Dear Parents, Carers and Children,

Welcome to the start of the spring term 2013, we hope you have all had a lovely Christmas break and have a great start to the New Year…

First we would like to thank you all for the lovely gifts we received at the end of last term.

Don’t forget to keep looking at the class Merlin sites as we will be placing different activities to do through the term as well as different discussions to take part in.

The cross curricular topic to be covered this term is:

World War II

The children will learn about when and where the war took place, the people who were involved and how it affected life for those in Britain (with a focus on children and evacuation). We will be studying the work of wartime artist Henry Moore who, during World War II, was commissioned by the War Artists Advisory Committee to make drawings of London’s civilians using Underground stations as bomb shelters. As part of our science work we will be finding out about electric circuits and thermal insulators. In DT we will then be using what we find out about circuits to make a WWII themed buzzer game and also working on our own modified clothes (thinking about the philosophy of ‘make do and mend’).

RE: Our RE lessons this term will be focussing on ‘Why the bible is special for Christians’ as well as studying other important dates in the Christian calendar, which fall within this term, such as Lent and Easter.

ICT: In ICT this term we will be making a comic strip, so if you have any comics at home please send them in so we can have a look and gain some good ideas. Also we will be making databases about comic heroes and using the database to compare statistics about the characters and choosing the best character to carry out a wartime mission. We will also be continuing to use Merlin to enrich work in literacy, numeracy and our topic.

PE: Swimming will continue to take place every Friday morning. Once again, children will travel down with members of staff on a bus to Truro pool and will be divided into swimming ability groups. We welcome a donation of £1 per week to cover the cost of transport to and from the pool. Mr Lees and Mr Boreham will accompany the children to the pool. Please see Mr Boreham if you are able to help with swimming.

PE lessons will take place during the week. This term the children will be learning invasion game skills, with a basketball focus (outside) and dance (inside). Please ensure the correct kit is sent into school at the start of the week in a named PE bag.

Music: In Music we will sing and perform some of the old war time songs and hopefully put on a small war time concert for ‘our troops’! As well as composing a war time advertising jingle to Dig for Victory the children will compose some music to go with a clip of film from the war time. We will also be learning all the songs for our plays. Ogo-Dour Cove class will continue with their brass lessons until half term. After half term Harlyn Bay class will begin their brass lessons.

PSHE: This term the children will be learning about going for goals (linking in with the start of a new year) and then going on to think about why it’s ‘good to be me’.

Reminders: Please have clothing named if you wish for it to be returned. All lost property ends up in the basket in the school foyer, if you need to search for any items which have not made their way back to your child.

Art : The children will need to keep in the bottom of their bag an art shirt ( old one of dad’s will do) if you wish them to wear it during painting activities.

Absences: By law, we have to be able to account for all absences in order to authorise them, so please make sure that you let us know the reason if your child is away from school. If you wish to take your child away on holiday during school term time you need to write a letter in advance to Mr Lees asking permission.

Homework: This will continue, following on from the same timetable as last term. If your child is unable to do their homework occasionally that is fine, but please can you send in a note in order for us to be aware of those children who just don’t show their parents their homework. Reading, learning tables and spellings should continue each evening even though they may not be formally timetabled.

Money: Your child should bring in any money in a named purse/wallet. They are responsible for looking after it.

Fruit: Please remember, we have a fruit only policy at break times. Children can either bring in their own or buy fruit from the school canteen.

Adults working with your children this term:

Adults working with your children:

Carland Cross: Mrs Crossthwaite, Mrs Julian, Mrs Stephens, Miss Hawke and Mrs Penrose

Ogo-Dour Cove : Mrs Oakes, Mrs Senior, Mrs Smith, Mrs Prout

St Just: Mr Joyner, Mrs Pascoe, Mrs Jones

Harlyn Bay: Miss Hilbery, Miss Hawke

Mrs Hayes works in all these classes.

Mr Lees will also teach Ogo-Dour Cove Class classes when covering for PPA time.

If you have any questions or queries throughout this year please do not hesitate to see us.

Many thanks,

Lisa Crossthwiate Lynn Oakes

Alex Joyner Jessica Hilbery