Newsletters

24/25 - Spring 2, Week 5

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Dear parents and carers,

As you read this, Year Three and I should be travelling back from what we hope has been a very successful and memorable trip to France. (I’m actually writing this on Thursday!) The children have had the opportunity to travel across the Channel, experience a foreign country, try their hand at bread and croissant making, and even visit a goat’s cheese farm! What an incredible experience — and how brave our Year Threes have been to embark on such a journey at just seven or eight years old, away from their parents. These kinds of trips aren’t just fun; they help open children’s eyes to the wider world and all the opportunities that lie ahead of them.

Back at school, we’ve had the privilege of hosting the Barking and Dagenham Music Festivals this week. Schools from across the borough have come together to perform, share their talents and celebrate all things musical. The standard of singing has been truly impressive. A huge thank you to Mr Wakeford for organising and coordinating such a joyful event — we’re proud to be part of a borough that values creativity and performance so highly.

In Collective Worship, our theme has been gratitude — not only saying thank you to those around us but also recognising what God has done for us. We’ve been reflecting on the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:18:

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
We’ve talked about how gratitude can change our perspective, lift our spirits, and help us live in peace with one another.

Next week, as we approach the end of term, we’re looking forward to coming together as a school to celebrate Easter. Tuesday will bring our special Easter event, and on Thursday, we will mark our final Values Day of the term. It’s a time for reflection and joy, as we remember — with thankful hearts — the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What better way to end the term than in celebration of hope, new life, and the peace He brings.

I pray you all have a wonderful weekend.

 

Mr. David Huntingford

Headteacher

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Reminder to wear blue on Friday 4th March as part of our autism awareness week. On this day, you are all welcome to join us for our special iRock concert where all the children who have music lessons will be performing, along with our incredible Lighthouse Family band and the Knowledge Droppers! 

If you have a child who attends the Lighthouse for any of their lessons, please do come along to support.

We Wear Blue For Autism Awareness PNG & SVG Design For T-Shirts

Please ensure all outstanding balances on after-school clubs are cleared as soon as possible. An outstanding balance may delay the allocation of clubs for your child.

In order to allow as many pupils as possible to experience clubs, we may not be able to accommodate everyone. If you have attended a club in the spring term, priority placement will be given to those who were unable to secure a place last term.

If you have changed your address, email or phone number please email the school office as this may affect your child's allocation during secondary school placement in year 6.

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Year Three

 

 

Year Four

Year Five

 

 

Year Six

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Little people big dreams

by Michelle Obama 

I really love this book, not just because I like the story, but because of the things I’ve learnt from it. The story is about how Michelle grew up on the south side of Chicago with a loving, caring, supporting family. Michelle wanted to become someone like her dad. When she got older, she would have to travel far to attend a high school for top achievers. Princeton, which was one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, was the college she wanted to go to, but her teachers said she wasn’t good enough. She proved them wrong. She got accepted and went on to become a lawyer. The message in this story is, once you’ve made your dreams come true, it's your job to help others do the same! I really recommend this book as it is a really good book as it teaches us lessons about life. 

By Cherish 6I 

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France Day Trip
All Day
28
March
Book Sale - Location TBC [In-person]
3:30pm – 4:00pm
28
March
Book Sale - Location School Library - Playground entrance
8:15am – 9:00am
31
March
Book Sale - Location School Library - Playground entrance
8:15am – 9:00am
01
April
Easter Celebration and Yr4 retelling of Easter story outside (end of term)
2:00pm – 3:30pm
01
April
World Autism Day
All Day
02
April
Y5 Swimming Group 2
10:30am – 11:30am
02
April
Lion King Theatre Trip [In-person]
12:00pm – 5:30pm
02
April
Break up for Easter @ 1.30pm - Non Uniform Day
All Day
04
April
iRock Concert / Autism Awareness
10:00am – 11:00am
04
April
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21 Mar 2025
Red Nose Day!
This week Zech tells us about Red Nose Day at William Ford
Read more
14 Mar 2025
VR Experience
This week Gianna from 6L tells us about the VR experience that year 5 and 6 had today.
Read more
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Year Three

What a brilliant week we have had in Year 3 this week. By the time you read this, most of the children will be on their way home from France and we are sure that they have had a fantastic time. 

What we have learnt about this week 

In English this week, the children have been writing their recount as part of their assessment. We have been super impressed by the quality of work written this week – the children have showed off their writing skills. In Maths, we have continued with fractions by adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator. In Science, the children explored the different soil types and described their appearance and texture. They found out how this soil is created from different rocks. In geography, the children became cartographers and drew their own maps for their islands. 

What we will learn about next week 

Next week, we will begin to edit our writing and improving their already brilliant work. We our hoping that the children can improve their work further by adding in some more descriptive language and more complex sentences. In maths, we will finish off our fractions unit by looking at unit and non-unit fractions of an amount. In art, the children will become botanical artists by examining a real-life flower and drawing what they see incorporating shading techniques they have developed over the last few weeks. 

Year Four 

This week has been particularly exciting as we have embarked on a new unit focused on poetry in English. We began by analysing the poem "The Pool," exploring its themes and identifying its use of literary devices such as metaphor, simile, and personification. Following our discussion, the children were encouraged to write their own poems set in different locations, allowing their creativity to flourish. 

In Maths, we have concentrated on decimals, working on ordering and comparing them to strengthen our numerical skills. The students have shown great enthusiasm for this topic and are making noticeable progress. 

In history, we commenced a new unit on Roman Britain, delving into the rich history and culture of this significant period. The children are eager to learn about the impact of Roman life on Britain. 

Additionally, preparations for the Easter play are in full swing, and the students are practising diligently. We look forward to an engaging performance. 

What we will learn about next week 

In English next week, we will continue our exploration of poetry, focusing on the analysis of figurative language. Students will engage with alliteration, similes, and metaphors, developing their understanding and appreciation of poetic devices that enhance meaning and impact. 

In Maths, we will conclude our current unit on decimals. Students have been working diligently, and I am confident they will demonstrate their mastery and understanding through various activities. 

In Geography, we are excited to bring our unit on Scandinavia to a close. Students will showcase their knowledge of the region's culture, geography, and history in a creative manner. 

Year Five

This week in Year 5, pupils have been enjoying the sunnier days and working hard in all subjects, as some units come to an end.  

What we have learnt about this week 

This week, in maths, we wrapped up one unit and have begun a new unit on perimeter and area. We have looked at the perimeter of rectangles, rectilinear shapes and polygons. 

In English, we began to build up towards a setting description, based on a mystical, magical forest.  

In French, we have been looking at the names of body parts, using a familiar song: Heads, shoulders knees and toes.  

In Computing, we have been continuing our unit on Data handling: Mars Rovers, by looking into how the Mars Rovers use binary code to communicate.  

What we will learn about next week 

Next week, in English we will be writing a narrative, based on our story: A Midsummer Night’s dream.  

In Maths, we will continue our unit or perimeter and area, looking at finding the area of compound shapes, as well as estimating area.  

In RE, we will be studying the last days of Jesus on this Earth, as we focus on the death and resurrection of Christ, as part of our Salvation unit.  

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!  

There is still time to consent to Wednesdays trip to The Lion King https://forms.office.com/e/uZM7khS85Q Payment can be made via ParentPay.

Year Six

This week, the year 6 pupils have continued to work extremely hard in preparation for their upcoming SATs tests. 

What we have learnt about this week 

In maths the children explored position and direction in the four quadrants, reflecting and translating different shapes. In English, the children have continued to turn the Highwayman poem into a narrative story. In art, the children have started to draft their pieces of artwork inspired by their chosen artist. In PE, the children have either been doing dance or basketball and developing their skills. 

What we will learn about next week 

Next week, in art the children will start their pieces of artwork, ensuring they have chosen a medium that elevates their drafts. In maths, the children will revisit and revise place value, looking at a range of ks2 sats questions. In English, the children will edit their writing ensuring they have used figurative language throughout their work and that their paragraphs are cohesive. 

We look forward to seeing you on Monday 31st at 3:30pm or 5pm for the Parents' SATs talk. 

There is still time to book a slot https://forms.office.com/e/tBN1FSXWP0

 

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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: Chibuikem 

For: his brilliant ideas in English this week.

 

Name: Shameer 

For: being polite to adults

 

Name: Harper 

For: being calm and focused this week.

3F

Name: Elif

For: working hard in maths to understand fractions

Name: Mateo

For: being a helpful member of the school community 

Name: Zahid

For: always being a calm and polite member of the class

3M

Name: Rayyan

For: excellent effort in geography when drawing a map and for listening well in maths lessons.

Name:  Jessica - Rose

For: working hard and showing more confidence.

Name: Hajira

For:  beginning to settle into her new class calmly.
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Four

4L

Name: Abdurahman

For: 100% effort in Maths this week.

 

Name: Zak

For: being kind and helpful to his classmates

 

Name: Hannah

For: always having a positive attitude to learning.

4IW

Name: Favour

For: putting great effort into writing her poem in English this week.

Name: Theo

For:  showing kindness to others especially when a friend was hurt.

Name: Freddie

For: always having a positive attitude to his learning.

4N

Name: Sofia

For: working hard in lessons particularly when writing a group poem.

Name: James

For:always demonstrating good manners.

Name: Abigail

For:being kind and friendly to others and for working hard.
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Five

5H

Name: Iustin

For: always working diligently in all lessons.

 

Name: Jamie

For: generously helping his group work out change for the tuck shop.

 

Name: Kaima

For: working in a calm, peaceful way with others at all times

5P

Name: Paddy

For: orking diligently and creating a great forest description

Name: Morgan

For: Improving her presentation and written work

Name: Sumaiya

For: Living at peace and for her friendly, quiet nature.

5W

Name: Will

For:  working diligently and being really creative in descriptive writing, in English.

Name: Mercy

For: always acting generously and showing kindness to all pupils in our class.  

Name: Brooke

For: promoting peace and facing her fears, when swimming this week
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Six

6B

Name: Zechariah

For: Great focus in his SATs preparation tasks

 

Name: Kendra

For: Working well with a range of her peers.

 

Name: Zafrin

For:  Having a calm and sensible approach to her work.

6I

Name: Orlaith

For: Working extremely hard in all lessons.

Name: Elliot

For: Sharing is equipment with others and being kind

Name: Milda

For: utilising lessons and always being focused and on task

6L

Name: Stephanie

For:Using phenomenal literary devices in her writing

Name: Mya

For: Heling her partner when doing a joint Maths test

Name: Daria

For: Always being a calm and peaceful in all lessons
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