Spring Term – Are You Ready to Travel the World?
 
Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you’ve all had a lovely Christmas and would like to wish you a Happy New Year.
Firstly, thank you once again to all the parents who gave the most thoughtful gifts and vouchers to our Early Years Team.  We really felt so valued and appreciated by your generosity!

Our snowy and icy start to our spring term links in perfectly with our first part of our theme to weather and travelling around the world, both here and in the Arctic. We are learning to wrap up warmly and consider our clothing choices and even our class bear Norbury has been fully kitted out too, as he prepares for his travels!

We are beginning to learn about:
· Finding out about different types of houses; where we live and around the world
· Finding out more about different countries in colder and warmer climates
· Exploring animal habitats and ways of life in colder and warmer climates
· Creating our own junk models
· Practically adding and subtracting two sets of objects
· Practising to put the bigger number in our head and count on from this
number when adding
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Our PE this half term is gymnastics, we are exploring:
· The different ways our body moves
· How to travel in different ways
· Different apparatus and how to use them safely, such as the mats and benches
· Different types of jumping.
 
Reading books
Please aim to read with your child at least three times a week.  Books can be changed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Please sign your child’s reading book at home to let us know that you have heard them read, even if they haven’t yet completed the book. Comments are always welcome and useful for us too, but we appreciate that there may not always be time for this.

Play – Opal Project
Just a reminder that we are collecting donated toys for our new Opal Project (see above bingo board) and we welcome any contributions you may have on Wednesday 28th January.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support,
The Reception Team

Spring Term: ‘Are You Ready to Travel the World?'

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back! We hope you all had an enjoyable and restful break! Last half term, we worked incredibly hard across the curriculum and the children worked hard to develop their science knowledge! Our clever clogs have continued to work their socks off and we are so pleased with the work they’re producing and the enthusiasm they are showing in their own learning. We really appreciate your support and kinds words throughout last term, thank you for all your continued support.

 Are You Ready to Travel the World?

To launch our new Quest, which is titled, ‘Are You Ready to Travel the World,’ the children were presented with a variety of suitcases, back packs and chests, during a whole school assembly. The children were shown and discussed various items found in their special bags and have started to investigate who they belong to and where they have come from. This term there is a geography and history focus right across school.

In Year 1, the children will be making links with a school in Ghana and learning about the similarities, differences and changes in schools. This will then move to looking at the similarities, differences and changes between homes. Throughout this, the children will be investigating how to travel from the UK to Ghana and learning about the world around them, including the continents and oceans.
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In Year 2, the children will be investigating and learning about the similarities, differences and changes between The UK and China, (Shanghai). The children will discover a suitcase which has been left on a train in Shanghai. The children will investigate and plan a route to return the suitcase back to its owner, looking at the geography and how to travel from the UK to Shanghai. The children will also be looking at the similarities, differences and changes between transport, with a particular focus on trains.

OPAL reminder

The OPAL project is starting to take shape.  The Working Party has met with our school mentor three times across this term.  We plan to introduce new areas for play after the February half term holiday.  Mrs Adnett and Miss Garrett have written to you to explain some next steps including a bingo style collection event after Christmas and a working party day where we would appreciate parental help to help us get organised for our February launch.  Please find below a reminder of the bingo items which would really appreciate being donated by EYFS, Year 1 and 2. The working party team day is Friday 23rd January, where we would appreciate any volunteers to offer help to come into school to build and prepare items for the project. The date for any donated items to be brought into school is Wednesday 28th January. Thank you again for your continued support.

The PA plan to run the following events in the spring term

Thursday 22nd January – Movie Night for EY and KS1
Thursday 5th February – School Disco

General Information reminder
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With the colder weather on its way, please can we request that children bring a coat with them each day. A pair of wellies or extra shoes is useful for our weekly, outdoor learning activities. It would be useful, as with all items, that they are clearly labelled.

Autumn Term—What Makes Our World Work?
Week Beginning: 22nd September 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,
 
An exciting week ahead for our little learners as they learn and play in their learning environments, which they are now more familiar with! 
 
This week we will be…

Continuing to talk about families and where they live. Please send in your family photo if you have not already done so.

Reading stories about families e.g. Owl Babies and retelling the story together.
Drawing pictures and labelling, ‘Who is in our family?’  ‘Where do I live?’
Exploring different materials in our construction area and building houses together.
Creating our own junk models, using different resources including using scissors
Looking at the sounds (phonemes):  i, n, m, d.

Tricky words to learn by sight (these cannot be sounded out) I  go  no  to  the  into
Matching, sorting and comparing objects
 
Bug Club

Bug Club is a brilliant online resource we have in school and you’ll find your child’s login for Bug Club stuck in the front of your child’s reading record book. Please do let us know if you are having any issues logging on.

Last week, we allocated 6 books without words for your child to share with you and to enjoy collecting the rewards through the little bugs.
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We allocate new books on there each week (by Friday), in addition to the reading books that come home. Children can apply their phonic knowledge and practise further at home online.
To access please visit:
https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/loginc=0 

Labelling

Please can you ensure that clothing is well labelled.  This will include hats, scarves, coats and jumpers.  Many thanks.  PE starts this week!

Please do not hesitate to speak/email a member of staff if you have any questions.

Thank you so much,
The Reception Team

Autumn Term: ‘What Makes Our World Work?’
Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Years 1 and 2! We hope you have all had a great summer break and are enjoying seeing your children settle into the new term. In the first few weeks, we have enjoyed getting to know the children, talking with them and seeing their personalities shine. We have been working hard across the school and have been impressed with the children’s attitude towards their learning.

What Makes Our World Work?
The children have been working hard and have already produced some fantastic work. This term there is a science focus right across school. With the title of our new quest being ‘What Makes Our World Work’ We are stepping into the shoes of scientists, inventors and explorers to bring our learning to life and are discovering how to think scientifically, questioning the world around us.

Reading
As always, reading is a very important part of learning at Norbury Hall. We encourage children to develop their reading skills and want to inspire their own reading for pleasure. Every classroom has a reading area for our children to enjoy and an adult in school will hear them read each week. To benefit your child, we are asking children to read at home at least three times a week and for this to be recorded in their reading   records. This will be checked daily, during the school day. We are also encouraging the use of our online reading platform, Bug Club for the children to read a range of books and develop their understanding of what they have read.

Each class also has an author box which allows them to explore a range of books from chosen authors. The author boxes will then we swapped between year groups after the half term break.

General Information
With the colder weather on its way, please can we request that children bring a coat with them each day. A pair of wellies is useful for our weekly, outdoor learning activities. It would be useful, as with all items, that they are clearly labelled. Can we also request that children bring water to school, rather than juice for their classroom drink. All Key Stage 1 children are still entitled to the free fruit and veg scheme and do not need bring in any snacks for break.

Scooters and Bikes
As a school we encourage children to come to school on their bikes and scooters, but can we kindly ask they dismount their bike or scooter at the gate and then walk it into school. We do have a large bike shed in the junior playground which is available to use. Our school site is extremely busy in the mornings and at the end of the day and we want to keep everyone safe. Many thanks for your support with this.

We have been continuing to work hard moving into our last half term of the school year-
​oh my! Throughout the school we have been acting, singing, dancing, making, sculpting, drawing and painting! We have lots of upcoming events so please find more details below and some reminders of future dates.
 
Wrongsemble Theatre Performance
Wednesday 2nd July

Following last year’s successful visit from Wrongsemble Theatre Company, we are delighted to welcome them back to school. We feel it is important that the children enjoy a live theatre performance in school each year.  We request a donation of £2 per child towards this event.  This will be set up as a payment for you on School Money.

Parents’ Association Summer Festival
Friday 4th July

A reminder that our Summer Festival will take place on Friday 4th July from
4.30pm – 6:30 pm.  We hope to see as many families as possible at this event. In order to prepare for this there will be two non-uniform days in exchange for a donation for the fair. On Friday 27th June we would like a donation for the teddy and book tombolas. On the day of the fair itself (4th July) please could children in Nursery, Reception, Year and Year 2 bring a donation of chocolate or sweets and children in Years 3 – 6 bring a bottle for the bottle tombola. 
 
Norbury Fest
Wednesday 9th July

We are also working hard to rehearse performances ready to share with our friends and families in our whole school Norbury Fest celebrations! Performances will be repeated so that families with more than one child in school can be accommodated. Performances will be at 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm and 2:30 pm. The exception to this is Nursery who will be doing one performance at 2:00 pm. We will then congregate together in front of the junior adventure playground at 2:50 to perform one last song as a whole school. Weather permitting we will hold the event in the school grounds. Further details will be made available before the time. The children have also been creating a range of products to sell to you as part of their enterprise project. This will be a cash only event, so please bring plenty of change with you. The children will then return to class and be dismissed as normal at the end of the day. We look forward to welcoming you to this event and we hope it is one that the whole family enjoy!
 
Savoy Cinema Visits
10th and 11th of July

The Parents’ Association have very kindly funded a visit for every child in school to the Savoy Cinema in Heaton Moor. Over the course of two days, all the children will be travelling by coach to the cinema, enjoying the film and then returning to school. All visits will take place in the school day and the children will be in school for their lunch. All costs for this visit will be funded by the PA.

Visits will take place at the following times:
Thursday 10th July – AM
Years 3 and 4

Thursday 10th July – PM
Years 5 and 6

Friday 11th July - AM
Nursery and Reception

Friday 11th July - PM
Years 1 and 2
 
Children in Years 3 – 6 will be watching the BFG. This is a PG film so if you have any questions or objections to your child seeing this film, please contact their class teacher.  On the Friday, our younger children will be watching the film Wish.  A snack of popcorn and a bottle of water is included.  Again, if you have any objections to this, please contact the class teacher.  We do need parental permission for this visit – if you haven’t already then please complete the Google form at https://forms.gle/QW2HkvRW17e5n6WZ6 to give your consent to your child taking part. If you can offer your support on the day, please contact your child’s class teacher.
 
Tapestry
Friday 11th July

As a school, we stop using Tapestry as a way of sharing with parents at the end of Year 1. Parents and carers of children moving from Year 1 to Year 2, will need to download any pictures, or work saved on their child’s profile, (should you wish to keep it) before it gets cleared. This will need to be completed by Friday 11th July, please.
 
Thanks for your continued support as ever,
Team Norbury 

We hope you’ve had a lovely Easter break and that you are enjoying the sunshine
​as we start the summer term! 

In art across the school, we are exploring the work of famous artist Quentin Blake, to create our own work inspired by his unique and recognisable illustrations. Later on in the term, as sculptors, we will then dive into the world of pop art through the eyes of Claes Oldenberg and Peter Anton who both produce fun 3D forms of giant food items and as musicians we will be creating our own compositions inspired by the soundtrack from The BFG. Each year group will also have a different dance focus for the term. This year, both Year 1 and 2 will have the opportunity to work with our dance specialist Laura Kendall.
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At the end of the year, we hope to share our learning with you, to perform and to celebrate our successes at Norbury Fest.

Here Comes The Sun!
As the sun is finally shining again, please can you ensure that your child is prepared and safe to enjoy the warmer weather. The children will need a hat to protect them from the sun – please ensure that this is labelled. They may also want to have a pair of sunglasses and their own sun lotion. This can be reapplied by the children at break or lunchtime.

Teacher Led Clubs

Due to it being such a short term, clubs will continue on from last term. They will commence this week and run till Friday 16th May (the penultimate week of the half term). 

All Stars Cricket Rec-Year 2

All Stars Cricket is a fantastic entry-level cricket programme for 5-8 year
(Reception-Year2) old boys and girls and is back for another year! Join children nationwide for a summerof family fun at your local cricket club. Every child receives a free
participant pack, including personalised t-shirt, bat and ball, as part of the programme. Visit www.allstarscricket.co.uk to find your nearest centre.
 
Dynamos Cricket provides a fantastic next step for all those graduating from All Stars Cricket as well as the perfect introduction for all 8-11 year-olds new to the sport! Complementing junior cricket, Dynamos provides children with a more social offer focused on developing fundamental movement skills and applying them in an exciting game of countdown cricket. Several local clubs have a girls only Dynamos offer too! Every child who registers will receive their very own Dynamos Cricket New Balance t-shirt, personalised with their name and number. To find out more and where your nearest centre is visit 
​www.dynamoscricket.co.uk or contact AJ at [email protected] .

​Dear Parents and Carers,
​
Welcome back! We hope you all had an enjoyable and restful break!
 
Last half term, we worked incredibly hard across the curriculum! Our clever clogs have continued to work their socks off and we are so pleased with the work they are producing and the enthusiasm they are showing in their own learning.
 
When do I? Where do I?
The children have been working hard and have already produced some fantastic work. This term there is a history and geography focus right across school. With the title of our quest being 'When do I? Where do I?
 
We are stepping into the shoes of historians and geographers to explore and learn about the past, present and area around us. The children have taken on the role of Junior Government Ministers. Year 1 have looked at areas of education and how schools have changed over time. Year 2 have looked at areas of transport and how these have changed.
 
Reading
As always, reading is a very important part of learning at Norbury Hall. We encourage children to develop their reading skills and want to inspire their own reading for pleasure. Every classroom has a reading area for our children to enjoy and an adult in school will hear them read each week. To benefit your child, we are asking children to read at home at least three times a week and for this to be recorded in their reading records.

This will be checked daily, during the school day. We are also encouraging the use of our online reading platform, Bug Club for the children to read a range of books and develop their understanding of what they have read.
 
Book Fortnight
For the next two weeks, we will take part in a whole school Book Fortnight. We will starting the fortnight with the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
 
This year, our theme is food poverty and hunger. Each year group will look at a range of age appropriate books to help develop an understanding of the importance of eating a balance diet to keep healthy, why food is important and how we can re-use and re purpose food items.
 
Read dating
We would like the children to bring in their favourite book from home, into school to share with their peers. Please ensure the book is clearly labelled with your child's name and class. Children will have the opportunity to share their book and discuss why and what it is they enjoy about their book. Please see the grid below for the date when your child will need their book in for read dating.

Home Learning Competition
For home learning, we would like to ask the children to create their own book character from a repurposed or unused healthy piece of fruit or vegetable. Also, we would like the children to write a label for their book character telling us who their character is and also display their name and class on it.

A fruit box will be available on the KS1 playground for families to help themselves to a piece of fruit or veg to use. Once the competition is over, the fruit and vegetables will be put into our school composter, which will then in turn be used to grow more items in school.
 
Entries are due in on Monday 3rd March.
 
Reading Den
As in previous years, our Library will be transformed into a magical reading den. All children across the school, will get the chance to reading in the den with their class, across the fortnight. This years den will be The Buckets house frin Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Once chil dren step inside they will be transported to the inside of the chocolate factory.
 
Design Technology
Alongside our reading focus, each year group will be looking at an aspect of Design Technology (cooking and nutrition).
 
Year 1 will be investigating different fruits and vegetables. This will lead to the children designing and making their own fruit kebabs in school.
 
Year 2 will be investigating different vegetables and how they can be cooked. This will lead to the children designing and making a roasted vegetable pizza.

​Please speak to your childs class teacher if you have any concerns about allergies whilst cooking. Please see the grid at the bottom of the Newsletter for key dates for Book Fortnight for Year 1 and 2.