From Primary School:
Information letter from Mr. Paul, Head of Primary School
Dear parents and guardians,
For many of us, this has been quite a challenging week. Covid cases have caused the school into online teaching in many classes, and with this a readjustment of how we normally teach and learn. However, in everything we do that is challenging, we must meet it head-on and overcome - sometimes that is through trial and error, but eventually reaching solutions that perhaps on occasion we didn't know we had in us. For that reason, I want to say a big thank you to the parents and students in Early Years and Lower Primary who have engaged with Zoom lessons this week, and we as educators have identified what works and what doesn't regarding how to best conduct this form of teaching.
Elsewhere in the school, the monthly value of RESPECT has been to the fore. Many teachers have commented to me via email, as I recover from illness in my apartment, how impressed they have been with students in general showing respect in many ways. Speaking personally, it frustrates me that I am not able to be there this week to enjoy this - as I stated last week, I believe respect is one of the key fundamentals to the development of young people into fine young adults. Respect everything and everyone - we are all equal, essentially, and all worthy of equal treatment and equal consideration.
Mr. Paul Curry
Head of Primary
Now, onto details from class teachers. In Lower Primary, our Phase Leader and Reception class teacher Kalyn wants to sing the praises of her children:
Reception have had a fantastic start to the year! We have been learning lots, and have put so much effort into everything that we have done. This week was no exception! We discovered that we all have superpowers – what’s yours?
In literacy, our class started reading a book titled ‘Supertato’. It is about a superhero who rescues vegetables from an evil pea! Using the story, Reception have learnt about character descriptions, labelling, and prediction. In Understanding the World, we discovered that we are all superheroes and that we all have superpowers – kindness, respect and bravery. We even made our own superhero disguises (masks and capes) and rescued kidnapped toys using a secret map.
Reception are doing a fantastic job with phonics – they are progressing at lightning speed! Some of the Reception children are already completing reading books with words in them!
In mathematics we learnt to count to 100! We also began to talk about measurement. We measured the heights of superheroes using cubes and discovered that you can match a person to their footprint by measuring length!
We are so proud of each and every single child and the progress that they are making, and we were so excited to share what we have been doing!
Have a wonderful weekend!
MISS KALYN
Reception Teacher
In Upper Primary, Mr Mat and Year 3M have been busy too:
How times go fast? We are already in the second month of the school year and students have been adapting to the routine well.
In English, we are learning about dialogue and how to write a quote using speech marks. Next week, we will start writing our own story where the main character encounters a problem and needs to find a solution. We are going to find an interesting setting for the story and develop the characters using adjectives.
In Math, we have just started learning about multiplication and division. To understand these mathematical operations, we are going to be using manipulatives, we are going to be drawing and we are going to learn how to multiply by learning it by heart. We are going to learn about the special relationship between division and multiplication and find out how knowing 3 x 5 = 15, can help us find 15 ÷ 3 = 5.
In Science, we have been growing beans for the past few weeks. We are now going to experiment by placing one plant without light and compare its growth to a plant with light. The students have given their predictions and will write down their observations of the changes. We are also learning about how temperature can affect the growth of a plant.
In Global Perspectives, the students have been finding ideas on how humans use water. We are going to reflect on ways that we waste water and come up with solutions to change some of our habits. In groups, the students will start preparing and present a poster of their idea to the class in the coming.
Have a lovely weekend everyone
Mr Mat,
Year 3M
From Secondary School:
Information letter from Mr. Christopher, Head of Secondary School
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
I hope that you are well.
It is no secret that this week we have had our Year 8, Year 10, and Year 11 students in Distance Learning from home. Although this is not the ideal situation, the feedback I have received from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive. As a whole, students have conducted brilliantly, and they should be incredibly proud of this fact. We continually strive to improve our distance learning, with any feedback provided considered and appreciated.
For the students that were in school, we had our annual Lazer Run event. The Lazer run models a modern-day pentathlon event when participants run and then shoot targets. The Olympians Sofia Kozlova and Artem Nedov also attended, and it was great to meet them. A lot of fun was had by all, and students participated for house points. We will share the results of the event next week.
I wish you all a lovely weekend.
Christopher Kingshott
Head of Secondary
Message from Mr Chris Mackin (English Teacher and Year 9 form tutor)
Dear CIS Community.
It has been a time of adjustment as our year 8, 10 and 11 students transition to online learning.
Speaking as their English teacher, I have been hugely impressed with the way the students have managed the change. They have been punctual, alert and more than proficient at both contributing to lessons and submitting work.
It has also been great to see how maturely the Year 9s have adapted to being the oldest in the school, being excellent role models to our Year 7 students and contributing to a pleasant and calm learning atmosphere.
Years 7, having finished Coraline, are now thinking about the concept of ‘The Hero’s Journey.’ They have especially enjoyed applying the framework to some of their favourite comic book characters and stories, something which has deepened their understanding of structure and the universiality of writing.
Year 8 have continued reading Warhorse. To further their understanding of the novel’s context, this week and last we read war poetry. Written by serving soliders themselves, the poems offer a poignant testement to the human cost of war, an awareness of which will aid the students as they begin to discuss and write about the themes and issues addressed by the book.
I have been very impressed with Year 9’s ability to engage thoughtfully with Of Mice and Men. Though written in relatively simple language, it remains a mainstay in the British curriculum because of the wide range of themes it deals with, all of which remain relevant today. The students have shown a real maturity when discussing the book and their written work is a testament to how much thought they have dedicated to the book’s core meaning.
Year 10 continue to work on their coursework. To help us we have studied short stories from writers as varied as John Cheever and Stephen King, with the students themselves identifying why these writers are as lauded in the form as they are. Now the fun part, with the students writing their own pieces, which will eventually be submitted as part of their coursework portfolio.
Year 11 have had an enjoyable time reading 1984. 1984 is a book that can be enjoyed as both an entertaining romp and a startling treatise. It is refreshing that our oldest students have been able to deconstruct and analyse it with the care and merit it deserves.
Something else that we are pleased about as a teaching staff is the ongoing usage of edupage. Streamlining communication like that is something that we believe will lead to mutually beneficial benefits, the ultimate goal being, as always, to best possible education for our students.
Thank you,
Chris Mackin
English teacher
