FoundersDayandAnnanValuesLastFridayatGatheringwecelebratedAnnan’sbirthdayor“FoundersDay”.Aspartofourcelebrationwesanganewschoolsongandspentsometimethinkingaboutourcorevalues.Wesharedsomeofthewonderfulworkgoingonaroundtheschool.Thenchildrenwereshownlargecardswiththecorevaluesonthemandaskedwhateachonemeanttothem.WealsotalkedabouttheprinciplesbehindFroebel’sformsoflearning-Knowledge,Life,Beauty.

The key values explored were: Creativity, Well-being, Relationships andRespect,RiskandChallengeandCommunity.

The children were thoughtful and confident in sharing their thoughts and itdevelopedintoquiteamovingexperience.ItissohearteningtoknowthateventheveryyoungchildrenunderstandwhatmakesAnnansuchaspecialplacetogotoschool.Wethoughtitwouldbehelpfulforparentstoexploretheseoverthenextfewweeksstartingwith‘Creativity’.

Arecentepisodeof‘FrontRow’onRadio4hostedadebateaboutCreativityinSchoolscalled‘ArtsEducation’.IfyouwouldliketolistentoityoucanfinditasapodcastontheBBCSoundsapp(broadcaston14.11.18).TherewasalsoanarticleintheTESnewsthisweekentitled“WhatisCreativityandwhydoesitmatter?”CreativityforusatAnnanisnotaboutbeinggoodat artormaking something, it is a skillwhich is central to children’s success in life.Art,drama,music,designareimportantbutarereallytoolsthroughwhichchildrencanaccesscreativity.

AtAnnanwethinkofcreativityasmoretodowithyourthinkingskills,‘thinkingoutsidethebox’isoneofourfavouriteexpressions. It istheabilityto investigate,problemsolve,anduseyour imagination.

Throughcreativeexperienceschildrentakeaninterestintheworldaroundthemand develop critical-thinking skills. The skills to innovate or inspire others isbecomingvitalintheworkplace.Itissuggestedthatwiththegrowthofartificialintelligence up to 65% of children entering primary school today will endupworkingincompletelynewjobsthatdon’tyetexist.Weneedtobeequippingourchildrentobecreative,flexibleandresilientrisktakers.

Nowcreativesubjectsarebeingsqueezedoutofmainstreamschoolcurriculums,music is disappearing from theKS3 secondary school timetables completely insome schools. Testing in primary schools is taking over as the purpose forlearningandexpressiveartsandproblem-solvingskillsaremoredifficulttotestso can become less valued.We believe Annan is leading the way through itscutting-edgeapproach.

Critical-thinking skills are developed through project-based learningsuchaswedoatAnnan.Childrenneed to learnbymakingmistakesandtryingagaininoccupationssuchasDTandwoodworkaswellasinForest School or Science. These higher-level skillswill allow them togrow inconfidenceto takerisks inothersubjectssuchasmathsandliteracy.KateLatham,authoroftheTESarticle,(HeadoflearningandcommunityengagementattheJupiterArtlandFoundationinScotland)sumsuptheneedforcreativitywiththesewords:

“Weneedtomaketimeforcreativitybecauseitisherethatwebuildnotonlythecurators,designersand filmmakers of the future,but also themost imaginative scientists, successful entrepreneurs anddynamicpoliticians.”

Fridaynotesandreminders…... 23.11.18

.2018

Timetableforw/c26.11.18Monday:Schoollunch:Pasta+TomatoSauceTextilesWorkshop–Infants

Tuesday:Schoollunch:Curry,rice+Bhaji(OakTreechoice)Kinderplay10.00-11.30am

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:LanternFestival–4pm

FoodBank…Don’tforgettobringinyourcontributiontotheFoodBankCollection.Pleaseputinthecollectingboxjustinsidethedoorstothehall.EmptiedeveryFriday.

CharityClothesSaleElder class held a charity clothes sale last Friday and raised a fantastic £120 forChildreninNeed.

WoodworkresourcesneededWeneedsomehardboardcutinfancyshapes,andlotsofbottletopsandbigbuttons–pleasesaveyourmilkbottle/juicecartonplastictopsandsendintotheoffice.

ChristmasCraftClub–Tuesdays3.30pmDon’tforgetEmmaLillyandLauraHiltonwouldlikeafewmorechildrenintheirChristmasCraftclubmakingthingstosellattheWinterFestival.

CHRISTMASJUMPERDAY-MONDAY3rdNOVEMBER.FriendshaveaskedifwecanholdaCHRISTMASJUMPERDAYonMonday3rdNovember.Onthisdaychildrenareinvitedtowearafestivejumpertoschool.ItwouldbegreatifeveryonetakingpartcouldbringinanitemfortheTombola.Thereditemcanbesomethingverysimple.Thereditemcouldbesomethingboughtorhomemade.Wethinkitisafunidea,butthereisnoexpectationorrequirementtotakepart.TheFriendshavechosenthefestivecolour‘red’fortheTombolathisyearsoyoucoulddonateapairofredsocks,biscuitsinaredtin,abraceletwithredbeads,aredbathspongeetc.

AdventLanternFestival-Friday30thNovemberat4pmDon’tforgetnextFridayisourannualAdventFestival.Childrenshouldbringasnacktoeatafterschool.Parentsareinvitedtocomeandjoinus–pleasearriveby4.00pm.(Childreninkindergartenwhodon’tstayfortheafternoonarewelcometocomebackat3.30pmtojointheparade.Alternativelytheycanbook in for the afternoon and stay on after lunch). We are hoping the Friends Committeewill beserving hot drinkswhile parentswait so bring some change. Therewill be overflowparking in theplayground.

ChristmasEventsPianoMusicRecital-Monday10thDecemberintheschoolhall.2.30pm-3.30pm.Nativity–Thiswillbe takingplaceonWednesday12that3pm.Somepeoplehaveasked if theycanbringfamily.Wewouldliketokeepthisafairlyintimateoccasionbutifyoudobringanyextrapeoplethatisokaslongasyoucanallcomeinonecar.Thereisnofacilityforparkingadditionalcars.

TeaTowelsforChristmas-FriendsSchoolTeaTowelswillbeprintedinoneofourschoolcolours-limeon100%cottonintheUKandmeasure79by51cm.Theyare£4.50eachor3for£10.Ifyouwouldliketomakeanorder,pleasecompleteyourslipsandreturnthemtoPaulaintheSchoolOfficewithyourmoniesbynextMonday26thNovember.ThiswillenableustogetyourTeaTowelstoyouintimefortheChristmasHols.

DatesforyourDiaryFriday7thDecember1.30-3.00pm InfantHouseCareHomeVisit

Sunday9thDecember 12pm-3pm WinterFestivalMonday10thDecember2.30pm ChristmasPianoRecitalWednesday12thDecember3pm ChristmasNativity

Thursday13thDecember3.30pm LastDayofTermFriday14thDecember InsetDayMonday7thJanuary InsetDayTuesday8thJanuary FirstDayofSpringTerm

WinterFestival–Sunday9thDecember12.00-3.00pmHappyFriday,timeseemstobedashingbyandweareonlyjustovertwoweeksawayfromthisyear’sWinterFestival.

Afewupdates&remindersforyou... TheFestivalwillrunfrom12-3pmonSunday9thDecember.Ifyoucancome,itwouldbegreattoseeyou.Ifyouhavefriendsandfamilywhowouldliketocomealong,pleasedobringthem-themorethemerrier!

Ticketsforthefestivalwillbe£5foradults&£2forchildrenandwillincludeacomplimentarydrink.Ticketscanbepurchasedbeforethefestivaloronthedaywhenyouarrive.

Hotfood-Therewillbehotfoodavailable,soyoucancomeforlunch.Henry&LibbyTurnerwillbeservingsomedelicioussavourydelights.Therewillalsobemulleddrinks,teas&coffeesandavarietyofyummycakes.Wemightevenhavesweettreatswarmingonthefirepit.

Wewillhavearangeofstallsincluding...-HomemadegoodiescreatedbythechildrenatCraftClubandparentstoo.Thankyoutothoseofyouwhohavealreadymadecontributionstothisstall,wereallyappreciateit.

-BricaBrac-books&toys.Thankyouforthedonationswehavereceivedsofar,ifyouwouldliketobringsomebitsin,theboxesarebytheschoolhall.

-IfyouwouldliketodosomeChristmasshopping,wewillhaveUsborneBooks,NealsYardproducts,Art,SilverJewellery,CrochetandCraftsstalls.

-Helen&AlanMarriottwillberunningthegamesandwillbesuretohaveavarietyoffunactivitiesforusallwithprizestobewon.Wewillhave‘GuesstheWeightoftheWinterCake’andaRaffleandAuction.Theremightevenbeafestivethemed‘HumanFruitMachine’!

Wehavearangeofactivitiesthatyoucantakepartinduringtheafternoon....-GingerbreadPeopleDecorating-CandleMaking-FacePainting-FestiveCraftsThroughoutthefestivalwewillbeentertainedbyaband,singersandaclarinetplayer.WehopetohavestorytellingwithAlastairandapuppetshowaswell.TheschoolchoirwillbesingingandeveryonewillbeperformingaschoolFestivesong.Wearehopingthemuch-lovedSnowQueenwillmakeanappearance.Lookoutforherinherhiddenpalace.

Reminders...Astheeventisafestivalstyle,weareappealingforgazebosandhaybales,soifyouhaveeitherofthesethatwecouldborrowpleaseletmeorPaulaknow.

Children’sWinterPhotographyCompetition-£1perentrywithaprizeofaMiniPhotoshoot.Allyourchild/childrenneedtodoistakeaWinteryphotobetweennowand9thDecember,senditintoschoolonorbeforetheWinterFestival(eitherelectronicallyorasaprintout)withtheirentryfee.AllentrieswillbejudgedbythePhotographer.WewilltrytodisplaythephotosattheWinterFestival.Itisjustforfun,thereisnopressuretotakepartandtherewillbenospecificjudgingcriteria.

Wehopeyouwilljoinuson9thDecember.Itshouldbeafun,festiveafternoonforallthefamilyandhelpustoraisemoneyforwoodworkandgymnasticsequipmenttoenrichourchildren’slearning.Lotsofpeoplehavebeenworkingveryhardandverylateintothenighttomakethisamagicalevent,sopleasedocomeifyoucan.Nadine&theFriendsCommittee