 | Occold School |  |
| Summer Term 2007: | Starts: Tue, 17th Apr | Half Term: 28th May - 4th Jun | Ends: Fri, 20th Jul |
| During this term and next, the school intends to have regular Coffee Mornings for villagers and to invite people to experience a school lunch | |||
| 7 May 07 - In the Summer Term | |
| Children started on Tuesday 17th April - we have some exciting learning planned across the curriculum with Key Stage Two studying Rivers and Water in geography so a field trip will be in order and Class One are looking at Journeys…so I wonder where they will be off to? The Summer Term is the time of testing of course and the children will be completing their SATs in May. There will be lots of other events too: Year Three are off to Redgrave & Lopham Fen for a day, Year Four will be spending time at Foxburrow Farm, Melton Year Five will take part in a Technology morning at Hartismere as part of the Pyramid liaison. Class One don’t miss out on meeting children from other schools either with the Reception children and Year One also having days when they take part in cross school activities. The older children will also be completing their cycling training under the watchful gaze of Mrs Potter on Tuesday after school. I think she gets a long service medal this year for her cycling training. The community coffee mornings are going really well with an increasing number of people coming each time. Dates for the next term are: | Friday 27th April Friday 11th May Friday 25th May Friday 15th June Friday 6th July All from 9:30 to 11am. Of course in the Summer we hope the children will be playing on the field at lunchtime and for PE sessions: thank you for keeping your dogs off the playing field. The children would be dreadfully disappointed if they were unable to play on the field at lunchtimes-or had to miss out on PE. We have netball, touch rugby, Rounders, Kwik Cricket and athletics tournaments to enter this term. Good luck to all those chosen to take part. We present shields to children who show particular talent in Art, commitment in sports and for progress in swimming at the moment. We would like to recognise children’s achievements in other areas of the curriculum so if you have a particular interest, or enthusiasm for a subject, or just want to play a part in encouraging the next generation please contact me and we can discuss details. Kevin Knights – Headteacher |
| 7 May 07 - 4 / 4 Good team effort | |
What a very quick term this has been - although it has been twelve weeks long! During this term Phoebe and James in Reception, Emma in Year 3 and Dylan in Year 6 have joined us. Our roll now stands at 48 children. Two classrooms got painted and the Friends bought us a big sand pit! Class One have made a timeline from the start of the last century through to now looking at the school, birthdays and other notable events. Class Two have had a big focus on how children in World War Two managed so had quite a short timeline. Finally Class Three’s timeline stretched from 1948 to the present day studying the changes in family life, society and the roles of men, women and children. This got a little bit frightening when I could remember so much of it! | Class One have been ‘commissioned’ by the Three Little Pigs to build them houses on a new estate which will be safe from the wolf. An interesting challenge. Class Two meanwhile have formed a company called C3 who have to provide accommodation for evacuees from London. Both classes have been fully immersed in their roles and are finishing off their topics while learning a great deal more. Kevin Knights - Headteacher
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| ....and so to the Spring Term | |
| School began on Thursday 4th January for the children and will end on Friday 30th March. The half term holiday is from Monday 12th to Friday 16th February. We will be holding Community Coffee mornings - 9:30 to 11am, on four Fridays this term. Friday 19th January, 9th February, 2nd and 23rd March. These are just social events, not fundraisers and anybody is welcome to come along for tea, coffee and a cake or biscuit and a good chat. This term, as well as Grove Church, we welcome the WI to school starting on the second Wednesday of January. We hope they enjoy using the school for their meetings. The children at school have some very interesting topics this term, which various villagers may be able to help us with - if willing. Class One, with Mrs Batley, are studying Around our School - the local area in Geography and Our School in History and although we have several old photos I’m sure there are some more out there in the village. So if you have any old school, or village photos hidden away we would love to see, and possibly copy, them. Mrs Batley may also be interested in hearing stories of the village and school from some of our more mature village inhabitants as well. Classes Two and Three are working on history topics again this term. Class Two will be learning about Children in World War 11. What stories are there in the village from those of you who were here in that period of history? Were there air raid shelters, what impact did the Americans have on the village, what problems were there with rationing, did the village have allotments? etc. etc. | Class Three are studying the period Britain from 1948. Again this will lend itself it to many stories from people in the village. Perhaps mardles of the owd boys at the village pump, changes at school, new houses being built, old ones disappearing, village characters and their nicknames. How changing fashions came to the village, visits to Carrow, or Portman, Road in the 50’s and 60’s. Speedway supporters, the village football team, the Village Hall. Well there is an awful lot of history out there, isn’t there and we would love you to share it with us. As always in school there will be a great deal of learning going on for the children to enjoy. We hope that the five new children who have joined us this term - Christopher, Louise, Deanne, James and Phoebe all settle in quickly; that our defence of the High Suffolk Basketball trophy goes well, the cross country runners perform to their best - and we get some snow to enjoy! We only had two people contact us about a French evening class last term so we have made no arrangements to start one off. However if there is more interest this term we may still begin one. If any Year 11, 12 or 13 students need help with preparation for their French orals Mme Motte may also be able to help. Please contact us at the school as soon as possible. We are trying to extend our after school provision for the children so if anybody has a skill, or interest, they feel would help the children please also contact us. It could be making models, craft activities, playing an instrument or IT skills - just let us know what you could offer. Kevin Knights - Headteacher |
| Happy New Year from everybody at the Primary School | |
| Our end of term went really well with the last couple of weeks flying by in a welter of songs, acting and lovely food. The visit to the Wolsey Pantomime, paid for by the Friends of School, was excellent and thoroughly enjoyed by everybody. The visit got off to a terrific start with the coach driver being a jolly good sport and entering the spirit of the occasion. The panto itself, Dick Whittington, was really very good and the children enjoyed it, standing up and dancing and singing along with many of the well-known songs. The ice creams at half time were greatly appreciated too! The behaviour of the children was up to its expected high standard so well done to you all. For our school Christmas lunch the classrooms were decorated in a mediaeval style, and many of the children and adults dressed up in costume too. This was the culmination of our topic work on The Normans so finished that off well. The outstanding turkey, supplied by Mrs Scott, and bought by the Friends, was the highlight of the meal itself being exceptionally tasty. Everybody enjoyed the whole day’s activities. | The very next day we moved on to Kerrison with the performance of Baboushka going down very well with the audience of about 140 people. Megan, who had 85 lines of script to learn, took on the role of Baboushka being ably supported by her cat, Tiddles, otherwise known as Sam! The whole school took part in the play and everybody played their part to the fullest extent. The singing was terrific and was praised by everybody there. The performance was topped off with a series of recorder pieces played by a decreasing number in the ensemble as they became more difficult; again these were very well received. On the last day of term the children all received a gift from under the Christmas Tree so our morning was spent opening those and then playing various games and watching a film. The final assembly was well supported by parents, other relatives and friends and with a resounding chorus of We wish you a Merry Christmas the holidays began. |
| Another fine mess you've got me into..... | |
| Judy looking after the Occold's young scholars for the umpteenth Christmas Play - click for more. Occold Primary School has a record of continuity and commitment to which other institutions can only aspire. Photos - Copyright © Rob Richardson, 2005 |
| Comings and Goings at Occold School | |
| Following the examples of Suffolk speech, one of my favourites was related by my aunt who was headmistress of Occold school [NB: Mrs Scotcher]. She allegedly received a note from a mother which said, | "Johnny caan't come 'coos he hasn't bin, Oi've given him something to make him goo and when he's bin he'll come." Maggie Maidment (http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ENG-SFK-STOWMARKET/2003-03/1048107619) |
| The Origins of Occold School | |
| A Parish School was built in 1849 by the rector. A SCHOOL BOARD for the united district of Occold and Rishangles was established in 1879, and consists of Edward Deek (Chairman), George Harris (vice-chairman), Rev. H. L. Todd, | Hy Wells, and James Breeze. Mr W. Cook, of Rishangles, is the clerk. The school was built in 1879 at a cost of £700, to accommodate 120 children. White’s Directory of Suffolk 1885. |