CYP UPPER: Sunshine and Showers

This week the weather may have been changeable this week, but at Cypress Upper we have not! We have been showered with success this week! We have focused upon improving our learning powers and being successful in the tasks we are given. On Monday, the children had an assembly with Miss Binks where the children explored what ‘reasoning’ means – the ability to think rigorously and methodically about a task. Miss Binks talked about how this helps us break our tasks into manageable steps and explained how this skill can help us be successful in tasks.  We discussed how when you use this learning muscle you create logical arguments, spot flaws in other people’s arguments, deduce what might happen and look for evidence.

House Captains and Class Representatives

Each year at Cypress we elect our House Captains for each of our four houses: Sparta, Corinth, Athens and Olympia. These children are nominated and voted for by Year 6 children. At this time in the year we also elect the school council – made of up ‘class representatives’ – one person from each class who acts as a spokesperson for the ideas, feelings and interests of the children in their class. Class Representatives that make up the School Council will be announced on Tuesday in a special celebration assembly. Today, we are very proud to announce this year’s House and Vice Captains are:

Well done to our new House Captains.

We are very proud of every child who wrote a manifesto and put themselves forward for the vote – this takes courage – an essential trait of a leader. Please do not be discouraged if you were not voted in this time. There are lots of other responsibilities at Cypress to apply for this year that need responsible, enthusiastic role models, who wish to help us develop and improve the school!

Woodland Library Update

Children were also treated to a special assembly lead by Mrs Parker and Mrs Hewlett our English Lead for the Trust and our Cypress Librarian. They explained rules around lending at the Woodland Library and revealed that Year 5 and 6 will begin lending during their scheduled weekly library slot next week. They also introduced ‘Reading Cloud’ – an online platform you can use to check the title of the book your child has borrowed and also offers a wealth of reading information and activities, including author information, opportunities to review books and blog about them in a safe, moderated environment. Log-in details for Reading Cloud can be found inside your child’s reading diary. a letter detailing library loans at Woodland Library can be found here.

The children are enjoying visiting the library during their scheduled timetable slot, allocated lessons and breaks and lunches. It is a place that excites and inspires the children and we are very proud of the space that has been created. Thank you to the PTFA, who, through their funding efforts have managed to donate enough funds to allow the library to begin loaning. We are very grateful for book donations that we have received too this week too. Year 3 and 4 will begin loaning soon- please look out for details of this.

After-School Clubs

Please click here to read the letter detailing clubs available this term. Clubs will become available to book tomorrow at 12pm on our booking platform – Magic Booking.

Music clubs

We are pleased to inform you of a new appointment at Cypress – Miss Faie, our new music teacher. She has a master’s degree in music and is proficient in guitar, piano and voice – voice being her specialism. We will be offering some additional peripatetic lessons in the above at Upper and Lower School and look forward to the reintroduction of our after-school choir at Upper School. Please look out for further details coming next week.

Cypress Superstars

Jack and Reggie came to the office to showcase their linguistic talents and demonstrate a conversation in Spanish – they spoke with great pronunciation, paying attention to accents and were very proud of what they had learned – we are very proud of you too! Well done also to Harry who read to me the most descriptive alternative version of ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ I have ever heard! I loved the way Harry ensured that each noun had an up-levelled, highly descriptive adjective attached to it. Keep up the hard work Harry! Polly, Daniel and Erin recreated photographs by American landscape artist, Ansel Adams. They paid great attention to light and shade to create dimension in their artwork. Great noticing skills on show – I’m impressed!

Additional Bank Holiday

As you will know, due to the sad passing of our Queen, Elizabeth II, we are closing Cypress Upper, Lower and Little Cypress Nursery on Monday 19th September – the day of the Queen’s funeral. The school will open again on Tuesday 20th September.

Have a restful weekend – see you on Tuesday

Mrs Carpenter and the Upper School team