We had a wonderful Outdoor Crew this morning, making the most of the beautiful sunshine! We started by circling up together for our check-in, taking some time to connect, share and enjoy being together outdoors.
We then had lots of fun taking part in Mrs Jackson’s nature scavenger hunt, exploring our surroundings and seeing what we could discover. It was lovely to see everyone working together, sharing ideas and enjoying the fresh air.
A brilliant morning of connection, teamwork, exploration and lots of sunshine and smiles!
This week, we completed our first Crew walkthroughs of the year — and what a wonderful opportunity it was to see our children and Crew Leaders already building such positive, caring and purposeful Crew communities.
Across NIS, we saw lots of examples of children belonging, caring for one another, working hard and growing their character. It was fantastic to see the care and attention being given to Crew time and the way our children are already beginning to understand what it means to be part of a Crew.
🐻 Our Care Bear Crews
Our Care Bear Crews showed some wonderful examples of positive communication, kindness and support.
We saw Crew Leaders using thoughtful prompts and communication to help children share their ideas and participate, alongside lots of kind, caring and supportive interactions. These small moments are so important in helping our children to feel that Crew is a safe and welcoming place where they are valued and listened to.
🪶 Crew Backshall
Crew Backshall showed a fantastic understanding of what makes a beautiful Crew circle.
The children were encouraged to think carefully about how they sat together and how they could make sure everyone could see and hear one another. One child explained:
“If our legs are crossed and knees are slightly touching we can make a perfect circle where we can see each other.”
What a brilliant explanation! 🌟
This is exactly the kind of ownership we want to see developing in Crew — children understanding not just what we do, but why it matters. The children were also encouraged to think about the care and attention they give to themselves, each other and their Crew.
💛 Crew Nightingale & Crew Earhart
There was a lovely warm and welcoming feel in both Crew Nightingale and Crew Earhart.
We saw children making clear connections between their actions, our character traits and HoWLs, with these being explained and discussed in a way that helped children understand what they look like in practice.
We particularly loved seeing children writing Golden Tickets for one another, celebrating the amazing character traits and HoWLs they have already seen their friends demonstrating this year. ✨
What a wonderful way to notice the positive things happening around us and remind each other that our character is something we build together.
🎨 Crew Parks & Crew Simmonds
In Crew Parks and Crew Simmonds, we saw children being encouraged to work hard and take pride in creating beautiful work.
It was lovely to see children being supported to think about the quality of what they produce and to recognise that beautiful work doesn’t happen by accident — it takes care, effort, perseverance and pride.
🌟 We are only just getting started!
Our first walkthroughs have given us lots to celebrate. Most importantly, they showed that our children are already beginning to understand that Crew is about more than sitting together.
It is about listening to one another, caring for one another, celebrating each other’s strengths, working hard, showing our character and making sure that everyone belongs.
A huge well done to all of our Crew Leaders and, most importantly, to our wonderful children for the fantastic start they have made to Crew this year.
What a fantastic first week back we have had in Class 3! The children have settled in brilliantly and it has been lovely to see them growing in confidence, working together and showing what a caring and thoughtful class they can be.
Throughout the week, we have been thinking carefully about our Crew guiding question:“How does what I do impact others?”
This question has been at the heart of our discussions and activities. We have explored lots of different stories together, talking about the choices characters make and considering how their actions can make others feel. We have thought about the many ways we can show kindness, compassion and respect, and how even the smallest actions can have a big impact on someone else’s day.
We have also worked together to think about what makes our classroom a safe, happy and welcoming place to be. Every day, we have considered how we can look after one another, include others, listen carefully and work as a team. It has been wonderful to see the children putting these ideas into practice!
We didn’t stop at thinking about kindness within our crews and Class 3, we also thought about how we could make a difference to other children in our school.
The children decided to design and decorate some special biscuits to give as a little welcome gift to the children in our reception classes. They took great care with their creations and were so excited to make something that would hopefully make the youngest members of our school smile.
It has been a lovely first week filled with kindness, teamwork, thoughtful conversations and lots of opportunities to make a positive difference to others.
We are incredibly proud of how well Class 3 have settled back into school and can’t wait to see where the rest of this term takes us!
What a beautiful way to begin our first Community Meeting together! Our children sat so beautifully, listening carefully and modelling our character trait of respect. It was lovely to see them showing each other that they were ready to listen, learn and share.
We shared the wonderful story Try, which reminds us that things don’t always work the first time. The message is simple but powerful: when something feels difficult, we don’t have to give up — we can keep trying, learn from what happens and have another go. 🌱
This led us into a conversation about heroes. At first, our heroes were the ones we might expect — Hulk, Superman and other superheroes with incredible powers! 🦸♂️🦸♀️
But then our thinking began to change…
We wondered: Does a hero have to have superpowers?
Could someone be a hero because they are kind? Because they help someone? Because they keep going when something is tricky? Because they stand up for someone else? Because they make a difference in their community?
And perhaps most importantly… could we be heroes too? 💛
It was wonderful to watch the children move from thinking about heroes as characters with superpowers to recognising that ordinary people can do extraordinary things through their choices, their courage, their kindness and the way they look after others.
What a lovely first Community Meeting — and what a brilliant start to our year together. 🌟
In crew this week, our Year 1 children have been busy preparing for their Student-Led Conferences by practising how to share their learning with confidence. They spent time showing their chosen pieces of work to their friends, explaining what they had learned and why they were particularly proud of each piece.
The children worked hard to speak clearly, listen carefully to one another and celebrate each other’s achievements. It was wonderful to see their growing confidence as they reflected on their progress and practised talking about their learning. We are so proud of the enthusiasm and pride they have shown, and we look forward to seeing them share their beautiful work with their families next week!
The rain certainly didn’t stop Crew Nightingale from enjoying their outdoor learning this week!
Wrapped up and armed with their colour charts, our Year 1 crew set off on a colourful adventure around the playground. Their challenge was to find natural and man-made objects that matched each colour on their chart. From bright green leaves and brown tree bark to colourful flowers, the children became excellent colour detectives.
It felt especially fitting that we were hunting for the colours of the rainbow whilst exploring in the rain! Although the sun didn’t appear to create a real rainbow for us, the children discovered plenty of rainbow colours all around them.
The activity encouraged careful observation, teamwork and discussion as the children shared their discoveries with one another. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm and determination, even with the drizzle falling around them.
In Crew Nightingale, we know that learning can happen anywhere, and our outdoor sessions with Mrs Jackson provide fantastic opportunities to explore, investigate and connect with the world around us. The rain simply added an extra layer of adventure to our day!
Well done, Crew Nightingale, for embracing the weather and becoming brilliant rainbow hunters!
This week in our Key Stage 1 community meeting, we explored another important part of our guiding question: How can I be the healthiest version of me? Our focus was on hygiene and how simple daily actions—like washing our hands—can help keep us healthy and protect the people around us.
Understanding Germs
We began by thinking about why we wash our hands. The children shared great ideas, which led us to talk about something we can’t see but that is all around us—germs!
We explained that:
Germs are tiny and invisible
They can make us poorly
They spread very easily from person to person
To help bring this idea to life, we described germs as being like invisible glitter—they can quickly travel from our hands onto surfaces and other people without us even noticing.
Stopping the Spread
Through a short role-play, the children explored how germs spread and how we can stop them.
We acted out what happens when someone sneezes into their hands and then touches objects or other people—and quickly realised how easily germs can travel. We then practised a better way: sneezing into our elbow, helping to keep those around us safe.
We also compared handwashing habits, thinking about who is making safe choices and why.
When Should We Wash Our Hands?
The children shared lots of important times when handwashing matters, including:
After using the toilet
Before eating
After coughing or sneezing
After playing outside
It was fantastic to see how much the children already know about keeping themselves clean and safe.
Why Hygiene Matters
We talked about why these small actions are so important:
They help keep us healthy
They protect others around us
They stop germs from spreading
We linked this to our wider school community, reminding the children:
When we look after ourselves, we are also looking after everyone else.
Making Safe Choices
To finish, we played a quick game of “Safe or Not?”, where the children used thumbs up or down to show whether actions were helping to stop germs spreading. This was a fun and effective way to reinforce our learning.
Our Key Message
We reminded the children that small actions can make a big difference. Simple habits like washing our hands properly and sneezing into our elbow help to keep everyone safe, healthy, and ready to learn.
We were so impressed with the children’s understanding and engagement during this session. Ask your child what they remember about stopping germs—you might hear about “invisible glitter”!
This week in our Key Stage 1 community meeting, we explored another important part of our guiding question: How can I be the healthiest version of me?
Our focus was on something simple but powerful—sleep—and how it helps our brains and bodies feel ready for the day ahead.
Why Sleep Matters
We began by thinking about how it feels when we are really tired. The children shared lots of honest and relatable ideas—feeling grumpy, slow, a little bit silly, and sometimes finding it hard to concentrate.
This helped us understand an important message:
Sleep helps our brains and bodies get ready for a new day.
Tired vs Well-Rested
To bring this to life, we acted out two different learners:
One who was tired—yawning, not listening, struggling to focus
One who was well-rested—standing tall, smiling, ready to learn
The children quickly noticed the difference and were able to explain why sleep helps us to be focused, kind, and ready for school.
What Happens When We Sleep?
We talked about what sleep does for our bodies in a simple, child-friendly way:
Helps our brain grow and learn
Supports our mood (less grumpy!)
Gives us energy
Keeps our bodies healthy
We described sleep as a way of recharging our brains—just like an iPad charging overnight!
Building Healthy Bedtime Habits
We then discussed what helps us get a good night’s sleep. The children shared some fantastic ideas, including:
Having a calm bedtime routine (such as a bath or story)
Turning off screens before bed
Going to bed at a similar time each night
Creating a calm, quiet space
It was lovely to hear how many children already have positive routines in place.
A Moment of Calm
We finished by practising a simple breathing technique to help our bodies feel calm and ready:
Breathe in slowly
Hold
Breathe out gently
This is something the children can use at home as part of their bedtime routine or whenever they need a moment to reset.
Our Key Message
We reminded the children that sleep is one of the best ways to help us feel ready for school. When we are well-rested, we can learn better, feel happier, and be the best version of ourselves.
We were so impressed with how thoughtfully the children engaged in this conversation. Why not ask your child what helps them feel ready for school—you might discover some great ideas to try at home together!
This week, we came together for a special Key Stage 1 community meeting to celebrate Earth Day. This year’s theme, Our Power, Our Planet, helped us to think about how even the smallest actions can make a big difference to the world around us.
During our time together, we explored what is happening to our planet and talked about pollution—what it is, where it comes from, and how it can harm our environment. The children shared thoughtful ideas about what they already know and noticed how everyday choices can impact the Earth.
We also introduced the idea of renewable energy, helping children to understand that there are cleaner, more sustainable ways to power our world, such as using the sun and wind.
A big focus of our discussion was on what we can do to help. We talked about:
Using less plastic
Reducing, reusing and recycling
Taking care of our environment in simple, everyday ways
Making a Pledge
To finish our community meeting, each child made a personal Earth Day pledge. This was a really special moment, as the children reflected on how they could take action.
Each child placed a counter into the pledge they wanted to focus on:
Turning off taps and not wasting water
Making sure rubbish and recycling go in the correct bins
Walking, scooting or cycling more often
This simple act helped the children to feel empowered—showing them that they can make a difference.
Our Key Message
We reminded the children that looking after our planet doesn’t have to mean making huge changes. Instead, it’s about lots of small, positive actions that, together, have a powerful impact.
By working together, we can all play our part in caring for our world—because it truly is our power, and our planet.
Thank you for your continued support in helping us grow responsible, thoughtful global citizens.
This week in Key Stage 1, we came together for a short community meeting built around the beautiful book Find Your Happy. Through this story, we explored something really important: understanding our feelings and knowing what to do when they feel big.
At school, the children are very familiar with the ZonesofRegulation, which help us to recognise and name how we are feeling:
Blue Zone – sad, tired, or unwell
Green Zone – calm, happy, ready to learn
Yellow Zone – excited, worried, or a bit wobbly
Red Zone – angry, overwhelmed, or out of control
During the community meeting, we talked about how we all move through these zones every day—and that’s completely normal. The key message we shared is that all feelings are okay, but we can learn ways to help ourselves feel safe, calm, and ready again.
Using Find Your Happy, we explored how the character experiences different emotions and discovers simple strategies to feel better. We then practised some of these together:
Breathing techniques – “smell the flower, blow out the candle”
Relaxing our bodies – tightening and releasing muscles
Thinking of something that makes us smile
These small strategies can make a big difference, especially when children are feeling in the yellow or red zones.
How you can support at home
You might like to continue these conversations at home by:
Asking your child which “zone” they are in
Talking about what helps them feel calm or happy
Practising simple breathing together
Reminding them that it’s okay to feel all emotions
By using a shared language between school and home, we can help children to better understand themselves and build the skills they need to manage their feelings with confidence.
Our key message
We reminded the children that being in the green zone all the time isn’t the goal—because that’s not realistic for any of us! Instead, it’s about learning how to recognise our feelings and find our way back to feeling safe and ready.
We are so proud of how thoughtfully the children engaged with this important message. Ask them about how they “find their happy”—you might even learn a new strategy yourself!
