Atwood Newsletter 14th February 2025

The half term has gone by in a whirlwind and it is amazing to think that we are already half way through the school year. As ever, the children have had a busy week capped off today by our Gold Award assembly. Well done to all those children who we celebrated in assembly this morning.

We would like to wish everyone a restful half term break and look forward to seeing everyone back when, hopefully, the days are a little warmer and we can start to see the first signs of spring.

Reception and Nursery have been reflecting on the past, immersing themselves in traditional stories and getting active in PE. You can read more through the links.

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/atw-nursery-news-goldilocks-and-the-three-bears

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/eyfs/atw-reception-news-peepo-and-looking-at-the-past

In Year One, in English the children have been learning the story of the Three Little Pigs. They worked in small groups and practised narrating and acting out the different parts, changing their voices for each character. The children have been looking closely at 3D and 2D shapes in maths, discovering their properties and making patterns with them. In science year one have continued looking at the properties of different materials and compared the toys they brought in, grouping them by properties including soft, hard, opaque and transparent.

This week Year Two have been writing their diary entries imagining they were in The Great Fire of London in 1666. They even got to publish their writing onto tea-stained paper! In Maths, the children have begun to look at bridging which is adding two numbers that cross over 10. This afternoon they were so excited to finally get to read their fairytales to Red class in reception.

Year Three have been busy writing their own versions of Babette Cole’s Prince Cinders. They have been using lots of fronted adverbials and dialogue. In maths, the children have completed their unit on multiplication using the grid method and in science the children have been investigating different types of rocks.

In maths, Year Four have been learning to multiply 3 digit numbers by 1 digit. In English, the children have been studying poetry. They have learnt the Cat Rap by Grace Nichols and then written and performed their own versions. In guided reading the children are reading Varjak Paw by SF Said and in science the children have been learning about how sound travels.

Year Five have written to the King this week. The children have been using their persuasive writing skills to ask the King to consider the impact on the planet of deforestation. In science, the children have been learning about birds and mammals.

Year Six kicked off the week with a visit to Riddlesdown to watch their production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was a chance to get a feel for secondary school and some of the opportunities on offer there. It was also a chance to see some ex-Atwood pupils showcasing their drama skills. The children have continued their narrative based on The Red Pyramid and in maths have started to look at ratio. They also demonstrating their computing skills using Google slides to make a presentation about Safer Internet Day

Reading Café

This week, we opened our doors to parent readers in Year One. It was lovely to see so many parents in school sharing a story with their children.

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/atwood-year-one-reading-breakfast

Collectors’ Swap Meet

It was lovely to see so many children honing their negotiating skills after school on Wednesday at our first ever swap meet. This event gave children the chance to trade and swap their various collections of football and Pokemon cards. You can read more here:

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/atwood-collectors-swap-meet

The event was such a hit that we are hoping to repeat it next half term.

Sports News

On Tuesday, Atwood netballers welcomed our friends from Gresham for two matches. The first match involved the team working together to achieve the win of 6-2 and this was followed by an equally exciting match where our team defended well, earning themselves another win of 2-0. Both games highlighted how confidence has grown in players at all levels and even surprised the players themselves when they scored goals or flew in for magnificent interceptions!

Well done to Amber and Penny for achieving Player of the match and congratulations to both teams on the results – Alicia, Izzy, Lexi, Zara, Amber, Honey, Autumn, Tekarra, Madison, Olivia, Scarlett, Bea, Jiya, Penny, Mary, Arianna, Leila and Jessica.

Congratulations also to our Croydon Schools’ Swimming finalists who competed in in the gala on Wednesday 12th February.

Our 5 individuals all swam exceptional races in order to progress from the heats to the finals where just 6 children competed in each event.

The results were fantastic and all the children should be really proud of their swims. We are lucky to be able to compete in such a big competition and I am so proud of how the children conducted themselves in the heats and the finals – with great sportsmanship and a smile!

Results:

Mateo – 5th (Freestyle)

Toni – 4th (Breaststroke)

Henry – 5th (Freestyle)

Richard – 2nd (Breaststroke)

Bernard – 3rd (Backstroke)

Advance Notice

We have been advised that on the afternoon of 25^th February a funeral cortege will need access to parking space alongside Limpsfield Road adjacent to Hillsmead Way. Please can any parents normally park here when collecting their children be respectful of the traffic cones placed in the road and find alternative parking. Thank you.