Dear Parents/Carers and Children,

WILLESBOROUGH JUNIOR SCHOOL OCTOBER NEWSLETTER
Dear Parents/Carers and Children,
As usual in October, we have had parent consultations for all children in all Year Groups. It was good to see and
chat to many of you and hear the positive comments that you made about the learning that your children are
doing, the staff and our school. The online booking seems to have been popular with parents despite the teething problems that we have had. We would welcome any feedback that you have on this whether it be good or
how it could be improved. After the holiday we will be contacting any parents/carers who have not managed to
make an appointment as we believe that the home school contact and liaison is essential.
This has been a very busy term with many exciting learning opportunities. Year 3 children have settled very
quickly into life at Willesborough Juniors and are busy getting used to our routines. The children and staff of
Year 6 have completed their successful Enterprise Project and visited the Willesborough Windmill. Our Year 5
children completed a local walk and Year 4 have also visited the windmill. The learning that takes place during
and after these local visits/projects is very powerful and the children remember it for a life time.
One of our targets this year is to work more closely with our local community and to welcome parents and
carers into our school. Each year group will be inviting you to join in with trips, or putting on events and asking
you to get involved. We hope to see lots of you in school and joining your children on local visits. Please let us
know if you have any feedback on any events that you join in with.
Thank you to the new and existing parents who have signed up to our fundraisers. As you know, the money
that the fundraisers raise goes towards ‘extras’ for your children to enjoy. Every child has benefitted from the
new outdoor play areas and this year we are working towards other purchases such as play equipment for wet
play times. We are always looking for new members and helping hands, so don’t be shy and join us whenever
you can.
Thank you once again for all your support and help
Yours sincerely
Mrs J King
Willesborough Junior School Open Day
Come and see how we work, visit the classrooms and meet the team
Thursday 20th November 2014
Admission to Willesborough Junior School 2015
For children who are due to start Junior School in September 2015 now is the time to start thinking about applying. Apply online at
www.kent.gov.uk/ola
th
Online applications open 11 November 2014 and close on 15th January 2015
Year 4 have being doing lots of exciting activities based on our new topic – Our Place. The children enjoyed
an exciting trip to Willesborough Windmill, where they not only learned how to grind wheat to make flour but
also studied the wide variety of other objects that are housed there. Using Willesborough Windmill flour,
Year 4 have designed, made and decorated their own biscuits. We would all like to thank the lovely parents
and grandparents who came in to help us do this. Your help was greatly appreciated by us all.
As a year group we are discovering the treasures on our doorstep too and learning a lot about the rocks and
trees that are a part of our everyday environment. As part of our project, Year 4 have also thought about
what we can bring to our year group. The children and adults have written what they can give to our year
group community. We used our handprints to do this and have made a beautiful year group tree. As our
topic continues until Christmas, we look forward to updating you in our next Pilgrims newsletter. Look out
for invitations to come in and see the work we have been doing and admire our tree for real!
Year 5 visited the local Aylesford Stream, as part of “Our Community” project, to study its formation, many
meanders and escalating erosion. Both natural and un-natural features were recorded, including over 100
pieces of rubbish, the largest being a fridge freezer!
Year 6 has been very busy this term, researching our community as part of the school-wide topic. We started
by walking around some of the main areas that are used by our community, such as the shops, parks and the
recreation ground. Year 6 looked at maps of the local area and researched how Ashford had changed over the
years.
We were lucky enough to be able to interview Reverend John
Mackenzie about the changes that have taken place at St Mary’s
Church since it has been built and the changes that will happen in
the future. We were amazed to hear that the church is the oldest
building in Willesborough.
This week every class visited Willesborough Windmill. The volunteers were fantastic and explained how the windmill works and
the way it has changed. We had a wonderful time and look forward to presenting the information we have found out about
Willesborough in leaflets and posters. Thank you very much to all
the members of the community that helped make our learning
come to life.
School Dinners
Just a little reminder that school meals are
£2.10 per day paid a week in advance on a Monday. You need to
provide a week’s notice if your child’s dinner pattern is changing or
you will be charged for meals booked.
If you wish to pay for the whole half term in advance the total will
be £73.50. This is from 3rd November to 19th December (35 days
@ £2.10).
Please ensure that if you send dinner money in with your child, it is
in an envelope clearly marked with your child’s name and class.
Thank you
Author Visit—Eamon Reilly
10th November 2014. He will be talking to the children about his work and giving them ‘top-tips’ for writing
stories of their own. You can visit the website at: www.er-reilly.co.uk where you can read extracts from the
books. The children will have the opportunity to purchase his books from school where Mr Reilly will be only
too happy to sign any copies.
Sporting news
Already this year Willesborough have competed at the annual Godinton cross country event with some outstanding results.
Year 6 Results
Boys
Callum Westby 19th
James Liall 21st
Girls
`
Faith Kingsland 2nd
Grace Whittingham 8th
Robyn Deacon 22nd
Holly Richards 29th
Well done to the year 6 girls team who were 2nd overall!
Year 5 Results
Boys
Iain Bremer - 3rd
Ethan Kelly - 6th
James Margerison - 30th
Freddy Chandler - 64th
Girls
Teagan Hurst 2nd
Evin Kelly—5th
Alexy Kingsland—14th
Amy Dobson-Godfrey—24th
Well done to the year 5 girls team who were 3rd overall.
Year 4
Boys
Conlan o’Donnell 5th
Tayden McHugh 14th
Harvey Rudd 32nd
Nathan Guthrie 48th
Girls
Ella Roper—4th
Courtenay Mills—36th
Ellie Dobson-Godfrey
Girls
Ella Roper 4th
Courtney Mills 36th
Ellie Dobson-Godfrey 37th
Year 3
Unfortunately the event was cancelled due to weather conditions.
At all the events we attended, the children took part enthusiastically and were determined to do their best,
which resulted in some superb placements! Thank you to all the parents for their support. Whether you have
offered a lift to an event, turned up to support your child and cheered them on, we are incredibly grateful!
As ever we are always looking to offer more sporting opportunities to our children. If you have a sporting talent or have coaching experience in a sport and would like to offer your skills for an extra-curricular club, we
Available to purchase from reception ….
Handwriting Pens, Pencils, Rulers,
Erasers, Pencil Cases (with and without
contents), Whiteboard Pens etc.
Diary Dates
Monday 3rd November
Wednesday 5th November
Wednesday 5th November
Monday 10th November
Wednesday 13th November
Thursday 13th November
Friday 14th November
Mon 17th—Fri 21st November
Wednesday 19th November
Thursday 20th November
Friday 21st November
Wednesday 26th November
Wednesday 26th November
Friday 28th November
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Tues 2nd —Thurs 4th DecemberWednesday 3rd December
Wednesday 11th December
Friday 13th December
Friday 13th December
Tuesday 16th December
Tuesday 16th December
Wednesday 17th December
Wednesday 17th December
Thursday 18th December
Thursday 18th December
Friday 19th December
Friday 19th December
Friday 19th December
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First Day of Term
Week of Happy Families Course
Fundraisers Meeting (3.30pm) - All Welcome
Visit by Author Eamon Reilly
Week of Happy Families Course
School Disco
Class 6.1 Assembly to Parents (2.50pm)
Anti-Bullying Week
Week of Happy Families Course
Open day for Existing Parents and New Year 3 Parents Sept 15
Class 6.3 Assembly to Parents (2.50pm)
Week of Happy Families Course
Parent Forum Meeting (2.30)—All Welcome
Class 4.2 Assembly to Parents (2.50pm)
E-Safety for Year 5 & 6
Week of Happy Families Course
Year 6 to Norton Knatchball
Children’s Christmas Jumper Day
Pantomime
Year 3 & 4 Christmas Parties
Year 3 Nativity to Parents (9.30am)
Presents Room
Year 5 Christmas Party
Choir Singing at Care Home
Christmas Fayre
Mid-Term Reports
Christmas Church Services
Year 6 Christmas Party
School Holidays
Monday 5th January 2014
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First Day of Term