summary year in review

BBEY LENS September 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. One Excellence Through Partnership

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2017-18 A celebration of all of our school experiences.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk

BBEY LENS September 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. One Excellence Through Partnership

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2017-18 Order, order!

WELCOME BACK Welcome back to our returning children and families and a very warm welcome to our new starters. We hope that everyone has had a great summer and is looking forward to a new academic year. Please link your smartphones to our calendar page http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/ diary/grid/2017/08/ to keep up to date with all of our events. The whole academic year is already populated. WE MADE A DIFFERENCE This year’s Speaker’s School Council Awards has been incredibly successful with the Speaker receiving hundreds of applications! The SSCA team was thrilled to see such a huge number of school councils involved in such inspiring and worthwhile activities and, in particular, were incredibly impressed by the commitment and passion with which the school councillors dedicated themselves to their amazing projects. We would really like to thank you and your school council for taking part in the competition and taking the time to tell us about all the hard work that has gone into making your project great. To celebrate your students’ achievements, please find a digital badge attached. You can show this off on your school website and your school council will also receive a certificate in the post. A PROUD 2ND ACROSS THE WEST MIDLANDS! [Ed - Sharing the email we received] I just wanted to let you know that the West Midlands panel have now assessed all applications for the Primary PE and Sport Premium Awards, and the award for ‘Whole School Improvement’. The standard this year was incredibly high and unfortunately the panel concluded your application was unsuccessful in progressing to the National Award, placing your application 2nd overall. The panel wished to thank you for taking the time to complete your application and congratulate the school on winning your Regional Black Country Round and look forward to further applications in the future.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey-jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey- inf.sandwell.sch.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under

BBEY LENS September 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. Two Excellence Through Partnership

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Smart! Sweet charity.

KIND COLLECTION

Callum and Hayden Showell have eaten sweets and refilled their empty tubs with coins in a charity collection for Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The boys wanted to help the hospital and enjoyed the treat but even more the giving for this worthy cause. The money raised goes towards providing presents to those patients who are in hospital over Christmas. The boys themselves wanted to help and have been used on a poster at the hospital and on Facebook too. Well done boys! Thanks to Mrs Showell for the story. #BESAFE #DITTO is a free online safety (e- safety) magazine for schools, organisations and parents to keep up to date with risks, issues, advice and guidance related to keeping children safe online, with a view to enjoying and learning about technology. A new edition is released approx. every 6 weeks. This e-magazine can be accessed from http://www.esafety-adviser.com/latest- newsletter/ and there are lots of useful resources to help parents and families from http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/useful- links/ on the Abbey website. Children are extremely tech-savy and working together to create a safe culture of acceptable usage is a job for us all. Children and families can report websites for unsafe or damaging content from CEOP and a link is on our homepage.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey-jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey- inf.sandwell.sch.uk

BBEY LENS September 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. Three Excellence Through Partnership

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Anubis! Ancient goodness

OH MUMMY

Last Friday, Year 5 had a visit from an Egyptian archaeologist to teach us all about Ancient Egypt. The children came to school dressed as Ancient Egyptians to make the day more authentic and they all looked superb! We looked at how the Egyptians lived, caught food and built their houses, along with finding out the weapons they used and how they made them. We learnt about the Egyptian measurement system; played an Egyptian game and completed a quiz. As well as this, we also found out about how people were mummified and completed a funeral procession service. We had a fantastic day and have learnt lots of information to help us with our topic this term. LIGHTS OUT HISTORY SQUAD On the 11th September 2017, the new Year 6 had the pleasure of watching a play by two marvellous actors from the company, History Squad. During the play, our information thirsty brains gobbled up all of the facts. By the end of the play, we understood what life was like in Britain during the Second World War. We all enjoyed the play (but our bottoms were sore after 1hr 40 mins on the floor!). We would love to see the actors again in the near future. Thanks to Charlie & Tallulah in 6V for the story.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey- jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey-inf.sandwell.sch.uk

BBEY LENS September 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. Four Excellence Through Partnership

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Rogue’s gallery! Chatterpix fun

MEET THE STAFF Fun, short videos that introduce some of our staff. http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/whos- who/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS Planned out for the year, including a link to add the dates to your smart device. http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/diary/ grid/2017/09/ OUR CURRICULUM A detailed guide to the national curriculum and how we tailor it for our children. http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/parent- guide-to-the-national-curriculum/ KIDS’ ZONE Educational based games that change every month supporting many areas of the curriculum http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/special/ kidszone/ CLASS PAGES Year group pages and lots of great events that our children have taken part in. http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/topic/ class-pages ON-LINE SAFETY Advice and guidance for parents on keeping our children safe in the ever growing technological world. http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/useful- links/

Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey-jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey-inf.sandwell.sch.uk

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BBEY LENS September 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. Five Excellence Through Partnership

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Careless Talk! Staying Safe

PLAYHOUSE THEATRE Year 6 had a theatre group visit, and it was about staying safe in our area. It got us involved by asking questions and got our brains thinking. The characters that the actors played were in different situations all the time; which meant it kept us awake and interested. The production was active and lively with lots of interaction. Year 6 thoroughly enjoyed the performance. [Ed - The children were guided through a process where they create a campaign to challenge extremist ideas and promote social responsibility, tolerance and respect] ALL ABOUT ME On Thursday 21st September, Year 3 parents and carers were invited to spend time in school to work with their children to create a timeline of their children’s life so far, as part of their ‘All About Me’ topic. Everyone had such an enjoyable time. Some comments were that it was great to get ‘stuck in’ and have the opportunity to work alongside their children, discussing the events and making new memories in the process. Timelines were presented in many different and colourful ways. It was a very creative and inspired session and parents, carers, children and teachers all had a great day. Come and look at the beautiful display in the small hall. Thanks to Fergus and Cerys for the story.

Thanks to Ms. Bevan for the story.

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BBEY LENS September 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. six Excellence Through Partnership

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1880! Victorian village

DOWN THE MINE The year is 1880. Where are the supermarkets? Where is the electricity? Where is the running water and the bathroom? Year 1 children were whisked back in time to experience the harshness of ordinary life during the Victorian era. We discovered what life was like for poor families living in two rooms; one downstairs and one upstairs. The children would sleep ‘top to tail’ in bed and babies were put in a drawer. We discovered that families who were a little better off had 4 rooms, two downstairs and two upstairs, but the front room was kept for very special occasions only. Cooking in Victorian homes was all done over and around a roaring fire. Houses were lit by simple gas lamps or candles. The toilet was a simple bucket in an out building and was often shared by other families. Taking a bath was once a week with everyone in the family using the same water-cleanest first and dirtiest last! Shopping had to be done every day because food went bad very quickly and Victorians had to visit different shops to buy different items. No trips to Aldi for them! School was strict and disobedient children were caned! At the age of 10 children went out to work in the mines and factories. These were harsh times indeed. Our visit to the Black Country Museum has given us a great start to understanding the work we will be doing about the Victorians. Thanks to Mrs. Lawrence for the story

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BBEY LENS October 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. seven Excellence Through Partnership

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Easy fundraising! Click to collect for Abbey

ONLINE HELP Funds are raised in a very simple way. Supporters register to help a good cause and whenever they shop through the site with any of the 2,700 retailers listed on easyfundraising.org.uk, the retailer gives a small percentage of what’s been spent back to the good cause to say thank you for shopping with them. Many high street names are now involved including Amazon, John Lewis, eBay and Tesco, giving causes and supporters a great opportunity to raise funds. Abbey is one of thousands of causes across the UK which has benefitted from more than £5 million in donations raised through easyfundraising, with more than half a million supporters signed up to the site. The cash has been raised since the Staffordshire based company launched eight years ago in 2005. Supporters shop through the site to earn cash donations from retailers for their cause. The company was set up by Ian Woodroffe, a former telecoms account manager, who, while recovering from cancer, wanted to use the boom in internet shopping to help cash strapped charities generate much needed funds. https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ thefederationofabbeyinfantjunior/

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BBEY LENS October 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. eight Excellence Through Partnership

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Greedy goat! Mud, poo, potatoes.

HATTON Hatton Adventure world – it was an adventure to say the least. From being literally stuck in the mud, to feeding the cute guinea pigs a cabbage leaf. When we arrived we couldn’t wait to get stuck in! Straight off to the fields, where we picked our own potatoes and corn. The corn plants were extremely high up and close together. It was fascinating to see where our food actually comes from. Did you know that corn is produced on every continent of the world except Antarctica? Once we had finished in the muddy fields, we commanded Mr Flanagan to scrub our filthy, revolting, smelly boots. “When I got home I washed and peeled the potatoes I’d picked and made them into chips. I put the sweetcorn into the oven and it made a delicious tea,” said Lewis Thompson in 3V The soft play and feeding the animals was a major success. One of the funniest moments, after Joseph nearly losing his boot in the mud and Ibrahim B experiencing a guinea pig poo on him, was when the giant goat gobbled Mrs Comfort’s very important piece of paper! Ayanna wanted to go again the very next day! CHRISTMAS? It's too early to think about Christmas...but remember that the closing date for the design a Christmas Card Project is Monday 9th October. This year the children are completing their designs at home, using the A4 artwork template sheet given out by class teachers. Try and create a big, brightly coloured Christmas card design that fills the sheet, whilst keeping text and images 1cm from each edge. Some ideas for your card might be a snowman, Santa, a Christmas tree, presents or an angel. Christmas cards will cost £5 for a pack of 12 cards, with £1 of this going to the school. No money needs to be paid at this stage. Further information can be found at www.schoolchristmascardproject.org.uk

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BBEY LENS October 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. nine Excellence Through Partnership

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Reading champ! Races into the lead

DUDLEY CHALLENGE Over the summer holidays, I entered the Dudley Library Reading Challenge. You had to read 6 books across the 6 weeks. I really enjoyed completing the challenge; my favourite book was 'The Shadow Keeper' by Abi Elphinstone. I recently found out that my name had been pulled out of a hat and I had won the 7-12 years age range. On Saturday I attended the presentation and was awarded gift vouchers to race go carts at a local circuit, EVERY LITTLE HELPS As part of our ‘Farm to Fork’ topic, Year 3 visited the Tesco Extra store in Dudley. We were met by Kerry, a Tesco employee, who was so helpful and friendly! Our guide took us in where we were given funny paper hats to wear as we were going into the bakery. We were shown huge mixing machines that the bakers use to mix the dough for the many types of bread that are made there. We learnt about all the different ingredients that are used to make bread. We all sniffed the yeast- it smelt so yukky! Luckily we got to taste lots of the delicious, mouth-watering bread, buns and pancakes! Next it was off to the freezer where food is stored to keep it fresh. It was so cold! Onto the cheese counter where we saw cheeses that were made from cow’s, goat’s and even sheep’s milk. Were able to taste lots of the cheese. We tried one that tasted like cheese and onion crisps! Lots of us thought it tasted lovely and creamy, but some of us thought it was bitter and horrible! On the fish counter we saw those caught from the sea or fresh-water fish caught in rivers and farm. The fish were shiny and had beautiful, glimmering scales. Finally the fruit aisle where we were each given a bowl. We were able to try lots of different fruits, grown in this country and from other countries around the world. It was a juicy, scrumptious fruit salad! which I'm really looking forward to. Thanks to Daniel in 6V for the story

Thanks to Ms. Bevan for the story.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk

BBEY LENS October 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. ten Excellence Through Partnership

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Outdoor learning! Y1 forest school

OUTSIDE ALL DAY All things Victorian has been the theme of Forest School in 1L this term. The children have enjoyed the experience of playing outdoors, digging for worms, climbing trees and creating imaginary scenarios. One of these scenarios involved an imaginary rabbit for which they whittled and made a carrot. They have also had the opportunity to use a saw and a palm drill to make Victorian toys. First up a spinning top whittled skillfully by Mr Pogson and drilled by the children. Next they made a spinner using a piece of branch, some string and a simple drawing of a bird on one side and a cage on the other. After the children have wound it up they let it spin and as if by magic the bird goes in the cage! The children made stakes and used a mallet to hammer them into the ground, then made coits from rope and played a traditional Victorian game. The pinnacle, as always, of Forest School is making a fire. The children learned how Victorians had to cook and boil water. They used a special Kelly kettle to warm water to wash their hands. Finally they whittled toasting forks and made the most delicious toast over the open fire. A slice of which was delivered to Mrs Lawrence at breaktime! SMETHWICK FOODBANK HARVEST APPEAL Every day people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems.Schools, churches, businesses and individuals donate non-perishable, in-date food to a foodbank. Large collections often take place as part of Harvest Festival celebrations and food is also collected at supermarkets. We are supporting our local food bank and even one donation can make a difference.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey- jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey-inf.sandwell.sch.uk

BBEY LENS October 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. eleven Excellence Through Partnership

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That’s (sea) life! Cool crustaceans

HAPPY FEET

Friday the 13th October was not an unlucky day for 4A! We went to the Sealife Centre in Birmingham. First we saw penguins, penguins eat fish. Did you know that the coldest temperature where penguins live is -89°C? Next we went to see tint fishes. After that there was a cave so you could see the fishes properly. Thanks to Zalanda Safi in 4A for the story. CAKE SALE Thank you to everyone who supported the Friends of Abbey Cake Sale this week by making and buying cakes. We really couldn't manage without your support. The sale raised just over £142 for the school. Recently, we were able to buy new scooters for the children to use in the playgrounds. EIGHT ELEPHANTS Many thanks to all our of parents and children, who donated to our harvest collection. All of the food is gratefully received at Smethwick’s foodbank. Last year ,our local food bank gave out 55,556 meals and 21,000 of these were given to children. This is 40 tonnes of food- the same weight as 8 large elephants.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey-jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey- inf.sandwell.sch.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to

BBEY LENS October 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. twelve Excellence Through Partnership

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Fish ’n’ chips! Beside the sea side, beside the sea.

BEACH FUN We visited amazing Weston on Friday with the whole of year 2. We had a brilliant time. First we played on the golden, sandy beach and built some tall sand castles. Then we had a chance to ride on the cute donkeys. That was so much fun! After that, we had a nice walk up the pier and we all had a tasty ice cream. We even had a flake! Finally, we walked back down the pier to the chip shop and had some delicious chips- with ketchup, near the beach. What a fantastic day! Thanks to Bella and Dania in 2H for the story. PUMPKIN COMPETITION!

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BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. thirteen Excellence Through Partnership

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Smarty Arts! Active learning.

ALL ABOUT ME On Monday, EYFS celebrated their All About Me topic with a finale day. The children took part in a performing arts workshop with Smarty Arts lead by Mrs Chance. Dance, music, singing, exercise and active games were on the agenda and fun was had by all! It was great to see the children dressed up in their own clothes or fancy dress as they shared their own interests with their friends. Well done EYFS for being such active learners! Thanks to Mrs Chance for the story. SCULPT LIKE AN EGYPTIAN On Monday, Year 5 had a marvellous, once in a life time, extraordinary experience. It all started in the morning when we travelled back in time to the Ancient Egyptian days and mummified an orange! This was a very sticky process but we enjoyed it. In the afternoon, we created canopic jars for a royal pharaoh. Year 5 and their parents have made some exquisite jars which they moulded using clay. They then added details using carving tools. Some people moulded the head of a jackal; others preferred to shape the lid like Tutankhamun. Overall, this was a great day and everyone enjoyed it (especially the parents)! Thanks to Phoebe 5M, Millie 5H and Florence 5W for the story.

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BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. fourteen Excellence Through Partnership

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Looking Good! Inspectors visit

GOOD WORK US OFSTED visited our Infant school and the report is very positive. We are delighted that Ofsted recognises that the good quality of education that we provide has been maintained. The lead inspector acknowledged that our expectations are high and that outcomes have improved for all pupils. We are pleased that parents too are supportive of our school. Thank you to all staff, pupils and parents involved in this inspection. CARVED TO PERFECTION The children made a fantastic effort in carving some very elaborate and interesting designs. Everyone who participated helped to raise £41.00! BEA-UTY Bea Ewins from RS took part in the Soccer Star Coaching Football Camp at Oldbury Academy. She had great fun learning new skills and meeting children from other schools. Bea did really well and won a trophy for scoring the most penalties in the reception age group!! Thanks to Bea’s mum for the story.

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BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. fifteen Excellence Through Partnership

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Bra-vo! Cleaning the area

PICKING LITTER On the morning of Tuesday 31st October our Junior PCSOs and the Junior Health and Safety Team was invited to join local police officers, PCSOs, the Litter Watch team and Raj Mehmi from Sandwell Council, to do a litter pick around the school and Warley Woods. It was all part of a community event called, 'The Safer 6 Campaign'. It runs for 6 weeks and organisations work together to make Sandwell a safer and cleaner place to live. Armed with litter pickers, ten adults and a bunch of enthusiastic children, we made our way up Barclay Road, through the pathways in Warley Woods and along Abbey Road. Whilst we filled bags with a variety of rubbish, the Litter Watch team commented on how our local area was kept remarkably tidy by our considerate residents and community. Well done Bearwood! Thanks to Mrs. Flanagan for the story. SPOON DOLL Year One children have enjoyed making a Victorian wooden dolly during our ‘Be Brave Day’. They have previously drawn a design and labelled materials that they would like to use. On Wednesday, they used their designs to help them transform a plain wooden spoon into a Victorian toy. There were some realistic and interesting designs, resulting in unique and creative dollies. Thank you to all of the adults who could attend, and for bringing in fabric and decorations to use with your child. Don’t worry if you couldn’t make the event- your child still made the dolly and enjoyed the experience, working with an adult. If your child hasn’t brought home their dolly yet, it has been put on display in school for all to admire. All dollies will be returned to you in time for Christmas! Thanks to Mrs Donnelly. for the story

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BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. sixteen Excellence Through Partnership

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EYFS dancing! Bhangra boogie

KINGS AND QUEENS

The children in EYFS were very excited to participate in a Bhangra dancing workshop, as part of the Wow day to launch the new topic - ‘Let’s Celebrate’. The children went on a magical carpet ride to India, where they met a prince and princess. The children loved dressing up and practising the movements, before performing the final dance to the royal family. Thanks to Mrs. Gaxherri for the story MAYORAL VISIT On Monday and Thursday, the Abbey school council went to visit the Mayor of Sandwell. The Mayor is 86 years old! He will be Mayor for one year and became Mayor in 2016. Each year the Mayor changes. We all got to hold the mace and try on the Mayor’s robe. We were really lucky to have orange juice and some chocolate. We also got to look at the Mayor’s car. It was a black Jaguar. The car had a special number plate and it is 1HA. An extra fact-the Mayor’s first job was working in a factory furnace working an astonishing 72 hours every week. The pictures of the visit can be seen on our website at http://www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/ school-council/ Thanks to Y1 & Y2 school council for the story.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey- jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey-inf.sandwell.sch.uk

BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. seventeen Excellence Through Partnership

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Gloriumptious! Dahl inspired

SLUMBER PARTY

Year 4 held a Roald Dahl slumber party that was gloriumptious. Children returned to school in their pjamas, to take part in a variety of activities which included: making a dream catcher, orienteering to solve a code and visiting George and his grandma, to drink scrumdiddlyumptious hot chocolate. The night concluded with a giganticus display of fireworks. Thanks to Mrs Abercrombie and Mrs Pearshouse for the story/ NATIVITY Year 5 visited The Rep in town to watch The Nativity: The Musical last Thursday. It was amazing! All of the children thoroughly enjoyed it, laughing from start to finish. We 'sparkled and shined' the whole way through! We managed to pick up some ideas and tips for when we put on our play as well as experiencing a theatre performance. Now we can't wait to start rehearsing for our own nativity and welcoming you in to watch it. Year 5 Thanks to Miss Monk for the story

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey- jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey-inf.sandwell.sch.uk

BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. eighteen Excellence Through Partnership

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Picturesque! Year six residential

PLAS GWYNANT

Forty of year six went to a residential activity centre in north Wales ,called Plas Gwynant. There were many magnificent, entertaining and fantastic activities such as : abseiling, gorge walking, sandy beaches, rock climbing and canoeing to name a few. We visited a famous dog’s grave, slate mine and entered a cave that dates back to the 15th century. Of course, there was an abundance of hot chocolate and biscuits to keep us going. A talent contest, disco and hot dog with fireworks finished the week off. It was the best experience in the world. Photographs can be found at http:// www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/plas- gwynant-2017/ Thanks to Isobelle, Talulah & Fergus in 6V for the story 25 NOT OUT Mr Jones celebrated his 25th year of teaching in Sandwell. A great achievement and we look forward to another 25 years of his statuesque teaching at Abbey. Thanks to Mrs Jones for the sneaky photo of Mr Jones.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey- jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey-inf.sandwell.sch.uk

BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. nineteen Excellence Through Partnership

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School of the year! Physical greatness.

BLACK COUNTRY AWARD

The winners of the 2017 Black Country Sport & Physical Activity Awards were announced last Friday night in a prestigious awards ceremony at the Copthorne Hotel, Dudley. Hosted by Pete Morgan, the ceremony showcased the successes and inspirational stories of Black Country clubs, coaches, projects, sportspeople and unsung heroes over 11 categories. Our winning entry was as follows. SCHOOL OF THE YEAR The Federation of Abbey Infants and Abbey Junior Schools, Sandwell. At Abbey, PE, is developed around a ‘Head, Heart, Hands’ philosophy. Through PE, they develop the whole child with significant impact on social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. The PE curriculum is planned to include a broad range of skills and activities to engage children of all ages, abilities and interests. Professional learning in PE at Abbey is organised, recorded and delivered by the PE lead and supported by senior leaders. All children have lots of opportunities to be active before, during and after school. Activity levels at Abbey are monitored continually, which allows the PE lead to monitor trends, and target the least active pupils within the school. Well done us!

BBEY LENS November 2017 Vol 4: Issue No. twenty Excellence Through Partnership

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Curse of the mummy! Egyptologist

HOWARD CARTER Year 5 were taken back in time when they were visited by Howard Carter, the man who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb. He arrived in class, armed with his lamp and top hat, to see 92 excited and eager children. They couldn't believe how lucky they were to have such an important visitor in class and asked him lots of questions. He even brought his very own diary, which helped the children with their diary writing this week. What an informative morning, enjoyed by all... even Mr Kentish himself ! Thanks to Miss Monk for the story. POPPY APPEAL Jacob Hussein-Uppal in 4A attends WWSOC Beavers group. He spent the last two consecutive Saturdays selling poppies for Remberence day. He took part in the parade and was selected to represent his group to lay the wreath in front of the public, veterans and the local councillors. Thanks to Jacob’s mum for the story.

MODEL PUPIL

Kaycee Tanamal-Longmore (year 4A), has competed in this year’s LMI Birmingham Modelling Competition last Sunday at the Aston Villa Trinity Suite. She won the ‘Public Votes Award’ and ‘LMI model award’. She also raised £65.50 for ‘Help Harry Help Others’, and we would like to thank everyone who bought the bracelets she was selling on the school grounds for the past few weeks. Thanks to Kaycee’s dad for the story.

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BBEY LENS December 2017 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty one Excellence Through Partnership

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Carmageddon! PCSO ‘ello ‘ello.

SAFER PARKING We all strive to set a positive example to our children. Your child and others are being put at risk of being seriously injured or killed by drivers who park or drop off on our yellow zig-zag markings. This includes the double yellow lines with a stripe on the pavement. Both mean that you cannot stop or park in these areas. Drivers who park or stop in the centre of the road also pose a danger to our children. Children and other pedestrians need to be able to see clearly in both directions, to cross the road safely, and drivers need to see them. Our Abbey Junior PCSOs witnessed a few cars and taxis that were parking inconsiderately. We ask that drivers think about child safety before someone is seriously injured or killed. We have over 600 children who attend our school and there are only a small minority of parents who compromise the safety of our children. We are asking some parents to re-consider their parking habits and help our children stay safe. Here are the partial number registration plates of inconsiderate drivers noted by our PCSO’s. MT5U; YJ6U; ND08; BJ62; HT06; YC08; VN17; BD67; FP12 - also speeding (this is a 20 mile an hour zone) MK60; BJ62;PO11; MK60 [Ed- the number plates have been partially changed, to protect the guilty] Thanks to Mrs Flanagan for the story. ST HILDA’S FESTIVAL Year 3 lit up St Hilda’s when we visited the church to perform. We sang songs, created our very own light poem and spoke very clearly in front our mums and dads. One of the highlights was finding and performing our own funny jokes. Maisie P said the best joke was - Q. What do you get when you see a dinosaur eating fireworks? A. A dino-mite! Rory D really enjoyed when the boys and girls said who was the light of their life and he really liked Seth’s answer. Ruby really enjoyed the jokes too and her favourite was - Q. What did the traffic light say to the car? A. Don’t look, I’m changing! Everyone really enjoyed the afternoon, including singing the songs during our walk as a dress rehearsal. Thanks to Rory, Maisie and Ruby for the story in 3V.

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BBEY LENS December 2017 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty two Excellence Through Partnership

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North of the border! Inspired by Scotland

SCOTTISH DANCING We had an amazing time on our Scottish Tradition Day making tasty shortbreads. Mr Hayat tried but he wasn’t very good. We even took part in our very own Highland Games. It was so windy! We also learned some brilliant Scottish dance routines. The best part of the day was when we tasted the Scottish food. We had tea-cakes, ‘Irn Bru’ and Scottish crisps. Thanks to Mr. Hayat for the story. TOP TEAM On Wednesday 29th November, budding football stars from year 2 competed in a local tournament at the WBA Indoor Academy Dome. There were 16 teams from schools across Sandwell taking part and everyone had a great time playing the beautiful game. Our Abbey team did very well getting all the way to the semi-finals. Congratulations and well done! Thanks to Miss Hinton for the story. WOVEN WITH LOVE The children were delighted to have their parents alongside them, when weaving their own kilts. Both parents and children showed great perseverance and creativity throughout the sessions, using colours that represented the values of their families. Strips of ribbon were used to create their own tartan patterns. The results were incredible. Thank you for your continued support.

Thanks to Mr Hayat for the story.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under 100 words, attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey- jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey-inf.sandwell.sch.uk

BBEY LENS December 2017 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty three Excellence Through Partnership

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Guess who’s coming to tea? Special guest

SANTA SPECIAL The Friends of Abbey ran our ‘annual Tea with Santa’ event last week, where our FS2, Year 1 and Year 2 children enjoyed meeting and having their tea with Santa. The hall was alive with very excited children (and staff), as teams battled against one another to win the Christmas quiz and then entertained the special visitor, with their amazing Christmas songs. The Rainbow Room housed a wonderful grotto for Santa to rest, while each child visited him and received a gift. He is now looking forward to returning to Abbey on Friday 15th for our Christmas Fayre! SEEN BUT NOT HEARD Year 1 stepped back in time to become Victorian school children for the day. The classrooms were transformed and the children sat in rows, with boys and girls separated. Their hands were checked for dirt; talking was forbidden and the day began with lessons on reading, writing and arithmetic. The teachers were very strict! In the afternoon the children mixed dried fruit with honey to make their very own Victorian sugar plums. They were delicious! The children also practised their Victorian handwriting and made their own Christmas decorations, just like many Victorians did. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day but I think the children will be glad to have their usual teachers back. Thanks to Mrs. Day for the story. Thanks to Mrs. Chance.

www.abbeyfederation.co.uk 1 0 0 wo r d s , attach a picture and your story may be published. All submissions to office@abbey-jun.sandwell.sch.uk or office@abbey- inf.sandwell.sch.uk Have you got a paragraph of good news to share? Write in under

BBEY LENS December 2017 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty four Excellence Through Partnership

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Mathematics! Inspired

TESTING PARENTS

Last week, year 6 took part in a mathematics relay Inspire workshop. Parents and pupils teamed together to complete SATs style questions. It was a competition to see who could score the most points. The workshop was to help parents understand what their children will be facing when they sit their end of school tests in May. Teams had two attempts at answering the questions correctly. There were different types of questions including: fractions, angles, shapes and more. To progress forward, one person had to run to the front of the hall where they would have to try again or receive the next question. Some teams were able to get ten points on their first attempt; others needed a second go! PARENT GOVERNOR Following the parent governor elections, Mr. Stephen Tipping has been elected and will join our governing body from March 2018. 71 votes were cast in total. Mr Tipping held the majority with 29 votes. Thank you to all candidates for putting themselves forward. Thank you to all parents who returned their voting forms. Thanks to Scout and Georgia in 6V for the story.

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BBEY LENS December 2017 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty five Excellence Through Partnership

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Christmas cheer! Performances

HO HO HO The last week of the autumn term started and finished with a host of tremendous performances. Shortened due to breaking up for Christmas, music, song, drama and dance filled the halls.Nursery began the celebrations with their Nativity production. Choir continued, by performing after school, following their debut at our fabulous Christmas fair. [Ed- Thanks to all parents and staff who gave time to make the Christmas fair so good] Years one and two had a great time mixing old and new, with a lovely set of singing. Year five were all stars with their Christmas production of ‘Straw and Order’, again celebrating the Nativity story.Finally, carols at Abbey finished off a fabulous term with years four and six singing too, interspersed with our talented musicians. What a team! What talented children! What a great school community! Have a great Christmas and may 2018 be happy, healthy and peaceful.

BBEY LENS January 2018 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty six Excellence Through Partnership

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Happy New Year! Happy, healthy and peaceful.

TIME FOR A NEW CALENDAR

Welcome back to 2018 and we all hope that you had a great time with families. As we enter a new year, it’s a great time to check that you are getting the right information from us. Please link your smartphones to our calendar page http:// www.abbeyfederation.co.uk/diary/grid/2018/1/ to keep up to date with all of our events. The whole of the 2018 academic year is already populated. If you have changed your mobile phone number via a special Christmas present, then please do tell us. We use these contact numbers for texting information to you. THANK YOU [Ed – from the Poppy Appeal] We would like to thank all the children and staff who have donated and help raise this money. The current total for the Smethwick and Bearwood area is £15,983.72. 2018 will be a very significant year for the Royal British Legion, and for the nation, as we mark the centenary of the end of the First World War. The First World War is infamous for the number of lives it cost. However it also generated some extraordinary developments in medicine, warfare, technology and in the global political, social and cultural landscapes. It also laid the foundations of British Remembrance and saw the emergence of the poppy as a universally-recognised symbol of Remembrance and hope. In the final year of the WW1 centenary, The Royal British Legion is inviting the British public to say ‘Thank You’ to the First World War generation who served, sacrificed and changed our world. You and your pupils can join our movement to express their gratitude to those who gave themselves to the war effort, and rebuilt a better nation from its darkest hour.

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BBEY LENS January 2018 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty seven Excellence Through Partnership

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Finding the balance! Young riders

BIKEABILITY Reception had a great time using balance bikes to help them on the road to riding safely. A friendly team from ‘Bikeability’ came into school and helped the children get a flying start. All of the equipment was provided and, despite the cold day, everyone had a great time. This is the first time that Reception have taken part in this scheme. By the time they get to year 6, Bikeability returns to help them navigate safely on the roads. WW2 DAY WW2 day was terrific and exciting. During the day, we always had to carry our gas masks and boxes. We also dressed up as evacuees. We watched a WW2 based film, played games that evacuees would have played and even put a fire out with an old fashioned hose. We used headphones to listen and interact with a story, to do with evacuees. It was very encouraging. To bring the day to an end, we went into an air raid shelter to hide from the bombing of the Nazis. It was definitely the best day of year 6 so far! Thanks to Daniel Spencer and Joshua Tennant in 6V WW2 NIGHT On Friday night, brave evacuees came to a sleepover where they watched films and did a quiz. Then they had an option of different foods such as chips, sausage or fish and chips. It was delicious. At 10pm the tired evacuees went to bed (although some stayed up later with their friends. How the teachers snore! In the morning, we had sweet buns (delicious) and a glass of juice. Thanks to Mckenzie, Margot & Hannah for the story. Ed - Thanks to the staff who gave up a Friday night and Saturday morning for this great experience. Thanks to the Bikeability team for working at our school.

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BBEY LENS January 2018 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty eight Excellence Through Partnership

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Stoked! A.k.a - very pleased with the animals who visited

PARROT POO

The animal man brought some amazing animals that can be found in Australia and we were allowed to hold them! There was a scorpion, a python, a parrot called Molly, who decided to poo in our hall, a turtle, a laughing kookaburra (which was so cool), a tree frog and a Blue Tongue lizard. We enjoyed holding them, even though some of them were scary and we learnt some brilliant facts. Thanks to 2H for the story. EASY AS ABC On Sunday 14th January, Will, Kiernan, Tyrese and myself joined our rugby team mates, to play a match. It was a home game against Chaddersley Corbett RFC. “Whilst playing I used Miss Hinton’s advice of ABC (agility, balance and coordination) and I really enjoyed it,” Kiernan Blick said (aged 7). It was so much fun that we all wish we can do it again soon. If you want to join the fun, come along every Sunday at 10:30am to Warley Rugby Club Thanks to Keavagh Blick, class 2H .

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BBEY LENS January 2018 Vol 4: Issue No.twenty nine Excellence Through Partnership

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Medal splash! Swimming competition glory

FAIR PLAY On Friday 5th January, Abbey travelled the short distance to Langley baths, to compete in the annual Sandwell Swimming Gala. The children each selected a stroke from freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke or butterfly and competed in one race each, before coming together to compete in the relay. Each of the Abbey ‘fish’ won their individual heats, as well as their relays, and secured first or second fastest times overall. After such a fantastic performance, both the boys and the girls were rewarded with gold medals for winning their competitions. Both Abbey boys and girls teams will now go forward to represent Sandwell in the next round. Miss Hinton was very proud of all of them not only for their excellent performance but also the team spirit they displayed throughout the competition. Their exemplary behaviour and the respect, sportsmanship and encouragement that they showed towards other competitors. An excellent representation of our school! Thanks to Miss Hinton for the story. DR ART Year 3 children have been invited to join an art competition. The competition is to design and create superheroes to decorate the paediatric ward, at the new multi- million pound Sandwell Hospital, which is currently being built. Kiran was invited to attend, so that he could listen to the exciting opportunity available to the Year 3 Abbey children, enabling him to then relay the information back. One of the consultant paediatricians, Dr Nick Makwana, is the ambassador for the art project and he will give a talk about the department, and why we are engaging with the local community. It is important for the young patients to feel comfortable and happy in their new hospital - and what better way to do this, than to ask children to help create an environment where their peers would feel like that. This was a wonderful opportunity for Kiran in his role as School Council member. Thanks to Mrs. Johnson for the story.

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BBEY LENS February 2018 Vol 4: Issue No.Thirty Excellence Through Partnership

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Put the kettle on! Extra pieces of the curriculum jigsaw

SOFT SKILLS

On Tuesday afternoon, Year 4 took part in a soft skills afternoon. The children made cups of tea or hot chocolate. They even had the washing up to do afterwards! They also learnt how to do a primary assessment of a casualty and put them in the recovery position. Finally, the children had to practise tying both their own and other people's shoe laces. All of the activities were voted by the children, as essential skills to have acquired by the end of year 4! Thanks to Mrs Abercrombie for the story DOWN IN THE JUNGLE Last Friday, Year Five was very fortunate to have a rainforests explorer come into school. We learnt many mind-blowing facts and took part in many breath-taking activities such as: exploring the life of tribal residents; ,making colourful jewellery and viewing intriguing insects from the rainforest. Most of year five faced their fears by holding a tarantula and even a millipede. Did you know that when millipedes get frightened they spray a chemical? Don’t worry though, this won’t harm you! Year five had a brilliant day. a big thank you to ‘Dave’ the rainforest man. Thanks to Millie, Jessica and Maiya in Y5 for the story.

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