RAIN BEFORE RAINBOWS

WORLD BOOK DAY 2023 🌈

What an amazing World Book Day we have had. Everyone came to school dressed in bright, bold rainbow colours.
 

All of our learning has been focused on a beautiful book called Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Halls and illustrated by David Litchfield. We have been exploring the language, colours, images and messages in the story. 

Children have been using drama; making movies; producing art work and reciting the story in English, French and British Sign Language. 

Have a go at learning the story in British sign language by clicking the green link below! ☔️ 🌈 

Click here: Learn BSL with Leanne. 

Parent questionnaire 

Thank you to parents who completed the Reading at Fairfield Road Primary School questionnaire. Here are the results:

1. My child enjoys reading.

Strongly agree 70%; Agree 20%; Neither agree nor disagree 5%; Disagree 5%

What next?

We will promote a love of reading by: planning interesting guided reading sessions; restocking class libraries with fun, engaging and relevant reading material; celebrating World Book Day; hosting the Scholastics Book Fair; having dedicated story time for all children and using Bug Club to make reading more interactive. 

2. My child is a confident reader.

Strongly agree 90%; Agree 10%

Thank you to parents for reading daily with your child-this undoubtedly helps them to become confident, fluent readers.

What next?

We will continue to help children to become confident readers by: planning interesting guided reading sessions; encouraging children to read aloud using expression and verve; planning drama sessions within English lessons; listening to our pupils read and rewarding them we verbal praise and Dojos; checking reading records to ensure home reading takes place. 

3. I know how to support my child with reading.

Strongly agree: 71%, Agree 24% , Disagree 5% 

What next?

We encourage parents to click on the 'Parent Page' of the Reading at Fairfield Road section of the school websites for videos, top tips and resources on ways to help their children to read and on ways to promote reading for pleasure. This area of the website is updated lots throughout each term.

4. There is lots of supportive information, news and advice about reading on the school website.

Strongly agree 33%; Agree 43%; Neither agree nor disagree 24%.

What next?

We will continue to update the Reading at Fairfield section of the website 2022-2023 to ensure teachers, parents and pupils have access to supportive information; interesting news and good advice. 

For latest news: click here

For advice: click here

For year group information: click here 

5. There is lots of supportive information, news and advice about reading shared on Dojo.

Strongly agree 38%; Agree 52%; Neither agree nor disagree 5%, Disagree 5%.

What next?

We will continue to update Dojo pages with news and information about reading events; reading challenges; the book fair, World Book Day, events in the community and at the library as often as possible. We will always share links to the school websites and other helpful sites. 

6. Teachers make home reading expectations clear. 

Strongly agree 57%; Agree 38%; Disagree 5%

What next?

We kindly ask for parents to read with their children everyday. This is an ambitious target, so at least 3 times a week is the minimum requirement. We require a parent signature and brief comment to be written in their reading records. Little and often is the best approach!
 

Tips and information can be found in children's reading records.

Pupil Voice...

Miss Docherty and Mr McCabe had a fantastic afternoon interviewing KS1 and KS2 pupils. They gave us their thoughts and opinions on guided reading, story time, reading at home and all things books! Here are some of the things they had to say:

KS1:

• I like interesting books where there is a story within a story.
• I like non-fiction books about animals like penguins.
• A good reader has volume and intonation.
• I like the adventure in books. I enjoy going to the library.
• A good reader uses voices.
• I love Jaqueline Wilson books! 
• Morris the Mankiest Monster is really fun!
• I like The Lighthouse Keeper because it’s fun.
• I like books because they’re fun and interesting and there is always something to learn about. I read non-fiction about space.

KS2:

• A good reader uses expression.
• I like reading because some books are really funny.
• David Walliams is great. I’ve read them all, so I’m going to give them away.
• Mrs Heys does the voices when she reads and I like that.
• I like disgusting bug books. I’d like to read to younger children.
• I love to read David Walliams. I love reading because of the facts you get from books. Sometimes I like to read on my own but other times I do like to be read to.
• Katie and Kevin Tsang have written a really great series called The Dragon Realms. I agree Walliams is funny.
• I just like reading. I like chapter books over picture books so I can use my imagination.
• I love adventure books such as The Hobbit. I love to be read to by my parents. 
• I love Jaqueline Moriarity because she writes fantasy books. I like to be read to. We need more Year 5 texts.

We will be using the information and ideas when purchasing new books for September and it will help us to think about how we can make reading even more fun and enjoyable at Fairfield Road.

Summer 2022 

I have been very impressed with pupils in Year 4 who have been trialling the online based comprehension programme called  Read Theory. Pupils have been working so hard at home and in school to boost their reading skills. Lots of children and parents have said how much fun it is.
 

Keep up the great work Year 4!

Mr McCabe 😀

Spring 2022

Thank you to Manchester United for providing us with lots of free books! We are going to add these to the year 4 library so pupils can enjoy them! 😊

World Book Day 2022

Competition Winners: 

⭐️ Our EYFS World Book Day winner is Isobel. She is reading with her sister and a very cuddly looking teddy. It’s lovely to see siblings reading together at home! Amazing! 

⭐️In Key Stage 1, Ala won the bookmark completion! Her bookmark was so well decorated and featured many much loved storybook characters. Congratulations! 

⭐️ Well Done to Josie for her fabulous Super Hero design! Nature Girl is amazing! Miss Egerton has transformed her hero into art work. Josie won the prize for lower Key Stage 2! Well done! 

⭐️ Quinn’s book review blew us all away! It was so engaging, well presented and informative. She won the book review competition in upper Key Stage 2! Thank you Quinn! 

⭐️ Our best dressed awards go to: 
EYFS: Luca was adventurous! 
KS1: Kenzo was peaceful! 
Lower KS2: Archie was fragile! 
Upper KS2: Sienna was sweet!

Brilliant Book Reviews…

Check out these amazing Book Reviews from our Upper Key Stage 2! Here is a sample from World Book Day. 😀

Superb Superheroes...

Children in Lower Key Stage 2 have been designing brand new comic books heroes! Pow! BANG! Zoooom! 🦸‍♀️ 🦸 

World Book Day 2022 

When is it and what’s happening?

Thursday 3rd March 2022

We are asking for every child to come to school dressed as an…

 AMAZING ADJECTIVE! 

Adjectives are amazing! They describe nouns and make stories and books more interesting, exciting and vivid for the reader. On World Book Day, we want children to learn and talk about the power of adjectives and learn some new vocabulary! 😊

Parents can make a World Book Day donation via Parent Pay and all proceeds will be used to buy more amazing books for classroom reading areas.

WORLD BOOK DAY LUNCH:

There will be a themed World Book Day meal available-DELICIOUS!

Green Eggs and Ham

There’s a Walrus in my Bed-fish finger sandwich

Gruffalo cheese and tomato pizza

James and the Giant Peach Crumble or Willa Wonka chocolate flapjack or Harry Potter’s magic potion jelly!

We can’t wait! 
Mr McCabe 😀

December 2021

Hello Everyone!

We have been working hard to update our school library. How have we done this? We have donated older books. We have categorised books into 'topic boxes' to make browsing easier. We have spent nearly £3000 on new books with a on focus inspirational people. We have a new display, letters and lighting too! 
Mr McCabe 

Christmas Reading Competition 2021! 

Lower Key Stage 2 are taking part in a fantastic Christmas Reading Competition. All they have to do is read five times a week (rather than the recommended 3). They can read their school reading book, a book from home, a comic, a magazine, a blog-anything!

If they complete these 5 Golden Reads they win 5 Dojos! Good luck Year 3 and Year 4-we know you can do it! 

Droylsden Library Event

Pantomime Story time with Simon the Storyteller
Join Simon the Storyteller as Dame Nelly for a Christmas themed story time in panto style! For ages 0-5 and their families.
Saturday 11th December 11am – 11.45am and 12.30pm – 1.15pm
Droylsden Library, Guardsman Tony Downes House, Manchester Road

Recommended Christmas Reads

Christmas is fast approaching and many parents and family members will be searching for great gifts for children in the family. Therefore, we have compiled a list of fantastic books which would brilliant stocking fillers! Most of the books on the list are under £10 and come highly recommended by teachers, educationalists and critics!

Below are ideal presents for pre-school aged children (recommended by Mrs Ward). Her daughter Madeline is a particular fan of Stick Man:

For children in Nursery and Reception class the books below would make wonderful gifts. Miss Docherty's son loves to listen to Giraffe's Can't Dance before bed:

For children in Year 1 and 2, the following books could make perfect gifts. Snail Mail has lots of funny pop out postcards to read through:

For pupils in Year 3 and 4, here are some real Christmas crackers. The Guinness World Records annual is full of weird, whacky facts and pictures:

For children in Year 5 and 6, here are some amazing books. The Little People, Big Dreams Treasury is full of real life heroes who have changed the world:

Black History Month

Our Year 6 pupils enjoyed bringing 'the page to the stage' as they dramatised the lives of Black History heroes. Thank you to One Day Creative who helped the children to craft and create powerful still images, improvisations and performance pieces to mark and celebrate Black History Month!

Reading Challenge Winners!

Well done to all of these KS2 children for taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge. You should all be incredibly proud of yourselves. Thank you to all of the parents and carers who took their children to Droylsden Library to take part-we appreciate your support! 

Wowzers! Look at the number of children from EYFS and KS1 who completed their summer reading challenge at Droylsden Library! You are all amazing! We'd like to say a huge THANK YOU to the parents and carers who took multiple visits to the library to make this possible!

A massive 'THANK YOU' to our year 6 pupils who have been organising and tidying the reading areas in the hall. They have been categorising the books and cleaning the shelves. This has made it so much easier for pupils to select new books to take home! 

Marcus Rashford Book Club (Autumn 2021)

Year 4 children are so lucky! Marcus Rashford, in association with Macmillan books,sent 60 copies of 'Silas and the Marvellous Misfit' by Tom Percival into Fairfield Road. That means every, single pupil in Year 4 gets to take a copy home and add it to their home library. Amazing! Happy Reading Year 4!

National Poetry Day (7th October 2021)

To mark National Poetry Day, our KS1 pupils took part in a fantastic performance poetry workshop. Jo from 'As Creative' played lots of fun, interactive games with children and helped them to construct a performance poem.

The Scholastics Book Fair Aut 1

We were thrilled to welcome the Scholastic Book Fair into school this autumn. Thank you to all the children, parents, carers and grandparents who came and bought lots of wonderful book! We raised over £900 and school were awarded £400 commission. This money has been spent on lots of new reading books for all of our children and they will be arriving in school very soon!

Research shows that children are five times more likely to finish a book if they have chosen it themselves!

Black History Month (October 2021)

October is Black History Month in the UK, an event that has been celebrated nationwide for more than 30 years. The month was originally founded to recognise the contributions that people of African and Caribbean backgrounds have made to the UK over many generations. We are celebrating by adding lots of new books about inspirational people to our classroom libraries! 

Used Book Sale (September/October 2021)

We had a KS2 second-hand book Fair at Fairfield Road Primary School. Lots of children brought in a pound and took home a pre-loved book. We raised £162! All of the money raised will be used to buy new books which have been carefully selected by our teachers.  Thank you to everyone who got involved!

The Masked Reader (Spring 2021)

Unfortunately, we were unable to celebrate World Book Day with our 'Dress as a WOW word' extravaganza!

Instead, Fairfield Road Primary School hosted our very own Masked Reader.  Five different members of staff, recited five fantastic children's poems and pupils had to guess who was hiding behind the mask by listening to tone, expression and accent.

Our winners were Keira, Adam, Charlotte, Darcie and Fenchurch who all won a book, some sweet treats and a reading light. Amazing detective work guys! 

Here are the videos below, simply click on each day to be taken to the Loom video!

Monday: The Wonky Donkey

Tuesday: Two-Faced 

Wednesday: The Exotic Bird

Thursday: Cleopatra 

Friday: The Big, Bad Wolf

LGBT+ Rainbow Flag Award

In order to achieve our LGBT+ Rainbow Flag Award, pupils at Fairfield Road created a book of inspirational people from the LGBT+ community. The book is full of drawings, paintings, writing and thoughts.

Here are some of the pages from our wonderful book...

International Women's Day

To mark International Women's Day, the children at Fairfield Road Primary School created a giant Wonderful Book of Women. Each class learned about an inspirational woman from around the world and how they made history and helped shape the future. The book is full of writing, art, poetry and photographs.

Marcus Rashford's Book Club

Thank you so much to Marcus Rashford's Book Club and Macmillan Books. They sent 60 free copies of A Dinosaur Ate My Sister by Pooji Puri into school for our Year 4 children. The children took their books home to add to their home libraries!