Kentmere Academy

The Kentmere PostMarch 2020

Headteacher's UpdateWe are obviously in a very unique situation during unprecedented times. We hope that you are all keeping safe and well and we hope to all be back together again very soon.We still wanted to share our newsletter with you and share some of the successes from this term before we were all required to spend time apart.

During poetry week we were delighted to invite Ian Bland in to work with our pupils to compose their own poems. Our pupils thoroughly enjoyed the workshops and the opportunity to work with Ian. World Book Day was a huge success and the children enjoyed their hot chocolate and sharing their favourite stories. As reading is one of our key priorities we are delighted to announce that we will be creating an enticing outside reading den which children will be able to access at break times. Kentmere has been recognised by the local authority for the strong attainment in reading and so we have been asked to share our expertise with other local schools.

This term KS1 had an amazing time visiting Bury Fire Station and thoroughly enjoyed sharing their knowledge about The Great Fire of London. They learnt about the important role that firefighters play, and how to keep themselves safe. Our pupils performed at the Rochdale Music Festival and were able to showcase their talents through singing, playing the drums and playing brass instruments.

A recent external Inclusion Review was overwhelmingly positive about the purposeful provision that we provide for our pupils including the bespoke packages that are put in place to support our children.

Whilst we are social distancing we have sent home some work packs and signposted you to useful online learning. Please don’t see this list as exhaustive and please don’t feel unnecessary pressure to complete everything as we appreciate some of you have very busy home lives and also have to work too. We just wanted to put something in place to support you as best we could.

We would also like to say a big thank you to all our parents and carers for your support and understanding during what is a very unique and challenging time. Please just keep yourselves safe and healthy.

Did you know?

EYFS have been learning all about Africa within their lessons. We have looked where Africa is on the map and have named the animals that might be found there. Did you know that Mrs Idoko's husband is originally from Africa? Mrs Idoko has visited his family there and has been able to tell us all about her experience and bring in various African items for us to look at, such as dresses and beads. Miss Josephine is also from Africa and has brought in different foods for us to try!

Year 1/2 have been making dinosaur eggs as part of their Learning Logs this week. We have had some fantastic creations which will be entered into a competition and put on display.

Y3/4 are working on exploring the roles of engineers, using STEM projects in Science and DT to develop their planning, creating and evaluating skills.

Year 5/6 have been really enjoying reading their class book - Goodnight Mister Tom. This week the children have created fantastic descriptions of Mister Tom.

Did you know that social exclusion is a form of bullying? This means, when your friends leave you out on purpose to hurt

your feelings, they are indirectly bullying you.

Pro Social

Thank You!Kentmere’s Collection for Rochdale Food Bank

We would like to say a massive thank you to all our Parent/Carers who donated to our Rochdale Food Bank Collection! All donations are really appreciated for this important work that our local food bank do to combat poverty and hunger.

Also, a big thank you to the School Council who worked so well as a team to organise the donations ready for collection.

NurseryWORLD BOOK DAY IN NURSERYWe dressed up in our pyjamas and brought in our favourite stories. Throughout the day we listened to a selection of Mr men books, the funny bones story and a fairy story.We snuggled under the covers, ate a biscuit and drank hot chocolate.We also sat in the reading forest (an area in the classroom) and enjoyed listening to stories and talking about the pictures with our friends.

KS1 have had a fantastic time at Bury Fire Station this week. We learnt lots about how to stay safe if there is a fire especially to 'Stop, Drop and Roll', call 999 and 'Get out and Stay out!' We were amazed by the resources they have at their Training Centre including fire engines, replica houses, streets and cafes, and even pedestrian crossings! We are now writing letters to thank the firefighters and will be writing recounts about our trip.

Year 1/2

Class Updates

Reception The children all enjoyed their poetry workshop with local poet Ian Bland. He read to them his action poem, with all the children joining in with the silly actions. Together, we thought of different actions we could do and put them together to create our own class action poem. The children then enjoyed performing this in the whole school assembly.

Within their English lessons, the children have also been writing their own poetry linked to water. We listened to the different sounds water makes and thought about all the places we might find water, going on a search around the school. We then put these together to create a group poem.

Throughout the week, we have been reading various poems and have really enjoyed them!

Year 3/4Y3/4 Mrs Ker’s class have been involved with the Rochdale Linking Network and hosted a visit from Crossgates Primary School this week. We worked together in pairs to find #MoreinCommon and looked at the ways in which we are similar and different from each other. We compared schools and designed our own adventure park to bring the best of both schools together.

We had a fantastic time and we are really looking forward to visiting Crossgates in the summer.

On Wednesday 11th March, during British Science Week, Year 5 enjoyed tackling an exciting University of Manchester STEM Challenge and worked together to get amazing results! They had to research, plan and create a sustainable community working to a design brief. Thinking as Scientists, Engineers, Designers, Architects and Mathematicians, they succeeded and the results were fantastic!

In Science this term, Class 10 have been experimenting with forces such as air resistance and gravity. In order to improve the children’s understanding, they researched philosopher’s theories such as Aristotle and Galileo and then tested those theories to prove them for themselves. Their experiments have been complex, practical and fun. They have made their own parachutes, identifying which is the best design and why. They also looked at helicopters, which they increased the weight of to investigate mass and air resistance and aeroplanes, where they investigated aerodynamics and what makes an object streamlined. The children are now really excited to be moving onto water resistance and looking forward to learning more about forces.

Year 5/6

Use a tissue to turn off the tap. Dry hands thoroughly.

Wash your hands with soap and water more often for 20 seconds

Coronavirus

PROTECT YOURSELF & OTHERS

CORONAVIRUS

Palm to palm

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In between the fingers

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The back of the fingers

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The tips of the fingers

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The backs of hands

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The thumbs

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-�SoarLng to success