The Journal - St Lawrence CE Primary School

The Journal S† LAWRENCE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL Dog Lane, Napton, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 8LU

Tel: 01926 812447 e-mail: [email protected]

www.stlawrenceprimaryschool.co.uk Head Teacher: Mr John Brine

Friday 13th November 2020

Dear Parents,

This week has been a special one: one with real focus but one of real purpose in the classroom too. On many a morning, I tour the school to collect the registers and came back to the office this week very much uplifted by the experience. Our children, along with our staff, are doing you proud: there’s a sense of buzz as the children beaver away at their desks.

Sometimes, though, it is the individual who uplifts the spirit, knowing that they have responded so positively to your encouragement or suggestion. Fine examples of this would include Elliott (Yr2) and Martha (Yr3) who were so eager to share aspects of their family histories: these were treasured moments. Another one was seeing the joy on the faces of Mrs Molloy and Ronnie (Yr1) who had been reading together and had come to the decision to move up a band. I have to say that I wish I could have bottled that joy and shared it with you: any woes that you might be experiencing would have evaporated!

This week has been about Remembrance of course… and I thank Revd Gillian for setting the tone through her assemblies. I hope that you have taken a moment to reflect on good memories of those that have been special to you. If not, take a moment now to enjoy the pictures. You might also want to play the song performed by our Mick Bisiker (also attached to the email) that started off the assembly on Wednesday itself (and also played quietly as children had their vaccinations).

Looking ahead: it has been a real privilege to work with the school orchestra again… to choose a programme of music for Christmas. Yes… we will find a way to rehearsal and hold a performance to bring Christmas alive. I’m really pleased to tell you that I have some new members joining!

I’m so excited to hear the embryonic plans for Christmas Nativities this year from children in Little Lawrences, in our Reception class and in Classes 1 and 2. They won’t be performed in the same way as we have in previous years but again… where there’s a will, there’s a way. Christmas without the Nativity at its heart… is simply not Christmas?

And… we are signing up to a number of Diocese events to mark Christmas too, including a Coventry-wide Christingle service and… I’ll confirm the rest as it is agreed!

A happy church school that nurtures the unique talents of individuals and brings them together so that ‘they will soar on wings like eagles’ (Isaiah 40:31)

Dates for the Diary

16th Nov: KITs is back.

17th Nov: Boomerang work-shops.

19th Nov: Last day for the class Warwickshire Dance Competition organised by Mr Shillitoe.

Early December: the arrival of the Christmas tree from the Sabine Family.

10th Dec: Times Tables World Cup Yr1 - Number bonds Yr2 - x2 Yr3 - x4 Yr4-6 - x8

If you’ve walked through the school site recently, you’ll have seen the beautiful Remembrance Tree Sandra and the team have created with Larks ‘n’ Owls. Many thanks to all who were involved in putting together this beautiful memorial to those who were lost in the World Wars.

Good news! KITs and Coventry Rugby are back following a ‘clarification’ from the DfE. If your child is missing any of the other clubs… you might want to take advantage and sign up

through the office.


Remembrance Day 2020

Six of our Yr6s got to know a little about those who died in WW2 from Napton in tribute to them so as to bring the memory of them alive on Wednesday in a short ceremony conducted by Tom and Bernie. I was so proud of them.

To end the children walked up to the memorial to lay a wreath made by Little Lawrences in tribute to all those who died in the world wars.

All this followed an assembly that recalled the 80th anniversary of the Blitz in Coventry and the message of reconciliation that still rings out of the cathedral each day at midday.

A focus upon courage, empathy and reconciliation now can surely be only a good thing in today’s world: don’t you agree? JBrine

Thank you so much to all those who have commented positively on the Remembrance Gallery of flowers we have put up on the school fence for everyone in Napton to look at and enjoy as they walk past St Lawrence’s. We so much appreciate your encouragement, and were very touched to receive an email from Tom who wrote, I have visited the school fence display and was amazed at the variety of the items. Many in French also. What a wonderful tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Home Learning

I am extremely mindful that teachers across the school are setting home learning as well as teaching in the classroom on a full-time basis.

Work will be set by 9am and we will endeavour to respond to emails before 6pm during school days (not weekends or holidays).

Please note that if a class teacher is engaged with class teaching, they will not be able to respond to messages sent immediately unless you are very lucky; you may need to be patient.

If a bubble is shut down, the timing guidelines will remain in place, but teachers clearly will be able to respond to messages more readily… and are always keen to do so.

Home Learning will be sent in Google Classroom… if assistance is needed then

please do contact the office.

Thank you for your understanding.

Here are some beautiful examples of

poppies made in Little Lawrences

(bottom left), Reception (top right) and Class 5 (top left).

Congratulations to Arthur P on passing his Grade 3 clarinet, to

Imogen T on passing her Grade 1 clarinet, to Jessica G on passing her

Grade 1 flute and to Rosie P on passing her Grade 5 flute!

Having had the disappointment of exams being cancelled in March, they have all shown a positive attitude with regard to their music. They’ve done brilliantly, despite the extremely tough marking and high expectations.

We are all very proud of them - including Mrs Foxwell of course!

Year 1 have been working systematically (a very

grown-up word) to find out if bigger numbers have more number bonds than smaller numbers. They even man-aged to predict the future

and worked out how many number bonds numbers had

without even needing to write any down! Well done,

Year 1! (note to office - more paper needs

to be ordered!)

It is always a joy to engage with children each lunchtime -sometimes to just to offer bread to the children having hot din-ners and help them remember their manners and sometimes to talk, or play games. It was great fun to introduce the paper-based game of ‘boxes’ with some of the Yr6 boys on Wednesday and yesterday to organise a skipping game with some of the Yr3&4 children. Their engagement is always something to celebrate.



Class 4 have been doing some wonderful woodwork for Remembrance Day, making Peace Mats with Mrs Rose. Getting to grips with a saw, learning how to use a hand drill and attempting to hammer in a nail straight are not skills that

come naturally to all. They need to be experienced if we are to train our DIY experts of the future. Do look out for them in the KS2 quiet area.


Class 6 had been doing some painting in RE lessons to illustrate the range of emotions in colour. The “wonkiness” is a deliberate artistic

choice, designed to represent our wonky world!

The trenches were pits of impending danger, Mud melted into the menacing boots, This smell of smoke made our noses bleed, Shells banging No place for a man.

My face fell when I saw the tanks, Sorrow was smelled in the air, Rapid, rattle, rifles firing for miles, Is this what England wanted? No place for a man.

Many lost their boots, As five nines dropped, From the ghostly flares we hid our faces, Drunk with melancholy; deaf even to the signals, No place for a man.

Who tolls the bells for those who die like lemmings, Only the horrific anger of the guns, Only the flak flak flak of distant guns, No place for a man.

The following poem, No Place for A Man, was heavily inspired by Wilfred Owen and writ-ten by Bella B in Yr6… and shows the power of word.

We’d have liked to have published many more of the poems but: perhaps these extracts from across Yr6 will give you a flavour of how Wilfred Owen is still

able to inspire this generation, as it has Mr Tom Thomas from Napton, who provided the pictures.

He will be including histories of those that fought in the World wars in future editions of the Napton Parish Magazine.

Poetry that just reminds us that conflict is ugly. Tom Thomas and Bernie Alsop have asked that some of our children help plant a replacement tree

this side of Christmas to honour one of our local heroes. We will of course gladly assist.

Arthur E: Bodies scattered, tears pattered, the conditions not denying the slim chance of surviving.

Rollo: Hoards of men crawling, withering, being knocked down like skittles, being slaughtered under sun by sharp bullets in this blood-red landscape.

Seren: Fear is a sharp spike of barbed wire, a dirty yellow cloud of smoke, the sound of mourning hate at dawn.

Arthur P: Trenches were just menacing mud. Guns screamed. Bullets as sharp as a

dagger. Trudging through

sodden mud.

Lilie: The monstrous scream of the tank. Horses trudging through thick, waterlogged paths. The trenches were pits of impending

danger, with stuttering rifles, rapid rattle.

Dylan: Guns were like the stampede running right over you.

Luke: The trenches were pits of doom. Soldiers filled with sorrow and gloom. A horrible chill went down my spine as I saw a dead friend of mine.

Charlie: Ruined trenches everywhere in sight… guns screeching like an angered Komodo dragon. Mud swallowing your boots, blood shot on soldiers’ feet… some with trench foot.

Betty: Mud angrily melted into our boots. The sound of shocking shells. Lice crawling up our wounded body. Close friends dropping down dead.

Luca: Endless marching, bloodshot feet, no-man’s line, no place for a man - would you like to be here?

We will remember them… we will remember them.


We are delighted to announce today’s Stars of the Week!

LL: Joshua is this week’s Star in Little Lawrences, for his engineering and problem solving skills when making a bridge outside, and his enthusiasm for writing Reception: Lily (pictured above right) is this week’s Star for always being amazing! She’s kind, helpful and a lovely friend. Y1: George has done some amazing reading this week! Y2: Austin (pictured below right) is Yr2’s Star this week because he has shown enthusiasm and dedication to all his work this week. He continually makes great contributions to our class discussions and is not afraid to try challenges. His work in maths has been superb and he has used his maths knowledge to solve difficult word problems. Mrs Maffey and Mrs Johnson are so delighted with Austin’s attitude and effort in his work. Well done Austin: you are a very deserving Star of the Week. Y3: Angus has had an amazing week! He has given everything 100% effort and it is lovely to see him become really proud of his achievements. The progress show with his reading has been particularly pleasing. Keep up the amazing work Angus. Y4: Jemima is Yr4’s Star for sharing her expert advice and skills in woodworking with patience and encouragement. It is great to see her bloom with pride and confidence. Y5: Oscar has worked incredibly hard this week. He has been enthusiastic, sharing ideas with the class, taking on new challenges and embracing everything that he has been getting up to in class! Y6: Tom has been so enthusiastic, enthusiastic and engaged this week! He’s done a great deal to help with the choreography of the Y6 dance, and has demonstrated some amazing characterful acting skills. Well done, Tom!

A happy church school that nurtures the unique talents of individuals and brings them together so that they will soar on wings like eagles’ (Isaiah 40:31)

Bronze awards this week go to: Emily, Billie-Jo, Amy, Jaxon and Wilfred (all Reception), Ellie-Mae, Sophie, Trixie and Jacob (all Yr4) and Bella B (from Yr6).

Silver awards this week go to: Jack B, Rose and Ronnie (from Y1), Alana B, Chesca C, Austin R and Tansie B (all Yr2).

WELL DONE TO YOU ALL!

Documents

The Journal - St Lawrence CE Primary School