The beginning of the year is always busy getting back into the swing of things and mapping out all our learning and opportunities. It is also the time we elect or select our student leadership. This week, Mrs Orme met with our newly elected School Council. Our Year 6 children heard about the new responsibilities our House Captains will undertake this year. Mrs Orme and I look forward to their ‘interviews’ next week.

Alongside these roles, we also have other opportunities for student leadership, such as: Eco Council, Reading Ambassadors and Year 5/6 Play Leaders. In the next couple of weeks, we will also be pairing up all our Year 5 and Big Nursery children, and our Year 6 and Reception children as ‘Buddies’. We look forward to supporting our youngest and eldest children develop confidence and empathy throughout the year together.

I was also pleased to meet the new Headteacher of Wadebridge School, Mr Mat Winzor. We toured our school and had a positive meeting about working together. Both schools are really invested in serving our community – exciting times ahead! Mrs Orme and I look forward to visiting Wadebridge School in October to take part in a Learning Walk and meet some of our former Year 6 students now in Year 7.

Coffee Morning – The Year Ahead
It was fantastic seeing so many parents this morning and being able to share our school development priorities and get feedback. If you couldn’t make it, the presentation slides have been emailed to you. We will be holding Coffee Mornings roughly every fortnight throughout the year - check out the dates emailed out today and on the Events section of our website. Some are just a social occasion and some have an additional workshop attached. We hope to see you there. 

Meet the Teacher Presentations
Thank you for attending our recent Meet the Teacher presentations. If you couldn’t make it, we have uploaded all the slides to your child’s Class Page on our website. Thank you for the positive feedback as well as suggestions about timings/supervision for your children during this event. This is certainly something we will look at next year.

Asda App
If you have the Asda rewards app, your shopping will convert into money for our school. 

The Great Wadebridge Primary Academy Quiz, Friday 18th October 7pm, Town Hall
Why not get a team together, get those thinking caps on and join us for a fun evening of quizzing at The Great Wadebridge Primary Academy Quiz being held at Wadebridge Town Hall. This quiz is being organised by FOWPA and will be run by everyone’s favourite quiz master, Robin Moorcroft. There will be a bar on the night, prizes for the winning teams and a raffle where you can win some beautiful hampers, filled with lots of goodies. Our last quiz sold out in days and there are limited numbers so get your table booked early to avoid disappointment! £20 per table, max of six people.
All proceeds go to Wadebridge Primary Academy.
Thank you!
The FOWPA team

Medication
Please complete the necessary orange medical form from the office and ensure any medication is handed in to the office or your child’s teacher.

Bridge Kids and Nursery Vacancies
We are currently recruiting for Bridge Kids After School Club Assistants and Nursery Teaching Assistants. Please see the Vacancies page on our website for more information.

Extra-Curricular Activities (ECAs)
Don’t forget to sign up for ECAs by Sunday. This week, you will have also received information about DT Sports. DT Sports are one of our external providers also used to support the teaching of PE and sport. Their after school ECAs start next week and it isn’t too late to sign up!

Wishing you a fantastic (and warm) weekend. 

Welcome to Year 4!

It has been lovely to see everyone back at school this week and everyone in Year 4 has been raring to get going with their new learning.

Traveling back in time! 

This term, our History topic is all about the Victorians and how they lived, travelled and invented. We kicked our learning off by examining some interesting Victorian documents and we discovered quite a lot about Queen Victoria’s life. Take a look at the 1881 census – we discovered that although Victoria was the Queen of England, her husband, Prince Albert, was still the ‘Head of the household’!  We wondered how Queen Victoria would have felt about that!

We will continue to become great historians as we discover what it was like to be poor in Victorian times especially if you ended up in the workhouse.

English

We were all very keen to share the activities that we’d been up to in the holiday and so we thought that it would be great to write a poem however, we decided to put a clever twist to our ideas.  Instead of writing a poem about what we did do in the holiday, we let our imaginations run wild and wrote about what we didn’t do!

You can read some of the ideas here.

Maths

We always start a new year off by revisiting ‘Place Value’. We worked with numbers up to 10,000 and got to grips with what happens when a number is partitioned and what happens to each digit when it’s multiplied and divided by 10, 100 and 1000.

As you can tell, even though it was a short week, we packed a lot of great learning into our first days back!  We have a lot of interesting and exciting things planned for our forthcoming year and we are looking forward to seeing the children develop.

Best wishes for the Year 4 Team

The children have only been in for three days but have settled brilliantly. Our theme this week was ‘Super Start’ – and what a fantastic start it has been. We also heard in the summer break that we achieved EcoSchools Green Flag status and ‘Gold’ for our School Games Mark application. Congratulations to Mrs Harrison and our Eco Council, and Mr O’Dwyer and our Sports Leaders for all their hard work.

Coffee Morning – Next Friday 13th September 08:45 (Hall)
I’m looking forward to our first coffee morning of the year – everyone is welcome. I’ll be sharing some of our plans for the year. One change already introduced is the new play and lunchtime arrangements. Despite the difficulties with the canteen oven (a big thank you to the team for managing this setback) having all children eating and socialising in the Hall has been wonderful. If you can’t make the coffee morning, I’ll be sharing the slides via email/website. We will be holding coffee mornings approximately every fortnight throughout the year as well as many new opportunities for parents to get involved. More on this next Friday. 

FOWPA BIG UNIFORM SALE ALERT
Back to school and need some bigger or spare uniform bits? FOWPA is having a second hand uniform sale outside on Thursday 12th September after school and Friday 13th September in the Hall at the Coffee Morning. Items are £1 each with all proceeds helping FOWPA support our school. We welcome any clean, good condition uniform that you would like to donate. Please drop them into the box in the main entrance.

Thank you for your support!
From the FOWPA Team



Music Lessons
Music lessons with our external teachers begin next week. Don’t forget your instruments!

School Crossing Patrol
We’ve been informed by Cormac that from today there will be no patroller on Gonvena Hill, until further notice. If you know of anyone who may be interested in this important role, please contact the School Crossing Patrol Coordinator: schoolcrossingpatrol@cormacltd.co.uk


Meet the Teacher
An opportunity to meet your child’s class teacher, talk to other parents in the class and learn more about the year ahead.

Tuesday 10th September – Class 3W only
15:20-15:40

Wednesday 11th September – All other Classes (not Class 3W)
15:10 – 15:30 Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
15:30 – 15:50 Year 3-6
15:50 – 16:10 Year 3-6 (repeated session)

Bridge Kids and Nursery Vacancies
We are currently recruiting for Bridge Kids After School Club Assistants. Please see the Vacancies page on our website for more information.
Additionally, we have two vacancies to join our existing Nursery team. These positions will be advertised on Monday on our Vacancies page.

Extra-Curricular Activities (ECAs)
Next week we will be sharing details on how to sign up for our teacher-led Term 1 ECAs for Y1-6 (running from Monday 23rd September-Friday 6th December). We also have a number of external providers offering paid ECAs (Pro20, DT Sports and Dance) who organise these separately directly with parents. As soon as we have information from them, we will pass on. You should have received an email about Pro20, which starts on Monday.

Coming up next week:

Monday 9th September
09:30 & 10:30 Nursery Stay and Play

Tuesday 10th September
Nursery begins
15:20 – 15:40 Meet the Teacher (Class 3W only)


Wednesday 11th September
Meet the Teacher (All other classes - not Class 3W):
15:10 – 15:30 Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
15:30 – 15:50 Year 3-6
15:50 – 16:10 Year 3-6 (repeated session)

Thursday 12th September
15:00 FOWPA Uniform Sale (Outside)

Friday 13th September
08:45-09:15 Coffee Morning and FOWPA Uniform Sale (Hall)

Wishing you a fantastic weekend.

Year 6 Leavers
Last night Year 6 had their Leavers’ Prom – what an amazing evening despite the Cornish mizzle! It was lovely seeing them celebrate their final year of primary school having fun at the outdoor disco; in the face paint booth; tackling the inflatable assault course and tasting all the wonderful doughnuts provided by Barnecutts (after their fish and chips supper). A special thank you to the Year 6 team for organising such a special evening. Alongside their assembly this morning, they did themselves very proud at their recent performance as well as letting their hair down on the Slip ‘n’ Slide trip. We wish them all the very best as they transition to secondary school.

Year 2 Cornish WOW Day
To celebrate the end of their Cornwall topic, 'Did the Cornish do a Proper Job?' Year 2 had a day full of Cornish activities! They sang a special WPA version of 'Cornwall My Home' to start the day, then designed Cornish tea towels and played Cornish games that consisted of Welly Wanging and Tug of War. The Maids and the 'Ansomes had a brilliant day topped off with Cornish pasties in the afternoon. This term the children have learnt the Helston Flora dance and the history of the railway in and around Wadebridge. They also learnt how children worked in the tin mines and that conditions were very dangerous. The children did not fancy doing that job! We feel that Year 2 now have a better understanding of the county they live in, and are proud of the culture that is around them.

Gwres da Year 2! (Well done, Year 2)

September Opening Times
From September, the gates in the morning will be open at the following times for children to come into school:

08:25 Nursery gate opens
08:30-08:45 Reception to Year 6 gate opens

Please note that children arriving before these times won’t be supervised; thank you for your co-operation.

Thank you!
A special thank you to our children. You have achieved great things and shown so much perseverance this year. You can do anything you put your mind to and we all look forward to being part of your ongoing learning journey.

None of this would be possible without the support and dedication of a fantastic team of staff. Thank you to the team! I wish them a well-deserved summer break.

A final thanks to you, our parents; your incredible support is so valued.

On behalf of everyone at WPA, I hope you have a truly restful summer break. For those who are moving on, we wish you the very best and hope WPA has provided many fulfilling memories. For all those families returning, we look forward to seeing you back at school on Wednesday 4th September (Nursery opens on Tuesday 10th September).

With very best wishes,
Chris Wathern

Both Year 3 classes experienced some outdoor education this week and learnt how to make their own fires. 

All groups were successful in lighting their own fires with the flint before roasting our tasty marshmallows over the campfire. 

Thank you for being such an amazing cohort and enjoy Year 4!

From the Year 3 Team 
.

Cornish WOW Day

To celebrate the end of their Cornwall topic, 'Did the Cornish do a Proper Job?' Year 2 had a day full of Cornish activities! We sang a special WPA version of 'Cornwall My Home' to start the day, then designed Cornish tea towels and played Cornish games that consisted of Welly Wanging and Tug of War. The Maids and the 'Ansomes had a brilliant day topped of with Cornish Pasties in the afternoon!

This term the children have learnt the Helston Flora dance and the history of the railway in and around Wadebridge. They also learnt how children worked in the tin mines and that conditions were very dangerous. The children did not fancy doing that job! We feel that Year 2 now have a better understanding of the County they live in, and are proud of the culture that is around them.

Gwres da Year 2! (Well done, Year 2)

Transition
As we look to end one year, we prepare for another to begin. Today and next week, children have the opportunity to move up to their new class in preparation for their next step. We know that transition can be a nervous time for both children and parents. We do everything possible to ensure this is as smooth as possible, whilst at the same time recognising it’s ok to be a bit worried about new challenges. Should you have any questions regarding your child’s transition, please don’t hesitate in contacting your child’s current teacher. 

As part of the school’s transition, we are also looking forward to next year and planning our next steps. In September, we will be sharing with you our key development priorities.

Important dates coming up:
Saturday 13th July 10:00-12:00 WPA Lego Show

Monday 15th July Transition session (am)

Tuesday 16th July Additional transition session for the new 3W class (as both teachers not in on Friday 12th July)

Wednesday 17th July 13:00-14:15 Nursery Pirate Party with parents

Thursday 18th July 09:30 & 16:15 Year 6 performance Year 2 Cornish WOW Day

Friday 19th July Year 6 ‘Slip and Slide’ Trip

Monday 22nd July 18:00-20:00 Year 6 Prom

Tuesday 23rd July Last day of term (early finish, see times below):
12:30 Nursery
12:50 Year 6 Guard of Honour
13:20 Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
13:30 Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5

Wednesday 4th September Autumn term begins – Welcome back everyone in Reception to Year 6

Wednesday 4th – Friday 6th September Nursery Home Visits

Monday 9th September
09:00-10:00 Nursery Stay and Play Sessions
10:30-11:30 Nursery Stay and Play Sessions

Tuesday 10th September Nursery opens

Summer 2 - Weeks 5 and 6 - Let's make a pattern

We have had a very busy couple of weeks in Reception. In Maths we have been exploring odd and even numbers, followed by exploring patterns this week. We took our learning outside and found natural resources to be able to create patterns with. This tied in beautifully with Art week, learning all about Andy Goldsworthy.

In Literacy, we have continued our focus on beaches and read a story called 'Clean up!' which focused on the importance of cleaning up our beaches. This gave the children the opportunity to learn all about recycling and sorting materials for them to be recycled. They enjoyed learning what recycled materials could be made into. 

This week has also seen our first transition visit to Year 1. We were so impressed with how the children took this in their stride, and the Year 1 teachers commented on how wonderful all of the children are. They enjoyed taking part in all of the fun activities that Miss Lake, Miss Folland and Mrs Clarke had planned for them. 

Going into the final full week of Reception, we have sent out a reminder to return ALL reading books, library books and packets by Monday 15th July. To continue the love of reading, you can access a wide range of books (linked to your child’s book band) on the Oxford Owl website. Please visit: https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk. 


Best wishes, 

The Reception team 

Porthpean Residential

Year 4 excitedly set off on Monday morning heading for an amazing three days at Porthpean Outdoor centre. 

When we arrived, we headed straight for the high ropes and once we had put on our harnesses and hats, we tested out our climbing skills and head for heights!  All the adults were extremely proud to see so many children overcome their fears.  For some, just putting on the harness was a success and for others, they managed to head to the very top of Jacob’s ladder and ring the bell. 

As you can imagine, we were all quite tired by the end of the day and were glad to get into our bunk beds and settle down for a good night’s sleep. 

A beautiful sunrise greeted us on Tuesday morning and after a full English breakfast, we headed to Porthpean beach where we launched the kayaks and paddled up the coast to a secret beach which was only accessible from the sea.  We also enjoyed paddling and jumping off the Mega SUP.  We were all quite excited when a seal decided to join us and we watched him swim and dive around our craft. 

After tea, we played laser tag and then headed off towards the tents where we popped on a set of headphones and enjoyed bopping away to the silent disco. We then headed off for some much deserved and needed sleep.

On Wednesday morning, we found our inner Robin Hoods as we tried out archery.  It wasn’t as easy as it looked although there were some bull’s eyes amongst the scores.

All in all, we had an absolutely amazing time at Porthpean.  We all learnt a life-long lesson – don’t let fear hold you back as some of your greatest achievements will come from pushing yourself to new heights!

Well done Year 4 – we are all very proud of you!

Year 4 Porthpean Residential
What a fantastic adventure some of our Year 4 children had earlier in the week. The weather was kind and the sunsets and sunrises spectacular. The children took part in kayaking, Mega SUPping, laser tag, disco, high rope and team games. A huge thank you to the staff who accompanied the children enabling the children to create lifelong memories.

Congratulations Miss Beckett/Mrs Gerken
Yesterday the Year 5 team and children surprised Miss Beckett with a pre-wedding extravaganza! They had decorations, speeches, dancing and refreshments. We all send our very best wishes and congratulations to Miss Beckett for her wedding tomorrow.

Blue Light Day Trip
On Wednesday, a group of children went to Wadebridge Showground to see some of the vehicles and equipment used by our emergency services. They sat in a fire engine and on a police boat. They rode police and blood transport bikes and even tried out a stretcher in an ambulance! They were inquisitive and polite, asking lots of questions about the appliances and all of them behaved brilliantly. They especially loved coming home with a hoard of goodies from all the different stalls.

The Place – Playground Tour
On Monday our Year 1-Year 5 children were captivated watching two lively dance shows: Olive Branch... Playground Edition by Vanhulle Dance Theatre and Mughal Miniatures: The Elephant and the Drummer by Sonia Sabri Company. The theme of the performances was ‘resilience’ and how it is important to keep trying and work as a team to overcome difficulties or problems. A huge thank you to ‘The Place’ and to the Hall for Cornwall for providing this opportunity free of charge. We look forward to continuing enriching our curriculum with the creative arts.

Important dates coming up:

Monday 8th July Art Week

Thursday 11th July Reports home and class/teacher allocation for September

Friday 12th July Transition session (am) New 3W class will have an additional session on Tuesday 16th July as both teachers are not in today

Saturday 13th July 10:00-12:00 WPA Lego Show

Monday 15th July Transition session (am)

Tuesday 16th July Additional transition session for the new 3W class (as both teachers not in on Friday 12th July)

Wednesday 17th July 13:00-14:15 Nursery Pirate Party with parents

Thursday 18th July 09:30 & 16:15 Year 6 performance

Thursday 18th July Year 2 Cornish WOW Day

Friday 19th July Year 6 ‘Slip and Slide’ Trip

Monday 22nd July 18:00-20:00 Year 6 Prom

Tuesday 23rd July Last day of term (early finish, see times below):
12:30 Nursery
12:50 Year 6 Guard of Honour
13:20 Reception, Year 1 and Year 2
13:30 Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5

Wednesday 4th September Autumn term begins – Welcome back everyone in Reception to Year 6

Wednesday 4th – Friday 6th September Nursery Home Visits

Monday 9th September
09:00-10:00 Nursery Stay and Play Sessions
10:30-11:30 Nursery Stay and Play Sessions

Tuesday 10th September Nursery opens

Wishing you a fantastic weekend.

Best wishes,

Chris Wathern

Year 2 have been busy in their computing lessons his week. They have explored the app Scratch Jr where they have been using code to create algorithms. Once they worked out what the different colour coding blocks did they were able to create a code to make a fly move realistically across the screen. Once they were happy with the movement they added a loop button which meant the code would repeat over and over. Towards the end of the week the children became more confident with the coding blocks. They used the audio button to record and create jokes to play to their friends.