Head's Blog

Week beginning 6th March

A super start to the half term with lots of fun activities and opportunities for parents to come into school and get involved in learning. Already this term we have had a visit from a planetarium, World Book Day, an Artic Wow and a Victorian Day. Still to come in the next three weeks: Great Fire of London WOW, Comic Relief Day, Year 5 trip to watch a performance at Wilsthorpe, STEM week and an Easter bonnet parade!

Please could I remind all parents that no vehicles should be entering the carpark at any part of the day, especially at 3.30 p.m. The carpark is used as an entrance and exit for pupils and parents and we need to keep everyone safe. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Week beginning 13th February

The end of another term.  It's been busy and the children have worked hard.  There have been some wonderful WOW days and trips out this term which the children have really enjoyed. Despite some cold days we have benefitted from a dry spell and let's hope that we have now turned the corner with the warmer days of spring and summer much closer.  

Have a wonderful half term and looking forward to seeing everyone back in school, refreshed and ready for the next term on the 27th February.

Week beginning 23rd January

The children have enjoyed WOW days - Year 4 learnt all about the Mayans (food tasting, maths and lots of exciting craft activities) and Year 2 had fun being superheroes (team building, games and mask making)! The children in school have also enjoyed a visit from Severn Trent learning all about water in assemblies.  

The online safety committee met this week and the pupils involved are really taking their role seriously and want to help keep everyone safe online.  Watch out for more information from them with useful videos, guides and ideas to keep us all safe. 

Week beginning 9th January

Welcome back and Happy New Year! This week has sped by and the children have settled back in to all routines.  We have welcomed some new pupils and school feels re-energised and bubbling after the break. 

Unfortunately, the recent wet weather has left the playground quite muddy, and therefore we are unable to use the trim trail and outdoor gym but we will re-open them as soon as possible. Fingers crossed for some sunshine and dry days! Please do ensure children have a good pair of school shoes and a coat as we are getting the children out in the fresh air as much as possible. 

Week beginning 19th December

I've decided to review the last few weeks which have been busy but fun. 

• Some of the children in KS2 developed their skills through the Bikeability training which will be a life skill and will help to raise their awareness of safety on their bikes and on the road.
• The children throughout school enjoyed making a Christingle and learning all about its significance.
• FS1 walked to the post box with their letters to Santa.
• The children in Year 2 and EYFS performed their plays to the rest of the school and then to parents.  The children were amazing and everyone enjoyed the performances greatly.
• The children had an amazing time at the disco's and a huge thanks to the PTFA and Mr Brough for providing a fabulous experience.
• The children sang well in the church and it was lovely to see so many parents join us in this festive event.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here at Longmoor! We all wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Week beginning 14th November

The children are really feeling the impact of the weather and having endured so many wet breaks - fingers crossed we see the sun again soon!

At this time of year we assess the children to see how we can support them moving forward, not their favourite couple of weeks but necessary and important.  That means school is a little quieter right now but we are fast approaching Christmas when it gets busy, busy, busy! 

Week beginning 31st October

We have started our new half term and it's going to be busy. Please do check the newsletter carefully as there are lots of activities to plan for over the next two months. This week has already started with a bang - with Year 4 enjoying a WOW day on sound, School Council meetings taking place to plan for fund-raising activities and treat afternoons for attendance and winning TTRS battles. 

Week beginning 10th October

We are continuing to participate in Black History Month and were thrilled to have Devon Daly join us in assembly on Wednesday to talk to the children about his family, his life and work. The children have enjoying learning all about the lives of people moving to England and the difficulties some families faced as part of the Windrush generation.  They have also been expanding their knowledge and understanding of different countries in the Caribbean. 

Thank you to everyone who supported 'Hello Yellow Day' on Monday 10th October.  Thank you also for attending parents evenings this week - I hope you found it useful. A final thank you to everyone who sent in items for Harvest Festival.  The Padley Group were very grateful and it is so kind of you to think of others, especially as so many people are facing cutbacks and changes to their own lives in these current challenging times. 

Week beginning 26th September

A busy last two weeks in school with Year 4 visiting Conkers for a trip, Zoolab workshops in Year 6 (I stayed in my office with a tarantula on the premises!), Year 2 enjoyed a walk around the local area and everyone participating in Languages Day.

We have also enjoyed meeting parents at the KS2 Reading workshop and at the Macmillan coffee morning.  Thank you to those parents who took part.

We are collecting items to help the Padley Group as part of our Harvest Festival celebrations - items can be donated until the 12th October. We are grateful for anything you can donate. Thank you.

Week beginning 12th September

The children have been amazing, huge smiles, a positive attitude and have settled well into classes.  However, the sad news on the 9th September I had to discuss in assembly, was something I will never forget.  The children were positive, already were aware of the sad news about the death of Queen Elizabeth, but also could see that her life was something to celebrate.  It seemed, so recently, we were making memories celebrating the Platinum Jubilee, and suddenly, we were discussing a life lost.  However, again the children astounded me; they were focused, reflective and took it all in their stride.  We should be proud of their resilience, humility and maturity.  This again was shown on the following Friday when we held a minutes silence for the Queen which all the children completed with sincerity and compassion. I am so proud of each and everyone of them.  

Week beginning 4th July

A huge thank you to everyone you came and supported the Summer Fair on Saturday.  The atmosphere was wonderful and it was lovely to hold this fundraiser again after the last two years. Thank you also to the members of the PTFA for all their hard work and commitment in making this the best fair ever.  The money raised will go to support the children and will make a real difference to the range of equipment and experiences we can provide for everyone. 

Week beginning 20th June

A quieter week in school with assessments taking place.  Never the children's favourite week but a necessary one.  There has been a lot of team work and resilience shown by classes completing Commando Joe activities throughout the week to help re-energise them and develop those life long skills of motivation, determination and problem solving. 

Week beginning 6th June

The children have settled well and have worked hard.  It's already been a busy week with Wow days, sports day practices and getting ready for assessment weeks. Please make sure your child has their P.E kit in school everyday and ensure they have a water bottle and hat as we are planning to be outside as much as possible. 

Week beginning 23rd May

What a week to remember!  All children have enjoyed working on different tasks for the jubilee celebrations - making and enjoying party food, creating some amazing art work and producing some brilliant craft.  

On Friday we all enjoyed a whole school picnic and celebration parade, along with a little dance on the field.  School Council members planted trees in support of the Queen.  The children all went home with gifts from school and the commemorative book.  Let's hope we created some lasting memories.

Week beginning 16th May

I'm incredibly proud of the Year 2 and 6 children for completing their SATs over the last two weeks.  They have worked so hard, managed to smile throughout and deserve every success.  Well done everyone!

We are very excited about the events next week for the Jubilee celebrations - tree planting, art, crafts, corgi trails, making and tasting street party food and then having a whole school picnic and fun afternoon on Friday.  Fingers crossed for dry weather!  

Week beginning 2nd May

We have had some wonderful Wow moments this week - EYFS have spent time learning how to make crumble as part of their growing topic, enjoyed a mini-beast hunt and discovered how Eid is celebrated which included learning dances and creating a master piece picture of a Mosque using lentils, rice and seeds.  Year 1 have held tag rugby tournaments representing different areas of the United Kingdom and have tasted different traditional food.

Year 6 have been getting ready for their SATs next week - we wish them lots of luck and we know they will try their very best.  They have all worked hard and now it is their time to shine.   

Week beginning 25th April

First week back - the children have all started new topics and have been busy settling back into routines.  It's a busy term with SATs for Years 2 and 6 - please do check all newsletters carefully for details. 

We are busy planning our Platinum Jubilee celebrations at the end of term which will be really exciting. We are thinking of planting trees, having a picnic and parade - more details to follow! 

Week beginning 28th March

This week we have been focused on Science as we have enjoyed a range of visits and activities for STEM week.  The children have enjoyed completing lots of exciting experiments on a wide range of topics. 

Week beginning 14th March

Thank you so much for your support in raising money for Comic Relief.  The total now stands at £655 which is amazing.  This money will help support so many worthy causes both here at home and abroad.

The children have been working hard during their assessments - the information regarding how they have done will be shared with you at Parent Evening appointments as well as ideas and strategies you can use to support your child at home.  Please do make sure you make an appointment as quickly as possible to avoid not getting the time slot you would prefer. 

Week beginning 28th February

Welcome back to school everyone! It was wonderful to see so many people dressed up for World Book Day - thank you to everyone who participated in the fun.  We had such a variety of characters - Mrs Trunchbull, The Rainbow Fish, lots of Harry Potters, Robin Hood, Medusa and even King Arthur!  The entries for the potato characters were amazing with so many creative ideas from a wide range of well known books. 

Year 4 also dressed up for their WOW day and had fun trying lots of Mexican food and finding out about this part of the world.   

Week beginning 7th February

The children have really enjoyed the visit from Andy Tooze, a local poet.  They listened to Andy read a variety of poems and were able to use his work to inspire their own.  Thank you to everyone who was able to send in money so children could purchase a signed book of poems. 

Week beginning 24th January

We have enjoyed visits from meerkats, snakes, a scorpion and a hedgehog this week as part of the Year 1 WOW day.  Mrs Hall very bravely even had the snake around her neck!  Year 5 enjoyed a visit from the mobile planetarium as part of their learning all about Space which everyone enjoyed.

Lots of children also collected their book from me this week for reading at home 40 times. The children have been working hard and thank you for the support and time you give at home as it really does have an impact.  

Week beginning 10th January

The children have settled well, back into all the routines and with a smile.  The break after all the festivities seems to have helped the children relax and they appear ready to learn.  They have lots of new and exciting topics to enjoy including the Tudors, Ancient Egypt and Earth and Space.

There have been lots of changes regarding LFDs over the last couple of weeks - please check guidance with regards to shortening isolation periods when checking results against testing at home.  We can advise you if you require any help or clarification.

Week beginning 20th December

We have made it and what a term it has been!  Children and staff are exhausted but excited for Christmas. We have enjoyed lots of fun in the lead up to the end of term and are all looking forward to the big day.  Have a wonderful Christmas everyone, keep safe, enjoy important time together as a family and we will see you in 2022!

Week beginning 6th December

Nativity rehearsals are underway and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Thank you for helping us support Save the Children by making a donation to wear a Christmas outfit or jumper.  Christmas dinner day too - lots of very excited children at Longmoor at the moment!  

Sadly we are seeing an increase in cases at school so please do check children for any symptoms and test using LFTs and PCRs where necessary.  We continue to take all precautions possible with hand washing, wiping high touch surfaces and keeping rooms ventilated. 

Week beginning 22nd November

Another busy week with lots of learning taking place.  The children have been completing their assessments which will help us determine how to help moving forward. Well done to everyone as it is never children's favourite week! 

Thank you to everyone who baked and sent in donations of cakes last week for Children in Need.  Due to the ongoing road works in Long Eaton we haven't managed to pay the money in yet but will let you know the total once we have it.  We are letting the counting machine at the bank do all the hard work! 

Week beginning 8th November

It's been an emotional week for us all as we said a final goodbye to Mrs Brown.  Her funeral was very moving and was attended by lots of staff, past and present.  We will miss her greatly and hope to have something in the school grounds in her memory very soon.

The children have purchased lots of poppy wristbands, reflectors and snap bands to raise funds for The Royal British Legion, a charity very close to Mrs Browns heart.  The children have also been learning about Remembrance Day and all classes held a two minute silence on Thursday which they completed with reflection and respect. 

Week beginning 18th October

A very long last week with our inspection from Ofsted.  Thank you to all of you who sent messages of good luck and to those of you who completed the Ofsted feedback questionnaire.  The process to complete the inspection is now in place as reports have to be checked for factual accuracy etc before the final report is presented to you as parents. All details remain confidential for the time being. I will keep you updated and will send out the final document when directed by the Ofsted team.

Black History month finished on Friday with the children taking part in a whole school art display to show our commitment to diversity and celebrating everyone.  I'll post a photo when the art work display has been completed.  

Week beginning 4th October

It is wonderful to be taking part in Black History Month for the first time this year.  Miss Layland and Mrs Littlefair have been organising lots of interesting events and each class has been selecting a famous person to research and next week will be enjoying some food tasting fun. 

On Friday, staff and children wore yellow to mark Hello Yellow Day and to show support for young people and their mental health.  Thank you to so many of you who have donated money on the Just Giving Page to help this very worthy cause. 

Could I please remind you again that, if your child is ill, to call the office and not leave a DOJO message with staff.  They are incredibly busy each morning organising resources and preparing for the day.  They do not have time to pass messages to the office and parents are then annoyed when they are called to find out where their child is.  You can DOJO Mrs Hall directly or leave a short message on the answer phone. Thank you. 

Week beginning 20th September

All classes in Years 1,2 and 3 have been completing missions as part of their Commando Joe lessons.  These have involved working as a team to build shelters, find safe crossing over dangerous terrain as well as improving their own skills in problem solving and resilience.  They have had great fun as well as developing many key life skills. 

Friday was also our European day and the children had lots of fun sampling food and learning simple phrases and facts about countries such as Italy, France and the Netherlands.  I'm not sure some of the strong cheese was top of the list but the pizza and crepes went down very well with the children! Lots of crumbs and mucky faces but equally lots of smiles and some adventurous children who were happy to try everything on offer. 

Week beginning 6th September

Well done everyone on a super first back. Everyone has settled in to all the new routines and have enjoyed working with different teachers and meeting up with friends.  Having less restrictions has been lovely and, along with the gorgeous weather this week, the children have had great fun catching up and having freedom to use the equipment and space outside.

Mrs Wenham sent out details to check whether you are eligible for FSM this week.  Please do consider applying - if you get a no then so be it, but you could benefit, if accepted, for reduced school trips, money towards uniform and additional support in school.

Week beginning 17th May

There has been a lot of disruption during the last couple of weeks with two classes closed but the children have continued to work hard at home as well as in school and hopefully we won't be having to close any more bubbles - fingers crossed!

Despite the disruptions we have enjoyed some fun days in school - Year 1 really enjoyed their WOW day on Wednesday when they were exploring the great outdoors.  FS2 were out in force this week using the litter pickers to tidy up the field and learning about recycling. We have enjoyed more well-being sessions lead by 'Being Me' and the children have really enjoyed participating in the activities. 

Week beginning 3rd May

It's been a strange and stressful week with the large number of cases at Wilsthorpe and the knock on effect for us all.  Just when we thought things were improving generally!  Thank you for your support and patience with all the different information, having to temporarily close classes and with all the messages and instructions we had to keep sending out.  Fingers crossed we can now move forward and look towards continuing to return to normal. 

Week beginning 26th April

The children have already competed two thirds of this half term!  They have worked hard and are completely settled back into the school routine.  Hopefully as each Government milestone is reached we will be able to ease some restrictions and all get back to normal.  

In this two weeks we have enjoyed WOW days in Year 6 learning all about the Mayans and FS2 have been searching the school field for Dragons.  Every class is working hard and all the children are on task and ready to learn.  Well done everyone! 

Week beginning 22nd March

There has been a wide range of activities completed in school over the last two weeks. Last week the children in KS2 enjoyed some VR sessions learning about a wide range of topics including the digestive system and volcanoes. All children across school looked at the history of the census and took part in data collection activities in class. 

This week the children have been participating in a Literacy week based around the book 'Here We Are' by Oliver Jeffers.  Children in Year 3 and 4 had a visit from a cricket coach to improve their skills and knowledge of the game. Next week is STEM week and there will be lots of practical experiments taking place throughout school.  Year 5 are also having a planetarium brought to school to complete their topic on space. 

Thank you for your support with Comic Relief last week - so far £463 raised for this fabulous cause.  

Thank you to all those parents who have already returned the RSHE questionnaire.  We really do value your thoughts and opinions on this issue and will use this to develop our school policy and provision.  We will be sending out details of our parents meeting which will take place via Teams after the Easter break. Please return all questionnaires by the deadline of Thursday 1st April.

Week beginning 8th March

Sorry for not posting for a while but most updates are now put straight onto DOJO.  I will now just update this page fortnightly unless there has been a special event as I don't want you to feel overwhelmed by information from us at school.

First week back after lock down and the children have been brilliant!  They have smiled throughout the week and have shown a great attitude and resilience in getting back into routines and adapting to a few changes. 

Thank you very much for your support in getting children to school for the new staggered start times.  Obviously the rain on Friday had an impact but our priority remains to look after the children and we need to ensure social distancing is maintained at all times.

We have had lots of focus on well-being and re-establishing routines throughout the week. The children have spent a lot of time outdoors though this wasn't quite as much as some teachers had planned due to the weather. This focus on well-being will continue throughout the next few weeks up until Easter.

Week beginning 18th January

We have been very busy in school organising food hampers. Thank you to those parents who posted positive feedback as staff have worked hard in preparing them and the negative comments from individuals and the media have been very upsetting. The hampers had a huge range of food in them, just like the previous one, and provide enough items for two weeks worth of lunches. There were some additional items this time but we are very proud to be handing out such fabulous hampers to some of our families.

We have also been busy handing out the tablets the DfE have provided us with to support home learning.  Thank you to everyone who has been posting work - staff are busy teaching full time whilst responding to all the work so thank you for your patience. Please remember that Mr Lyons runs a support clinic on Wednesday mornings which you can use to help out with any issues or questions you may have. If you still require a tablet with have some more available - please send me a message via DOJO. 

Week beginning 11th January

Apologies for not posting anything last week but as you can imagine there was a lot to organise. 

Thank you for all your continued work with home learning.  We appreciate there are many challenges you have to face to ensure tasks are completed and understand many of you are doing this whilst at the same time completing your own jobs.  The children are posting lots of activities and we are very impressed with everyone.  Please do remember that there are different ways we can support you in school so keep in touch.  Hopefully the delivery of more tablets from the DfE will arrive soon and we will be in touch if you have requested any IT support. 

Once again could we please urge parents that can keep children at home, throughout the week, to do so.  There are still a high number of pupils in school and we are aware that there are some parents who are at home all week and could therefore be home schooling.  We are happy to have the children of critical workers in school but also have to think about the pupils still in the building and their safety, as well as the staff.  All critical worker children have a place in school and are welcome, but we are asking parents to not place those members of the community who are in school, every day, at even greater risk.

Week beginning 7th December

It has been an amazing week with so much Christmas fun.  The children have enjoyed the parties led by Mr Brough with disco lights, games, dancing and a snow machine - what more could they ask for!  Thank you to the PTFA who organised the events in school along with a party bag for every child. Of course, a huge 'THANK YOU' to Mr Brough for working so hard to entertain the children with such enthusiasm and for giving them a lasting memory of a brilliant party.  The children have missed out on so much this year and the parties have been a wonderful treat.  

Christmas jumper day on Friday was also great fun and the children looked amazing.  Thank you for supporting school with this and the donations to Save the Children.  The children all enjoyed their Christmas lunch - the kitchen cooked 348 pupil meals and 16 staff lunches so they had a very busy morning. Luckily I didn't serve the Christmas puddings to staff this year - Mr Johnson still grumbles that I gave him a small piece last year! 

Week beginning 30th November

It's been a great week and the children are certainly getting in the mood for Christmas.  Those naughty elves keep finding different places to hide and the children love to be the first to find them - one of the Year 6 children asked if there was a reward for spotting them!  Fun for all ages!

Please remember we have our parties next week and the children can wear their own clothes on their party day. We also have Christmas jumper day next Friday - donations of a £1 will be able to be made via ParentPay from Wednesday. Children will also be able to enjoy their Christmas dinner next Friday - a really festive week to look forward to. 

Week beginning 23rd November

Everyone is back in school and it feels more like normal. The children are being so resilient and have managed to adapt to all the routines which is a real credit to them.  I think that some children are now feeling the strain of the lock downs and the impact the current situation is having on them - no clubs, no parties, unable to see friends etc.  If you are worried about your child and their well-being please do DOJO either myself or your class teacher and we can see what we can put in place to help.

I hope you have seen the letter I had to send this week about parental behaviour outside school.  I did not enjoy writing this but adults arguing and name calling each other just is not appropriate, especially in front of children.  Thank you to all of you who sent messages of support and encouragement - I have shared these with all staff and we are very grateful.  Let's hope that this is now something we can put behind us and move forward.  As I put in my letter, this has been a difficult year, and I would hate to end it on a negative atmosphere.  We want to work with you and continue to create a positive, happy and bubbly school, which spills out into the community. 

Week beginning 16th November

The children have been completing assessments this week so school has been very quiet.  Not children's favourite week of the year, but it is their time to sparkle and shine, and the data collected enable's staff to support the areas where children have struggled through interventions and further lessons. 

All parents should have received the letter regarding the Christmas festivities - class disco, Christmas jumper day and of course Christmas dinner (both on the 11th December).  We will be sure to celebrate as much as possible whilst maintaining all the current social distancing guidelines. We also have a pantomime booked for the children which can be enjoyed in each classroom using the interactive white boards. Lots of things to look forward too! 

Week beginning 2nd November

Apologies for not posting something for the last week of term - life in school is so hectic with all the additional tasks and responsibilities that other jobs have taken priority. 

It has been a great week back, though obviously disappointing that we have had to close another class this week.  Thank you for your understanding as there was very little time to give parents advance notice of the closure.  All children who are self-isolating should be completing all work set - details are on web pages and via Seesaw.  Please ensure that all activities are completed and if you have any technical problems please get in touch with the school office to arrange paper copies of work.

We have been able to provide food hampers for children in receipt of Free School Meals this week due to closing a class.  We will be offering this support to families if there are any future class closures. The school office will be in touch when, and if, necessary.

Thank you to all of you who are encouraging children to use all the online learning tools available such as Mathletics and Times Tables Rock Stars.  I am giving away lots of stickers every Friday to worthy winners of certificates. Keep up the great work everyone!

The news of another lock down wasn't totally unexpected but was not the news any of us wanted to hear.  Please keep safe and well during this difficult time. 

Week beginning 12th October

Please do ensure you read the letters carefully regarding the closure of Nursery for the last week of term.  I know this is a scary and worrying situation but please be reassured I have followed all DfE advice and guidance.  Only children in Nursery need to self-isolate but any siblings for now should be in school.  The family can operate as normal unless the nursery pupil develops symptoms. If this happens then the family need to self-isolate. Absences of siblings will not be authorised and all children should be in school as normal.  If you are unsure of any information please contact the school office on Monday morning.

Week beginning 5th October

A busy week with two WOW days - FS1 and 2 learnt all about different cultures and traditions which included lots of dancing, food tasting and flag making.  Year 6 had a visit from Zoo Lab and got to hold a variety of different small animals.  I do wish Mr Teague had warned me about the very large spider picture he put on his class DOJO page!  

Week beginning 21st September

The children enjoyed all the P.E events this week as part of Stand Up Derbyshire Day.  Lots of different activities taking place outside and it was great to see everyone being active and enjoying some fun fitness.

Please could a minority of parents be more considerate when sending DOJO messages to staff? It is only a small number of parents but staff should not be disturbed at home with messages sent after 8.00 p.m let alone nearly 11.00 p.m.  Staff work hard and deserve a well-earned break from school.  Please be considerate when sending a message both with the time and the content. Thank you.

Week beginning 14th September

Another great week which has seen us be able to make the most of all the space outside.  There have been lots of activities completed by the children including P.E, sense walks and using the trim trail.  We were also making the most of the space when we completed our fire practice -  the children were very sensible and managed to clear the building in just over 4 minutes which is good going as the Reception children have never taken part before.

Please do make sure that, from now on, any visitors to the school office are wearing a mask if they enter the building.  We would like to remind you that there should be no visitors without an appointment though we understand that sometimes items have been forgotten and need to be dropped off.  To keep the office staff safe please note this change to our original plans back in July and wear a mask if entering the building.  Thank you for your support. 

Week beginning 7th September

I am in awe of the children who have adapted to all the new routines - regular handwashing, eating in classrooms, assemblies on the interactive boards and social distancing.  They have been absolute superstars.

Well done everyone!

Thank you to all of the parents who have been supportive of the staggered start and finish times.  We are constantly reviewing our procedures and have a slight change next week as we bring the start time forward for the Reception children.  This adds an additional sixty parents so we are asking them to wait on the playground to reduce the number of adults outside school.  Please could I remind you that it is so helpful if only one parent completes the school drop off and pick up to reduce the number of people around school.  Most people are following this and I am very grateful to the majority of you who are working with us to keep everyone safe. We will try to keep the number of changes to a minimum.  

Keep safe and well. 

Week beginning 13th July

The sun is shining and that makes everything feel better.  I've just been out and about around school and it is lovely to see nearly every class out on the field learning tennis (FS2), problem solving in teams (FS2), javelin skills (Year 1), using the parachute (Year 1) taking part in sports day style races (Year 2) and obstacle courses (Year 2/6).  We are so lucky to have such wonderful grounds and will continue to use these as much as possible in September.

Today you will be receiving a letter outlining the plans for our return in September.  Please do take time to read it carefully and to keep hold of it as a reference point when buying book bags, stationary etc for September.  I am not trying to dictate what you purchase for your child but my job is to keep everyone safe and the simple steps I have outlined will help this to be more achievable. 

Next week you will receive a short film from your child's new class teacher.  I appreciate some children may be feeling a little anxious about returning to school but I hope putting a name to a face will help reduce some of these concerns.  We will look after everyone and have plenty of opportunities in September to work with children in supporting their worries and concerns through discussions, PSHE lessons and our nurture provision. 

Over the holidays, if you have a query or problem, please DOJO me directly and not class teachers.  They have worked incredibly hard, donating holidays to looks after key worker children, have been amazing with home learning and keeping in touch with children and parents and they need a break too.  I will be working most of the holiday and will endeavour to answer any queries as quickly as possible. Thank you for your support helping me protect the staff in school. 

Week beginning 29th June

We had 194 children in school on Thursday which is amazing.  Children are being so sensible in maintaining their distance from each other (with a few gentle reminders of course) and have been so mature in adapting to the new routines.  Our planning has been working well and should help as we now organise everything for all the children to come back in September.  I will be in touch as soon as these plans have been finalised and checked.  

Could I please remind you that you need to be at school to collect reports, new class information and books at your allotted time next week.  Please DOJO your class teacher if you are unsure of the day and time.  It is important that you send someone to collect this information and let school know if you are sending another relative or friend as the information / belongings cannot be handed over otherwise.  Thank you. 

Week beginning 22nd June

What a hot week!  The children have coped well in the sun and the children in Reception really enjoyed getting wet with the hose pipe, nearly as much as I enjoyed getting Mr Johnson which he took with his usual good humour. I have to say that Mrs Littlefair got me too and wearing wet sandals was rather unpleasant!   The simple pleasures in life for the children - their laughter and enjoyment was infectious. 

If you haven't already done so please do check out Nadub's amazing achievement of being a Guinness World Record holder with his 196 questions on multiplication and division answered in one minute!  It is a wonderful achievement and we couldn't be more proud of him.  Copy and paste any of the links below to see for yourselves.

YouTube https://youtu.be/_t9inv79i18  

Twitter https://twitter.com/TTRockStars/status/1276135993863745536?s=20

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/304815889684602/posts/1645029252329919/?app=fbl

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tv/CB2_F3xBn9s/?igshid=9166nq2n7pno

Week beginning 15th June

It is getting busier here in school - 170 children are back and the number will increase even more over the next two weeks.  We now only have a couple of spaces in FS2 and one in Year 1 so if you are thinking of returning you need to act fast.  I have every member of staff working and I can't create any new 'bubbles' so please do get in touch with me if you would like your child to return. 

I put a message on the school story earlier for everyone working at home.  I appreciate that some children are finding this more of a struggle now but keep going - you are all doing an amazing job.  Please do also look after yourselves both physically and mentally - keep talking, laughing and share your worries. We all are aware of the importance of looking after our mental health and if you need any help at all please do message me via Dojo.

Keep safe and well.

Week beginning 8th June

It has been the first week back for the named year groups and it has been lovely to have school feeling a little more like normal.  We are now just about full and only have limited spaces for Reception, Year 1 and 6 left.  We have 14 bubbles in total and have classes of Year 2,3,4,5 made up of key worker and vulnerable children.  If you need a space in any of these year groups please contact the school office and we will add you to the reserve list.  The children in school have been remarkable and they have adapted so well to the new routines and expectations around social distancing, hand washing and the different start/finish times.  I am incredibly proud of them all and the staff who have ensured that this week has run smoothly and calmly.

Week beginning 1st June

Back to some more normality this week with 60 key worker children in school.  We have used this extra week to plan for the return of children further and have all the classrooms ready, purchased huge stocks of hand soap and anti-bacterial wipes, separated desks and checked all our plans again.  I can't wait to see some more children as I have missed them all so much.  Things will be strange for us all and we will have to amend and adapt plans I'm sure but this is the first step to a new normal.  I will keep you updated of events and any changes as always.  Of course, due to the larger number of children returning to school, staff will be focusing their attention on supporting and teaching the children in school.  There will be home learning tasks set but the amount of daily communication and updates will be reduced in content. 

Keep safe and well. 

Week beginning 11th May

I have sent out letters to parents this week who are key workers and who have children in FS2, Year 1 and 6. Thank you to the many parents who have already responded to let me know their children will be returning to school on the 1st June. Do let me know your decision by Monday 18th May so I can complete preparations. Please do be rest assured that we trust your judgement and decision - you have to do what is right for you and your family. There will be no penalties for not returning to school if that is what you feel is best for you and your child. These are scary and worrying times enough for us all. You can also change your mind, later on in the term, if your thoughts or circumstances change.
Have a wonderful weekend - looks like the weather is warming up so enjoy, stay safe and alert as always.

Week beginning 4th May

We have been lucky enough to have had a generous and delicious hamper provided to staff in school by ASDA.  Thank you so much to all the staff at ASDA for their hard work and for the goodies! If you go to store, please look up at the glass bridge over the foyer where you will see some posters and pictures produced by the key worker children in school to say thank you for everyone's hard work.

I have also posted some pictures on DOJO of the school pets but if you haven't seen them here are Chewy and Vader being looked after by Mia and Eloise during lockdown.  Looks like they are enjoying some very special treatment!  Take care and keep safe.

Week beginning 27th April

Another well done to you all for some fabulous learning at home.  I have seen some amazing examples of art work, baking, maths and Literacy work - so much is happening at home.  Keep up the great work.

Here in school our numbers seem to be rising a little as some people return to work. Remember to contact me via DOJO or call the office if you need some support in looking after children.  Please do remember that this is only available at the moment if there is no other adult at home that can look after the children as we still need to minimise the risk of spreading the infection.

Keep safe and well.

Week beginning 20th April

Back to a new term, normally my favourite one of the year, but things are still very unusual here.  The children have all enjoyed their different Easter break though the children that were here over the holiday are looking tired.  We are now seeing a slow rise in numbers and expect these to gradually increase as things get back to some a new 'normal'.  If you are a key worker and need support from school please do get in contact with me either through a DOJO message or a phone call.  I appreciate that you all want children back at school and so do we, but we will follow all Government guidelines and when we know anything we will be in touch.

Keep up the great work online and at home.  Please do keep sharing your projects and accomplishments with your child's class teacher and if you need any work packs or paper copies please get in touch with school.  Thank you for the DOJO photos some of you have sent me - I am missing the children so much and love to have messages from them.  Take care and keep safe.

Week beginning 30th March

Another strange week in school but we are continuing to work hard on keeping everyone safe.  There have been less children in school but they have enjoyed a variety of activities including Tai Chi, Joe Wicks lessons, lots of games outside as well as learning in class on a variety of topics.

Thank you to everyone who has been sending evidence of learning at home - you are all doing a brilliant job!  If you have yet to add anything on to the online learning platforms please don't forget - we love to see what you have been up to.  It is so important to keep to a routine and to keep learning during this time.

Enjoy the Easter break - we are open to children of key workers for the next two weeks apart from the Bank Holidays.  Keep safe and well.

Week beginning 23rd March

Thank you to everyone for their patience and support as we navigate the current situation.  Parents have been very supportive, children have remained calm and resilient and staff have worked incredibly hard under stressful and unusual circumstances. School has been an eerie place this week, numbers of children were dramatically reduced after the Prime Ministers speech on Monday but we will remain open to care for the children of key workers throughout these next few weeks. Within school the children have enjoyed completing lots of learning by tasting chocolate as part of their Literacy work, enjoying Tai Chi lessons and art lessons including making posters to help people keep smiling.

Well done to everyone for completing so many home learning tasks.  I have been impressed by all the photos, presentations, clips and examples of home learning.  Make sure you keep checking the pages for updates though ensure you have a break over the weekend.  

I was proud to go outside and clap for the NHS on Thursday evening and would like to thank all of our key worker parents who are working hard in supporting the vital work in hospitals, care homes and distribution of food deliveries which we all need so much at the moment.

Week beginning 9th March

It has been very exciting this week with lots of visitors for STEM week.  The children have been amazed by different experiments, facts and information about a wide range of topics. Mr Roper has done a brilliant job at organising all the different events.  Thank you to all the parents that have helped create some super exhibits for the Science Fair which have been shared in assembly.

Whilst we don't want to panic or alarm anyone school is obviously planning for a possible closure.  This is a decision made by the DfE and staff are preparing packs of work and online learning links should we be forced to close.  Our aim is to maintain the progress made by the children in school and I would urge all parents to ensure that work set is completed at home.   We also have sent information to you about links regarding self isolation and would remind parents that, should this step be necessary, you must report any absences to the school office with the reason why you have decided to keep your child at home. Please see the dedicated page on the school website for links and further details.

Week beginning 2nd March

Thank you to everyone who has joined in the fun for World Book Day.  We have had a fabulous day with all sorts of different book characters walking around school as well as some amazing and artistic entries in the potato competition.  

Well done to all the children in Hummingbirds class for their class assembly this week.

Please do look at the page on Coronavirus that we have added to the website.  We will continue to update both the page and you as and when new information is received by school.

Week beginning 24th February

The talk of school is definitely all about the guinea pigs!  The children love the new additions to school and have been chatting, admiring and adoring the boys.  Lots of children provided ideas for names and on Friday classes had a vote to choose what we would call them.  It was a close vote but the winning names are Chewie and Vader - well done to Charlie who suggested these!   Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to have the boys over the weekend or a holiday.  I will be creating a rota this week and will be in touch.  School will provide everything you need to care for them and if there is anyone else who would like to look after them please let me know.

Thank you to Robin Class who shared a wonderful assembly all about Pancake Day and the reasons behind this special day.  Pancake flipping in an assembly - who would have thought it!  Well done to you all.

Week beginning 10th February

Well done to everyone who took part in Longmoor's Got Talent.  The final was amazing and all the acts impressed the judges and audience with their talents which included drumming, singing, dancing, magic and speed of times tables.  

Congratulations to all the children in Miss Wood's class who shared their knowledge of space. They have clearly enjoyed the topic and have a vast amount of facts and details about the final frontier!

Week beginning 3rd February

Excitement has been bubbling all week for the Longmoor's Got Talent Semi Final and the audience were not disappointed.  There was a wide variety of acts - singing, dancing, gymnastics and joke telling to name but a few.  The judges had a hard time selecting the final 12 acts (there was only meant to be 10 but it was impossible to stick to) and the final is next Thursday.  Good luck to everyone in the final and well done to everyone who made it to the semi-final.

A number of children enjoyed the experience of using large scale and specialised gymnastic equipment at Erewash Gymnastics Club this week.  The children were brave in trying out new skills and really enjoyed themselves.  Thank you to Mr Roper for transporting and looking after the children.

Week beginning 27th January

We started the week with a visit from a Humanist who explained to the children his views and opinions based on the principles of Humanism.  A difficult concept for the children but they listened carefully and asked some interesting questions.  As the saying goes 'everyday is a school day' and we all learnt something new and interesting.

On Tuesday Miss Bolton and Puffin class shared their learning through an exciting assembly.  Well done to everyone.  On Wednesday Year 5 had their second afternoon at Friesland and experienced more lessons in a new and vibrant environment.  Then on Friday they enjoyed a visit to the Space Centre to find out about space and the final frontier!

Thank you to all the parents who came along to the phonics meetings this week.  I hope you found the information useful.  If you need any further details or clarification please speak to Mr Slee, Miss Lewis and Mrs Spilsbury.

Week beginning 20th January

Two WOW days this week with Year 6 learning all about evolution and Year 2 thinking about heroes.  School does seem rather strange when Batman, Spider-man, Wonder-Woman and even a suffragette are walking past you in the corridor!  Thank you for your support in providing costumes for the children who do still love dressing up!

Please could I remind parents that, if your child is ill, to call the office rather than send a message on DOJO to teachers.  There can be a delay in teachers being able to pass on a message to the office and then parents are annoyed when the office call to investigate an absence.  Please call the office and speak to either Mrs Hall or Mrs Brown.  You can leave a message if no-one is available and these are checked regularly.  Thank you.

Week beginning 13th January

There is a real buzz in school with all the auditions for Longmoor's Got Talent taking place.  What a range of performers we have!  There has been singing, all sorts of dancing, magic tricks and karate skills to name but a few.  It will be a varied and exciting event!  I'm proud of everyone who has taken part and put themselves out of their comfort zone to audition.

Thank you to Miss Layland and Woodpecker class for their assembly this week.  The class has clearly enjoyed the topic of Vikings and shared a wealth of information with us all.  

Week beginning 6th January

Happy New Year and welcome back.  I hope you had a wonderful festive break and that this first week back into a routine has gone well. The children have certainly been brilliant and have settled back in with immediate effect.

Please do remember that if you have an issue or concern to raise, do it as soon as possible with either your child's class teacher, myself or Mr Green.  If we are not aware of a problem we can't work with you to find a solution.  It is far easier to share your concerns with us rather than post unfair and unsubstantiated comments on social media anonymously. 

Well done to the girls who played in the Futsal tournament this week.  They played a great game and won by 8 goals to 0.  What a result!

Week beginning 16th December

Hooray - the end of a busy term and everyone here at Longmoor is ready for the break!  This term is wonderful but very busy and everyone is desperate for some sleep and rest.  There have been some nasty bugs going round and the children are suffering with some very serious coughs so hopefully a good break will allow everyone to get back on their feet.  Staff have been wonderful at struggling on with coughs and colds themselves, still arriving at work each day with a smile which is very much appreciated.

The children in FS1 and FS2 were amazing in their performances of 'A Miracle in Town' and left everyone feeling full of the spirit of Christmas.  Well done to everyone involved.

Thank you on behalf of everyone here who have received gifts which is very kind and generous of you all.  

I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

Week beginning 9th December

It has been a wonderful week with lots of festive activities.  The choir sang at ASDA and a local home for the elderly which was wonderful and thank you to both Mr Roper and Mrs Kirk for all their hard work.  

The children in Years 1 and 2 treated parents and children to a production of Baubles.  The singing and acting was great and it was lovely to see the children on the stage laughing, singing and dancing as they were having such a wonderful time.  Thank you again to the staff who worked so hard on putting everything together and of course to the stars of the show, the children!

Thank you to you all for sending in donations for Save the Children today.  We will let you know the total raised next week.  The children look wonderful and it has felt very festive today with the event coinciding with Christmas jumper day. 

Week beginning 2nd December

Excitement is building here with the children enjoying looking for the elves hiding around school, singing carols and loving the decorations.  19 days to go!

I am so proud of the boys who took part in the county finals this week.  The boys played so well and sadly missed out on a place in the final when they lost on penalties.  They played brilliantly and have worked so hard to reach this stage.  Well done again and thank you to Mr Welbourne and the parents who helped organise and transport the team.  Another thank you to Mr Bunhejee for his organisation and support behind the scenes.

One final thank you to Miss Smith and her organisation of the Enterprise Fair.  The children produced a variety of gifts and it was a lovely atmosphere whilst the children selected gifts and treats from the wide selection on offer. 

Week beginning 25th November

Well done to the children in Swallows class and Mr Slee for a very interesting assembly all about transport.  Another well done to all the children who took part in the Rock Steady Concert on Wednesday.  You really impressed everyone with your skills on the keyboard, drums, guitar and singing.

Week beginning 18th November

It's been a quiet week with the children completing their assessments.  These are not popular with the children but provide us with data for moving forward and can pinpoint specific areas of need for individuals.  The children have worked hard and all deserve a relaxing and restful weekend!  

Week beginning 11th November

Thank you so much for all your support with helping us raise money for Children in Need.  The total currently stands at just under £700 which is a fabulous amount.  The fundraising was led by School Council who did a wonderful job and they enjoyed a photo with Pudsey who visited us in our special assembly.  Thank you again.

Week beginning 4th November

Welcome back to school!  Staff had an interesting INSET learning about the new Ofsted framework and inspections and then took part in the new Conflict Resolution training that we are involved in here.  The aim of this is for children to support their peers with small disagreements and help them find a solution to their problems.  The children have been carefully selected and have had two days training.  Thank you to the parents who attended the information evening after school to learn more information about the scheme.

Year 4 went to watch the Panthers train at the ice arena on Wednesday and had a great time on the ice later.  For many of the children this was the first time they had been on the ice and they were very brave and picked up skating really quickly.  Unfortunately I was not so lucky and managed to slip on the ice virtually as soon as I started to skate.  I have a great bruise on my arm as evidence!  Still managed to keep smiling though!

Week beginning 21st October

Rugby may be talked about a lot at the moment but it's all about the football here.  Three different events attended this week with Years 1 / 2 enjoying second and fourth place, Year 5 and 6 took second place and then the Year 5 / 6 team won all three matches and are through to the County final in December.  Well done to everyone and thank you to the teachers who have coached the children and to the parents and staff who transported the teams and cheered them on.

A number of Junior children have been asking to raise money for different charities and so we held a fair in the hall so that they could sell cakes, homemade goodies and crafts.  The children raised around £100 between them all and have supported causes such as the RSPCA, Macmillan and WWF.

Week beginning 14th October

Year 3 shared a wonderful Harvest Festival assembly with parents and the school this week.  Thank you to everyone who donated food in support of the Canaan Trust and the amazing work they do in helping families in need.

On Wednesday I was treated to a make over and got to wear a beautiful sari for an assembly on Diwali.  The children came up with all sorts of ideas about what I was wearing including a toga, robe and a dress for my birthday or wedding anniversary!  What amazed both myself and the children was the huge amount of material required in the outfit and they enjoyed learning about the celebrations and story behind this Hindu festival.  Thanks to Raiya's Mum for the help and for dressing me in the sari.

On Thursday Mr Bunhejee, Miss Mills, myself and parents took a group of children to Wilsthorpe for the Cross Country event.  The children were brilliant and we won first place in the Years 1/2 and 5/6 events.  Individual medals were also won and the children ran with stamina and determination.  Thank you to everyone who joined us at the event and well done to the children chosen for the squad.

Just to say a huge 'Congratulations' to Mrs Cove who is now Mrs Leek.  She got married on Saturday and the bride looked stunning.  I think it will take us all some time to get used to her new name!  

Week beginning 7th October

Thank you to Falcon Class for their assembly all about habitats this week.  There was everything - singing, acting, information and some brilliant jokes. The children have clearly been enjoying their learning and appeared quite the experts.

Another thank you to the parents who attended the Careers Fair on Friday.  The children were inspired by the many different occupations from dental nurses, audiologists to prison officers and engineers.  The children asked some very thoughtful questions and enjoyed finding out about the different jobs represented and what qualifications they would need to follow that career path.  It was so good of people to give up their time and to inspire the children towards aiming high in life.  I think arresting me was one the highlight of the afternoon for the children!

Thank you to parents who attended the gardening morning.  I must admit I wasn't sure we could get it done but it looks brilliant and so much tidier.  We will have another gardening morning in the spring to prepare the ground for planting next year.

Week beginning 30th September

Year 5 enjoyed a WWII WOW day on Monday and looked fabulous all dressed up as evacuees, soldiers and land girls.  They learnt about a range of elements during the day but especially enjoyed the practical baking of war time treats as well as re-enacting an air raid.  I think the staff enjoyed launching the bombs at the air raid shelters created by the children too!  

Throughout the week I have been completing observations of the teachers and I have seen some wonderful teaching and lesson content.  Colour mixing experiments in FS1 with complete wonder and awe at how two colours join to make a third (the look of total shock and amazement was so delightful I'll never forget it), science experiments in FS2 using skittles and water to prompt discussions of colour mixing and dissolving,  maths lessons using large numbers to round up and down (the children were worried but worked with determination to overcome their fears) and creating cave paintings using natural materials collected from the school grounds.  Just a few of my highlights but I had such a great time in classes and am so proud of all the staff in school who work so hard to plan and source lessons that use such creativity, foster such a love of learning and allow children to broaden their skills and knowledge.  Well done everyone!

Week beginning 23rd September

Parrot class treated us all to a wonderful assembly on Wednesday which was all about the Romans.  The children have already learnt lots of facts and have been enjoying learning all the horrible and gory details associated with the Romans and their way of life.

Thank you to the parents who joined us for cake and coffee this morning in support of Macmillan.  We will let you know how much we have raised next week.  The cakes were delicious!

The children have been enjoying Stand Up Derbyshire day by taking part in lots of sport and active learning.  

Week beginning 16th September

Staff were asked to choose one child from their class to join me for a short celebration event in recognition of all their achievements both in class with their work and also with their behaviour.  We had a great time chatting over a milkshake, hot chocolate, lemonade (obviously only one drink per child) and a piece of chocolate cake.   I will be holding a celebration event every other week so I wonder who will be chosen next?  

Year 6 enjoyed a visit from Zoo Lab as part of their learning.  They looked at giant snails, rats and snakes. I stayed away as there was a tarantula in the room!  The children were very brave and enjoyed holding and touching some of the visitors though thankfully not the tarantula!

Week beginning 9th September

Phew - the first full week back now safely completed.  The children were looking tired by Friday but they hung on in there and we are now completely back into a routine.  The weather forecast looks promising for the next few weeks so we should be out for every break and using the new trim trail at every opportunity.

I wanted to share with you the amazing homework completed by one of the Year 5 children this week.  So many of you are wonderful at supporting children at home and this is a brilliant example.  I  hear even grandparents got involved in this wonderful air raid shelter construction complete with hand sewn sand bags and posters sharing WWII information. 

Thank you for your continued support and please do keep encouraging children to read at home as well as completing their Mathletics, Times Tables Rockstars, Spelling Shed  and homework activities. 

Week beginning 2nd September

Welcome back!  The children have been superstars this week and have all settled into their new classes.  Thank you for making such a great start with uniform though please don't forget to label all items clearly.  

If you shop at Aldi and spend £30 please do collect the stickers on offer and send them into school.  We are collecting these to enter a prize draw to win £20 000 and a sports kit.  We need to collect enough stickers to complete a very large chart which we can then send off to enter the final prize draw. As they say you have to be in it to win it!

Week beginning 15th July

The last day of term and where has the time gone?  This year has certainly flown by and it's hard to believe we are breaking up for six weeks.  The children have all been amazing this year and have achieved so much.  We wish all the Year 6 children the best of luck as they move to their new schools!  Lots of tears today but we have every confidence in them that they will continue to shine as they start this new stage of their school life.

Thank you very much to all the parents who have sent in gifts both for myself and for all the staff.  It is really very kind and generous of you all and they are very much appreciated.  Have a wonderful summer and keep safe.  We will see you back here in September!

Week beginning 8th July

A huge thank you to the staff and most importantly the children for the fantastic performance of 'The Pirates of the Currybean!'  The singing and acting was amazing.  Well done everyone!

Week beginning 1st July

This has been one of the busiest weeks we have had!  Monday started with an upbeat and dynamic assembly from Ned's Mindset all about keeping positive and being resilient. On Tuesday lots of you joined in with Maths morning which saw everyone outside completing challenges.  Wednesday started with a fabulous class assembly from the Minpins and of course Sports Day which saw children compete with smiles and support for each other.  It was wonderful to see the children cheer each other on during the races and for the Year 6 to cross the line together in their last race. 

The art event in the hall has been enjoyed by all and so many of you purchased a framed piece of work.  Miss Lewis organised the event and it was so popular she had to order more frames later in the week.  I thought it looked amazing when all the different pieces of work were on display and we clearly have some very talented artists in school.

Thank you to everyone who came along and supported all the events in school this week.

Week beginning 24th June

Two classes enjoyed a multi-sports event at Wilsthorpe this week and took part in archery and javelin events as well as other new and exciting sports.  Rainbow Fish performed a brilliant assembly and taught us all about the important slip, slap, slop message for safety in the sun.  Year 6 children have taken part in their transition visits and have all returned enthusiastic about their new schools.

Don't forget Sports Day next week - letters have been sent home with details.  We also have a Ned's Mindset assembly on Monday and children will be able to buy a yo-yo.  The art event is also taking place next week so please do come along and take a look at all the wonderful work produced by the children.  Don't forget you can have work framed for £2.50.

Week beginning 17th June

The children have worked hard on their assessments this week and we will be sharing the results with you in the annual reports to be handed on out on Friday 5th July.  Well done everyone!

Can I ask that parents, especially those with older children, have clear and agreed arrangements for leaving school.  This week a parent was extremely agitated when their child wasn't at school despite arrangements having been made about walking home which was also aggravated by miscommunication between parents.  This resulted in a large number of staff looking for a child, lots of shouting by the parent and even the police being called.  As a parent myself I totally understand the feeling of panic and terror when you are unsure of where your child is but in this case school was in no way to blame for the situation which could have quickly and easily been rectified if communication had been clear between parents and child. We appreciate that children need to be provided with some independence in walking home but would ask that these arrangements are clear between everyone to avoid such upset in the future.

Week beginning 10th June

The weather has been horrible this week and the children have coped well with lots of wet breaks and lunchtimes. Obviously the field is water logged and therefore the Summer Fair will be held indoors on Saturday 15th June.  We hope to see lots of your here as there will be the same stalls, games and entertainments available.  Please come along and support this major fund-raising event.

Congratulations to Mr Green who has sent an adorable picture of his new baby girl born early this morning.  What a lucky girl to share a birthday with Mr Bunhejee!  

Next week is Assessment Week so please make sure your child has a good breakfast and plenty of sleep so they can show their progress and understanding to the very best of their abilities.

On Friday myself, Mrs Littlefair and ten children were invited to open the new One Stop Shop on College Street.  The event was very exciting with the children having their faces painted, drinks and snacks in the shop and being part of the grand opening.  I was rather nervous making my speech but honoured to have been asked.  The children were fabulous and an event I will always remember.

Week beginning 3rd June

It has been lovely to see everyone back after the break as we now begin this final push towards the end of the academic year.  This has been a very busy year with lots of exciting events and there are even more to come. Please make sure you have seen the copy of the latest newsletter with all the diary dates and information you will need.  We will try to give you as much notice as possible should there be any changes.

Week beginning 20th May

Have a wonderful half term.  This has been a short but important time in school and everyone seems just as tired for squashing the same amount of work into four weeks.  Lets have our fingers crossed for some lovely weather over the next week.  See you back in school on the 3rd June.

Week beginning 13th May

Well done to the children in Year 6 who have been completing their SATs this week.  The children have worked hard to reach this point and hopefully feel that they gave it 100%.  The Year 2 children are now taking their  SATs and will complete everything by the end of next week.  Thank you to the staff who have worked incredibly hard to make the tests as relaxed as possible whilst preparing the children for the challenging questions.  Never an easy week and, whatever people's thoughts and feelings about testing children, everyone at school has worked hard, kept things relaxed, been supportive and should feel proud of everything they have achieved.

Another evening of football this week and the boys played well.  Sadly a last minute goal prevented Longmoor from winning the league but everyone, players and coaches, should celebrate their successes and be proud.  Well done to everyone and thank you to parents who came along and supported the team.

Week beginning 6th May

A short but wet and busy week.  The children are already half way through this very short term and Years 2 and 6 have an important stage ahead of them as they complete their SATs.  We wish them all the very best and know that they will work hard and show just what they have learnt.  This can be an anxious time for children in those years so they need lots of fun in their relaxation time, plenty of healthy food and lots of sleep.  

Well done to the football team for their fabulous performance on Tuesday.  The team won convincingly (5:2 and 7:1) and could be heading for a great final place in the league.  'Good Luck' for the next game.  

Week beginning 29th April

Lovely to see everyone back and I hope you had a relaxing and chocolate filled break.  This is an incredibly short term but a very important one, especially for Years 2 and 6 with SATs.

Two girls in school decided that they wanted to help clean up the area outside school which can be littered with dog waste. They have made some dog waste bag holders and anyone can help themselves to the bags if they have forgotten theirs.  I am very proud of the girls and their thoughtful actions.  If you do have a problem with dog waste outside your house or know of an area locally that is spoilt by irresponsible dog owners you can text on 07792701583 and the dog wardens will investigate and help clear the area.

Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend - hopefully it won't be filled with gardening or DIY like mine!

Week beginning 8th April

Sporting success in school this week with the swimming team coming second place in the gala.  There were ten schools taking part and the children swam with determination and skill.  Thank you to Mr Bunhejee for organising the team and for putting them through their paces.

Thank you to Miss Lewis and her class for a wonderful class assembly which came complete with singing, dancing, drama performances of England winning the World Cup and the first man on the moon as well as a fashion show.  Who could have asked for more?

Enjoy the Easter break and I hope the Easter Bunny visits.  Please remember that if you have signed up for Easter School - Year 2 and 6 only - we will see you on Monday 15th at 9.00 a.m.

Week beginning 1st April

This week started with a learning walk looking at writing in each classroom.  We saw some wonderful work and all the children were engaged and on task.  There was such a range of writing taking place and the children were studying a host of different texts. We then looked through a variety of books and the children are writing with increased accuracy and stamina. Well done everyone - that includes you parents who are sharing time at home to hear children read, check spellings and are encouraging children to use the huge variety of online learning opportunities we provide.  Thank you as your enthusiasm, input and encouragement makes a huge difference.

The children absolutely loved the athlete visits on Thursday and completed the circuits with determination and skill.  I'm able to say I took part and completed the circuits three and a half times which I classed as my gym session for the day!  Please remember to hand in that sponsor money by Thursday 11th April.

Thank you to Mr Roper's class for a great class assembly based on crime and punishment.  You explained the different elements to a trial and courtroom brilliantly through explanations and drama.  Everyone really enjoyed it.

Week beginning 25th March

The children coped brilliantly with a fire evacuation practice this week and weren't fazed by the curve ball Mr Dilks threw in by locking a door so that classes had to find an alternative route.  Well done everyone!

Mrs Brown has been working in school for 26 years now and we celebrated this occasion in assembly today presenting her with a special certificate from Derbyshire County Council, a £100 gift voucher and a bouquet of flowers.  Quite an achievement I'm sure you will agree!

Week beginning 18th March

It's been a quiet week here as the children have been completing assessments.  The results will be shared with you at during discussions at the Parents Evenings in April.

Year 4 and 5 have been learning about the Titanic and have made some amazing models for homework.  Thank you for supporting the children with their learning and for all the hard work.  The models are currently on display in the foyer if you want to take a look.

Week beginning 11th March

What an wonderful week!  Science week has been amazing with lots of experiments both in the classroom and being completed at home.  The work children have produced for the STEM exhibition has been outstanding with a wide range of experiments and scientific facts on display.  The projects have clearly taken a long time to complete and are a real credit to the children.  I hope everyone who visited the STEM room was just as impressed with the experiments on display.

Thank you to everyone who sent in donations of cakes, found out red clothes and paid a contribution towards non-uniform and red nose competitions.  We are delighted to tell you that we raised £1141.86!  Thank you for supporting this worthy cause and no doubt I will be crying later on tonight whilst watching the emotional film clips explaining where the money can help!

Week beginning 4th March

More baking this week with apple crumble and Eton mess to sample from Year 6.  The apple crumble was delicious (I didn't try the Eton mess) and I'm looking forward to sampling the shortbread next week.  Obviously I'm the quality control checker!

We had a lovely assembly on Wednesday with Harry Potter class and learnt all about paleontologists and the important discoveries made over time. The children were also able to describe evolution, adaptation and classification of animals.  Well done everyone for all your hard work.

I had the pleasure of helping Rainbow Fish to walk to Sandiacre library on Monday to learn about the amazing resources available for everyone to borrow.  If you haven't got a card please do visit and sign up for one as the library is well stocked and is a real asset to the community.  Don't forget Long Eaton library is just as wonderful and may be closer for some families.

Thank you to everyone who dressed up for World Book day this week.  There were some amazing costumes and people had gone to a lot of effort to buy and make outfits.  Please take a look on DOJO for pictures and on class pages. The Book Fair will be in school next week from Wednesday and hopefully you will be able to drop in after school.  The more books sold the greater commission we receive which will go towards more books for the children.

Week beginning 25th February

It has been lovely to see everyone back at school after a relaxing break.  Baking has been a real hit this week with FS2 making some bread as part of their work on The Little Red Hen and Year 6 making cottage pie.  Breakfast Club children enjoyed bacon rolls this week as well so there has been a wide range of lovely aromas floating down the corridor.

We have had lots of new children join school recently and a huge welcome to them all.  We are now around 420 pupils (we keep getting new applications each week) and we have never been so full which is wonderful.  This obviously does make the end of the day especially hectic and please do keep a careful eye on younger children as so many people leave the school site at the same time.  Adults are on each gate at night but the responsibility for the safety of young children remains that of the parents.  Please encourage them to stand and walk with you at all times.  We want everyone to be safe.

Week beginning 11th February

Half term is here and everyone is ready for the break.  Thank you for your support for the NSPCC non-uniform day which raised £336.40.  The children have enjoyed many varied and exciting events this term and they have worked hard.  We are half way through the year and things for the children need to gear up ready for the up and coming SATs in May (Years 2 and 6) and phonics assessment (Year 1).  We have provided parents meetings and information for these year groups and the children will benefit by completing additional tasks and learning at home.  Please do help your child with these tasks to help them sparkle and shine in May.

Enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing you back on the 25th February ready for the second half of this academic year.

Week beginning 4th February

Lots going on this week in school with WOW day in Year 6, VR day, Internet Safety Day, Bikeability, Gymnastics festival, KS1 film night and pizza making.  The children have enjoyed every activity and have had lots of exciting stories to tell about their experiences.  Unfortunately due to the wind and rain Bikeability was cancelled for the end of the week but we will be in touch when this has been rescheduled.

Can I please remind parents that if you are bringing medicine into school you must hand this yourselves to an adult who can then ensure it is stored correctly and safely.  All medicine should also be in the original box or container. No medicine will be administered without a health care plan being completed which are available in the school office.  A member of staff must agree to administer the medicine and without this consent you will have to make arrangements to come into school to give the medicine yourself. Thank you.

Week beginning 21st January

This week the children listened to some very important messages from the NSPCC about their right to speak out and stay safe.  The children listened carefully to the visitors and gave some very thoughtful answers to some of the questions.  Year 5 children in Mr Ropers class had a follow up workshop and were again incredibly sensible and took part in all the activities.  All children in Year 5 and 6 will have workshops next week to follow on from the assembly.  We will be holding a fundraising event on the 14th February to raise some money for this fabulous charity and hope that you will be able to donate a pound in return for the children wearing their own clothes.  

Week beginning 14th January

We have been busy this week with a Futsal tournament (we came third and well done to the team), resumed swimming lessons and have been busy participating in Commando Joe lessons.  The children have been busy keeping active and improving both their fitness as well as working on team building and resilience skills.

As part of our Accelerated Reader scheme we are able to monitor how often children read, how many words, the number of books and also how long the children are reading for.  Sadly some are only reading for a short amount of time each day and we need your help in encouraging and monitoring them to make sure that they are reading for longer periods of time.  This isn't everyone - some children are reading for an average of up to 70 minutes a day and we are incredibly proud of them.  However please do encourage more reading at home and we would love children to aim for around 20 minutes a day.  A little less tablet time and more time with a book please.

It also came to my attention this week that a small number of children are playing inappropriate games at home, shockingly a six year old playing Grand Theft Auto, which I have now learnt is full of horrifically inappropriate content.  Please do check the age limits and make sure your child is playing suitable games.   

Week beginning 7th January

Welcome back and Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and festive season.  All has gone well in this first week back and the children have settled back into routines.  Please can you ensure that you have sent in P.E kits for the children to use.  We have two hours of physical activity a week and it is important that the children have a change of clothes for both indoor and outdoor P.E lessons.  

There are lots of important evening meetings coming up for Years 1 and 2 regarding Phonics and SATs.  Please look out for letters and all the important details.  We look forward to seeing lots of you at these events.

Week beginning 17th December

Well we have made it - the last day of term.  This has been a wonderful term but incredibly busy and we are all ready for a well deserved break.  Thank you for the very generous gifts you have given both myself and different members of staff - all are very much appreciated.  I hope you all have a wonderful festive season with lots of precious family time.  Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year!

Week beginning 10th December

This week has been wonderful with star performances from the children in Years 1 and 2.  They sang, acted and danced amazingly and everyone really enjoyed the 'Inn - spectators' show.  I enjoyed the performances and I'm proud of everyone - children and staff!  Christmas is now really here!

Please do check pages on the website for details of all the activities that are taking place next week - it is very busy with more performances for EYFS, the Christmas Carol Concert for years 3 - 6 and those exciting Christmas parties!

Thank you again for your support with the Christmas jumpers last week - we raised a total of £286 for Save the Children.

Week beginning 3rd December

Thank you so much for supporting Christmas Jumper Day.  We have yet to count all the money so will let you have a total next week.  The children have all enjoyed wearing their festive clothes and it has created a wonderful atmosphere around school.

The children all enjoyed their Christmas dinner today and are excited about the Christmas disco.  Ho Ho Ho!

Week Beginning 26th November

Christmas appears to have arrived.  Costumes are being collected, lines learnt and songs sung all over school.  Please look out for letters coming home today for EYFS and KS1 regarding tickets and performance times.  I wonder whether any classes will be decorated by Monday and whether the elf can be found around school?

Well done to Fantastic Foxes for their class assembly on Wednesday all about animals.  Singing, acting, facts and even dancing - a great way to start the day and to showcase their considerable knowledge.

Week Beginning 19th November

It has been a quiet week in school as the children have been completing assessments.  We will use the data to re-evaluate intervention groups and to see where children may need additional support and challenge.  They have all tried their best and have demonstrated a positive approach to the tasks.  Well done everyone!

As promised, the grand total for Children in Need from school was £403.  Thank you to Mrs Hamer and the School Council for organising the activities and fund raising events.

Week Beginning 12th November

Thank you so much for your support in raising money for Children in Need.  The children have looked fabulous in their Pudsey outfits and spots.  We will let you have the grand total as soon as we can.

Please do support us next week with our petition with regards to parking.  We are looking into asking the council for more yellow lines around school to help protect pupils and parents when accessing the school site.  More details will be available next week when we will be collecting signatures.

Week Beginning 5th November

Every class in school has spent time learning about WWI.  The children have created a wide range of art work from felt poppies, propaganda posters to trench art.  Nursery have created an outdoor art piece of work with poppies made from bottles which is amazing.  Not only have the children been creative artistically but have also worked on some outstanding Literacy work with war poems and descriptive writing.  Please look out for a selection of the work produced which is on display in school.  Thank you to everyone who has sent in money to buy poppy merchandise and we will let you know when we have the final amount.

Week Beginning 22nd October

Well we have made it to the end of a very long term - hooray!  The children and staff have worked incredibly hard and deserve a relaxing week recharging their batteries.  Enjoy yourselves and keep safe (and don't forget the clocks go back tomorrow so you can enjoy an extra hour in bed!)

There have been lots of great achievements this term and exciting events.  Thank you to all the parents who have supported sports teams, joined in on WOW days, taken time from work to watch class assemblies etc -  it is all very much appreciated.

Week Beginning 15th October

The children are getting tired now after a very long first half term.  Only one more week and then the clocks go back so we can all enjoy an extra hours sleep!  

We have decided to have a school song, a different one each term, that the children have chosen.  This term we are singing 'A Million Dreams' from the film The Greatest Showman.  The children sang this on Friday for the first time and it was amazing!  Miss Hughes (Music Co-ordinator) and I had goosebumps during the song as every child sang with such passion and enjoyment.  It was truly spectacular and I have never heard the children sing so well.

Parking continues to be a problem at school and we have decided to organise a petition as part of our campaign to make it safer for the children outside school.  We will be asking for support after the half term holiday.  In the meantime please ensure that you are not parking in areas where local residents have drives blocked or on the corners of roads which put both pedestrians and other road users in danger.  Thank you for your consideration and support.

Week Beginning 8th October

A quiet week in school generally but more success on the football pitch for our wonderful team who won both matches on Thursday.  Well done boys!

I hope you all enjoyed the lovely free shower gel we sent home this week and thank you again to Weleda for their generosity.  If you wanted any further details about the product please let me know.

Congratulations to Mr Slee who is the proud new father of a baby boy - now all we need is to meet (and cuddle) the new arrival!

Week Beginning 1st October

Lots of sport success this week with a place secured in the finals of a football tournament - lots of celebration took place apparently between Mr Roper and Mr Bunhejee!  We also won lots of individual medals at the cross country event on Thursday and won first place in the Year 3 and 4 group.  Well done to everyone who coached, supported and cheered on the children - both teachers and the parents!

Week Beginning 24th September

Thank you to everyone who attended the Parents Forum this morning.  At this event we raised £40 for Macmillan and this will be added to the total raised in the staff room later on today.  I will let you know the grand total made next week.  Thank you also for sharing your ideas and views which I will put onto the parent forum section of the website next week.

Today we are also supporting 'Stand up for Derbyshire' which is promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.  All classes will be completing additional sport activities to get children moving and active both in the classroom and outside.  Everyone in school will also get a certificate for taking part.  

We had our first home football match this week and thank you to everyone who came along to support the team.  Unfortunately we lost 5 - 0 but onwards and upwards team!  Keep positive!

Year 2 walked around Long Eaton on Thursday visiting key sites such as St Laurence Church and the Civic Centre.  In the afternoon they walked to Springfield park for further activities.  They were incredibly tired after walking around six miles and even the adults were exhausted - Mr Lyons needed an early night!  Well done and thank you to all the parents that volunteered their time to help. 

Week Beginning 17th September

What a wet and windy week!  Autumn is here!  Within school the children are settling into their new classes and working hard.  The FS2 children are becoming more confident and are starting to move around school independently and are remembering where key rooms are.  

We now have a MIND Charity donation box in the main foyer in support of the shop in Long Eaton. If you have any donations please feel free to use the box to support this worthy cause.  Don't forget to get baking (or shopping) for the Macmillan coffee morning this Friday which will also double up as a Parent Forum.  Please come along for a cup of tea or coffee, a delicious piece of cake and share any ideas about school with Mr Green and myself.  Looking forward to seeing lots of you there.

Week Beginning 10th September

The children in Year 1 had a fabulous 'WOW' day on Thursday to start their work in school by making hedgehog houses and ice-cream.  Some unusual ingredients were including in the ice-cream when I was chatting to the children and I'm not sure there would be a place in the market for them.  White wine vinegar flavour ice-cream anyone?  They had great fun and there should be some hedgehogs in Long Eaton and Sandiacre living in some very upmarket (and bright) houses right now!

The children from Year 1 up to Year 6 enjoyed a concert from 'Rock Steady' and learnt all about different instruments used in a rock band.  There was lots of singing along to current hits and dancing in their seats.  We will be sending out details soon about the opportunities in school to have lessons with the company and how the children can create their very own bands.

Please note that all children in Year 3 will now have to use the infant gate when meeting parents as the junior gate is congested with parents standing on the pavement outside school.  The number of children in school is increasing and when parents are blocking the pavement we are concerned there will be an accident involving a pupil soon. If possible please do not stand right outside the gate as it makes it difficult to see parents and monitor the safety of children. We do appreciate your support in this as the children's safety is our priority.

Week Beginning 3rd September

Welcome back!  I hope you all had a lovely summer break and enjoyed the fabulous warm weather. I had a super summer but as usual it flew by and so here we are with the first week of the new school year completed already.

The children have made a great start and are ready to learn.  They have been fantastic in their attitude and have taken to the changes in their lives with new teachers and new expectations with a smile and a positive approach.  Well done everyone.

Please do keep reading the blog as I often review events of the week and pass on additional messages and information.  We have tried to give you advance warning of different events throughout the year (see the newsletter) but in school different things pop up all the time and this is often where you can read all about it first.  Do also keep talking to all the staff, including Mr Green and myself, as we can often find any solutions to your issues quickly or help you to understand any decisions made.  We all want the very best for the children here at Longmoor and by working together we can achieve so much more.

Week Beginning 9th July

Well what a fabulous week.  Monday started well with Mr Roper and four children enjoying the Gifted and Talented sports event at Derby University. Tuesday was Maths Day which was enjoyed by all and thank you to Mr Bunhejee for organising the event. Lots of parents enjoyed the day too though and thank you for supporting the children as they searched the grounds for clues. 

On Thursday Years 3 and 4 enjoyed a trip to Wollaton Hall learning about skeletons, having a look around the hall and a relaxing walk around the lake. 

Thursday and Friday also saw the Years 5 and 6 perform 'Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits' to the school and parents.  The show was amazing with super singing, acting and dancing.  The play was full of great one liners and was a huge success.  Thank you to Dovedale School who allowed us to borrow some costumes, staff who auditioned children, made costumes, back drops and sourced props.  These events take a lot of work but the final shows were well worth it.  Of course I couldn't finish this blog without saying another 'WELL DONE!' to the children who made me very proud.  What superstars!

Week Beginning 2nd July

Another very hot week - phew!  The children have been superstars working without too much moaning in this warm weather as the classrooms have been hot.  Well done to everyone.

Thank you to all the parents who have supported sports day - lots of people made some very positive comments regarding the day and the organisation which were very much appreciated. 

Well done to Mr Johnson and Joey's for an excellent class assembly which highlighted to everyone what a lot the children have learnt.  We weren't too sure about Mr Johnson's dancing but at least he had a try!

Week Beginning 25th June

Well it certainly has been hot this week and summer has arrived.  Thank you to everyone who sent in hats, suncream etc to keep the children safe this week.  Friday will be Sports Day and the forecast looks warm.  It is essential you provide water bottles, suncream and hats for this event as the field has no shade and we don't want to cancel the event.  We will however, adapt the times and number of races to take into account the weather conditions.  Please do come along and support the children in the races and don't forget to bring your own chair if at all possible as we don't have enough for everyone.

Year 6 had their transition days at their chosen secondary school this week.  Sad but exciting times!  The children will be bringing home a letter this week about their end of year party.  Having been a very proud and emotional Mum at my daughters's prom this weekend it is fabulous if they can be involved and participate in this final event.  We try to keep it fun but simple so no need to go out and buy new outfits or organise expensive transport.  Save that until they are 16 - it will come round quickly enough!

Reports are out on Thursday for all years except Year 6 who will have theirs the following week when the SATs results have been sent to school. Please check those bags for the envelopes!

Week Beginning 18th June

It has been assessment week in school so everywhere has seemed very quiet with no chatter in rooms and all children using the time to sparkle by showcasing all their knowledge and skills.  These assessments will be used to finalise the reports handed out on 5th July.  I wouldn't want any to still be sitting in the bottom of bags so please mark the date in your diaries!

Also this week we have seen lots of children take part in different sporting events.  The Year 3 children in Mr Bunhejees class visited Long Eaton School to take part in a multi sports morning.  Year 2 in Mr Lyons class completed multi sports at Wilsthorpe School.   Lots of classes are working on skills for Sports Day to be held on the 6th July.  

Year 5 children in Miss Mills class showcased their musical skills with a ukulele concert on Friday afternoon.  They played and sang beautifully.

Obviously this week is meant to be very warm so please send the children into school with water bottles, hats and named suncream which they must apply themselves.

Week Beginning 11th June

The Year 1 children and a few Year 2 have completed the phonic test this week and we are all very proud of what they have achieved.  Thank you to parents who attended the phonic meetings earlier in the year and who have been working with children at home as this has had a huge positive impact on the results.

The children in KS1 and FS2 have enjoyed a World Cup Wow Day today. I wasn't entirely sure who was more excited - the children or Mr Johnson! Everyone had a great time on the field developing their football skills and learning about some of the countries taking part.

Well done to the children who represented Longmoor at the Maths Quiz Championship.  I heard they were very good at answering some of the particularly tricky questions.

I hope all the Dads have a relaxing Father's Day and get spoilt rotten!  I wonder just how many BBQ's there will be on Sunday?

Week Beginning 4th June

Five Year 6 children were straight back into work mode on Monday morning as they were selected to complete the Science sample tests which are used to inform authorities about science understanding in schools across the country.  Well done to you all!

Year 6 visited Derby University on Wednesday to learn about university life and to see the different types of degrees and jobs they might aspire to in the future.  Everyone had a great morning and enjoyed using the different technology and equipment available.  

On Thursday Years 1 and 2 enjoyed a fabulous 'WOW' day all about castles.  The morning was spent making knights, crowns and shields and the afteroon saw over forty parents join the children to make large scale castles on the field out of cardboard boxes.  The final masterpieces were amazing with working drawbridges, castles and even some firing cannons.  It was a very difficult competition to judge but someone had to do it - me!  Well done to everyone for working as teams to produce such wonderful, creative and different castles.  The only problem now is how do we get rid of that cardboard.  Over to you Mr Dilks!

Year 5 visited Friesland School on Friday morning for a performing arts morning and all came back full of enthusiasm for all the activities they had completed.

Phew - I think that gives you a round up of a busy week.  Of course everyone has worked hard all week in the classrooms too and there has been a lovely buzz around school.  I think everyone deserves a relaxing weekend.

Week Beginning 28th May

Apologies for not adding any updates until now but we had a few technical problems with the new website.  However all is now sorted and I hope you like the new and improved version.

It has been a busy few weeks with the children completing SATs in Years 2 and 6 - well done everyone!  We have also enjoyed a class assembly from the Squirrels all about the Gruffalo and the school grounds, won medals at the Boccia event coming first, had a brilliant WOW day with the basketball player Paul Sturgess, outdoor classroom day and a visits to Manor Farm and Bluebells. Phew!

Week Beginning 7th May

A nice four day week and all has been quiet in school.  The children in Year 2 completed their reading SATs and were extremely focused during each paper.  Year 6 start their SATs on Monday and we wish them all lots of luck.  They need to take this opportunity to sparkle and shine and show everyone what they have learnt throughout their time at Longmoor.  Good Luck everyone!

I have the responsibility of looking after the FS1 chicks this week who are chirping away as I type.  They are really sweet but very noisy!  The children in FS1 and FS2 have really enjoyed looking after them and will be sorry to see them go this week.  A great experience for the children and they have all been very excited watching the chicks grow.

Week Beginning 30th April

More trips out this week with Year 2 investigating their local area.   Year 3 and 4 visited St Laurence Church and also met the Mayor which was very exciting.  Within school the children are working hard and preparations are underway for the up and coming SATs in Years 2 and 6.  Please check class pages and any letters for specific details.  Children taking part in Forest Schools were lucky that the rain had stopped on Wednesday for their session though they were very muddy by home time! 

We are continually encouraging the children to be sensible and safe in the sun.  Please help us care for the children by sending water bottles and sun cream as well as hats during this warm spell of weather.  

Week Beginning 23rd April

Thank you to Mr Bunhejee and Bears for a wonderful class assembly this week.  The theme was the Battle of Hastings and all the events that lead to the famous battle.  The battle scenes were enjoyed by all. 

Year 1 and 2 enjoyed their trips this week and came back full of stories about bug hunting and art creations made out of vegetation from the park.  Thank you to those parents who joined the teachers and children to enable the trip to go ahead.

The wet weather has returned and so the gardening event has had to be cancelled.  The PTFA will be in touch with a new date which I hope you will be able to support.  I don't know about you but I am so bored of rain - please let's have some sunshine soon!

Week Beginning 16th April

The week started with an assembly about the Sikh faith which everyone enjoyed.  The children have been learning about Sikhism and different traditions in classes following on from the inspirational talk on Monday.

The sun has been shining and the children have enjoyed playing on the field this week.  Please do remember to send your child into school with a sun hat and sun cream (in a labelled container) as the children are out in the hottest part of the day.  We do provide water at lunchtime but also please make sure your child brings a water bottle to school each day.

Week Beginning 9th April

It is been lovely to see the children back and ready to learn.  Everyone seems to have had a relaxing break despite the dreadful weather.

Mr Bunhejee organised the swimming team for the gala this week.  The children swam well and faced some tough competition from other schools who clearly had club and county swimmers in their squads.  We came joint fifth and the children made me very proud - well done everyone.  Thank you to the parents who came to watch and offered support and encouragement.    

Week Beginning 19th March

Mole Class shared all they have learnt this term with a wonderful assembly on Wednesday.  They sang, shared pictures and information about a range of topics from Mothers Day to Chinese New Year.  Well done everyone.

Thank you for your support in raising money for Sports Relief on Friday.  The children had great fun completing the activities and all looked great with their crazy hair.  We will let you know the total amount raised when all the money has been counted and checked.

Enjoy your Easter break and hope the weather warms up a little!

Week Beginning 12th March

This week has seen two school trips which the children have enjoyed.  Year 3 and 4 visited Bolsover Castle and Years 5 and 6 traveled to the Space Centre.  Thank you to the numerous volunteers who helped make these trips possible.

During this week the children have been enjoying a Science focus.  On Monday 'Cool Pete' amazed the children with some experiments  and on Thursday the children completed very exciting experiments in classrooms from designing and making boats to float and sail, creating packaging to protect eggs and even making poo!  Everyone had great fun and learnt lots of different scientific facts.

Week Beginning 5th March

The children were very excited about World Book Day and the costumes were fantastic as usual.  I missed the day again but have seen lots of photos of both staff and children dressed up to enjoy this special day.  Well done on your creativity with the costumes and ideas.

Can I again stress, following the incident outside school on Wednesday, that children are safe and that the police only wanted to ask people to be vigilant.  Unfortunately rumours have started and the events are being exaggerated greatly.  Mr Dilks and all staff on the gates are also checking the area outside school and we would never put children's safety at risk.  Please do follow the advice from the police and keep your children with you or at least in your sight on the journey to and from school.  

Week Beginning 26th February

Thank you for your support and understanding regarding the closure of school due to the snow.  It wasn't an easy decision to make but I had to think of the children's and staff's safety with regards to the conditions.

Week Beginning 12th February

Mr Roper and the Rhino's shared their vast knowledge of the water cycle with us on Wednesday.  The song they used to share this knowledge was very effective and addictive - I couldn't get the chorus out of my head and was told off at home for annoying everyone for continually singing it!  A great assembly with singing, acting, break dancing, jokes and lots of facts.

Three children shared their knowledge around Growth Mindset at an event with other local schools.  Mr Green organised our involvement and was very impressed with the children who represented our school perfectly.

All children should have come home with a box to recycle batteries around the home.  Please do try to encourage them to return the boxes in April, hopefully with some batteries in that are no longer working.

Have a great half term everyone!

Week Beginning 5th February

A very busy week in school!  On Monday Years 5 and 6 won a Dodgeball Tournament against other local schools - well done to the winning team and coach, Mr Roper!  On Tuesday various children in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 visited the Erewash Gymnastics Centre and tried out different skills using specialist equipment.

On Tuesday Years 1 and 2 recreated the Great Fire of London and, under the watchful eye of Mr Dilks, burnt houses they had made to bring the terrible disaster to life.  The practical element of this enabled the children to experience for themselves how the fire was able to move quickly from one building to the next.

On Thursday the PTFA ran their first film night which was a huge success.  We were amazed with how many children wanted to attend and the event was a sell out!  Due to the number of children enjoying the event the PTFA will organise separate KS1 and KS2 events in the future to give the children a little more room to enjoy the film.  Well done to the organisers.

On a more serious note could I please remind parents and carers that I expect my staff to be treated courteously and respectfully.  A small number of parents have recently been shouting at staff, including myself, and making unreasonable demands.  As a parent myself I appreciate that it is important to protect and support your children but shouting and threatening staff will not help or change a situation.  If you have an issue to raise with a member of staff please arrange an appointment with the office.  Issues can then be discussed in private and in a calm manner.  If parents continue to misuse the DOJO messaging service or to shout at adults, school will take the necessary steps to protect and safeguard staff from such behaviour which may result in extreme circumstances parents being barred from the school site.  I hope never to have to use such measures and therefore would strongly advise the small minority of parents concerned to adapt and refine their behaviour towards all staff in school.

Week Beginning 29th January

Our digital leaders and members of the Online Safety Committee went to Harrington School to share their work in school.  This included the premiere of a short film they had made about online safety.  The film was well received and the children showcased just how far school is in teaching children to keep safe online.  Well done children and thank you to Mr Lyons for supporting them in making the film.

On Friday afternoon the Seals (Miss Smith's class) showcased their skills using their ukuleles.  The children have been working hard over the last few weeks and have developed many skills.  They played and sang like true professionals.

Week Beginning 22nd January

Miss Hughes and Honey Bees performed their class assembly on Wednesday.  The children shared their knowledge of space and planets with a fabulous range of facts accompanied with some super singing.  Thanks for a wonderful start to Wednesday and for teaching everyone something new.

Miss Hughes and I were incredibly proud of the Quiz Team on Thursday.  We visited Trent College for the event and the children answered some very tricky questions on a range of subjects from science, maths and history.  The children were fantastic ambassadors for school and came fourth out of eight.  Well done!

Week Beginning 15th January

The children in Years 5 and 6 had a treat this week with a session for each class with the Clay Creators team.  The children all made an astronaut which involved following instructions, weighing materials and some careful construction.  They look amazing!  

Forest School sessions started this week with Miss Edwards.  Please do send additional clothes to school for these sessions if your child has been selected to take part. I am so proud to see the outdoor area used for creative teaching and this is something we want to see more of over the next few months.  I think though, with the current temperatures, the hot chocolate the children and Miss Edwards enjoy is a definite must after spending the afternoon in the great outdoors!

Thank you to all the parents who have signed up for, and are using, the Class Dojo system to message teachers.  Could I please however remind a minority of parents that staff should not be contacted late at night or at the weekend - they work hard and deserve a break.  Please consider the time you are messaging and the day of the week carefully and whether the content of the message can wait until a more appropriate time.  I can also be contacted through the Dojo system though again will not be responding late at night or at weekends.  I will however get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your support.

Week Beginning 8th January

Happy New Year and welcome back to 2018!  I hope you all had a relaxing break and enjoyed the Christmas festivities.  The children seem eager to be back and I have been hearing all about their presents and stories about parties and staying up until midnight!  

I hope you have had a chance to read this months newsletter which has lots of important dates and information.  One thing it didn't mention was last terms winners of the attendance awards - Miss Bolton and Cougars.  This clearly is the class to beat as they won in Term 1.  Their prize this time is a non-uniform day on Friday with a special Breakfast.  Well done to everyone.

I was sent these pictures of school from the late 1950's by a former teacher, Mr Backhouse's son.  I thought you might like to see how things have changed.

Week Beginning 18th December

Well we made it!  Staff and children are all tired after a long term but everyone should be proud of their achievements and hard work. Thank you to everyone who has kindly given a Christmas gift to staff. 

I would like to wish you all a very 'Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!'  Looking forward to seeing you back at school on January 8th, 2018!

Week Beginning 11th December

It has been a wonderful week with all of the performances from the younger children in school.  The children in FS1 and FS2 entertained us with 'Angel Express' and shared the Christmas story through songs and dances.  Despite a few very tired looking angels, stars and shepherds the children sang with real enthusiasm and manged to project their voices right to the back of the hall.  Years 1 and 2 told the Christmas story with their performance of 'Baubles' and even manged to get Mr Green, Mr and Mrs Dilks and myself into the story.  The children should all be very proud of themselves.

Thank you for joining in the fun with Christmas jumpers today - we are still counting those coins and will let you know the final amount next week.  

Please do remember that we are open until 3.30 p.m on Friday 22nd December - we expect everyone to attend in the last week unless your child is ill.  We have lots planned for next week - another Year 1 and 2 performance, parties, the KS2 Carol concert at St John's and much more!

Week Beginning 4th December

Christmas is looming and the children are getting excited.  We are still busy completing a normal timetable and curriculum so hopefully routines will be in place for a while longer.  Please do keep listening to your child read and help them complete homework activities where necessary.

Mrs Colley has now started her maternity leave and we wish her all the best.  The children in her class have been brilliant at looking after her these last few weeks and have made me very proud with the empathy and consideration they have shown.  Well done Year 5!

Week Beginning 27th November

It has been a busy week and full of excitement.  Years 1 and 2 visited St John's on Tuesday to learn about the Christmas story and how people celebrate around the world.  The highlight of the event for many was feeding the donkey carrots - when I visited in the afternoon they were looking rather full!   On Wednesday EYFS had a fantastic day Winter Wonderland Wow Day in both FS1 and FS2.  A visit from the snow queen was very exciting and the children loved spending time with parents making crafts and having lots of fun.

As you can see by the photos the adults have just as much fun!

As exciting as this time of year is we are still here to learn and so Christmas will really start in the last week of term.  We will be continuing to complete our topic work and to stick to the same routines as much as possible.  I spoke to the children this morning in assembly and reminded them of the fact that Christmas activities are fun and enjoyable and any child who is not following our rules and expectations will have these opportunities removed.  Please do support us in reinforcing this message at home. 

Week Beginning 20th November

The final total raised for Children in Need was £771.15 - thank you for your support and donations.

The children have been completing fitness tests this week and have been put through their paces.  The children have been assessed through sit ups, stretch and reach tests, timed running tests and throwing and catching skills.  We are lucky in schools to have lots of Government funding to spend on developing and encouraging sport and these tests will help us target support in the most productive ways. 

Week Beginning 13th November

Thank you to everyone who contributed cakes and money towards our fund raising for Children in Need.  Mrs Wenham and Mrs Brown have been busy counting all the money but there are still little amounts arriving in the office.  We think we will have raised about £800 for this worthwhile cause and will let you know the final amount as soon as we have all those coins counted and banked.  Thank you to all the adults who were brave enough to spend time in the stocks whilst being hit with wet sponges - the children had great fun though the adults might have regretted their decision!  

Week Beginning 6th November

This week the children have been working really hard on completing assessments.  They have been superstars and deserve a relaxing weekend!  

Well done to the Futsal Team who won their tournament this week - fantastic news!

Week Beginning 30th October

A great first week back.  On Monday all staff trained on a variety of well being themes from attachment, first aid, self esteem and yoga. The children were very excited to be back on Tuesday  - a mixture of seeing friends, getting back into a routine and discussing Halloween costumes!

Next week is assessment week so please make sure your child has early nights and a good breakfast to be at their very best.  These assessments will help us to monitor progress and to look at ways we can support and extend children to reach their full potential.

Enjoy any firework parties and displays you may participate in this weekend.  Stay safe!

Week Beginning 16th October

Our first half term completed - where has the time gone?  Thank you to everyone: staff, parents and most importantly the children, for all your hard work.  Enjoy your well deserved half term break.  Keep safe, rest and relax.  We will see you back here on Tuesday 31st October.

Week Beginning 9th October

Your child should have returned home with a parent questionnaire this week. Please do complete this and share your views which are important to us.  I will be evaluating the forms over the half term and will be in touch with the results in November.  The closing date for completed forms is next Friday, 20th October.

The children in Years 3 and 4 have been busy preparing for the Harvest Festival on Wednesday 18th October.  If you have any food or toiletries  for the assembly please send them in to school so that we can ensure the Canaan Trust have all the donations to share with those who need the support.  Thank you for

your generosity.

Week Beginning 2nd October

A great class assembly from Elephants and Miss Edwards which showcased their many talents.  Well done everyone!  

Children keep collecting DoJo's and are working hard to collect as many points as possible.  The children are responding well to the initiative.  Hopefully you have signed up to the Class DoJo system but if not please do so as soon as possible as this is a great way to keep in touch with your child's class teacher and events in class.

Mr Bunhejee and Mr Johnson have been training the children at lunchtimes for the cross country event this week.  The children performed brilliantly and we had someone on the podium for each event.  I was very proud of everyone involved and a big thank you to the children and their coaches!

Week Beginning 25th September

Thank you to everyone who attended the parent forum and Macmillan Coffee morning.  We had some productive discussions with parents and I will update the parents forum page this week.  In total we raised £169.76 for this worthy cause.  Thank you again.

I have been observing teaching this week and have seen some wonderful work in the classrooms.  The children are working hard and have all settled in to the routines and raised expectations in their new year groups.  Well done to all teachers and children!

Week Beginning 18th September

On Friday 29th September we will be holding a parent forum along with raising money at a Macmillan Coffee Morning event.  We would love to hear your ideas and opinions on a range of issues from the school site, a potential Twitter page to your thoughts on the Class Dojo system.  Please come along and support this event which starts at 9.00 a.m.

Can I remind parents that children should not be wearing trainers to school.  Whilst we appreciate having a pair in school for break times is a great idea, children must wear a proper pair of school shoes each day.  If you are having issues with your child wearing shoes please speak to your child's class teacher and we will support you where we can.  However I must stress that uniform rules apply to everyone and we will insist that all children are wearing a proper pair of shoes around school.

Week Beginning 11th September

The children in Year 5 and 6 enjoyed an exciting WOW day with visitors bringing snakes and snails to touch and observe as part of their rain forest topic.  Year 1 and 2 had fun learning all about themselves and their bodies during their WOW day.  All children are enjoying collecting their own dojo points and have really embraced this new behaviour and reward scheme.  I introduced a competition to the children in assembly and have asked them to draw, paint or build a model of a dojo to display in school.  We are looking for creative and interesting designs!

Could we please remind all parents to remain behind the yellow line on the playground when collecting and dropping off children.  This makes it easier for staff to see the children and to ensure their safety.  Thank you for your support. 

Week Beginning 4th September

I hope you had a wonderful summer break and managed to enjoy some sunshine.  The weather can be so lovely in September but I wish it would hurry up as I think it is feeling rather chilly.  Fingers crossed for an improvement soon!

A great first week back with everyone looking smart and eager to learn.  Thank you for ensuring your child is wearing the correct uniform and please do check that you have labelled all items of clothing - the lost property was over flowing by the end of term.

If you would like a Breakfast Club place please contact school as we still have some availability.  More details are on the newsletter which your child should be bringing home today.  The school payment system we are using is Parent Mail and not the Parent Pay stated on the newsletter - apologies for the error.  

Week Beginning 17th July

Well the holidays are actually here!  Thank you to everyone - children, staff and parents for all the hard work, smiles and dedication over the year.  Enjoy the summer holiday and I am looking forward to seeing everyone in September, fresh faced and relaxed after a wonderful break.  Good Luck to all the Year 6 who are moving onto pastures new - enjoy yourselves and keep working hard!

Week Beginning 10th July

Years 5 and 6 treated everyone to a wonderful play based on the classic story of Sleeping Beauty.  The children performed brilliantly with super singing, acting and pitch perfect solo songs.  The staff worked incredibly hard on finding and making costumes, painting back drops, auditioning, choreographing and organising props.  All in all a fantastic performance enjoyed by everyone.  Well done to the performers and the team behind them!

Year 3 and 4 went out to Rushcliffe Park on Wednesday and everyone had great fun.  The children were well behaved and enjoyed pond dipping, a train ride and plenty of walking!  The Year 4 children then visited Wilsthorpe School on Thursday to use the facilities at the school and all came back with huge smiles.

Typically the weather was against us for KS1 sports day but if possible we will try to get the children to run their races next week.  KS2 sports day went ahead and the children ran enthusiastically, skipped in a fashion (more practice required!) and generally took part with smiles and a determination to try their best. Webb won overall though only by two points!  Another well done to everyone. 

Week Beginning 3rd July

I have been in classes a lot this week and it has been lovely to see just how far the children have developed over the year.  Year 3 were working with so much more maturity than in September and in Nursery the children are demonstrating a readiness for school with their attitudes and behaviour.  This can be an exciting time for children as they think about the move to the next school year and, for many a new teacher, but it can also be a worrying time for others.  If you have any concerns about your child please speak to the class teacher or myself.

Mrs Lamb, Mrs Mabbott and the children in their class entertained us with their class assembly and how they learn in the foundation stage.  The children were amazing and Mrs Lamb took a star turn when the IT let them down.  It was a lovely class assembly and made everyone smile.

Year 5 enjoyed a morning at Friesland where they took part in a variety of activities.  As usual the children were well behaved and enjoyed the experience.  We are incredibly fortunate to have such great links with our cluster schools.

Week Beginning 26th June

Tuesday was a great day in school with Active Maths day.  The children had fun taking part in a range of activities around school and thank you to those parents who attended the event.  We appreciate that this can be difficult with work commitments so thank you for making the time and for getting involved.

This week Year 5 visited Trent College to listen to Clare Balding talk about her new book and her life as a presenter.  The talk was inspirational and the children enjoyed the event immensely.  You may have even seen them on BBC East Midlands on Thursday night. Mixing with a celebrity and then TV stars themselves!

Week Beginning 19th June

Wow - what a hot start to the week! The children coped well with the soaring temperatures and thank you for sending in hats, sun cream and water bottles.  Let's hope some of the children will get some more sleep this weekend with the cooler temperatures. 

It has been assessment week in school and the children have been working hard.  These results will be shared in the children's reports which will be handed out on the 13th July.  Look out for that information as we wouldn't want anyone to not hand over that report for you to read or for you to find it lurking in the bottom of a bag!

If you are interested in a place at the breakfast club we are hopping to set up at school please return the slips as soon as possible.  If we do not have enough interest the club won't be able to open.  We have kept the cost to a minimum and £2.00 for a breakfast and one hour of childcare is very reasonable.  Send those forms back as soon as possible please.

Week Beginning 12th June

Mr Johnson's class entertained us during their class assembly this week and even brought a tear to our eyes with a very sentimental song!  Mr Johnson was relieved his first ever class assembly was over and he did a great job.  Years 5 and 6 enjoyed a fun WOW day learning about fossils, DNA and animal adaptations.  It was interesting to see how different birds adapt due to their beaks and how it can be difficult for them to pick up food.  I have a new respect for our feathered friends!

The weather has certainly warmed up and looks here to stay.  Please make sure you send in sun cream, sun hats, sunglasses and a water bottle - all named please!

Week Beginning 5th June

It has been lovely to see everyone back looking refreshed and ready to go.  Many of the children look like they have grown over the holidays!  I can't believe we are now entering our final term which is incredibly busy as always.

Everyone enjoyed completing circuit training with Leon Baptiste on Thursday.  The children worked hard to complete the different exercises and enjoyed listening to Leon's sporting journey during assembly.  I managed to take part in the whole training session though can now hardly walk for pain in my calves!  Thank you for supporting school in raising money for the event which has generated a substantial sum which we can use towards sports equipment and a special event in school.

You should have received the June Newsletter this week though, if yours has gone missing, you can find a copy on the website.  Please do check dates carefully as there are lots of different events taking place throughout June and July.  

Week Beginning 22nd May

The weather has been gorgeous this week and thank you to everyone who sent in their children with hats, sun cream and a full water bottle.  Please do remember to send these vital things in after half term.

Foundation Stage 2 had a fabulous time at Carsington Water on their trip learning about wildlife and the environment.  Well done to Mr Lyon's class for a super class assembly which I heard all about though unfortunately didn't get to see as I was out on a course.  This was Mr Lyon's first class assembly which is a huge milestone and even when you have written lots you still get nervous so huge congratulations to him too!

Staff spent the INSET either writing reports or re-training in First Aid.  People did keep walking past my door wearing bandages so I know that we have staff trained in all circumstances should we need them, though of course we always have our fingers crossed that we don't!

Enjoy the break, let's hope the sun shines and we will see you back at school in June!

Week Beginning 15th May

Well done to Year 2 children who have been working hard on their special tasks this week.  You have answered lots of questions, read lots of information and behaved super sensibly.  

It has been a wet week and the children have had to stay indoors at lunchtime on a number of occasions. Fingers crossed for some sunny weather next week! Where is this heatwave we were supposed to be having?

Please could I ask you to not send children in with nuts as part of their lunch?  We have a number of children with severe nut allergies and any contact with nut products puts them at significant risk of harm. Thank you.

Week Beginning 8th May

Well done to Year 6 for all their hard work in SATs week.  They have all worked incredibly hard and deserve a restful weekend.  We know you tried your very best and that is all we can ask for.

It has been a very eventful end to the week with Foundation Stage 2 enjoying a fun filled pirate day.  The children have made pirate food. eye patches and enjoyed a pirate party.  Captain Jolly Johnson had great fun creating games and totally got into character with pretend sword fights and discovering buried treasure.

Year 3 and 4 had a slightly damp start to their WOW day but have all worked hard in the garden planting a variety of seeds from beetroot and radishes to carrots and lambs lettuce. (I'm not sure what that is exactly!)  They also created some wonderful art work which they will then anotate as they learn more about plants.  

School was a wonderful place to be in today - they children's excitement and enjoyment of their learning was infectious and brought a smile to everyone's face.

Week Beginning 1st May

Despite a shorter week the children have continued to work hard and to enjoy the improved weather.  It was lovely to be walking around school on Friday afternoon to see three classes enjoying P.E on the field and all of Nursery and Reception enjoying their outdoor areas.  

Next week is SATs week and we wish all of Year 6 the very best of luck.  The children have worked so hard to reach this point and next week is their time to shine and to show the markers just what they know and are made of.  Good luck to everyone!  Do make sure that your child has a good rest this weekend ready for this very important week.

If you haven't already got yourself a ticket from the PTFA for the Fashion Show evening on Friday 12th then please do so.  Tickets can be purchased from the school office.

Week Beginning 24th April

It has been lovely to see the children back at school after a break.  Though short, this is a busy term, and the first week back has been no exception.  Year 1 and 2 enjoyed a wonderful WOW day with parents coming into school to join in with the fun, Year 5 and 6 had a WOW event tasting food as part of their learning (the chili chocolate and mangoes were not such popular choices!) and all the children, including Nursery, watched a 'Mad Science' assembly with unusual and exciting experiments.  

Whilst it is lovely to see children embrace the weather with shorts and sun dresses, please do remember that no child should be wearing nail varnish to school and girls need to leave their large and elaborate head bands and clips at home.  Hopefully the weather is starting to get warmer but please do still send in a coat of some description as a number of children had nothing to wear this week and there is still a cool breeze at times.  The children are out for a sustained period of time at lunchtime and we unfortunately do not have any spare coats to provide them with.

Week Beginning 3rd April

Another term completed and the year is zooming by.  The children have continued to work hard and have impressed us all with their determination and thirst for learning.  

Children represented school in a swimming gala at West Park on Thursday and we came third.  The children swam well and they all enjoyed down time in the shallow pool in between the races!  Thank you Mr Bunhejee for organising the team.

On Friday I took some children to watch the grand opening of the new COOP on the Petersham estate.  The staff at COOP made us feel very welcome and organised an egg hunt around the store, biscuit decorating and a colouring competition.  The staff also donated a cheque for £250 for us to put towards plants and equipment for the school garden.  Thank you to them all for making us fell so welcome and for letting one of our pupils open the store - what an honour!

Week Beginning 27th March

Well done to Miss Edwards and her class for a wonderful class assembly complete with a real life dinosaur! The Year 1 and 2 children have certainly enjoyed learning about dinosaurs through their topic.

Thank you to the parents who attended the parent forum this week - hopefully there will be some more people at the next one.  Please see the Parent Forum section of the website for details of what we discussed.

The disco was well attended and the children certainly had a good time.  The younger children coped really well with parents not being in the hall - this is a decision made for safeguarding reasons and the children's safety is a priority of everyone in school.  I did hear that some parents were not happy about this but I can reassure them that it didn't spoil any of the children's enjoyment of the event.  No other school I have ever worked in has let parents remain in the hall or even offered a parents room so that people don't have to make as many trips to and from school.  I think the PTFA are doing a wonderful job and would like to thank all the members for their hard work and commitment to raising money for the children at Longmoor.

Week Beginning 20th March

A HUGE 'Thank you' to everyone who has helped us raise money for Comic Relief.  The donations for wearing red along with the very generous cake donations you sent in will make a great final total. Unfortunately we haven't yet counted all the money but we will send out a text next week with the final amount.  Your generosity is over whelming and particularly so when this has been such a sad and tragic week for some.  Thank you again.

Year 6 enjoyed a wonderful careers fair learning about a whole range of jobs from the police, engineering, hairdressing, the army and working for the COOP.  They were fantastic in speaking to the range of adults who had donated their time and all left with a goody bag.  Thank you to everyone who gave up their time to support the event.

Year 5 and 6 took part in a Tag Rugby tournament this week and came second.  Year 2 took part in a cheer leading festival and danced with huge smiles.  Well done to everyone.

One final thank you is to everyone who visited the book fair this week.  We took over £800 in sales which meant we had £200 to spend on books for school.  All year groups will now receive some new books to support their learning.

Week Beginning 13th March

It has been Science Week and the children have been participating in some exciting experiments involving launching rockets and making slime with some visitors from Wilsthorpe School.  The rockets involved rather a lot of vinegar so please accept our apologies if there is a shortage in Long Eaton!

Foundation Stages 1 and 2 had a visit from a theatre group on Tuesday and had great fun watching them perform classic stories.  On Thursday some Year 5 and 6  children went to The Long Eaton School to take part in a Tag Rugby tournament and came second - well done everyone.

Mr Bunhejee's class treated us to a wonderful assembly on Wednesday which showcased what they had learnt about crime and punishment.  The children explained how the law has changed from the Magna Carta to burning witches and more besides - all thanks to Doctor Who who transported us all to the different historical periods.  

Don't forget we are supporting Comic Relief on Friday.  Please wear something red for the donation of £1 and send in donations of cakes on Friday.  We have already sold 360 red noses - thank you for your support so far.  

Week Beginning 6th March

The children have been completing assessments this week.  School has been very quiet with the children concentrating on answering a variety of questions in maths, reading comprehensions, spelling and grammar tests.  Staff are busy marking these and will be sharing the results with you at parents' evening.

As a treat, and a welcome break from the assessments, the children all enjoyed a session with Commando Joe on Thursday.  He brought along to school a large inflatable obstacle course and the children all had a great time.  Unfortunately, no adults were allowed to have a go which disappointed the teachers immensely. Apologies for the rather muddy children and P.E. kits but the smiles on their faces hopefully made up for the extra washing.

On the 28th March I will be holding a Parent Forum meeting.  Please come along, have a hot drink and a piece of cake, and share your thoughts and ideas regarding school.  We enjoy hearing your ideas and are open to suggestions on how we could improve.  The event starts at 2.30 p.m.

Week Beginning 27th February

Thank you for making such a great effort with costumes for World Book Day.  I unfortunately missed seeing everyone in their costumes as I was attending a course but the photographs show some stunning outfits and the day was enjoyed by everyone.  

Monday was exciting in school as a dinosaur had laid some eggs on the field and even ran across the playground!  Year 1 and 2 had a fantastic day making dinosaur nest cakes, learning a dinosaur dance and exploring the grounds looking for clues to lead to dinosaur eggs.  It was a tremendous 'Wow' day.

Year 5 and 6 have been learning all about Ancient Egypt and below are some pictures of the amazing canopic jars they have produced.  The attention to detail is amazing though thankfully each jar is empty!

This week we unfortunately had an incident where children were using social media to make upsetting comments about others.  Most social media requires a minimum age of 13 to be able to use and yet large numbers of children are using sites such as Instagram and Facebook at the age of 9 and 10.  We will report children to the websites if we have cases reported to us of misuse.  Please don't allow your child to have an account for these sites until they are the legal age to do so.

Hopefully. you will have been handed the newsletter for this week which has lots of important information on.  There is a copy on the website if you need another.  Please do check this carefully as there are some important dates included on the letter.

Week Beginning 20th February

Phew - what a busy first week back! 

Well done to Miss Smith and Mrs Colley's class for their wonderful class assembly.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to watch the performance but I heard rave reviews!

We enjoyed a morning of fun on Thursday with a visit from Rockley Music who treated us to a drumming assembly.  The children learnt all about different drums and three children showcased their skills on the stage.  Children were then selected from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 to take part in some Drumba workshops.  These were very energetic and lots of staff couldn't resist joining in.  The sessions were a great way to burn some of those unwanted calories as it combined exercise with drumming.  Rockley Music will be leading some drumming lessons in school so please check school bags for the information if it still hasn't been passed on.

Thursday afternoon brought school health representatives into school to work with the children in Foundation Stage 2 to look at how they should be washing their hands effectively.  The sessions involved light boxes so the children could see where dirt and bacteria collects and lots of soap, water and hand towels.

Also on Thursday afternoon Miss Hughes, myself and parents battled against Storm Doris to travel across Derby to attend a Quiz competition.  Four girls represented Longmoor and battled against teams from across Derbyshire and

Nottinghamshire to answer some very tricky general knowledge questions.  The afternoon was tense (Miss Hughes and I were on the edge of our seats)  with the girls taking and losing the lead at times.  The girls finished in third place and we were incredibly proud of them.  Thank you to the parents who helped support and to Miss Hughes for taking time in her lunch hours to coach and train the team.  Most importantly thank you to the girls for being such wonderful ambassadors and intelligent quiz competitors.

Please remember that red noses for Comic Relief will be on sale in school this week - £1 each.

Week Beginning 6th February

Half term has finally arrived!  This has been a short term but it has felt very long and we have really packed in lots of learning.  Some children from Year 2 and 4 enjoyed a gymnastics festival this week and  enjoyed using larger scale equipment.  Year 6 also enjoyed watching a performance of Les Miserables at Wilsthorpe School.

On the welcome page of the website you will find a link to a timetable of free events taking place on the Petersham Estate during the half term week.  Activities include a mobile skate park, bike ability training, craft sessions and story telling.  Events are largely free and lunch is provided.  Please see the information sheet for more details.

Enjoy the half term break and we look forward to seeing you back at school on Monday 20th February.  

Week Beginning 30th January

Year 1 and 2 enjoyed a trip to the Space Museum as part on their ongoing investigations into the mystical and magical world of space.  There were eleven different schools there but our children were incredibly well behaved and were a credit to school.  The children all arrived back at school tired but clutching their purchases from the shop and full of things to tell me.  Thank you to parents who volunteered for the trip - we couldn't do these activities without you.

Please do check bags for this months newsletter which has some important information on.  Please also collect a form from the office if you might be interested in a possible breakfast or after school club for the next academic year.  I have had lots of parents ask about this and am trying to gauge how many children would attend the provision if it is possible.

Week Beginning 23rd January

Myself and the leadership team have spent time in all classes this week looking at books, hearing children read and talking to the children.  The days have been such fun - the children are learning some amazing things and all speak highly of school and the teachers.  Thank you to teachers and children alike for making this a great place to be!

Week Beginning 16th January

Another busy week in school.  Well done to the children and staff who evacuated the building in a sensible and speedy manner during our fire drill.  The whole event ran very smoothly and everyone kept a cool head whilst leaving the building.

Some parents of Nursery children were concerned about parents smoking outside school.  Please do be considerate - children can be very easily influenced and we promote healthy lifestyle choices here at school. Obviously we cannot enforce a non smoking area on the pavement but we would ask you to be mindful of your actions whilst directly outside the school. Thank you!

Week Beginning 9th January

Well the little flurry of snow brought excitement to school and also disappointment that it didn't stay on the ground long enough to build a snowman. The weather has certainly turned colder so do please send children with coats, hats and scarves and make sure that names are written in clearly.

Thank you for your support in checking uniform is correct.  No child had nail varnish on this week when I checked on Monday.  Please could you also check that children are not wearing trainers to school - proper black shoes only.

Week Beginning 2nd January

Happy New Year!  It is lovely to be back into some sort of routine though I did enjoy my holiday.  Thank you very much to those parents and children who sent in a gift - I still have some chocolate left but not for long!

The children are also back into a routine and have started the new year with smiles and excitement.  The staff have planned some exciting new topics and we have a number of WOW events taking place over the next few weeks.

Please could I remind you that girls should not be wearing nail varnish or mascara to school and anyone wearing earrings should only have small studs in. One or two children are bending the rules and we will be making checks next week to ensure that our expectations with regards to uniform are in place. Some girls are also wearing some rather elaborate and large headbands - please keep these under tight control and save any with large flowers, a lot of sparkle or additional decorations for the weekend.  Thank you.

Week Beginning 12th December

Another wonderful set of performances this week with Years 1 and 2 and their production of 'Prickly Hay' which included super acting and singing. Thank you especially to those children who stepped in at the last minute as a large number of children didn't return to school for the evening performance.

Year 3 and 4 enjoyed their trip to the pantomime and we even had a member of school make it up onto the stage!  Thank you as ever to the large number of parents who supported the visit.

The children looked great in their festive knits on Friday and I never knew so many different jumpers were out there.  We have raised around £300 for Save the Children - some last pounds are still trickling into school.  Thank you for supporting this cause and for joining in the fun.  We will let you know the final amount next term.

Week Beginning 5th December

I was certainly not disappointed this week with the performances from Nursery and Reception.  The Nativity was fantastic with loud and clear singing, narrating and dancing.  A few yawning shepherds and angels made it all the more cute!  Well done to everyone who took part - the children and staff - and a HUGE thank you for creating such a wonderful start to Christmas.

On the note of tickets please do check that you have purchased one for any children you may need to bring - including babies who are sitting on knees.  We have a limited number of tickets for each performance and have to comply with fire safety regulations.  It is very unfair when people turn up to watch the play expecting to bring children in when other parents have read the letter and followed instructions.  We will have to turn you away if, for future events, you cannot produce the correct ticket allocation for the number of people, babies included, that you are bringing into school.  

Thank you to those people who have put forward an application to become a school governor.  Ballot papers will be sent out today - please do use your vote and make sure that these are returned to school by next Friday, 16th December, at 12.00 noon.

Week Beginning 28th November

Well Christmas has finally arrived and the children are very excited.  The amount of conversations I heard about that first advent calendar door being opened was hard to believe!  This is a truly magical time in school though children are already excited and yet have over two weeks left - please keep them into a routine for the rest of the term as many are already tired.

The children completing Bikeability have been a real credit to school and we have had lots of praise and positive feedback from the instructors.  Well done to everyone who took part.  

Please do read letters carefully about arrangements for the end of term and especially tickets for performances in Nursery, Reception, Years 1 and 2.  We have to limit tickets because of fire regulations but if there are any spare we will send out a text.  Please do not send in any additional money for tickets until we let you know.  I can't wait for the performances - I have had some sneak previews and the children are looking and sounding fantastic!

Week Beginning 21st November

Some children from Year 5 and 6 took part in a Tag Rugby tournament held at Harrington Junior School on Thursday.  No trophy this time but the children played well and enjoyed the experience.  Thank you to the staff and parents who took the children down to the event.

On Friday we had the official opening of the new building.  The event was a great success - the House Captains entertained the guests as did the Year 6 cheer leading girls. Councillor Coyle officially opened the building watched by staff, Governors and children.  

Week Beginning 14th November

Another huge 'THANK YOU' for all of your support in sending children in something spotty for Children In Need.  The children looked fantastic and really enjoyed the day.  The final total raised was an amazing £298.43.  Well done everyone!

Please do remember that children should remain off school for 48 hours from the last bout of vomiting or diarrhoea to reduce the spread of contamination. There are a number of bugs and nasty colds around at the moment and we do need to try to stop those germs spreading.  Some parents are sending children into school, dosed up on medication, but are putting other children at risk of catching infections. Please do be considerate and ensure children are fit enough to be in school.  That said good attendance is vitally important so please do not keep children away from school longer than necessary.

Week Beginning 7th November

Thank you to everyone who has sent in money for poppies and the merchandise this week.  I am sure we have made lots of money for this worthy cause.  The children were incredibly respectful and thoughtful today when we held a two minutes silence - they made me feel very proud.

Well done to the Year 5 / 6 children who took part in the Futsal Tournament this week - we were the winners!  Congratulations!  Thank you to Mr Bunhejee and Miss Mills who transported the team and cheered loudly from the sidelines.

Please do remember to join us in raising money for Children In Need next Friday - wear something spotty and join in the fun.

Week Beginning 31st October

Staff have been incredibly busy this week preparing the new classrooms and moving into different parts of the school.  An awful lot of lifting and cleaning has taken place but the new rooms are looking great and the spare classrooms are providing further teaching areas where small groups can be taught without disruption.  It was lovely to see the children back on Wednesday and despite being excited about new spaces they have soon settled back into routines.

Week Beginning 17th October

Wow what a busy final week!  Firstly a huge 'HOORAY' to our fantastic footballers in Year 3 and 4 who won another trophy on Tuesday night.  The cabinet will be groaning under the weight of all the trophies soon!

Year 3 and 4 were amazing in the Harvest Festival on Wednesday.  It made me so proud of to be part of a school full of such talented children.  The children performed with confidence and sang, danced and spoke with loud, clear voices and confidence.  The costumes were amazing and I must say another thank you to the Teachers and Teaching Assistants who organised the whole production.

We now have six very proud House Captains for Cook, Cresswell and Webb who will  promote their teams and encourage children to keep earning house points.  The children were selected carefully and I know they will work hard for their teams.  The last assembly was full of celebration and it was fantastic to see so many children rewarded for their hard work and efforts in areas from Literacy to art.  Well done to everyone who won a trophy.

Please do remember to keep safe this half term.  Enjoy the fair if you are going, take care if you are out trick or treating and be careful when out and about.  Have a well deserved rest and we will see you on Wednesday 2nd November back in school.

Week Beginning 10th October

Week Beginning 3rd October

I have spent time in all classes this week and have been impressed by the teaching, the behaviour and work produced by the children.  Well done everyone! I was also proud to have watched the children take part in the cross country event at Wilsthorpe on Thursday.  We won lots of individual medals and the fair play award.  The football team also played well on Monday night - details on the website next week.

You should have received your parent evening letters today - please send these back to school next week.

Thank you again for your support at the Macmillan Coffee morning - the total raised was £273.36.

Week Beginning 26th September

Another super week with the children and staff working hard.  Thank you to everyone who sent in donations of cakes and attended the Macmillan coffee morning.  Parents alone raised just over £90 and this will be added to the amount raised by staff through eating lots of cakes and taking part in a competition.  We will let you know the total amount as soon as the final coins have been counted.    The event also gave Miss Hurt and I the opportunity to listen to your views on a range of issues which we always try to take into account.  People generally discussed the same topics - before and after school provision, clubs and the length of time taken for the new children in Foundation Stage 2 to start school.  We will be debating these issues within school and with Governors and will keep you informed of any decisions.

Week Beginning 19th September

The children in Year 5 and 6 took part in a native American day this week and looked fantastic.  They had fun making dream catchers in class and tepees outside.  The children in Foundation 2 joined us in the hall for assemblies this week and sat beautifully.  They have coped well with their first full week and am sure may well be ready for an early night tonight!

Week Beginning 12th September

The children have now settled into the school routine and the six weeks seem like a distant memory for us all!  I challenged the children to produce some detailed and descriptive writing in Literacy and I'm pleased to say they didn't let me down. I wonder what next weeks challenge will be!

In school the children have been creating magical chocolate bars and strange medicines as part of the Roald Dahl celebrations.  Year 1 and 2 had an exciting wow day looking in detail at eyes and tasting different popcorn coatings - Marmite is definitely either something you love or hate!  I managed to avoid the food tasting though Mr Slee's classroom did smell delicious as the wave of popcorn hit you as you opened the door!  Commando Joe spent the day in school on Thursday and will be working with different groups of children in school.  I'm sure the children will enjoy working with him immensely. 

Week Beginning 5th September

What a fantastic first week!  The children have been wonderful - full of energy after their summer break and eager to learn.  I have seen some high quality work this week in different subjects and I know that the children will only progress further from this starting point.

Thank you for ensuring that the children are smartly dressed and have everything they need. Please do check the newsletters for details of P.E days etc so that this continues.  Thank you also to everyone who has made the time to speak to me on the gate to say hello and to introduce themselves.  It won't (fingers crossed!) take me long to get to know you all.