In assemblies this week we tested our knowledge of the Christian church’s Christmas traditions by trying out this Advent quiz. We were surprised by some of the answers!
We then talked about our special Lawford Mead traditions that make Christmas extra special at our school.
Finally we shared some of our own family traditions at this time of year. What seemed most important to the children that shared was the time sent with loved ones.
Next Wednesday, on our Christmas dinner day, we will raise money for Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day campaign.
In a recent lower school assembly we learnt about Diwali. We watched some of the videos here and tried a quiz. We got 4/5 correct because we didn’t realise just HOW MANY people celebrate Diwali around the world each year! Try the quiz yourself here.
In Anti-Bullying Week this year we made new class kindness contracts. This is a tradition at Lawford Mead. Each year children agree on a class motto and three promises to show what is important to them, how they want to be treated and how they will take care of each other.
In our upper school assembly this week we prepared for remembrance day by learning about John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Field. John McCrae was going to throw his poem away after writing it but thankfully his friends told him they liked it and encouraged hime to share it. Can we do that for our friends when writing together in class?
It was Autumn term Science Day this week, so in our lower school assembly we discussed what science is. Science is asking questions, testing ideas and predicting outcomes – so we can understand the world better.
We also learned about two famous scientists, Marie Curie and Stephen Hawking, who showed our value of resilience when they changed how people understood the world.
Check out the videos and quiz we looked at together…
In our upper school assembly this week, we continued to prepare for Anti-Bullying Week (Nov 13th-17th) by watching this amazing clip from the first episode of Planet Earth III, where fur seals in Southern Africa team up to drive off a great white shark…
We discussed what we can learn from the seals – that supporting each other and working together will make us feel braver and more confident to speak out and stand up to unkind behaviour, whilst seeking support from trusted adults.
In our lower school assembly this week we talked about Halloween, read a story about being afraid and discussed what we can do to fight our fears. We could:
Laugh them away. Maybe they are so scary after all.
Cuddle up with a parent or carer at home
Talk to a trusted adult at school or at home
Find friends and keep them close
Take deep breaths and remember what keeps us safe
What scares you and how do you face up to your fears?
In recent assemblies we have been preparing for Anti-Bullying Week 2023. We always start this special week by joining in with Odd Socks Day. We wear odd socks to show that we are proud of what makes us all different, as well as the things we have in common. We don’t just wait for one week a year to discuss the topic of bullying, but it’s a great time to discuss how we treat each other and how we like to be treated, as well as the best methods to prevent bullying, or to spot it and stop it!
In assemblies this week we talked about harvest time.
We always donate to the Chelmsford Foodbank at this time of year, to help people who might not find it as easy as many of us to buy all the food they need.
It’s a time of year when Christians thank God for the food they have.
We might not all thank God, but there are lots of people we can thank.
In assembly we thought about all those people…
Our parents and carers who cook for us obviously.
Jackie and the school kitchen team of course!
What about the farmers and fishermen and women?
The bakers and butchers?
Don’t forget the delivery drivers and shop workers!
What favourite foods are you thankful for and who do you want to say thank you to?
In assemblies this week we focused on our Lawford Mead value of respect. We learnt about the Jewish festival of Yom Kippur, a time to reflect on the year gone by and consider how we can be kinder and more considerate in the year ahead. At Lawford Mead it’s always a good time to challenge ourselves to be better. We looked at some kindness challenge ideas suggested by the NSPCC. Could you try a few of these next week?
•Get to know someone in your class you don’t normally talk to
•Smile and say good morning to someone who works in your school
•Help someone who is stuck on their classwork
•Write a thank you letter to a friend or teacher
•Listen to classmates during discussions and presentations
•Hold the door open for someone
•Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to teachers and classmates
•Invite someone sat on their own to join in your game
•Decorate Kindness Rocks and leave them around your playground
•Thank your teacher for teaching the lessons today
•Sit next to a classmate you don’t normally eat lunch with
•Pick up litter in your playground
•Give positive feedback to someone in class who presents or reads something
•Let your friend choose the game to play during break time
•Lend someone something from your pencil case
•Offer to hand out the fruit at snack time
•Sort out the reading books if they’re all jumbled up
