Moorhens Chocolate Truffles

There wasn't many children who turned down the chance to make these lovely chocolates. Different toppings were added to make them extra special and then they were wrapped up in coloured cellophane to take home or to give mum or dad as a special treat,

Anti-Bullying Week at Moorhens

Moorhens 

children helped to design 2 large posters for ant-bullying week

They also designed their own poems and mini posters

Moorhens Poppy Art & Crafts

The children at Moorhens enjoyed making a contribution to our remembrance day poster, by making poppy's out of tissue paper.

Calling Year 3 :) Help please

In the next few days Year 3  will start making a wreath decoration that will be sold at the Christmas fair.

For our make, we would like the children to bring the following in to school:

·      A good quality black plastic bin bag

·      Lots of newspaper

·      At least 3 long pieces of tinsel – The more tinsel the children have the better the effect.

Making the wreaths takes quite a long time. As time is short we would ask that the children bring the materials in as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for your help.

The Year 3 team

Mr. Winter                 Mrs. Hanlon               Mrs. Winter

Dick Whittington Pantomime Payments

Dear Parents

This year we have been able to give all of the children a pantomime in school - we hope they really enjoyed it.

As a school we are dependent upon voluntary contributions to support such events. This year we may have to supplement the performance with school budget share as we have a lot of voluntary contributions that have not been sent in to school.

If you have not already done so, please can you send a voluntary contribution to help covering the costs of the pantomime.

Thank you

#Barvember what do you think of this?

What is Barvember? What’s the point?
Barvember is organised by White Rose Maths to encourage everyone to use the bar model. We believe that the Bar Model is a useful tool for helping children visualise and then solve maths problems. Even some of the most complex problems can be seen much easier when represented visually.  
Barvember provides an opportunity for everyone to just do some maths.
We know that the bar model is not the ONLY way of visualising a problem and we also know that these problems can be solved in the other ways.  

Why should we take part?
We hope for the fun of doing maths. Lots of rewards available too; BARS of Fairtrade chocolate and places on our courses to name a few.
How do I share my solution?
• Tweet it to us @WhiteRoseMaths and use #barvember
• Send it to support@whiterosemaths.com


Do I need to understand bar models to take part?
We have designed the problems so that people who have no or limited experience of bar modelling can still get involved

We provide two versions. One version where the bar model is fully or part-drawn and one where there is space to draw the bar model.

We have also included an additional similar question for each of the first 4 problems that allow you to practice what you have just learnt. Visit https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/the-importance-of-bar-modelling-cpd-resources-11509474 for our bar modelling CPD.

Who is Barvember aimed at?
We hope that there is a problem for everyone. We will release 5 problems a day so there is plenty to get stuck into. The problems will get more challenging over the course of “Barvember”. Choose the problems that are most appropriate for you or your class.

National Online Safety: Fortnite Song

With the holiday approaching, and as part of their #WakeUpWednesday campaign, National Online Safety has teamed up with MusicAlternative to launch a Fortnite online safety song.

The song encourages parents and carers to "stay switched on" to online dangers when their children are playing Fortnite.

Have a listen to the song below:

Moorhens Outdoor Play

We were lucky at Moorhens to  have the warm weather to still  play outdoors.

Playing house with the dolls and pushchairs 

Children also had fun making mud pies

 A little  fun and exercise on the bicycles 

Cake Decorating at Moorhens

Just a few weeks back after half term and the children are enjoying  decorating cakes by adding icing and lots of  different toppings. A tasty treat to take home.

Choir performing the songs for the 'Dementia Awareness' event

Please see the link below to download/listen to the recording of our choir singing the song for the 'Dementia Awareness' event. Andrew Clayton has written this song and combined the voices from the three choirs for this free download.

https://vox-ignis.bandcamp.com/

Poppies

In the last week on this half term we are going to to be decorating the School  Hall with poppies to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War One.
The children will be creating poppies at school but it would be fantastic if everyone in our school community contributed to the display.
Please everyone - (parents , grandparents, children, friends ) ,make a poppy!- or lots of poppies!
They can be drawn, sculpted, painted, collage or created in any way you like.
Bring them to school in the week before half term so the staff can create a giant display.
If there are any super artistic ad enthusiastic parents who would like to help please get intouch:)
Thank you

Tickets for the dementia awareness event at St. James Church - Thursday 4th October

Family members of children in the choir can register for free tickets for the dementia awareness event at St. James Church on Thursday 4th October, 12:30-14:00. Please see the link below if interested:

https://hopeforsuttonprojectlaunch.eventbrite.co.uk 

School Council

We had our second School Council meeting today.

The Councillors used the sugar checker app to find out how much fat and sugar was in Mrs Hanlon's Club biscuit..! (Mrs H's lunch was mostly very healthy- except for a little treat!!)

Mr Winter

Dangerous Parking

Thousands of people view irresponsible parking on the Moor Hall Road Safety Facebook page. Dangerous parking poses a serious risk to our children, our families and our neighbours. THINK before you park.

Expansion Update September 2018

I am pleased to be able to give you an update on the expansion works at school.

Main Block Expansion
I’m delighted to let you know that the main expansion of the school is progressing well and is due for completion by May 2019.  During the holidays scaffolding was put up and work undertaken to the kitchen extension.  The far end of the school hall was signed over to us and is now in use as a lovely new temporary classroom.  The modern, wooden external design will be replicated on the new block.

EYFS and Main Office Extension
Our reception children are already using the new exciting classrooms and we are hoping that the new extension to this area will be fully opened by early next week.  The wonderful outdoor area will be used by the EYFS children next week and final completion of this will take place over the October half term.

The new office/main entrance is progressing well and is a major improvement in the security of the site. Again, we hope this work will be completed during October half term.

Moorhens
The full expansion means that we are able to make improvements to our Moorhens provision.  Once the new block is handed over, Moorhens will have direct access to a quiet zone (our new library), a technology zone, an outdoor zone and the two chalets.  This is exciting because it will increase options for children who go to our extended school’s facility and means that Moorhens will be able to grow safely in a self-contained area of the school.

Playing Fields
The school playing field will ultimately return to a full grass area once Balfour Beatty leave the site.  The area which is presently used for Balfour’s vehicles and deliveries will return to grass.  We are now looking at ways that we can use the wildlife area for outdoor learning. 

Kind regards,
Andrew Steggall

School Council

Today we held the first meeting of the School Council for the academic year 2018/19.

The councillors have been elected by the children in each class and will meet twice a month with Mr Winter to make sure  the pupils' voice is heard in the running of our school.
The first topic under discussion is ' what is a healthy break time snack' . We will consider the type of snacks  the children should  be eating at break time.

Sweet Music

Moorhen children have the use of the schools musical instruments and today was one of those beautiful days where children could just chill out in the sunshine on the field and play a little sweet music.

Musical Instrument Craft

Summer term 2: Children at Moorhens made lots of mess and had loads of fun making their own musical instruments out of recyclable materials. They made everything from drums to guitars. Bottles were filled with pasta to either make the sound of the rain or the more popular instrument, the maraca.

Year 2 Go Bonkers at Conkers!

Today year 2 have been on a trip to Conkers - an indoor and outdoor activity centre.

We have done activities such as a Barefoot Walk, a ride on a train, a 4D cinema experience and so much more!

Click here to have a look at the photo gallery on our website and see what we got up to! 

Clubs update

We just have a few places left for Cricket & Kick Rounders, Tag-Rugby and Football for Autumn term 1. Please make sure if your child is interested in any of the clubs still available, to return your booking form with full payment as soon as possible to Moorhens.

 Archery and Tennis club are now full.

Moorhens have moved!

Exciting news - Moorhens have relocated back to our original room within the ICT block, right next to the Moorhens chalet. We now have direct access onto the field, undercover terrace and have a free flow system for the children into the ICT suite.

September-October Clubs

We are reintroducing clubs which we haven't covered for a while for the September-October term of which there are still places available below:

Cricket & Kick Rounders, Tag-Rugby and Football still have places available, whilst Archery and Tennis are now full


Please send in your completed booking form with full payment to Moorhens as soon as possible to secure a place at one of the above clubs still available.

Internet safety workshops

PSCO's will be in school tomorrow to deliver Internet safety workshops to KS2 classes. They  will be using CEOP video clips. We very much appreciate their involvement in school.

Didgeridoo Art at Moorhens

Summer term 2:
This term the theme is music. The children turned a very plain cardboard tube into a beautiful didgeridoo. With all artwork designed by the children themselves. They dipped cotton bud tips into paint to apply their designs.

Teaching arrangements 2018/19

We have published our staffing arrangements for next year on our school website today. Exciting times.

Expansion Update 15th June

The progress being made with the expansion is in line with the anticipated schedule. A lot of progress has been made with the school's extended hall.

The extension means that the hall's size will increase by a really significant 60m2. In terms of lessons, there will only be one class in the hall at a time, so the extra space is a bonus. The contractors will extend the existing flooring. Very exciting.

In the photograph below you can see that the ground work for the main block is well underway. The crates will be filled with concrete. 

We are presently planning for our new library/ quiet area. This is located where the existing Y3 classroom is situated. Mrs Menmuir is looking at lots of different designs for book storage and we will make the space a calm but inviting area for children to read in. A big advantage of this is that Moorhens children will be able to access this area after school once the build is complete. This means that they will eventually have access to four different zones - the two chalets, the ICT suite and the new library. 

Outside Fun at Moorhens

Children having some well earned fresh air whilst the weather is still nice.

Year 5 cricket festival

Year 5 had a great time at the cricket festival today!

Moor Hall School Oral History Project

Moor Hall School Oral History Project

As you know History is an important part of the curriculum at school. The children enjoy the visitors and trips out which we use to engage the pupils in their learning.

I would like to add to this engagement by starting an oral history library of the memories of parents, grandparents and friends of the children who attend our school. I see it as a resource which teachers can use with pupils immediately to give greater perspective to how life has changed in the relatively recent past.

Adult participants can record or video short clips (no more than a minute) of themselves talking about specific subjects.

At the moment I suggest participants talking about subjects such as:

·       Moor Hall School (for past pupils or neighbours)

·       My School Life

·       Mere Green

·       Sutton Coldfield

·       Birmingham

·       Transport

·       My home – to include domestic items like telephones- how soon will it be before landlines are a thing of the past?!

·       Toys and games (what did we do before computers?!)

I would also love to get people talking about their memories of World War Two- does anyone know people who were evacuated?

This is not an exhaustive list, if you have any ideas please feel free to follow them up.

When you record your piece, it does not need to be scripted or formal. I would like every clip to start with the participant saying their month and year of their birth, this will add to the historical perspective.

I would like this to be an ongoing resource library which we can build up and  use for years to come.

In the first instance please send your video or audio clips into school via email to enquires@moorhall.bham.sch.uk so Mr Pittaway (our ICT technician)  and I can sort and store them safely. If you have any questions, comments or queries please come and discuss them with me.

Thank you in anticipation of your support for this exciting project.

Your sincerely

Roger Winter

M&S School Uniform Summer Promotion

M&S are pleased to announce that they will be offering a fantastic 20% off all uniform on the M&S Your School Uniform website – www.mandsyourschooluniform.com. This will run from June 5th – July 3rd 2018. Please have a look to make sure you don’t miss out.

All orders over £50 continue to receive free standard delivery. You are encouraged to place your order before the end of July to ensure any uniform ordered will be delivered in time for the new school year. The next day delivery option isn’t available during August as M&S simply cannot guarantee it will be fulfilled that quickly because of the huge demand over the summer.


If a product is not available customers will see an ‘AVAILABLE SOON’ message. Directly below this, customers are asked to leave their email address in order to be told when it is back in stock. When this box is completed it actually ensures the request is added to an embroidery requirement list and will prioritise the embroidery of this product. It acts as an instruction to M&S which they act upon and is not simply a means of communication to their customers.

See the Uniform section of our school website for more details on Moor Hall's uniform. 

Year 5 at the Schools' Challenge final

Yesterday, Year 5 had a fantastic time at Perry Barr Fire Station to take part in the 'Schools' Challenge' final! We have learnt lots of safety facts and had lots of fun!
Well done to Year 5! You have made everyone extremely proud!

Wildlife Club Full

The Wildlife club which Mrs Glare runs has proven again to be very popular. The Wildlife club for the June-July term is now full.
Parents rushed into Moorhens yesterday afternoon and this morning to try and secure places for their children within the Wildlife club and within 1 hour it was full. We apologise to anyone who has tried to secure a place for this club, but we only have a limited number of spaces available for a very popular club.

Places are still available within the other clubs that we will be providing for Summer term 2, such as Athletics, Netball, Tennis and Cricket/ Rounders.

Expansion Update 24th April

During the Easter break the car park was completed. This will provide us with a significant increase in space and has had very little impact on the school's field. A large area of scrubland was cleared in order for space to be made available. Once the project has been completed the area that is presently being occupied by Balfour Beatty units will be used for additional car parking space.

There have been a lot of interesting pieces of equipment being used to do a variety of work over the last few weeks. Miss Shindler came in to school during to holidays and was very excited to have seen a large machine pumping concrete over the top of the school building.

The majority of the work at the school has been focused on the hall expansion. This is progressing well on schedule.

This is a photo of a hired Vac-Ex machine which we use to excavate around live services. It’s like a big Vacuum that removes the risk of striking live services with digger buckets!!

This is where a new pathway will connect the hall to the new block. This pathway will be sheltered and will pass through an area where there will be plants and a pond.