Monkton Park Newsletter Friday 15th September 2023

Week 2

With the new school year now in full-swing, it has been great to see the children getting involved in so much fantastic learning around school. The September weather has been prefect giving the children lots of opportunities to get outside. Our new reception children continue to have a magnificent start to their Monkton Park journey being ably supported by their Year 6 Buddies. Today we welcomed reception into their very first Celebration Assembly where their listening and participation was outstanding! We also heard from our new Year 6 House Captains and House Point Ambassadors:

Elm: Laurie and Tilly

Oak: Chloe and Lorena

Beech: Annabella and Rory

Ash: Flynn and Hermes

House Point Ambassadors: George T, Maizie, Olivia, George R

At Monkton Park we always endeavor to give the children lots of opportunities outside of our main curriculum including trips, sports events, outdoor days and OPAL (Outdoor Play and Learning). This week each class selected 'OPAL Squad' leaders for the year. Next week you will receive details of the after-school clubs run by teachers - free of charge - which will begin the following week.

Have a great weekend.

Weekly Achievement Awards

Achievement certificates

Achievement certificates are awarded to one child per class every week in our celebration assembly.

Congratulation in week 2 to: Lily Faye, Alex, Evie, Millie, Bernie, Isabelle, Jenson, Ben & Alfie

Hot Chocolate Friday

We were delighted to continue our hot chocolate Friday. Teachers chose one child from each class who has gone over and above during week in helping others. The selected children then have a hot chocolate with Mr Rafferty and Mr Williams.

This weeks achievers are: Rowan, Matilda, Olivia, Katie, Florence, Catherine, Isla, Darcey & Ivy-Rose

Star Writer

Our Star Writers this week are: Elfie, Jaxon, Max, Anya, Anna, Teddy, Revie, Amelie & Annabel

T-Trak Club at the Swindon Railway Festival

The T-Trak Club represented the school at Swindon Railway Festival over the weekend of 9th/10th September. This annual event at STEAM is one of the largest model railway exhibitions in the local area, featuring over 20 model railways.

We displayed our biggest layout of T-Trak modules yet at the Festival, assembled from modules built by members of the club since September 2017. We featured some of our earliest modules (those former pupils must be starting their A-Levels this term - how time flies!) right up to the newest snowy modules we built specially for last year’s school Christmas Fair.

I received lots of compliments about the children’s work and what we’ve done as a club from show visitors, including from Hiroshi Kato, the president of Kato Railroad Models (one of the largest model railway brands in the world; huge in Japan and the USA). Mr Kato joined other show visitors in driving trains on our model railway and was very impressed with what the children have achieved.

I’d like to give a big thank you to George, Laurie and Beth (and their parents), along with former pupils Charlie and Eddie, who came to help operate the railway and teach our visitors how to drive the trains, look out for the working signals and remember to stop at the station.

And massive thank yous to George’s dad, James, and our co-chair of governors, Ian Sankey, for transporting the two car-loads of equipment to make the whole thing possible. And finally, thanks to Network Rail, who supported our attendance at the event and provided plenty of freebies to remind everyone to stay safe around the railway.

Mr Smart