2RW’s Class Assembly:  2RW shared a wonderfully creative assembly with us on Friday 3^rd July. Drawing on their class novel, Matilda, and linking it to their recent learning about space, the children gave a fantastic presentation. They confidently recalled the names of all the planets and delighted us with a beautiful poem about the stars. Thank you, 2RW, for such an engaging and memorable assembly – it was fantastic!

 

London Calling:            On Thursday 2^nd July, our School Council members enjoyed a trip to London, where they experienced a boat trip along the River Thames and had fun spotting some famous landmarks, including Tower Bridge and Big Ben. Following this, they were treated to a tour of the Houses of Parliament, where they were even allowed to enter the public galleries where they witnessed the Lords and MPs debating. The children also took part in a fun and interactive workshop and learnt that King Henry VIII used to play tennis in the Palace of Westminster. The children behaved beautifully throughout the day and were a real credit to Moat House. 

 

Transition Day: On Wednesday 1^st July, all of our children were excited to be told their new classroom and teacher for September. They spent the whole day in their new classrooms and the children and staff enjoyed getting to know each other. These are the classes for the new academic year:

 

Year 2 Trip to Coombe Abbey:  On Tuesday 30^th June, Year 2 enjoyed a wonderful trip to Coombe Abbey. The children were full of excitement from the moment they arrived! They began the day with a lovely walk through the park, taking in the beautiful surroundings and admiring the impressive hotel. The children especially enjoyed watching the swans and ducks along the river. Next, the children took part in a fascinating minibeast hunt. Armed with magnifying glasses, they explored the woodland in search of a variety of minibeasts. Some of the children were even brave enough to hold some of the creatures they discovered! After another walk through the park, they stopped to enjoy their lunch before spending the afternoon making the most of the fantastic play areas and playing football on the field. The children were a real credit to the school throughout the day. Their behaviour was exceptional and we were incredibly proud of the way they represented our school.

 

Year 5 Trip to Derbyshire:      On Monday 29^th June, the other half of our Year 5 children, enjoyed an exciting residential visit to Derbyshire. On Monday, they arrived and set off on a woodland walk, where they sang songs, played games and finished the day with a warming hot chocolate. On Tuesday, they visited Conkers and had a fantastic time exploring the many attractions, including The Warren, Dino Dig, the 4D Cinema, the Splash Park and the train ride. On the final day, they visited Rosliston Forestry Centre, where the children worked in teams of four to navigate their way around the woodland, using only a map. It was a wonderful challenge that encouraged teamwork and problem-solving. The residential was a fantastic experience, and everyone had a brilliant time making memories, taking part in new adventures and enjoying sleepovers with their friends.

 

Year 5 Trip to Conkers: On Monday 29^th June, half of our Year 5 children enjoyed an exciting trip to Conkers. During their visit, they tackled the low ropes course, learned about the importance of forests and their role in protecting the environment, explored the adventure playground and took part in a nature walk. One of the highlights of the day was Mr Wood’s experience of a lifetime as he had the opportunity to drive the small train that transports visitors around the park! The children represented the school brilliantly and had a fantastic time throughout the day, creating many wonderful memories.

 

1CA Class Assembly:  Congratulations to 1CA, who shared a wonderful assembly with us on Friday 26^th June! They showed great enthusiasm in sharing how they’ve been learning their sounds and building their sentence writing skills. They also shared how they explored the continents and helped us all remember what an amazing place our world is! Well done for your hard work and confidence—keep it up! 🌍✨

 

Year 6 Visit to the Cinema:   On Wednesday 24^th June, our Year 6 children spent the morning at the cinema, as a reward for all of their hard work and dedication in the lead up to SATs, as well as the fantastic effort they showed during the assessments themselves. We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the resilience they showed during a tricky week. The children had the choice of watching either Masters of the Universe or The Sheep Detectives and both films were thoroughly enjoyed. A visit to the snack counter was an exciting treat, with children making the most of the opportunity to buy their favourite cinema treats. It was a lovely opportunity for the children to relax and celebrate their achievements. All of the children had a fantastic day and with the current heatwave, the air-conditioned cinema was a welcome escape from the soaring temperatures! 

 

Getting ready for school (Nursery):  On Wednesday 24^th June, parents and children who are due to start in our Nursery this September were invited into school to find out more about the setting, daily routines and learning at Moat House. The Nursery staff introduced themselves and parents had the opportunity to ask any questions, whilst the children explored their new classroom.

 

Year 5 Visit: On Tuesday 23^rd June, Year 5 were invited to attend Grace Academy for French and Science Workshops. After a quick (and hot) walk to the secondary school the children were excited to learn some basic French phrases, so that they could order at a 'French Cafe'. After this, the children visited the chemistry labs and were given the opportunity to make 'elephant toothpaste'. There was much excitement as the coloured foam rose out of their test-tubes! 

 

PCSO Visit:     On Monday 22^nd June, our Reception and Year 1 children welcomed a visit from our local police officers. This opportunity allowed the children to practise the skills they had learnt during the previous sessions and recall the important information they should know. They also had the chance to try on the police uniform and even ‘arrest’ some of the teachers!  We are very grateful for their visits, as they make each session fun, engaging and exciting for the children.

 

 

Fathers’ Day Breakfast:         Our pop-up Father's Day shop was very successful in the week beginning 15^th June and many children enjoyed choosing a gift for loved ones – if you received one, we hope you enjoyed your special gift. Many parents joined us for breakfast on Friday 19^th June – it was lovely to see our special visitors spending time with their children playing games and crafting, as well as enjoying a delicious breakfast.

 

 

Getting ready for school:       On Wednesday 17^th June, parents with children who are due to start our Reception in September were invited into school to find out about the setting, the school routines and the learning at Moat House. The teachers and teaching assistants introduced themselves and parents were given the opportunity to ask any questions that they may have.

 

Coombe Abbey:       On Tuesday 16^th June, Year 1 visited Coombe Abbey. The children went on a woodland walk in and out of trees where they were able to explore and find natural objects like pine cones and twigs. They spotted lots of wildlife such as squirrels, birds and even a rabbit. They particularly liked watching the ducks and geese on the pond. Children even saw some cute, fluffy cygnets. To end the day, the children got to explore the wonderful play area in the woods. The children were all excellently behaved showing respect to each other and members of the public. 

 

PCSO Visit:     On Monday 15th June, our Year 3 and Year 4 pupils took part in an engaging "Actions and Consequences" workshop led by our PCSOs. During the session, the children explored how positive choices can lead to positive outcomes and discussed the consequences of inappropriate behaviour. One aspect of the workshop that particularly surprised the children was learning about the age of criminal responsibility in England, which is 10 years old. Many pupils were shocked to discover that children can be arrested from this age if they break the law. They were also interested to learn that, before this age, parents and carers can be held accountable for their children's behaviour and may face consequences for serious incidents. The workshop provided a valuable opportunity for pupils to learn about responsibility, decision-making, and the impact their actions can have on themselves and others. The children were highly engaged throughout and asked many thoughtful questions, demonstrating their enthusiasm and understanding of the topic.

 

Big School: On Friday 12^th June, our Year 6 children took part in ‘Big School’ - this was an original theatre-in-education programme that combined a live theatre performance with engaging participatory activities. The programme was designed to support pupils as they prepare for the move to secondary school, providing a safe and interactive space to explore their thoughts and feelings about this important transition. Through the performance and follow-up activities, children considered some of the challenges they may encounter and developed practical strategies to help them manage change, build confidence and approach the next stage of their education positively. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were actively involved throughout, demonstrating thoughtful reflection and enthusiasm. It was a valuable opportunity to help prepare them for the exciting journey ahead.

 

 

 

 

5BC Class Assembly: 5BC delivered a fantastic assembly on Friday 12^th June, sharing their learning about the Victorians. They explained how the British Empire grew to become one of the largest in history, covering a quarter of the world’s land and population. The children also spoke about the challenging lives of Victorian children, who often worked long hours in dangerous conditions. It gave us all a real appreciation of how fortunate we are to live in the modern world.

 

Phonics Screening:  In the week beginning 8^th June, our Year 1 (and some Year 2) children showed off their amazing reading skills in the national phonic screening assessment. They used their sounds to read real words, as well as nonsense words. They all put in lots of effort and we are very proud of them.

 

Multiplication Tables Check:     The children have worked incredibly hard (in the week starting 8^th June) during the Multiplication Tables Check, showing excellent focus and determination. They demonstrated great confidence in their times tables and approached the assessment with a positive attitude. We are very proud of how well they applied themselves and the effort they put into their learning. Well done Year 4!

 

Tour de France:     The school football team enjoyed a very memorable and hot tournament in Hordain, France from 23^rd – 25^th of May. The team finished 9^th out of 20 teams, having played against some very competitive European teams (effectively winning the “Europa League.”) The team won four out of the seven matches they played and this included a thrilling penalty shoot-out, which was decided by Bradley, Leo and Theo scoring their penalties and more crucially, two fantastic saves by Michal! The children especially enjoyed experiencing European culture by staying with host families, which included them tasting local cuisine and trying to communicate in a mixture of English and French. For videos and photographs of the trip, please check out Class Dojo.

 

4ML’s Class Assembly:   We enjoyed learning lots about CS Lewis’ book, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in 4ML’s assembly on Friday 22^nd May. The children shared some of the meanings and messages behind the story and acted parts of it out. One important theme was that we should not be worried about making mistakes as these lead to making progress and learning new things.

 

Year 6 Performance:  In the week beginning 18^th May, Year 6 selected their end of year performance: Rapunzel. They held auditions for roles such as the Barbershop Bros, Prince Teddy, Rapunzel, and many more. Final auditions will take place at the beginning of June and there is lots of excitement, as the children look forward to discovering which part they will play.

 

Year 6 SATs:      Our Year 6 pupils showed incredible determination throughout SATs in the week commencing 11thn May and they approached each test with focus, resilience and a positive attitude. A huge well done to every child for giving their very best — we are all so proud of you. The children rounded off this demanding week with some Friday fun, consisting of a water fight; it was a well-deserved break, after all their hard work.

 

Reception trip to Warwick Castle:      On Thursday 14^th May, our Reception children enjoyed a trip to Warwick Castle. When first arriving at the castle, the children were greeted by an archer who was doing target practise. The children were wowed by the size of the castle and enjoyed exploring both the king maker exhibition and the state rooms, which allowed them to compare their learning in the classroom with real life exhibitions. In addition, the children were extremely enthusiastic whilst helping the princess find her lost keys in the tower and were fascinated by the bird of prey show. The children also managed to either attend knight school or a “meet and greet” with Zog. They finished the day off having fun in the Zog playground - a fantastic day was had by all!