WELCOME BACK!

All staff at Manford Primary would like to welcome everybody back to school. We have another great year ahead with many challenging and exciting lessons, trips and much, much more......

School Term and Holiday Dates 2009/2010

Autumn Term 2009

1st Day of term Monday 7th September

Half Term Monday 26th October - Friday 30th October

Last Day of Term Friday 18th December at 2pm

Spring Term 2010

1st Day of Term Monday 4th January

Half Term Monday 15th February-Friday 19th February

Last Day of Term Thursday 1st April at 2pm

Summer Term 2010

1st Day of Term Monday 19th April

Half Term Monday 31st May-Friday 4th June

Last Day of Term Friday 23rd July at 2pm

NOTE: There are 5 training days for staff when the school is closed to pupils. Two of the days have already been set, the remaining three will be set later in the year.

Starsnappers - Photography Workshop

Last week, the children of Manford Primary School were very fortunate to have a professional photographer and model work with them during a photography workshop.

The Starsnappers workshop showed the children the best way to pose for a picture and discussed portraiture and identity in images. The children were also given an introduction to the work of a photographer and photography, including the world of digital imaging.

However, the main part of the workshop involved the children photographing each other! They were able to photograph themselves and each other, composing the shot and clicking the shutter.
The children had a great time wearing silly hats and pulling funny faces... even the teachers had to have a go!

The photos will be used as part of Starsnappers project to break a Guiness World Record for the biggest photographic exhibition in history! This will be displayed in a glalery in London in the future. The date is unknown yet, but once we know we shall post it onto the blog.... so keep an eye out!

Children from Yellow Reception and Afternoon Nursery enjoying the workshop.

RED NOSE DAY Friday 13th 2009

Red Nose Day at Manford

All children in Manford made a great effort to raise money for comic relief. Classes enjoyed face painting, dressing up, pulling funny faces, Red Nose Day Aerobics and learning about why we raise money.

As a school we have chosen to send the money we raise to go towards helping orphan children in developing countries in order for them to go to school and have a better, safer way of life. The total money raised will be announced soon.

Funny Faces Gallery

Maths Week 2009

Monday 23rd February to Friday 27th of February 2009 was maths week at Manford.

We had lots of events happening in school for the children and parents. There was a maths trail for Year 1 and 2 children and their parents. Nursery and Reception children and parents came to play with and learn from the activities they use. Parents of children in 3 to 6 came to a special Fun Maths Roadshow.

Highlights of the week in classes inclued doing maths trails around the school, making books for the younger children and puzzle worshops.

On Tuesday there was much excitment as each class was asked to estimate how long they thought it would take Miss Jacobs and Mr Bowsher to run around the 4 roads that act as the boundry for the school. Estimates ranged from over 20 minutes to some of 5 minutes and this last estimate proved the most accurate as it took them 4 minutes and 56 seconds. Obviously some children didn't think the teachers were very fit!

Friday saw an assembly where prizes were given out for the different challenges that had taken place and the winner of the heaviest potato was announced. This was a half term challenge and each child was asked to bring in the heaviest potato they could find. The winner's potato weighed over a kilogram. Potato soup is now on the menu!

National Year of Reading

Thank you to everyone who was involved in the recycled book fair, there were many wonderful books brought in and the children really enjoyed it. I hope this has helped to encourage more of us to enjoy reading!

The children have also enjoyed book character day, where many children dressed up as their favourite character. There were some fantastic costumes and a fun day was had by all.

In classes children and teachers are busy designing and making some very exciting book corners to help inspire children to read. Children across the school have been designing the corners and the winners for each class were announced on Friday, so well done to everyone who got involved.

Throughout the year children will be involved in numerous activities to promote the enjoyment of reading. It is hoped that all children are reading everyday at home and sharing their books with others.

For ideas and help to encourage your child to read visit the National Year of Reading website:

http://www.yearofreading.org.uk/

Curriculum Evening

School Curriculum Evening
All parents were invited into school from 3.10pm to 5.15pm to have the opportunity to see examples of work in each curriculum area taught in the school. Subject leaders were on hand to discuss the subjects and answer any questions. Also English , Maths and Science subject leaders gave talks on how to help your child at home in each subject.

Listen to some parent interviews on the following podcast!

http://podcast.lgfl.org.uk/channels/3172002School-Events.xml

More pictures and video interviews to follow......

STAFF INSET

Blogging and podcasting

Well done to all the teachers at Manford for a fantastic staff meeting! Tonight we learnt how to create a blog and how to podcast. It was a jam packed session with hands on activities. All teachers were very enthusiastic and excited at the prospects blogging and podcasting will bring.

Here we are creating our first podcast!!

These are two new ways of communicating, collaborating and sharing work and events with a wider audience instantly and I am sure people will fly with this and begin to build these tools into the curriculum and outside of it.
There were some excellent podcasts recorded to promote reading by teachers. Take a listen at the following link (scroll to Redbridge-Manford-Teacher examples) - to access them click the link that follows:
Lgfl Podcasting hosting site

Blogging

Manford are now fully up and running with blogging (on line diaries) and each year group is about to begin their own blogs. Feel free to post a comment on anything that interests you on any of the blogs.

Teachers in action