Expressive Arts and Design

In EAD this half-term, the Rockets have been focusing on ‘flowers’ through drawing and mark making.  We have been exploring real flowers using our senses and made choices using our communication strategies.  We have then used a range of tools and techniques to create our very own flowers, such as pencils, paintbrushes and spikey balls. Next half-term our story is ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’.  We will be experiencing the story through natural materials and identifying different parts of the story within our literacy sessions.  

In Understanding The World, Science we will be looking at animals and plants, growing our own flowers and responding to changes in the environment.

At home, you could create your very own bear hunt using grass, water and soil. You could also go on a walk in your local park to look at different plants and see if you can spot any animals.

Physical Development

In Meteors, this half-term we have been learning about line dancing in Physical Development. We have really enjoyed learning new moves, songs and routines and have shown great skills in learning to copy and independently perform dance moves to some fabulous line dancing songs. We have been learning the moves of Cha Cha Slide and YMCA and have even shown these off to our peers in our PE performances! Well done Meteors for such great work.

Next half-term we will be developing our knowledge and skills in dance to learn about cultural dances such as the Māori Haka and the Hawaiian Hula.

Maths

Upper Primary: In Maths this half term, Upper Primary have been focusing on place value in our number sessions. We have been working with some huge numbers with some of us completing number questions up to 10,000. We have also been exploring different forms of measurement in our Shape, Space and Measure sessions, estimating and ordering temperature, mass and volume!

Lower Primary: Our Lower Primary pupils have also been developing their understanding of place value in their number sessions. They have been partitioning numbers using whole part models. In their Shape, Space and Measure sessions, they have been focusing on positional language and identifying a range of common 2d shapes.
 

Pupil Premium funding is to ensure all pupils have equal access to education. What does your Child receive at Delius if they are eligible:

Access to free school meals

Support with school uniform

Additional support on educational interventions and enrichment

You may be eligible to receive Free School Meals and funding for your child's school through Pupil Premium if:

You receive of one of the following benefits: Income Support. Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based) Employment Support Allowance (Income Related)

A parent is a member of the UK Armed Forces a

The Child Looked After by the Local Authority.

Our Pupil Administrator will be able to signpost you to accessing help.

At Delius, both staff and children are excited to embrace Makaton through engaging initiatives like a Makaton lunch club for staff, a signing choir that helps children learn through music,outreach and formal courses for parents. Delius are very lucky to have 2 in house Makaton tutors , Sarah Kelly who is a local Makaton tutor and Stacey Hamilton who is a Regional Makaton tutor. Stacey has also recently competed her Safeguarding train the trainer course

Makaton Myth-busters

Myth #1 - 

Myth- My child won't be interested in learning Makaton 

Fact - Children are used to copying actions, such as in nursery rhymes and are often quick to learn. 

Myth #2 

Myth - You need formal training to use it 

Fact - While excellent for early communication, Makaton supports anyone with communication challenges, from young children to adults, and is used in mainstream settings to help all children develop communication, language, and literacy

Introducing Core Word of the Week:

As part of the total communication approach used at Delius we are introducing core word of the week. Stacey or Sarah demonstrates what the core word of the week is in Makaton on our daily  staff briefing

Our core words of the week this term have been 

Drink 

Eat 

Lunch

Home

Toilet 

Check out our facebook weekly for a new core word.  

Makaton Course for Parents

Over the last year Stacey and Sarah have trained 2 sets of parents,We are hoping to put some of the parents who have already completed their level 1 and 2 through their level 3 and eventually level 4.

During our November training day Stacey trained a group of Delius Staff in the Makaton Level 2 , to further expand their Makaton vocab . Stacey has also been involved in training staff from other Co-op academies schools and has recently finished level 4 with staff from Co-op academy Parkland and Co-op Academy Leeds. This year she will be completing 1-4 with more Co-op academy staff. 

In swimming this half term the children have been working on blowing objects around the pool and working on their individual targets to be able to gain their Rockhopper badges. We are proud of all the children for how much work they are putting into swimming and learning new skills. 

Swimming Star children are:

My shining star is Yusuf from blue base, for completing Rockhopper badge 1. Yusuf worked really hard in swimming by carrying out different activities to be able to gain his first badge. Well done.

Jenny, Nickodem and Adnaan from red base for doing fantastic work in swimming and gaining their Rockhopper badge 1 well done.

Tommy from red base for doing fantastic work in swimming and gaining Rockhopper badge 2 well done

Galaxy children have been looking at a new opportunity and a different kind of lesson, this is something new and exciting for the children to be taking part in. There will be more information in the next newsletter once all training has been completed.