On Tuesday 14^th March, some children from Year 5 and 6 (who may be going to Cardinal Wiseman for their secondary school) had an opportunity to visit the school and participate in different activities. First, the children were able to meet the Headteacher and ask him questions. Then, the children learned how to calculate the age of a tree and the length of its roots. After that, there was a competition to design a bird house, with the winning design being made for the school site. Lastly, the children went onto the field to plant some trees, which will grow with them, during their time at secondary school. It was a fantastic day and the children had a great time! 

On Monday 13^th March, Year 5 were visited by the Mental Health team, who delivered a workshop on anxiety and perfectionism. During the session, the children thought about some of the things they get anxious about and learnt that anxiety is a normal emotion. They discovered that anxiety can actually be a good thing in some instances and they were given strategies to support them in dealing with these feelings. They then looked at how it is okay to make mistakes and about how making mistakes can often have a positive outcome.

In the week beginning 13^th March, we celebrated British Science Week. The theme this year is 'connections' so we have been making links between reading and science. Each year group read a different story and carried out some investigations linked to them. The children in Year 1 read 'The Princess and the Pea'. They then designed their own mattress and discussed which materials they thought would be best to use so that the princess wouldn't feel a pea. Following this, they tested their ideas. In Year 3, the children read 'The Gingerbread Man'. They investigated what happens when a gingerbread man is placed in different liquids. The children also really enjoyed designing and making boats using different materials before testing which boats were able to keep a gingerbread man safe from water. 

We really enjoyed 5LM’s assembly on Friday 10^th March, which was about the Victorians. They taught us about some of the inventions that were developed by the Victorians and explained how big the Victorian Empire was; and that some of the countries that were in the Empire were not that keen on it! We also learned about the differences between poor children and their wealthier peers. Given the choice, they all decided that they would prefer not to be poor!   Life in the workhouse sounded pretty miserable.

In the week commencing 27^th February, the children at Moat House celebrated World Book Day. Across the whole school, each class focussed on the book 'Pretty' by Canizales, which teaches children all about the importance of loving themselves as they are. With this in mind, on Thursday 2^nd March, the children came to school dressed as themselves or wearing something they felt represented them. Several competitions were also run across the school with many children winning book tokens to be spent at the book fair, which will arrive at school in April. As well as exploring this book, children took part in a range of other activities, from online webinars with famous authors and performing stand up comedy to baking gingerbread men and going on book hunts! All children thoroughly enjoyed their book themed week and we are hopeful that they now love books even more!

On Friday 3^rd March, 5JK enjoyed their first session of Bikeability. The session involved the children learning how to safely get on and off a bike, how to push themselves off to start riding and how to ride a bike correctly. For the more confident bike riders, an explanation of how to signal before turning was given and the children then had the chance to try out the skill. All of the children were really well behaved and cannot wait for their next session.

Thank you for all of your support in contributing to the appeal to raise money for the victims and families of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria, on Friday 17^th February. We raised a total of £275.49.