Primary Welcome Assembly
It has been wonderful to welcome all our Early Years & Primary students to the start of the academic year. We have thoroughly enjoyed the week together where they have been getting to know their teachers and classmates and focussing on how they learn best. Please speak to your children about how they can keep their brain healthy, for instance a balanced healthy diet, getting enough sleep and regular bedtime routines, exercising and drinking enough water, as well as trying new things, taking risks like our risk-taking rhino and being positive about ourselves and our achievements.
We began the week with an assembly helping our friendly Yeti — who didn’t know it yet — discover what it truly means to be a ĢƵ Yeti: showing kindness and striving for excellence in everything we do!
Parent Information Session
EY
The Early Years children have had an exciting first week of term! They have been busy learning new routines and settling in their new environment. Throughout the week, the children enjoyed getting to know their teachers and making new friends. One of the highlights was exploring creativity through art by making self-portraits using a variety of materials such as buttons and wool. It’s been a great start for a happy and successful year ahead!
Year 1
This week, Year 1 began the Brainwaves project and were introduced to all of our ĢƵ learning animals, such as the Respectful Bee and the Resilient Street Dog. We learned how each animal represents a special learning attitude and discussed how we can show these qualities in our own work and play. The children then chose one learning animal to focus on, drawing, painting, and writing about it. Finally, we used our creations to make colourful and unique front covers for our IPC books – a fantastic start to our learning journey this year!
Year 2
Year 2s have made a brilliant start to the new academic year by learning about the Brainwaves unit in IPC. They have already earned their first Learning Badges by showing they are ready, organised, and positive about their learning. They discussed and wrote about the activities they are looking forward to in Year 2. From exciting school trips and the much-anticipated Camp ĢƵ to more opportunities for singing and dancing or forest school adventures, the enthusiasm is shining through! The children also learned about Respectful Bees, one of the ĢƵ learning animals. They had thoughtful discussions about what it means to be respectful and demonstrated their understanding by creating their own respectful bee characters. Each bee featured wings filled with ideas on how to show respect in the classroom and beyond. Year 2s are buzzing with excitement for the learning ahead!
Year 3
This week in Year 3, we explored the exciting topic of Brainwaves as part of the IPC curriculum. Through engaging activities and collaborative challenges, we discovered how the brain works when we learn something new, and how our growth mindset helps us grow stronger in Maths. We embraced challenges, celebrated effort, and reflected on strategies that helped them solve problems. A few quotes from the week: “I can’t do it yet.” – transformed to “I can learn this with practice.
Year 4
Year 4 have had a fantastic start to the year with their new IPC topic Brainwaves. They began with an exciting scavenger hunt, solving the clue to find puzzle pieces hidden around the classroom. Working together, they solved the puzzle and discussed how their brains helped them along the way. The children then explored what it means to have a growth mindset, thinking about how they can use this approach to make the most of their learning this year.
Year 5
Welcome back, Year 5! What a fantastic first week it has been, filled with smiling faces, laughter and buzzing energy. From the moment we stepped back into the classroom, the air was alive with excitement as friends reconnected and holiday stories were shared. Our days were packed with lively class discussions, collaborative games that had everyone cheering, and Brainwaves challenges that got our minds whirring (from quick-fire memory games to tricky logic puzzles and creative problem-solving tasks). The teamwork, enthusiasm and curiosity on display were inspiring, and we can’t wait for all the adventures, discoveries and unforgettable moments this term will bring. Our brains are like muscles and we are ready to get stronger!
Year 6
Year 6 kicked off their Brainwaves unit with an exciting entry point full of brainbreakers and challenges that put their thinking skills to the test. Working in pairs, students showed impressive cooperation, resilience, and creative problem-solving as they tackled each activity. Along the way, they reflected on what strategies, habits, and mindsets help them overcome challenges, setting the stage for a year of developing their learning powers.
Clubs
We are very excited that our wide range of clubs will be beginning on Monday, running from 2.30 – 3.30 each afternoon. It is wonderful to see our learners so excited to engage in different activities and develop skills in new areas.
Parents and Carers should have received confirmation today of any clubs that your children have been successful in securing a place in, should you need any further clarification, please do reach out to our Clubs Coordinators.
We ended the week with another lively assembly, joined by our Learning Animals: the Enquiring Owl, Respectful Bee, Responsible Dolphin, Cooperative Ant, Thoughtful Monkey, Empathetic Elephant, Risk-Taking Rhino, Resilient Street Dog, Creative Chameleon, and Communicative Parrot. Together, they faced a challenge that could only be solved by using each other’s strengths and demonstrating excellent teamwork.
All students have now been invited to choose one Learning Animal they would like to be more like in their own learning journey.
