Seaton Primary School “Caring now, for the future of our community, those in need, our lifestyles, one another, our education and the future itself” Valley View, Seaton, Devon, EX12 2HF Tel: 01297 20922 Fax: 01297 625194 Email: admin@seatonprimary.org.uk Headteacher: Nic George

12.02.2021 Dear Parents and Carers, Again, we’d like to thank you for your hard work with home schooling, your kind words and continued support over the last few weeks. As we come to the end of the Spring half term we would like to celebrate some of the fantastic learning that has been taking place at home and at school. Read on to find out more…

LET’S CELEBRATE!

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING THIS TERM? RECEPTION This half term in Reception we have been exploring lots of different topics. We learned about penguins and were very surprised to discover that they even live in some warm places. Everyone got to take part in a penguin hunt looking for the different species that had escaped around Seaton! The week after, we prepared a teddy bears picnic. We used our measuring skills to make some delicious picnic buns. We took part in the big bird watch and wrote our own books! To finish the half term, we are looking forward to making some yummy pancakes!

KS1

Key Stage 1 have had a busy and fun packed half term. We have explored our ‘Hot and Cold’ topic in so many

ways! We have studied the climates of different countries and continents around the world and compared

them. We have created our own factual booklets and set our own stories in the places we have studied.

The pupils in school have conducted lots of hot and cold themed science experiments and the pupils at home

have enjoyed ‘Fun Friday’ each week, full of practical tasks such as baking and making bird feeders! We have ended the half term with ‘Around the World’ week which has been lots of fun for those at home and in school.

Each day we have celebrated a different country or continent (France, India, Hong Kong and North America).

We have baked bread and tasted the cuisine of each place, learnt traditional dances and enjoyed lots of craft

and practical activities.

The KS1 team would like to thank the parents and pupils at home for their excellent participation with online

learning. You’ve all done a truly fabulous job and have earned a well-deserved week off.

YEAR 3 This term Year 3 have been absolute super star learners at school and at home. We are all very proud of how well the children have adjusted to the changes. This term we have been finding out about the Stone Age. We have built model houses, made maps of farms and even had a go at cave art. In Science we have been learning about light, sources of light and whether light can travel. In English and Maths Year 3 have continued

to learn new things and have worked so hard at home and school on topics including; money, measures and lots of grammar skills. This week we are closing the half term with some cooking on Friday, we wish you all a restful half term.

YEAR 4 This week Year 4 have been up to lots of exciting stuff! Linked to our Geography topic, St Lucia, children have been baking banana bread and muffins. Mrs Bateman found her inner Nigella and demonstrated the recipe on Zoom, and the children in school had fun enjoying their baked goods at lunch. Our Science unit on Sound was rounded up with a string telephone experiment. Children explored how sound travelled and had fun sending messages to each other! Miss Smith and Mrs Bateman have also enjoyed reading the children's island adverts in English, and have been convinced that they'd like to buy a little piece of tranquil paradise...

YEAR 5 Year 5 have had another busy week of in school and online learning! We have been exploring the short animation Oktapodi in English, focussing on using a range of sentence starters to retell the story. In Maths, we

continue to develop our understanding of fractions, working on sequences and comparing. In History we have been artefact detectives, using our enquiry skills to uncover an Ancient Chinese artefact.

In RE we continued to look at the meaning and symbolism of peace. We had some hands-on Science, looking at the work of Leonardo de Vinci, constructing a replica of his bridge (in school) and testing his Vitruvian man measurements at home. We also had a live online space doodling lesson in Art and live Zoom PE lesson where children at home and in school set personal fitness challenges for each other. We are incredibly proud of all the children for their lovely work and would also like to thank parents in continuing to support with home learning.

ART THROUGH MUSIC COMPETITION Thank you, Year 5 and Year 6, for entering the Art competition, which was set for your music assignment last

week. I was really impressed by the range of ideas represented, and the many different styles of art used. What a

creative bunch you are, and how difficult to choose a winner. Thankfully, Ms Redwood made the final decisions.

Your prizes are in the office at school, if you want to come and collect them. The winners won a game, and the

runner up some sweets. I hope you all have some fun at half term. Many thanks and well done to you all, Mrs

Stonex.

Year 6 listened to Heitor Villa-Lobos – Bachianas brasileiras No. 2, The Little Train of the Caipira (finale) - BBC

Teach

Year 6 Winner: Isabelle Year 6 Runner Up: Emma

YEAR 6 This week in Year 6 we have been busy editing, redrafting, publishing and performing letters of complaint from our electronic devices. We have created a year group book 'The Day the Seaton Devices Quit' written in the style of Oliver Jeffers taking inspiration from his book - The Day the Crayons Quit. In Maths, we began the week by revisiting Geometry work exploring the properties of polygons with a particular focus on the 4 types of triangles and classifying quadrilaterals. We have now moved onto calculating missing angles in quadrilaterals and have been using and applying our prior knowledge to solve problems. We have also been busy making periscopes to explore how light travels in science, exploring the difference between facts, opinions and beliefs in RE and devising our own scavenger hunts around the local area for orienteering! Last Friday afternoon, Year 6 also enjoyed the Great Seaton Bake Off where they got to bake scones in class and live on Zoom. All of the year 6 children have worked incredibly hard this half term. We are incredibly proud of the way they have demonstrated the

Seaton Values of caring now for our future by developing their independence, resilience and adaptability to continue learning throughout this lockdown whether that be remotely on zoom or in school in the year pod.

Year 5 listened to Hans Zimmer – Earth - BBC Teach

Year 5 Winner: Ruby Year 5 Runner Up: William

Thanks to Ms Redwood for judging this competition.

SCIENCE WEEK Seaton Primary will be holding our Science week from Monday 29th March, with the theme of New Beginnings. I have been in contact with various organisations, such as Axe Valley Wildlife and Wild East Devon and we are in the process of putting together some plans. If you have any contacts or ideas for activities relating to nature, plants and growing, the environment and/ or animals, please let me know! I am aiming to fill the week with as many exciting and practical activities as possible. Many thanks, Miss Broom OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY

We would also like to say a special thank you to Seaton Library for their very kind

donation of books to the school.

A big thank you to the School PTFA as they have agreed to fund £500 of new fiction

books for the first stage of the library restock.

Thank you also to Lloyds Bank, Seaton for offering to make a large donation into the next PTA fundraiser which

will be used for the library project too.

FREE SCHOOL MEALS Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 do receive universal free school meals. However, you may be entitled to income related free school meals.

Income related free school meals means that your child could receive free school meals throughout their

primary school education. This is a mutually beneficial service for both the school and your child and is handled

completely confidentially. Due to the current situation it has become apparent that more families are entitled to

this. If you think that you may be eligible please do apply. When you receive notification that you are entitled

please notify the school office to let us know that you have been successful with your application.

Please follow the link below-

Citizen Portal - Sign in (devon.gov.uk)

Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you need any help at all when applying.

FOREST SCHOOL SHED Chris Holland is needing a few more paving slabs (about 4m sq.) for the new forest school shed base. If anyone has any spare and would like to kindly donate before the end of February then please contact Chris on- 07980 601 830 Thank you Thursday 4th March 2021 is WORLD BOOK DAY! We invite all pupils at home and at school to get dressed up as their favourite book character for the day. We will have lots of fun activities planned to celebrate reading so watch this space. We can't wait to see your creativity! We hope you have a fantastic half term and look forward to seeing you Monday 22nd February. Nic George Headteacher