Benhall Infant and Pre-School Parent Portal - 23rd June 2023

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Friday Letter -23rd June 2023

Dear Parents,

We can't quite believe how quickly this term is going and the calendar is full of so many exciting opportunities for the children.

This week we enjoyed our annual sports day in the sunshine. The children were incredible as always. They rose to the challenge of the races on the track and enjoyed the carousel of activities with their family, friends and teachers. Everyone showed just what incredible purple learners we have at Benhall. We are really proud of them. Thank you to Mrs Smurthwaite, Miss Everett and the PE Team for organising a wonderful day. Thank you to the teachers and volunteers who encouraged the children every step of the way and gave everyone the chance to be the best that they can be. Thank you to the PTA for donating the ice - lollies that we enjoyed at lunchtime. Thank you to all of the parents, grandparents, family friends and relatives for your enthusiasm throughout all of the sessions. It was wonderful to see you all having fun with your children. You truly made the day special for everyone.

We have ended our week with the first transition afternoon for the children who are moving from reception up to year 1 and year 1 to year 2. Your new teachers were really excited to spend time with you. Thank you to year 2 who loved being back in their reception class for the afternoon, they spent the afternoon reminiscing and reliving their favourite activities before writing letters to welcome our new children.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Love from Miss Morris and team xx

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Tapestry accounts – both school and pre-school

Each year the Tapestry accounts are put on hold at the end of June to enable the PDFs to be created so that parents can download these as a momento of their child’s time at Benhall. No observations will be uploaded on to tapestry during the final few weeks of the summer term. You will be notified as soon as the PDF is ready for you to download.

Pre School News

In Pre-School this week we became ’Mini Explorers,’ starting with Space looking at the planets in our Solar System also asking the children if they knew what planet we live on? On the interactive board we watched and listened to the ‘Solar System Song,’ on you tube, also Tim Peake’s ISS Adventure. Our story to coincide with the theme is ‘Whatever Next,’ and the children have been role playing the story using props and resources, they have also been learning the story telling actions. We have also shared and enjoyed a variety of other stories such as Alien’s Love Underpants and Zoom Rocket Zoom. The children worked in groups to create a rocket from assorted shapes, materials and construction, they also used foil and ribbons to make asteroids for a target game. On Friday the Pre-School leavers attend Assembly and we nominate two Purple learners this week it was well done to Alice and Olivia R. Our Little Wandle Letter sound this week has been ‘y.’ Thank you to all those who joined us for parents evening. Next week we continue being ‘Mini Explorers.’ Have a great weekend, The Pre-School Team.

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Year Group in Focus - Year 2

What a busy, wonderful week! Year 2 have been working hard to rehearse their Matilda performance and we are so excited about how it is coming together. In year 2 we have also been focusing on healthy lifestyles and how exercise effects our bodies. Did you know that exercise helps your brain work and improves your memory? Year two have also been designing their own chocolate bars after a very enjoyable chocolate tasting last week. Finally, we had a fantastic final sports day and loved witnessing the sportsmanship and fun all of the children had.

School Lottery - please consider signing up to our weekly lottery draw. Guarantee one person from Benhall will win a small prize each week and entry to the larger £25k too. https://www.yourschoollottery.co.uk/lottery/school/benhall-infant-and-pre-school?fbclid=IwAR0rUMXuSJkEwlSv70blK4UUdKENqdBxoF-bk_MQ1-nfMgxgef-7zEQpwQs

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Volunteers Needed!

Our summer fair is on 1st July 2023. We really can't run a fair without the lovely help of parents, teachers and friends. If you can spare an hour on the day we'd be so grateful. Any budding BBQ chefs, stallholders or face painters please get in touch.

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Ice-Cream Sales - Every Friday in Term 6

Icecream and Ice-Lolly sale every Friday main playground £1 and 50p. Cash ideally, but the card machine will be an option.

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Whole School Trip

We will be going on our whole school trip to Beechenhurst on 19^th July 2023.

Permission forms and payments (£4 per child) can be made via Parentpay.

Purple Learning Focus

We have been thinking this week about what things in our lives that we sometimes find tricky or difficult. Being a purple learner sometimes means that we have to embrace challenges, support each other and try, try and try again! It is so important in life to know that sometimes things aren’t always easy. This week has fitted perfectly with our Sports day too. It would be good to chat with your child to talk about what adults and siblings find tricky in your homes and chat about how we can accomplish those challenges using purple learner skills.

Purple Learners of the Week

Alice S
Olivia R
Orange Class
Yellow Class
Lexi
Neve
Sophia
Charlie G
Miss Everett
Mrs Smurhwaite

Well done everyone, we are all really proud of you.

School Council

Last week our wonderful School Council chose a friend each to complete the litter pick for the term. It was a very hot Friday morning but this didn’t put off School Council or their friends. The children worked together for a solid 30 minutes, collecting rubbish from the playground, field and the trim trail. Sadly, Moss Bilton thought she wouldn’t see any rubbish at the end as we discussed that everyone at Benhall should use the bins but this wasn’t the case. School Council urge all of our family and friends that if you have rubbish please take it home and dispose of it or put it into our playground or classroom bins. We would also love you all to recycle so if you can take it home and add to your recycling waste (or see if we need it for the DT workshop!) Well done to everyone on the litter pick for helping to keep Benhall a clean and tidy environment. 😊

Lunchtimes

We are still on the lookout for lovely grown ups who enjoy being outdoors, who like to have fun and can join in with games over the lunchtime hour. If this is something you or somebody you know is interested then speak to Miss Bilton by emailing rebeccabilton@benhall.gloucs.sch.uk Thank you 😊

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A Message From Marijana at Move More

I hope you are well and enjoying this break from the (serious) heat. I know that most of us are looking forward to the summer holidays but also know that for some parents/carers summer holidays might be tricky for various reasons, one of them being the children constantly arguing. This is why the last webinar of this academic year will be focusing on helping parents/carers manage siblings' rivalry and arguments. Although this topic might be more acute during the summer holidays, it is actually relevant throughout the year.

The flyer for this webinar is attached to this email. It is taking place on Tuesday the 27^th of June at 6pm. As usual, all parents need to do is register using this link:

www.move-more.org/events/siblings-webinar/

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We would like to wish members of our Benhall Family who have celebrated their birthday a really happy birthday. Happy birthday to:

Dylan P
Joseph L
Charlie G
Brody P
Annabella
James C

Class Routines

PE Kit

What a great start to wearing school PE kit on PE days – thank you parents for your help with this.

PE Kit reminder:

Navy blue shorts or tracksuit bottoms
Plain white or purple T-shirt
Navy blue hoody or sweatshirt
Trainers

If your child has joined an after school sports club they can wear their school PE Kit on club days too (no football strips).

Orange Class
PE Days - Monday and Wednesday
Forest School Days Starts 27/9/22 - every other Thursday
Book Bags - Every day please
Book Changes - Bring in on Wednesday go home on Friday
Sound Books - Back in on Wednesday
PPA Day and Cover - Weds am by Miss Everett

Yellow Class
PE Days - Monday and Wednesday
Forest School Days Starts 27/9/22 - every other Thursday
Book Bags - Every day please
Book Changes - Bring in on Wednesday go home on Friday
Sound Books - Back in on Wednesday
PPA Day and Cover - Weds am by Miss Bilton

Green Class
PE Days - Wednesday and Thursday
Forest School Days - Starting on 29th September then every other Thursday
Book Bags - Every day please
Book Changes - Friday
PPA Day and Cover - Weds pm by Miss Bilton and Mrs Smurthwaite

Blue Class
PE Days - Wednesday and Thursday
Forest School Days - every other Tuesday
Book Bags - Every day please
Book Changes - Friday
PPA Day and Cover - Weds pm by Miss Bilton and Mrs Smurthwaite

Indigo Class
PE Days - Monday and Friday
Forest School Days - every other Tuesday
Book Bags - Every day please
Book Changes - Friday
Homework - Thursday (Tapestry)
PPA Day and Cover - Tues by Mrs Aitken

Violet Class
PE Days - Monday and Friday
Forest School Days - Starting on 28th September then every other Wednesday
Book Bags - Every day please
Book Changes - Thursday
Homework - Thursday (Tapestry)
PPA Day and Cover - Tues am by Miss Morris