FOREST SCHOOL PROGRAMME

We are delighted to be involved in a Forest School project supported by the Northern Ireland Forest School Association.  Over the course of the coming months, children from P1 and P2 will be involved in various Forest School project activities, working alongside children from St Patrick's Primary School. On Thursday 22nd February, the children had their first session, which was taken by Brian from Forest Schools.  They made trees by gathering branches, leaves etc.  Brian then lit a fire and heated some orange juice which the children all enjoyed. 

On future dates the children will be looking at - the structure of trees and having a scavenger hunt.  Our thanks go to Northern Ireland Forest School Association for giving us this wonderful opportunity to become involved in this exciting venture.

COMPETITION TIME

As part of the Shared Education Signature Project, the children from our school and St Patrick's Primary were asked to design a new school logo.   This logo will be used on correspondence about Shared Education Activities etc. There were lots of entries and Lily from P6 had the winning logo. Her drawing has now been made into a computerised logo.

SHARED EDUCATION - 'THEN AND NOW'

P3 and P4 had another very beneficial Shared Education lesson with St Patrick's Primary School.  Their topic is 'Then and Now'.  The children used books to investigate how things have changed since World War II.  They made up their own storyboards, and then used the iPads to make comic strips from these storyboards.

POLICE VISIT - BULLYING

P3 and P4 had another talk from the two policemen who having been coming into school over the past number of weeks.  Their topic this week was bullying.  The children were given lots to think about - What does a bully look like? Who might be a bully?  Why do people bully? What type of behaviour could be called bullying?  They also gave lots of advice on how children can deal with a situation where they feel they are being bullied.  Bullying is wrong!

ACCELERATED READING CUP

Congratulations to Ella in P5 who was the winner of the Accelerated Reading Cup for this half term.

ACCELERATED READING

Once again we are delighted how keen the P4 -P7 children are to reach their individual Accelerated Reading Targets.  Certificates were presented today to those children who had reached their target for this half term.  Missing from the picture are Tyler and Andrew from P6.

TRANSPORT - P3 and P4

In their World Around Us for this half term, P3 and P4 have been looking at the topic of 'Transport'  They have been writing transport poetry, making transport games and researching lots of information about transport now, and in the past.  Yesterday they did a 'Car Colour Traffic Survey' on Duneaney Road.  They have found out lots of interesting facts about cars, lorries, tractors and aeroplanes.

ARCHERY

On Tuesday after school, P4 - P7 children enjoyed their first Archery Session.  Nigel, the coach from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, taught the children how to safely use archery equipment and they had lots of practice at hitting the target.  The children will also have lessons on Kurling and Boccia over the next few weeks.

MULTI SKILLS

Yesterday was the first day of after school sports coaching. Nigel from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is the coach for these sessions.  P1 - P3 children had great fun in their Multi Skills class.  There were lots of team games, and lots of running and of course a game of football at the end.

KEEPING SAFE

Over the past number of weeks, Constable Mark Crawford and Constable David Mitchell have been coming into school to speak to all our children about various aspects of keeping safe.  They have spoken to our children about 'Road Safety', Drug Awareness' and 'Stranger Danger'. 

In the photo, P3 and P4 are being given information which will help them to think about who they are speaking to, and whether it is safe to speak to them.  Sometimes it may be necessary to speak to a 'Safer Stranger'.  If you get lost in a Shopping Centre, speak to a Police Officer, Security Guard, shop worker or receptionist.

NON-SMOKING POSTER COMPETITION

Rachel and Emma from Kennedy's Pharmacy visited P5/6/7 today to tell them about the dangers of smoking.  They also told them about 'Non-Smokers' Day' on 14th March.  The children have been given the opportunity to do a 'Non-Smoking Poster'  with the winner receiving a voucher from Kennedy's Pharmacy.

GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER

Over the next few weeks, our P3 and P4 children will be working together with the P4 children from St Patrick's Primary, as part of the Shared Education Signature Project.  The topic for Shared Education this year is 'Then and Now'. The group, with the assistance of the Nerve Centre, are going to create a short animated iBook on various topics relating to themselves now, compared with World War II era.  Today was a 'Getting to Know You Icebreaker day'. The children made name badges and they also worked  in small groups to find out about each other. They then used the iPads to create profiles of themselves.  This was a really good first session and they are looking forward to the next sessions together.

MOBILE LIBRARY

We are delighted that Libraries NI have agreed for their Mobile Library to stop at our school every two weeks during term time.  Today was their first day, and children in P3, P4 and P5 were given the opportunity to visit the van, and choose two books to take home.  This is an excellent service, and we hope the children will use it to borrow and then read books that are not available in our own school library.