I don’t think it could have been more rainy this week! Well done to everyone surviving soggy drops offs and to the staff who have driven through monsoon like weather in the dark to get to and from school. Let’s hope things are going to get dryer next week.
What a terrific event the Bentley Bonfire was last week. We were enormously lucky with the weather and it was a brilliant show. Well done to our super children who helped the economy by donating their Bentley coins to set the bonfire off! Thank you to the Parish team involved, to Mr Turk for his super fireworks display and to all the PTFA team who organised and sold the food, drink and fun goodies. Please see below for our PTFA thank you’s.
There is a great sense of Bentley Bonfire excitement at school this week! Our PTFA have been working really hard behind the scenes and a huge thank you in advance to everyone who has stepped forward to volunteer or has been already helped in the preparations. This event is partnered with the Bentley Parish Council who run the bonfire, fireworks and take responsibility for the insurance and set up. The money you pay at the gate goes towards funding this significant part of the event. Bentley PTFA has been providing the refreshments for many years and we benefit from the funds raised through this.
It has certainly been a busy week in UK politics as well as at school…who knows who will be Prime Minister by our return to school on Tuesday 1st November? Year 6 certainly had some great solutions in their discussion yesterday afternoon so perhaps it is time to consult with the children for some sensible ideas!
We enjoyed our Harvest Assemblies this week and it was wonderful to have so many parents and grandparents along. Thank you so much for all the food donations for the Alton Food bank which Mr Lucas has already delivered.
It has been a super week of learning in school. All the hard work from the start of term is really paying off and the staff team have been commenting on some great learning going on. Well done everyone!
We are most certainly in autumn cold season. A typical cold should not keep children off school, but TLC and plenty of fluids are in order. Stock up on the honey and lemon and teach little children how to blow their nose then put their own tissue straight in the bin and wash their hands. We also ask each child to provide a box of tissues over the autumn and winter seasons (Year 6 and R in October, Year 1 and Year 5 in November, Year 2 and Year 4 in December and Year 3 in January). Please pick up a box of tissues and pop them in the Office messages box, as it will help us to try and keep the germs at bay! Thank you in advance.
We are in full on apple harvest mode here at school. A big thank you to all the PTFA involved with this. The children have enjoyed their apple picking fun walks in beautiful autumnal Bentley. The juice making is underway and sales will be available soon.
We have our first sports competition of the year after school. Good luck to all the Year 5 and 6 hockey players!
In class news this week…
Year R are continuing with our phonics sounds and numbers. Having fun with numbers, for example, spotting when there are 1, 2 or 3 dots without counting them.
Year 1 have had lots of fun learning about the part-whole model using a giant version on the school playground.
Year 2 have enjoyed learning about 'greater than' and 'less than' symbols in Maths, as well as starting a new learning journey in English (The Gingerbread Man).
Year 3 have had lots of fun learning about the skeleton and bones in our body. We enjoyed our apple picking this week.
Year 4 have worked hard in English to include exciting and effective new words in our writing.
Year 5 and 6 have enjoyed watching the performance of Macbeth by The Young Shakespeare Company today.
Enjoy a super weekend. I recommend getting out the warmer clothes (vests, hats and winter coats for school) this weekend as the weather has taken a chilly turn, especially in the mornings! Please do a check on labels, as the Lost Property cupboard already seems rather full and our team of helpers cannot return unnamed items.
Thank you to everyone who attended the PTFA AGM this week. The powerpoint presentation is on the PTFA portal if you were unable to attend and minutes will be posted there soon. Email your class rep if you are unsure what this is or how to sign up. Tickets for PTFA events for your child will be sold through this site this year, so it is important to register in advance so you don’t miss out.
A reminder it is our INSET day next Monday 26th September, so school is closed. We have a big School Development Plan push on raising reading outcomes for all pupils this year and the team will be working hard to plan exciting ways to stretch the vocabularies of our children.
In the classrooms this week…
Year R have been learning their harvest celebration song – Cauliflowers Fluffy – and singing maths songs
Year 1 have enjoyed rapping and singing their class song – Hey You!
Year 2 finished their Billy Goats Gruff stories, and tasted six different breads
Year 3 wrote amazing recipes for the best pumpkin soup
Year 4 learnt how to create an amazing marbling technique in art
Year 5 explored around the school grounds observing stages in life cycles
Year 6 have been investigating six-digit grid references using OS Maps in their rivers work.
Enjoy a super weekend.
Mrs Pinchess, Headteacher
I know it has been an unusual and unsettling time for many of the staff and parents in school in this period of public mourning for Queen Elizabeth. Many people have spoken of feeling surprised about the strength of their feelings, as we come to terms with her death. As you are aware, school will be closed on the Bank holiday on Monday 19th September and on Tuesday two Year 6 pupils will sign the Book of Condolence in Alton on behalf of the school. I hope you can spend the day with family or friends.
People across the world have been saddened by the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death. In Collective Worship today we remembered her and prayed together. Children have had an opportunity to draw, write and talk about their memories of her and their feelings today in class.
A very warm welcome back to school this term! I hope you have all enjoyed the sunshine and a good break this summer. This is a brief newsletter with just the key information for next week.
Despite the heat, we have all had a lovely last week in school. There has been lots of fun and celebration of a great year of learning at Bentley. Thank you to everyone for joining us and for the many heartfelt messages, comments and generous gifts to thank the whole team. Everyone here at school works so hard for the pupils and hearing your positive feedback is extremely rewarding.