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St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Working Together for the Good of Each Other

Joseph Priestley

Welcome to Priestley's Class Page

A picture paints a thousand words...check out our learning!

Leavers' Party

Prize Day - Monday 16th July

Beach Trip - Tuesday 3rd July

A lovely morning spent on the beach. We completed a beach art piece, creating an animal in our groups from sand, shells and stones; we did some beach combing, exploring what natural life we could find and had a sandcastle building competition. Plus, the sun shone!

Raising Aspirations - Evaluations from some of our visitors

Here are a selection of evaluations written from some of our visitors at our careers carousel as apart of our Raising Aspirations project. We had visitors from: Fleetwood Town Council, First Aiders, PSCOs, Regenda, Builder's Suppliers, Santander, Oak Tree Nursery, Wyre Youth Mayor, Blackpool Transport and Fleetwood Town Football Club. Overall, the feedback given was that they felt the project is very worthwhile, they enjoyed speaking to the children and found them to be well mannered, engaged and asked relevant questions.

Raising Aspirations - Careers Carousel

As part of our Raising Aspirations project, we have been learning about the qualities we have as a person and the skills we currently have and would like to develop that are needed in a work environment, especially in a specific chosen career. They have shared their hopes and dreams and researched what qualifications they need to achieve their desired occupation. On Tuesday 19th June, we had 13 different places join us in the hall for a careers fair. The children went round in groups to learn more about their job and qualifications.

P.E

In P.E this week, we have been doing circuits at different levels, using a range of P.E equipment to be on ground level and above, this made us think about our speed and balance.

Maths - creating our own board games

In Maths this week, the Year 6 children have worked in small groups to create their own board game related to Maths. They had to decide on a year group their game could be aimed at, design and create it. They then had children from the year group they had chosen to come along and play and evaluate their game for them. The games were so popular, the children wanted to take them back to their own classes to play again.

Year 6 Eco Team in action

The Year 6 Eco Team members: Keira, Kali, Andrew and Will attended a planting session on Ash Street to plant the flowers that have been purchased to continue to make Fleetwood looking lovely in the Spring time.

End of SATs Week treat - Cinema and Beach Park

A thank you from Mrs Kowalska - Bouncy Castle Fun

Today, our last day of Spring Term, Mrs Kowalska arranged a surprise and treat for the whole school by getting two inflatables in school - one a castle and the other an assault course. This was a 'thank you' from the staff for the children's efforts and behaviours whilst Ofsted visited.

Surviving SATs leaflets

Year 6 have been working incredibly hard towards their SATs, which will take place the week commencing the 14th May. They have written an information leaflet for Year 5 children, all about: what SATs are, how they are marked, the timetable and how best to prepare. Take a look at some of the leaflets which were created by Year 6.

Stations of the Cross - In School

On Tuesday 27th March, we shared the story of the events of Good Friday, the day Jesus died. In the hall, in St. Mary's tradition, the classes had prepared two stations (two parts of the story) to represent what happened. They went round in small groups or as a class and then were given reflection time to go to the different stations and be in prayer, write a reflection the books or be active with station if it requested them to participate in some way. At lunchtime, we welcomed Fr Michael and the parishioners to join us in the 'Way of the Cross' service, with our 7 year 6s, as readers, using the stations made by school.

Check out the Video Resource Centre link below for our video of our performance from coffee afternoon.

Video Resource Centre

En Ville - Triorama

The children have each made a triorama (3D panorama) showing a simple street scene. They have tried to describe images in their picture using vocabulary learnt in our current French unit, En Ville - Then and Now.

Stations of the Cross

Seven of our Year 6s during Lent have been volunteering their lunch every Thursday to participate in the service 'The Way of the Cross'. After they've taken part in the readings from the service in church, alongside Fr Michael and parishioners at St. Mary's, the children have enjoyed joining the rest of the congregation at the service for soup and cake.

Our children love to read...

Curie Class invited Priestley Class children to listen to them read this week. The children paired up to listen and discuss with their Year 3 reading buddy their book. It was lovely to see our Year 6s helping the younger children with any words they were unsure of and helping them to sound out them out phonetically if possible. Year 6 were very impressed by the high quality reading Year 3 demonstrated.

The Big 'Mean' Quiz

This week in Maths we have been learning about the four averages; we began with revising how to calculate the mode, median and range and then looked at finding the average 'mean' in more depth. One way we did this was completing a relay race with questions involving calculating the 'mean' or having to find a missing value because the mean had been given so we had to use our knowledge on inverse operations.

World Book Day 2018

On Thursday 1st March was World Book Day. Our Year 6 children planned and read a story to the younger pupils in school. Some even wrote their own story to share. They brought the stories to life by getting in role as certain characters and using props. We had lots of positive feedback from the children and staff who listened and watched the Year 6 children be story tellers.

Making our own Blood representation

As part of learning about the human body, we learnt about the parts of the blood and how each part has a particular job. We made our own representation using sweets as we understand its components and the amount of each.

Dissecting a Lamb's Heart - Science

What a practical science lesson! We had Mr Harding from Cardinal Allen in today, who come in for an hour to help us dissect a heart. We worked in groups with our parents/grandparents to learn about the different parents, its job, how it works and to cut into it so we could examine it closely.

The Lodge - Heritage Project - Wyre Council

We discussed with Sophie from PLACED how we could modify the The Lodge with a range of events, activities, games and so on, to attract more people to come and explore The Lodge and surrounding Mount, and be a destination for people to bring in more money in to Fleetwood. We debated, as the young people of the future, how can we make the Mount accommodate for the future? Retaining many of the features of the listed buildings, how can it be modernised for today? We visited the place, drew designs and made 3D representations of our designs.

P.E - Gymnastics

Yes! Time for the apparatus! The children completed a carousal of activities involving different types of P.E equipment which allowed the children to practise jumps, safe landings, balancing and climbing.

The BFG Storyteller

St. Mary's children enjoyed a wonderful afternoon listening to Tony Pedley, the storyteller who joined us to share Roald Dahl's magical story The BFG.

Maths - Angles

We have been straight back into our learning in Maths by learning about angles: the types, properties and their relationships with being in shapes. We have estimated, measured and calculated angles on their own and linked with the internal angles of shapes.

Our Classroom - Autumn II

We have had a very busy and successful second half of autumn term together. Across the curriculum we have completed work on how we see, read the novel Street Child, discussed and debated the term Justice in RE and Maths work on fractions, percentages and decimals. Spring Term is only set to be another busy one in our learning as well as participating in class masses, our residential to Tower Wood, a BFG storytelling afternoon and an Architecture project related to the The Mount.

Christmas Party Afternoon

A lovely afternoon spent having our Christmas Party afternoon, which filled with laughter, dancing, games, food and even some pressies s we did our own class secret santa.

Science - How we see

This half term out Science Topic has been, 'How do we see?' and to complete our learning the children completed their own mind map to reflect on what they now know that they didn't. The children have used scientific vocabulary linked with the topic, explained about parts of our eye and its job, how we see, how light travels, what a light source is and about reflection.

Biographies on Dr Barnardo

After reading the novel 'Street Child', we researched the life and work of Dr Thomas Barnardo, as the book was about a young boy, based on his actually life and how we met and inspired Dr Barnardo to continue his mission of helping disadvantaged children, so they could achieve their hopes and dreams in life. The children researched and constructed their own biographies on the thoughtful and successful Dr Barnardo - take a read at the above selection.

Posada Box

The Posada Box is a Mexican tradition, where each night figurines of Mary and Joseph go home with a different family to give them, during Advent a home for night on their way to Bethlehem. In the box was the figurines, a selection of Advent prayers, a candle and a book to write in about what they did. These are the photographs our parents took in their homes when the Posada box went to their home for the night.

Remembering Deacon Bill Wright

Our Collective Worship group this week, independently decided and created a beautiful worship in memory of our Deacon Bill Wright who sadly passed away on Tuesday 12th December. The children had an image of Deacon Bill on the board, whilst they asked the children to share people they would like us to remember who have passed away; read the story of Noak's ark because they said; it was about how God will always kept his promise that everything would always be alright and we are safe with him. This was followed by a prayer before we said an eternal rest together.

Amelia's Christmas Card design

Huge congratulations to Amelia for being awarded Runner-up for her delightful Cat Smith MP Christmas card competition design. Her lovely design depicts The Mount with a snowman and Christmas Tree. Beautiful! Just think how many homes where this card will now sit.......including the Queen! Well done Amelia!

Street Child Book Reviews

During Autumn II, Year 6 have read Street Child as part of their English topic, this also linked with our RE topic of Justice. These are an example from Izzi, Harry, Emily, Will and Shay of their book reviews written for Amazon to promote and sell the book we have, as a class, thoroughly enjoyed, despite it's story being one of bereavement and turmoil.

RE writing - Football in the Snow

Year 6 this week in RE continued with their learning about Justice. We read about the story of the true events of Christmas 1914 when during the Great War; the troops guns were put down and a harmonious atmosphere existed on No Man's Land. We discussed how this story would be written from the British solider's point of view and why these true events demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas Lunch

It's Christmas time at St. Mary's! KS2 enjoyed their Christmas Lunch together in the hall, served by the adults, with Christmas songs, party hats and crackers. It has got us in the Christmas spirit and ready for our Carol Service, Christmas jumper day and our Christmas Party afternoon.

Pantomime Time

On Thursday 7th December, all of St. Mary's went to the Marine Hall to join them in their Christmas Pantomime - Beauty and the Beast. It was a fun-filled afternoon, helping us get into the Christmas spirit!

Advent has arrived

On Sunday 3rd December advent began with the first Sunday of Advent. In school, we had our first advent assembly and decorated our Christmas tree in the hall with our advent promises. In KS2, we also began sending our class Posada box home, which goes with a different child each night as they provide Mary and Joseph a home for the night as we remember their journey to Bethlehem. Photographs of that to follow soon.

P.E - Speed Stacking

The boys get competitive...

In P.E this week, we had a lesson indoors and in the classroom; we got to learn about different formations, styles and working at speed with the stacking cups.

Year 5/6 Athletics Competition

On Thursday 30th November, 18 children from Year 5 and 6 took part in an athletics competition at Cardinal Allen - the children were great sports, tried their best and had lots of fun.

Anti Bullying Photostory

The children had words or statements about bullying written on them or on paper and we created a video made up of pictures about the affects of bullying and statistics from a bullying survey completed in 2016. Priestley class wanted to show how they support a 'no bullying' policy in our school and in our world.

Anti-Bullying Week

Year 6 discussed: what the term bullying means to them, what types of bullying there is, how it make victims feel and how those who are affected can deal with it. All of our class feel that there is no bullying that happens in our school and that they are against bullying. We decorated some plain socks ready for our non-uniform day on Friday, so that we have odd socks to celebrate and support 'We are all different but all equal'. The children are going to wear these on Friday with their blue clothes to show that they support Anti-Bullying Week.

Remembrance Sunday

A big thank you to Harry, Emily, Izzi, Charlie, Amelia, Keira, Scarlett and Alex for attending the Remembrance Day service at the Memorial Park on Remembrance Sunday to represent our school as we paid our respects for those who have given their lives to service our country. As Head Boy and Head Girl, Harry and Emily, laid our wreath, from the pupils, staff and families of St. Mary's, at the cenotaph.

English - Street Child

This half term we are reading 'Street Child' by Berlie Doherty. It is about a young boy and his family living in poverty during the Victoria Era in London. So far we have read the first two chapters. We have found clues in the text that tell us about the main character and his family's situation, as well as completed freeze frames using gestures, expressions and a chosen adjective to show how the character is feeling and reacting to being evicted from their home.

Our Classroom

After a busy and successful half term here are some photos of our classroom which celebrates our learning and supports us in our learning too.

Topic Week - Are you a born survivor?

On Wednesday 25th October, we had some helpers (parents, cousins and grandparents) join us in Priestley class to help us design and make a waterproof bag, suitable for survival if a natural disaster was to occur. We had three objectives: work well as A team by listening to each other's ideas and taking it in turns, use our knowledge of materials to produce a waterproof and watertight product and have FUN!

Our Roald Dahl Biographies

To complete our work on the fabulous author Roald Dahl, we used our notes and research which was completed earlier in the week and put together our own Roald Dahl biography. It was organised into clear sections, using subheadings to show this; we considered our openers by using a range of proper nouns and pronouns to avoid repeating ourselves, as well as presenting our facts in well structured sentences, making use of our sophisticated conjunctions and punctuation.

Roald Dahl Research

In English over the last 5 weeks, we have read the book 'Boy - Tales of Childhood' by Roald Dahl. Some may say this is his childhood autobiography, although he said it wasn't. We have written in role as Roald writing diary entries, letters home and character descriptions. This week we are researching, organising and writing a biography of his life. We have begun by researching using a variety of sources, then organised the facts into timelines on different parts of his life: childhood, education, adulthood, career and successes.We are now ready to begin constructing our paragraphs on these different sections.

Character descriptions - Captain Hardcastle

This half term we have been reading 'Boy - Tales of Childhood' by Roald Dahl and completed writing linked to events and characters in the book. Here are character descriptions from Harrison, Scarlett and Keira about the character Captain Hardcastle.

Dan Worsley - author visit

Dan Worsley came into school to speak to all of KS2 about being an author, working hard and his new book Eric Appleby Danger Zone.

Learning about French Schools

Priestley class have been learning about the similarities and differences between English and French schools. As well as watching a short video about the French school day, they have been using key vocabulary and short phrases to describe photos of places in a school.

Harvest Donation

On Wednesday 11th October, as a school we celebrated Harvest by going to Mass at Church and having a collection supported by the parents. After we celebrated Mass, Mrs Kowalska along with our Headboy, Headgirl and their deputies went to Fleetwood Food Bank to drop off our school donation.

House and Vice Captains Announced

Friday 6th October - House Captains and Vice House Captains were announced in our assembly today, after the children had been voted for by their house members earlier in the week.

Lourdes - Harry (Head) and Emily (Vice)

Fatima - Haydn (Head) and Summer (Vice)

Knock - Will (Head) and Keeley (Vice)

Walsingham - Keira (Head) and Izzi (Vice)

Congratulations to all the captains - we look forward to seeing what ideas you bring the sports in school.

Mini Teachers in Maths

In our Maths on Thursday, we had some super helpers. 7 children in Priestley Class had completed their long multiplication work and has part of their lesson, they had to teach other children how to use the method to multiply a 4 digit number by a 2 digit number.

National Fitness Day - 27.9.17

Wow! What a fantastic day! Year 5 and 6 got the opportunity to have a full day at the YMCA in Thornton. They got to participate in a Spartan class (circuit training), ten-pin bowling, games outside and have a go on the skate park. Absolutely brilliant way to celebrate and participate in National Fitness Day.

Scott, the Manager from YMCA, contacted school the next day with this message, "I just wanted to say thank you so much for bringing a wonderful bunch of children down to work with us yesterday. Michael and his team have expressed huge levels of fulfilment and there has been an energetic buzz of achievement floating around the centre."

Presenting our Head Boy and Head Girl

Congratulations to Emily Randles and Harry Wright who were chosen by their fellow peers to be this year's Head Boy and Head Girl. And to their deputies, Izzi-Belle Rogers and Charlie Hartley congratulations too. They came second place and will be working alongside our Head Boy and Girl to support Mrs Kowalska in the leadership of our school as our Deputies. Read Emily and Harry's speeches below, which they wrote themselves and presented to all of Key Stage Two.

Head Boy and Head Girl Speeches

On Thursday 14th September, 8 brave pupils in Year 6 ran for Head Boy or Head Girl. The children spent time writing their own speeches and presented these to all of Key Stage Two, who voted for these chosen candidate. The speeches were fantastic and they all did themselves proud. It was not an easy decision for the children. Have a look below at the children's speeches - some very wise words!

Headboy and Headgirl Speeches.

Please visit the Video Resource Area to view the Headboy and Headgirl speeches.

Head Girl and Boy speeches 2017

MFL - Quelle heure est-il?

Priestley children enjoyed learning to tell the time in this week's French lesson. Their objective was to begin to recognise the simple written words and phrases needed to tell the time on the hour. In coming weeks they will develop this knowledge to give more detailed times in both spoken and written formats

P.E - Healthy Heads with Fleetwood Town

On Thursday 14th September, we began our Healthy Heads project with Rob at Fleetwood Town. We began our lesson in the classroom reflecting on the word 'character' and what this meant and who we are as a person. We then took our lesson into the hall where we participated in team games.

Maths - Challenge Dash

In Maths, in our first week back, we have been concentrating on place value - reading, writing, ordering and comparing numbers up to 10 million. As part of one of our lessons we worked in teams to do a race and get as many digit cards as we could in a specific amount of time. Using these digit cards we then had to work together to create certain numbers, for example, the largest number or the smallest and then compare numbers with the other groups to see who had managed to win.