‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ Philippians 4:13
“Be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Letter No. 38 Christian Value: Trust
18th July 2025
XVIII.VII.MMXXV
Dear Parents and Carers,
End of Year Message from Mr Draper
As we come to the end of another busy and rewarding academic year, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to all our parents, carers, staff, governors and wider school community for your continued support, patience, and cooperation. It is through our shared commitment and teamwork that we are able to provide such a positive, nurturing environment for our amazing children to grow, learn and thrive.
This year, we have seen so many wonderful achievements, both big and small, that reflect the resilience, dedication and joy that define our school. Whether in the classroom, on the sports field, in creative projects or through moments of quiet reflection and personal growth, our children have continually made us proud. Our minibus adventures have added an extra layer of excitement and enrichment, taking learning beyond the classroom walls and giving children memorable opportunities to explore new environments, spark curiosity, and deepen their understanding of the world around them.
As we look ahead to a well-earned summer break, we also look forward to welcoming everyone back in September for what promises to be another exciting and successful year. Together, we will continue to live out our school motto: "Learning together with resilience and faith", always taking time to reflect on the overall picture before making judgements.
Wishing you all a restful, safe and joyful summer. We can’t wait to see what the new academic year brings!
🌧️🏅 Indoor Sports Day Success! 🏅🌧️
The rain didn't stop us, we brought the fun inside at The Hub! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us instead of facing the disappointment of a cancelled day. 😊
Our focus was on keeping it simple, inclusive, and fun for all our children and wow, did they shine! A special shout-out to our amazing Year 6 leaders who chose to run the activities rather than take part. Future sports leaders in the making!
The overwhelming support and positivity from so many of you has meant the world. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement, it truly makes a difference. ❤️
School Dinners
TCP is now closed for the Summer Holiday.
Monday will be a choice of a ham, cheese or tuna sandwich served with chippy chips or salad. Dessert will be a choice of chocolate cake or Victoria sponge.
Tuesday will choice of a ham, cheese or tuna sandwich served with a packet of crisps and cucumber sticks. Dessert will be a choice of chocolate cake or Victoria sponge.
End of Year Celebration
You’re warmly invited to join us for our End of Year Celebration Service at Banks St Stephen's Church on Monday 21st July. The service will begin at 2:15pm, with doors opening from 2:00pm. Families and members of the community are all very welcome as we come together to celebrate the end of a wonderful school year. We look forward to seeing you there!
Baby News
We are pleased to announce that Miss Hepworth, together with her partner Matty and their son Archie, are expecting a new addition to their family.
Please join us in extending our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to them during this joyful time.
We’re also pleased to let you know that Mrs Bradshaw will be covering Miss Hepworth’s maternity leave, which will begin in early November. This means that there will be consistency and familiarity for the children, ensuring a smooth and supportive transition.
This week in our classes:
Mice
This week in Marvellous Mice we have had great fun practising for Sports Day. It was really exciting getting to travel in the bus again to and from the Hub and we all tried really hard to do our best on each of the sports activities. I think our parents will agree that we were fantastic sports people and did a great job! In music we learned how to interpret a simple score to show tempo changes and play instruments in time to a piece of music. In Maths we have continued practising adding and subtracting using counters and ten frames. In English we talked about our wonderful visit to the farm then each made a page to go into a class farm book. We have finished innovating our Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy story, all about a cat called Tilly Mallock from the sweetie shop! We think it is amazing!
Squirrels
This week in Squirrels we had our class trip to Marin Mere Wetlands. Children really enjoyed exploring and had fun feeding the ducks. The stepping stones were a challenge of balance and timing and the class had fun in the play area, challenging each other and being adventurous.
We have been practicing our singing and speaking parts for the end of year celebration. The children enjoy the songs chosen and speak and sing so confidently and join in with all actions with such enthusiasm. Sports day was a success with children working hard in their teams to complete each challenge. During transition day children moved up in their year groups and all settled into their new classes and year groups very quickly. In RE we have been looking at stain glass windows and what the pictures in them mean. We have had lots of fun getting creative and designing our own stain glass window. In PSHE we finished our topic on Helping Others. It is clear the children have a good understanding of this and all know things they can do to help others and can recognize people who help us.
Hedgehogs
In our final week in Hedgehogs, we have been working really hard to rehearse our end of year poem and songs, focusing on our performance skills. The children also had a fantastic afternoon during our festival of sports. It was great to see them trying hard, working well in a team, cheering each other on (including helping the younger ones) and seeing happy, smiley faces!
In Maths, we have been finishing off our final unit(s) of work. Y3 have been interpreting and drawing bar charts. Whilst Y4 have drew and translated 2D shapes on a grid.
We finished our history topic of Crime and Punishment this week by creating a timeline that included all of the periods studied, such as: Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Tudors and Victorians. We tried really hard to include dates and appropriate historical terms. The children also reflected on the topic and answered some pupil voice questions such as - 'What was your favourite fact learnt?'
In computing, we created our newspaper reports based on all of our findings from previous lessons. Some of the headlines used included - 'storm causes widespread damage' and 'rare tiger has cubs in school playground'.
The Y2/3s also had a great transition morning in their new Hedgehogs class. We played some get-to-know-you style games and also created birthday cards for each other to give out over the next academic year.
Foxes
Foxes enjoyed their final curriculum trip of the year with a wonderful visit to Carr Lane Woods in Tarleton. The children had a fantastic time exploring the woodland, connecting with nature, playing games with their class friends and making lasting memories together as the school year draws to a close.
Year 5 had a fantastic time making delicious vanilla and chocolate teacup cakes. Each cake was beautifully decorated with cream and fresh raspberries and cooked quickly in the microwave, perfect for hungry bakers! The children were fabulous, with everyone taking part and sharing the jobs. Their teamwork and enthusiasm made the session a great success. Every single cake was eaten, which is always a good sign!
Year 6 had an amazing time at Ninja Warriors in Wigan for their leavers’ trip! They enjoyed two hours of action-packed physical fun, tackling obstacle courses and showing off their ninja skills. Afterwards, they tucked into a well-deserved McDonald’s before heading back home. Their behaviour throughout the day was absolutely exemplary – a real credit to the school!
Foxes class also had a brilliant time at The Anderton Centre in Chorley, enjoying an action-packed day of adventure! They took part in exciting activities including tree climbing, bushcraft survival skills, and had a splashing time canoeing on the lake.
Nursery Places
We are booking in Nursery places for September onwards, so if you are interested, or know of anyone who is interested, reserve your place by contacting Miss Callander in the school office at bursar@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk or 01704 227323.
Attention to Attendance
Our current whole school attendance is 93%, which is below our target of 95%.
If your child(ren) is ill and not attending school it is important that you inform school by 9:15am. If the phone is engaged, please leave a message using option 1 (reporting a pupil absence) or email bursar@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk.
Breakfast and Afterschool Care Provision
Breakfast and Afterschool provision is available, booking on-line through Eduspot.
Breakfast Club:
7:45am drop off £3
8am drop off £2.50
8:30am drop off £1.50
ASC
3:15-3:45pm £2 (Monday – Friday)
3:15-4:30pm £5 (Monday – Friday)
3:15-5:30pm £7 (Monday –Friday)
If you require after school care at short notice (e.g. for the next day) and are unable to book in through the usual system of EduSpot, please contact Miss Callander in the office to let her know, particularly if your child will need to stay until 5:30pm.
Please be aware that if a child has not been booked in and no other children are attending, there may be no staff scheduled to supervise.
That said, we will always do our best to accommodate late requests and arrange staff cover where possible. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Online Payment System
Please remember to regularly log in to the online payment system to pay for nursery fees, dinner money, and any other school-related costs.
If you believe you may be entitled to Free School Meals, you can apply online or contact Miss Callander in the school office, by phone or email, who will be happy to assist you with the application process. If you need help using the online payment system, Miss Callander is also available to guide you through it. We kindly ask that all payments are made daily, weekly or monthly to help manage balances effectively.
Important:
If a child’s outstanding balance exceeds £50, we will unfortunately no longer be able to offer Breakfast or After School Care Provision, and your child will need to bring a packed lunch to school. This is to prevent the debt from increasing further.
If you would like to discuss a payment plan, please contact Mr Draper via email at head@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk to arrange a meeting. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
A Moment of Perspective
With the end of term fast approaching, it’s a natural time to pause and reflect. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how easily we can judge others based on a single moment — a look, a comment or a decision. It’s something we all do, often without realising.
But what we see in one moment rarely tells the whole story. We don’t always know what kind of day someone is having, what pressures they’re under or what’s going on in their lives. Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture helps us approach others with more understanding and kindness.
There’s a line from John 7:24 that speaks to this idea: “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” It’s a simple reminder that things aren’t always as they seem, and that thoughtful, fair judgment matters more than quick assumptions.
Let’s keep building a school community where we think before we judge, support before we criticise, and take the time to see the whole picture, not just one part of it. Moving forward, let us take a moment to pause. Offer others the benefit of the doubt. Choose a smile over a frown. Seek to understand by asking questions rather than jumping to conclusions. You never know how much difference a small act of kindness can make.
Take care
Mr Draper and all the team at Banks Methodist
#TeamBanks
‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ Philippians 4:13
“Be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Letter No. 37 Christian Value: Trust
11th July 2025
XI.VII.MMXXV
Dear Parents and Carers,
What a lovely, busy week we’ve had in school!
As always, Banks Methodist has been full of energy and excitement, with children making the most of every opportunity. Our school minibus has been in full use, transporting classes on exciting trips that enriched their learning and created lasting memories. It’s been a joy to see such a positive buzz throughout the school.
We’re already looking forward to even more exciting trips and adventures next week! As well as many new and exciting experiences and trips already planned for when we return in September.
A Warm Welcome Back!
It has been absolutely fantastic to welcome back some of our former pupils, as they return for their Year 10 work experience placements. This is something we look forward to every year, not just a one-off, but a regular occurrence, with two, three or even more children choosing to come back to us for this important step in their education.
What makes it so special is why they return. Our children always tell us they felt safe, nurtured and supported here and now they want to experience that same positive environment from a new perspective.
It’s a true testament to the kind of school we are: a loving, caring and family-focused community, where children feel a strong sense of belonging, even years after they’ve moved on.
Sports Day Update – Tuesday 15th July
We’re excited to let you know that Sports Day will now take place on the school field instead of at The Hub. The children used some excellent persuasive language to convince us, and with the weather forecast looking so promising, we’re happy to support their choice!
We’ll keep The Hub on reserve, just in case the weather changes unexpectedly, so there’s no need to worry about a cancellation. Thank you for your support – we look forward to seeing you there!
End of Year Celebration
You’re warmly invited to join us for our End of Year Celebration Service at Banks St Stephen's Church on Monday 21st July. The service will begin at 2:15pm, with doors opening from 2:00pm. Families and members of the community are all very welcome as we come together to celebrate the end of a wonderful school year. We look forward to seeing you there!
After School Clubs
There will be no After School Clubs running for the remainder of the term. Paid ‘After School Care Provision’ will run as normal.
Banks Methodist Primary School Presents - Family Bingo Night!
📍 Location: The Hub
📅 Date: Friday 11th July
🕔 Doors Open: 5:30 PM
🎱 Eyes Down: 6:20PM
Bingo Books:
🎟️ Raffle on the Night!
Tickets are £1 per strip – available to buy at the event or in advance from the school office.
Come along for a fun-filled evening for the whole family – prizes to be won and memories to be made!
Baby News
We are pleased to announce that Miss Hepworth, together with her partner Matty and their son Archie, are expecting a new addition to their family.
Please join us in extending our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to them during this joyful time.
We’re also pleased to let you know that Mrs Bradshaw will be covering Miss Hepworth’s maternity leave. This means that there will be consistency and familiarity for the children, ensuring a smooth and supportive transition.
Sun Protection for Children
As we enter the summer months, we kindly ask that on sunny days, children come to school wearing sun cream and bring a sun hat to help protect them during outdoor activities. Please note that, in accordance with our school policy, staff are not permitted to apply sun cream to children. Thank you for your support and understanding.
Gold Book Celebration
‘For trying really hard to focus during phonics, sounding out words with confidence’
For always doing their reading at reading at home and telling their peers all about the stories they have read’
‘Good sharing and cooperation with other when working together’
‘For super expressive reading when seeing question mark, exclamation marks and speech marks’
‘Great persuasive writing as to why they should be allowed to have sweets, it was extremely convincing’
‘When Mr Wedlin, our Chair of Governors, was in school to observe History he was extremely impressed with how well all the children were working throughout the lesson’
‘For producing a fantastic and creative piece of writing using some sophisticated vocabulary’
‘For working together as a team and never leaving anyone out’
This week in our classes:
Mice
This week in Marvellous Mice we have had a fun packed week as we ventured out in the minibus for our class trips. Reception children had a fabulous time at Farmer Ted’s Adventure Park, whilst Nursery enjoyed spending time with the animals and riding the train at Windmill Farm. All the children behaved extremely well, listened carefully to the presenters and showed super manners and consideration of other visitors at the farm.
In music we listened to fast and slow music and sang songs using symbols to tell us whether to sing fast or slow or to stop.
In Maths, we have been adding and subtracting.
In RE we heard about Pentecost - the birthday of the Church.
In English we have begun to create our own story in the style of ‘Hairy Maclary’ from Donaldson’s Dairy, all about a cat called ‘Tilly Mallock from the Sweetie Shop!
Squirrels
In Squirrels this week we have started new topics in our maths lessons! Year One have started to learn about ‘Money’ and have been recognizing the value of some coins they might have seen. Year Two have started to learn about ‘Time’ with a focus on "o'clock" and "half past." We have looked at which way the clock ticks and what each hand on the clock means.
In our English lessons we have been describing two characters and using quotation marks to show their conversations to each other. We have also finished our book "Last Stop on Market Street" and written about what we specifically enjoyed about the book, things we didn't enjoy as much, things that made us think and things in the book that reminded us about other things.
In our RE lessons we have been looking at different places of worship and things that might be inside those places. The children all recognized that light is an important part of representation in most religions.
In our Guided Reading lessons, we have been looking at extracting facts and from books and finding the information that we need. We have looked at keys for information on maps and found out where different types of trees live.
Hedgehogs
This week in Maths, Y3 have finished their shape topic by recognising, describing and making 3D shapes. They then started their statistics topic, interpreting various pictograms. Y4 also came to the end of a topic, Statistics, which involved interpreting and drawing line graphs. They then started a position and direction topic, describing position using co-ordinates.
In English, we created two different character profiles - thinking about the character's looks, likes, fears, talents etc. We then created a dialogue between our two new characters, revising and embedding our knowledge of speech punctuation.
In Computing, we continued our mini project to use a simulated scenario to produce a news report. We finished our news reporters' notes about various messages and news stories from the simulated scenario. We then ranked all our recorded messages in order of importance. We filled out a newspaper planning format that will help us create the news report next week. In our planning, we focused on identifying the main event, further detailed explanations, opinions and what might happen next.
In Music, we are now looking at combining our knowledge of body percussion with the topic of rainforests. We began our rainforest compositions with the forest floor and understory layers, creating body percussion rhythms to suit the movement of the animals within those layers. We then created repeated melodies (or loops) for the canopy and emergent layers of the rainforest, taking into consideration pitch and tempo.
In PE, we continued lessons on tag rugby. This week we played various matches to develop our understanding of the rules of the game.
In History, we analysed the question - Is Richard Turpin (The Highwayman) a Hero or a Villain? We looked at various sources about him such as a Parish Register, extract from a novel and front cover of a magazine. We discussed and wrote down words to describe him based on these sources. We thought of fantastic adjectives such as: ruthless, notorious and cold-hearted. These adjectives helped us conclude as to whether he was a villain or not.
Hedgehogs had an amazing day out at Eureka! From the moment we arrived, excitement filled the air as we explored the interactive exhibits and got hands-on with science in a fun and engaging way. The children loved the “All About Me” gallery, where they could scan their bodies, test their senses, and learn about how the human body works. A highlight of the trip was the science show, where we got to watch incredible robots dance! The staff were friendly and made learning feel like play. It was a fantastic day full of curiosity, creativity, and discovery — a trip to remember!
Foxes
English – We have been analysing the short, silent, film Alma, and have observed many of the small details that are included in the film to guide the viewer through the story. We noted that this technique is used because of the lack of narration and conversation between characters in the film which usually helps to explain more details and move the plot forward. We have also discussed the use of music and how tension has been created. We concluded that the film has many unanswered questions and could have a very interesting sequel! We have also been composing our own self-portrait poems in readiness for the end of term.
History – we have continued to find out about the ‘Groovy Greeks’ and have focused upon myths. We learnt about the most well-known ones and extended our knowledge of some other Gods and Goddesses.
PE- we played several small team games of rugby, implementing the knowledge, tactics and skills we have practised and learnt over the last few weeks. We have also been planning and organising our 'Sports Day' for next week.
Maths – Y6 have practised describing positions, translating shapes on a full coordinate grid. They have also used ‘My Maths’ to revise several different topics. Y5 have been completing a unit on measurement which involved converting between the metric units of length, mass and volume.
Outdoor learning – we have been planting the ‘Year 6 leavers tree' this week as part of their legacy. We visited a local garden centre where the children chose a tree they liked. We have also been gardening and developing the outdoor area at the end of the field. Being outside offers valuable hands-on experiences that promote physical activity, teamwork, and environmental awareness. Through planting and nurturing, learners develop practical skills like responsibility, patience, and problem-solving. Outdoor learning encourages curiosity about science and nature while enhancing mental well-being and fostering a sense of achievement. It also builds communication and collaboration as students work together, making it a rich, holistic learning experience.
Music – we have been practising our singing skills and learning some new songs in anticipation for the end of term assemblies.
Class Trips
14th July – Squirrel’s Trip to Martin Mere
17th July – Foxes Trip to Haigh Hall, leaving school at 9:05am and returning for 1:55pm
17th July – Year 6 Leavers trip to Ninja Warrior, Wigan, leaving school at 2pm and returning for 6pm
18th July – Foxes Trip to The Anderton Centre in Chorley
Key Dates:
Click the link below to take you to the key dates on our website:
https://www.banks.lancsngfl.ac.uk/key-dates/
School Dinners
Click the link below to take you to the school dinner choices on our website:
https://www.banks.lancsngfl.ac.uk/lunch-menus/
Nursery Places
We are booking in Nursery places for September onwards, so if you are interested, or know of anyone who is interested, reserve your place by contacting Miss Callander in the school office at bursar@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk or 01704 227323.
Attention to Attendance
Our current whole school attendance is 92.9%, which is below our target of 95%.
If your child(ren) is ill and not attending school it is important that you inform school by 9:15am. If the phone is engaged, please leave a message using option 1 (reporting a pupil absence) or email bursar@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk.
Breakfast and Afterschool Care Provision
Breakfast and Afterschool provision is available, booking on-line through Eduspot.
Breakfast Club:
7:45am drop off £3
8am drop off £2.50
8:30am drop off £1.50
ASC
3:15-3:45pm £2 (Monday – Friday)
3:15-4:30pm £5 (Monday – Friday)
3:15-5:30pm £7 (Monday –Friday
If you require after school care at short notice (e.g. for the next day) and are unable to book in through the usual system of EduSpot, please contact Miss Callander in the office to let her know, particularly if your child will need to stay until 5:30pm.
Please be aware that if a child has not been booked in and no other children are attending, there may be no staff scheduled to supervise.
That said, we will always do our best to accommodate late requests and arrange staff cover where possible. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Online Payment System
Please remember to regularly log in to the online payment system to pay for nursery fees, dinner money, and any other school-related costs.
If you believe you may be entitled to Free School Meals, you can apply online or contact Miss Callander in the school office, by phone or email, who will be happy to assist you with the application process. If you need help using the online payment system, Miss Callander is also available to guide you through it. We kindly ask that all payments are made daily, weekly or monthly to help manage balances effectively.
Important:
If a child’s outstanding balance exceeds £50, we will unfortunately no longer be able to offer Breakfast or After School Care Provision, and your child will need to bring a packed lunch to school. This is to prevent the debt from increasing further.
If you would like to discuss a payment plan, please contact Mr Draper via email at head@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk to arrange a meeting. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
Take care
Mr Draper and all the team at Banks Methodist
#TeamBanks
‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ Philippians 4:13
“Be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Letter No. 36 Christian Value: Trust
4th July 2025
IV.VII.MMXXV
Dear Parents and Carers,
Rumours
We are aware of some recent rumours suggesting that our school may be closing down. We want to assure you that these rumours are completely untrue. Our school remains fully operational, and we are excited about the continued work we are doing to support and educate our children.
While we understand that concerns can arise, it’s important to clarify that spreading unverified information can cause unnecessary worry and confusion within our community. We kindly ask that if you have any questions or hear something uncertain, please reach out to us directly. We are always happy to provide accurate information and address any concerns.
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust in our school. Together, we can continue to provide a strong, stable and supportive learning environment for all our children.
End of Year Celebration
You’re warmly invited to join us for our End of Year Celebration Service at Banks St Stephen's Church on Monday 21st July. The service will begin at 2:15pm, with doors opening from 2:00pm. Families and members of the community are all very welcome as we come together to celebrate the end of a wonderful school year. We look forward to seeing you there!
Banks Methodist Primary School Presents - Family Bingo Night!
📍 Location: The Hub
📅 Date: Friday 11th July
🕔 Doors Open: 5:00 PM
🎱 Eyes Down: 6:00 PM
Bingo Books:
🎟️ Raffle on the Night!
Tickets are £1 per strip – available to buy at the event or in advance from the school office.
Come along for a fun-filled evening for the whole family – prizes to be won and memories to be made!
A big thank you to our wonderful BMSC (Banks Methodist School Community)
We are incredibly grateful for your generosity in purchasing two new 'Buddy Benches' for our playground. These special benches will provide a comforting space for children to sit when they’re feeling lonely, helping to foster kindness, friendship and connection in our school community. 💛
Thank you for supporting our children’s wellbeing!
Click the link below to see why we use ‘Buddy Benches’ in School
https://www.banks.lancsngfl.ac.uk/buddy-bench/
Sun Protection for Children
As we enter the summer months, we kindly ask that on sunny days, children come to school wearing sun cream and bring a sun hat to help protect them during outdoor activities. Please note that, in accordance with our school policy, staff are not permitted to apply sun cream to children. Thank you for your support and understanding.
This week in our classes:
Mice
Over the last couple of weeks Marvelousl Mice have been thinking about holidays to real and imaginary places. We have used a map of the world to find different holiday destinations and learned that temperatures vary depending on where in the world they are. We also read the story Whatever Next! Where Baby Bear travels to the moon. We learned about space and talked about what it would be like to go on holiday to the moon. We have started a new book in English called Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's dairy. We've been asking questions and learning facts about cats and dogs and are making our own leaflets about cats. In mathematics we have been practicing number bonds to 10, doubling and finding odd and even numbers. In art we have used coloured pencils to create a flower design then followed our design to create a tissue paper collage. In PE we have been practising throwing and catching, dribbling a ball and aiming at a target ready for sports day
Squirrels
This week in Squirrels we have been working on our persuasive language when writing letters. We have looked at how to try and convince someone that our opinion is right and have written Mrs. Cooke a letter to request something we would like and to try and convince her to make it happen! In Maths Year1 have been looking at tens and units using base 10 blocks. Year2 have been finishing their unit on fractions with this week’s focus being particularly on thirds and looking at fractions that are bigger or smaller than each other. In RE we have been discussing things we find in every church and how anywhere can be a church to us if we need time with God to pray. We have started to focus on the end of year Celebration Service with children learning songs and the words they are going to speak. In guided reading we have been looking at information books about trees and taking information that we need out of the text. Our "Think Outside the Box Thursday" morning activity is proving a great success and children are coming up with more and more creative answers each week! The transition day was fantastic with all children rising to their new roles in school and taking part in all activities. Everyone was made to feel welcome and had time to get to know their class for next year.
Hedgehogs
This week in Maths, Y3 have been continuing with the topic of shape. They have looked at parallel and perpendicular lines and also recognised/described 2D shapes. Y4 finished their shape topic by completing symmetric figures. They also began a statistics topic when interpreting various charts.
In English, we are focusing on grammar and punctuation. We identified and used main and subordinate clauses in sentences that we created. We also looked at apostrophes for contractions and did various activities to practise the two words being contracted into one.
In History, we focused on Victorian prisons as part of our crime and punishment topic. After learning about the various punishments in prison such as picking oakum or the treadwheel, the children became Victorian prisoners and re-created some of the punishments themselves! Then they wrote all about the events that took place and their feelings in a diary.
In Music, we looked at the texture and structure of a piece of music called 'Clapping Music' by Steve Reich. The children also expressed their likes/dislikes, expressing views and opinions. The children then composed and performed some basic body percussion rhythms, starting with ‘Boom, Snap, Clap’.
In PE, the children have been continuing lessons on tag rugby. The children have been developing and applying skills like running, catching, passing and tagging, while also learning to evade defenders and work within a team. Some children also attended a Tri-Golf event, developing their chipping and putting skills.
In Art, we have been continuing with sketching. This week, we have looked at different flowers and plants under a magnifying glass in great detail. We recapped our previous learning in Science to discuss the functions of each part of the plant. We then focused on the main shapes of the flowers to be able to sketch them and then used our shading skills to add tone.
Foxes
English - this week we have completed our narrative writing to tell the story of the short Disney Pixar film ‘La Luna’. Using our completed stories, we have each created a blurb, front cover, and chosen various illustrations to include in our work. Finally, we have printed out our work and made our own books to support the film. We have also been playing word games to help broaden our vocabulary and develop our spelling skills.
Transition morning – we enjoyed welcoming our new members of Foxes class on Thursday morning. They were all superstars! Continuing our ‘Disney Pixar’ theme from English, we became illustrators, practising our sketching and shading pencil skills to create a drawing of ‘Carl Fredricksen’ from the film ‘Up’. The drawings were all outstanding!
Maths – Y5 have continued the topic of negative numbers, completing missing number lines and finding the difference between negative and positive numbers. Y6 have been solving problems involving ratio and proportion.
Art - we enjoyed a trip to Towneley Park in Burnley where we found various sculptures hidden in the woods. The weather was glorious.
History – we researched Greek Gods and Goddesses and found out that they were believed to influence various aspects of human life and the natural world in Ancient Greek times. We also found out that the most important twelve Gods and Goddesses lived on Mount Olympus.
French – we have been reading and translating French phrases as well as writing about what we did at the weekend.
Computing – we learnt about ‘Databases’ and found out that they are a collection of data that is stored in a computer and can easily be used and added to.
PE – we enjoyed a game of ‘Cowboys and Indians’. We had to use team work and tactics to move the rugby balls from one area to another. Each group had to practise attacking and defending skills to win the game.
PSHE – we revised our knowledge of the recovery position and when to use it as well as remembering what the acronyms DR ABC stand for.
Swimming – we have been revising all the different strokes we have learnt this year.
Class Trips
9th July – Reception Trip to Farmer Ted’s
10th July – Hedgehogs Trip to Eureka in Liverpool
11th July – Nursey Trip to Windmill Farm
14th July – Foxes Curriculum Trip
17th July – Foxes Trip to Haigh Hall
17th July – Year 6 Leavers trip to Ninja Warrior, Wigan, leaving school at 2:20pm and returning for 6pm
18th July – Foxes Trip to The Anderton Centre in Chorley
Key Dates:
Click the link below to take you to the key dates on our website:
https://www.banks.lancsngfl.ac.uk/key-dates/
School Dinners
Click the link below to take you to the school dinner choices on our website:
https://www.banks.lancsngfl.ac.uk/lunch-menus/
Nursery Places
We are booking in Nursery places for September onwards, so if you are interested, or know of anyone who is interested, reserve your place by contacting Miss Callander in the school office at bursar@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk or 01704 227323.
Attention to Attendance
Our current whole school attendance is 92.74%, which is below our target of 95%.
If your child(ren) is ill and not attending school it is important that you inform school by 9:15am. If the phone is engaged, please leave a message using option 1 (reporting a pupil absence) or email bursar@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk.
After School Clubs for After Half Term (Summer Term 2)
Tuesday will be Active/Movement Club for any child in Squirrels, Hedgehogs and Foxes, 3:15-4:15pm, delivered by a coach from the West Lancs Sports Partnership.
Thursday will be Football Club with Mr Draper and Mr Wedlin, 3:15-4:15pm. This will take place at The Hub Banks or on the school field (we will let you know on the day via email).
Thursday will be Football Skills for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 with Mrs Bradshaw 3:15-4:15pm.
Friday mornings will be Active Club with Mr Draper, where children will be encouraged to keep moving for 20-25 minutes whilst getting some morning fresh air and socialising with their friends 8:15am.
Breakfast and Afterschool Care Provision
Breakfast and Afterschool provision is available, booking on-line through Eduspot.
Breakfast Club:
7:45am drop off £3
8am drop off £2.50
8:30am drop off £1.50
ASC
3:15-3:45pm £2 (Monday – Friday)
3:15-4:30pm £5 (Monday – Friday)
3:15-5:30pm £7 (Monday –Friday
If you require after school care at short notice (e.g. for the next day) and are unable to book in through the usual system of EduSpot, please contact Miss Callander in the office to let her know, particularly if your child will need to stay until 5:30pm.
Please be aware that if a child has not been booked in and no other children are attending, there may be no staff scheduled to supervise.
That said, we will always do our best to accommodate late requests and arrange staff cover where possible. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Online Payment System
Please remember to regularly log in to the online payment system to pay for nursery fees, dinner money, and any other school-related costs.
If you believe you may be entitled to Free School Meals, you can apply online or contact Miss Callander in the school office, by phone or email, who will be happy to assist you with the application process. If you need help using the online payment system, Miss Callander is also available to guide you through it. We kindly ask that all payments are made daily, weekly or monthly to help manage balances effectively.
Important:
If a child’s outstanding balance exceeds £50, we will unfortunately no longer be able to offer Breakfast or After School Care Provision, and your child will need to bring a packed lunch to school. This is to prevent the debt from increasing further.
If you would like to discuss a payment plan, please contact Mr Draper via email at head@banks-methodist.lancs.sch.uk to arrange a meeting. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
Take care
Mr Draper and all the team at Banks Methodist
#TeamBanks