Western Community Primary School

It’s been another busy half term at Western! We hope you all enjoy reading about all of the fantastic learning that’s been going on in every phase in school. It’s been lovely to see families in school for assemblies, workshops and parent/carers’ evenings. We’re hugely grateful for all of your support and positivity. The children have worked extremely hard across the half term and we all feel very proud of all that has been achieved. The staff have, as always, given 100% and have gone the extra mile in countless ways over the half term. I feel very proud of our team and know you will join me in thanking them for all they do to make Western a school to be so proud of. We wish all of our children a very happy half-term break. We send our warmest wishes to every family too; we hope you all get the opportunity to enjoy some time with those you love over the break. We will be very excited to see everyone back at school and raring to go on Monday 27th February.

What a busy half term we have had in nursery! We have absolutely loved our hot and cold topic. Together we have learned all about animals that live in different climates and whether they were nocturnal or diurnal. We have explored heating and cooling through our weekly cooking activities, investigation station and our fire pit. We had to complete some pirate training before setting off on our quest to recover Pirate Pete’s stolen treasure. We worked as a team to solve problems and complete challenges. We have had loads of fun turning shapes into pictures in Maths. In Nursery, we have been working really hard on our scissor skills and pencil grip during investigation and mark-making activities. We can’t wait to get involved in some more exciting learning next half term.

This half term we have been transformed into scientists. We have been developing our brains to think scientifically, asking why and how questions. We started with the abstract concept of gravity. Why do things always roll down hill and never up? Why do things always fall back down when we throw them up into the air? After exploring the effects of gravity on earth we enjoyed watching astronauts complete daily tasks in space. Ask your child to tell you how astronauts go to the toilet or wash their hair on the International Space Station! We then moved on to changing states. What happens when salt or flour is mixed with water? Why does the salt disappear? Can we bring it back? This was brilliantly illustrated when the water that was spilt on the table and the floor dried, revealing the salt once more. The children used all of their investigating skills, adding more or less salt, by stirring and by using different temperatures of water. Sometimes the best learning comes via the process and not the outcome.

We have also managed to find time to celebrate the Chinese lunar new year. This year will be the year of the rabbit. The children enjoyed joining in with some new year traditions and even performed a dragon dance.

Year One have been focusing on safety and wellbeing in our PSHE sessions this half term. We know what to do when crossing roads with our grown ups, cycling and scooting to school to keep us safe. We have also worked on road safety and had a visitor in to talk to us about keeping safe.

For Mental Health Week 2023 we spent time thinking about how we are connected together through school and friendships, how we connect with family and the community and what brings us together. We thought about what makes us happy and what makes us special.

This links to the poetry we have created based on the poem 'By Myself' by Eloise Greenfield. We created our own metaphors to describe who we feel we are and reflected on our strengths, characteristics and preferences. We accompanied the amazing poetry with artwork inspired by the author and illustrator, Eric Carle.

Road Safety

We have been lucky enough to have a very kind visitor in school to help teach us how to be safe whilst out and about. We learned how to cross the road safely, using our eyes and ears before using our toes as the song reminds us. Remember to ’stop, look, listen, and think before you cross the road’.

Junior Botanists

This half term in Science, we have been growing plants. We have been investigating and observing changes to plants over time to answer the question “what do plants need most to grow?” We planted three daffodil bulbs and removed one of the key conditions of growth in each—sunlight, the right temperature, and water. We have kept a plant diary each week and have been amazed at the results.

Slow-mo Pros

In Computing, we have been getting to grips with slow motion as part of our topic on videoing. We have created some very funny videos on the ipads using this technique, including making funny faces and watching how they slow down at a point of our choosing. You can see some of our results on Seesaw.

Maths

This half term, we have been looking at the topic of right angles. We have been discussing how one quarter turn is the same as one right angle. We created our own right angle checkers and explored the environment around us to find as many right angles as we could.

Gymnastics

We have had a specialist coach from Newcastle United Foundation in this half term to help us build on our gymnastics skills. We began by learning some stretches to help us with our flexibility, before moving on to learn how to perform forward rolls safely. The children loved using some of the equipment we have in school to help practise their travelling and agility skills. You will also see from the photos we also performed some quite complex balances with our partners.

Storytelling Sessions

Our amazing reading volunteer Peter has been sharing some of his short stories with us every Friday afternoon. Peter works with the Live Theatre in Newcastle and has a wide range of experience with creative writing, storytelling and drama with primary age children. We are very lucky to have him and it has become a real highlight of the week!

This half term has been a very busy one in Year 4! In Science, the children have really been enjoying learning about the different states of matter - solid, liquid and gas - and they have been thinking scientifically in lots of different ways. They explored melting by conducting an experiment with chocolate buttons and timed which button melted the fastest before they analysed their results. The children also enjoyed demonstrating how the particles move in each of the three states of matter by doing some group drama outdoors and they had lots of fun getting creative with their performances!

In Literacy, we have been studying The Secret of Black Rock by Joe Todd Stanton. The children have worked hard on innovating the narrative and they have been discovering many different and interesting sea creatures which they have included in their spectacular underwater descriptions. We will soon be writing our own narratives based on the story and can't wait to tell you all about it!

Finally, in PE the children have been working with the NUFC coaches and have been learning the rules and structure of tag rugby. The children have really relished the opportunity to learn passing and throwing skills in teams. As well as this, they have enjoyed learning how to work as a team to score a try. Year 4 have also impressed staff with their enthusiasm during the sessions and we are proud to have witnessed some fantastic displays of teamwork from pupils.

We also would like to thank you for your support throughout the term and we were so pleased to see so many families at our Year 4 assembly at the beginning of term. We wish you a safe and enjoyable half term and can't wait to be back after the break for lots more learning!

Year 5 had a fantastic start to the term by starting a new topic in Literacy. We listened to a transmission sent from an astronaut that was stranded on Mars and then spent the next 2 weeks in our Literacy lessons focusing on all the technical language required to write our own transmissions. We had a lot of fun researching what life on Mars could actually be like and we carried out a lot of research. Using i-Pads we were able to log on to NASA's websites and explore the surface of Mars using actual images that have been sent back from rovers that have actually explored Mars. The pupils were fascinated by this and we were able to learn some amazing facts and theories that Scientists have about what Mars might have been like in the past.

We also learned that there is evidence that the surface of Mars may have once had water on it and therefore, there could be a chance that future generations of humans may yet inhabit Mars. The children were excited to think that this might happen within the scope of their lifetime. Once we had learned all these facts, we then spent the last few lessons writing and editing our very own transmission from Mars - taking on the role of an astronaut that had been stranded on the planet alone. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed this topic and loved sharing their experiences and learning with families when we did our Year 5 Assembly for families - we hope you all enjoyed that too!

Music and Melody

In Year 6, we have been learning to read music notation and playing it on a range of instruments including keyboard, guitar, chime bars and the trumpet. We have learnt about listening to each other and how to play different pieces of music in harmony together, like an orchestra. We even watched a live performance from an orchestra for inspiration.

Thinker's Rap

Following on from the music theme, we have also been exploring a range of poems and raps. We are currently writing our own guided poem to a particular structure and then we will be creating our own independent poem and performing it to music. Check out Seesaw to see each class performing the model poem to the rap tune, complete with a mic drop!

Art

In our art sessions, we designed and created our own terracotta warriors using junk materials and mod-roc. This also linked to our history topic about Ancient China. We had to apply our problem-solving and creative skills to complete our models to a good quality standard.

Year 6 SATs

A huge well done to all of Year 6 for completing a Mock SATs week this week! You all showed great resilience and positivity and can be proud of your efforts! We would also like to thank all of the families who attended Parent/Carers' Evening for your support towards your children's learning as we move into the second half of their final year here at Western. Have a lovely half-term break.

During children’s mental health week our pupils took part in a number of different activities to celebrate and recognise the importance of children’s mental health.

The CGS team delivered phase assemblies on the theme of ‘connections’ and ‘positive mindset’. We were really proud of all our pupils who showed a great understanding during our assemblies of why it is important to have positive connections with our friends and families.

If you haven’t already had the chance - please check out the CGS team children’s mental health newsletter that was sent w/c 06/02/23 which is full of handy tips and resources for supporting your child with positive mental health and wellbeing.

Our year 3 pupils took part in an interactive online session based on 'What Colour is Your Dragon?' which is an informed emotional education programme aimed at children of all ages, parents and teachers. The programme is based on the book co-authored by Dr Tamara Russell and child psychologist Raquel Lhullier who bring their combined expertise of children psychology, mindfulness and neuroscience. If you would like further information please see: https://www.whatcolourisyourdragon.com/

Our children really enjoyed learning about the coloured dragons representing our three brain modes and systems of regulating emotion. The red dragon is on the lookout for threat; the blue dragon is our drive and focus; and the green dragon is what soothes and keeps us calm.

Wellbeing Ambassadors

During children’s mental health week our wellbeing ambassadors decided to create a ‘wellbeing lesson’ for their classmates. The wellbeing ambassadors wanted to create a lesson that would encourage everyone to ‘connect’ with one another and worked hard to think of activities that would link with the theme of ‘connecting’.

Discovery Museum

Pick up a free trail to explore the amazing transport collections – from trains, ships, fire engines and more. They are also hosting a couple of Discovery Days including a family craft session inspired by the modes of transport on display. Decorate your own Locomotive engine toy, hanging decoration or try your hand at creating a train driver's hat. Taking place on Tuesday 21 February. See their website for further information : https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/whats-on

Great North Museum

Great activities planned for the half term as well as their permanent exhibitions. Enjoy a family fun day with activities, crafts, object handling and adventure trails at Wonder Wednesday: Monsters in the Wild taking place on Wednesday 22 February. Take part in a monsters and beasts natural history handling collection session, experience a self-led monster trail taking in some of the most monstrous objects on display at the museum and make some incredible mythical monster creations with a team of professional artists. For further information please see their website: https://greatnorthmuseum.org.uk/whats-on

HERITAGE TRAIN RIDES 18th-19th February 2023 @ Stephenson Railway Museum

A range of fascinating locomotives on display including George Stephenson's 'Billy' plus take a four mile return trip following the route of the coal trains from the collieries to the River Tyne behind a vintage diesel locomotive in a 1950s passenger carriage. Adults £7 . Entry to the Museum only is FREE. To guarantee the time-slot for your train ride book at www.stephensonsteamrailway.org.uk

FEBRUARY FAMILY DAYS 2023 22nd-23rd February 2023 Time: 10am-6pm @ The Baltic

Enjoy two free days of creative activities during this February Half Term, suitable for families of all ages & abilities.Get creative with artist workshops & jigsaw together an exciting world with a giant floor drawing, plotting places where you’ve been or places you hope to go. Delve into exhibitions with family friendly tours, a procession & virtual play. Colour in, cut up & let your creative side shine. FREE Drop-in, no booking needed. https://baltic.art/whats-on/

Segedunum : February half-term: Saturday 18 - Saturday 25 February, 10am - 4pm

Entrance fees Children under 16 years and NE28 residents: FREE Funtastic free and low cost events across Tyneside at your favourite family destinations during school holidays. The next Ways to Play events will be in February half term 2023. follow the link to the website for more information : https://www.twmuseums.org.uk/ways-to-play

The 7th February 2023 marked national ‘Safer Internet Day’ with the theme ‘Want to talk about it?’, making space for conversations about life online coordinated by the UK Safer Internet Centre in partnership with Childnet.

All of our pupils took part in an interactive assembly delivered by CBBC presenter Joe Tasker and Blue Peter’s Mwaksy Mudenda, where pupils were challenged to solve interactive safety issues in the fictional ‘Digital Defence Squad’ game, and unlock advice from famous gamers and cyber savvy celebrities.

If you would like further information and advice about supporting your child with online safety please follow this link: https://www.bbc.com/ownit/curations/parents

JusTalk is a free social networking platform that hosts video, voice and group calling messaging features, similar to popular messaging platform WhatsApp.

JusTalk comes in two different versions: one for children aged under 13-years-old (called JusTalk Kids) and one for people aged 13+ (called JusTalk). In this guide to JusTalk, we will be focusing on the risks to young people using the 13+ version of the app.

The dangers of JusTalk:

Alongside the JusTalk I.D., JusTalk app generates URL and QR codes for profiles. While designed to make it easier for users to find each other on the app, it also brings risk.

As with any app that revolves around sharing images and videos, there is always a risk. Even when an image or video isn’t overly inappropriate and doesn’t contain self-generated child sexual abuse material, there could still be risks contained that a young person doesn’t see.

As the app allows chats for up to 50 participants, there is a risk that a young person could share their location with someone they don’t really know – because the user in the chat group is a friend of a friend, they might feel like a ‘safe’ person.

JusTalk's age verification system is poor. While it asks for a date of birth, this can easily be manipulated by entering a false date.

The JusTalk app says that all personal information, including calling and messaging data, is end-to-end encrypted. However, according to tech publication TechCrunch, millions of users’ messages, location details and call logs were publicly viewable for several months.

Please follow this link for further information: https://ineqe.com/2023/02/08/what-is-the-justalk-app/?utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=245511298&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_tmrdtdyOgwGvjBKI_jBWwPbeJz83viNc4UuBFnhx2l0zYoHOGEzVvsas4PMQkW9V4mHJUb7ALwOkUQzBRg2ESYTBrZA&utm_content=245511298&utm_source=hs_email