logo design’ project will be launched during week beginning 4th
October! So…get your thinking caps on, and let’s create a great logo
for our fantastic school! |
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The Vikings visit Year 3!
This terms topic is ‘The Vikings’ which all of the children are
enthusiastic about. The children have been learning about the
difference between Viking invaders and settlers and where the
Vikings come from. They have been using ICT to help them research
information about longboats. Our art project is linked to the
Vikings and the children are preparing to make either a cape or an
apron using stencils of traditional Viking patterns. The children
will also be learning what it is like to have been a Viking many
years ago. By Miss McLoughlin. |
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The Terrible Tudors!
In Year 4 we have been learning about The Tudors. We have looked at
many different areas including crime and punishment (which I liked
the best), medicine, Henry VIII and his wives and also Tudor homes.
One of the punishments was if you were found drunk in a public place
you would be put into a barrel with holes for your arms and legs it
was called a Drunkard Cloak. If you fell over in it you would roll
and crush your hands. Tudor medicine was disgusting - if you were
bald you would get beetle juice on your head because the Tudors
thought that would make your hair grow back. If your belly was
hurting you would go to the barbers and cut some of your skin off to
release some blood because they thought too much blood made you ill!
We are really enjoying learning about the Tudors and are very
excited about a trip we are going on soon. By Lauren Petty |
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The Forbidden Corner – Our Amazing Day!
The year 5 and 6 children
went to the Forbidden Corner on Wednesday 15th September.
We went on the visit because we were doing a project about Narnia.
It was really good. It was actually like Narnia – a really big
adventure. Everyone would love to go back there. The best bit was
when we went in the really dark cavern. There was a devil standing
in the middle of a pond. There were lots of doors around the
outside, all leading to different places. There were mazes and
surprises. There were huge mice and lots of water. I got soaked! It
was a brilliant day. By Olivia Cutter |
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Year 4’s Tudor Visitor!
In year 4 we have been learning about The Tudors. We had a visitor
on Monday 27th September. She showed us many things
including Tudor hats and instruments. She taught us 2 songs and
dances. It was very fun, all the children liked it. She showed us
some spoons and we learned how to bow to the king. She wore a long
Tudor cloak dress and she had the same hat as Anne Boleyn and Jane
Seymour. We learned a lot of interesting things from her and she
will be coming back to teach us about Tudor Christmas. By Tegan
Burnip Year 4 |
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Years 2 and 3’s very special visitor!
On Wednesday 29th
September the children of Year 2 and Year 3 received a visit from
the children’s illustrator Bruce Ingman. Bruce spoke to the
children about what inspired him to become an illustrator and the
love he has of books and reading. His new book is The Pencil, which
was written by Allan Ahlberg. Bruce read the children parts of the
story and discussed with them where he gets his ideas. He then
worked with the children drawing a monster and the children were
invited to add eyes, nose, teeth etc to it. To end the session the
children made a book full of their own drawings about the things
they might see on an imaginary walk. The children drew aliens,
spaceships, monsters and lots of wonderful things. All of the
children had a great time and are really looking forward to going to
the Theatre on October 5th to see a show with Bruce. By
Miss McLoughlin
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Football season set
to get going!
Our football squad is now in training, gearing up for the Big
Kick-off. The action gets underway on Tuesday 5th October here at
Grangetown, when we’ll play Mill Hill and Sunderland High School.
Our next fixture is away at Argyle House the date for this has not
yet been arranged. Go Grangetown! By Mr Newby. |
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Fantastic After School Clubs Underway!
Our clubs got off to a great start this week with Mrs Davies
leading our drama group to stardom! Discussions are already in
progress about a Christmas production, which will no doubt wow us
once more. Mrs Dobson’s arts and crafts club had a great time
creating personalised photo frames, while Miss Christie and Mrs
Dawson’s club cooked up a feast fit for a king. Miss Grainger, Miss
Johnson and Mr Newby were fitness fanatics in our new badminton,
keep fit and football clubs. A big thank you to all our staff and
children who make Grangetown such an exciting place to be. Don’t
miss out - there are limited spaces left in badminton, Eco and
Cinema club. By Miss Booth |
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Please park safely!
We are concerned about the build-up of cars at the school
entrance at the end of the day. It would be helpful if you would
park in a way that doesn’t clog-up the area around the entrance –
perhaps a little further up or down Spelterworks Road? We are not
able to open the school gates at that time, because that used to
lead to a whole new set of safety issues involving cars
inappropriately parked in an already full car park. A parent
recently offered a possible solution, suggesting that we ask the
Council to develop a car park on the land next to the caretaker’s
house. What do you think? Perhaps a group of parents could work with
the school to write to the Council and maybe organise a petition?
Also, if you live close enough to school, you could try walking here
with your child(ren) – we all know the health benefits that would
bring. We realise that’s not possible for everyone, due to distance
and other commitments. |
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Announcing our new School Council!
Last week we held our School Council Elections. There were
several candidates in each class. Each candidate did speeches and
posters, telling their classmates why they would make a good
councillor. For voting day, we borrowed the official Sunderland City
Council voting booth and ballot box from the Civic Centre. Everyone
was very excited as they cast their votes. The new school Council
was announced in Assembly on Friday 1 October….it is:
Year 1: Anna & Josh
Year 2: Connor & Lucy
Year 3: Katie & Brandon
Year 4: Matthew & Lauren
Year 5: Arianwen & James
Year 6: Megan & Callum. |
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Are you ready
for Niall’s Mile!
On Friday 22 October we’ll be holding our very own Nialls Mile!
The aim is to join in with the huge fundraising effort, led by
Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn, to raise money for the Sunderland
Foundation charity. Children can wear red and white on the day, and
we are asking each child to make a £1 donation. The walk will be at
2.30, for the whole school, and parents are very welcome to join-in! |
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Seaside Fun in Year 2!
This term in Year 2 we are working on the topic ‘Oh I do like to
be beside the Seaside’. The children are thoroughly enjoying the
theme and have responded enthusiastically to the cross-curricular
links. In literacy we have been studying the Lighthouse Keeper’s
Lunch and we’ve written our own Punch and Judy play scripts. During
our curriculum lessons we have been studying seasides in the past
and in science we are learning about circuits and electricity. In
the next few weeks we are going to compare Sunderland’s coastline to
the coastline at Bamburgh in Northumberland. We’ll also be
researching the life of Grace Darling, making cross curricular
links. By Miss Grainger. |
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‘Through the Wardrobe’
The Year 5 and 6 theme ‘Through the Wardrobe’ got off to a fabulous
start with our visit to the Forbidden Corner. At the time of
writing, we have just finished reading chapter 4 and our classrooms
now show scenes painted by the children on the windows. We are
starting our Narnia drama activities and games on Monday with Mrs
Davies. What a fabulous time we are all having! Mr Tumnus masks,
Wood between the world paintings and freeze frames are just a few of
the activities that we have done so far. By Mrs Collins, Mrs Miller,
Mrs Millican |
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Cheese and Wine Evening!
We’d love to show you our wonderful school! Therefore, you have
a very special invitation to come and visit us on Thursday 11
November. 5.00-6.30. Come along and meet the staff, hear the choir
sing, watch a short movie about the school and enjoy some cheese and
wine!
Here’s the ‘running order’:
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5.00: Staff introduce
themselves. The choir will sing for you. There will be a powerpoint
of photographs about the school & a short movie. We’ll also put some
old photos on display (from the 1950s and 1960s!), and the school
log-book from 1905-1930!
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5.50-6.30: You are free to
walk around the whole school, visit classrooms, see our wonderful
displays, chat to staff and see our amazing learning resources. Then
– more cheese & wine! |
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Creative Partnerships Winning Bid!
Here’s some great news – we’ve heard that our bid to be a
Creative Partnerships school has been successful! This will allow us
to further develop our curriculum, with a particular focus on using
creativity to improve children’s writing. The project will get
underway after Christmas and will cover the whole of the Spring
term. |
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This
month’s Quote:
"Hitch your wagon to a star!"
Ralph Waldo Emmerson |
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