What a wonderful week we had at Copthorne last week and now we have another one to look forward to.

Ramadan

As part of the holy month of Ramadan the majority of our local community and a large number of both staff and pupils are, at present, fasting. Our thoughts are with you at this time.

Celebrations

I think it’s fair to say that the whole Copthorne family was bursting with pride on Thursday and Friday last week as we celebrated the many achievements if our children including attendance, attitude and attainment. Our children are amazing and show, every day, that there really are no limits to their learning. I know that they will continue to go from strength to strength, persevering and relishing the challenges that new learning brings. Well done, everyone!

Environment Week

This was a great success and thanks to the whole of the Copthorne community for being so actively involved. The children worked so hard learning about many different ways to care for and protect the environment. It was a joy to see them all so inspired to help develop a sustainable future. Thanks to Miss Kneeshaw for organising all the activities and to all the staff for helping things run so smoothly.

Strategic Director of Children’s Services

As I explained in last week’s blog, we had a visit this week from Kath Tunstall – Strategic Director of Children’s Services. Miss Tunstall toured the school and then we had the chance to talk about our plans for Copthorne. I have received a letter from Miss Tunstall, thanking us for the visit, in which she writes:  ‘The children were lovely – happy and confident in their school environment; it’s such a joy to see children enjoying their education.’

Once again, it is wonderful to see visitors to our school appreciating what a positive attitude our children have to learning as well as how well behaved and happy they are.

The week ahead

Transition Morning

This will take place today, Monday 15th July. After registration, all of the children will go to assembly where they will be told which class and teacher they will be moving to next year. The children will then spend all morning with their new teachers finding out about the exciting learning they have to look forward to next year and getting used to class routines and expectations. This is always a wonderful experience for the children and helps to reassure those who are feeling nervous about changing year groups. I know that you will all enjoy your morning and that it will leave you looking forward to the year ahead.

Pupils’ Reports

The annual report for each child will be sent home tonight. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading each one and think that parents and carers will be delighted by the fabulous attitude and hard work of our pupils that they clearly reflect.

Exceed 100% Attendance Celebration

Congratulations once again to the 79 children who achieved 100% attendance this year. These children will be joining those from the other Exceed schools at St George’s Hall on Tuesday 16th July at 12.45pm for a huge celebration event. Each child will be presented with a certificate and the entertainment will be provided by the Exceed’s Got Talent winners. It’s going to be a wonderful afternoon.

Open Evening

We will be holding our first Open Evening this Tuesday, 16th July between 3.30 and 6pm. The event provides an opportunity for parents, carers and family members to come into school to have a look at all the wonderful work our pupils do and to visit children’s new classrooms and teachers. You will also be able to have a quick discussion with your child’s current class teacher about any issues or queries arising from your child’s report. Mr Jacques, Mrs Whalley and I will also be available throughout the evening. I look forward to seeing you all.

This week is PSHCE Week

The daily curriculum at Copthorne is designed to help develop our pupils personally and  socially, giving them the skills, knowledge and awareness to become healthy individuals and good citizens. This week is about focusing on certain elements of the PSHCE curriculum and providing learning activities that we believe will support and challenge our children even more in those areas.

The children have a very exciting week ahead during which each year group will be involved in a different selection of learning activities. These include: Year 5 sessions at the Positive Lifestyle Centre to develop their understanding and awareness of drug related issues, and a day at Doe Park Water Activity Centre to develop team building and water safety skills;  Year 6 sessions, delivered in school by the School Nurse, about relationships; and a bouncy castle and slide for Foundation Stage and Year 1 to further develop turn taking and sharing. All children will be involved in making a healthy breakfast and will experience lessons focusing on manners and managing money. Everyone will be involved in a Skipping Challenge to increase awareness of exercise and fitness as well as to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Thanks to Miss Rosindale for organising all the activities.

It’s going to be a great week!

Mrs Shepherd

Welcome to another busy and exciting week here at Copthorne.

I hope you all had a wonderful time in the sunshine this weekend. I spent a very busy weekend as, amongst other things, we held a party to celebrate the 18th birthday of one of my daughters.  It was wonderful to see all of her friends – most of whom I have known since they were just 11 years old  – having grown into such lovely, well mannered, self assured and happy young adults ready to take every opportunity that the world has to offer them – exactly the things we want for the children at Copthorne.

Exceed’s Got Talent

Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending, along with other Heads from our Alliance, the Exceed’s Got Talent final at the Willowfield Centre.  The judges were members of the dance group Son Aash.  All the competitors made us very proud and it is clear that, between the 7 schools, there are many stars in the making. Congratulations go to all of the competitors but particularly to the winners of each section:

Key Stage 1: St Oswald’s

Lower Key Stage 2: USA representing Copthorne

Upper Key Stage 2: Crossley Hall.

Well done to Sara Salem who came 2nd in the Upper Key Stage 2 competition and Anisah who was commended for her dancing in the Key Stage 1 competition.

It was a wonderful event and I would like to thank Mrs Nadia Hussain for organising it.

Now it’s time to start thinking about and practising for next year’s competition!

Lightwater Valley

Well done to Year 6 for their impeccable behaviour throughout last Monday’s reward trip to Lightwater Valley. We are all very proud of you and pleased that you had such a brilliant time – you really deserved it after all your hard work.

Thanks to all the staff who organised and/or accompanied the trip as it wouldn’t have been possible without you.

What’s happening this week?

Environment Week at Copthorne

This week all the lessons in school will have as their basis the theme: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The children will be exploring many different ways of protecting the environment so as to ensure a sustainable future. There are many exciting and interesting activities planned for the children during this week including: pond dipping, designing and making natural sculptures, making a picnic with as little packaging or waste as possible, woodland treasure hunting, planting,  and forest school trips.

The week will culminate with Green Day on Friday, 12th July. All children can wear a green item of clothing instead of school uniform to increase awareness of environmental issues.

I know that it’s going to be a great week which will enhance our pupils’ understanding of and shared responsibility for our environment.

Thank you to Miss Kneeshaw for organising all the activities.

Year 4 go to Chester Zoo.

As part of their work investigating the habitats of  large animals, Year 4 will be visiting Chester Zoo on Tuesday 9th July.

I know that the children will have a fabulous time and, as usual be wonderful ambassadors for Copthorne. I am sure that they will see a great many of the animals as the weather is so good at the moment. We are all looking forward to reading about your day on the school blog. Enjoy yourselves!

Hook a Book

A number of our Year 5 children have been taking part in the Hook a Book initiative run by Crossley Hall Primary School. The scheme involves children, identified by their teachers, taking part in reading challenges. In this instance the children had to read 8 different books, chosen by school, over a 6 week period. The books include a variety of genres and are aimed at challenging the children whilst stimulating and encouraging them to read more.

12  of our children have taken part and will all be rewarded for meeting the challenge by spending the day fishing this Wednesday, 10th July at Farview Fisheries, Cottingley. Well done to all of you. I can’t wait to hear all about your adventure!

A special visitor

This Wednesday, 10th July, we will be visited by the Strategic Director of Children’s Services in Bradford, Kath Tunstall. Mrs Tunstall is visiting Copthorne to discuss how things have gone in my first year as Head of School. She will also have the opportunity to meet our wonderful children and have a tour around the school. Mrs Tunstall has not yet seen the new extension so I am sure she will be impressed with our beautiful new facilities. We are all very much looking forward to welcoming her to our school.

Bag to School

We are holding another Bag To School collection this Thursday, 11th July. A collection bag has already been sent home with each child. The bag can be filled with any unwanted clothing, shoes, soft toys, belts, handbags and bedding and brought into school at the start or end of the day up to Thursday morning. Please feel free to use black bin bags if you are able to fill more than 1 bag. Thank you to everyone who has already filled bags this year. The funds raised help to provide even more visits and enrichment activities for the children and the recycling will help to protect our environment. Thank you for your support.

Attendance Celebration Assembly

We will be holding our annual celebration of our children’s attendance this week. The assembly will take place at 9.15 am Thursday, 11th July. Letters will be sent home today inviting the parents and carers of those 79 children achieving 100% attendance to the celebration. I look forward to seeing you there. Well done to those of you who have achieved outstanding attendance this year. We are very proud of you all. Thanks to all our families that work so hard to ensure that the children come to school each day.

Achievement Assembly

This Friday, 12th July, at 9am we will be celebrating our children’s achievements. The Star of the Year Award will be presented to 1 child chosen from each class by their teacher. Our Stars of the Year are those pupils who have been inspirational as regards their positive attitudes to school and learning and through the amount of effort they have made. As each award is presented, the class teachers will explain why they have chosen that child.

In addition we will be presenting our 333, 555 and AAA awards to the children in Year 2 and Year 6 who have gained three level 3s or  5s respectively. The AAA (Attendance, Attitude, Achievement) award is presented to children from each of the Year 2 and Year 6 classes who have attended regularly, shown a very positive attitude in all areas of school life and have made outstanding progress.

This is always a very special assembly and we would love as many parents/carers as possible to attend.

Dates for your diary

Week Commencing 15th July: PSHCE Week (See next week’s blog for further details)

Monday 15th July: Transition morning for children from Reception to Year 5

Pupils’ reports are sent home

Tuesday 16th July: Exceed Alliance Attendance Celebration at St George’s Hall (Letters have been sent to those involved).

3.30-6pm:  Open Evening (See last week’s blog for details)

23rd July: Leavers’ Assembly at 9am and 2.15pm

As you can see, it’s going to be even more busy than usual for the next few weeks. We look forward to celebrating all the hard work of our pupils with you.

I hope that all of you have a very good week ahead.

Mrs Shepherd

Hello and welcome to another great week at Copthorne. I can’t really believe that it is already July – this year seems to be flying past. Hopefully, the good weather will stay with us and we’ll be able to take the children’s learning outside the classrooms even more.

Exceed Sports Event Congratulations

Last week a group of children from across Key Stage 2 took part in the Exceed Olympics. They came 5th out of the 7 teams and, I am very proud to say, were wonderful team players supporting the other competitors and each other as they took part in a number of sporting events that they had not experienced before. Well done, everyone!

Copthorne’s Got Talent – The Final

Last Friday saw the final of Copthorne’s Got Talent. It was an amazing show demonstrating a range of talent. All the children taking part were a credit to Copthorne as were the members of the audience who showed such great support for all the contestants. The winners will now go through to the Exceed’s Got Talent competition this Friday, 5th July.

Congratulations to Anisah from Year 1, USA from Year 3 and Sara from Year 6. Our best wishes go with you for Friday’s competition which will take place at The Willowfield Centre. Unfortunately, due to the space available we are unable to invite parents/carers to the event although it will be filmed so that you can watch it on the screen in our entrance.

Year 6 and Reception Transition Day

This Wednesday, 3rd July, will be Transition Day for children in Year 6 moving to secondary school in September. These pupils will spend the full day at their new schools. Parents have been informed directly of the arrangements for the day  by the individual schools.

 The children who will be starting Reception classes in September will also be spending the morning in their new classrooms with their new teachers.

We believe that events such as these are very important for our children in helping them to settle into new schools or classes and we wish them all a great day.

Pupils in other year groups will be spending the morning in their new classes later this half term.

Talented Musicians Event

5 of our flautists from Year 5 will be attending an event at Dixon’s Trinity this Thursday, 4th July. Our children will be playing their flutes alongside other talented musicians from other Bradford schools.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our children and will raise their aspirations as regards what is possible in the music world. I am sure they will have a wonderful time and I look forward to hearing all about it when they return to school on Friday.

Year 4 Assembly

Year 4’s assembly will take place at 9.15am  and 2.15pm this Thursday, 4th July. The theme of the assembly will be Ramadan. Along with the story of how Ramadan is kept in different countries around the world, the children will be presenting some of their work about Pakistan from  Creative Curriculum lessons. All parents, carers and family members are welcome to attend one or both of the assemblies. I look forward to seeing you there.

Dates for your diary

Monday 8th July: Environment Week begins.(More details in next week’s blog)

Tuesday 9th July: Year 4 to Chester Zoo

Wednesday 10th July: Year 5 Hook a Book fishing trip (See next week’s blog for more details.)

Thursday 11th July: Bag to School collection. Please bring in any bags you have managed to fill with unwanted clothing, bedding, shoes, belts, soft toys and handbags. Filled bags can be dropped off at school at morning registration before and including 11th July. Thank you.

Thursday 11th July, 9.15am: Attendance Assembly. This is an opportunity to congratulate those children whose attendance has been outstanding this year. It also provides us with the chance to say thank you to the parents and carers who have helped to ensure that the children attend school regularly. If your child has achieved 100% attendance this year you will shortly be receiving a letter informing you of this. If you have not received a letter by 8th July but believe that your child has had 100% attendance, then please contact the school office urgently. The staff there will look into the matter for you. I look forward to seeing you at this event next week.

Friday 12th July: Green Day (See next week’s blog for further details.)

Tuesday 16th July: Open Evening. This will take place from 3.30-6pm and will be an opportunity for all parents/carers  to come into school and visit their child’s new classroom and teachers for next year. No appointments will be needed as this is simply a chance for you to have a look at Copthorne, find out about some of the wonderful learning opportunities that we have planned for your children next year and chat to the teachers and members of the senior leadership team. The event will also allow you to discuss, briefly, any queries related to your child’s report as these will have been sent home the day before. The evening will also include a Health Fair which will be taking place as part of our PSHCE Week – more details to follow next week. I do hope that as many of you as possible will be able to attend and I look forward to seeing you there.

As you can see, it’s going to be especially busy over the next couple of weeks as we celebrate with you the hard work and achievements of our wonderful pupils this year.

Have a great week, everyone.

Mrs Shepherd