Letter to Parents - April 2012

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the summer term!  I hope you all had a restful Easter break and are raring to go for the action-packed term ahead.  

Firstly, I would like to say a huge well done to all the Star Room for what they have achieved thus far this year.  Your support for your children has been invaluable, and I believe that it has been the tremendous teamwork from all parties that has allowed for such a brilliant level of success, so thank you. However, the year is by no means over and we still have lots to look forward to including the hotly anticipated trip to Hooke Court.  Fingers crossed the sun shines for us!

We have lots of interesting things to get our teeth stuck into this term, some of which I have outlined below. We welcome any artefacts (not precious ones), posters and books you may have that the children want to bring in that are relevant.

History

Changing Britain 1970-

Looking at the ever changing world we live in; we will be focusing on how the UK has moved with the times since the swinging 60s by comparing and contrasting different eras and how they affect our lives today.

Geography

Settlements

A key topic of human geography, the Stars will get the opportunity to look at how settlements are formed in both the UK and overseas. We will be taking a closer look at our immediate environment, investigating how the community in and around Charterhouse and Smithfield has evolved - this will include a guided tour of the area, which will no doubt reveal some long-hidden, and often unsavoury, secrets.

Science

Microbes

Following on from Science Week and our trip to the Centre of the Cell last term, the children will get the chance to explore the fascinating, hidden world of microbes and how they affect us in our everyday life.

R.E.

Linking in with our topic of Settlements, Father Anthony will this term be taking the children to The Charterhouse to talk about the history of the area including details of the plague. We visit a variety of sites over 8 weeks and the children will be note taking and sketching as part of a mini-project. I will be accompanying the children every session.

Spanish

As a change from last term, I will now be teaching the Stars Spanish on a Wednesday mornings instead of French. Having specialised in teaching languages for my PGCE and having lived in Madrid and Andalucía, I am very much looking forward to teaching the language but also putting it into context for the children by looking at the wondrous and varied cultures of Spain and South America.

Reading

We continue to place great emphasis on reading throughout the school, so the Star children are expected to read a book per week; unless it is a particularly lengthy novel in which case two weeks is acceptable. The library system logs all of the books read so we are keeping track of their progress. Children have remembered to update their diaries well so far, just a quick reminder that the reading book must be left in the homework folder. Please feel free to add your own notes in the reading diary.

Other information you may find useful is:

• The Star Room will be swimming at Golden Lane every Thursday morning, so please remember appropriate swimwear, goggles and swimming hats which are required now by both girls and boys.
• Due to the project, there will only be maths homework and spelling for the leavers.
• The Star Room will also be taking part in the DARE programme with PC Eyley.  It is a hugely informative part of the PSHE curriculum which helps children become more aware of dangerous situations involving alcohol and drug abuse.

I very much look forward to all that this term has to offer and think it will be hugely educational term on both a social and academic level.

Thank you for your continued support. If you have any queries or problems, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With much anticipation,

Hannah (Star Room Teacher)