Day One

 

We’ve had a busy day at Moors Valley, settling into our rooms, having a tour and playing in the basketball court. We’re at campfire now and having a good sing song. 

Moors Valley

 We’re having a great time at Moors Valley. Just stopping for lunch before the fun continues. 

Year 5/6 visit to Gilbert White's House

 

This week, Year 5 and 6 visited Gilbert White's House and Garden as part of their exploration topic. A great time was had by all despite the Antarctic conditions outside on the meadow. Both classes learnt the art of semaphore (flag signalling), map reading and compass skills. In addition to this, they learnt about Scott's expedition to the South Pole. 

Learning Values Champions

Collaboration (June 2021)

Collaboration Champions

Acorns

When the Acorns team tried to choose the winner they had lots of names to consider. Oscar always helps others by tidying up other people’s toys and games. He can always be relied upon to be in the middle of activities, listening to the ideas of his classmates respectfully. He always works well in a group, taking turns. He will do anything that he is asked, and will communicate well with others, whether children or adults.

Well done Oscar!

Conkers

The team have recognised that all of the children are good at working together and being a team. They have been getting better at this throughout the year. Eva can be relied upon by Mrs Stanley and Mrs Phillips to work well in a group. She is able to spot someone who might be struggling with learning or joining in. Following this she will ask them to join in with her game or activity. She is confident supporting others and is good at helping.

Well done Eva!

Pinecones

Mrs Hart explained to the class that everyone in Pinecones collaborate together and so it was difficult to choose one winner. For the whole year, Tom has been good at letting people join in with his activities. He has ideas for new games to play and includes other children if they are sad or lonely. He is kind, including children not only in learning but also in play. He takes time to be with lots of different children, and includes everyone in what he is doing.

Well done Tom!

Y2

This was an easy choice for the Y2 staff team. Lauren stands out in terms of her collaboration skills consistently. She is often helping others, working alongside them and guiding them. She notices when someone needs support and helps when she can. She always works well in a group. Lauren will join a group, move groups to enable groups to work well and find partners easily. Lauren’s particular skills in this area are natural in that she notices who needs support and offers collaborative guidance when needed.

Well done Lauren!

Y3

Mr Harrison and the team used their own collaborative skills to identify the champion in Y3! Tom has collaborated and worked so well with all of their group in both English and maths learning activities. When working as part of a team or group, Tom is confident helping others during learning time. He has also helped others during play and lunch times, as well as during other times of the day. Tom always goes above and beyond to help others, and has been a good friend In Y3. He is skilled at keeping teams of children together both in learning and in play.

Well done Tom!

Y4

Like many of the other classes, Miss Macmaster said this had been a hard choice for the team. However, Amelia is always helpful, both with staff and children in the class. In lesson time, she always tries to make sure everyone else knows what they’re doing, sharing her knowledge with them. She is what the team describe as a ‘generous learner’, in that she passes useful things onto others. She has a lovely manner and lovely manners! She works well in groups of all sizes and in any combination and has become more confident at taking the lead sometimes.

Well done Amelia!

Y5

Choosing a Learning Values Champion is always hard for the Y5 team, since everyone works hard to show these continuously throughout the day. However, Eleanor stood out as a shining example from her work both in and out of the classroom. Eleanor gets on with everyone, and plays with anyone. She is positive with any team of children, either in the classroom or in PE. She is willing to work with everyone, includes everyone and allows everyone to have a go. She works well in any group, contributing and listening.

Well done Eleanor!

Y6

The Y6 team found choosing this one hard as the whole class have made progress over the year with their collaboration skills. From a short list, the team found themselves choosing the same person. Leyla can always be trusted to work collaboratively with any group in all subjects, including PE, science and maths. She is a fantastic person who helps to keep the peace between groups. She shows respectful behaviour whilst playing in different groups, spending time at break and lunch working with different people. She helps to make sure that the whole of the Y6 class team can work together as one team.

Well done Leyla!

 

Learning Values - Curiosity Champions (Spring Term 2021)

Immediately after the Easter holidays, I was privileged to be able to participate in awarding the winning Curiosity Champion badges and certificates to this set of very worthy winners.  Curiosity is one of our six learning values and as part of the education we all receive at Kings Copse, we want all learners to want to be interested in their learning, along with all of the other learning qualities. This is what makes learning at our school the best we can make it and helps us aspire to be the best we can be.

The winners...

YR/1 Acorns 

Arron was chosen by Mrs Dalton, Mrs Miles and the team because he is interested in all of the areas outside the classroom, particularly looking for bugs and worms. He is very caring and curious, always being careful how he finds what he is looking for. He looks under things and behind them, investigating what he is looking for. Arron really gets into and involved in everything. Well done Arron!

 

 

YR/1 Conkers

Mrs Phillips, Mrs Stanley and the team chose Rupert because he loves school, always wants to be in school and loves coming back to school after the holidays because he loves to learn. He is interested in everything and has his own interests too. He loves wildlife and animals. He finds things out on his own, learning things along the way and is always keen. 

Well done Rupert! 

YR/1 Pinecones 

Miss Hewitt and Mrs Hart have chosen someone who is always interested in what they are doing. In maths Emma has found shapes, in science and art she is always finding things out and always wants to know more about what she is learning. In discovery time, Emma always generates ideas about what she wants to do, trying things out, exploring and finding out. 

Well done Emma! 

 

Y2 

Mrs Warland and the team all agreed that Lucien shows a very thoughtful approach to his learning all of the time in class. Whenever he is participating in any task, he always shows that he is thinking about how he is learning. Lucien always stops and thinks about questions and ideas. 

Well done Lucien! 

Y3 

During last half term's Geography projects in Y3, Mr Harrison and the team noticed that Henry was really curious about the country that he chose to do his country study on. He was incredibly engaged with the project, particularly the Design Technology part where he had to design the costume, thinking carefully about the materials and colours that he selected. He was also curious when working on this at school and also as part of his home learning during lockdown. 

Well done Henry! 

Y4 

The Y4 team had a shortlist of children, but chose River because she has always been a curious person! In particular she has developed her questioning skills and her awareness of the world around her. She asks lots of questions about things and why they happen, and her responses to these answers are well developed and mature. 

Well done River! 

Y5

Miss Halton explained that she had had the privilege of teaching her class when they were in Y3 as well as Y5, and the person that her and the team had chosen had demonstrated curious elements in Y3 too. Jack always asks questions, is interested and engaged, wanting to know more. He has also been excited and motivated in learning completed. What also stood out to the Y5 team was his impressive attitude. In English, he is interested in the texts that have been used, taking his learning beyond the classroom, talking and sharing with his family at home. 

Well done Jack! 

Y6 

Mrs Matthews and the team have chosen Tom as someone who likes to find out about the world. He is always engaged in wider curriculum lessons, and questions Mrs Matthews when she is teaching, making her think about others views and points of view. In read aloud, think aloud activities, he always shows that he sees things is different ways. Thinking outside the box is one of his strengths. 

Well done Tom!

Well done all eight of you. Remember, at the end of this term, before the summer holidays, staff teams will have the incredibly challenging task of selecting two winners per class who will be presented with the highly acclaimed Learning Values Role Models awards which we have not presented since the summer of 2019. I'm looking forward to this excitement already! 

 Learning Values Awards December 2020

On Thursday and Friday last week, I was lucky enough to visit all of the classes to present the worthy winners of the Motivation Champion badges and certificates. All children were recognised by staff teams as having really good motivation since returning to school in September, but one representative of each class was highlighted as being particularly spectacular. 

This time around, we wanted to share the photos of the proud winners, along with the reasons why their staff teams chose them.

Acorns

Since Ophelia has started the year as an Acorn, Mrs Dalton and the team have watched her flourish and become motivated with her writing. As she has got better, she has become even more motivated to try and not be put off or give up when things get tricky. Well done Ophelia! 

Conkers

This person was an obvious choice. Conner is always motivated to try hard and challenge himself. He is always willing to have a go. When it is Discovery Time, he is motivated to find something good to do and he involves others in this. He is always thoughtful and a good role model to motivate others. Well done Conner! 

Pinecones

For the team, it was hard to choose because lots of people try their best. When children first move into Y1, it can be hard to focus on doing more jobs. As time has gone on, Jude has been showing that he tries his best in all of his jobs, often doing them all without stopping! In maths, he often works all the way to step 3 and in writing, he has been writing 3 or 4 sentences, even in the run up to the holidays! Jude also helps to motivate others. Well done Jude! 

Y2

Mrs Warland explained that this had been an easy choice for the Y2 team. Joshua always comes into class in the morning, he gets on and doesn’t need reminding of anything. He is always helpful and wants to learn. In every lesson, he is committed and wants to do his best. He has also been working hard to help to motivate others to get their jobs done. Well done Joshua! 

Y3    

Mr Harrison and the team debated a lot as choosing someone was not an easy decision. Everyone in the class has tried hard. However, Jessie has been so motivated to catch up to where she needs to be in Y3 in maths, writing, handwriting, spelling and reading. Jessie stood out as the overall champion. Well done Jessie! 

Y4Miss Macmaster identified that Frankie had worked really hard in English and had improved his motivation since last year. He produces more work and has been more motivated in all subjects, with English standing out in particular. Well done Frankie!

Y5

This was an easy choice for Miss Halton and the team. Despite the fact that all of the children have been motivated, Lily shows motivation in all of her learning. She doesn’t shy away from any challenge (and is resilient too!). She works hard to be motivated to solve problems, find answers and help others too. Well done Lily!

Y6

The team have seen a huge difference in the motivation and attitude of Izzy. Miss Halton and Mrs Matthews have seen this happening over more than just a year and she has improved a great deal in this area since Y4. She has a great understanding of the importance of Y6, putting her best effort into every lesson. She works hard to make progress in every lessons and makes the most of every learning opportunity. Well done Izzy! 

It has been fantastic to visit all classes and listen to what special qualities the Motivation Champions have shown to their teams to enable them to have been highlighted for this special award. I hope you enjoy reading about these eight amazing children as much as I enjoyed presenting them with their awards! 

On behalf of all of us here at Kings Copse, I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Thank you for everything that you have done to help us be back in school safely for the whole of the Autumn Term. 

The children have plotted to create a small surprise for you all to share our festive greetings! 

Enjoy. 

https://youtu.be/BO-vE364YJM

Best wishes,

Mrs Ferguson