Lyonsdown News - 29 th March 2019

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1 Lyonsdown News - 29 th March 2019 From the Headmaster s Desk What do you read, my lord? Words, words, words. When Polonius is mocked by Hamlet in Shakespeare s eponymous play, Hamlet suggests that words are worthless, no more than one s thoughts and nothing that will lead to action. If there were one piece of evidence to prove that the Prince is mad, pretending to be mad, or becomes mad by pretending to be mad (it s a complex play) this is it. Words are so much more than mere noise. Conversation, and the art of it, is one of the main reasons that Lyonsdown pupils all lunch together, and why eating the same food oils the wheels of conversation. For example, the children who sit next to me are usually persuaded to eat a new food stuff; perhaps beetroot usually met with initial reservation until the taste is appreciated, before a topic is chosen for conversation. This week, books were our focus and I was reminded that it is hard to keep up with the number of new children s titles that are published: The Wizards of Once is an emerging favourite for older girls. You may know that, in terms of sales, the popularity of children s fiction is now greater than adult fiction. This is partially fuelled by the popularity of series such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games for kids of all ages, but a great number of Lyonsdown boys and girls almost literally eat books I am confident that there is a very local spike in the sales of Murder Most Unladylike in EN5. Reading for pleasure is a wonderful past time: Lyonsdown children know they should be reading every day. But reading is also a simple way to expand one s vocabulary and improve one s spelling, punctuation and comprehension. In a single thirty-second conversation over lunch, I observed Year 4 discussing the meaning of and then contextualising internal in relation to body heat all because of a book, because of a conversation. Words, in the form of music and song, also played a huge role in this week s musical extravaganza, the Upper School Spring Music Concert. A mixture of modern and contemporary, classical and popular, the event was a tremendous success bravo to the pupils involved, their teachers, and especially Mrs Roberts. Always a highlight of the Spring Term, the girls really outdid themselves. A full report will be in next week s addition. All the best for the weekend. I hope you can relax with a book at some point. C. Hammond Due to an incident this week, we must remind parents, NOT to park across driveways on Richmond Road and Gloucester Road or any surrounding roads. Please consider how you would feel if you could not leave for work on time or get back into your driveway. Please set your children an example, and park responsibly. We try to keep good relations with our local families and having parents park across driveways makes this difficult. Thank you for your co-operation. 1

2 Nursery Nursery have been enjoying the first signs of Spring in the Outdoor Classroom. Many of the children have also been to the local park to take part in the 'Introduction to Forest School' sessions. In the classroom we have been singing as a class. The Nursery Team Reception Reception Mums and Dads are people who help us! Great excitement in Reception this week. Ella and Emmie s parents were wearing their wonderful paramedic uniforms and talked in detail about dealing with emergencies; Ella kindly consented to being their casualty! Riya s mummy explained that the police use fingerprints to help them solve crimes. Reception lined up and had their fingerprints taken and returned home carrying the evidence on their colourful balloons! Melina s mummy tested the children's vital signs and reassured the very curious Reception children that when poorly, a visit to the doctor is a helpful, rather than a scary experience. Reception have continued to ask questions at school about all these careers and are keen to share their new knowledge. Huge thanks to all the parents involved. The Reception Team 2

3 Reception What do you do all day? Reception would love to hear from you! Dads and Mums: if you would like to share your experiences with our very interested children this term or next, please the Reception teachers. Thank you. The Reception Team Year 1 Performance Poetry This week, Year 1 have been enjoying poetry. They have been reading, writing and performing Easter poems. The girls used actions and expressive voices when performing their poems! Well done to our Year 1 budding poets! The Year 1 Team Year 1 What s the time Mr Wolf? Year 1 have been working hard on telling the time this week. The children have been focusing on telling the time to the O clock, half past, quarter to and quarter past. The children even made a Human clock to help them learn how to tell the time. Time flies when you re having fun in Year 1! The Year 1 Team 3

4 Year 2 On Wednesday, Year 2 went to St Katherine s Church to see how Easter is celebrated in the Greek Orthodox community. We were extremely lucky to meet Father Damian, who showed us around the church and told us about icons, symbols and the Gospels. The children did well to identify the different features of the church and loved the golden eagle lectern. It was very interesting cracking our eggs which were dyed red to represent the blood of Christ and loved our delicate palm crosses. A big thank you to Father Damian for making us so welcome. A big thank you also to Despina s Mummy, Auntie and Grandma for all their hard work in making the trip so interactive and informative. We hope to come back soon. The Year 2 Team 4

5 Year 3 In Year 3, we have been writing fables to make our own book of fables. Here are two of the lovely stories that are in our class book. I hope that you get the chance to see our whole book if you visit Year 3. Mrs Smith The Peacock and the Pigeon By Mayuri One hot summer s afternoon the peacock went to the waterhole. She always went to her waterhole. Then suddenly a pigeon came for a drink of water. Peacock shouted, Go away! This is my waterhole, and with that she stood tall and proud, showing off her beautiful feathers. Pigeon said You re right, this is your waterhole, and went. But, surprisingly a few days later when peacock asked to play, pigeon said Yes! IT S BETTER TO BE KIND ON THE INSIDE THAN PRETTY ON THE OUTSIDE. The Tabby Cat and the Bluebird By Delilah One hot summer s afternoon the tabby cat was sitting in her owner s well-kept back garden. She was just about to stretch out and start to sleep when a bird flew over the garden fence. As soon as the tabby cat heard the fluttering of the blue tit s wings the tabby cat pounced and caught the tiny creature. Please, please let me go! pleaded the blue tit. I know it sounds ridiculous but I will repay you some day. And, the bird kept her word. One night the tabby cat went out, but when she was coming home she realised that it was too dark to find her way back. Help, help! cried the tabby cat, I can t see anything! Just by chance the bird who the cat had decided not to kill, was sleeping in a nearby tree. Despite being annoyed at being woken up, the blue tit flew over the cat. Calm down! said the bird, I can lead you home. I know the way to your front garden and you can go in through the cat flap. And, the cat got home and was friends with the bird for ever. ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER. 5

6 Poetry Corner My Magic Box by Selvi Year 4 I will put into my box the middle of the shimmery moon a blue petal from a yellow glossy flower, the most precious dream a baby could ever have, I will put into the box a mind-reading clock, the book, A Kitten in Daisy Street. Inside my box nocturnal animals have a disco in the day. I will put into the box All the love from the Solar System, a swimming pool which is never cold and the swish of a dozen jellyfish. My box is made of an enchanted garden and a billon of Medusa s stares. In the box I will be welcoming all these different things. 6

7 Prayer and Praying in Assembly Over the past two weeks, we have been thinking about prayer and praying in some of our assemblies. We thought about how, when and where we can talk to God, no matter what our faith, and the things we can talk about. The children shared their experiences of prayer: at places of worship, in religious classes and at home, where many said that they have a shrine or a special room set aside for quiet contemplation or family prayer. We learnt so much from each other about our experiences of prayer and that it is an opportunity to say thank you and also to ask God to be with us and help us in our daily lives. Many children offered up suggestions for a prayer that we could all share. So we asked God to help those children who were learning their lines and dances for the Lower School show. We also asked God to help us to be kind to each other and to try our best in all that we did. We also wanted to thank God for all the animals in the world cheetahs were a particular favourite! And finally, we looked at The Lord s Prayer and translated it into words and phrases that we can all understand today. Our Father who is in Heaven, Holy is your name. Let life on Earth be as wonderful as it is in Heaven. And let everyone on Earth be as kind, loving and thoughtful as you ask them to be, just as they are in Heaven. Give us all the food that we need for today. God, forgive us when we do wrong. And help us to forgive and make up with our friends when we have argued. Help us not to do wrong things, And keep us safe and away from hurt and harm. For you are the father of everyone and are in charge of the world and you always will be. Yes, we agree. Mrs Windsor 7

8 The Week Ahead Monday 1 st Tuesday 2 nd Wednesday 3 rd Thursday 4th Last Fencing Club. FLS 2nd hand uniform sale, 2.45pm pm in the Foyer. Last LAMDA lessons Last Rugbytots. FLS 2nd hand uniform sale, 8am 9am in the Foyer. Year 1 trip to Mountfitchet Castle. Ballet recital for pupils who attend ballet, 9am in the School Hall. Last day of term. The fourth merit awards for the Spring Term are now available to view on the parent Portal under Awards. See you back at school on Thursday 25th April Lunch Menu: week commencing 1st April 2019 Yogurts & fresh fruit available daily. HM Homemade V Vegetarian MSC - Certified Sustainable Seafood MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Main Course Option 1 Meat Free Monday Pasta with Roast Garlic and Tomato HM V Chilli-Con-Carne HM and Fluffy Rice Roast Dinner Day Roast Chicken HM Roast Potatoes and Quorn Dippers V and Tomato Sauce Oven Chips Happy Vegetarian Option 2 Sweet Potato Falafel and Hummus Wrap HM V Macaroni Cheese and Garlic Bread V HM Quorn Fillet Roast Potatoes Freshly Baked Cheese and Tomato Pizza V HM Easter! Sides Carrot Batons Peas Mixed Salad Baked Beans Rainbow Coleslaw Mixed Salad Broccoli Buttered Cabbage Cucumber Sticks Sweetcorn Mixed Salad Have a Lovely Break Dessert Yoghurts Freshly Cut Fruit Apple and Blackberry Crumble HM and Custard Fruit Jelly Freshly Cut Fruit HM Yoghurts Easter Nest Cakes HM Fruit Yoghurt 8

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