Full Steam Ahead!

Our first full week under our belts - and what a week it has been! Our CSE clubs are nearly all in full flow - with just Thursday evening’s Football club commencing this week. Our learners have been singing, birdwatching, reading, crafting, investigating, reporting, gymnastic-ing (🧐), running, tag-rugby-ing and a whole lot more.

A gentle reminder to check which days your child has PE and clubs on, so they are not permanently living in their PE kit - timetables are available on each Google Classroom and soon to be hosted on SchoolBase too.

It has been lovely to see so many parents and family members at pick up and drop off - that little bit of ‘face time’ with your child’s teacher can be really useful too keep us updated with news. For those parents who do not enjoy the luxury of coming up the drive regularly, remember that teachers will gladly schedule a phone call with you, or book a meeting in should you require it. On this note, we have Parents’ Evening meetings on the horizon - a sign up form will be heading your way very soon.

Mr Morris

Buddy Beginnings

Reception spent time with Year 5 making leaf kebabs whilst building bonds. Final decisions on buddies will be decided over the weekend and all will find out on Monday! Look out for more buddy adventures on the PPB!

Mrs Gallanders

Creative Charcoal

This week in Year 6, we have really got going with our topic of World War 2. In our Art sessions we have begun to investigate the work of artist Jacqueline Hurley and the features of her creations. We examined several pieces of her work and then experimented with charcoal to try to create different tones and shades for a range of possible backgrounds. The children also considered perspective and how pockets of light could be added amongst the shadows.

Mr Armstrong

Circuit Training:

This week in Year 3 P.E, we had our stamina and endurance put to the test with some Circuit training in the Autumnal sunshine.  We worked on a series of stations - ladder runs, star jumps, high knees, ball control and shuttle runs, for 30 seconds on and 10 seconds off. They all worked tremendously hard even though the second circuit was tiring and did so with smiles on their faces! Well done Year 3!

Mrs Weightman

Viking Soda Bread

This week, Year 4 asked many interesting questions about life in Viking times including what people may have eaten during that era of British history. In order to find out more, the children read a soda bread recipe, used a dictionary to define the new vocabulary used and even had a try at baking the bread themselves! Learning went deeper through this hands-on activity, with an interesting discussion about whether ingredients in bread have changed over the centuries, and whether knives were available in Viking times to share the bread fairly. Do you think Vikings were more likely to evenly distribute a loaf by carving it with their swords, or to tear the bread unevenly with their bare hands? Ask a Year 4 pupil to find out more…

Mrs Pauline

Meerkat Mission

In Year 1 Meerkat Missions have landed!

Mr Mole’s good friend Mr Meerkat is working hard to keep Year 1 learning by setting them different challenges each day. Whether it is solving a maths problem or rescuing lost toys in our attic - they have been very busy. Stay tuned for more completed challenges on the PPB over the next few weeks, and why not ask your child which missions they managed to complete each day? One of their first missions was to venture across into the senior school and to join in with a music lesson with Miss Parry.

Miss Walsh

Young Voices - Years 3-6

It is my honour to announce that Cransley Junior School are participating in Young Voices 2025!

If your child is currently in Years 3, 4, 5 or 6, we warmly invite them to join us at this exciting and memorable event, taking place on Tuesday 25th February 2025 at Co-Op Live in Manchester. (Don't worry, I'll remind you nearer the time!) You may have heard about Young Voices before. Please read on to find out more about why we have chosen to work so closely with this fantastic musical organisation...

Young Voices provides your child with an unforgettable performance opportunity, an invaluable platform to nurture creativity and confidence, as well as fostering a sense of community in partnership with other schools across the UK. Your child will access the full Young Voices repertoire within their weekly Music lessons at school, we will be learning the dance moves within our Celebration Assemblies too. Additionally, I am offering a Young Voices lunchtime club on Mondays, so if your child is eager to learn additional harmonies and counter melodies then please invite them along!

From Bowie to Birdhouse In Your Soul, you will undoubtedly be singing along with your child in no time! Please follow this link to sign up with Young Voices and access the tracks and more from home.

Mrs Pauline

Dates for the Diary:

• 17.09.2024 - Author Michael Thame workshop with Y6

• 20.09.2024 - EYFS Phonics and Reading Event 3pm - 3.30pm

• 21.09.2024 - Open Day from 10am

• 24.09.2024 - Whole School Photograph

• 30.09.2024 & 01.10.2024 - Junior School Parents’ Evenings

• 2.10.2024 - Year 6 Money Matters Workshop

Celebrations

In a change from our usual format - our celebrations section with henceforth be hosted and populated by our new Cransley Chronicle news reporters, coordinated by Miss Lloyd. If you have some good news to share, please send it into school and our reporters will seek it out - first edition coming next week!

Special Mentions

Reception:

This week’s special mention goes to a Reception child for venturing beyond. He has wowed me every number lesson whether it was counting, recognising and ordering numbers, saying 1 more or 1 less. BUT what really astonished me, was during MOLE missions this person independently found a whiteboard and pen and started writing addition and subtraction facts up to a 100. Already a super learner, well done Jenson!    

Year 1:

This week our special mention goes to someone who has been working hard to be a great learner! They are always first on the carpet to show me they are ready and are respectful to other learners around them. Not only are they a super friend on the playground but have been working hard to seek excellence when lining up and moving around school. A huge well done to Ottie!

Year 2:

In honour of this week’s seeking excellence focus. I have chosen someone who embodies this value. This person tries their best in everything they do, even when it is tricky. She seeks out challenges in class and home learning. Her ideas in English have stood out and inspired others in her class to try their hand at expanded noun phrases. She is sensible and calm moving around our school, an excellent role model for younger pupils. Please keep setting the example for seeking excellence in our school, Hattie!

Year 3:

This week I am delighted to say that each and every child in Year 3 has tried in one way to seek excellence throughout their school day.  Whether it be remembering their manners by holding the door for each other in the corridors, talking with indoor voices in the lunch hall, supporting their friends with new club routines or asking for help when unsure of their learning.  My special mention this week goes to someone who embodies all these positives in everything they do throughout the day. They are polite, kind and always looking to challenge themselves with their learning. This student is a role model for everyone that is seeking excellence at Cransley, well done Ryker!

Year 4:

Mr Morris challenged us to seek excellence this week in our behaviour, our appearance and our school work. This individual has taken Mr Morris’ challenge very seriously and has lined up beautifully every day, focused all of their concentration in lessons, and even buttoned up their blazer each morning! You are impressing us all, keep it up…Matteo!

Year 5:

This week, my special mention goes to someone who has been Seeking Excellence both in and out of school. This child has been committed to their progress, eager to be challenged and make their own improvements to their work. I was impressed by her editing skills when writing our diary entry this week - her work is covered in beautiful black pen! Outside of school, she is our mega reader with a huge number of Boom Reader logs already. Well done for showing such dedication to your learning, Martha!

Year 6:

As we come to the end of our first full week, I can report that Year 6 have continued to maintain their drive and appetite for new learning. My selection this week is someone I feel has focused on achieving all our school values. They produced some super emotive and descriptive writing based around an image from our World War 2 text as well as contributing thoughtfully when questioning our shared reading text. Furthermore, she ventured beyond this week by emailing me after school one evening with some well researched suggestions for trips and visits we could try that are linked to our topic work. A great positive attitude, Hollie!