Year 6 students and their staff are currently working hard to ensure that they are well prepared for the end of KS2 tests.  The KS2 tests will take place in the week beginning 13th May 2019. The tests will take place as follows:

Monday 13h May: Spelling, punctuation and grammar test

Tuesday 14th May: Reading test

Wednesday 15th May: Maths arithmetic test and maths reasoning test 1

Thursday 16th May: Maths reasoning test 2

Over the year we have worked in class using the following websites which can be accessed from home. In the coming weeks we will be using them to reinforce learning and it would help all children greatly to do some work using the following resources at home.

https://sites.google.com/a/nms.cheviotlt.co.uk/english/year-6

https://sites.google.com/a/nms.cheviotlt.co.uk/maths/year-6

The above links take you to our school pages where you will find links, papers and video clips explaining concepts and ideas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/ – English and maths

English:

https://www.spag.com/ – totally free site to which all children have a username and login – they can choose what they need to practise

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/literacy/

https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/interactive

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/7-11-years/spelling-and-grammar

http://www.educationquizzes.com/ks2/english/

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/search.aspx?q=spelling

http://spellingframe.co.uk/ – a fantastic free site we have been using in school that really helps improve spelling.

Maths:

https://sites.google.com/a/nms.cheviotlt.co.uk/maths/

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/maths/

http://www.transum.org/software/tablesmaster/

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GHAHfdyq6QjQPUfoDOqd6oMfVJRUbgeH/view

This link is particularly useful and can be accessed here or from the year 6 maths page.  It has work that has been broken up into the different topics with links to youtube – if you or your child are unsure of how to complete a task you can have it explained.

Past Papers

These can be accessed via the internet for free.

We will also be using past papers in class and they will bring them home, building up a bank of resources that they can use at any time.

Short, sharp and sustained revision at home will help to reinforce learning taking place in school.  We will use time in lessons to do this ourselves but are also using afternoon registration time and focused intervention sessions to assist any child who needs a little more help.  There are also three after school maths booster sessions taking place (Monday,Tuesday and Thursday) which children are welcome to attend if they wish to.

How much time should I spend on revision?

Research has shown that short, sustained sessions are the most effective.  

Children should spend about 20 minutes doing revision / practice and then take a break.  It is also more effective if when revising you are active – answering questions or talking about what you are doing.  Making mind maps/concept maps to see the links between topics. Completing past papers and using the mark scheme to correct mistakes or clear up misconceptions are the best way forward.

If you, or your child, are unsure of any aspect in maths for example, you can use the video links on the maths page on the school website to be talked through how to do tasks (the school homepage, maths folder has video links with explanations.)

Any support at home would be most welcome and we hope that the resources listed will be of help with this.  

If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact either Mrs Perkins, Mrs Richardson or Mrs Sampson at school, we are only too happy to offer any assistance or advice.

Mrs Perkins (DLT Year 6)

Mrs Sampson (CL English)

Mrs Richardson (CL Mathematics)

Open Day, Morpeth Castle, Saturday 27th to Sunday 28th April 2019 – 10.00 am – 4.00 pm.

Morpeth Gathering 26th – 28th April 2019.

Please click here for further information.

Chantry and Newminster ensembles are performing in a Musical Ensemble Evening on Tuesday 2^nd April at 6.00 pm in Chantry School Hall to showcase the wonderful musicians we have here in Morpeth.

There will be performances from the joint middle schools Jazz Band, Ceilidh Band, Steel Pan Bands, Percussion, Guitar, Pipe and Vocal Ensembles.

Tickets for this event can be purchased at the door on the night and will be priced at £3.00 for children and £4.00 for adults.

Refreshments will be on sale during the interval.

Students performing in this concert will need to be at Chantry Middle School on Tuesday 2^nd April 5.30 pm, wearing full school uniform and in time to tune their instruments.

Please note ALL steel pans, ceilidh band, jazz band, percussion ensemble, guitarists, vocalists, brass players, pipers and drummers are involved in this event

The school has a small wildlife garden on the edge of our school site. The staff and students have worked hard to clear and begin to restore the site, but there is more that we would like to do. We would like to restore the pond, install a small-scale water feature to attract birds, bugs and all sorts of other wildlife to keep the garden thriving. The garden needs new fencing to replace the current wildlife garden boundary, as well as fencing around the pond to ensure the site is safe and secure for all students. Finally, we would love to add a shade sail so that the newly created seating areas can be used for outdoor learning opportunities, regardless of the weather!

Newminster believes that children’s learning goes beyond the classroom. One way of doing this is through our wildlife garden; an inspiring outdoor learning experience for all the children of Newminster. Our aim is that the garden becomes more than just a learning resource; we would like to integrate it into as many learning opportunities as possible – from natures studies and science activities to providing an inspiring resource to help develop writing skills. All children will access the wildlife garden during their time at Newminster and in doing so will be encouraged to develop their responsibility, independence and resilience.

Through the garden we hope to develop a hub for outdoor learning that can be used in all subjects for every student to experience. Overall, studies of outdoor learning consistently show positive benefits on academic learning. On average, pupils who participate in outdoor learning regularly make approximately four additional months’ progress (as evidenced by the Education Endowment Fund). There is also evidence of an impact on non-cognitive outcomes such as self-confidence, collaboration, practical problem-solving, explicit reflection and discussion of thinking and emotion. With the growing emphasis from the government on educating children on how to look after their own mental wellbeing and also to recognise when their classmates might be struggling, we feel that a fully functioning wildlife area will cover why simple self-care, such as spending time outdoors and with friends, is important.

The more support we have, the better chance we have of being successful with our fundraising and ultimately having a wildlife garden that can be fully restored and used by all of our students. Our outdoor learning projects are very special to us and already the current Year 6 cohort has been instrumental in the creation of seating areas and the general upkeep of the wildlife garden. However, we are now at the point where the garden needs investment to ensure the longevity and safety of the site for the current and future students.

Please do donate, but if you can’t donate right now you can help us in other ways! Share this project with anyone you think would support us. Share the link at the top of the page on Twitter, Facebook, email, your website, blog, mention us in a phone call or even just a chat over the fence! Please support us and help make a difference to our students.

We have set up a crowdfunding page where you can pledge your support:
www.rocket.fund/p/newminsterwildlifegarden/

Please ‘dig deep’ and help our garden grow!

Red Nose Day Super School award winning students once again performed for Comic Relief! The sponsored sing performance of ‘Africa’ by Morpeth’s Newminster and Chantry Middle Schools Rock Choir and Tiako drummers took place on the school field on Thursday, 14th March 2019 at 11.15am.

 It was the biggest and best Comic Relief event held by the schools with over 1200 students performing Toto’s ‘Africa’ together on the school field. Over the past few weeks, students and staff had been busy planning, practising and perfecting their song with the pupils not only singing, but creating the sound of a storm using body percussion!

Red Nose Day 2019 was fun packed with the whole Morpeth middle school community coming together to form the Rock Choir to help Comic Relief. Fundraising efforts both on the day, sales of red noses and through sponsorship will help people living incredibly tough lives, both here in the UK and Africa.

 Charlotte Jones, Curriculum Leader of Creative Arts at Chantry & Newminster Middle Schools, who is helping to organise the school’s Red Nose Day 2017 fundraising events, said: ‘We were even prepared for the rain but thankfully the sun shone on us and this was an absolutely fabulous day for everyone involved. Pupils loved performing and raising money for such a wonderful cause.’

The Head Teacher of Newminster Middle School Elizabeth Kinninment said: ‘Our joint Comic Relief choir was another great example of our two schools working together. The students have worked hard to rehearse for the event and this was evident in their great performance. Amazing work – we are really proud of you all!’ 

Head Teacher of Chantry Middle School, Bryan Stewart said: ‘A truly amazing event which highlighted the hard work of students and staff across both schools. The commitment, dedication and talent on show was a true insight into the values of the schools which also raised the profile and the importance of fundraising for Comic relief in our area.’

Simon Taylor, who is the CEO of ‘The Three Rivers Learning Trust’ said: ‘Wow! What an event and what an achievement.  Congratulations to you and all who supported you in putting this together.  A wonderful example of the two schools working together for the benefit of all, and a great cause!’

Their efforts were even filmed by the BBC and appeared on the evening Look North show on Thursday 12th March 2019.

Click here to view Look North show.

Just a reminder that our annual Book Fair is on now and will remain in school all week!

For every £1.00 we spend, 60p comes back to school for spending directly on our children to help promote a lifelong love of reading!

Take a look at the books on sale by visiting the Fair after school on Tuesday until 4:15 pm and check out the new specialist teenage case for our oldest students:

There is something for everyone!

Discount vouchers, which give your child 20% more book buying power at the Fair, can be purchased from

https://shop.scholastic.co.uk,

and the dedicated free helpline (office hours) is 0800 212281  

Have a quick peep now at the books that will be on offer – many at discounted prices!

Book character winners can choose a book prize (up to £7.99) from the Book Fair this week!

Together, we can make this Fair the best yet!