From the Head of Primary 24.06.2023

It is hard to believe we are approaching our final week of the academic year. The year has passed by so quickly as we are always so busy in primary, extending the learning inside and outside the classroom.

Last week, Y4 went on their residential trip to Outward Bound Sabah!

In Year 4, our class embarked on an unforgettable adventure — a 3 day, 2 night residential trip to an Outward Bound centre nestled amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Sabah. Over the course of our stay, we immersed ourselves in a multitude of exhilarating activities, fostering teamwork, resilience, and personal growth. We conquered challenging rock faces, harnessed our courage to face the flying fox zipline and navigated through dense jungles with the guidance of skilled coaches.

Throughout our journey, the Year 4 students experienced tremendous personal growth, surpassing their own expectations as they faced challenges they initially believed to be insurmountable. From conquering their fear of heights to navigating unfamiliar terrain, they discovered newfound confidence and resilience within themselves. They returned home with a renewed sense of self-belief and a determination to approach future obstacles with courage and determination. Their following reflections show the lessons they learned, memories they have made and the fun they had throughout the trip! We hope they give you a little insight into the achievements and remarkable accomplishments we observed throughout the trip.

Well done to all the Year 4s who learned that they are all stronger than they realise, braver than they thought and far more capable than they knew! We were proud to watch you grow on this residential journey and will take away our own wonderful memories from our experiences with you all.

Mr Adams, Ms Bagiu, Mrs Fletcher and Ms Luminggu

Year 4 Student reflections from the Outward Bound Residential:

“I’m proud that I can climb the rock wall half way up and I’m proud that I can face my fear.”

“My best memory was when I was going to my dorm with my friends and we saw a praying mantis. It was my best memory because my friends were terrified  and we could not sleep!!”

“I went on the flying fox zipline. I really didn’t want to go because it was really high up but I persevered and did it! I would love to go again.”

“One memory that stood out was when I went rock climbing and I made it to the top! I was so proud and happy!! This was a big achievement for me because although I had done rock climbing before, this was the first natural rock climbing I completed! Real rocks are a lot more slippery so I struggled a lot more than other times.”

“My favourite activity was the night line because I learned to trust people a lot.”

“Climbing the ladder to reach the flying fox was a big challenge. I have a fear of heights so it was scary. I’m proud that I did it and faced my fears.”

“My best memory was the flying fox because when I jumped off the flying fox the view was so stunning!”

“My best memory was rock climbing because it made me scared but it was fun. Also, when I got to the top of the rock climbing wall people gave compliments to me. I was proud.”

“My best memory was the night walk because it was fun. We were blind folded. I was scared but I was also excited.”

“My favourite activity was the flying fox, because I like being up in the sky. It was fun to fly like a bird.”

“I learn about how to work together with my team on different activities. It can help to achieve the team goals.”

“What I’m most proud of from the trip was when I did rock climbing. I had a second try because I got too scared but I ended up going higher than before!”  

“I have learned to try things you never tried before. If you try you will know if you like it or not. It’s ok not to like stuff, but at least try it first because it might change your mind.”

“Overall the experience was good. If I didn’t go on the trip I would not have learned how to do things I’ve never done before.”

“My best memory is the flying fox. I didn’t want to do it at first and I was almost certain that I wasn’t going to participate. But, my friends, teachers and coaches pushed me to my limits and I ended up doing something I was terrified of. It was totally worth it. I ended up crying on the top. When I was close enough to see the other side I saw my friends waiting for me and holding the ladder. That’s true friends.”

“My greatest challenge I have faced was rock climbing because I overcame my fear of heights. It was really hard because the stones I had to climb were flat and really slippery as well.”

EYFS SHOWCASE

On Monday, the EYFS children sparkled throughout their showcase as they showed off some of their learning through a beautiful rendition of their favourite songs and dances. The Parents were an amazing audience, and a huge thank you for involving yourself in the fun and joining in with the dancing!

The fun did not stop there, and for the following hour, the children took their parents into EYFS to play. It was wonderful to see so many adults getting stuck into the fun, maybe some even more so than the children! Thank you once again for your continued support in your child’s education.

Mrs Garrick

Another week, and another year 3 trip, or so it seems at the moment. This time, we jumped into our Time Machine and zoomed back millions of years to explore the world of dinosaurs. 

The children brought with them their sense of wonder and enthusiasm (along with a hat and water bottle) and were certainly not disappointed. From the Jurassic theme music, to life size dinosaurs; from mini zip lines to swingy chairs, the children excitedly tried out everything. They even met some real, living dinosaurs who attacked arms, lunged for snacks and strangely high fived with their feet. All in all, it was an exciting visit which exercised the mind as well as the body and resulted in 26 tired and happy children. 

Mr Fletcher

On Tuesday afternoon, Mrs Garrick led a transition meeting for F2 parents. This was a great opportunity to find out more about how the curriculum changes as students move into KS1. If you were unable to attend and have any questions, please do speak to Miss Gibbons. 

Our transition afternoon on Wednesday was very successful. I visited each class and they all seemed very excited to be moving on to their new class and to meet/learn about their new teacher, which is great news.  

The Y2 Showcase on Thursday was great fun! The children showcased their learning from their unit on Toys and the parents got to immerse themselves in playing a whole range of fun and engaging games which the students had designed themselves incorporating all the stages of the design learning process.

Our usual weekly assembly was on Thursday this week because of Science Day. Take a look at our Stars of the Week and Housepoint Award winners!

Friday was Science Day which was super fun! You can read more about what happened in the Community Section of the newsletter but I would like to say a huge thankyou to Mr Colbeck and Mrs Fulat for all the work they put into organising this. 

Next week, Y6 are finally off on their residential to Outward Bound. I wish them lots of fun. The Early Years department are off to Lok Kawi wildlife park. Reports will be sent home on Tuesday, if you have any questions about the content please contact the class teacher to discuss further. 

Wednesday will be a fabulous day with our annual KIS Has Talent competition and class parties. With Thursday, a day off to rest, we will be back in school on Friday, feeling all energetic for our House Morning and our final celebration assembly of the year! Parents are welcome to join, it starts at 10.30am and is in the hall. For primary students, school will finish at 11.30am on this day. 

I am looking forward to what is going to be a fun filled week with maybe a few tears as for a number of teachers and students this will be their last week before embarking on a new adventure.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Take care

Ms Karen Hitchen
Head of Primary