Newsletter Issue 3
Ferncumbe Friday
Friday 11th October 2024
Head’s Message
Dear Ferncumbe Family,
As we approach the end of another bustling week at our school, I find myself reflecting on the wonderful experiences and achievements that have brightened our days. It's moments like these that remind me of the vibrant community we've built together, and I'm thrilled to share some highlights with you all.
First, I'm delighted to introduce the newest member of our Ferncumbe Family – Buzz, our therapy tortoise! This charming little fellow has already won the hearts of pupils and staff alike. Buzz is settling in splendidly and seems to be thoroughly enjoying his new role. He's particularly fond of being hand-fed and relishes his daily baths (who can blame him!).
What's truly heartwarming is seeing how Buzz has taken to his educational duties. He's become quite the attentive listener during reading sessions, providing a calm and encouraging presence for our pupils. It's wonderful to see how this unique addition to our school is already making a positive impact on our learning environment.
Now, onto some exciting news that showcases the brilliant minds we nurture here at Ferncumbe. A group of our Year 5 pupils recently participated in the annual maths challenge at Princethorpe College. This event brought together 54 teams from 27 different Warwickshire schools, creating a formidable arena of young mathematical talent.
I'm pleased to announce that our Ferncumbe team secured an impressive 5th place! This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and sharp minds of our pupils. It also reflects the outstanding support and guidance provided by our committed staff.
To put this into perspective, our small school went toe-to-toe with many larger institutions and emerged as one of the top performers. This success not only highlights the individual capabilities of our pupils but also underscores the strength of our mathematics curriculum and teaching methods, reflected in this years KS2 SAT results where 100% of pupils reached the expected standard and 47% reached the higher standard!
I'm thrilled to share some delightful news from our Reception class. This week, our youngest learners have embarked on a charming journey, beginning to learn their harvest performance of 'Little Red Hen'. I had the pleasure of watching their initial practise, and I must say, they were absolutely fabulous! The enthusiasm and joy radiating from their faces as they sang and acted was truly heartwarming. It's moments like these that remind us of the magic of early childhood education.
But that's not all! Our Reception pupils have also been making impressive strides in their phonics learning. They've been diligently working on mastering their initial sounds - M, A, S, and D. These fundamental building blocks of literacy are crucial in supporting our children's decoding skills, paving the way for their reading journey. It's remarkable to see how quickly they're grasping these concepts, their little faces lighting up with each new sound they conquer.
As we celebrate these accomplishments, both big and small, I'm reminded of the diverse ways in which our pupils shine. Whether it's through academic competitions, creative pursuits, or simply showing kindness to a new school pet, each child contributes to the warm, vibrant atmosphere that makes Ferncumbe so special.
Let's carry this positive energy forward as we continue to enjoy, believe and achieve together. Here's to many more exciting adventures and proud moments in the weeks to come!
Warmest regards,
Sally Morris
Headteacher
our school vision
Reading volunteers
We are looking for volunteers to read with children in classes across the school. If you or someone you know would be able to come in to school for an hour or two on a regular basis to help, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the school office if you are able to help.
Healthy snacks
I'd like to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your support of our healthy snacks initiative. Your continued support in sending healthy snacks to school is making a real difference. It's creating a ripple effect, encouraging children to make better food choices. This is precisely the kind of positive influence we aim to have as educators – one that extends beyond the classroom and into everyday life.
As we progress, I kindly ask that you keep up this fantastic effort. Your commitment to providing healthy snacks is an integral part of our broader mission to nurture well-rounded, healthy individuals. Together, we're not just feeding their bodies; we're feeding their potential.
Sporting Superstars
gIrls Football
Our Year 6 girls' football team took to the pitch recently, and we couldn't be more proud of their performance. It wasn't just their skill on the field that stood out, but the way they conducted themselves throughout both matches. These young athletes truly embodied what it means to be a part of our school family.
From the first whistle to the last, our girls demonstrated an unwavering commitment to teamwork. They supported one another with encouragement and positivity, showcasing a level of camaraderie that was truly heartwarming to witness. Their voices could be heard across the pitch, cheering each other on, offering words of support, and lifting spirits – even when faced with challenges.
The results of their matches are certainly worth celebrating. In their first game, our team held their ground, securing a well-earned draw. But it was in the second match where their hard work and team spirit truly shone through, resulting in an impressive 3-0 victory.
Our Year 5/6 boys also represented the school in their football league match last week. They really pulled together as a great team.
year 5 hockey stars
On Friday 4th October, some of our Year 5 pupils represented the school in a hockey competition at Kingsley School. They began the morning practising some hockey skills with children from other schools. They then took part in a league of matches in their group. They did incredibly well, playing brilliantly as a team. They came 2nd in their group and were unbeaten! Unfortunately they just missed a place in the finals. A special shout out must be made to Piotr who scored goal after goal for the team, well done!
Forest School
Year 4 have been enjoying their forest school sessions led by Mrs Lilley over this half term. The class have created natural dyes from berries, made shelters and created a variety of art using natural resources. The sessions have been rounded off with the ever-popular forest school treat of a hot chocolate and biscuits! Time spent outdoors on a Friday afternoon learning new skills and working as a team has been the perfect way to round off a busy week at school.
Miss Reid
Harvest Festival In Church
As we embrace the autumn season, I'm delighted to share with you an exciting upcoming event that embodies the spirit of community and gratitude. On Wednesday 23rd October, at 9:30am, our school family will come together to celebrate the Harvest Festival at church.
This cherished tradition offers a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to reflect on the abundance in our lives and the importance of sharing with others. It's a time when we can nurture empathy and kindness in our young learners, values that are at the heart of our school ethos.
I encourage you to speak with your children about the significance of harvest and perhaps discuss ways you can support those in need within our wider community. These conversations at home reinforce the lessons we explore at school, creating a powerful partnership in your child's development.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer an open invitation to all parents due to numbers. However, as it is Reception’s first visit to Church, Hatton Class parents are welcome to come and watch their child’s debut performance - there will be standing room at the rear of the Church. Coffee and tea will be available following the service.
Children are requested to bring dried food/packets/tins to school on the 23rd October, which will then be donated to Warwick and Leamington Foodbank.
A Maths APP - One Minute Maths
I am sure many of you who attended the parent meetings recently will understand the importance of children having rapid recall of mental maths facts. We recommend the children spend 5-10 minutes daily practising this. You can do this in a number of ways, including reciting sequences, playing ping pong with counting …etc. It is very important that the children recall facts such at number bonds to 10, 20, 50…etc and know their times tables. Times tables are particularly important in Year 3 and 4. The expectation is the children will have RAPID recall of all times table facts up to 12 X 12 by the end of Year 4. If the children do not have rapid recall their progress in upper key stage 2 can be limited as many areas of the maths curriculum requires them to use and apply the facts quickly.
Using games on the Top Marks website (particularly Hit the Button) Maths - Topmarks Search or logging onto My Maths can have a positive impact.
This App is also very useful….
A Maths app to support your child’s learning – 1 Minute Maths
At Ferncumbe, we use the White Rose Maths scheme in school to support us to teach the mathematics curriculum. White Rose have an app that I think would be beneficial for all children to use in school. It is free to download and is suitable for all children. It practises a range of skills including subitising (the method of instantly recognising items in a group without counting), addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Within each topic area, there are a range of levels. Some of the easier levels will be useful to some Key Stage two children to ensure they have rapid recall of known facts.
It is designed by Maths experts to help children become more fluent and to gain confidence at number using a method they can enjoy. As the title suggests, it only takes one minute! The children can try and beat their previous score on each topic area and quickly see how they are improving.
How does it work?
Each 1-minute task gives children engaging and targeted practise in basic number. The app covers a range of arithmetic topics that are useful for all children. It generates questions randomly the children never see the same one in a sequence. This means they are learning the concept and not a sequence of answers. The children receive instant feedback, it is simple to use and lots of FUN!
Finally, there is no log in needed, or internet, they just download and play. It is available to download on Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
Thank you,
Mrs White
Maths Coordinator
Helping Hands
A huge ‘Thank you!’ to members of The Friends of Ferncumbe who gave up their time to help dismantle and remove some old benches. The school is looking a much better place thanks to their hard work!
Friends of Ferncumbe News
My name is Dani and I am mum to Dexter in Year 1 and the new Chair of The Friends of Ferncumbe. I have been an active committee member for the last 12 months and it has been wonderful to get to know more families within our school community.
I am excited to be leading a group of dedicated individuals who give their time to coordinate fun family friendly events for you all to enjoy. By supporting our events you are helping us to raise money which is donated to our school to allow our children to benefit from new experiences and opportunities beyond the school curriculum e.g. subsidised school trips, group music lessons, class resources. We are busy planning new and exciting events and I look forward to sharing more information in the coming weeks and months.
Our playground revamp project has commenced and we will shortly be sharing with you all our plans which have been designed with input from the children within the school council. Our goal is to raise £25,000 and so far we have raised £5,500 from generous local business and charitable trust donations.
We are a fun bunch of individuals all with different backgrounds and skills. We’d love to have more parents and carers supporting our events and working on projects behind the scenes - many hands make light work!
If you would like to have a chat about how you can help us, please contact me on 07989174593 or catch me in the playground on Friday afternoons!
Best Wishes
Dani Coe
Events at Hatton Church
Swimming Taster Session
Leamington Swimming are holding a free session to look at children to join their unique Achievers Scheme and start their journey to competitive swimming. Please see the flyer below for more details.
Sewing Classes
Maths Homework - MyMaths
Please see the letter (which came as an email on Wednesday 11th September) explaining the maths homework your child will be receiving. This will be using MyMaths. Your child has been sent home with a letter explaining their log in details. We encourage you to watch the video that is referred to in the letter. Once they have completed their homework, support your child to have a go at the maths games.
Diary dates
Parents Evenings will be Wednesday 23rd October 2024 and Thursday 24th October 2024. Both dates are for face to face meetings with your child’s teacher.
A reminder that Friday 25th October 2024 is designated as a school INSET Day.
THIS TERM’S LEARNING
Please do refer to class pages on the school website (under the ‘Curriculum’ tab) for a detailed update on what your child/ren will be learning this term.
With very best wishes for a lovely weekend,
Sally Morris, Head Teacher