Year 3 Week 48 2012



Constructing Twirling Toys in D&T

A messy and sticky week in Year 3!
                     
The children enjoyed making their ‘Diwali sweets’ and were able to follow the recipe instructions carefully! This was a fun way of presenting part of our English unit on instruction texts.

In mathematics, we have been consolidating number work. We have also carried out assessments in reading and mathematics.

The children have been bringing in their fantastic board games and we hope to share and play these in class soon! Many thanks for all of your hard work!

Y3 Playing Their Own Board Games

Please could the children return their ukuleles to school? We hope to restart learning these instruments in the new year!

We look forward to meeting you next week at our Parent Interviews.

Year 6 Week 48 2012

Checking The Ingredients

 Year 6 have had another brilliant week. We have been investigating farming, food production and rationing during WWII. The children have researched wartime recipes and some of us made an egg-less cake.

Thank you to all of the children, parents and carers who have sent in their creative homework projects. They are fantastic! Certificates and feedback sheets will be awarded next week.

Any remaining creative homework projects should be handed in by Monday 03 December at the latest.

Homework this week: Miss Graham’s group should make a poster showing the different written methods they know how to use for +, -, x and ÷ calculations, including examples. Miss Barker’s group have data handling questions relating to pie charts. All maths homework is due in on Wednesday.

Watching A Film On WWII Farming Methods

Most children have returned their London trip questionnaire, Titch Theatre Euro and King’s Christmas Fair letters – thank you. Please could any remaining letters and/or money be sent in as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support, have a great weekend.

FS1 Week 48 2012

Playing Co-operatively With Friends

The children have enjoyed the first week of their “This is the bear and the scary night” topic. The role play area has been transformed, yet again, and it is now a park with a pond, where the bear is left. But, don’t worry, the bear is saved by a man with a trombone and, the next day, the little boy comes back to find his bear safe and sound.

Snack: Our snack next week will be beans on toast, waffles and apple compote, salad wraps, fruit kebabs and tuna/egg mayonnaise sandwiches.

Cold weather: There seems to be a winter nip in the air, so please make sure that you send a hat and gloves in for your child every day to wear. We like the children to have fresh air, even in the cold weather. All of the children have a tray in school, so you can leave a set of hats and gloves in school if you want to, to make sure there is always a set on hand.

Early leave planned? If you are planning to finish before Thursday 20 December, please let your child’s key worker know. We can then make sure that they take home all of the things they have made. Thank you.

Stay and Play: There will be nO Stay and Play on Friday 07 December, as the school Christmas Fayre will be on from 10am to 12 noon.

Christmas holiday: the school breaks up on Thursday 20 December at 12.30. This means that there will be no afternoon EDC on that day. The main school closes at 13.15hrs.
We are back to school on Tuesday 08 January, as Monday is a staff training day.

FOBS' Christmas Fayre: The Fayre will take place on Friday 07 December between 10am and 12 noon.

Whole school Christmas Performance: The Performance is on Thursday 13 December, starting at 10.10 in the School Hall. The FS1 children are involved. They will be coming in near the end of the event to sing their song and join in with the finale song. FS1 will be singing “The Rocking Carol”. We have attached the word to this week’s newsletter in case you want to practise them at home.

Monday 03 December: The FS1 Parent’s Meetings will take place between 1 and 3pm.

FS2 Week 48 2012

FS2 - 'Free' Fruit And Vegetables At Breaktime

A House for a Mouse: Thank you for all of the shoe boxes, and additional resources, that you have sent into school.

The children have thoroughly enjoyed creating their own “House for a Mouse”. Next week, each child will make a label to be displayed with their house.

Baking at School: Our FS2 children are all taking turns to join in with a baking activity on Friday afternoons. We would appreciate any outstanding baking contributions being sent to school next week. Thank you.

Parent/Teacher Meetings: We are looking forward to meeting you next week to discuss your child’s progress in FS2.

Year 2 Week 48 2012

Golden Time In Year 2

This week, in Literacy, the children have been working hard to punctuate direct speech correctly. We have also been investigating other interesting words for ‘said’.

The children have written some wonderful conversations between the characters from Julia Donaldson's books. We’re extremely proud of their writing this week!

In Numeracy this week, we have been doing lots of number work: finding the missing numbers and also partitioning hundreds, tens and units. The children have enjoyed this work.

Please do not forget that we have an award-winning theatre company coming to school on Tuesday 04 December. Please make sure that your child has brought €1 into school for this event.

We look forward to meeting you all at parents’ evening next week.

Year 1 Week 48 2012

Learning Through Play, On A Mufti Day!

In Literacy this week, the children in Mrs. Halstead’s class have been learning to use complete sentences that make sense and that are punctuated with a capital letter and a full stop.

In Miss Byron’s class, the children have been learning about Advent.

In Numeracy, the children have been learning to collect data about different toys and they have been recording this information in a variety of ways. Some of them have used lists, tables or graphs to help them to answer questions.

In ICT, the children have created their own personal Simpsons avatars, which they can use online and offline, instead of a photograph, to help them to stay safe.

The homework this week is related to Advent and can be found in the homework books.

Year 4 Week 48 2012

St. Andrew's Day Achievement Assembly

Happy St. Andrew’s Day.

Next week will see the beginning of Advent; a significant time for Christians. We will study the themes of ‘waiting’ and ‘preparation.’

This week, we have had end of term assessments for Maths and Reading.

Our Wedding celebration, which will be the climax of our term's work, is ‘thundering ahead.’ The boys have decided which music will play a part in our ceremony and another group has planned and edited their ideas for how to decorate the event! More details to follow.

In Mathematics, we have revised 2-D shape. We are extending this to making connections with 3-shape. We have been making links with shape vocabulary and its practical application.

With Mr Fidler, the replica of the Globe Theatre is coming on at a pace! The audience is in!

Miss Mead is continuing to work with both classes on the iPad app, called Book Creator. We hope the creative learning project is coming along well.

AWS First Aid Certificates

First Aid Certificate Giving

Our Year 4 children were awarded their First Aid Certificates today. The Army's Welfare Service delivered the life-saving training. Well done, everyone!

Fluorescent Jackets And Shiny Lights



The Latest Must-Wear Fashion



Sankt Nikolaus Story And Traditions



Shiny Shoes And Sweets - Possibly!

 Mrs. Lowe, our excellent German teacher, will be telling our younger children the story of Sankt Nikolaus next week and reminding our older children of the associated traditions too. 

We have an explanation of the story, so that parents and carers can be ready to celebrate the traditions with the rest of Germany on 05 and 06 December.

The festival of Christmas begins this weekend, with the first Sunday of Advent! We hope to see you at the Anglo German Carol Concert at 17:00 hrs on 09 December at the Nikolai Kirche in the Altstadt.

Avatar - The E-Safety Tool

Avatar 1

Today, our Year 1 and Year 2 children have been using the Simpsons Movie website to create avatars.

'In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user, or the user's alter ego, or character.' (Wikipedia, Nov 12).

Avatars can be used instead of photographs online to provide everyone, especially children, with additional security.

The children had to select physical attributes and various colours to create lifelike cartoon characters.

Avatar 2

How well did these children capture their likenesses, do you think?

Scientific Experiments With Chocolate

This week, Year 6 experimented with an important chemical mixture at this time of the year - chocolate.

Specifically, they experimented with the melting points of chocolate that contained differing amounts of cocoa.

Most of us do this sort of experimentation unscientifically at home, without the need for thermometers or water baths!

Check out Science Bob.

Christmas Fayre Tombola Mufti Day

We have a Mufti Day this Friday, 30 Nov, in readiness for the 8th FoBS' Christmas Fayre on Friday 07 December.

This Friday, our children may wear 'civilian clothing' but, to do so, we ask that they bring in a small, inexpensive, unused toy that can go into the Toy Tombola for the following week’s Fayre. The collection point for the Tombola Toys will be near the School Office.

Please make sure that your child(ren) wear clothes that are warm enough for playing outside at break time and lunch time in late November. We want everyone to be healthy in the run up to Christmas!

Parents and carers, please do have another look in your cellars and lofts this weekend and set aside all of your unwanted games, cuddly toys, compact disks (CDs), digital video disks (DVDs), books and general bric-a-brac. Please make sure that your bric-a-brac is in a saleable condition, without any pages or pieces missing. Then, simply drop off your goodies early next week at the School Office.

Have you thought about the cakes or biscuits that you might make for the Cake Stall, small or big? Remember, please, that we can only sell cakes and biscuits without nuts. We have some children who are allergic.

There will be a café for parents and carers on Friday 07 December, so please bring along a friend, or three, to enjoy the morning together.

Remember to make your original Christmas cards soon too! They should be no bigger than A4 paper size, with your child's full name and class clearly written on the card. The closing date for the Card Competition is Thursday 06 December. Simply send entries to your child's teacher. Of course, there will be prizes for the best cards.

We need volunteers for the Christmas Fayre on Friday 07 December, between 9am and 12.00 noon. It will be a very busy morning! If you are able to help, please complete and return the slip on the attached letter to the School Office and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Many thanks, Mrs. Durban and the FoBS Team.

FS1 In Education City



Intense Concentration

Our Foundation Stage 1 children visited the Babbage Computer Suite in Key Stage 1 today. They were too short for the chairs. And so they had to stand to operate the computers. Did that matter? Not a bit! Or was that a byte?


And A Whole Lot Of Fun In Education City

Martinschule Visit

Shared Artistic Tasks

 Our Year 6 children visited their good friends at the Martinschule in Bielefeld this morning.

Anglo-German cooperation resulted during a variety of joint tasks, some artistic, some sporting.

We thank our German friends for their splendid hospitality and we look forward to them visiting our school soon.

Year 3 Make Peppermint Creams

We have an excellent kitchen in school and many talented teaching assistants.

Year 3 made peppermint creams this morning, as part of Food Technology. The children used sugar, peppermint essence and a safe, green food dye.

Some of the peppermint creams survived the extensive quality assurance programme!

BB Rides Again!

By Quad Bike

Bielefeld Bear has sent us another despatch from the front line in Afghanistan.

This bear is certainly getting around, using a variety of vehicles!

By Armoured Fighting Vehicle

Year 6 Week 47 2012

Story Cubes - Ask Your Year 6 Pupil

This week, we have been planning stories with dilemmas. We have investigated complex sentence structures and character speech.

For homework this week, please could Miss Barker’s group complete the area and perimeter questions related to compound shapes. Miss Graham’s group are focusing on the short division method. Both sets of homework needs to be handed in by Wednesday.

On Monday morning, Year 6 will be visiting our friends at the Martin Schule. We will travel by bus and return in time for lunch. Your children may need to bring a drink and a small snack for mid-morning break, as there aren’t any food or drink facilities. Children should wear school uniform, as usual.

Please note the timetable alterations due to Y6 completing their swimming course. New timetables are stuck in the children’s planners. PE will now take place on Tuesday, as well as on Monday afternoons.

Thank you to all of the parents who have returned their Parents' Evening slips. We look forward to meeting you all. Have a wonderful weekend.

Year 5 Week 47 2012

3D Space Persons

We have had a very busy week in Year 5. Here is a picture of our 3D space men, and women, that we created with Mr. Fidler in Art.

We have also written our own diary extract from Kensuke’s Kingdom. The children have been using lots of 'wow words' and connectives to make their writing more interesting.

This week was the first swimming session and all of the children did really well. Please can you ensure that your child brings a healthy snack to eat before the session, as many children were hungry.

Some great homework has been brought into school this week. Don’t forget, the deadline is 16 December.

Have a lovely weekend.

Year 4 Week 47 2012

Reading, A Vitally Important Skill!

Another busy week in Year 4!

In Literacy, we have been continuing to work on ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ by discussing Persuasive Language. We have been trying to persuade Titania to give up her Indian boy to Oberon. We have also given Titania the right to reply!

Miss Mead’s class have been working on how to persuade Mrs. Harris to arrange a visit from the Globe Theatre.

We are now at the stage of planning our Wedding Celebration, which will be the climax of our term’s work. More to follow.

In Numeracy, we have been extending and consolidating our work on multiplication by looking at the inverse operation. We have studying the language of division, and division of 2, 3 digits numbers by 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10.

With Mr Fidler, the replica of the Globe Theatre is coming on at a pace! This week, the ‘thatch’ roofs have gone on! We hope the creative learning project is coming along.

Miss Mead is continuing to work with both classes on the iPad app. called Book Creator, as well as our iPods.

iPods in Year 4 (1)




iPods in Year 4 (2)

 

Year 2 Week 47 2012

Modelling Bielefeld

We have had another busy week this week, with the children finding out lots of amazing facts about the author Julia Donaldson in Literacy. We have also been reading some more of her fantastic stories.
In Numeracy, Mrs. Nyman’s class has been working hard with different measures, measuring time and length. Miss Cunningham’s class has been solving addition, subtraction and word problems using a hundred square. They have also been learning about fact families too!

Mrs. Nyman’s numeracy homework is a measuring activity (a piece of string can be found in the homework books). Miss Cunningham’s group need to complete the activity on the sheet.

Oxford Reading Tree books will be given to the children next week. These are part of our 'guided reading' but they will also be sent home for the children to read. Please return the books on the given day (usually one week later).

As Knights & Castles is this term’s topic, we will be hosting a medieval banquet in school in the last week of term. The children are able to dress up in medieval costumes or party clothes. If you would like to help, then please contact us.

FS1 Week 47 2012

Camping Under The Stars

The children have really enjoyed their “Camping Under The Stars” unit and have developed their explorer skills over the last two weeks.

Our next two-week unit is based around the story 'This Is The Bear And The Scary Night'. The children will have lots of opportunities to complete lots of bear tasks and be on the look out for bears in the bear cave! If your child has any favourite bear stories at home, which they would like to share with their friends, they are more than welcome to bring them in for us to read.

Snack: Next week will be cheese and crackers, fruit salad, rice pudding, cereals and vegetable sticks and dips.

Cold weather: There seems to definitely be a winter nip in the air, so please make sure that you send a hat and gloves in for your child every day to wear as we like them to have fresh air, even in the cold weather. All of the children have a tray in school, so you can leave a set of hats and gloves in school if you want to, to make sure there is always a set on hand.

Early leave planned?: If you are planning to finish before Thursday 20 December, when the school closes, please let your child’s key worker know. We can then make sure that they take home with them all of the things that they have made. Thank you.

Important dates: Christmas holiday, the FS1 Setting breaks up on Thursday 20th at 12.30hrs. This means that there will be no afternoon EDC on that day. The main school closes at 13.15hrs. We are back to school Tuesday 08 January, as Monday is a staff training day.

The FOBS' Christmas Fayre is on Friday 07 December between 10am and 12 noon. More information is available on this website. Simply search, or browse, for 'Christmas Fayre'.

School Christmas Lunch

Our School's Christmas Lunch will be on Wednesday 19 December. The investment necessary is a (strawberry) trifling €2.95; ho, ho, ho!

A vegetarian option, to the turkey and gammon main course, will be available.

Please return the permission slip, together with the exact money, in a secure envelope labelled with your child(ren)'s name(s) and class(es).

Returns are required by Friday 07 December, to allow us time to order in the sumptious food.

Year 1 Week 47 2012

Y1 Robot

This week, in Literacy, the children have been retelling the story about Lima and the red hot chilli. They have been using a story map to help them order the events of the story, to remember story book language and interesting adjectives to describe. Why not ask your child to tell you the story?

In Numeracy, we have been learning to name common 2d and 3d shapes. The children have also been finding out about their properties. Some of the children can talk about how many faces or edges a given shape has.

Mr. Fidler helped the children to make a robot this week. They had to listen to the instructions and then cut their shapes out very carefully.

Our topic for the next few weeks will focus on toys from long ago and toys that children play with now. For homework, the children will be asking parents for information about their favourite toys, or toys that they remember playing with. We hope that they will share this information with the class during next week.

This is just a quick reminder that the children go out to play each day, even if it is raining a little bit. Now that the weather is getting colder, it would be helpful if each child had a warm hat and some gloves to wear. Please name each item and we will encourage the children to put the hats and gloves in their trays when they are not using them. Thank you.

FS2 Week 47 2012

Three Mice In A House?

A House for a Mouse: Thank you for all of the shoe boxes that you have sent into school. Please do send in any more spare shoe boxes that you have. We still need them.

A plea for additional resources: Our children will be making furniture for their houses next week. Therefore, please also send into school with your child any of the following resources:

• Oddments of fabric.
• Small containers, e.g. cube-like boxes from stock cubes, smarty-like cylindrical boxes, small rectangular boxes from soap packaging, very small yoghurt pots.
• Corks.
• Anything that would fit inside a shoe box, to make furniture for a mouse.

Thank you. We appreciate your continued support very much!

New FS2 Setting, Taking Shape

Part of the new Foundation Stage 2 Setting

Those of you who know our old Music Room will recognise this space, probably. The space will form one of two large rooms in our new Foundation Stage 2 Setting in the New Year.

The building work is progressing well.

Former Caretakers' Office, Staff And Conference Rooms

Corridor, NB Music Room Wall Removal

Children In Need

We raised €290 for Children In Need! Well done, everyone.

Year 3 Week 47 2012

After The Spelling Test

All of our Year 3 children have worked very hard again this week and they have produced some splendid work!

In English, we have begun to look at the features of 'instruction texts'. We are also working well using our spelling logs, to help us with spellings and talking about different spelling strategies.

In Mathematics, the children have been looking at addition and subtraction.

Just a reminder that the hand–in date for the homework project is Friday, 30 November.

Have a good weekend!

Bielefeld Anglo-German Carol Service

ABC - Altstädt, Bratwurst and Carols

Traditionally, our Year 3 children have been involved in Bielefeld Station’s Anglo-German Carol Service, which is held in the Altstädter Nicolaikirche (Altstädter Kirchstraße 12A, Bielefeld (map)).

This year, the Service is at 17:00 hrs on Sunday 09 December and will include Year 4 children. The children in Year 3 who attend will be providing a tableau of the nativity scene or accompanying the tableau as part of a Year 3/4 choir.

This is a beautiful, festive service and a lovely event for your whole family to attend. The service plays a part in our children's multi cultural, multi faith religious education too.

For those of you who haven’t been in Bielefeld at Christmas before, the Christmas Market is on the doorstep of the church, and it is a great place to find something to eat and drink after the service.

Please complete and return the Year 3 or Year 4 permission slips, on the letters that were sent out today, by Monday 26 November.

When we know which children would like to take part, they will be involved in the up and coming rehearsals.

We look forward to joining lots of parents, carers and children - from all of our year groups - at the Anglo German Carol Service on Sunday the 9th of December!

Ofsted Inspection

Dear Parents and Carers,

Our Ofsted inspection is now over and we are all looking forward to receiving the completed Ofsted report in the next couple of weeks.

As a school, we could not have achieved all that we have so far without the support of the whole school community and, by that, I mean everyone connected with Bielefeld School, Bielefeld Station and Service Children’s Education.

Since I arrived in September 2011, I have been astounded by the level of commitment that our staff and parents have demonstrated towards our wonderful children. When the final report is published, we will post it immediately on the school website.

Thank you again,

Mark Westmoreland
Head Teacher

The Friends of Bielefeld School

Today, The Friends of Bielefeld School (FoBS) will meet at 15:15 hours in Foundation Stage 1.

If any parent or carer, with just a little spare time on their hands and an interest in raising some much-needed funds for our children, would like to become a Friend, then they will be made very welcome.

Our tireless Mrs. Durban is busily arranging the Christmas Fayre on Friday 07 December, in the School's Gym. Might you be able to help on, or before, this important date? If you can, bring a friend, or two, along to today's meeting!

Dates for your Diary

The week beginning 03 December 2012 will be our Parent Meeting Week. Parent meeting appointment slips will be going out on Tuesday 20 November, so please make a note of the dates and times in your diary. We look forward to seeing you.

Other important dates include the:

• School Christmas Fayre on Friday 07 December.
• Anglo-German Carol Concert on Sunday 09 December.
• Bielefeld School Christmas Performance, which will be a whole-school event, on Thursday 13 December at 1000 hrs.

Further details will follow on all of these events. In the meantime, please check our School Calendar at the foot of this page regularly for other events of interest.

Anti-Bullying Week

As you will see from our School Calendar, at the bottom of this page, it is Anti-Bullying Week.

Bielefeld School is strongly opposed to bullying and, during an assembly this week, we will highlight the issue and give advice on how to deal with its effects.

Parents and carers might like to read this BBC News article on bullying, which was released today, 19 November 2012.

SCE's German Learning Resources

Our older children already learn a modern foreign language at school with Mrs. Lowe, our German teacher.

The children can practise their skills at home with the aid of Service Children's Education's resources on the Internet. Simply go to the German section of SCE's virtual learning environment.

Don't forget that there are additional foreign language learning resources on Education City. Please let your child's teacher know, if their Education City login details are not pasted into the front of their Learning Journals. Thank you.

Year 5 Week 46 2012

SCE Netball Tournament At John Buchan School

Year 5 children have worked really hard this week on improving their writing, by using prepositions and time connectives. Here are some examples of the work they have produced:

Under the slippery, damp, dark deck, Stella Artois was curled up in the cabin below my bed. By Onalish Limbu

Until we arrived in Africa, I had no idea that this is where we were travelling to. By Jack Titley

We have been looking at number facts this week in Mathematics (in Miss Reed’s group). Please could all of the children practice their 3, 4, 5 and 6 times tables for their homework, as this is an area that we need to practice. Maths Challenge will be sent out again next Friday.

All of the children have been learning about Voyages and Exploration as their topic for this term. They have been given a homework project today, to complete over the next few weeks.

Have a lovely weekend.

PS Well done to the Year 5 and 6 pupils who took part in the Netball Tournament at John Buchan School on Thursday of this week! All of the children played fantastically well and won a number of games against local SCE schools. Despite the cold weather, the children’s spirits were high and they were extremely supportive of their peers. They were all brilliant team players and were well behaved at all times. We are so proud of how well they did that we have decided that the children can keep their tracksuits.

Year 3 Week 46 2012

Another busy and exciting week in Year 3!
      
We have continued our poetry theme in English and the children have proved to be budding poets!

In Maths, we have covered time and position and movement, as well as mental skills. Keep on learning those Times Tables at home! We have had good feedback about the creative homework project and hope that you are enjoying making your board games together. If you need any resources or further help please do not hesitate to contact us!

Have a restful and enjoyable weekend.

Year 2 Week 46 2012

Room On The Broom

Well, what a week!

The children have been busy working extremely hard and we’re very proud of them! They have also had fun dressing up and raising money for our Pudsey day.

In Literacy, we have been learning about stories by the same author and our focus has been Julia Donaldson. The children have met Tabby McTat and the witch from Room on the Broom and they have had the opportunity to ask them lots of questions.

In Numeracy this week, we have been solving addition problems using a blank number line and also solving subtraction problems using objects and number lines. The children have tried really hard with this tricky work!

Please do not forget that all children need to bring in their PE kits, as we have PE twice a week. Also, please ensure that your child is reading at least 5 times per week. Thank you.

Year 1 Week 46 2012

Another busy week has flown by!


A 'Chilli, Yes Please' face?

The children have enjoyed reading the story about Lima’s red hot chilli and they have all written some excellent descriptions about the food that Lima tried. Today, we opened the coconut, so that we could see what it was like inside.

In Art, Mr Fidler helped the children to draw facial expressions that show different emotions. In Science, the children went for a listening walk and tried to make different sounds by using a range of materials and instruments that they found.

During Maths, the children have been learning to add by counting on using a number line. Some of them discovered that it is easier to put the biggest number first.

This week, for homework, we are asking the children to do some weekend reading. We would like them to share a favourite story with an adult. Next week, we will be asking the children to tell us about which stories they like and why.

FS2 Week 46 2012

Fine Motor Skills Outside - in November!

Next week we are sharing the books “A Dark, Dark, Tale” and “On A Dark Dark Night”.

We have planned for the children to make a House for a Mouse the following week.

Each child will need a shoe box (or similar) to make their house, please. If you have access to more than one shoe box, we would appreciate as many as possible.

Thank you for all the baking contributions you have sent to school this week. Please send any outstanding forms and money as soon as possible.

As you know, all FS2 children learn in our Outside Area every day. Please ensure that your child brings a warm hat, gloves etc. to school every day.

FS1 Week 46 2012

Plasticine

The children have had a really fun-packed week being explorers and collecting points to complete their Explorer Licences. They have had to explore all areas of the Setting and complete different tasks to become “real” explorers.

Pudsey Pyjama Day was a real success and the children enjoyed activities with Pudsey and wearing their pyjamas. The children enjoyed decorating the Pudsey biscuits; thank you to Mrs. Durban for making them for us, they were delicious.

Snack next week will be sponge tarts, vanilla pudding and fresh fruit, spaghetti on toast, porridge, Angel Delight and continental breakfast with fresh fruit juice. It is fabulous to see the children becoming really independent. They even help us to sweep the floor and wipe the tables when we have finished.

We still need yoghurt pots and empty kitchen roll tubes, to help us during our light and dark work. Please send them in over the next few days, if you can. The children’s fun depends on it. Thank you.

There seems to definitely be a winter nip in the air. So, please make sure that you send a hat and gloves in for your child to wear every day. We like the children to have fresh air, even in the cold weather. All of the children have a tray in school, so you can leave a set of hats and gloves in school if you want to, to make sure there is always a set on hand.

Christmas holiday - school breaks up on Thursday 20 December at 12.30pm. This means that there will be no afternoon EDC on that day. The main school closes at 13.15pm. We are back to school on Tuesday 08 January, as Monday is a staff training day. FOBS' Christmas Fayre is on Friday 07 December from 10 am to 12 noon in the School Gym, more information to follow.

PowerPoint Polish

Adding Text To PowerPoint

This afternoon, Year 2 added some polish to their already powerful presentations, by including photographs and text about Sparrenburg Castle and the Tier Park.

The children's presentations form part of Year 2's ongoing project about tourism in Bielefeld.

Children In Need

Pudsey Bear

This is a quick reminder that, on Friday 16 November, tomorrow, we will be having a Mufti Day at school, to raise funds for Children in Need.

If children bring in a €1 donation, then it will be collected by our Year 6 children during the day.

Children might like to wear something white with coloured spots. A simple 'bandage' would do!

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

Fun Maths In Our Lower School



Counting Magic Numbers!

Here, we see two of our children from Foundation Stage 2 showing Sid (the puppet) how to do some 'magic' with numbers.

They place a number of small, plastic teddy bears under the blue and white magician's cups, move the cups about, wave their wands, uncover the bears and count the totals.


Writing Numbers With Small Whiteboards And Pens

Meanwhile, up in Year 1, the children are using small whiteboards and wipeable marker pens to practise writing numbers. You can sense the pride of this young man, who has just written the numbers up to 8!


Year 4 Get To Grips With iPads

iPads In Year 4

This afternoon, Year 4 broke out the iPads again, to be creative with content about Shakespeare.

Here, two of our pupils get started with the absorbing software.

Notice how the girls are sharing their ideas on how to get the best out of the applications that are available.

We remain aware of the need to limit children's exposure to all types of electronic visual display and particularly so amongst children below the age of three years.

Bielefeld School's Library



Bielefeld School's Most Excellent Library



Did you know that our older children are allocated Library Times, by class, each week?

Often, the children will use our Library outside of these times too, to research projects or exchange favourite reading books.

Our books and children are recorded on a special library database and older children are able to 'book' books in and out, using a barcode reader system.

We thank our splendid Librarian for all of her hard work in advising the children about suitable books, mounting displays that encourage reading and performing all of the 'house keeping' necessary to keep such a large and vibrant library functioning well.

Year 5 Sound Science



The Planning Phase

This morning, Year 5 experimented with a few theories of their own, about which material would make better ear defenders: foam or bubble wrap.

A brisk planning phase, led to the production and prototype testing phases.



Post-Production Fitting Phase



Year 5 enjoyed some: Sound Science with a smile, good-natured debate and examples of functional, if not fashionable, head gear!

Anti-Bullying Week

Next week is Anti-Bullying Week. 

This year's theme is We're better without bullying and there will be a special Assembly. 

In the meantime, parents and carers can read more about the Anti-Bullying Alliance online.

Ofsted Inspection - Bielefeld School

Last Friday, Ofsted announced that its inspectors will inspect Bielefeld School between Tue 13 Nov and Thu 15 Nov 2012. Schooling will proceed as normal during the inspection period.

We encourage all parents and carers to give their views on Bielefeld School, anonymously, via Ofsted's Parent View website. As always, the views of parents and carers are important to us and the views expressed online will be taken into account by the inspectors, during the inspection.

Ofsted's multiple choice questions are quick and simple to answer and the school is unable to tell who gave which answers. 

The questions include: 1. My child is happy at this school, 2. My child feels safe at this school, 3. My child makes good progress at this school, 4. My child is well looked after at this school, 5. My child is taught well at this school, 6. My child receives appropriate homework for their age, 7. This school makes sure its pupils are well behaved, 8. This school deals effectively with bullying, 9. This school is well led and managed, 10. This school responds well to any concerns I raise, 11. I receive valuable information from the school about my child’s progress and 12. Would you recommend this school to another parent?

Please do encourage at least 3 other parents or carers of children at Bielefeld School, who may not have read this 'post', to enter their views on the Parent View website, ideally before Wed 14 Nov. 

We sent out a mobile phone 'Group Call' on Monday, to ask parents who may not have seen this post to give their views of the school online.

We would like to thank the many parents and carers who have already expressed their views on our school online. Have you had your say yet?

Netball At John Buchan School

This Thurday, our netball team will play in a tournament at John Buchan School.

A few parents/carers, of the carefully selected team members, have yet to return their permission slips.

Please download the original letter, print the permission slip, complete the slip and return it to school - ideally tomorrow,  Tuesday 13 Nov. Thank you.

Pudsey Mufti Day

Pudsey Bear

It's time to think of others who are less fortunate than ourselves again. This Friday, the 16 November, is Children in Need Day. 

Our Early Years and Primary children may wear mufti for the day, for a donation as little as €1. 

Please try to wear something white with coloured spots, like Pudsey's bandage, if you can.

Our Foundation Stage 1 children, parents and carers have a Pyjama Day planned!

Code And Computer Graphics Club



Programming In HTML



Designing A 3D Character

Our Code Club and Computer Graphics Club resumed today.

We thank Mrs. Carroll and Mr. Fidler for contributing their Wednesday lunchtimes to teach computer programming and graphic design skills. These skills will be in demand in the economy when our children leave school.

The 'coders' are learning how to use Notepad++. Some of them have already been introduced to Scratch in their class ICT lessons.

The graphics artists are using the Paint.net software and they will soon have access to Wacom Bamboo tablet and pen input devices.

All of this software is free to download at home, for your children to use, if you use the Windows operating system. Go on! Anyone can code. 

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