Pirate Day

We had lots of activities to do including walking the plank, making treasure maps and parrots, tie dye and decorating biscuits.

We all had a great time, rounding off with a fabulous picnic on the good ship ‘Jolly Clifton Green. Our thanks to all those parents who supported us. We hope you enjoyed the tea and cake

Sponsored Toddle

The Morning and Afternoon Nursery children joined with ‘Little Acorns Nursery’, based in the Children’s Centre, for a sponsored toddle in aid of Barnardos Children’s Charity. It was a fantastic event which was enjoyed by all. The children and staff walked half a mile around the main field at school and then sat down to a well deserved picnic with their teddies. The children at Clifton Green Nursery raised a magnificent £847! We get to keep 25% of this and pass on 75% to Barnardos to help disadvantaged children.

 us.

Our thanks to all those who supported us, including the kitchen staff who prepared the picnic for us.

Spelling Championship Results - 2008

We are delighted with the efforts children have put in to learn correct, accurate spellings. This Championship coming at the end of the year reflects all the hard work children have done throughout the year both at school and at home to get better at spelling. We are pleased that so many children contested the classes and achieved success!

Click on the pictures below to enlarge

Year 1	Year 2	Year 3
Year4	Year 5	Year 6

Clifton Green School is the first school in York to be awarded the Primary Geography Quality Mark

Clifton Green  Primary School is the first school in York to be awarded the Geographical Association’s Primary Geography Quality Mark (PGQM)  following the latest round of moderation in this the third year of the award.  The Primary Geography Quality Mark is supported by the DCSF through the Action Plan for Geography and is seen as a key strategy for raising the quality of geography in primary schools.

Clifton Green has gained a Silver Award in recognition of the implementation of whole school approaches that support excellence in geography.

At the school geography is effectively led by an enthusiastic subject leader who is able to inspire her colleagues.  Teachers value the important contribution that geography makes to the curriculum and are skilled in ensuring that quality learning builds through the school.  School strengths include environmental stewardship, active enquiry through fieldwork and the use of ICT.  This motivates and engages children to understand more about the people and places that make up our world. 

Wendy North, The Geographical Association project leader for the PGQM award says:

Staying Safe in the Sun.

On Tuesday a lady and gentleman from York against Cancer came to talk to us about staying safe in the sun. He gave us all blue “Foreign Legion” hats, sun cream and advice about covering up.

Following this talk we also got some parasols to use on sunny days to provide more shade outside on the playground.

 These are pictures of children in year two wearing our sun hats.

 York Junior School’s  Netball Rally

Match Report : By Miss Wilkinson

Clifton Green girls netball team performed fantastically in the netball rally held at the Railway Institute in Acomb.

The girls got off to an excellent start winning their first two games against Hempland and Huntington schools. The last game in their section against Poppleton Ousebank proved to be one of their toughest games of the morning. Despite their collective team efforts they lost 3-0 to organised attacking opponents. However third place in the rally was still to play for and the girls certainly raised their game for this last match. Lakeside School were our opponents and within the first two minutes Clifton Green was 3-0 down with no hint of an enthralling game ahead. However with three minutes to go Clifton Green scored and this proved to be a major turning point in the game. The team started 1-3 down in the second half but quickly adopted an attacking play which resulted in them drawing level. Shouts of support encouraged the girls to give it their all – they didn’t disappoint! Lakeside than scored so Clifton Green were looking at defeat. Then a set piece from a centre pass delivered the ball swiftly into the semi-circle – the shot on target was accurate! The game ended 4-4 with 3rd position being shared between both schools.

All the girls were fantastic representatives for the school, showing courage and determination in the toughest of games. Congratulations to: Harriet Sherwood, Georgia Jackson, Vicky Harding, Kennedy Smith, Paige Deighton, Emma Crawford and Melissa Ellerby.

Exemplary Behaviour

This week a record number of classes received rosettes for exemplary behaviour. Here are the representatives after receiving their awards in assembly.

Mr Hay retires

 After 16 years as caretaker Mr Hay retired as our school caretaker. Here is a picture of him, in a farewell assembly, with a cake the children presented to him along with a special thank-you present.

Easter at Clifton Green School

There was so much excitement and fun at the school during the build up towards Easter that it is only possible to show a selection of the pictures of activity here on our website.
Full displays and pictures can be enjoyed at the school in each of the classes.

Click on the Pictures to enlarge

Easter Egg Competition

The Easter Hat Competition

The Easter Hat Competition
Nursery

In  we had lots of fun, decorating Easter eggs, making hats and hunting for eggs that the Easter Bunny had left for us. Here are some photos of a few of us in our Easter hats.
We put on a show for the parents singing ‘Easter eggs, Easter eggs, all in a row’ and ‘Hot Cross Buns’ amongst others. (photo of children holding Easter eggs )
The last day of term also saw Nursery celebrating two birthdays.

York Schools Drama Festival.

 On Saturday March 15^th Clifton Green pupils performed in the York Schools Drama Festival. Inspired by the York Mystery Plays the children had written, with help from Miss Holdsworth and Mrs Hobson, an exciting  piece called “Jennifer Jones and the Yombo.”

Clifton Green Pupils Sing in the Minster.

On Friday 14^th March children in our school choir joined four other schools and the Minster choristers. What a wonderful experience! They sang in front of an audience of proud parents and members of the public.

Here is the programme with our tree and the logos of the other schools and photos from the audience.

 There was also a photo in Saturday night’s Press.

BOOK  WEEK AT CLIFTON GREEN. 3^rd -7^th March 2008

A celebration of books and reading.

In the week of World Book Day all the children took part in a number of book related activities.

Classes had an author to visit that told them about how they wrote books and gave budding authors ideas.

Mij  Kelly working with children in Year 2. She read her own books to them and told them how she gets ideas. Then she worked with them as they wrote their own stories.

Children also worked with Rural Arts artists making exciting sculptures of book characters

On World Book Day itself children and staff came to school dressed as Book Characters and explained why they had chosen them.

Mrs Illing as Winnie the Witch in Winter and Mrs Beck as Mummy Bear! Year 2 staff were all characters from the Katie Morag books – “Mrs Godfrey looks just like the Lady Artist” – Tamayah Y2

Two winners from each class got book prizes.

All sorts of characters mixed together and talked about their books !

We couldn’t tell who was inside this gorgeous hungry caterpillar.

 There was a display on Tuesday of lots of new topic books that have arrived for everyone to borrow in the Library. Super books that children or teachers have requested.

We rounded off the week by joining in  The Big Time Rhyme  - a record breaking attempt at the most people reading together to support Great Ormond Street Hospital. The whole school read an excerpt from Peter Pan and Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean. The Rev. Godfrey kindly came and acted as a witness so our efforts could be counted. We collected donations to help this worthy charity. All the classes got copies of Peter Pan and Peter Pan and Scarlet either for their teachers to read to them or to add to their class book collections.

Geraldine McCaughrean, Author Peter Pan in Scarlet said ….It gives me a very odd feeling just thinking about it. Hundreds of thousands of people reading out words I wrote? All over the country? At the very same moment? How odd. How unlikely. ... But how fantastic if it works some magic for Great Ormond Street. I've seen what a huge affection people everywhere have for GOSH. So let's do it!

All children received their World Book Day £1 voucher which we hope they will enjoy spending either at a bookshop or the school bookclub.

Choir News and Information

The choir is busy practising for a concert in York Minster on Friday 14^th March at 6pm. They will be singing a variety of songs with the Minster Song School choir and children from several other primary schools in York. This is a fantastic opportunity in a year when singing is being promoted in our area.

Also coming up is a concert for parents by the Y4/Y5 pupils who are learning trumpet or violin. This will be on Thurs 20th March during the afternoon in the school hall.

The recorder and ocarina groups and the Little Singers will also have the chance to perform in assembly before the end of term.

Alison Illing   Music Coordinator

MENTAL MATHS CHALLENGE

Mental Maths  - one of the most important aspects of numeracy – was highlighted throughout the school during the first part of the Spring term – culminating in a mental maths challenge which took place in the school hall on Friday 8^th February.

In the days prior to the event – children practised the various skills required, including their ever important multiplication tables.

During the week of the challenge – two finalists were selected from each class to go forward to the final – held in the school hall – in front of their classmates.  These children had to answer numerous questions on all aspects of mental maths – with a winner being produced after some very close contests indeed.

At the end of the afternoon – the whole school gathered for a special assembly, to say “well done” to all those involved.  Each of the finalists was presented with a calculator as a runners-up prize – while the outright winner in each age group received a geometry set.

The event was a complete success, giving the children the opportunity to develop their mental maths strategies – and realise that these skills are relevant not only in school, but for the rest of their lives.

Overall Winners:

Year 1         John Tuffer

Year 2         Geoff Grantham

Year 3 & 4   Owen Sandals

Year 5 & 6   Samirah Chowdry

other winners

 Homeless Animals at Christmas

Remember the National Rabbit competition? ..... well…..

the vet that came to see us in National Rabbit week is running an appeal for the collection of dried or tinned pet food, treats and toys for deprived and homeless animals this Christmas. Mrs Lockitt is organising our support of this touching cause and will take our donations to Battle Flatts Veterinary Surgery.

Everything we collect will be distributed between the Cats Protection League, Rydale Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Caring for Cats, Plantation Boarding and Rescue Kennels and the RSPCA

Bring your donations to Mrs Lockitt – see the display in the hall,  any time before the end of term.

Click Here to Look at the Website

Football at YCFC

The football team were lucky enough to be invited to play at Bootham Crescent before York City’s match against Salisbury City.  The team were allowed access to the changing rooms and to run out of the tunnel onto the pitch.  After playing against Lakeside the players watched City’s match. 

Despite City losing, the team and accompanying teachers really enjoyed their visit.  Finally a big thanks must go to the Football in the Community coaches for arranging our visit.

Children in Need celebrations at school today
16 November 2007

We had a sponsored multi-colour non uniform day in aid of children in Need .   There was a Pudsey Wooden Spoon Competition which was won by Mrs Calverley …that was lucky as she likes stirring!   Class 2CG dressed up. and on the left we see......... Nursery Teacher Mrs Beck cutting a colourful figure and being the proud wearer of the shoes on our home page. Did you guess right??

Sir Jim Rose Visits Clifton Green
 Thursday 15^th November 2007

Jim Rose came to see phonics in our Foundation Stage and KS1 Classes. He came to visit because York has had outstanding results in this area and we were chosen us to show him good practice. We were chosen because everyone at Clifton Green is committed to this approach. He spoke to teachers, and children and said he was very impressed with how quickly the children were learning to read.  He liked the whole team approach and how everyone in the school seemed to know about Fast Phonics and that we had good quality resources.  He also thought our teachers were doing a “wonderful” job!

Jim Rose who was the former Deputy Chief Inspector of Schools led an independent review to examine best practice in teaching reading, including the place of synthetic phonics. This review, (known as THE ROSE REVIEW) as well as looking at the role and pace of phonics teaching within the context of early reading, supported both the development of the birth to five framework and the renewal of the literacy framework.

Letters and Sounds and the New Framework are based on his findings which were published 2006.

Sir James Rose has been an education consultant since 1999, having undertaken a number of assignments for government and educational organizations both at home and overseas. After holding a variety of teaching posts in both primary and secondary schools, including two headships, he was appointed HMI in 1975 as a primary education specialist. He became Staff Inspector for Pupils with Specialist Educational Needs in 1979, Chief Inspector with national responsibilities including primary education (1983), and Director of Inspection, OFSTED (1994).

Lollypop Lady
for
30 years !!!!

We had a lovely party to congratulate and thank our Lollipop Lady – Mrs Kelly who has been 30 years at the school.
She came into school for tea and cakes and all the children came to see her with cards and a present.

Geography Quiz
Year 5

Congratulations to all Year 5 pupils who took part in the Geography Quiz.

They thoroughly enjoyed the competition and lots of fun was had by all.

A special congratulations goes to Edward Cotton (1^st place), Jake Flintoft (2nd place) and David Feetenby (3^rd place).

Well done Year 5!!!

 
Mr Murray struggling to answer the questions !!!

Show Racism The Red Card
(Click on pictures to enlarge)

The year 6’s attended a presentation at York City Football Club in October concerning ‘Showing Racism the Red Card’.

The students were given the opportunity to meet some of the players from York City and find out how racism had affected them within football.  The children were very interested in what the players had to say and asked them a number of questions on the subject.

Luckily it would appear that the players themselves had not experienced racism on the football pitch first hand, but pointed out that they would be unhappy to hear racist comments in any walk of life.

The children were shown a video about ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ before being taken on a tour of the football ground, including the changing rooms.

The day was a great success with the children learning an important lesson for life.

This is what some of the children had to say about the day:

“It was very educational to find out about racism and how to deal with it” said Jayde Dillon.

“It was a really good day – I didn’t realise that racism could also be about peoples religion” exclaimed Grace Metheringham.

“I’ve had racism directed at me and it isn’t nice – it was a really fun day and helped us to understand more about how racism can affect people”  commented Hakim Lazrak.

“I could never imagine playing football and having racist abuse shouted at me from supporters of the other side – as happened when England played Spain – it must have been terrible for the players”  said Carl Noble.

Walk to School Week Competition

Football @
Clifton Green Primary School
2007 - 08 Season.

The new football season has started at Clifton Green with our fixture list filling up fast.  To date we have played two league matches, one 6-a-side tournament and one 5- a-side tournament.  The 6-a-side tournament was held at St Olave’s School and the children really enjoyed playing as a team.  In the near future we are to play in the CADE 6-a-side trophy and the Primary League cup.  In addition we will be playing further league games in our new league, league D.