Merry Christmas
Just a short message to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. We have had such a wonderful Autumn term and we are grateful for all the support you show.
Enjoy a deserved rest and see you all in 2025!
Autumn Term Highlight in Year One
As the autumn term comes to an end, it’s clear to all the staff that the real highlight has been the fantastic attitude to learning the children brought with them from day one. Their progress since starting Year 1 has been truly amazing and is a credit to their honesty and hard work.
The children have consistently applied their Christian values to every aspect of their learning, using them as a foundation to achieve. We are so proud of their courage, compassion, and perseverance, which have made this term such a joy. Well done, Year 1!
Year 1 Church Visit with Reverend Pete
Year 1 had a wonderful visit to the church, where Reverend Pete shared how Christians prepare for Christmas and the special changes that happen during this season. The children explored the church, discovering features like the altar and stained-glass windows, and asked thoughtful questions about their meanings.
This visit helped bring the Christmas story to life, deepening their understanding of its importance to Christians. It was a fantastic way to celebrate Christmas and learn about its message of love, joy, and giving. Thank you, Reverend Pete, for making this visit so meaningful and memorable!
Festive fun!
We have been enjoying lots of festivities this week!
We’ve been designing out own Christmas cards, decorating baubles and making our own party hats ready for Christmas dinner day. We may have also had a special visitor in to see us.
IT WAS SANTA!
We have also been reflecting on this years half-term. Our Christian value this half-term has been- Compassion. The children understand that to be compassionate is to be kind and caring . Here are some of the children’s thoughts on what being kind is too them.
I’m kind to my friends when I share my cars- J
If someone needs help I am kind to them- Oria
If someone hurts themselves I can get a Teacher to help them feel better- Avery
I like to give people a hug- Elliott
Miss Feldman is kind because she gets us some snack and milk- Blossom
Notice:
The Nursery team would like to wish you all a happy, healthy Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
A special mention from myself to say Thank you for a wonderful last term. It has truly been an enjoyable experience and it’s amazing to see all the progress that has been made since September. I will be signing off for a little while now to enjoy spending some time with my family and entering into motherhood. I hope to see you all soon, Miss Ward.
Special visit
Print calendars
As you know, our topic work this half term has been focussed on the work of William Morris and Orla Kiely. We have also created our own print stamps and designs based on their repeated pattern and symmetrical work.
As a result, we have been inspired to create our very own prints for our 2025 calendars. Take a look at our fabulous work!
Mary’s Knitting – KS1 Nativity
Our Year One children have amazed us with their beautiful performance of Mary’s Knitting! After weeks of practice, they overcame their nerves to stand confidently in front of their families and share the true spirit of Christmas.
From learning their lines to singing with joy, every child worked so hard to
make the performance a success. All their preparation truly paid off, as the show ran smoothly and was a delight to watch.
We are so proud of each and every one of them for their courage, teamwork, and dedication. Well done, Year One and the whole of KS1!
Trip to Wetherby High School
Today, we were invited to watch a talent show at Wetherby High School. Our class walked across beautiful and represented St James really well. We watched some superb performances and a few of our children knew the high school children performing. Here’s what we had to say…
There was a huge mix of talents, and everyone felt included. James
I really enjoyed seeing the children singing and playing the piano. I feel inspired to do something similar. Aubree
I loved seeing the performances and it made me feel like I want to do something similar in the future. Chloe
It was very entertaining. Seeing the children not get embarrassed displayed courage. Honey
The performances demonstrated good oracy skills. Tommy
The Christmas Story
Christingle
The children enjoyed making Christingles last week, we talked about the different parts to the Christingle and what they all mean.
Help at home: ask your child if they can tell you about the Christingle?
This week our focus book is The Christmas Story.
Our word of the week is Nativity.
We’re so excited to be sharing our nativity story with our grown ups this week, we’ve polished off our star costumes and are definitely ready to shine in our performances on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Phonics
This week in our phonics we will be focusing on our tricky words, please look out for a set in your child’s book bags to learn over the Christmas break.
Send your photos to: stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org
Have a happy and healthy week and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Miss. Feldman and Mr. Smith.
Food Technology – egg pots
Today we have been busy making our egg pots. We learned lots of new skills including how to use a bridge cut to cut the tomatoes and how to open a tin of beans safely.
Back in class, we evaluated our product with some children reflecting that they would refine the recipe by including carrots or cooking and serving the ingredients separately.
Thank you for the donations made towards the ingredients, we are already looking forward to our next project in the new year.
Help at home: Try one of these recipes and let us know if any are particularly popular with your family.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/family-health/top-10-healthy-meals-for-kids