This Week at Pathway 5/2/24

Message from the Executive Headteacher
 
We’ve reached the end of a very focused half-term of learning in our schools.
 
In each school, we have used our values to centre our learning and to explore complex themes together. I’m excited that next half-term we will be considering our mutual value of ‘Courage’. Look out for lots of courageous learning and the embracing of challenging opportunities!
 
Children’s Mental Health Week has been prominent in both schools with our brilliant teams taking the lead. Mrs Vaughan and others have been promoting the value of good sleep and giving the children strategies for building resilience and managing their emotions. And the children have been able to wear pyjamas to school! It’s been wonderful to be a part of it and I’m very proud that our schools place the well-being of our children at the heart of what we do.
 
On Thursday this week I attended the final Indoor Athletics competition at the Marches and again cheered on our teams. Morda and Whittington put in brilliant performances and their conduct and sporting attitudes were exemplary. Well done to Mrs Edwards, Mr Wright and the children.
 
We have ended the half-term with a day of Positive Noticing. Our focus has been ‘Be Smart’ and we’ve been giving out special stickers to children modelling exemplary conduct, presentation and uniform.
 
We are coming back to another short half-term but you can be assured it will be action-packed in the run up to Easter!
 
Wishing you all a great weekend and an enjoyable half-term break.
 
Mr Carl Rogers
Executive Headteacher
 
This  Week at Morda                                                                     
This week has been full of drama and performances! On Monday the Roses class were treated to a seeing the Marches production of ‘Shrek the Musical’ The children loved the performance – and they certainly didn’t want to sleep through any part of this fab production. It was great to spot ex–Morda pupils performing so well in the musical.
 
Back at school children were encouraged to keep a daily log of their sleep patterns in their sleep diary. All classes watched age-appropriate educational videos about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. We learned that electronic screens in bedrooms, drinking caffeinated drinks and going to bed worried can all make for disturbed nights. We practised some mindfulness techniques to help us feel relaxed and ready for bed. We talked about good bedtime routines and how to best prepare for a restful sleep. A number of children helped Mrs Vaughan to create our very own Worry Monster – a friendly monster who will ‘eat’ the worries we post in his mouth. A worry shared is a worry halved!
 
On Tuesday, the Shamrocks took part in a fantastic Tudor drama led by dramatic inquiry expert Tim Taylor. Classes also took part in the BBC Safer Internet Lesson and learned how to keep safe online by playing games on the www.thinkuknow.co.uk website.
 
Mrs Vaughan, our Well Being lead and Learning Mentor, taught all the classes how to do some relaxing back massage and storytelling with her ‘Back stories’ session.  Our worry monster collected children’s worry notes at lunch time and in the afternoon pupils enjoyed experiencing some relaxing herbal scents. The Shamrocks even made some herbal teas!
 
After school Mrs Butler led a lovely afterschool bedtime story event. We had super feedback from parents and children. Twenty children from Years 2, 3 ,4 and 5 volunteered to take part in a live Dramatic Learning demonstration lesson with Tim Taylor. Around thirty teachers from other local schools watched the children take part in a fantastic drama lesson about an adventure on a mysterious craggy island. The children were fantastic, and the visiting teachers were very complementary about their amazing imaginations and the super work on display.
 
On Thursday, the Roses, Bluebells and Daffodils classes had exciting drama sessions with Tim Taylor. The Roses tackled some online bullying, the Bluebells class voyaged the moon and the Daffodils class discovered a previously unheard recording of the Beatles! Our year 6 pupil ‘Worship Group’ led a super thoughtful Sleep Week assembly, dramatizing the story of Jesus calming the storm. In PE sessions children learned some relaxing yoga moves.
 
By Friday, we were also so relaxed and sleepy we came in our PJs! Parents enjoyed a coffee, cake and helpful chat about improving children’s mental wellbeing and encouraging good sleep routines.  Despite the casual dress, the children kept up the great learning and being ‘smart’ in the way they moved around school and got on with their work. Staff children moving smartly around school – and awarded children with stickers as part of a second ‘Positive Noticing Day’ In the afternoon, every child planted a spring bulb which they will take home and hopefully watch grow!
 
After such a busy, but enjoyable end to the half term we are more than ready for a well-deserved rest!
 
Have a lovely restful half term.
 
Mrs Helen Chapman
Head of School