The Glaven Valley Benefice
Blakeney V. A. School
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The Glaven Valley BeneficeBlakeney V. A. School |
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Our short Spring Term ended in torrential rain which stopped us even thinking of going ahead with the Easter Egg Hunts. At least the Easter raffle was a success, raising £ 184 for PTFA funds. Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and to those of you who are donating your small change each week in our playground collecting boxes. The first part of the project is now under way with a door directly to the playground from Class l being made. It should be finished by the time you read this....
Mrs du Bois and Miss Frier have gained Level One Certificates in Tree Assessment Management and are now qualified to risk assess the Plantation Trees once the major survey of the area is completed and the areas of the woodland are zoned. There are hedges growing in buckets in Class 3 and twenty-four Silver Birch Tree seedlings growing in pots in the playground all ready for planting in the Autumn. Miss Frier has also set up the weather station so that the children can see for themselves if the wind speed is too high to enter the Plantation. Class I have been getting themselves ready to learn too by spending a morning at Holt Hall with Jen Armstrong leading us on a Forest Schools Taster Day. It was very cold and rather wet but nevertheless the children were able to make pictures using natural materials; elder wood bracelets; and they even found a beetle larva and a dormant violet backed beetle.
Some of our older children represented the school at the K-nex challenge in Fakenham. Ben Pigott and George Randell are to be congratulated on coming joint second in the competition. Their task was to build a contraption which would transfer water out of a flooded river into a reservoir. They built a ferris wheel which scooped the water up and over. Miss Frier was also very proud of Amber McIntosh and Molly Bigwood who also took part.
We have been delighted by the number of 'crab bags' coming in to school. These are those small pull cord nets which are used for putting the washing powder tablets into an automatic machine.
It's another great idea by Willie Weston so that the children can tie these bags (containing the crab bait) onto the end of their crab lines and not lose their bait or hurt the crabs by using hooks. The bags are available with the bait at the Fish shop in Westgate Street.
And YES we are collecting crab shells again, thanks again to Willie and Duncan Groom down on the Carnser. There was a spontaneous round of applause at the recent PTFA meeting when Mrs. Lucinda Weston ran through the accounts (on the interactive whitehoard!) revealing that over £10,000 has been raised for our Plantation and Playground appeal in less than a year. Even the members of our hardworking PTFA were amazed and it is thanks to you, our community, with all your great ideas and unfailing support.
Keep Saturday, 21st June free in your diaries because we are going to put on a good old-fashioned family fete day on The Pastures. It will begin with the first ever Blakeney Water Derby: a crazy course of challenges, involving the transportation of water around the village, starting at 12.00 p.m. at the school and ending at The Pastures. Contact Jane Temple, of Temple's Seal Trips if you are interested in entering a team. More details will follow in the next newsletter.
Every cake sale in the village shows what a wealth of culinary talent we have in the village and the PTFA have come across another fundraising scheme -- a cookery book. We would dearly love to have some of your recipes in it. This is the letter that was recently sent to all the parents in the school: "We are hoping to prepare a recipe book featuring favourite recipes from members of our community. This book will be beautifully illustrated and is sure to become a treasured keepsake. We would love you to submit 3 or 4 of your favourite recipes so that you can be represented in our memorable collection Each book will contain helpful cooking hints, a table of contents, an index of contributors and any special pages of interest to our community." Please ring the school for a form to write your recipe; e-mail us at office@blakeney.norfolk.sch.uk or see Lucinda.
Finally a farewell to Georgie who has moved with her family to Sheringham. We wish you lots of luck in your new school. And 'hello' to Ellie (Year 6), Kostya (Year 2) and Raphael (Reception) who have, much to our delight, joined us after the Easter break.
Anne Hill
April has seen the children involved in activities relating to the theme of toys.. This included learning about the care of toys and washing the dolls and their clothes (at this age they enjoy this sort of thing!!!!! - it will change). They will hopefully have learned about sharing. The children will be able to bring in their favourite teddy from home to enjoy a "lunch party" very posh !!!
Our parent and toddler group on a Monday and Tuesday morning is doing well, new people are always welcome for a cuppa and a chat whilst your child plays and the staff are keen to introduce the use of a `treasure basket' full of natural objects that a child can explore.
The children will be involved in puppet making and performing their own show, as well as looking at toys from other countries.
Maggie Belton (Chairperson)