Middle Department News

This week in Year 3

Christmas Cracker 

Congratulations to all of the children in Year 3 for their amazing performance of ‘Santa’s Christmas Circus Extravaganza!’ They sang and danced with great enthusiasm and joy and it was wonderful to be able to take part in School productions again. Thank you to the parents who were able to come and support the children. Thank you for your understanding regarding the audience restrictions.  Our enormous thanks also go to Mrs Jarvis and Mrs Hegarty for all their hard work…and for giving us the chance to use the word ‘hullabaloo’!  Lots more photos to come in next week’s end of term newsletter.

Middle Department Christmas Tree 

The tree is filling up with baubles but there is still time to contribute and to donate to the charity The Children’s Society.  Please click here to make your donation and to see how much money we have raised so far!  

Science: Magnets 

The children have had enormous fun learning about magnets as part of their Forces Topic in science. I wonder if Father Christmas might pop some magnets into the stockings of all the good boys and girls in Year 3? 

Ancient Egyptians: Mummy Making 

3I have been getting very mucky this week making papier-mache mummies.  Each preserved pharaoh comes complete with its very own sarcophagus.  Coming to a home near you soon! *Curses not included. 

Lego Club: 

Check out our Year 3 and 4’s festive creations this week! 

This week in Year 4

WOW! What a busy term! I’m not sure how much more Year 4 could have crammed into this term! 

We do hope you enjoyed our Christmas Cracker performances. The children have worked amazingly hard to ensure that they put on a good show for you all.  Check the end of term newsletter next week for lots more photos from the production.

Alongside the Christmas Cracker, we have also been ‘cracking’ on with our final topics for this term. In English, we have begun our final unit of work for the term based upon non-chronological reports. The children are looking at the structure and features of non-chronological reports by reading all about mythical creatures such as the Unicorn and the Phoenix.

In Art, Year 4 have finally finished their clay tiles based on the work of Hundertwasser. 

Next Wednesday is one of the highlights of the School’s calendar. In the morning, the children will have their ‘online’ Pantomime followed by Christmas lunch. In the afternoon, the children will then have their Christmas activities, which the Year 4 staff are busy preparing. To top it all off, the children can also wear their Christmas jumpers. Not a bad way to end the term!

Finally, if your child does anything ‘Wow!’ over the Christmas holidays, please do let us know and we can add it to our ‘WoW’ Wall and to their new Beechwood Park Achievement Award book, which we will be starting in the new year.

As we near the end of this term, we would like to say a huge WELL DONE to all the children for completing their first term in Year 4. We have all been very impressed with the children’s diligence and ability to adapt to a fuller timetable and curriculum. Friendships, which have been made across all classes, are evident during the much-enjoyed Golden Time on Friday afternoons. 

There will not be a Year 4 newsletter next week, although we will send any useful notices and reminders. We would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and hope that you and your family have lots of festive fun!

A few reminders :

• A rota for next term’s PE will be published in the Google Classroom during the INSET days before the Lent Term begins.  
• Please can we ask that all boys have a mouth guard for rugby next term. 
• Aylmerton Residential – we are really looking forward to our Year 4 residential trip which will take place between 22nd March and the 25th March 2022. We will be visiting Aylmerton Field Study Centre which is near Cromer, Norfolk. We would like to invite you all to a short information presentation which will be held on Wednesday, 19th January 2022 between 4:30 and 5:30pm. Further details will follow nearer the time. 

This week in Year 5

Drama

Y5 drama scholars scene from the Wizard of Oz, during their ASA, the scene depicts the moment when Dorothy & the Scarecrow (& Toto!) meet the Tin Man.

Science

Year 5 investigating upthrust pic.twitter.com/IXQzJcUXyw

— Beechwood Science (@BWPScience) December 7, 2021

WWF Wild Wisdom Challenge

Congratulations to Joe and Jamie for competing in the GLOBAL FINAL of the Wild Wisdom Challenge last week – we are still awaiting confirmation of final places but what a huge achievement in getting to the final, competing against school children from all over the world!

For everyone who took part in the challenge, you only have ONE DAY left to claim your rewards in the Yakka Store.  You will need to log into the ITZA website and click STORE to access Yakka.  Don’t delay as the store closes at 1730 TOMORROW (Saturday 11 December)

Middle Department Performing Arts Club

We’re All Made of Stars from ‘Finding Neverland’

Middle Department Christmas Concert

All Middle Department pupils will attend this event, which is scheduled to finish at around 1600. Please collect Middle Department pupils from the usual pick-up points at 1620. After School Activities will continue as normal.

Groups performing at the Middle Department Christmas Concert: Y3 recorders, Y4 recorders, Y4 guitars, Y5 guitars, Y5 saxophones, Y4 pBuzz, Y4 & 5 brass, Y4 & 5 strings, Y5 bassoons, Y4 harps, cello trio. 

Head’s Commendations

Well done to this week’s recipients of Head’s Commendations:

Christmas Holiday Reading Recommendations

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas?  Look no further! Our wonderful Librarians have done the leg work and put together a comprehensive list of recommended reads for the Christmas holidays, and beyond.