Woodcroft Primary School

NEWS FLASH! Woodcroft win Dance: Make Your Your Move

WINNERS! On Saturday 21st April our amazing Woodcroft Dance Team won the 2018 London heat of ‘Dance: Make Your Move’. The competition, organised by The British Red Cross, is open to schools from across the South East. Woodcroft will now go on to compete at the O2 in the Grand Final on Sunday 8th July.

It was a truly outstanding performance by all of our dancers on stage at MCT Alleyns. Woodcroft also received the Platinum Fundraiser Award for collecting over £1300 in sponsorship for The British Red Cross. What an achievement by everyone! As the top fundraisers, Woodcroft’s dancers will now receive a workshop day at London’s Pineapple Dance Studios, sponsors of last night’s competition.

More news and photos to follow…

Here we go …

Welcome back at the start of the summer term when school life gets even busier! We have got an action packed schedule planned. The next few months are full of music festivals, dance finals, sports events, pupil performances and class trips. Not to mention all of the outstanding learning that takes place in the classrooms; oh, and the small matter of end of year tests!

Take a look at our online calendar (click here, or follow the calendar link on this page) for all of the key dates and times. We try to keep it as up to date as possible.

Some highlights…

Here are just a few of the many things to look forward to …

In April …

Reception Head off to Radlett Theatre

African Drumming lessons begin for Year 2

Bikeability training takes place for those that signed up in Years 3 and 4

On 21st April our amazing Dance Team take part in the London Make Your Move: Dance Finals @ The MCT, East Dulwich,

The 25th sees The English Pocket Opera (EPOC) Opera return to Woodcroft for a special KS2 performance workshop that is titled – The History of Western Music Part I.

In May …

Year 3 take a trip to Natural History Museum

KS2 SATS week for Year 6 begins on 14th May

We defend our Barnet Tri-Golf Championship at The Metro Golf Centre on 24th May

Year 6 have a very special African Drumming Day planned with the return of Abass from One Drum.

Half Term  is 28th May to 1st June (Pupils return on Tuesday 5th June)

In June …

On 6th June Year 6 head off to the wilderness on their bushcraft residential adventure camp

We have a Visual Arts Week starting on 11th June

Our wonderful choir perform on the stage of the Arts Depot at the 2018 Barnet Music Festival.

Nursery take a trip out to Willows Activity Farm

Woodcroft will be taking part in Burnt Oak Great Get Together a new community event (at St Alphege Church) on Saturday 23rd June

Our dancers head off to the Great Big Dance Off national finals in Oxford on the 25th June

The choir have been invited to perform at the prestigious Proms at St Jude’s on 28th June.

In July …

Get ready for Sports Days – Nursery is on Monday 2nd, KS1 on Tuesday 3rd and KS2 on Wednesday 4th July

This year’s Year 6 Leavers Show is on 12th July

The last day of term is on 20th July with the usual 2.00pm Finish (with Nursery finishing the previous day).

For lots more dates and details check out our school calendar … click here

And the winner is …

Wednesday 28th March was an evening of music, comedy, dance and drama, and that can only mean one thing … The Woodcroft Wow Factor!

Parent and Carer Questionnaire 2018

Thank you to everyone who submitted a completed questionnaire. All of the forms have now been collated. The school appreciates your overwhelmingly positive feedback. We are always striving to improve and your constructive comments will help us to do even better!

Click on an image below to view charts representing this year’s combined results from the parents and carer survey.

Alternatively, click on the link below to download a PDF document. This form also includes the 2017 ‘strongly agree’ totals for comparison. 

Parent and Carer Questionnaire Results 2018 (PDF version)

On Friday 9th March Woodcroft Dance Team performed on the stage at the Finchley ArtsDepot as part of the Barnet Dance Festival. The group performed beautifully, a real credit to the school. Well done to all of the dancers. Take a look at their rehearsal and backstage preparations below.

Dance Team 2018 Introductory Video – ‘INSIDE’

Click ‘INSIDE’ image above to view video.

From the 26th February to 2nd March we hosted our annual Big Read! Lots of fun and exciting activities have were planned to promote the enjoyment of reading. This year we also combined it with our termly Art Week linking it to an India theme inspired our focus book , ‘A Little Princess’, by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic

Some highlights coming up …

• Monday: Our ‘Book Art’ projects got started.
• Tuesday: M&M Theatre performed a classic of English children’s literature, A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
• Wednesday: is Mystery Books day! Every class received an award winning book all wrapped up and ready to be  unpacked and read in a very special story time.
• Thursday: To celebrate World Book Day, we will all be coming to school in our pyjamas and settling down to some special story times!
  
• Friday: is Display Day – Look out for updated photos and work in our Gallery Corridor. This term’s theme is India inspired by the story A Little Princess.
• Plus loads more! Read last week’s news for all the info…click here

Competition Time: Write a description of a character from a favourite book. Winners from every year group will chosen by School Council.  Book vouchers for the school Book Fair will be awarded!!!

Extreme Reading Challenge 2018: Take a photo of yourself reading in an unusual (but not dangerous!) place! Upload it onto the Treehouse page (#BigReadWeek / Extreme Reading) or share it with your teacher. These people have already taken up the challenge this week …

More photos in our Extreme Reading Gallery 2018

Click here to see more photos of Woodcroft pupils and staff reading in unusual places …

Attic Bedroom Reads: Let’s get blogging about our best books. If you could only choose one, which book would you want to read if stuck in an attic bedroom like the Little Princess? Why would you read it? Tell the rest of the school on the TreeHouse  #BigReadWeek/ Attic Bedroom Reads

A Little Princess

On Tuesday morning M&M Theatre performed a wonderful version of a classic from English children’s literature, The Little Princess. Take a look…

Mystery Books

Classes had their Mystery Books delivered on Wednesday. Each title was chosen from the The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals shortlist for 2017. These are the UK’s oldest and most prestigious children’s book awards. Often described by authors and illustrators as ‘the one they want to win’, the are the gold standard in children’s literature.

http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/greenaway-current-shortlist.php

World Book ‘Pyjama’ Day

So the fairy cast a spell; and everyone that went to the Woodcroft – pupils, teachers, assistants, secretaries, cooks, coaches and helpers – all fell into a deep sleep, wherever they were at that very moment… for Sleeping Beauties click here

We hope that everyone got involved in our Big Read and Art Week!

Take a look at some of the exciting digital activities we have been up over the two last weeks! February 5th to 9th was Woodcroft’s Safer Internet Week and on 25th January we hosted our annual Digital Technology Day. These events are part of our AIM@Digital programme –  we are always keen to promote positive behaviour online and prepare pupils for the digital age!

Digital Technology Day

Woodcroft hosted its annual digital technology day on Thursday, 25th January. Every class took part in a range of digitally-enriched lessons based around the theme of ‘try something new’. Our pupil Digital Champions spent the day recording the activities and plan to make a film.

We were also visited by 20 teachers from the DIU Foundation in Sweden. They were keen to find out how we integrate technology on the curriculum and thoroughly enjoyed meeting pupils from a variety of clubs including robotics, computer programming as well as our Digital Champions.

Digital Champions #SID2018 Assembly

On Monday 6th February our Digital Champions prepared and presented an assembly to the whole school about safe online behaviour. Digital Champions are pupils that work with Mr Guest, our Computing Lead Teacher, to manage our wide-range of online applications. In addition, the Digital Champions offer fantastic support to their own classes.

Create, Connect and Share Respect – A better internet starts with you

Safer Internet Day 2018 was celebrated globally on Tuesday 6th February with the theme ‘Create, Connect and Share Respect – A better internet starts with you’. Every class throughout the school took part in activities during PSHE lessons; discovering how to show good manners while on the internet, and learning about online safety.

Online Safety Parent Workshop

On Tuesday 6th February, we hosted short meeting in the hall with the aim of helping parents navigate the complex issues that families face using devices at home. Mr Guest prepared a slideshow to highlight some of the main issues, along with some practical ideas for how to help your child have a safe experience online. We’ also provided links to recommended websites, as well as handing out copies of Digital Parenting magazine. Thank you to the parents that joined us – we hope that you found it useful.

 AIM@Digital Badges

Now in its second year, our ‘Digital Badges’ scheme was created by Woodcroft to help pupils maximise their learning in Computing, and in the use of IT across the whole curriculum. Throughout an academic year pupils will be given the chance to earn a full set of badges – check the back pages of your child’s home link book to see how many awards they’ve gained so far.  

At the end of the year, pupils with a full collector card will achieve a ‘Digital Champion’ certificate to celebrate their achievements! This shows they have successfully covered all aspects of the digital curriculum for their year group.

Crowned London Regional ‘Dance Off’ Champions 2018

Woodcroft Dance team were crowned London Regional Dance Off Champions for the second year in succession following their amazing performance at The New Wimbledon Theatre on Monday 5th February.

Competing against 28 other schools from across the London region, Woodcroft’s composition, titled ‘INSIDE’ was based around themes of child mental health.

Serena Williams, Woodcroft’s Choreographer described, ”INSIDE’ explores the intense and overwhelming emotions experienced by young people with mental health issues. An array of feelings that are often hidden are exposed through dance with the notion of finding strength through the support of others.’

Kay Vanner, Assistant Head, explained,‘This year Woodcroft is looking at ways to support pupil well-being and mental health throughout the school. The dance team decided to use this as a focus for their composition.’

It is fitting that this week is Children’s Mental Health Week, 5th – 11th February. Read more at https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/

We are delighted to inform you that our new online payment system from SchoolMoney went live on Monday 5th February. This means that you now have the facility to make payments for school expenses, such as trips, online with your debit or credit card.

This new payment system will benefit both us as a school and you as a parent. Not only will you be able to pay for items from the comfort of your own home it will enable us to experience a more streamlined, cost-effective and efficient payment system in a secure and safe environment.

All parents and carers have been automatically signed up by the school. You will have already been sent your login details. This password will give you access to your SchoolMoney account! To log on with this password visit the website www.schoolmoney.co.uk and enter your mobile number and email address. If for any reason you are struggling to log in, it may be because you have not provided us with the correct contact details. Please let us know immediately if either your mobile number or email address changes.

We appreciate your cooperation in the early stages of rolling out this new system. But remember, our Office will no longer be accepting cash payments!  For more information click here …

Please Note: School Money has recently rebranded its logos from …

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Woodcroft Win the Tutor Hunt Tri-School Dodgeball Tournament

A Woodcroft team emerged victorious in the Tri-School Dodgeball Tournament. This bi-annual event is sponsored by Tutor Hunt and involves teams from Woodcroft, Goldbeaters and The Orion. Each school receives free weekly dodgeball club sessions for Y4 pupils through the Tutor Hunt sponsorship. The schools then come together twice a year to use their skills and compete for the coveted trophy. Woodcroft successfully retained the trophy that they won in the summer. All of the teams demonstrated outstanding sporting behaviour and respect. Well done to our coaches from Foundation Sport and to Mr Patel for helping to organise the event.