The Riverside Reporter

ISSUE 8 – 13th November 2015www.riversideprimaryschool.org.uk

THIS TERM’S SCHOOL VALUES ARE TO SPOT OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE:

Year 5 standing outside Windsor Castle

ASPIRATIONAL & CONFIDENT

This week:Dates for your diary, new school values, lots of learning and

Year 5 visit to Windsor Castle – Mrs Hurst and Mrs Dirkin Below are some photos from our trip to Windsor Castle where the children took part in an armour workshop.

This was part of our cross-curricula study of the Anglo-Saxons in topic, King Arthur and his knights in Literacy, as well as of materials in science.

We also had a chance to visit the state apartments and the dolls' house.

The children were fantastic. A couple of people came up specifically to tell me how well behaved the children were at the train stations (we changed trains in Maidenhead and Slough) and at the castle itself. The stewards at the castle were also

impressed by the children's questions. So, really well done to Willow class and our helpers.

Anti-Bullying Week 16th November – Make a noise about Bullying

At school next week we will be celebrating Anti – Bullying week, kick starting the week with an assembly. The theme of Anti-Bullying Week 2015 is 'Make a Noise about bullying'. In class we will be discussing forms of bullying, what to do and who to tell. As a parent and carer you have a vital role in supporting your child with issues relating to bullying. Find out more at -http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week/info-for-parents-and-carers/

The key aims of the week are... To empower children and young people to make a noise about bullying –

whether it is happening to them or to someone else, face to face or online; To help parents and carers have conversations with their children about bullying

– both as a way of preventing bullying, and to help children who are worried about bullying;

To encourage ‘talking schools’ where all children and young people are given a safe space to discuss bullying and other issues that affect their lives, and are supported to report all forms of bullying;

To equip teachers to respond effectively when children tell them they’re being bullied; and

To raise awareness of the impact of bullying on children’s lives if they don’t tell anyone it’s happening – or if they are not given appropriate support – with a focus on the impact on mental health.

This week:Dates for your diary, new school values, lots of learning and

Don’t Miss - Second hand uniform sale

Tuesday 17th November 2015 at 3.15pm outside the main office.

Packed Lunches and Healthy Eating

It has come to our attention that some children are not eating a healthy nutritious packed lunch. Thinking of healthy and exciting pack lunch fillings can be a daily challenge. According to NHS choices a balanced lunchbox should contain:

Starchy foods like bread, rice, potatoes or pasta

Protein foods like meat, fish, eggs or beans A dairy item, like cheese or yogurt Vegetables or salad and a portion of fruit

Please do not include anything that contains nuts, we have a number of children with severe nut allergies

Newsflash!..... We have been awarded a Ruth Miskin Training accreditation badge!

We are a “Get Reading. Keep Reading. Change Everything.” school.

We use the highly successful Read Write Inc. Phonics programme to teach our children to read, write and spell. Our children do well in the phonics screening check and by Year 2, the majority are fluent readers with the best chance of success in the KS1 tests.

Ruth Miskin Training recognise us for teaching the Read Write Inc. programmes with fidelity and passion – we know what it takes to make literacy pleasurable and rewarding for our children.

To visit the parent pages on the Ruth Miskin Training website go to: HYPERLINK "http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents/"http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/parents/__

From the Head’s Chair

This has been a jam packed week full of achievements the children can be proud of. On Monday, the Riverside Football Team played another one of their league fixtures at home, winning an impressive 5 – 0 against Holyport CofE Primary. It was great to see so many supporters on the side line, cheering the

team on. A special thank you to Mr Jamil, who led the pre match training and offered lots of advice from the side line. On Wednesday Mrs Barnard led all the Key Stage 1 children in their Service of Remembrance. She explained the history of Remembrance Day and the reasons why the Poppy is used as a symbol of this event. Thank you Mrs Barnard for your poignant explanation and for helping the children to understand what Armistice day is about.Also on Wednesday Mrs Lodhia led Silver Birch in their class DIWALI Assembly. Parents and governors attended to listen to the wonderful story acted out by all the children. Thank you to Mrs Lodhia, Miss Smith, Mrs Giret and all the children in Silver Birch, you were fantastic!

Lauren PorterHead of School Tel: 01628 621741 Email: riverside@rbwm.org.uk

TALKING HOMEWORKSpoken language lies at the heart of communication and without it there would be no books and no writing.  One of the best ways for children to improve their work at school is for them to become confident and articulate speakers.We believe that your involvement in your child’s learning is crucial and that you can make a real difference to the progress your child makes.  With this in mind I am introducing a new simple form of Talk Homework.  Each week in the newsletter I will send home a simple discussion task; it will be same for all children in school so families can do it together. The aim is to get children sharing ideas with their families and developing their vocabulary and imagination.Please help your child to discuss the question they have been given and particularly focus on why they think that.  It is vital for children to try to talk in full sentences and to use words such as 'because'. Please discuss the question at home and let the children know your opinions. Here are some simple guidelines for how to do it:

Set aside some time for ‘Talk Homework’; Encourage as many family members as possible to be home on Talk

Homework evening and consider discussing the question while having a meal together.

Don't just give your opinion, use the 'because' word to explain why you think that.

Give the possible opinions of two contrasting family members who are not present for

the talk, and use the 'because' word to explain why they may be different.

Ask others around the table to give their opinions and to use the 'because' word.

Ask your child his/her opinion and ask them to use the 'because' word. You could link the topic back to something you remember from when

you were a child and say why things may be different now. We do hope you will enjoy joining in with this learning.

This Week’s Challenge:What do you aspire to be? What do you require, for what you aspire? Think about your steps to success. What are they?

2015 DATES FOR YOUR DIARYDATE OCCASION WHO?

Monday 16th November

Individual and Family Groups School Photographs All

Tuesday 17th November Second hand uniform sale 3.15pm AllFriday 20th November

Blue Friday – children wear blue to school £1 donated to charity All

Friday 27th November Internet Safety Day (Paul Hay) AllMonday 30th November

West End Theatre @ Riverside – Jack and the Beanstalk All

Thursday 10th December

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 Nativity Production 2.15pm, Main Hall

N – Y2 Parents/ Carers

Friday 11th December

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 Nativity Production 2.15pm, Main Hall

N – Y2 Parents/ Carers

Saturday 12th December

Christmas Fair / Winter Festival 11am – 2pm All