Congratulations
Huge congratulations to Mrs Dixie who has given birth to Max Dixie. Max arrived at 6.35am last Saturday so Mrs Dixie certainly timed her last day at work (last Friday) well! I am sure you will join us in wishing them all the best.
Science week
'This week, Monkton Park celebrated science week. The children had the opportunity to talk to new people and explore the wonderful world of science! This included an informative assembly telling the children the fun activities they would be doing throughout the week. Field Mice enjoyed experimenting with different foods like jelly, Rabbits tried putting skittles in hot water, Hedgehogs loved biscuit dunking, Otters predicted what would happen when you add egg into vinegar, Owls had tremendous fun experimenting with cola and Mentos and Squirrels investigated a parachuting egg. Foxes, Badgers & Pine Martens created a double helix out of sweets. We were lucky enough to be visited by a nuclear power station engineer and Network Rail, which was really interesting. During the wind turbine workshop, we had the chance to learn about power stations, create our own fully functioning wind turbines and see how the produce electricity. We also had an enjoyable workshop with Network Rail, where we got to learn about train signaling and create roads for ozobots. The final thing we did was an amazing planetarium. Students could gaze up at the planets and stars. Thank you to Mrs Dixie for organising our science week and the visitors who held workshops for us.'
By Chloe & Nefeli
Foxes - Steam
Yesterday Foxes went all the way to Steam Museum in Swindon. We went on the train and it was very crowded. Luckily we had a helper called Ellie from Platform who told us how to be safe around trains and at stations. When we got to Steam we saw a statue of Brunel. We did a workshop about engineers, navvies and how the railways started. We got to dress up and pretend we were Victorians! In the afternoon we walked around the museum where you could go on the old trains and even drive one! Our favourite parts were the dressing up, seeing the amazing trains and going on the old-fashioned train arcade games. We even got to see under an old steam locomotive!
By Isabelle and Flynn
Well done to Foxes for their exemplary behaviour. Ellie from Platform commented: "Their behaviour in the train was superb! I wish I could have spent the whole day with them!"
School photos
We can confirm that we have asked the photo company to retake this year's class photos which have now been arranged for 13th June. The company will be removing the option to order these but in the meantime please can we ask you to not place any further orders. For those who have made an order, the order can be kept. Alternatively if you prefer the new photo once released, please let us know and we will update your order.
Thank you
Mrs Rees would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with FOMPS for providing her with some hot water flasks, a tripod cooking stand and a trolley to use in the wildlife area. She is very grateful and will be putting them all to good use.
Requests
Rabbits class need a plastic bottle or cardboard tube for making a rocket next week on Thursday.
Any old plain white or pale colour sheets or pillow cases for use with some outdoor activities.
Rabbits class can also bring a toy animal to school on Thursday for their science session
Forest School would like pairs of old tights for us in their sessions
Pine Martens and Badgers need some shoe boxes and water bottles for their next science unit
Coffee Morning
Affordable Schools
At Monkton Park School, we have recently engaged with Wiltshire’s ‘Affordable Schools’ strategy because we understand it can be difficult to talk about money worries. People finding it hard to make ends meet often hang on and try and sort things out themselves; not seeking help until the situation has become very difficult. Whatever the issues you are facing, we would encourage you to ask for support. With guidance from the ‘Affordable Schools’ strategy, we have created a page on our website under the ‘Parents’ tab that signposts support and guidance. Alternatively, please feel free to get in touch with us here at school. You can contact our Family Link Worker, Jen Marshall or contact the office in school on admin@monktonpark.wilts.sch.uk.
Parent Resource - online safety
In a recent survey with pupils in Y3-Y6 we found that lots of children have very active online lives. Many use apps such as WhatsApp or Snapchat and we would recommend regular checks with your child to see which groups they are part of. Some groups can contain over 100 people and can lead to children being exposed to inappropriate language. This is always best done in a supportive way with your child and the recording below has lots of advice. Other children said that they use games which are not age appropriate e.g. Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto.
Please see links below to the parent resources and recording of the Online Safety talk
Recording Link (please do NOT to share this link publicly online / social media etc)
Class Assemblies
Thank you for coming to Squirrels class assembly this week, we hope you enjoyed their performance.
Class assemblies will take place on Tuesday mornings at 9.05am. Family and friends are welcome, tea and coffee will be served after.
Owls - 11 June 2024
Fieldmice - 18th June 2024
FOMPS
FOMPS PTA News: Get Involved and Rock On!
Thanks to your generosity, we’ve invested £600 in brand-new equipment for the wildlife area. Among the exciting additions is a sturdy canopy, perfect for those rainy outdoor days. Now our little explorers can learn about nature without getting soaked!
🌟 Mega Playlist Scarecrow Trail: 18th & 19th May Mark your calendars! Our Mega Playlist Scarecrow Trail is just around the corner. All scarecrow entries are in, and our dedicated team is working out the route. It’s going to be a weekend filled with creativity, community spirit, and fun.
🙌 Volunteers Needed! We can’t pull off these fantastic events without your help. Here’s how you can get involved:
• Sewing Bunting: If you’re handy with a needle and thread, we’d love your help creating festive bunting.
• Bake Sale Stars: Calling all bakers! Whip up some delicious treats for our cafe stall. Your cookies, cupcakes, and brownies will keep everyone fueled.
• Weekend Warriors: Sign up to volunteer on the weekend. Whether it’s assisting with the arts and crafts stall on Saturday 18th or selling trail sheets and refreshments on Sunday 19th, your time makes a difference. Please sign up at https://volunteersignup.org/4A4XH.
📧 Reach Out to Us! Ready to rock? Contact the FOMPS PTA at fompspta@gmail.com. Let’s make this Scarecrow Trail unforgettable! 🎉
Remember, together we can create magic for our school community. See you at the Scarecrow Trail! 🌻🎨🍰 .