Our children know they are blessed and a blessing.  We strive to be ambitious for ourselves and each other, have integrity and nurture all.

But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge and in all eagerness and in the love from us that is in you – make sure you excel in this act of kindness too.   2 Corinthians 8:7 

Daily collective worship at Lawford C of E Primary School aims to provide the opportunity for pupils to:

• worship God,

• consider spiritual and moral issues and to explore their own beliefs;

• participate and respond, whether through active involvement in the presentation of worship or through listening and joining in the worship offered;

• develop community spirit, promote a common ethos and shared values, and reinforce positive attitudes. 

Revd Dom  is the Curate in Charge at St Mary's Lawford and he comes into school each week to lead Wednesday's collective worship.  The children visit St Mary’s Church during the year.  Work from the children is also displayed in the church. Child led worship is a feature of the school and children deliver assemblies confidently and are reflective and sensitive to the ethos of a C of E school.

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Fantastic to have Revd Dom lead whole school collective worship on the field on Wednesday 28th April.  Hopefully we will be able to repeat this every week - weather permitting!

Pentecost Outdoor Assembly

A part of our outdoor learning day, Simon led an assembly teaching the children about Pentecost. Each child had a yellow and orange streamer representing fire and listened to the story of Pentecost. Children sang 'Our God is a Great Big God' and 'I will Sing Your Praises' and finished with a prayer. This signalled the start of the day which was spent entirely outdoors. See 'Recent Events' for additional photographs of the day.

HT May 2018 Parish Magazine Entry

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

Today has been a strange day with the school being invaded by thirty young pirates in Foundation Stage, complete with parrots on shoulders, moustaches, ‘swords’ and eye patches. The annual pirate day is in full swing with children walking the plank and echoes of ‘Shiver me timbers!’ being heard around the school. Oh to be young!

As we approach the end of the first half of the summer term, we are all glad to see that half term break is in sight, especially Year 6 who will have completed their national tests by the time that this goes to print.

We have had a very sporty half term with children representing the school in a variety of sports. Years 1 and 2 have enjoyed tennis sessions with a coach and we have started a new tennis breakfast club for children in Year 2 with children arriving at school before I am even on the premises. As a school we have purchased tennis nets and equipment which are being enjoyed by children across the school.

This half term our Year 6 girls cross country team, having qualified as the fastest Y6 girls’ team at the Colchester Blackwater event at Colchester rugby club, travelled to Hadleigh Park for the Essex Cross Country finals. This was the same venue as the 2012 Olympic Mountain biking event. The team competed against 13 other teams from across Essex in the cross country finals. The girls did extremely well, finishing mid table in this event. The following day, nine children from Lawford travelled to Hadleigh Park to compete in the Essex Games Cross Country individual finals, having qualified as a top 10 runner in their respective year groups at the Colchester Blackwater event in March. On a day of extreme heat and nerves, the children lined up with 130-140 runners in each year and did themselves and the school proud.

A team of eight children from Year 2 took part in the ‘3 Tees Cricket Competition’ at Colchester Cricket Club. We are very proud of this young team who rotated and took their turns to sit out of matches, demonstrating excellent sportsmanship throughout the day. And they won, which is always a bonus!

On the last day of term we are taking part in national ‘Outdoor Classroom Day’ as we have in the previous two years. Lessons, lunch and the whole school assembly will take place outside and the school uniform will be abandoned for appropriate outdoor clothing which could be to protect themselves from the sun or the lovely British rain, watch this space…

Thank you for your continued interest in our school.

Donna Wenden Head teacher

November 2017 HT Entry for Parish Magazine

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

I am very pleased that we are now in a position to share our SIAMS church school inspection outcome and some headlines from the report. The full version can be found on our website on the ‘We are a Church School’ tab.

We are very pleased with our outcome and will continue to work to maintain our outstanding status.

Thank you for taking an interest in our school.

Donna Wenden

Our SIAMS Inspection and Parental Feedback

We would like to say a big thank you for the 90 returned parent questionnaires which have given us a good overview of your views on how we operate as a Church of England school. We have analysed 86 of these and you can find the outcomes on the 'We are a Church School' tab. Four came in later and have not been added but are still very useful. We can not give you an outcome from the SIAMs inspection as yet until we have the official report. However we are happy with the outcome and will make this available to you as soon as possible.

Parish Magazine HT Entry September 2017

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

I hope that you all had an enjoyable summer and managed some time to relax. We have returned to Lawford C of E Primary School refreshed and ready for the new academic year. For me it is my seventh year as head teacher and quite a special one in that the children, who started in Foundation Stage, are in their final year at the school. They are my first cohort to start with me as the head and finish with me. Where did that time go?

At the time of writing this the children have not even been back for a full week yet, although the staff have been back since Monday. Teachers had two professional development days with training on a range of subjects such as safeguarding children. Time was also spent on curriculum areas to support the teaching and learning of literacy with a focus on developing Talk for Writing in non-fiction texts. A key area was input on teaching creation which is our whole school RE focus for this half term. Please see the children’s work linked to assessing prior knowledge. This new unit is linked to the document ‘Understanding Christianity’ which I have talked about previously

We are due our SIAMS church school inspection this year (which is in addition to Ofsted inspections which church schools also have) and it is likely to be this autumn term. We are busily preparing evidence for this to ensure that we get an outcome where the school is judged as outstanding as it was five years ago. We have continued to work on our provision and ethos as a church school and I hope this is reflected in my reports to you, our school displays in the church hall and on our school website.

We have had a smooth transition with welcoming in our newest children. They have started school without so much as a tear and have attended whole school worship assemblies from day one, sitting beautifully and attentively which has been a real pleasure to see. It was lovely to see some of these children at the Family Service this month, especially as it was also Education Sunday.

This is always a very busy term and we have a great deal to look forward including the Year 6 residential to Mersea which is always a highlight for me. We have our annual sunflower morning coming up and we are also celebrating European Day. We are especially looking forward to an enrichment day of Diwali dance workshops delivered by the West End in Schools company. If it is anything like the Shakespeare day they delivered, we are definitely in for a treat.

Thank you for taking an interest in our school

Donna Wenden

Child Entry Parish Magazine September 2017

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

I wonder if a Christian can still believe in the ‘Big Bang’ theory…

Year 6 children completed a pre-unit assessment on their particular focus in the creation unit. This was so that Mrs Gaffney could assess how much understanding they had of the subject before any teaching takes place. Below are some snippets from longer pre-unit assessments with children grappling with this statement above, completely cold to the task.

Millie Martin Year 6

I believe that Christians are not allowed to believe in the Big Bang theory because they could see it as a betrayal of God’s word. They believe that this did not happen and God made the universe. It has been suggested that the Big Bang theory did happen and then God made life on Earth.

Cameron Bowden Year 6

It has been stated that Christians can still believe in the in the Big Bang theory because, if the rainbows and the sun are still doing their job, then surely the Big Bang theory must still be real?

On the other hand some Christians don’t believe in the Big Bang theme because God created the world and that is that. The Big Bang theory is unreal and God created the stars and the planets.

Bella Prestney Year 6

Over the years, there has been conflict between the scientifically proven theory – the Big Bang theory – and the Christian Bible story of how God created the world. Scientists feel it lacks evidence.

The majority of Christians are staying true to their religion and what their holy trxt says, however many are becoming sided with the Big Bang theory. The Bible states that God created everything on Earth which is what Christians are taught and believe

On the other hand there is scientific evidence to prove the Big Bang theory. Scientists believe that earth was created by millions of stars compacted together and caused so much pressure that the world was formed; all of the facts in this theory cause many people to believe that the Big Bang theory is more theoretical.

Molly Nichols Year 6

Scientists believe that the world was created by two stars getting so hot, they exploded. However, a Christian could still be a scientist. Everyone has different beliefs (even if they are from the same religion) and you can still follow God. Christians mostly believe that God made the moon and the sun.

Being a Child in a Church School

I really enjoy the in-depth focus on values throughout the school, for example, respect and responsibility which we learnt about from the very beginning. I think that the connection with the church is important for us to interpret the Bible and how Christians live their lives. I like it when we put a storyline or theme to help us engage in the aspects of the RE that we are learning about. Amelia

I think it is interesting having Reverend Heron coming in to the assemblies because it is a different way to learn about Christian faiths as well as learning about it in class. I think the ‘Big Frieze is a unique way to learn about the Bible. iSpace was a good way to reflect about God and feel closer to God. You learn about other people who are living in the world and what you can do to help them. Leah

We learn more about God because we are in a Christian school and you can get more involved with it and at a deeper level. I guess it helps you to get closer to Him. The RE teaching is good because it is taught in a way that is original – you get to think differently to how you usually do in other lessons sometimes. It is also fun how we have visitors related to our RE and they can help us develop our own understanding. When we get to high school, it will help us and get us ready, even though we may not get as much RE teaching there. Cameron

In a church school we focus more on Christian values, like friendship because we are a church school. We learn about stories from the Bible which reflect our values and we light our different value candle to help us think about the one we are focusing on. We also make links with Christianity and other religions. Being in a church school is what I know and that has been my education. Hannah

What I particularly like about it is that you learn about Christianity and all about the values too. It is important because they allow you to help people and help you to generally progress as a person; this will definitely help you in later life. We don’t just learn about Christianity we learn about a lot other faiths and look at their values too. We generally get time to reflect – this is very important as it allows you to think and ask questions such as, ‘Have I done the right thing?’ ‘How can I improve?’ Archie

I think we are lucky that we get to learn about different religions because it helps you understand about the wider world. We learn about these in-depth. I like planning and leading child led assemblies because you get to teach others your understanding. We learn about values all the time and this gives us a good grounding for later life and is something which we can build. It is good to have someone come in like Simon so we can learn about the Bible in different ways. It is fun too! Ella

I enjoy going to the church because it is fun and I like having end of term occasions there such as the Leavers’ Concert. It is easier to pick up the school rules quickly through our focus on values; we learn about these all the way through school but actually know them by the end of Foundation Stage. Everyone in my class enjoys Simon’s assemblies because he uses volunteers like when I went up and took Simon’s role as the vicar in Holy Communion. I like it when we have time to reflect and relaxing music helps us to do this. We learn a lot from doing sessions like these. Roman

May HT Parish Magazine Entry

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.’

I am not quite sure how I managed to miss a month out but presume we were all on our Easter break and had other things on our mind. With an extra day added on to the Easter break, due to the way Easter fell, and also another Bank Holiday on the 3^rd May, we are beginning to get used to a four day week!

We are in the final term of our academic year and it is hard to believe that we already know who our intake children are for September. The school year certainly flies by and our youngest children have suddenly had a growth spurt and our Year 6 have matured into very grown up young people, ready for the next stage of their education.

We started this term with a very positive experience with a team of children from Year 6 (The Lawford Lions) entering our first Spelling Bee held at East Bergholt High School. This was an enjoyable but intense experience where 16 schools from Essex and Suffolk competed for the title. The Lawford Lions roared to success and we are awaiting a presentation by the EBHS in a whole school assembly. This event was covered by BBC Suffolk and if you would like to find out more then please visit:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04z6ky0#playt=1h24m

We have completed our Key Stage 2 SATs tests this week and we are very proud of how the children coped both with the build up to this and the actual test themselves. Mrs Edwards, our school cook, provided a hot breakfast each morning giving the children a settled start and an opportunity to sit with their friends and chat. They know that they have some exciting events to look forward, including going to the West End to see ‘School of Rock’ followed by putting on their own production – the title of the play yet to be confirmed!

Forest School has been a regular feature of this term and both Foundation Stage and Year have been having weekly sessions. It is lovely to see our youngest and oldest children enjoying the Forest School area and children can be very different in this habitat. We are taking part in our ‘Empty Classroom Day’ again on May 18^th where the whole school will be outside for the entire day whatever the weather. This was very successful last year despite the occasional thunderstorm which for the children added an extra dimension – maybe not so for some parents…

Classes have their educational visits booked which include Sutton Hoo for Year 4, Colchester Castle for Y3, Harwich for Y2, Hedingham Castle for Year 1, Fingringhoe Wick for Foundation Stage as well as themed days in school such as a Roman day, pirate day and Viking day. So it continues to be a busy summer term with a range of experiences for the children to take part in.

Thank you for your continued interest in Lawford C of E Primary School.

Donna Wenden

Child Input Parish Magazine May 2017

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

I wonder what Jesus’ sacrifice means to Christians…

According to Christians, the problem for human beings is that many people are full of sin; this is why Jesus was given to the world by God. It was God’s sacrifice to the world also so that everyone’s sins were taken away by the death of Jesus.

Many people all over the world have made sacrifices. One of the most famous was Joan of Arc who led the French in to war against the English at a young age of seventeen. She was captured and burnt by the English. This was when she heard voices of St. Catherine telling her what to do. Joan sacrificed herself for God and France.

In the Bible there is a verse on sacrifice. It is 2 Corinthians 4:16-7. I agree with this as it means that we do not become disheartened because we are becoming weaker. We are becoming stronger in a way that we are achieving reaching heaven. That is far better than what other’s reach.

In some parts of the world, people are harmed or even killed because of their faith. I disagree with this because everyone is equal, no matter what their faith, appearance, needs and family. Just because they are different to you does not mean they can’t be your friend.

All through the Bible, people have made sacrifices of animals (mainly sheep.) I think Christians call Jesus the ‘Lamb of God’ because after his capture to his crucifixion, he was like a lamb being led to be killed.

Christians all over the world have the same belief that Jesus was the son of God and he gave up his life for us to have a new life. The death of Jesus was horrible but is shows how much he and God loves us. I would have to love someone so much to be happy to die for them.

Annabel Crookes Year 5

Exploring why Christians are willing to make sacrifices, including dying for their faith.

When I was young I had to sacrifice my dog because he was very badly injured and had to be put down.

I would not sacrifice my family because they love me in a way no-one else will. I would not sacrifice my home because all my best memories are set in it.

Molly Nichols Year 5

HT Parish Magazine Entry March 2017

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.’

iSpace Comes to Lawford C of E Primary School!

Gill and Simon Heron and their helpers came into school on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th March to set up and facilitate iSpace in our school hall. For those of you unfamiliar with this term, iSpace is a prayer space with interactive stations where children can explore life questions, spirituality and faith in a safe, creative and interactive way.

It purposely allows children the opportunity to make their own meaning and to draw their own conclusions. Each class had an opportunity to spend time in the iSpace. Foundation Stage children visited with their Year 6 Buddies ensuring that they could access the task and to spend some quality time with them.

Twelve tasks were set up around the room which children chose to visit and explore. Here is a flavour of five of the activities the children were asked to do and reflect on:

Sorry – Sorry is the hardest word. We all get things wrong. Sometimes we do and say things that hurt other people. Draw a sad face on the Magna Doodle as you think about what you might be sorry for. Then rub it out and draw a smiley face. You might want to say sorry to that person.

Myself and Others – There will only ever be one you. No-one is exactly the same. Use the glass beads (some are the same size and shape, some are the same colour) and make your own picture. Think about the different people you know. I wonder how we are the same as each other. I wonder how we are different.

Big Questions – If you could ask God one question, what would it be? Fill in the card and hang it on the umbrella. Please see the children’s entry for some of the thought-provoking questions they chose to ask.

Who Am I? - Look in the mirror, I wonder what you see. Things you might like and maybe others that you don’t. Christians believe that God made everyone and that God loves everyone.

Cardboard Home – Most of us have a warm, clean home and plenty to eat. Many people don’t. Sit in the cardboard box. I wonder how it feels to have no home. I wonder how we can make a difference. Read the information about Beacon House in Colchester.

Children from Foundation Stage to Year 6 enjoyed their session thoroughly, were very reflective and respected the activities and peacefulness which the prayer space offered. The iSpace was also open to parents and children after school to explore the space together and to learn more about it. It was lovely to see parents take up this offer. Children were also invited to visit the space during break times and again these sessions were well attended. Please look on 'Recent Events' tab on our website: www.lawford.essex.sch.uk to find out more.

We would like to thank Gill Heron for arranging this and thank all of her helpers who facilitated discussion and provided a listening ear for children when it was needed. We very much appreciate the time and effort that was put into making this a very successful two days. A display will go up in the school foyer entrance before Easter. Do come in and have a look.

Thank you for your continued interest in Lawford C of E Primary School.

Donna Wenden

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

#iSpace – A Sacred Space in School from Foundation Stage to Year 6

Big Questions – If you could ask God one question, what would it be?

Who is your Mummy or Daddy?

Why do I like football?

Will God ever fade away if people stop believing in him?

How long did it take you to regain your trust in Adam and Eve?

Could you ever be better than God?

If you had to choose a disciple, who would it be?

What is heaven like?

What is the world like up there or down there?

If you love us, why kill us?

Why do fish swim?

Why can’t all people be happy?

Do you have a family?

Why didn’t you come down to Earth earlier?

Will people ever be perfect?

Why did you create humans?

What do you look like?

Please can you have another son?

Did you really come back to life?

Where did the most important event of your life happen?

Why did you create the world the way it is?

Why are you not a saint when you have done lots of amazing things?

Do you have a bushy beard and big belly?

How was God made?

Why are there so many bad things in the world?

Who are God’s parents?

When will God die?

How did Jesus heal people?

Are you always happy? Are you ever sad?

You have a son Jesus, but do you have a daughter?

Why do you forgive and help enemies?

How are you born with your powers?

How big are you?

Why do you let people die and suffer?

Why did you create me as I am?

How old are you?

Were you ever young God?

Is it possible for my sister’s condition to get better without an operation?

God, how did you make tonnes of people and tonnes of food?

Did you make life bright and with colour?

Who am I?

Can you explain life?

How were you created?

Does the universe have an end?

Are all people your family?

Where do I find Jesus?

Why is there hate, war and anger in the world?

Am I on the right path? Am I fulfilling my purpose in life?

If you can see the Earth, would you change any of it?

Are you as big as the galaxy?

What do you think of every day?

What is it like to be in charge of the whole world?

Why did you make the world with so many problems?

What does love really mean?

Why did you punish Adam and Eve with death?

Why don’t we live forever?

Why is it sunny in Australia?

Why do you let innocent children suffer?

How can you talk to different people at the same time?

ISpace Comes to Lawford!

Gill and Simon Heron and their helpers came into school on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th March to set up and facilitate iSpace in our school hall. iSpace is a prayer space with interactive stations where children can explore life questions, spirituality and faith in a safe, creative and interactive way. It purposely allows children the opportunity to make their own meaning and to draw their own conclusions. Each class had an opportunity to spend time in the iSpace. Foundation Stage children visited with their Year 6 Buddies ensuring that they could access the task and to spend some quality time with them.

The iSpace was also open to parents and children after school to explore the space together and to learn more about it. Please look on 'Recent Events' tab to find out more.

Bibles for Year 3 Children

Julie Tull and Karen Deed both past pupils of the school, came to present a Bible to every Year 3 child. This was in memory of their Mum, Mrs Doris Stringer, who worked in the administration team at our school when it first opened. The children were delighted with their gift and are proud owners of a Bible which they will use until they leave school at the end of Year 6 and then take with them. Please see our page on 'Being a Church School' for photographs. Thank you very much Julie and Karen, what a lovely thought and gesture.

Head teacher Parish Magazine February 2017 Entry 

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

After a very long Autumn term we have just completed a very short half spring term. The snow has waited until the children broke up for their half term holiday which is a bonus. Mr Webb our caretaker at least has not got to spend hours clearing paths or covering walkways and playgrounds with salt. Once we return to complete the spring term we will be benefiting from lighter days and hopefully more settled weather.

During the last week of school, Reverend Heron brought two visitors to school to meet with children in Year 3. Julie Tull and Karen Deed are past pupils of Lawford Primary School and their Mum, Mrs Doris Stringer, worked as part of the school administrative team for many years at the school. Mrs Stringer bequeathed some money to St. Mary's Church and it was decided that the purchase of Bibles for a class at Lawford C of E Primary School would be a fitting gesture.

All thirty one Year 3 children were presented a Bible by Mrs Tull and Mrs Deed and were very interested in hearing how and why they were being given their own personal copy. The children will use these in lessons throughout their time in Key Stage 2 and take them with them when they leave Year 6. Traditionally the church has presented a Year 6 children with Bibles when they have left at the end of their time with us. We think that this idea of the children having them earlier in their schooling will mean more to the children and they will become more familiar with the content as they use them in RE lessons. It was lovely to see the children engrossed in exploring their Bible as soon as the presentations were over. We would like to say a very big thank you to the family and it is very much appreciated by the school and particularly the children themselves. Do visit our website on the tab 'Being a Church School' to see photographs of this very special occasion 

Did you know that as a voluntary aided church school, the teaching of RE takes place weekly and is a very important part of the curriculum? Currently teachers are having training on a new document which will support us in teaching Christianity. The new resource called 'Understanding Christianity' is an enquiry based resource which poses questions to children to consider. It is also built around big ideas such as God, Creation, Salvation, Incarnation and People of God. The key purpose of the resource is to help all teachers support pupils in developing their own thinking and their understanding of Christianity, as a contribution to their understanding of the world and their own experience within it.

One part of the resource which you will see in every classroom and around the school, is a frieze created by Emma Yarlett  depicting seven of the core concepts explored in the 'Understanding Christianity' materials, and giving a view of the ‘big story’ of the Bible. If you are interested in finding out more, you can visit the Understanding Christianity website: www.understandingchristianity.org.uk. Teachers have already started to plan their first unit which is based on the salvation concept and they have been impressed with the suggested ideas to engage and encourage children to follow an enquiry based method of learning. 

On the return to school, Year 5 children will begin to work on their portrayal of the Easter story which they will present for parents at St. Mary's Church in the last week of term. We will also take the whole school for the dress rehearsal giving all children another opportunity to visit the church together. 

Thank you for your interest in what goes on at our school. We are very proud of our school as a church school.

Donna Wenden

Head teacher

Headteacher Entry for Parish Magazine January 2017

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.’

Firstly I would like to wish you all a belated Happy New Year on behalf of us all at LawfordC of E Primary School. The children have returned to school refreshed and ready for the new term with its different learning opportunities and challenges. 

Just before they broke up for the Christmas holidays, we were pleased to be able to walk the whole school to the church. Children from Years 3 and 4 put on a carol concert based on the theme of being homeless. This was a lovely occasion which made us think about the messages of Christmas and also provided a good opportunity to ensure that our newest children visited St. Mary’s church; for some this was their first visit. 

Now, Christmas seems in the distant past and the children had a long break which I know was welcomed by all, especially our youngest members of school. As well as growing in height, they have grown in maturity and that seems to be all children across the school. It is hard to believe that applications for Foundation Stage places in September 2017 are underway and we have had a flurry of prospective parents visit our school. This is always a good opportunity to walk the school and see it through the eyes of visitors. Our children who act as 'Meeters and Greeters' confidently talked to visitors about what they have been learning and gave an insight into what it is like to be a pupil at our school. They are of course our best ambassadors.

We have in the past worked on developing Growth Mindset at school. We are developing this further in terms of explicit teaching sessions in each year group. Some of these have already started and it has been fascinating to hear children talk about how they perceive themselves as learners, what they think about intelligence, that is, do they believe it is fixed from birth or can be improved with the amount of effort put in to practice. Teachers have been sharing their own experiences as learners too and children have enjoyed finding out interesting facts about how they have used resilience and practice to overcome different challenges in their lives. This provides a good model for the children.

We have, as always, a great deal to pack into a very short half term. I am looking forward to joining our Young Voices choir of 42 children on their annual concert to the O2 in London. This is always an amazing experience for the children and we are always well represented by our parent body too who enjoy watching their children perform at this venue. Although it can be quite stressful in terms of exiting children from a large venue with thousands of children doing the same, the experience itself is such a wonderful one, it has to be worth it.

Another key event this term is Year 4's overnight residential where they will be following in the footsteps of John Constable at Flatford. This is an annual event which is a highlight of the year for these children and one that they will enjoy very much, as I will too. All classes have either a sharing afternoon or assembly where parents get the opportunity to share their children's work. Year 5 will be sharing their interpretation of the Easter story at St. Mary's Church, Lawford at the end of term and this is always a thought provoking performance.

Thank you for your continued interest in Lawford C of E Primary School.

Donna Wenden

Child Entry for Parish Magazine

 Year 5 Reflections on Years 3 and 4 Carol Concert – Theme: Being Homeless

Not everyone has a home but we are lucky enough to have one. People are out there on the streets and even carparks, begging for hope and a home. When we are opening our presents, they will be on the streets. But the thing that is most shocking is there may be children involved. As we get love and affection they are left on the streets like rats. Just the smallest thing of wishing a homeless person a Happy Christmas could really make their day. Just remember – the small things in life make a difference.

Fred Brunning

Are presents the most important thing in the world? Could you help the homeless? Everyone should have a home especially at Christmas.

All homeless people have is hope. The hope that they get enough money even for a shelter. People need to think of others. Even just acknowledging them could put a smile on their face.

Chole Green

The true meaning of Christmas is that God gave Jesus to the world so that he could love and share happiness amongst us. When we open our presents we should think about people without a home and what you could do to help. Give them hope and courage by talking to them.

You could donate to charities or just show some affection.  It was not the gifts that made Mary and Joseph happy, it was the effort and the work that people put in.

Bella Prestney

Hope is something not everyone has. Some children hope for loads of presents, others just want somewhere warm and dry. Jesus is a present we can all have. The true meaning is that God gave Jesus to show how much he loved us all. The best gift of all.

Annabel Crookes

Christmas Lights

Reverend Heron visited Year 2 this week to talk to us about the importance of light to Christians. He told us that Jesus is the light of the world and lights remind Christians of this, especially at Christmas time. Reverend Heron shared with us how light is used in his church at Christmas time by lighting advent candles. We also learnt more about other Christmas traditions such as Christingle. The children had lots of questions and Reverend Heron's answers and reflections enabled us to think carefully about what we had learnt from his visit.

November Parish Magazine HT Entry

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

So the Christmas season has begun in school, way ahead of life outside school although the shops are not far behind us. Dates are booked for our usual nativity play and carol concerts at St. Mary’s Church so it is not a surprise that the hall is in demand for rehearsals.

Our focus for whole school worship assemblies has been looking at the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer. Being a church school we feel that it is important for children to know the Lord's Prayer before they leave us in Year 6.  Children can choose to recite the prayer and are awarded a head teacher's certificate which is presented in assembly. They then lead the prayer for that day which they enjoy doing and other children enjoy hearing them recite the prayer too.

We have an excellent Lord’s Prayer CD resource with ten different song versions of the prayer which we have been listening to on a weekly basis. The children have particularly enjoyed listening to this. They have been trying to learn, Baba Yetu which is an African version in Swahili but this is proving a difficult task! This assembly theme culminated in Leah, Lucy, Hannah and Ella from Year 6 planning and leading an assembly where they brought the focus and learning to a fitting conclusion.

We had a fantastic day with the West End in Schools company who ran Shakespeare Master classes for all year groups from Foundation Stage to Year 6. This ended with a production of ‘The Midsummer Night’s Dream’ involving the whole school which helped the children to put all the pieces of the play together and helped them to know the themes running through the story.

On Monday Years 5 and 6 will be going to the Royal Hospital School for a music event which is a first for us and supports our talented musicians along with encouraging others to take up instruments or singing. These enrichment events are really important in helping us to provide a rich and varied curriculum alongside what we already offer.

We have our prospective parents evening coming up where we give a presentation about Lawford C of E Primary School and parents can visit all classes to get a taste for what happens in different year groups. This illustrates just how short the academic year actually is as we are only just getting to know our newest members of school in our Foundation Stage class.

As festive tunes fill the hall I am sure by the next time I write, I will know the songs word by word!

Visit from Reverend Simon

Reverend Simon visited Year 4 last week to talk about personal and church commitments. The children prepared questions for his visit and were given the opportunity to ask these during the lesson. Reverend Simon gave thoughtful answers to the children and they now have a good understanding of what commitment means, especially within the church.  

2015 - 2016 Academic Year

Parish Magazine - Head Teacher July Contribution

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

The summer term is finally coming to a close and we have managed to hold two traditional sports events and a school picnic without rain, which has been an achievement in itself. Looking back on my previous entries it does seem like I am always commenting on the weather however, as you know this can make or break an event. At this very point in time, my head is full of the songs from the Joseph musical which Y6 performed only last night. It was such an amazing event it is hard to write about anything else. So I thought it fitting to share my closing words to Year 6 with you.

‘Ask the Wenden family what my favourite show is and you will get the same answer from everyone. I’ve dragged them along to see ‘Joseph and His Technicolour Dreamcoat’ three times in the West End. Phillip Schofield, H from Steps and Lee Mead after winning 'Any Dream Will Do' – a competition to find a new Joseph. I bought the CD, sung along to the songs and enjoyed every second of every show and every song.

I was delighted when Mrs Gaffney chose this show for Year 6 to perform. The songs have filled the school for the last few weeks and have I have tapped my toes and even had a sneaky sing-along in the office. The catchy songs have found their way into my weekends, evenings and the occasional middle of the night awakening. 'Please stop singing Joseph songs' has been uttered more than once by family members.

I watched the Year 6 production through from the audition stage where the children made up the panel of judges and expertly and maturely delivered their verdicts to their peers, to the development and production of costumes and props right through to an amazing and professional end result. Other children across the school looked on with awe and wonder as they were passing through the hall and were mesmerised during the dress rehearsal. Ask any child in the school about the story of Joseph and they can tell you it from beginning to end!

The Year 6 children not only experienced being actors and singers, but also light and sound engineers. This is not forgetting the director too, who learnt all the parts just in case a stand-in was needed. We even had a past pupil who visited us at school and put his brother through his paces, demanding he went that bit further each time, supporting and challenging and helping to give an outside perspective to the performance.

The production itself was part of the wider curriculum. Children called on their experiences from our visit to the West End to see the Lion King, to calculate and plan seating and costings, turning this into not just a performance but an enterprise too. They saw for themselves just how much lighting and sound systems cost, how much they would need to sell ice creams for and also the tickets which varied in price depending on how good the view was. They were delighted to make a small profit too.

Yes we had a few tears, injuries and sickness to cope with during the lead up to the performance, but there was also lots of laughter too, especially the day the Elvis costume arrived at school! Whatever the challenges along the way, the resilience of a group of very special pupils shone through.

And you know what? The 2016 Lawford Primary School production of Joseph is way out there at the top of all of my Joseph performances. A special thank you to Mrs Gaffney for her choice of play, her high expectations and her belief in every single child.

Thank you to the Year 6 cast for their energy and West End level acting and singing, to the production team and for their professionalism and the director for his commitment to make it the best show ever. Thank you to Arthur Young for taking on the challenge of role of Joseph. I can now add you to my list of famous Josephs. And when you make it to the West End, remember this is where it all started. Thank you Year 6, hold on to those dreams and hold on to this moment. We certainly will.’

Parish Magazine - HT June Entry

'High quality learning and caring together in an encouraging Christian environment.'

The final half term of this academic year is well underway and it always a bittersweet time. Our evening for the parents of the intake has taken place and this is becoming very real for them. Taster sessions are well underway and our new Foundation Stage children are spending some time in what will be their new classroom. At the same time, transition meetings are taking place for our Year 6 children in readiness for their next move to secondary education. They are also rehearsing for their summer production of Joseph which is going to be magnificent.

Our PTA organised another very successful summer fair. Although the weather remained overcast, we were very lucky to avoid the rain all day. This did have an impact on the sale of ice creams and Pimms however at least we had a good number of people who turned up and supported us. It was lovely to see past pupils helping and also some of our new starters attending and getting familiar with the school site in a very relaxed atmosphere. The PTA raised just under £1,800 for the benefit of the children at the school and this is much appreciated by us all.

We had a brilliant day on Friday 17th June deserting the classrooms to take the learning outside as part of the national ‘Empty Classroom Day’. Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 spent the whole morning utilising the school grounds carrying out such activities as mini-beast hunting, an archeological dig and making musical instruments out of natural resources found in the grounds. Children in Key Stage 1 particularly enjoyed returning to the outdoor classroom in foundation Stage! Key Stage 2 were out all day and experienced a range of activities including Forest School (den building and tree climbing), creating a camp fire and toasting marshmallows, orienting and creating artwork from natural resources.

Luckily the thunder, rain and lighting came whilst the children were in the lunch hall but still managed to cause a great deal of excitement. Children were quite disappointed that they were not outside in the deluge and those with the appropriate clothing enjoyed a splash around in the playground. Outdoor learning resumed after lunch for them which including a bit of natural face painting. We gathered together at the end of the day as a school and the feedback was very positive from the children. Many said that it was their best day at school ever and voted for more outdoor learning. We intend to celebrate this every year and also are considering an empty classroom on a termly basis so that children can experience the grounds in the different seasons.

Please look at photographs on the ‘Recent Events’ page of our school website www.lawford.essex.sch.uk 

Year 1 children have written some prayers in RE thinking about thanking God and I have also included some thoughts about Pentecost by a child in Year 3.

Donna Wenden

Head teacher

Pentecost                                                                                                       

Simon came to read the Bible with us (Acts, verses 1 to 4). We talked about the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost the mighty wind blew through the room where the disciples were sitting, then the flames of fire floated above their heads. After that, they all started to speak in different languages. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Some of the ways that Christians celebrate Pentecost today is by decorating the church in red and taking Holy walks. Red links to the Holy Spirit because red is the colour of the flames that floated above the disciples.

Pentecost is special to Christians because it celebrates the birth of the Christian church.

Martha Bull Year 3

From Children in Year 1 - Thank You Prayers

Dear God,

Thank you that I was born.

Thank you for creating the world with awesome animals, trees, plants and grass.

Thank you for my friends and family.

Thank you for caring for me, my family and friends.

Thank you for our voices and singing.

Thank you for making people in all different countries.

Amen

By Elizabeth Jordan

Dear God,

Thank you for my toys.

Thank you for my school.

Thank you for my friends.

Thank you for my brother.

Thank you for the fun park.

Thank you for the yummy chocolate cake.

And thank you for the world.

Amen.

By Fallon Corrigan

Dear God,

Thank you for my rabbit because he is very nice, cute and silly in the garden.

Thank you for my mum and dad because they look after me.

Thank you for the world because it is so beautiful.

Thank you for my family.

Thank you for our house because I can play football in the garden.

Thank you for my friends.

Amen

By Victoria Kemp

In R.E Year 6 looked at how different faiths perceive life.  Today, we thought about our lives and used figurative language to describe it.  Below is our class poem:

Life Is…

Life is like a box of chocolates,

You never quite know what you're going to get.

Life is like a roller-coaster,

You never know what is coming.

Life is like a sky-dive,

You never know quite what you're going to fall into.

Life is like a long tunnel,

You never know when it's going to end.

Life is like a path,

You never know what's around the next corner.

Life is like a book,

Don't judge it by its cover.

Life is like a maze,

You never know if you took the right turn.

Life is like a pencil case,

It's full of disorganisation.

Life is like a packet of sweets,

Some are sweet and some are sour.

Life is like a journey,

You never know what’s going to happen along the way.

Life is like a maze,

You don’t know which direction to go.

Life is like a story,

Everything happens for a reason.

Life is like a football match,

You don’t know what the score will be.

Life is like a present,

It’s full of surprises!

Life is like a paper clip,

It holds everybody together.

Life is like a photo,

Each one holds a different story.

Life is like a newspaper,

You don’t know what’s on the next page.

Life is like the universe.

It never stops changing…

What is life to you?

In the Summer term, Roger, Bishop of Colchester, visited us.

He led an assembly and talked to the children about the special attire that a Bishop wears.