Lyonsdown News - 23rd February 2018

Half-term is a wonderful thing. Yes, the boys and girls (and perhaps teachers) of Lyonsdown enjoy the opportunity to visit museums, parks and trampoline centres but, more importantly, the holiday is a chance to rest and recharge. In true Lyonsdown form, our boys and girls have returned to school buzzing with energy and enthusiasm.

The week started with Caitlin P’s (Year 6) wonderful assembly about Chinese New Year: informative and interesting, pupils and staff learnt a great deal. It is when our senior girls speak with confidence (even if nervous) that a superb example is set. This is but one instance I could give of a Lyonsdown pupil demonstrating one of the broad range of qualities that they possess. They are superb examples to the younger years: just this week, a member of Year 4 told me her role model was a Year 6 girl “because she is kind.”

But children do not become upstanding members of a school community through guidance alone – they must make a choice to take responsibility for their own development. In a Year 1 lesson this week, one girl showed me her English work and said that it had been “hard, but I persevered so I could do it better.” I also spoke to a Year 3 girl about her experiences of Rainbows and Brownies (it is not just in School that Lyonsdown pupils make good choices). This took me back to my Scouting days, as did Year 5’s assembly when they led the whole school in singing a selection of traditional campfire songs. Luckily the girls knew where they came from: “mighty, mighty Lyonsdown” indeed.

On the subject of responsibility, I am delighted to say that the trial of Year 5 and 6 saying farewell to their parents at the main school gate has proven successful. As a result, from now on all Year 5 and 6 girls should walk from the pavement to the playground independently. In addition, we would now like to trial Year 3 and 4 being equally independent and also making the short walk. If you could encourage your daughter to do so it would be much appreciated. Many of the younger children have already made a choice to do so, which is as wonderful as the sight of older children escorting their younger siblings at the beginning of the day.

I sign off with further proof of the excellent choices Lyonsdown children make. Apparently after they have finished their homework, read a few chapters and engaged with the news, watching Star Trek is on the cards for a few. I look forward to hearing about books, current affairs and Captain Picard on Monday.

Separate notice

Thank you to those of you who have completed, signed and returned your consent form for use of images of pupils by the School. If you have misplaced your copy of the letter, please let the office know and a replacement will be sent home.

C. Hammond

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We have been advised that there will be some disruption in Richmond Road, due to construction works being carried out on behalf of Virgin Media. We have been advised that no works are taking place directly outside the school, but please be aware that these works will restrict the road during this time. It may be wise to park a short walk away from the school to ease congestion and to ensure the safety of all pupils. Could we also politely remind you not to park over neighbours drives. If you experience any

problems during the construction works, please let us know. Thank you!

The school photographer will be in school Thursday, 1st March to take class group photos and the netball team. We want the photos to look fantastic, therefore can I ask you to please make sure that your child/children are all wearing the correct winter uniform. The children will be photographed in their shirt and ties, for boys (Years 1 and 2) and blouses for girls. The girls’ blouses must have the revere neckline collar, not a button up collar, and any undergarments must not show above the collar. As the children will be photographed from head to foot, could you also make sure that all girls wear their grey tights on this day

and boys, grey socks. All girls’ hair accessories should be either dark green, dark purple or their natural hair colour and discreet. Please could you make sure that shoes are clean. Proofs of the photos will be sent home in due course, with instructions on how you can purchase them. Thank you.

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Year 1

The Year One children have designed and planned a castle in their Design

Technology lessons and now they have started to make a 3D model of a castle

using shoeboxes and their design plan. Some of the children enjoyed cutting,

gluing and sticking the castle together, paying attention to the special outside

features of a castle. It was great fun.

Mrs Hicks

Reception

Puzzle day problem solving

Reception thoroughly enjoyed tackling all the puzzles.

“I really liked doing all the problems. I found some of them hard but I persevered and my

group managed to solve them all.” Tabitha

“I thought the puzzles were really good because I found them fun.” Amelia

The Reception Team

Year 3 Year 3 have been learning about money this week in maths lessons. To gain valuable practice, a small shop was opened by Mrs Rodwell and the girls experienced adding items and giving change. Mrs Silve

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Year 5 Go on a PGL Adventure!

At the end of last half term, Year 5 spent 3 full and fun days at the Marchants

Hill PGL centre in Surrey. No doubt many will have already heard about their

escapades, thrills, challenges and sense of accomplishment, team work and

achievement which, as one parent commented, resulted in her daughter

returning home “bursting with joy and a year older”.

Yes, the girls did themselves, their families and their school proud. The staff

who accompanied: Miss Doyle, Mrs Murphie and Mrs Windsor were all

extremely impressed, not only by the good manners and behaviour of our

Lyonsdown pupils (which is always a given), but by how the girls worked

together to support, encourage and congratulate each other in every

endeavour and challenge undertaken.

Yes, every member of Year 5 did indeed grow in confidence, and sense of what

she can achieve – particularly when facing and overcoming fears. The beaming

smiles, enthusiasm and perseverance (despite the cold at times) and

congratulatory “high fives” said it all!

So once again, well done girls for all that you achieved at Marchants Hill. We

know that the experience and what you gained will stay with you for life.

Mrs Windsor, Miss Doyle and Mrs Murphie

Year 5

Maths Problem Solving Day

We were delighted to welcome the Problem Solving Company to

Lyonsdown this week. All the children from Reception to Year 6 took part

in a wide variety of activities using different equipment. The children were

given the opportunity to investigate, work collaboratively and creatively as

well as having to persevere to finish each task. Amongst other things, Year

4 were asked to describe Lego using mathematical vocabulary and then

remember shapes made by using these Lego pieces and recreate a shape

from memory. Children in Year 3 learnt what a pentomino was and in the

lower school they found out what trapeziums and parallelograms were.

Some children also built cubes or rectangles of different sizes using a

variety of equipment. Perhaps you could also ask Year 5 about the Towers

of Hanoi or the shape patterns they made using hexagons?

Mrs Polak

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Snow

The coruscating snow comes

Down silently like a dainty and dancing

butterfly.

It oscillates through the gentle breeze

Over the serene city

Glancing at the keen children waiting for

it

And gently, it lands and caresses the

ground.

BY RIYA (Year 6)

Artist of the Week

CONGRATULATIONS Mili (Year 3)

Year 3 have been producing designs for shields and

brooches from the Iron Age, as we have been studying

this period in history lessons. The people who lived in

the Iron Age were called Celts and the girls in Year 3

have been looking at Celtic designs before producing

their own and using a checklist of design features,

typical of Celtic design. Mili successfully produces

detailed designs featuring: animals or dragons,

symmetrical patterns, circles and spirals and crosses

and knots. Well done!

Mrs Silve

Lyonsdown Learning competition – Curiosity

I am pleased to announce the opening of our fourth Lyonsdown Learning habit poster competition, for curiosity. To enter the competition to create the symbol for this learning habit, your son or daughter should design (by hand or on the computer) a poster on a piece of plain A4 paper that they think best represents this learning habit. The word curiosity must be visible on the poster and the symbol design should be as clear as possible.

Entries produced by Upper School girls should be handed in to the School Office no later than Friday 23rd March at 10:40am. Children in Pre-Reception to Year 2 should hand their entries to their class teacher, who will deliver them. Please ensure that all entries are named on the back of the piece of paper. Results will be announced in the Summer Term.

Congratulations to Leni (1H) who is

the winner of the

Perseverance poster competition.

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The Week Ahead

26th Feb Year 1-6 Kinetic Theatre in school

27th Feb Year 5 William Morris Trip

28thFeb Year 6 Netball Match

1st March Whole School group photos

2nd March Clubs running as normal

Lunch Menu: Week Comm. 26th February 2018

Yogurts & fresh fruit available daily. HM—Homemade V—Vegetarian

Open Morning Saturday 17th March

Click here to book a place

The second set of Merit Awards for

2018 are now available to view on

the Parent Portal!

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Main Course Option 1

Meat Free Monday Falafel + Spinach

Burger + Raita Savoury Rice

Cod Fish Fingers + Wedged Potatoes

Creamy Chicken Pie HM + Roast Potatoes

Lamb Bolognese + Spaghetti HM

Barbeque Chicken

Drumstick HM + Oven Chips

Vegetarian Option 2

Penne Arrabiata HM

Sweet Potato + Lentil Curry V HM with Rice

Quorn Sausage V+ Roast Potatoes

Vegetarian Bolognese

+ Spaghetti V HM

Cheese + Tomato Pizza V

HM

Sides Carrot Batons Peas

Mixed Salad

Baked Beans Cauliflower Mixed Salad

Cabbage Sweetcorn

Mixed Salad

Broccoli Green Beans Mixed Salad

Sweetcorn Carrots

Mixed Salad

Dessert Oat Cookie HM

Strawberry Mousse

Fruit Pots HM Yoghurt

Marble Sponge + Custard HM

Vegetarian Jelly Pot

Fruit Pots HM Yoghurts

Sultana Flapjack HM Custard Pots

HM