A new term!

This term our topic is

‘Mummy, I need the loo!’

As we now move into the Spring Term, we will continue to provide the children with an exciting, rich and diverse curriculum across all subject areas. This term’s Science and History topics in particular have, over the years, been phenomenally popular with our children.

The Science topics this term will cover States of Matter, including the Water Cycle, and will establish links to the River Nile and its importance to Egyptians, both ancient and modern. The children will then move on to exploring the human body: skeletons and muscles, teeth and digestion. We will link this learning to the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification and we have some excellent messy scientific experiments for the children to conduct. Watch this space!

In PSHEE, the children will be exploring Communities, including diversity, freedom of expression, online communities, and local council. They will also be complementing their Science work with a focus on Staying Healthy, including nutrition and dental health, basic First Aid, and mental health.

A Learning Journey giving an overview of what the Year 4 children will be covering this term, together with more detailed information about subject content, will be published on Friday.

This term, as the children approach the middle of their time in Year 4, we will continue to encourage independence and self-organisation in preparation for their transition into Year 5. This includes coming into school, having the right daily equipment (named water bottle, Prep diary, reading book and purple spelling book) and completing their homework on time to an acceptable standard. Our expectations are that children continue to review their Times Tables knowledge and read daily to an adult family member, and for you to sign off this reading each day in their Reading Record section within their Prep diary.

Homework (prep) will continue to be set weekly in both Maths and Creative Curriculum, and we would like the children to spend no longer than 30 minutes per subject on these.

The children are expected to practise their reading, spellings on Spelling Shed, times tables and Doodlemaths at home.

We would also like to encourage as much independence as possible with this, so do let us know how it goes!

The residential to Lodge Hill is fast approaching at the end of the Spring Term and some initial information about this was distributed at the beginning of November. It is a fantastic opportunity for your children to mature, step out of their comfort zone, and enhance their independence and we have lots of exciting activities for them to participate in. We are also aware that staying away from home, for some, is a big step. Please rest assured that we will gently be introducing a variety of ways in which the children can manage their thoughts and feelings as we approach this time. Do come and see us if you wish to discuss anything in relation to this. You will receive more detailed information and a clothing/kit list in a separate letter to follow in due course.

Please ensure your child is well enough to attend school each day. If they’ve required Calpol in the morning, they aren’t well enough for school, so please don’t send them in. If in any doubt, please contact Matron to discuss your concerns.

Children are to bring their water bottles to school and take them home daily. It is very important that the children drink water throughout the day, and using bottles in the classrooms helps to prevent spillages! If you do forget a bottle, just let us know and we can ensure that children have a cup to drink out of.

Drop off is at 8:15am on the Terrace or in the Drop off zone, for registration at 8:20am. Children arriving earlier should be booked in for breakfast from 7:30am or join our Early Birds in the Sports Hall or Courts from 8:00am. Children shouldn’t enter the Clock Block earlier than 8:15am.

Pick Up is at 4:00pm at the front of school. Please ensure that your child blobs out with a teacher before they leave the school site.

If you’d like your child to join us for breakfast, or stay beyond 4:00pm for hobbies or after school supervision/supper club, please contact extendedday@pennthorpe.com to arrange this.

As well as your pocket-sized diary, parents can also view the Spring Term calendar via the website and Parent Portal.

Please do have a look through and pop important dates in your diary.  Of course, sometimes plans need to be updated, and so any changes will be updated on our electronic calendar and communicated to you as soon as possible.

The key events for our Year 4 parents include:

• Year 4 will take part in an Ancient Egyptian Day on Wednesday 17th January.
• If you are interested in finding out more about the Prodigy Programme, we will be hosting an information evening on Tuesday 23rd January at 7:00pm and Thursday 25th January at 8:30am.
• Parents are invited to our PSHEE Tea & Talk for Reception to Year 4 on Thursday 1st February.
• Year 4 parents are invited to attend a Specialist Subject Parents’ Evening on Thursday 22nd February with appointments starting from 4:30pm.
• Parents are invited to come along to our informal ‘Tea & Talk’ session with Heads of Year on Tuesday 27th February at 8:30am.
• All our parents are invited into school to Come & See What We Do Afternoon on Friday 1st March.
• We will celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 7th March. The children are invited to dress up as their favourite book character for the day.
• The children will leave on their Residential to Lodge Hill on Thursday 21st March, returning on Friday 22nd.
• Parents are invited to Year 4’s ‘I’m a Pharaoh, Get Me Out of Here’ on Monday 25th March at 2:30pm.
• Wednesday 27th March is the end of term with school finishing for Year 4 children at 11:50am.

Our brilliant Friends of Pennthorpe, as always, will be doing lots to support our school and community this term. Key things for you to watch out for include:

• Bags of Support Collections on Friday 12th January and Friday 22nd March.
• Please save the date for the FoP Quiz & Curry Night on Friday 2nd February.
• The Friends of Pennthorpe Mother’s Day Shop will open it’s doors on Tuesday 5th March.
• Pop Up Second Hand Uniform Shop on Tuesday 12th March.
• After-school Tuck Shop on Friday 15th March.

With the continuing cold weather, please can you ensure your child has a named Pennthorpe hat, scarf and gloves in school each day.

Children are expected to wear smart uniform each day, with clean shoes and long hair should be tied back. All children should wear their blazers coming to and from school.

As a reminder, all PE and Games kit should be brought in to school on a Monday morning and should be taken home for washing at the end of each week (see below for sports kit requirements).

The Year 4 Team will be conducting a complete kit check at the beginning of term.  This will include wellies, waterproof trousers, school play coat, water bottle and sports kit. Do talk to your children about the importance of looking after and organising their own property, as we gently begin to encourage their independence and development of organisational skills.

Please ensure that all items of uniform are named, including water bottles, shoes, wellies and trainers.

If you have any uniform requirements, please place an order via our website here. You can also book an appointment at the Uniform Shop by contacting uniform@pennthorpe.com or drop in during the times below:

• Monday 8:30am – 9:30am
• Tuesday 3:30pm – 4:30pm
• Wednesday 3:30pm – 4:30pm
• Thursday CLOSED
• Friday 8:30am – 9:30am

For the first half of the Spring Term,  boys will be continuing with rugby and the girls with netball. A full kit list is available here, and all branded items can be ordered through Blueblood

Girls:

• Games kit
• All jewellery must be removed
• Base layers (recommended)

Boys:

• Games kit
• Shin pads
• Mouthguard
• Base layers (recommended)

Please can the boys have a separate bag (such as a bin bag) in their games kit bag so muddy sports kit can be kept away from clean PE kit/uniform and a named towel to wipe excess mud off after rugby sessions.

After half-term the boys will be switching to hockey and girls to football.

Girls:

• Games kit
• Shin Pads
• Football Boots (optional)

Boys:

• Games kit
• Shin pads
• Mouthguard

Please do not park in the drop-off lanes at the front of school if you are coming past the gates to drop your child into school, or collect them from one of the school buildings. These lanes are intended for dropping-off only!

Instead, please park up in the car park, or find a safe place to park on the neighbouring roads (being considerate of our neighbours, especially with regards parking near to junctions or driveways).