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24/25 - Spring 1, Week 6

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Dear parents and carers,

As we come to the end of a busy but successful half-term, I want to take a moment to reflect on the fantastic learning and engagement we’ve seen throughout the school. It has been wonderful to witness the enthusiasm of our pupils as they embrace their learning, particularly through our Mantle of the Expert approach, which continues to bring learning to life and inspire future careers. From dragon trainers to designing healthy energy drinks with biodegradable storage, the creativity and excitement in classrooms have been outstanding.

A huge thank you to all the parents who attended our Online Safety Workshop on Tuesday. Keeping our children safe online is a shared responsibility, and it is crucial that we, as adults, demonstrate and model safe and responsible digital behaviour. Children learn not just from what we tell them, but from what they see us do.

In Collective Worship, we have continued our focus on Peacemakers, with kindness as this week’s theme. The Bible verse Ephesians 4:32 reminds us to "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." This message feels particularly relevant, as we have unfortunately seen incidents of parents not always being kind to each other. Disagreements and conflicts in front of children, as well as the spreading of rumours and misinformation, do not set the example we want our pupils to follow.

Children copy what they see. If they witness aggression, they will be aggressive. If they hear swearing and anger, they will mimic it. But if they see kindness, respect, and the ability to handle challenges calmly, they will adopt those behaviours too. We urge all parents to be mindful of the examples they set. If you have concerns, please bring them to the school rather than engaging in conflict. Let’s work together to ensure that our children grow up in an environment where kindness and understanding are the norm.

As we head into the break, let’s reflect on all that has been achieved this half term and look ahead with positivity. Thank you for your continued support.

I pray you all have a wonderful weekend and half term holiday.

 

Mr. David Huntingford

Headteacher

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Ephesians 4:32 - LAMP Ministries

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Mental Health week 2025 ideas for taking care of your mental health. 

  1. Talk About Your Feelings 
    Sometimes, we may feel sad, worried, or angry, and that’s okay. Talking to a parent, teacher, or friend about how we feel helps us feel better and less alone. 

  1. Get Moving 
    Whether it’s playing sports, dancing, or just taking a walk outside, being active is great for both your body and your mind. Exercise releases chemicals that help us feel happier! 

  1. Take Breaks 
    It’s important to take breaks during the day to relax. Try reading a book, drawing, or doing something creative that makes you feel calm. 

  1. Stay Connected 
    Spend time with people who care about you. Being with friends and family can make us feel loved and supported. 

  1. Ask for Help When You Need It 
    There’s no shame in asking for help. Whether it’s talking to an adult or a friend, reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness. 

Apologies to all that have booked clubs and received incorrect emails - There has been a glitch with our system. If you have been offered the wrong club please let me know by emailing me at office@williamfordschool.co.uk       with your Childs name and the club you do not want.

ParentPay - Clubs 

Please ensure all outstanding balances for the clubs your child has attended and payment for term 2's clubs are added to parentpay as soon as possible. If there is any balance outstanding your child may not be able to attend the new clubs this term.

 

Lunch Pre-booking system

There has been a small issue with the meal booking system. so for the first few weeks we will check with the children what lunch they ordered Please do log in to Parentpay to book the lunches as soon as possible.

 

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Year Three

Jermaine 3M

Year Four

Quinn 4IW

Year Five

AJ 5W

Year Six

Ayaan 6I

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Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief 

I like this book because of how adventurous it is. The main character trusts his instincts to get his mum from the underworld and fights to get her out. The story is based on Greek heroes. He doesn’t know he is the son of Poseidon. Finally, he embarks on an epic quest to get the lightning bolt for Zeus. I would recommend this book as it is adventurous and teaches you that trusting your instincts is good. 

Manha 5W 

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Children return to school @ 8.35pm
All Day
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Y5 Group 1 Swimming
9:30am – 10:30am
26
February
Y5 Swimming Group 2
10:30am – 11:30am
26
February
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Egypt Day 2025!
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Y6 Brilliant Club - Cambridge University graduation
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Channel 4 News films at William Ford
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Year Three

What a fantastic half-term it has been! The children have worked incredibly hard, showing great enthusiasm and curiosity in all their subjects. Their dedication and willingness to learn new things have been truly impressive, and we couldn’t be prouder of their efforts. 

What we have learnt about this week 

In Science, the children explored different types of rocks, grouping them based on their appearance. English has been full of creativity as they studied The Sound Collector poem, using it as inspiration to plan their very own poems based on the sounds heard around school. In Maths, they have been busy measuring and comparing lengths using centimetres (cm), metres (m), and millimetres (mm). French has been an exciting mix of art and language learning, as the children studied the work of Matisse and created their own animal artwork using a variety of shapes and colours. In History, they explored the fascinating debate about whether it was right to open Tutankhamun’s tomb, developing their reasoning and discussion skills. 

What we will learn about next week 

After the half-term break, there is plenty more exciting learning ahead! In Maths, we will be diving into equivalent lengths and converting between centimetres and metres. Science will take us on a journey back in time as we begin exploring fossils and the incredible work of Mary Anning. In Geography, we will start our brand-new unit on volcanoes—an explosive topic that we know the children will love! 

Thank you for your continued support. We hope you all have a restful and enjoyable break! 

 

Year Four 

What a great half term we’ve had! The children have shown remarkable enthusiasm and progress in their studies. Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to more exciting learning experiences in the upcoming weeks! 

What we have learnt about this week 

In English, students have been developing their skills in finishing and editing their instructional texts, ensuring they communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. 

In Maths, we are diving into the world of fractions, where the children are mastering the art of adding fractions—a vital skill that enhances their numerical fluency. 

In Geography, the children have been researching the rich traditions and cultures of Scandinavian countries. This has really encouraged the children to draw comparisons between various cultures. 

Finally, in Art, the students enjoyed designing their own woad body art, allowing them to explore creativity while learning about historical practices. 

What we will learn about next week 

In English, we will continue exploring the enchanting world of How to Train Your Dragon. The students are truly enjoying the adventures, and we will be delving deeper into character development and storytelling techniques. 

In Maths, our focus will remain on fractions. The children are making great progress, and we will be introducing more practical applications to solidify their understanding. 

In History, we will journey back to the Iron Age, examining the daily lives of those who lived during this fascinating period. This will enhance their understanding of chronological events and societal changes. 

Lastly, in Religious Education, we are starting a new unit on Salvation. This topic promises to encourage meaningful discussions and reflections. 

Year Five

As we approach the end of this half term, the children in Year 5 have been working as hard as ever! I am sure that after all their efforts, the children will be looking forward the break next week! 

What we have learnt about this week 

In maths this week, we have been continuing and concluding our work using fractions. We have been finding fractions of quantities and amounts. We have concluded our book based on the epic poem ‘Beowulf’ and have completed our own stories, including descriptive language and dialogue. We have really enjoyed reading and sharing the stories. For history we became ‘museum curators’ at the Yorvik Viking Museum, writing captions for visitors to explain how more recent archaeological evidence has changed perspectives about the Vikings. Our. D & T lesson linked with our science work about properties of materials. We designed and constructed our own energy drink bottles and discussed how energy drinks are made. 

What we will learn about next week 

Next half term we begin our new shared reading book for English, ‘Journey to the River Sea’. Our next maths topic is decimals and percentages and will involve arithmetic, reasoning and problem-solving. In geography, we continue to study North America by researching the human and physical aspects of this continent. We will also begin our new R.E. topic exploring salvation, which will lead us into Easter. 

We wish you all a safe and peaceful half-term holiday next week. 

 

Year Six

Year 6 class has been busy with a variety of activities! 

What we have learnt about this week 

 In English, they’ve been writing negative hotel reviews inspired by Where the Mountains Roared. In Maths, they've been practicing multiplying and dividing by 10, 100, and 1000, as well as multiplying decimals by integers. In PE, they've been finishing up a football unit with mini games, enhancing their skills and teamwork. Lastly, in Science, they’ve been learning about Carl Linnaeus and his classification system, exploring how he categorized living organisms. It's been a well-rounded and engaging week! 

What we will learn about next week 

After the half-term break, in English, the focus will be on Alfred Noyes’ The Highwayman, where students will analyse its themes of love and tragedy. In Maths, the lesson plan will shift to fractions, percentages, and decimals, with an emphasis on converting between the three, calculating percentage equivalents, and working out fractions of amounts. In PE, the class will move on to cricket, learning its rules, techniques, and strategies for bowling, batting, and fielding. Lastly, in PSHE, the theme of Healthy Me will encourage students to reflect on the importance of physical and mental health. 

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Each week, staff select three children from each class who have shown effort and commitment to upholding an aspect of our school vision, shown at the bottom of the page. Congratulations to this week’s ‘stars of the week’ for their tremendous endeavours!

 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Three

3A

Name: Shameer

For: participating more in lessons and having a positive attitude.

 

Name: Nana

For: always being a helping hand around the classroom.

 

Name: Daniela

For: being a peaceful member of the class this week.

3F

Name: Aliyah

For: working diligently and trying her hardest in all lessons

Name: Amiya

For: being generous with her time and promoting peace

Name: Richard

For: having a calm approach to his learning 

3M

Name: Osinachi

For: always trying hard and working enthusiastically in all lessons.

Name: Eleanor 

For: always offering to help the teacher and her classmates

Name: Olivia

For: her peaceful and well-behaved approach to all lessons.
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Four

4L

Name: Iqrah

For: always working hard and completing her work in every lesson

 

Name: Abdulrahman

For: sharing his own equipment with others

 

Name: Michelle

For: having a calming influence on the class during all lessons

4IW

Name: 

For: 

Name: 

For: 

Name: 

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4N

Name: Carter 

For: working really hard on his presentation in all lessons

Name: Adesewa

For: being kind to others including adults.

Name: Christabel

For: a calmer approach to lessons this week
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Five

5H

Name: Amiyah

For: working so hard to make super progress this term.

 

Name: Nafisa

For: always being so kinds and friendly towards everyone she works with.

 

Name: Shengkai

For: for working peacefully with his partner and independently this week

5P

Name: Demilade

For:  Working hard in lessons and producing a stunning piece of writing

Name: Jada

For: Always working thoughtfully and with a friendly manner.

Name: Sumaijya

For: Her calm and careful approach to everything she does

5W

Name: 

For: 

Name: 

For: 

Name: 

For: 
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Six

6B

Name: Immanuel

For: Excellent effort in English this week

 

Name: Tharik

For: Working collaboratively with his peers

 

Name: Anita

For: Working quietly and with great focus in lessons

6I

Name: Fiona

For:  Her efforts in maths, this week, she has been trying really hard

Name: Priscilla

For:  Always being a star pupil and working well with others.

Name: Cherish

For:Her joyful attitude and fantastic hotel review this week. 

6L

Name: Michael F

For: Writing an excellent review of a hotel in English  

Name: Emmanuella

For: Collaborating well during partner/group activities

Name: Ryan

For: walking around our school/class quietly and sensibly
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