1 May 2007 - TROPICAL SOUNDS OF SUMMER AT NSC PRIMARY SCHOOL
There?s a distinct feeling of summer in the air at Newton St Cyres Primary School! The children across the school are spending their time thinking about ?Growing Things?, with a very close study of plants and flowers. The role play area in Class One is being transformed into a Garden Centre and the older children are looking forward to taking part in the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group activities later this month.
As well as all this, the older children in Key Stage Two will have the opportunity to learn a new musical instrument with a distinctly tropical feel! To support our music curriculum, the school has hired a set of thirty steel pans and we have challenged ourselves to learn at least a few songs ready for public performances later in the term. During the month, all the children in classes three and four will have the opportunity to learn these instruments as part of their class music lessons and following half-term, we will be forming our own steel pan group that will play at our summer BBQ, at the Shobrooke ?Up the Park? festival and at the Devon Schools Mix at Westpoint, Exeter.
The idea of having whole class instrumental tuition is part of the wider opportunities programme, which is aimed at making sure that all children have the chance to discover their musical potential. Performance has always been one of our strengths, but this kind of opportunity adds a new dimension for all children. It follows on from the successful learning community singing project that we took part in last term, which culminated with a concert at QECC. There we took a choir of children who sang a medley from the Sound of Music before singing in the fifteen minute finale where 300 children performed four challenging arrangements in two part harmony. The experience was one to remember!
Getting back to basics, however, the third week of May sees our Year Six children taking their end of key stage tests. Once again, they have such a lovely attitude towards these papers that they really look forward to proving just how much they know and it is rewarding that historically our children have always done so well. During the week, the children in Years Three, Four and Five also sit end of year Literacy and Maths papers. These are optional national tests which are marked internally, providing us with standardised information about the children?s progress during the year. This information is used together with teacher assessments to track the progress that each individual child is making and to plan for the next steps in their learning.
Finally, the children in Year Two also take their end of key stage tests during this week. This is the first time that they are required to do formal tests of this kind and we pride ourselves on making the experience as positive as we possibly can for them.
As well as all this, the older children in Key Stage Two will have the opportunity to learn a new musical instrument with a distinctly tropical feel! To support our music curriculum, the school has hired a set of thirty steel pans and we have challenged ourselves to learn at least a few songs ready for public performances later in the term. During the month, all the children in classes three and four will have the opportunity to learn these instruments as part of their class music lessons and following half-term, we will be forming our own steel pan group that will play at our summer BBQ, at the Shobrooke ?Up the Park? festival and at the Devon Schools Mix at Westpoint, Exeter.
The idea of having whole class instrumental tuition is part of the wider opportunities programme, which is aimed at making sure that all children have the chance to discover their musical potential. Performance has always been one of our strengths, but this kind of opportunity adds a new dimension for all children. It follows on from the successful learning community singing project that we took part in last term, which culminated with a concert at QECC. There we took a choir of children who sang a medley from the Sound of Music before singing in the fifteen minute finale where 300 children performed four challenging arrangements in two part harmony. The experience was one to remember!
Getting back to basics, however, the third week of May sees our Year Six children taking their end of key stage tests. Once again, they have such a lovely attitude towards these papers that they really look forward to proving just how much they know and it is rewarding that historically our children have always done so well. During the week, the children in Years Three, Four and Five also sit end of year Literacy and Maths papers. These are optional national tests which are marked internally, providing us with standardised information about the children?s progress during the year. This information is used together with teacher assessments to track the progress that each individual child is making and to plan for the next steps in their learning.
Finally, the children in Year Two also take their end of key stage tests during this week. This is the first time that they are required to do formal tests of this kind and we pride ourselves on making the experience as positive as we possibly can for them.