Reading Primary News Volume 6, Issue 24, 28th April 2017 readingprimary.focus-school.com Welcome back to the summer term. We hope you all had a lovely restful break as the summer term is quite a busy one. We, of course, have SATs, school trips, Bikeability, sports events and enterprise day all this term. Not to mention some fundraising and the School Production too so it s going to be busy busy busy. Introducing our new Staff member Mr Slim Jim. He has come to school this term to assist Mr Hopkins teach years 3 & 4 about skeletons. As you can see teaching is taking its toll on him! Julianna Cox and Jake Lawrence 1
The task over the Easter break for year 3/4 was to create their own magnetic game. The results were really innovative. We have some budding entrepreneurs in our midst. I m sure! 2
Do you think that Mrs O Toole may have been scared when she was waiting to jump out of an aeroplane? Could you overcome your fears just like she did, to have the experience of a lifetime. How do you overcome fear to meet challenges? This week s assembly was about just that. During her recent trip to Australia with her family, she went on a skydive mad I know!! As the children know, she does not like heights and panics going up a ladder, so why she decided to jump out of a plane at 14000 feet I do not know! With heart pounding and hands sweating, she bravely jumped into the unknown. She later said that it was the most amazing thing she had ever accomplished and she felt very proud of herself, which just goes to prove that when we face our fears and find ways to overcome them we can achieve so much. So remember, if you take one small step at a time to reach your goals, you can overcome anything. Having positive role models in your life is also helpful when facing challenges and luckily we do have plenty of those. Mrs O Toole most certainly overcame one of her biggest fears, which shows with the right attitude we can do anything! 3
Looking at the story of Cinderella. Year 3/4 were asked to produce their own version. They were all so good and enjoyable but we can t share them all. Here is a sample for you to read. Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Ivy. She had a baby brother called Jackson. Her mother had died long ago when she was only about three. When her mother died, she had to go and stay with her wicked aunty. Her father couldn t come because he couldn t leave the house because Jackson was too young. Why do I have to go daddy? she asked getting worried. Don t worry dear, he said I m sure she won t be too mean. Oh but daddy Don t bother me now darling I am busy. I told you not to worry Ivy sighed! She knew that when her father was like that it meant he didn t want to be bothered. The next day she had to go to her aunty s house. Daddy I don t want to go! I m sorry darling he said, I can t leave Jackson at home. Ivy looked out of the window hoping that her aunty would be ill or not be able to come. Finally her aunty turned up. She said goodbye to her dad and mumbled under her breath a Hello to her aunty. When they were at her aunty s house Ivy murmured, What would you like me to do? What would I like you to do? her aunty snapped. Get a bucket of water and start cleaning the floor you brute! Ivy obeyed without saying a word. She wasn t used to being spoken too like that. When it had been a very long time working miserably all the days long, a letter came in the post. Ivy was terribly excited, they had not had a letter in months and she thought it might be from her father. Get on with your work her aunty said stamping her foot on the floor. Letters are for me to open not you! The letter was an invitation to go to a ball but aunty said that Ivy could not go, she needed to get on with her work. Ivy was so sad that she couldn t work properly and of course this made her aunty even more cross. The day of the ball came. She was so sad. Get on with your work while I am out aunty growled, or I will box your ears very very hard, when I return! Just as her aunty slammed through the door a beautiful toad arrived. It smiled and croaked, Oh my dear, I ll try and help you. All you need is to do is to get me a worm, a snail and a slug! Ivy did not like those creatures very much but she did want to go to the ball. She fetched them right away and returned with snail slime all over her hands. Yuck! Lovely croaked the toad. Happily, you can go to the ball but I m going to change these creatures first into the things you need. She turned the snail into a beautiful golden carriage, the slug into a horse and the worm into a footman. Now you must remember one thing, you have got to leave at 12 o clock sharp. Ok said Ivy obediently and hurried into her carriage and she was off! When she got to the ball, she had to dance with the prince. It was nearly ending and it was 12 o clock sharp. Oh she cried and ran out of the ball. As she did, she turned into a frog because she had not left at the right time. Poor Ivy! When she eventually got home, aunty had not yet arrived and there came a knock, knock on the door. The little frog opened it and there stood the Prince. He stared at the frog in surprise, but he knew it was Ivy. Let s make you look pretty again, he said and placed the shoe on her small webbed foot. Immediately she turned into Ivy again and they lived happily ever after. By Istria Gilbert 4
St George's Day the patron saint of England is celebrated on the 23rd April each year. Mrs Stephens gave the whole school a few facts about our Saint and being Welsh myself I was quite surprised at most of them. Maybe you will be too:- Fascinating facts about St. George : He was born in Turkey He lived during the 3rd century AD. He was Christian He became a Roman soldier at age 17. He was known for his bravery He protested against Rome s persecution of Christians He was imprisoned and tortured, but stayed true to his faith. He was beheaded in Palestine. St. George is patron saint not only of England but also of: Aragon, Catalonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia. And the cities of: Amersfoort, Beirut, Bteghrine, Cáceres, Ferrara, Freiburg, Genoa, Ljubljana, Pomo- What Is St. George s Day? St. George s Day is England s national day. In 1222, the English Council of Oxford declared April the 23 rd to be St. George s Day. St. George s emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag. St. George's emblem was adopted by Richard the Lion Heart and brought to England in the 12th century. The king's soldiers wore it on their tunics to avoid confusion in battle. This emblem is commonly seen on St. George s Day. How Is St. George s Day Celebrated? St. George s Flag is flown throughout the day. St. George is also the patron saint of Scouting. On the Sunday closest to April 23 rd, the Scouts and the Guides go on parade to their nearest church. A popular custom for people on St. George s Day, is to wear a red rose in their buttonhole, the national flower for the national day. Painting of St. George and the Dragon by Mattia Preti (1678) 5
Sometimes there are problems with the distribution of emails, but don t forget all the newsletters can be viewed on the school website Just follow the link. http://readingprimary.focus-school.com Lost and Found Matilda Robertson has lost her PE skirt with built in leggings which are labelled with her name. Almanzo Storry has lost his shorts which are labelled with his name. Sam Bodman has lost one of the new style coats and Brody has lost all of his jumpers! On the other hand Mrs Lawrence has an extra pair of boys shorts size 12, with no name and no claimant, that are in school if they are yours. Please can you check all of your children's PE kit and uniform and make sure it is theirs and please, please, please name label everything and return to the rightful owner anything that may not be yours. Thank you. Thank you for all the vouchers we have received already. Still Collecting until June 30th! The year 6 SATs workshop was a wonderful success. A special THANK YOU to Mrs Stephens for all her additional hard work. The sponsored walk will soon be here. The JETS are aiming to raise 4000 for charity and a new piano for the primary school and have asked me to invite you to donate generously! A very big Thank You and much appreciation to Mrs Woolgar who so very kindly donated some new play equipment for break-times to us this week. The children and staff are really grateful for your thoughtfulness. Also to the ladies (Mrs Parsons and Mrs Markham) who made our staff room look brand new again. We do appreciate it. Thank you! Don t forget there is a Bank holiday on Monday and there is no school! 6