This week at Gainsborough…
Summer 1
This half term we are focusing on:
As Summer term. Our reflections on our current learning tell us we need to focus on the following:
- Improving the academic achievement in maths, for both children finding maths hard and those who work really efficiently in maths
- Developing our music curriculum and wider music offer for children
- Developing a play strategy for children and families
- Applying the teaching and learning policy to all areas of the curriculum
- Developing the application of SCERTS at Gainsborough to support children with communication and language needs
Gainsborough Keep Green- Earth Day March
We marched for Earth Day this week, we drew attention to the cause, chanted our ambitions and showed Hackney Wick that we demand change. Gainsborough are passionate about making changes and improving how we look after our planet. We hope to share that message and build active citizens who are able to use their voices to influence change. Well done Gainsborough!
Preschool Admissions
We currently have vacancies in our 2 year provision old and hold a waiting list for our under 2 provision. If you are aware of families who require places, or have siblings of children at Gainsborough, we are now operating a waiting list system and applications need to be made in advance. In previous years we have been able to offer and ‘apply and immediate start’ but due to high demand applications now need to be made in advance and places will be offered as soon as they become available. The preschool operates within 2 different ratios, 2 different government funding streams, our 3 year old nursery operates under different ratios and a different funding stream. Our admissions team work really hard to ensure your places are secured, offered and movement through the different provision is secured through good communication and completion of applications to the next stage. This is not an ideal model of funding or admissions however we are doing our best to make this as easy, supportive and clear as possible! Thank you to all of our families for being understanding and supportive of these approaches.
Gainsborough Achieves Silver Rights Respecting Award
We got silver! Gainsborough has been a Rights Respecting School for over 15 years. The Unicef Rights of the Child are embedded in our ethos, curriculum and way of being at Gainsborough. They influence our decision making, school development plan, curriculum delivery and policy. This week Ms Jethwa led the school through an accreditation process. This involved presenting how children, staff and families understand and live out the rights of the child. We hope to achieve Gold in 2027 but for now we are celebrating a wonderful silver accreditation and all of the hard work staff have put into that! Well done Gainsborough!
Gainsborough Play Strategy
Many schools across Hackney have started to consider how children play, take risks and build their communication skills during their playtime. With less and less children playing outside and spending more and more time in adult led environments we have seen a reduction in the types of play children engage in. At Gainsborough we have started to:
- Introduce play leads in our teaching, pupil, parent and governor groups
- Work withe all groups to design a better play environment for our children
- Learn about the different types of play there are and how to provide opportunities for this type of play
- Provide opportunities for children to take risks and think creatively
- Collect as many free and reusable resources to improve play in a sustainable way
We hope that working in this way will:
- Build a community understanding and approach to play
- Improve attendance through a happier and more exciting play experience at school
- Reduce playtime incidents
- Improve children’s communication skills through play
This week we have:
- Introduced a schedule of sport at lunchtime for both Years 1 and 2 and Years 3, 4, 5, 6 to reduce the amount of football time and expose children to other sports, other ways of communicating and provide a broader range of experiences.
- We have added a dining table to each playground so children can draw and play on a flat surface.
- We have asked children to collect children’s tools and tool kits, and hats and bags this week. Please drop donations to the office.
- We have introduced changes through staff briefings and assemblies to help staff and children feel safe with the changes taking place.
TT Rockstars Battle
Children in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 were challenged to a TT Rockstars battle against Mr Little this week. We have some children at Gainsborough who are becoming very hard to beat in our TT Rockstars battle. This week on average Mr Little beat the children of Gainsborough, however there was one child who manged to score again to well and truly beat Mr Little- James, year 6. In a turn of events Mr Little suggested that James battle the rest of Gainsborough to see if anyone can really beat him! Will any of the children be able to beat James?
Reader of the Week
Each week we will award one child from Years 1-6 with a new book, as the Reader of the Week. The award is for commitment, reading progress, engagement or sharing their love for reading. Please support your child with reading at home! After all, reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
Year 1 Idris
Year 2 Teya
Year 3 Cheyanne
Year 4 John
Year 5 Sophia
Year 6 Jay
Most Improved Writer of the Week
Each week we will award one child from Years 1-6 as most improved writer of the week. The award is for those who have shown a significant improvement in handwriting or writing throughout the week.
Year 1 Timur
Year 2 Emma
Year 3 Amelia
Year 4 Mercy
Year 5 Aaliyah
Year 6 Jahmal
Golds!
Each week we celebrate an amazing achievement from each class. Children are celebrated in assembly, receive a gold certificate and their name in the newsletter. Please celebrate their learning at home too!
Nursery Ducks
Sofia was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for joining in the carpet sessions in nursery and sharing her ideas. Well done Sofia!
Nursery Geese
Selina was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for developing her communication brilliantly. Well done Selina!
Nursery Swans
Stella was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for showing wonderful progress in mark making and writing the letters in her name. Well done Stella!
Reception Magpies
Khalil was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for working super hard in phonics, showing excellent concentration and sounding out and blending really well. Well done Khalil!
Year 1 Doves
Nehemiah was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for his excellent behaviour inside and outside the classroom. Well done Nehemiah!
Year 2 Wrens
Rukia was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for excellent contributions in lessons and writing a fantastic biography about Bessie Coleman. Well done Rukia!
Year 3 Owls
Jazmin was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for completing fantastic homework and being a great role model and contributor in class. Well done Jazmin!
Year 4 Hummingbirds
Yaaqub was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for showing great resilience and determination when faced with huge challenges this week. Well done Yaaqub!
Year 5 Hummingbirds
Chelsey was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for her excellent contributions in history lessons, writing a fantastic report on the Anglo Saxons. Well done Chelsey!
Year 6 Skylarks
Kiy- Ahra was awarded a Gainsborough Gold award this week for making excellent contributions and effort in reading lessons this week. Well done Kiy-Ahra!
Coming up at Gainsborough…
Gainsborough Wild Flower Walk
This week in assembly Ms Clark will introduce a British Wild Flowers checklist. Over the course of the week classes will need to see if they can spot the wild flowers in their commute to and from school by sending a picture of the wild flower and them to the school Instagram account! The class with the best ‘spots’ will receive a prize. We will also walk to and from Hackney Marshes on Thursday from 10.45-11.15am to see of we can spot the wild flowers in our immediate community.
Gainsborough is going to the Hackney Half!
Children from Years 1 -6 have been invited to take part in the School’s Challenge as part of the Hackney Half. Families must return their sing up, via the link in emails, by Monday 27th April. Children will meet at Hackney Marshes at 10am on Saturday 16th March, and run as a group with school staff for 1 mile. They will be given a runners t shirt and a winners medal at the final. All welcome, please come along!
Gainsborough Food Co-Op Opportunity
We will hold an introductory meeting on Wednesday 20th May at 3.30pm in the middle hall. Saul will lead this. It will be a chance to ask any questions, plan how the co op will run, where we might need volunteers, and agree on the best days so we can get started soon after. With the sunnier weather coming, it feels like a great time of year to begin and we want to make sure we start in a well organised way. In the meantime, if you know anyone else in the school community who might be interested, please do share the flyer on the school Instagram account.
