Issue 1 Friday 15 September 2017

Junior, Infant and Pre-School Newsletter Issue 1 Friday 15 September 2017 Dear Parents A very warm welcome back to school after what I hope has been a marvellous summer for all of our families. We were delighted to see so many smiling faces last Tuesday morning, including a great many new pupils joining year groups across the school. The children are quickly finding their feet and establishing new friendships and I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to children excitedly exchanging stories and adventures that they have encountered over the summer holidays. I have been delighted to see that all the children are ready to persevere and work through any challenges and problems that may lie ahead for them this year. The enthusiasm with which the children embrace tasks is indicative of the positive approach to school life at KGJS. We also welcome three new teachers: Miss Hannis joins us to teach in I1, Miss Knowles in J1 and Mrs Heatley in J2. They are equally as excited to have joined our warm and vibrant school community.

As ever, we have a great deal planned for this academic year and this fortnightly newsletter will play a part in helping you to keep up to speed with the many events that fill each week here at KGJS. Our aim is to ensure that you have all the information you need, but you are always welcome to call the office should you need clarification.

Please may I kindly request that all pupils are wearing the correct uniform at all times. If you are unsure of the uniform regulations, please ask for a uniform list or alternatively ask a member of staff.

I look forward to seeing you at our Parents’ Social and Information Evening next Wednesday at 7pm.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!

Mrs AS Roberts Headmistress Follow me on Twitter: Annette Roberts @KGJShead

We welcome all the Pre-School children and their families. They have had a wonderful start to the academic year and are getting to know each other. They have started using different materials to strengthen their little fingers. Finger printing, using one finger at a time, shape formation with Peter Pointer in paint and shaving foam and Dough Disco are some of the exciting activities they have been enjoying. Book Week has been a super week. They have been reading the story of ‘Tabitha Posy’ and are learning about feelings and zoo animals. They have created some fabulous paintings using feathers and other resources.

At the start of the new academic year, Mrs Case celebrated 25 years of teaching at Kirkham Grammar Junior School. Over the years, she has taught every year group apart from I1 and has seen many changes to both the buildings and staff.

Congratulations, Mrs Case, on this significant milestone. Here’s to many more!

It was lovely to welcome our new I1 children to KGJS last week! They all had a super first day and were delighted to receive their ‘Schultüte’ cones at the end of the day. The cones are a symbol of the time that children are ready to start school.

There is an old German story which says teachers put cone shaped bags on the ends of their trees in the garden. When the bags are full of goodness and ready to drop, then it is time for school!

The children have all settled into school life really well and arrive at school with smiles on their faces! Together, as part of Book Week, the children have been reading the story ‘Dear Zoo’ and were very excited to find that they had been sent a mystery parcel from the zoo. However, the zoo told the children that they were not allowed to open the parcel! The children drew pictures of different animals they thought could be in the mystery parcel. Some thought there might be a snake inside, or a frog or even a caterpillar!

It is always lovely to hear about the children’s achievements outside of school. The children have certainly been very busy over the last couple of weeks!

Well done to Alice Bunday, George Godbold, Sam Goodman and Sophia Gough (Music), Isabel Tuck (Triathlon), Raia Trend (Skiing), Ava Godbold (Swimming) and Joseph Mahoney (Tennis & Swimming).

The I2s have started their topic ‘Who am I?’ So far, they have learned about the parts of the body and even took their learning outside to draw round their class partner’s body. They had great fun looking at the shapes they had created!

Well done to all the children!

On Monday 11 September, we had a very special visitor to KGJS. Mrs Molin Rose came into school to talk to the children about harp lessons! Mrs Molin Rose entertained the children with two very popular tunes from the musicals, ‘Wicked’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

Please speak to the school office if your child is interested in learning how to play the harp! A video clip from the presentation is now available to view on both our KGS You Tube Channel and Facebook page.

Thank you to Mrs Molin Rose for coming into school.

We are fortunate to be able to offer individual tuition in the following areas; Piano, Brass Instruments, Drums and Percussion, String Instruments, Harp, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Singing and Speech and Drama.

Choir practice will take place on a Wednesday morning break in the Junior School Hall and all juniors are welcome.

Vocal ensemble will take place for selected J3 and J4 pupils on a Tuesday lunch time. Please see the Junior School Office for more information.

During Book Week, the I3’s topic was ‘Monsters’. In their Art lesson, they covered balloons with newspaper and PVA glue. These are being transformed into monster heads. One or two balloons popped making them all jump and covered the unfortunate individual in glue!

The Golden Days song and video are now finished and we are looking to raise money for Brian House through the sales of a 'Limited Edition' CD. If you would like to place an order for this very worthwhile cause, please pick up an order form from the school office and return it by Friday 22 September. Please include cash or a cheque for ÂŁ3.50 payable to S Cox. Thank you in advance for your support.

During Arts Afternoon on Tuesday 12 September, the J1 children thoroughly enjoyed their music lesson with Mrs Shuttleworth.

Following on from the KGJS Charity Triathlon which took place earlier this year to raise money for Brian House Children's Hospice, Glenn Packer, Matthew Weare, Claudia Allison, Lilly Jones, Thomas and James Shuttleworth went with Mr Oddie, Mrs Shuttleworth and Mrs Tickle to visit the hospice over the summer. Upon arrival they were greeted by Emma who showed them around the wonderful hospice and they were able to meet some of the amazing staff who work there as well as some of the children who are staying there. Brian House is celebrating its 21st birthday this year and, to mark this, the children were presented with a framed certificate to thank the whole school for their support over the years. Brian House Children's Hospice is a fantastic place which helps terminally ill children make the most of their lives in a positive and enjoyable way.

This week the children have enjoyed a range of activities for Book Week! As part of the J4 English Curriculum, they have been studying ‘Eye of the Wolf’ by Daniel Pennac and extended this during arts afternoon, creating wolf masks relating to the text so far! Other class activities feature within this newsletter! Paired reading took place across the whole school foundation throughout the week, giving the older children the chance to work with the younger pupils. The Book Fair was once again in school with each class having the opportunity to peruse the huge variety of books on sale. Thank you to Mrs Hughes for her support with the Book Fair.

Today, the staff and children came to school dressed as book characters. There was a wonderful array of outfits including Harry Potter, Where’s Wally, a jellyfish, St Trinians, Dennis the Menace, Mary Poppins and the Fantastic Mr Fox to name just a few!

Thank you to all of our parents for their support this week.

J4 Table Tennis club was a huge success on Monday night and enjoyed by all who attended!

Can you work out where this photo was taken within the KGJS building?

Junior School Car Park - It is always a busy time around school, at the start of the new academic year, however please could we ask parents/carers to be considerate to other drivers and be extra vigilant of children on the playground car park at the end of the day.

Thank you.

Saturday 16 September - U11 Rugby 7s Tournament - UCLAN Sports Arena 10am Tuesday 19 September - U10 Rugby v Casterton (A) 4pm Wednesday 20 September - Parents’ Social & Information Evening 7pm-9pm Saturday 23 September - U9 & U11 Girls Hockey v AKS (A) 9.30am U10 Rugby Tournament (H) 10am Sunday 24 September - Open Afternoon Junior School 1pm-3pm Senior School 1.30pm-4.30pm Monday 25 September - FKGS AGM, Old Hall, 7.30pm Wednesday 27 September - J3 Bushcraft Trip departs 8.15am (returns Fri 29, 4.30pm) U9 & U11 Netball v SMH (A) Thursday 28 September - J4 French Morning Friday 29 September - Macmillan Coffee Morning, Junior School Hall, 8.45am-10am Saturday 30 September - U9 Rugby Tournament (H) 10am Wednesday 4 October - U10 & U11 AJIS Cross Country, Rossall Friday 6 October - Harvest Assembly U11 Girls St Pius Netball Tournament (A) 12 noon Saturday 7 October - U8 Rugby Tournament, Preston Grasshoppers, 9.30am-10.30am

The next newsletter will be issued on Friday 6 October