BIC Sa Porrassa Primary News (11/18/22)

Ms Alison Colwell, Principal

Dear families,

Earlier last term we consulted parents on a range of issues as part of our commitment to good communication and community involvement. I have now had the chance to look carefully at all the votes and comments. We asked about 5 topics and there was no single consensus on any of them, such is the nature of consultations I guess. There are strong and differing views, but it was still useful - all feedback is helpful and welcome.

There was very little interest in a school bus, but there was a keenness to encourage and promote more carpooling. Similarly, there was no take up on the idea of a UK summer school experience, although overseas trips are clearly popular (and I am delighted that we are currently planning 4 for this school year).

The dates of the school holidays are always a topic that gets lots of debate and very opposing views! My preference for a two week October break was supported by a quarter of votes, and the same number of families would like to see a May half term, as in the UK. Some families said they thought the summer holiday should be shorter (I agree) and an equal number thought it should be longer! We are hoping to have the school calendar for 2023-2024 approved very soon, and it will be published as soon as we do, but we are not planning anything very radical.

The item we sought your views on that had the highest level of consensus was school uniform, where there are clear concerns over price, quality and availability. This is an area we are actively pursuing in response to these concerns, which have also been raised previously - watch this space.

Wishing you a lovely weekend,

Kind regards,

Principal

Baleares International College, Sa Porrassa

Ms. Elizabeth Compton, Head of Primary

Dear families,

We welcomed several visitors from both Orbital and NABSS (National Association of British Schools in Spain) to our school last week. It made me extremely proud to hear them give such wonderful feedback on our students. Not only was it noted how polite and well mannered they were when meeting and greeting our guests, but the comments on their class behaviour was exemplary.

“Such incredible and lovely children”

“Students who participate enthusiastically and are keen to learn”

“Students taking pride in their work with such neat presentation”

Role models of these excellent standards are embodied in our Student Council. During our assembly we made sure all students know who they can talk to if they need to. Our team of House and Vice House Captains made themselves known to all students as a reminder that there is always someone to turn to if you need support.

This week our focus has been on ´Anti-Bullying´, reaching out to support others, and working as a community to stamp out unkindness in our school. This is an event coordinated in England and Wales by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. The week culminated with Odd Socks Day on Friday by wearing our odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Congratulations to our certificate and pen licence winners. Our theme of Neat November is really motivating our students to achieve excellence.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend,

Ms Elizabeth Compton

Head of Primary

Whole School House System news

House Points Totals Update - Term 1

A message from your Heads of House

Early Years news with Mrs Wardle

Reception class have looked at 2D shapes this week, naming them and beginning to talk about them. We know that shapes are everywhere; in the classroom, around the playground, and as we travel along the roads to school, we see them everywhere as road signs. The children loved playing ‘guess the shape’ using a feely bag and describing it to their friends. We looked at famous buildings and used our construction materials to try and make them using some of the same 3D shapes too. See how many shapes you can see outside this weekend.

Year 1 news with Ms Bakes

Year 1 have got off to a great start with Neat November. Every morning we start the day with handwriting practice and the children are enjoying seeing their day-to-day improvements.

In maths, we have been learning about place value and how teen numbers are made up of one ten and various ones. The children have displayed a sound understanding of this, with the help of tens towers and ones cubes.

We thoroughly enjoy Wednesday’s reading buddies session with Year 4.

This week in our computing lesson, the children were learning how to program a little robot called a Bee-Bot. They had to decide the correct direction in which the Bee-Bot had to travel to reach various places on a mat, and then program the device with the correct directions. They had great fun doing this!

Year 2 News with Mrs West

In English we have started this half term reading the book Traction Man Is Here. The children have enjoyed acting in role to explore the characters.

On Friday we made poppies using collage techniques for Remembrance Day.

In history, we have been learning about Guy Fawkes. We started the topic with the tradition of making a Guy Fawkes model and then we used our acting skills to recall how the plotters devised their plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament with gunpowder.

Year 3 News with Mr Fairless and Miss Xidakis

Year 3 thoroughly enjoyed an assembly by Ms Coutts, our secondary Humanities Leader, that focused on Black History Month. We enjoyed talking about historical figures such as Rosa Parks.

In maths we became measuring detectives, estimating and measuring capacity in ml and litres and converting measures from cm to metres.

In science we have been studying the heart. We learnt that it is an involuntary muscle and took part in a practical experiment to assess how the heart rate changes during physical exercise.

Also we had such wonderful talent displayed during the Year 3 auditions for the school talent show. It was extremely difficult to choose the finalists.

Year 4 News with Mrs Alonso McGregor and Mrs Walsh

As part of our English unit on newspapers, Year 4 have been learning the importance of drawing out information by using open ended questions and the 5w´s (where, what, when, where and who questions). They were able to put this skill into practice when we role-played a news conference, where the children had to ask fact finding questions of our three “visitors” relating to a recent discovery of a new set of ancient tombs in Egypt.

In Mrs Walsh´s maths class, the children have been honing their problem solving skills by completing an investigative activity using dominoes. Some children adopted a trial and error approach, whilst others used their knowledge of addition. Only one group managed to solve the puzzle. Can you?

In Mrs AM´s maths class, the children have been revising their understanding of formal calculation methods. They enjoyed role playing column subtraction to help reinforce the process of exchange. With ´Neat November´ in full swing, it was a good opportunity to focus on the presentation of written calculations too. Didn't we do well!

Year 5 News with Ms Hodgson and Ms I'Anson

During art, Year 5 have enjoyed working with clay to produce dragon eyes. We used the technique of scoring and slip, a paste made from clay and water, to join pieces of clay together. They have worked carefully and taken their time, and the end results are spectacular.

In Learning Support class, after looking into the history of the significance of Remembrance Day, the children wrote a set of instructions on how to make a poppy out of a plastic bottle. We then used these instructions to create our own.

Following our class trip to the beach with Save The Med, we held a cake sale. Thank you to all the year 5 pupils and their families for baking such delicious cakes. It was a great success and we managed to raise 335 euros for this amazing charity and their work in our environment.

Year 6 News with Mr Darlow and Mrs Von Waberer

Year 6 have been delving deeper into their topic of Ancient Greece. We’ve been overwhelmed by the beautiful and artistic creations the children have brought from home. We’ve also been enjoying starting to make our Greek clay pots at school.

We’ve been sharing presentations on Greek gods and goddesses as well as learning about the different legacies of Ancient Greece, one being the Greek alphabet. We were so amazed with the speed and skill with which so many children learnt to recite it. (photos sent by email)

For Remembrance Day on Friday, the children became investigative historians, analysing sources and solving ‘mystery questions’. They came up with some fantastic theories about the inciting incident of World War One and drew art inspired by the cartoonist Joe Sacco.

Sports department news

As part of the new 11-year curriculum, Year 5 are learning how to play badminton for the first time, with some excellent skills on show already.

Languages department news

Year 3 and 4, First Language Group

Our mascot Quiesel has been very silly writing a postcard to some friends. Green holidays? Funny ice cream? The students in Years 3 and 4 changed all adjectives and made lovely postcards out of them:

Year 5 First Language students have completed their literature project. “Das Vamperl” tells the story of a small vampire which does not drink blood but bile, which makes all people less stressed and angry. Frau Lizzie found Vamperl when he was little, and she likes to sing songs to him. One of these songs has been interpreted by the students:

Year 6 Foreign Language students revised and consolidated basics and included new students in their role plays. Some amazing videos and recordings were the outcome which we would like to share with all of you: