Today marks the end of the first month of this academic year. What a wonderful month it has been!

The children have settled superbly into their new routines and the virtues of caring, being helpful and kind are flying strong.

OPOJ Nursery have the biggest smiles and the most wonderful manners. Reception Maple are growing with confidence every day in their learning and friendships. Year 1, even at the age of five and six years, show such maturity and kindness towards each other and are shining role-models for the younger children.

Our attendance is 95.6% which is just slightly below our 96% target. Thank you again for being punctual and promoting good attendance with your child.

Over the past two weeks, Miss Matthews has completed the statutory Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA). The children completed this 1:1 with Miss Matthews and enjoyed having some one-to-one time. For more information about the assessment, please use the following link: Reception baseline assessment: information for parents - GOV.UK

Miss Matthews and Mrs Guild are super proud of Reception Maple. 

Mathematics

In Maths, we have been comparing numbers using the language of 'greater than', 'less than' and 'equal to'. We were introduced to the symbols and worked with partners to roll a die, build the towers and then used lolly sticks to create the symbol. 

Art & Design

In art, Year One has been learning to draw different lines using pencils, oil pastels and charcoal. The children take so much pride in their new sketch books! We have looked at what happens to the lines when we apply pressure, and we have been using music as a stimulus to draw lines. Our favourite music to draw lines too was the 'spooky ghost' music. 

Positive Behaviour Rewards

At GVPA, the Character Education virtues which are taught weekly underpin support the children's behaviour and relationship development. The goal of character education is the good life: one in which children will flourish as human beings, achieve their potential and live meaningfully and harmoniously in communities with others.

We have high expectations of the behaviour and relationships of children and staff at GVPA. This year, when children demonstrate a virtue, e.g. kindness, care, being helpful which goes beyond what we would expect, they are rewarded with a token. The token is then taken to the voting boxes which are outside Mrs Hand's office and the children use the token to vote for two options which the school will fulfil at the end of the Autumn Term. The options that have been chosen are: 1. To adopt an animal from the WWF or 2. To sponsor a child via UNICEF. The purpose of this approach is to support and drive your child to demonstrate positive behaviour virtues and then seek a reward which helps someone else. 

Harvest Festival Week

On Monday, Mrs Burke's assembly taught us about the importance of 'Harvest' at this time of year. Then, on Thursday, it was our annual Harvest Festival Day. 

The day started with a Harvest assembly which was beautifully led by Bev from Elim Church and Glascote Foodbank. Bev taught the children about where our food comes from, saying thank-you for our food and where the kind Foodbank donations would go. Words cannot say how grateful we are for the kindness that our GVPA children and their families showed this week with the donations to the Glastcote Foodbank. 

After the assembly, Bev and Mrs Burke filled their cars and delivered the food the the Glascote Foodbank. The staff were delighted to receive such a large generous donation and cannot wait for the Reception children to visit the Foodbank in the Spring Term.

Harvest Baking

As part of the learning about harvested wheat and how this is turned into flour, Reception Maple and Year One Rowan, each used the Special Practical Room (Cookery Room) to knead, roll and bake a bread roll. They were simply delicious!

Reception:

Year One

A huge thank-you to Pip for helping us to make such divine bread rolls!

MacMillan Coffee Morning

The theme of caring, helping and kindness was also shared with the friends and families of our OPOJ and GVPA children. 

Thank you to every parent who supported this event. It was not only an opportunity to come into school and share a drink and a piece of cake, but it was also a wonderful opportunity to see our parents socialising and building relationships. 

Once again, Pip our catering lead, did us proud by baking the cakes and providing he refreshments for us. Thank you Pip!

A huge thank-you to every parent who has parked respectfully before and after school. 

October is 'Walk to School' month! More information about this will be emailed.

The Fierte Trust provides a wealth of support to GVPA and the other Trust schools. In September, all schools completed the statutory Safeguarding Training which was compiled by the Trust Safeguarding Forum and Mrs Burke had the privilege of attending a meeting with other leaders this month from across the Trust to share knowledge about the Curriculum and Assessment procedures.

In school, Mr Hand and Mrs Burke spent the morning completing a 'Collaborative Picture Building' process for the Autumn Term, which focussed on the Curriculum. The morning reported a range of positive statements regarding the curriculum planning, teaching and learning in class and positive feedback taken from the children themselves. 

For further information about the Trust, please use this link: Fierté Multi-Academy Trust - Home

Telephone: 01827 214630

Office Email: office@gardenvillage.fierte.org

Headteacher / SENCO: headteacher@gardenvillage.fierte.org