House Point Winners: Chatteris (Blue)

Congratulations to Blue House who - this week - have managed to win the House Trophy with a grand total of 463 points!

When we return after the holiday we will see which House has managed to earn the half term award of drinks and cakes!

I am so proud of my House. We have been cheering them on when we spot them walking in the corridors and being polite! I'm sure we can lift the trophy after half term too.
Charly Wallace

Super Spellers: Half way awards

We believe that regular, purposeful practice is the key to great achievements. If you read through and rehearse your spellings every night for 15mins, then you will achieve great scores in your weekly tests.

In turn this helps to:

• expand your vocabulary
• increase accuracy of common words

I have been practising my spellings every night. That's why I have managed to get 21/21 in all of my tests!

Ty Sutton

To celebrate the effort that these Spelling Superstars have made, they have been awarded the Super Spellers certificate. If they can keep it up until the end of term the they stand to earn a £5 Argos voucher!

Y4 Roman Day

Year 4 enjoyed a  Roman School Workshop, which bought the history of Roman Britain alive in our school hall. First there was a fun and exciting timeline-based visit from a Roman auxilliary who talked about his quest for Roman citizenship.

The pupils learnt about some of the hardships suffered by the soldiers: from cold nights spent on Hadrian's wall in 150AD, to long days marching and fighting barbarians! After that the pupils had a hands on demonstration of how the Romans used the legendary Roman Testudo (Tortoise) fighting formation in battle.

This was followed by a look at the day-to-day life of a Roman soldier with a detailed examination of a soldier's kit.

I really enjoyed the Roman artefact sorting task, wherewe handled genuine 1,800 year old Roman artefacts: rings, brooches, belt buckles and pottery.
Tony Marshall

I wouldn't have wanted to be a Roman soldier... too much walking!
Arhann

E for Excellence Winners:

These wonderful children have demonstrated excellence this week.

Billy Little– Mulberry
Elliott Cottam – Pine
Charlie Ilott– Cedar
Maisie Moss – Cherry
Thomas Royer – Ash
Teni Adu – Hazel
Jessica Diaz – Birch
Fabian Cacaj – Willow
Charlie George Cooper – Elm
Holly Turner – Maple
Matthew Leadbitter – Acer
Holly Clark – Palm
Ellis Curtis-Rich – Sequoia

Certificate of Presentation:

Molly Wheal, Jordan Iordan, Eriya Byamugisha, Adam Murray, Kaden Nicol, Ella Nash, Rokas Zaikauskas, Alisha March, Caitlin Bowden & Libby Northwood: all of these pupils have shown that they are making a sustained effort to improve and develop their presentation.

By carefully forming their numbers and ensuring their handwriting is neat and legible they are producing much higher quality pieces of work.

JTAs Interview Leon Daniels

We were very excited to have the chance for our JTAs (Junior Travel Ambassadors) to go to Londo and meet Leon Daniels as part of their work on sustainable travel.

Who is Leon Daniels?
Managing Director, Surface Transport

Leon joined TfL in April 2011 from FirstGroup, where he had been a director of the UK Bus Board since 2000. He is directly responsible for 30,000 staff. He oversees TfL's responsibilities for the safe and efficient running of London's buses, taxis, river services, the road network, congestion charging and Santander Cycles... a very wide portfolio!

What did he do before TfL?
For several years Leon owned and ran his own bus company, which grew to be the largest private sector bus company in London prior to the privatisation of London Buses. He sold the company to FirstGroup in 1998.

I was most impressed with the fact that he uses public transport himself. I thought that someone so important would have a chauffeur! He said that he uses the bus everyday and even used it to get to our interview with him at the Transport Museum
Kieran Dash

Apparently he is a qualified bus driver. When he has a day off he takes part if the TfL bus events and often drives the vehicles himself!
Katherine Barrett

He talked alot about reciprocity. He said that travelling on the network can be quite stressful and busy. He likes to drive the trains himself so that he can tell some jokes and help the passengers to laugh and enjoy their journey home.
Daniel Joy

I thought that such an important job would be really scary. He made it seem very enjoyable and achievable. He made it clear that he is just an ordinary person who really loves what he does every day. 
Melisa Krasniqi 

We also had some great feedback about our JTAs from Martin Day - Havering's Smarter Travel Officer:

I thought I’d drop you a quick line to say how well mannered, enthusiastic, and attentive your pupils Kieran Dash, Daniel Joy, Katherine Barrett and Melisa Krasniqi  were at the LT Museum when we interviewed Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL. They represented the school and the Borough brilliantly. They have been the same at all our meetings and are a credit to your school. 

Year 3 Rationing Workshop

Our Year 3 pupils were learning about WW2 before the half term. As part of their topic, they looked at rationing and were able to try some of the dishes that would have been served during the war and austerity period.

"Last week we also had a visit from Miss Coook's Grandad. He had told us about some of these dishes - things like spam fritters. It was great to be able to taste them. I thought they'd be horrible, but they were actually quite nice."
Jack Peppitt

Why was food rationed in Britain in World War II?
Before the Second World War started Britain imported about 55 million tons of food a year from other countries. After war was declared in September 1939, the British government had to cut down on the amount of food it brought in from abroad as German submarines started attacking British supply ships. There was a worry that this would lead to shortages of food supplies in the shops so the British government decided to introduce a system of rationing.

Rationing made sure that people got an equal amount of food every week. The government was worried that as food became scarcer, prices would rise and poorer people might not be able to afford to eat. There was also a danger that some people might hoard food, leaving none for others.

Bronze Volunteers

Both Jamel & Adam have been giving up their time to help out as part of Team Broadford. Adam has been a great helper at lunch time and a very effective eco-warrior. Jamel is always keen to heklp and has completed the Bronze stage of his tracker in record time... well done boys!

Learning Power Awards: Reciprocity

These are the key skills that our children will need to learn effectively in class and be successful later in life. Maple class have earned a special award for their creation of a giant Chinese scroll.

Caitlin Parmenter, Nikola Urban, Chloe Trew, Courtney Simpson, Isabelle Munford, Maisy Cohen, Evie Crispin, Lola Mae Trinder, Lillie- Jo Guidotti, Jack Dempsey, Armani Peek, Matthew Murcia & John Paul Rensch have also demonstrated effective reciprocity this week – able to listen carefully, work collaboratively and take turns.

RWI Award

We are delighted that Broadford Primary has been awarded the RWI Training Certificate, which recognises the commitment we make as a school to ensuring all of our staff are highly skilled in the teaching of phonics.

As a consequence of the high quality training we provide - in partnership with RWI - our pupils have seen their results rise at Year 1, KS1 and Year 6. This year 85% of our pupils passed the screening test in Year 1 compared to a National rate of 77%. When you factor in the lower level that many of our pupils come in at as well as the lower exposure to books at home, that is a great achievement!

New Staff

At a recent Parent Council meeting a parent suggested that we include pictures of new staff on the blog so that parents know who they are.

This year we are delighted to welcome seven new members of staff to Broadford.

Miss Poulter - YR Apple Class Teacher

Miss Chappel - Y1 Mulberry Class Teacher

Miss Rooney - Y3 Willow Class Teacher

Mrs Smith - Y5 Maple Class Teacher

Miss Rollin - Y2 Cedar Class Teacher

Mrs Bradley - EYFS Teaching Assistant

Miss Hammond - Y1 Class

Fact Hunters: Baguettes & Chocolate

Sami Hatton
In 1824, John Cadbury opened a grocer’s shop at 93 Bull Street, Birmingham. Among other things, he sold cocoa and drinking chocolate, which he prepared himself using a pestle and mortar.

Find out more here

Megan Mae Burnett
Did you know that the largest baguette in the world is 400ft long and took seven hours to bake? In order to complete it, over 60 bakers had to help.

David White
The Belcher Sea Snake is typically found in the Indian Ocean, off the coasts of the Phillipines, New Guinea, and Thailand. Amazingly the toxicity of this snake's poison is so potent that it can kill a person in less than 30 minutes! The good news about this snake is that it seems to be quite friendly and mild-tempered, and if it does decide to bite, studies show that only 25% of the time will it release its venom.

Y2 Great Fire Display

In Year 2 the pupils have been learning about The Great Fire of London. They have been very excited about this topic... particularly the grand finale. The children had explored how houses were constructed during the 1600s. This meant they were able to come up with reasons for how the fire spread so quickly and destroyed so many homes!

They had a go at making their own houses and then got to set them on fire in the fire pit. It was amazing to see how quickly the fire took hold and obliterated the village.

I found out that there is a statue to mark where the fire ended. It is a golden boy on Pye Corner
Fayo Ayodola

Because the houses were made of flammable materials and so closely packed together it was easy for the fire to spread. Now we use brick and concrete, not wood and thatch. We have also got a more effective fire brigade!
Adam Abubakr

Y5 Chinese Dance Workshop

As part of their topic on Ancient China, our Year 5 pupils enjoyed a session with a Chinese dancer to learn about the fan dance.

The Chinese fan dance plays a few different roles in China. First, it is used to help pass down stories and traditions of Chinese culture. Both tourists and younger Chinese generations learn classic tales and lore of China's past through the fan dance. This is why you can often see fan dancers at festivals, theater performances, and other exhibition-style events where the performers are able to promote their rich roots in history.
Miss Chau - Year 5 teacher

In addition, fan dancing also serves as entertainment. Fans are used as props, complimenting brightly-colored costumes for an eye-catching spectacle of movement. Chinese fan dancing also serves as exercise, as well as an exercise in discipline for its participants.

Like many other forms of dance, the choreography that comes along with fan dancing requires physical fitness and the ability to memorize routines. Being responsible enough to attend regular rehearsals and performances is another form of personal discipline.

History
The origins of the fan dance are rooted in the Han Dynasty, which dates to around 200 AD. The Han Dynasty was the first to value and preserve the arts, which is probably why fan dancing endures today.

The routines were easy at first, but then the teacher kept adding more steps! It was hard to memorise them all, but I really enjoyed it!
Suada Cacaj

I didn't expect the dancing to be so tiring. I kept thinking that we were going to get a rest, but the teacher said we had to keep going if we wanted to learn all the moves. My favourite was 'The Peacock'!
Kaine Painter

Attendance:

KS1& EYFS: Cedar 98.7%
KS2: Sequoia 97.8%
Overall: 95.7%

Congratulations to Cedar class who have finished at the top of the league this week.

Fact Hunters: School Boy Designs Space Badge

Suada found out a very impressive fact/story this week!

Did you know that, in partnership with ESA and the UK Space Agency, the BBC’s Blue Peter programme asked schoolchildren to design a mission patch for Tim Peake (British astronaut) and received more than 3000 entries.

The winning entry is by 13-year-old Troy, who explains:

Principia refers to Isaac Newton’s principal laws of gravity and motion so I drew an apple because that is how he discovered gravity... plus Tim Peake is promoting healthy eating as part of his mission and apples are healthy.

Fittingly, a stylised Space Station glints in the apple. The Soyuz rocket taking Tim into space flies over the UK as the colours of the Union Flag run along the border.

Read more here

Sharing Assembly - KS1 & KS2 Choir

At Wednesday's Sharing Assembly we were treated to a performance of the latest Young Voices medley by our KS2 Choir. Although they have only had four sessions with Mrs Nicholls they are well on their way to learning a very complicated piece. Not only are there several songs in just the one medley, the pupils also have to master the dance moves!

All of this is building towards their Young Voices performance in January.

KS1 have learnt the Wiggle Waggle song. A great tune, full of energy for what was a wet and dull Wednesday morning. They might be small in height, but their voices as very large indeed!

Cycling Day: Redbridge Cycle Centre

As part of our Broadford Cycling Curriculum, we took our Year 5&6 pupils to the Redbridge Cycle Centre to further develop their skills. Once they have achieved Bikeability Level 2, we believe it is important that the children get the chance to use the skills they have learnt and apply them in increasingly challenging situations.

The Redbridge track is a 2km long circuit, which requires the children to be competent at using their gears and brakes on very tough gradients. Once they have explored the course, they then have to complete some challenges which test their balance and control of the bike when it is moving slowly.

Finally there is the chance to finish with a time trial event to see who can set the fastest time for a section of the course!

I was really confident that I would find this easy, as I coped well with the Bikeability. However the slopes were sooooooo steep! When I first tried to cycle down one I got off and walked my bike as I was very nervous. After Mr Drakes gave me some encouragement I tried again and made it... without falling off. 
Sophie Adams

Cycling with just one hand on the handle bars was tough. I always thought that going fast was the main challenge, but it is so hard to control the bike when it is hardly moving. It really helped me improve and focus on my balance.
Holly Clark

When it came to the time trial I was really excited. It meant we had to be really fit as you couldn't stop pedaling for a second if you wanted to get a good time. Because we had practiced our use of gears, I was able to keep going up the slope and not loose any time.
Mason Lepley

KS1 Outdoor Learning

We believe that the outdoor environment is a vital resource in propelling the pupils' learning forward. To ensure that it is of an equal high quality to what the children experience inside we are constantly looking for ways to improve and invest. 

The latest installation is designed to support practical maths activities and creative play for pupils in Y1 & Y2. It also provides more space for outdoor writing and recording. 

Keep Children Safe Online

In Year 6 the pupils have been looking at how to promote E Safety. On their recent trip to the Sky Academy they had the chance to create a News Special on how to avoid being bullied online.

The children were horrified to find out some disturbing facts about online bullying:

• Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 has had it happen more than once.
• 70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online. 
• Over 80% of teens use a mobile phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyber bullying.
• 68% of teens agree that cyber bullying is a serious problem.
• 81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.

What top tips were there?
Jack - only add people you know to your social network
Ella Mae - check privacy settings. If they aren't right, anyone can see your posts and photos
Melissa - think about what photos you post as your future employer may not find them funny!
Simona - don't give out key details: address, telephone number or email. You can't be sure who you are speaking to unless you have met them in real life.
Mason - one quick check is to say... would you show that post or photo to your mum? If not then it probably isn't suitable to put online
Samson - don't retaliate. If someone is unkind or rude report it!
Kyle - CEOP is an organisation that helps you stay safe online. Look out for their logo.
Charlotte - if you feel scared of worries about content use the Report Abuse button

Please have a look at the leaflets below for some more tips and advice:

Sharing Assembly - Dance & Cheerleaders

Last Wednesday we saw two very energetic dance performances from our KS2 & KS1 dancers. First we had those from KS1 who produced a display full of bouncing, twirling and twisting.

After that we had a Halloween extravaganza as the Cheerleaders performed their routine to Thriller. With a dramatic entrance, great costumes and awesome dance moves they really lit up the hall! Emmanuel, our BGT Winner 2014, made a guest appearance to lead the show with his dazzling moves.

I was so proud of the children. They have had to learn the moves in a very short time and we have worked hard on their 'performance' of the dance. You can't just do the moves... you've got to try and terrify the audience!
Miss Munday

Sky Academy Trip Y6

Our Year 6 pupils recently had the amazing opportunity to visit the Sky Academy studios. The trip allowed them to research, plan, develop and conduct an in depth report on cyper bullying and how it can be prevented.

When the pupils arrived they had a talk from the Studio manager about the different jobs and careers that Sky offered and that you need in order to put a news programme together. Our pupils had to reflect on their skills and then decide which media role they would take on to help deliver their team's news report.
Miss Reynolds - Y5&6 Leader

Once the pupils were in their groups they were taken on a tour of the studios to see what it is like to work in television.

It was incredible to see all the technology. With Miss Porter we get to work on our digital leadership skills. My experience of using the iPads for presentations would be perfect for working in the studio. Some of their cameras are worth £150,000!
Isaac Stevens

It was then a case of getting down to work to complete the final news reports which had to feature: a studio presenter, a report from a location, interviews with the public, a debate and some top tips!

Getting all of the different elements together in time for the deadline was really tough. Now I know what it feels like to have the editor breathing down your neck as he needs the finished VT for the 5pm deadline! It is a good thing that we have worked on our reciprocity muscles in school.
Saffron Egan

What top tips were there?
Jack - only add people you know to your social network
Ella Mae - check privacy settings. If they aren't right, anyone can see your posts and photos
Melissa - think about what photos you post as your future employer may not find them funny!
Simona - don't give out key details: address, telephone number or email. You can't be sure who you are speaking to unless you have met them in real life.
Mason - one quick check is to say... would you show that post or photo to your mum? If not then it probably isn't suitable to put online
Samson - don't retaliate. If someone is unkind or rude report it!
Kyle - CEOP is an organisation that helps you stay safe online. Look out for their logo.
Charlotte - if you feel scared of worries about content use the Report Abuse button

Thank you to Sky Academy for a very inspiring and informative day!

Team GB Volleyball Visit

On Monday 19th October we were delighted to welcome Team GB athlete Rachel Laybourne who came to talk to our pupils about her career as a professional athlete and representing Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics.

Following her inspirational assembly Rachel then went outside to provide a coaching session on our beach volleyball pitch. Pupils from Year 5&6 had the chance to work with Rachel on developing their serve and return skills before taking part in a game with the Team GB star.

Our Volleyball ambassadors - who recently attended the London Legacy Volleyball Cup - interviewed Rachel about her career and how she came to be involved in volleyball:

Endurance: What has been the toughest moment in your career?
Rachel: Without a doubt the hardest time was when we were told that our funding for the London Olympics was being withdrawn. We were all so excited about the chance to represent our country at a home Olympics that we didn't want to give up. We all took part in sponsored activities to ensure we raised enough money to carry on training and playing. Walking out at the Olympics was the proudest moment of my career.

Ruby: What is a typical day like for you?
Rachel: I'm not competing anymore now. When I was playing professionally it was a very long day. First you had to be in the gym for 7am so that you could complete a 2hr weights session. Then we would be on the court to practice our skills for an hour. Then we could go and do our studies (if we were at University) or go to work. In the evening we'd have to be back in the gym and on the courts for another 3 hours. It was like that six days a week. But if you want to compete with the very best that is what you have to do.

Tahani: What are the benefits of playing your sport?
Rachel: One of the best perks is the travel. I have been all over the world to play volleyball. In fact I had the chance to go to school in Sweden so that I could train with some amazing athletes. It did mean that I had to move away from my friends and family and I didn't speak the language. At first it was hard... and very cold but I became a much better player and met some great people.

Evan: What would your top tips be for me if I wanted to be a professional sportsman?
Rachel: You need to be prepared to work very hard every day. My training involved 6 hours a day 6 days a week. You also need to be good at building relationships with your team mates - you won't get very far without them. Handling pressure is also tough. In one of our Olympic matches the start of the game was delayed by 2 hours as the match before over ran. How well do you handle the wait? How well do you cope with being watched by 5,000 fans?

We were very grateful for the time Rachel gave us and the way it has inspired even more interest in volleyball at the school. Our school is the only one in Havering to have a full size beach volleyball pitch for the pupils to use... and now it is likely to be very crowded indeed!

Sophia's Ju Jitsu Award

We are very proud of Sophia, who has managed to achieve her Yellow Award in Jujitsu! For this certificate she had to demonstrate several different stances.

PwC Actuary Visits Y5&6

Year 5&6 pupils had a fantastic opportunity to meet an actuary from Price Waterhouse Coopers. We believe that it is vital for the pupils to hear from professionals in order to inspire them to aim for great careers for themselves and see the purpose in their everyday maths and literacy lessons.

Graham Oswald has been an actuary with Price Waterhouse Coopers for over 12 years and now leads a team of professionals who work in the insurance and reinsurance industry.

What is an actuary?
Actuaries manage risk. They work for companies in a range of fields, but especially in insurance and pensions, analyzing the potential for undesirable events to occur and helping to plan for (or avoid) those events. Actuaries are key players in management teams that help businesses plan for the future.

It was explained to be like the probability in our maths lessons. The more likely that an event is to occur, the more expensive the risk. You also have to create a good plan in case that event happens. If you have too many likely risks then your business may well fail!
Endurance Hartford

Do they have to use our learning behaviours?
Graham explained to our pupils that the 4Rs are very important in his line of work:
We have to use resilience, as deals can take a very long time to complete. If you gave up then you wouldn't achieve very much. Reciprocity is vital. Our company is huge. There are over 4,000 employees in just the London office where I am based. We also have to work with clients - many of whom are overseas. It is vital that we listen to our clients and the team so that we achieve the best results we can.

Pupil Feedback
I could see that maths is a vital skill for the work that Graham does. It sounded quite exciting having to manage risk and help companies. Now I can see why we have to understand about probability and how I can use that skill!
Sophie Lewis - Year 5

Graham made being an actuary sound fun. I'd love to be able to lead a team and travel to foreign countries as part of my job. I will have to concentrate in class though as he had to get GCSEs, A Levels and a degree! It took him a long time to achieve his current position
Isaac Stevens

What was the impact of the visit?
100% of those who took part had a better understanding of how maths can be used in a career
100% felt able to explain what an actuary does for a living
100% recognised that Higher Education is vital to achieve access to professional careers

We were delighted that Graham was able to give up some of his time, in what is a very busy diary. By coming out and speaking to our pupils, they have left the session inspired to work even harder in their maths lessons. We believe that it is vital to expose our most able pupils to careers they may never have considered, or heard of, so that they have a renewed sense of purpose in their studies and an aspirational target for where they want to get to.
Mr Drakes - Headteacher

Mud Kitchen in EYFS

We believe that the mud kitchen and natural play areas are vital in providing a high quality outdoor environment which has a range of sensory experiences. 

Contact with soil is actually beneficial as the bacteria in it help to build healthily functioning immune systems in young children and research also suggests that this contact produces serotonin in the body which makes us feel happy! 

It is a space where the children have a great opportunity to use their imagination: making potions, measuring and pouring. 

Year 1 Learning Superheroes

In Year 1 the pupils have been looking at their learning muscles and how they can use them to become Learning Superheroes! It has also been a great way to look at the work of Seurat and his technique for dot paintings.

I have been learning about reciprocity! It means that you have to be a good talk partner in Read Write Inc. I need to listen to my partner and help them with their sounds.
Bobby Peek

Chris Powling Author Visit

Last week our KS2 Spinebreakers were very excited to have the chance to meet the author Chris Powling. He had come to visit Broadford to talk about his work as an author and share some of the many books he has written.

First he led an assembly with KS2 where he showed his books and spoke of how he gets his ideas. It was very interesting to hear about the drafting process and how he has to reflect on his writing to find ways to improve it.

Our Spinebreakers then had an interview with him where they found out lots of facts and information: he  was born in 1943; he lives in South London; he has taught at all levels in the state school system (from infants to postgraduates) and for ten years was headteacher of a London primary school!

Mya
Do you just write books, or does your job involve other work?

Chris
Throughout my career, I have been lucky enough to have a rich and diverse involvement with children's books. I've been a critic for national journals and newspapers as well as a broadcaster for the BBC and various independent radio stations.

We believe that the opportunity to meet real authors, whom the children have experienced is a fantastic way of further inspiring their interest in and love of reading. It has seen the results at our school progress from the bottom 10% in 2010 to the top 1% for the last 3 years running! 
Mr Drakes - Headteacher

New Dinner Menu

Please find a copy of the new school dinner menu below. This new menu starts after the half term holiday. A copy has also been sent home with the pupils.