Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Generous Weston

  Fri 29 Oct 2021 Headteacher

  We are enjoying working with the YMCA as providers of our before and after school clubs. Knowing that funds raised by the clubs go to support vulnerable young people fits well with our values as a school and we are happy with the quality of care given to the children at the clubs.

  Our coach, Kane, is also building good relationships with the children during PE lessons and lunch breaks and is settling into our team well.

  Because we already have a link and know the value of the YMCA's work, we decided to support them this harvest and collected donations to make up packs for young people in urgent need of help. 

  The response was overwhelming and both we and the YMCA were absolutely delighted by the generosity that we witnessed from our families.

  Please see here for a letter of thanks and below for a picture of all the items donated taken when Catherine from the YMCA came to collect them.

  

• A fantastic Quentin Blake exhibition at Derby Museum and Art Gallery

  Tue 24 Aug 2021 Headteacher

  Hopefully the children have been reading lots over the summer.

  If you would like to see a really inspiring reading-related exhibition, Derby Museum and Art Gallery are hosting Quentin Blake and John Yeoman: 50 Years of Children's Books. 

  Quentin Blake is best known for illustrating Roald Dahl stories but this exhibition features some of his other work.

  It is totally joyful and has lots of activities for children. The event is free of charge and runs until October 3rd 2021. We will put some flyers in reception.

  

• Chance to participate in an art project

  Wed 21 Jul 2021 Headteacher

  The children in Kingfishers and Eagles worked with the Museum of Half Truths to make zines.

  They now have the opportunity to participate in an arts project if they wish:

  Museum of Half Truths need your help to build an archive of the small moments of joy that have kept us all going over the last year and a half. They want to document and celebrate these joys to build a full picture of our lives in times of Covid-19, and to create a valuable resource of our coping strategies that will be shared online and in an exhibition in Manchester in the summer of 2021.

  If you would be interested in taking part they would love you to share with them the memory, food, song, photo, routine or anything else that has brought joy. More information about the project and how to submit is available on their website.

  An Anthology of Joy- https://anthology-of-joy.co.uk/

   

   

   

• We have a school newspaper!

  Mon 14 Jun 2021 Headteacher

  Thanks to Liam, Abe, Chloe and Grace we now have a school newspaper.

  Our four intrepid reporters recently launched the first issue of 'The Weston Star'. They worked completely independently and have done a very good job.

  You can see issue 1 in school or by accessing the newsletters tab of the website. Sadly, the main feature is about Mr Finan, who recently left Premier Sport.

• Our Bicentenary Celebrations

  Fri 07 May 2021 Headteacher

  Our bicentenary celebrations were absolutely brilliant. Many pupils (and staff) dressed up and really looked the part. 

  The children had some old-fashioned lessons including rote learning and using pretend slates. The playground games were all traditional and our older children did lots of sewing.

  We even had an 1821 style lunch with boiled swede and cabbage. 

  We are sending letters to the residents of the village to see which are the oldest memories that we can collect and will share any that we get.

  The older children made zines (mini booklets) with Rachael and Polly from the Museum of Half Truths.

  The local media were very interested, and we had a film crew visit. We were featured on East Midlands Today, Central News and BBC Radio Derby. (Click on the names to see the reports).

   

   

  

• Our Blossom Tree

  Sun 18 Apr 2021 Headteacher

  On March 31st, as part of our outdoor Easter Collective Worship, we planted a blossom tree.

  This was to act as a symbol of hope and of new beginnings. It will flower at this time each year and act as a reminder to the children of the resilience shown during this last, very difficult year and of the fact that there is always hope for the future.

  

• World Book Day 2021

  Thu 04 Mar 2021

  We might not all be together today, but that doesn’t deter us from having an exciting World Book Day here at Weston.

  Here is just a snapshot of some of the fantastic activities going on today:

  • We have had live readings of a range of exciting books via Teams throughout the day.
  • Mrs Burns had the pleasure of delivering some mystery parcels to the Reception children for them to open throughout the day.
  • The classes have been creating reading rivers where they tell their reading history. This might be their life-long love of books and reading, or can be what reading they have done today since getting up.
  • We have again refreshed the library with even more exciting books and it is looking fantastic.
  • We’ve been turning toilet toll holders into fictional characters as well.

  

• Screen-free Friday.

  Wed 10 Feb 2021 Headteacher

  On Friday February 5th, as part of Children's Mental Health Week we agreed that every class would be set tasks and challenges that did not involve the use of screens.

  We recognise that excessive screen time is detrimental to children's mental health and wanted to do what we could to show the children alternatives to being on screens. We are also aware that increased screen time means a reduction in physical activity which is harmful to both physical and mental health.

  We know that many children are on screens for leisure, and with on-line learning in place as well this has lead to a great deal of screen time for some children.

  Not using their interactive white boards for the day was a challenge for the teachers as they had to think about other ways of sharing their resources with the children. Some children chose to continue the challenge at home as well as in school whilst others were initially horrified by the idea.

  By the end of the day, the consensus was that it had been an enjoyable day and that it had made both the adults and the children really use their imaginations.

  A big thank you to the parents at home for supporting the various activities undertaken by the children.

  Below are a selection of activities from the day.

   

  

• Jolabokaflod

  Fri 18 Dec 2020

  When I heard about the Icelandic tradition of a Jolabokaflod (book flood), I was really excited. It’s a lovely tradition which involves everyone receiving a book on Christmas Eve and then settling down with a drink of hot chocolate to read their new book.

  We decided to try a ‘book flood’ this year in the place of Christmas parties. We have been working really hard to instil a love of reading in the children and this seemed to be the perfect way to celebrate reading and a love of books.

  The children were genuinely excited to receive their books and it was fantastic to see them talking about their new books with their friends and then settling down to read.

  

• Taking Care of Our School.

  Mon 23 Nov 2020 Headteacher

  As part of our work on respecting our environment, we have given the children some responsibility for taking care of their lovely school and its grounds.

  We have a rota, see below, with each class looking after one area of school for the week. The rota and the need to care for our school are discussed in class and in collective worship.

  Since starting this initiative, there is a noticeable improvement, with less litter and a tidier library. The children are quite indignant if they see litter so it is making them think about how we treat our environment.