Issue 2 | 2022
Newsletter
Mar ch 2022
FMROM OUR L EADERS EAD OFOF CAMPS ESSAGE FROM T H-EHH EAD CAMPUS As we have now passed to Code Yellow in Belgium's Barometer, we are delighted to say that this allows us to once again plan a residential trip for our Year 3-6 students. Our students have missed the opportunity to take part in this vital right of passage over the last two years, and we are confident that they will be very excited to participate in this year's trip. Residential trips have many benefits for students. T hey actively encourage the development of independence, confidence and self-esteem. T rying new experiences and activities promotes perseverance and resilience and strengthens crucial social skills and communication. Taking on an adventure together helps students establish firm and lasting friendships within their peer group and enhances relationships with their teachers. Collaborative activities help students build leadership skills and team spirit. Students feel empowered to stand on their own two feet and overcome any fears they may have about leaving their home comforts and families. Finally, our students will make many special memories that they will carry with them forever.
Issue 2 | 2022
T his year we will visit Worriken Sports Centre in Butgenbach. Students from both campuses will travel together for three days and two nights in June. T he centre offers a wide range of sporting activities for the children to experience during the day and games are organised for evening entertainment. More information will be sent out to parents shortly. We are really looking forward to seeing how the students blossom during the trip, and we really recommend that every child participates in this very important learning experience. Órla Mc L oughlin Head of Campus
Issue 2 | 2022
FROM OUR LEADERS - DEPUTY HEAD I t is always a wonderful experience to see students work collaboratively and solve problems together, this is what ST EM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) projects enable the children to do. T his term, students explored the floating gardens of Bangladesh, in relation to global warming and its effects. T hey discussed how our actions can affect countries far away. T hey looked at the problems of 6 months of rainfall in Bangladesh and how they have used engineering skills to develop gardens which will float and allow people to grow crops all year round. T he students also built their own floating gardens. Years 5 and 6 used twigs, leaves and soil to create their rafts, Years 3 and 4 used recycled materials and Years 1 and 2 had fun creating floating gardens out of construction toys. T he Early Years explored floating and sinking with fruit and toy animals and Pre-School even created floating gardens out of milk cartons. T he most exciting part of the project was harvesting the cress all the year groups had grown and eating it with cream cheese and cracker bread - yum! T hey gathered their crops enthusiastically and surprisingly loved their produce. To develop skills which may help others in the future and potentially solve world problems is indeed a brilliant reason to have our ST EM days and we are already looking forward to the next one. Julie Boyd Deputy Head of Campus
Issue 2 | 2022
EARLY YEARS AND FOUNDATION STAGE Pr e-Pr imar y have been busy becoming real chefs during their I PC unit ?Food?. First, we looked at eggs, milk, and other ingredients. We also helped Old MacDonald count the animals on his farm. We fried eggs from his farm to witness the change from liquid to solid. We looked at traditional food worldwide and baked authentic Belgian waffles. We experimented
Pr e-School have been learning about 'T ransport' in I PC. T hey talked about travelling on a train and then the children helped to create a train station in the role-play area. T he children enjoyed buying tickets from the ticket office before boarding the train. T he conductor has a megaphone to call ?all aboard!? to tell the passengers when the train is about to depart and the driver has been driving the train to countries all around the world! L earning about transport is great fun!
with food, to see if what sink or floats? We celebrated Chinese New
Year
by sharing
yummy spring rolls. We are now real chefs!
Issue 2 | 2022
LOWER PRIMARY Year 2 created beautiful self-portraits. After some practice, the students made their self-portrait using a picture as a reference. T hey also framed their portraits with drawings from their hobbies. I n our new I PC, ´ Hooray, let's go on a Holiday´ , Year 1 and Year 2
Year 1 students were very busy during the first half of Term 2. T hey have learnt about 3D shapes and compared weights with a balance. T hey loved working with physical aids, this way, they understood topics better. During enrichment lessons the children learn how to operate tablets safely. Year 1 students have also been discovering their way around the kitchen, learning about ingredients and the safety rules in the kitchen. T he children enjoyed making their rainbow grilled cheese sandwiches, and they certainly loved to eat them!
enjoyed learning and playing at the Airport and Hotel role-play area. T hey
packed
their
bags
and
passports and got ready to go to the airport. T hey checked in, and the flight attendant showed them the way and offered some drinks and magazines. T he captain said: ?all aboard' and off we go!? Once they landed, they checked into the hotel ready for their holiday. We had lots of fun!
Issue 2 | 2022
UPPER PRIMARY Year 3 & 4 - For our I PC unit 'Active Planet', students each created a 72 hour Survival Kit, complete with practical and interesting items including a compass and a battery powered radio. One student even had the survival bag turn into a tent! Year 5 - During Enrichment lessons students learnt about L unar New Year and how this event is celebrated in different communities around the world T he students learnt that there is lots of food eaten at this time of year that is not only delicious, but also rich in symbolism. T he dumplings, for example, represent silver ingots and the deep-fried spring rolls represent gold nuggets, both of which are a symbol of wealth and prosperity for the coming year. T he students also tried their hand at Chinese calligraphy, writing couplets to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year. During Science Week, Year 5 students also learnt about forces and how some shapes are stronger than others. T his lead to a spaghetti bridge building competition, where students had to construct a bridge out of spaghetti that would span a 50 cm gap, hold a toy emergency vehicle and be aesthetically pleasing what a challenge!
Issue 2 | 2022
UPPER PRIMARY Year 6 - I t?s hard to believe that Spring is here; time seems to be flying by rapidly as the students work so hard everyday, making the most of every learning opportunity. T hey completed their I PC unit ?Full Power?, exploring electricity and having fun creating electrical games and investigating conductors and insulators. T he unit was a practical one with lots of hands-on activities, which the students enjoyed immensely. T hey are now in the middle of a new I PC unit, 'W hat a Wonderful World' and they have made interactive presentations about Earth?s layers and they have been using Google Maps to explore their host and home countries. T he students have found their own namesake hurricanes, researching their effects on the countries they hit and they have considered the impact of deforestation for the planet. I ndividual, paired and group presentations have demonstrated their understanding of each topic. As part of an inter-school collaboration event, the students created artworks based on the theme of ?Jazz?. T hey used paper-cutting scraps to create their images whilst listening to ?smooth?jazz music. T heir artwork will be shared with local schools and we will have an opportunity to see the work of other schools too. Our students?work represents our school wonderfully. We feel proud of our achievements. cting the local environment.
Issue 2 | 2022
SCHOOL COUNCIL A message fr om the School Council - Pr esident T he Student Council, past and present, are very proud of the fund raising efforts of over the last few years and we are delighted to see these efforts rewarded in the construction of the play area swings. We have been asking for swings for a long time and COV I D got in the way of extra fund raising events- butthey are here! T hey are so popular Miss Orla has had to create a rota, as all the students want to play on them. Years 1 and 2 have the chance to play on them during morning playtimes and Years 3-6 can play on them at lunchtime. We must say a big ?thank you? to the maintenance team, for making the swings for us and now we look forward to our next fund raising project. Watch this space! Greetings Sara
Issue 2 | 2022
DUTCH
FRENCH Year 5 - 6 French studied Ecology and how we can save
the planet. T he students prepared a presentation for Year 3 - 4 to give them advice and recommendations an how they can save our planet! Schip ahoy, matrozen! During our last unit of Dutch, we have been exploring pirates! We followed the adventures of Piet Piraat, joined his crew and dressed ourselves as pirates, complete with our own treasure map. We will wrap up this unit with our very own treasure hunt in the school grounds. X marks the spot! Keep your eyes out for any 'schatkisten' we might come across.
Issue 2 | 2022
CLUB NEWS Baking Club
Puppet T heatr e
During baking club the children made waffles,
During 'Puppet theatre club the children discovered the
waffles,waffles! We measured and mixed,
adventures happening under the sea and in the jungle. W hat
baked and finally tasted our delicious
happens with the Flying Fish who can't fly and to Flimonga
creations!
the Flamingo who could not find her mother?