Christmas Dinner 2012

Last Thursday was our traditional Christmas Dinner. This year the children were joined by staff, governors and our Toddler Group. Our cook, Caroline, did a fantastic job serving up 97 plates of food which were delivered to the tables by our Year 6 pupils.
Blue Class made crackers for everyone and the Christmas spirit flowed nicely!

Talent Show

On Thursday we gathered in the hall for the highlight of the school year - The annual Earl Soham School Talent Show. What a feast of talent there was this year, with songs, dances, piano recitals, sketches, magic and even burping the alphabet!

Here are some of the highlights of the afternoon.

A Letter from the Minister of State for Schools

Our 600th blog post!

I thought you'd like to read the contents of a letter I've just opened from Rt Hon David Laws MP - Minister of State for Schools...

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you on the excellent performance of your pupils in the 2012 national Key Stage 2 tests as published on 13 December 2012.

The overall percentage of your pupils achieving Level 4+, combined with excellent rates of progress in both English and mathematics place you amongst the top performing primary schools this year.

Mastery of English and mathematics is critical to success at secondary school and beyond, so these pupils now have a really good start for the next stage of their education.

I would like to congratulate your staff, governors and pupils for their hard work and success, and to thank you for your leadership in continuing the drive towards the highest standards of educational achievement.

Here's to another great year in 2013

Wolsey Theatre Trip

This afternoon children in years 2 - 6 visited the Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich to see the latest Rock 'n' Roll pantomime, Sleeping Beauty...

King Candlestick Camelot is all of a dither. The Wicked Witch Morgana has put a curse on his little baby daughter and he needs all the help he can get. So he summons the fabulous Fairy Fanciful, her tomboy assistant Frederica, and his unlikely district nurse - the outrageous Dame Taffeta Trott. We saw their attempts to foil Morgana's evil plan to make her son Mordred King... 

Mr Mansell had another fabulous afternoon as Dame Taffeta Trott took a shine to him... again!

Christmas Party

The children enjoyed a fantastic Christmas party with a disco and a visit from Father Christmas!

Thank you to the PTFA for all their hard work in organising it. 

Christmas Carol Service

Last night St Mary's Church was heaving with people coming together to celebrate Christmas at our school Carol Service.
The service opened with a medley of Christmas Carols performed by the recorder group, which was followed by readings, poems and songs. Red class made a Nativity tableau, the choir sang beautifully and the staff choir finished the evening with a surprise sketch and Italian carol. What a fantastic night!



All of this excitement was followed by a party in the school hall to say a fond farewell to Mrs Barker, who is retiring at Christmas. We wish her all the best as she embarks on a new phase of her life, and hope that we will see her pop into school in the near future.

Thank you.

To all the staff, parents and pupils past and present -
I would just like to say a huge thankyou to you all for this evening. I was totally overwhelmed by the occasion, the gifts, the sentiments expressed by so many, and even the song at the end!  I can hardly believe all of Yellow Class kept the plate such a secret!
Thankyou too, to the choir for their brilliant rendition of my favourite carol.
I leave after 13 years with so many happy memories - Earl Soham is truly a great place to work.
Barbara
P.S  I'll be watching the blog to see what you're all up to!

Writer of the Week

Wall of Fame

Wolsey Studio Trip

This morning children from reception and Year 1 visited the Wolsey Studio to watch the Little Angel Theatre's production of The Magician's Daughter...

The rain won't stop, it's drip, drip, dropping all the time.  Isabella just wants to go out and play but there's a storm raging, and now it is time for bed. Her mother Miranda tells amazing stories of her time on an island, with her father Prospero and the comical creatures Ariel and Caliban.  So, Isabella makes a plan to stop the rain by using Prospero's magic staff … if only she could get to the island and find it…

The children took full part in the show, singing along and responding to prompts - they found Caliban's attempts to pronounce 'Isabella' particularly amusing!. A great show was completed with the opportunity for the children to meet the puppets at the end.

Dance Club

This afternoon, parents were invited to watch the work in progress of our dancers, who attend Dance Club with Mrs Jarvis on a Wednesday. Although some of the dances are yet to be finished, they put on a superb performance. It was great to see children from lower KS2, right through to some ex-pupils in year 7, who return specially to take part in dance club. 

I hope you enjoy watching the videos. 

Christmas Crafts

We have been making use of our natural resources for some Christmas Craft activities this year. Our willow house was in need of a trim, and we decided to use the off-cuts to produce some woven Christmas stars. The children decorated them using floristry ribbon and will be bringing them home soon. We hope you like them.

Making Bread in Blue Class

Today, each of the bread groups had a second opportunity to produce their loaf, and make any improvements they needed to make.

They were very busy and I hope you will agree that they produced some fantastic looking results.

Blue Class - Emotions

This week, Blue Class have been writing poetry based on emotions. This afternoon these pieces were produced having built on their ideas over the course of the last 5 days.

I don't mean to be happy

or to be sad

and bad.

I'm good at smiling

that's just me

and if you don't like it

let it be.

My favourite thing

that puts a smile on my face

is the people around me

being happy.

If you don't believe me

come and see

I'm happy.

You're the only thing

that makes me smile.

He comes when you need him

He is always full of joy

He never stops smiling

He is never angry or sad

And he is always happy no matter what

What do you think I am ?

People think

I come with a rainbow

or a surprise

but I do not.

I can sometimes

but not always

for I am happiness.

All I ask for

is a child's love

and nothing else.

For when they are sad

or angry with something

I swallow 

those feelings inside

At Christmas when Santa's here

People think I'm not here

it's just Santa

but no, I'm always here.

I am who I am
I am who I am
why can't people accept that?
When I get scared
people make fun of me
when I cry
they call me names.
I accept who they are,
why can't they accept me?
I find it tedious
when will they stop?
I try not to care
but it just doesn't work.
Oh when will it stop?
I just have to get on
maybe one day I'll be happy
instead of being annoyed
which is what I am now.

It strangles sadness, despair, fear and anger

it delivers love, joy and hope

which all together equal something special.

It picks you up,

places you in the spot-light

and gives you amazing features.

It makes sure you're unique

different from everybody

inhabiting the planet.

It kills anxiety that has been

in your heart 

for ages.

It talks to you at night

and visits you

when you're lonely

It takes the weight

that lines your shoulders

and hurls them away

into the atmosphere.

It makes me strong

when I am not.

Anger strikes me

Nearly kicks me

It even hit me

I rarely get it

but when it comes

I just can't beat it.

I think I'll stick to joy.

Please, please

stop it, stop it

I don't like it

leave me alone.

Why can't you see that?

Don't make me cry

help me, help me

someone, please!

I can't stand it

Don't make me cry.

What should I do?
I've used up my mum's fave perfume
she'll find out soon
I hope she'll assume
that it was the dog!
Oh well...

He comes when you need him

He is always full of joy

He never stops smiling

He is never angry or sad

And he is always happy no matter what

What do you think I am?

Hello everyone

I love to smile

I never hide my shame

unless it's a trial.

I would never lie

because I get very shy

if I did

I'd offer you some pie.

I love pears

but I don't accept dares

if it was something bad

I'd have nightmares.

Anger, anger
it's all around us
left, right, up and down
anger's everywhere.
ANGER
When you just go down
to the shop
when you drive through
your local town
I bet you'll see ANGER.


The boy who was alone
never spoke a word
always without a friend.
There he was
in the corner of the room
as soon as you spot him
he'd run away.
We never knew why...
You shine as you do the right things

for other people

but sometimes you can overdo a good thing

and it makes people angry

when someone breaks your memory

you get angry

but sometimes the lightning strikes

and you can't stop.

Why does that happen?

What should I do?

There's no going back

beginning to get lonesome.

It destroys the love inside you

it wants to destroy your happy life

and makes you despair

there's no going back.

When you get angry

it changes the whole of the world

inside of you

and everything becomes miserable.

It spreads laughter

it dries up your tears

it reigns over you

you wonder where it is?

You need it in your life

it's right there

if you need it

come and get it.

He is a man full of joy

with a face full of hope.

You can cuddle against him when you're sad

he can cheer you up in the darkest hours

for he lives inside everyone

and will do forever.

He destroys sadness within you

speeds around you with his big rosy cheeks.

He has a staff

that can spread laughter

and clouds disappear wherever he travels.

You must hope he never goes

as he takes away sadness

in this world. 

It makes me smile

as it rises up inside me.

It makes me sigh with bliss.

It overflows like water

infecting everyone it touches.

When I laugh I can't stop.

When it gets into my system

it comes and conquers everything.

It brings cheer

it brings joy

it makes me see the world

through different eyes.

It switches my mood

it turns me around

it conquers me

making me only feel...

I am the boy with a lonely sigh

I am the boy who will sit and cry

I am the boy who is sad and loopy

I am the boy who's never happy or loopy.

But, one day I will see

the world in peace and harmony.

It creeps up without me knowing

and takes me by surprise

my hands get sweaty and sticky

and I know I'm gonna cry.

They always expect so much

and sometimes I can deliver

but when it doesn't make sense

I start to feel myself shiver

and get in a complete mess...

I am happy today

because I have the biggest smile on my face

at school I made

a new friend.

Lucky me.

Even though i might not

be pretty or beautiful

I am still wonderful, kind

and caring.

Some people think

that their life is full of sorrow

always expecting sadness.

But in everybody's life

there will be happiness.

Most people treasure kindness

where others may not.

Kindness is important

it's what everybody needs.

I like the outside

I don't mind if they don't like me

I'm not going to change.

Maybe I can make friends with them

but I'm not going inside

It is so pretty out here.

I don't mind if you disagree,

I cannot change.

It swallows happiness

it destroys confidence

it supports despair

and encourages loneliness.

It drowns you in a sea of emptiness...

There's something missing

it's never there.

I wonder where it is,

where it is in the world?

I do not know.

There's something missing

it's never there.

Will it ever return?

I want to know

why I never see it.

There's something missing

it's never there.

I want it badly

I need it desperately

to guide me through life

though it isn't there.

There's something missing

it's never there.

There's no happiness without it

oh, when will it come?

I miss it all day and night.

There's something missing

it's never there

though when it comes back

happiness will reign.

There's something missing

it's never there.

When will it return?

Like a ball of light

it lights up the darkest night.

Sadness has no place to come in

when you're feeling like this -

chuck sadness in the bin.

You cannot beat it

it's invisible.

Try to beat it and you'll fail

it is indestructible.

My emotion is so hard to explain

it's like anger

and sadness

blended together

by a mixer in my stomach.

I make the most of my time

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Winter.

My smile is like the sun

my laugh lights the world

I make the most of my time

my friends respect who I am

and I appreciate that.

The one thing I try to do

is carry on lighting the world. 

Writer of the Week

Wall of Fame

PTFA Christmas Fayre

The afternoon saw the whole school community come together for the Christmas Fayre. There was plenty for the children to do with sand art, making Christmas decorations, hair styling and 'Gueuss where Father Christmas is' to name just a few.
Scrumptious refreshments were on sale and appeared to be enjoyed by many.
The hall had a lovely 'Christmassy' feel to it, with the marvellous tree really catching the eye.
The school choir performed magnificently with their two sets and brought the hall to silence and then rapturous applause.
It really was a marvellous event with a great deal of effort put into proceedings by our extremely supportive PTFA - thank you for another great occasion.