Year 5 Explore Forces and Natural Resources
Year 5 has been busy applying their scientific and geographical knowledge through a range of engaging, hands-on experiences.
In Science, they have been investigating friction as part of their Forces topic. They explored how different shoe soles create varying amounts of friction and affect movement on different surfaces. They also took on the challenge of picking up oiled raw jelly cubes with chopsticks, discovering just how important friction is in helping us grip and move objects.
To conclude their Geography studies on Natural Resources, they all enjoyed a fascinating presentation from a parent, Mr Martindale, who shared his experiences of working on a North Sea oil rig. He explained how oil is extracted, showcased some of the impressive machinery used offshore and gave pupils an insight into what daily life is like living and working at sea. Learning about the living quarters and working environment helped pupils to gain a real understanding of life offshore and brought their classroom learning to life.
Year 2 Shine in Design and Technology
Year 2 has had a fantastic term in Design and Technology, demonstrating creativity, teamwork and excellent design skills throughout their learning.
In one of their lessons, the children took part in an exciting, timed drawing challenge. With just seven minutes on the clock, they were tasked with sketching famous London landmarks on their whiteboards. The results were so impressive that we created an instant pop-up gallery in the Art Room corridor, allowing everyone to admire their wonderful artwork.
Throughout the term, they have also enjoyed designing, making and evaluating their own fairytale character puppets. They began by analysing different puppets to understand how they are constructed, the materials required and how they are used. Their detailed design boards, which included resource lists and design criteria, showcased thoughtful planning and excellent organisation.
After bringing their ideas to life, the children evaluated their finished puppets, reflecting on what they were most pleased with and considering how their designs could be improved. This process is helping the children to develop important design skills while encouraging creativity and problem solving.
We are incredibly proud of all of Year 2’s hard work, enthusiasm and achievements throughout this unit. Their beautiful puppets and fantastic drawings are a credit to their dedication and effort. Well done, Year 2!
French Assembly
Our whole school recently came together for a wonderful French assembly, celebrating the fantastic learning that has taken place in French lessons throughout the year.
Each class had the opportunity to share some of their learning; showing confidence, enthusiasm and impressive language skills. It was lovely to see everyone from across the school taking part and enjoying the chance to show the progress they have made.
A highlight of the assembly was hearing each class perform a song in French. The children sang beautifully and with great energy, filling the room with music and celebration.
Well done to everyone who took part. We are very proud of all the pupils for their hard work, confidence and enthusiasm for learning French.
Year 2 Enjoy an Inspiring Author Visit
Year 2 recently visited a local primary school in Longsands for a very special session with author Jim Beckett.
The children thoroughly enjoyed listening to Jim reading an extract from one of his stories and were fascinated to discover how he finds inspiration for writing his books. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn more about the creative process and discover how ideas can be turned into exciting stories.
During the session, Jim worked with the children to create their very own bizarre and imaginative story. Their ideas were full of creativity, humour and adventure. To make the experience even more memorable, Jim then turned their story into a song and performed it for everyone on his ukulele.
Year 2 had a fantastic time and came away feeling inspired, excited and full of ideas for their own writing.
Year 5 Step Back in Time at the Museum of Liverpool
Year 5 recently enjoyed an exciting and educational trip to the Museum of Liverpool, where they had the opportunity to further their understanding of Anglo Saxon and Viking Britain.
As part of a dedicated workshop linked to their History studies, the children took part in a range of engaging activities that brought the past to life. They handled genuine artefacts, explored the origins of place names by tracking their etymology, and investigated grave goods to learn more about how people lived and were remembered during these fascinating periods of history.
The workshop encouraged pupils to think like historians, using evidence and enquiry skills to uncover information about the past. These hands-on experiences gave them a deeper appreciation of the impact that the Anglo Saxons and Vikings had on Britain.
The children were a credit to the school throughout the visit, showing enthusiasm, curiosity and excellent behaviour.
Well done, Year 5, on a fantastic day of learning and discovery!
Reception Enjoy a Wonderful Day at Smithills Farm
Reception Class enjoyed a fantastic day on their recent trip to Smithills Farm, learning all about life on a working farm.
The children enjoyed a tractor ride to help feed the donkeys and had the opportunity to feed the goats. They also experienced individual rides on the donkeys. They were delighted to hold the chicks and rabbits, getting up close to some of the farm’s smaller animals. Another highlight of the day was watching the cows being milked, which gave the children a fascinating insight into where some of our food comes from.
Although the weather was not on our side and the rain made an appearance throughout the day, it certainly did not dampen anyone’s spirits. The children embraced every activity with enthusiasm and had a brilliant time from start to finish.
We were incredibly proud of how well-behaved our Reception children were throughout the trip. They represented the school beautifully, demonstrating excellent manners, listening skills and desire for learning.
Nursery Staffing Update
We are delighted to welcome Miss Hill to our Nursery team. Miss Hill is working in our Nursery for two days a week and she has already made a wonderful start.
We are also pleased to share some updates within our Nursery leadership team. Miss Leach has taken on the role of Nursery Team Leader, and Mrs Smith is now Nursery and Preschool Deputy Manager, working alongside Mrs Marskell.
We are excited about these developments and look forward to the continued support and care our dedicated team provides for all our children and families.
Did you know about Lancashire Libraries' Little Steps programme?
Little Steps is a free library scheme for children aged 2 to 5 years and their families, helping to develop a love of books, stories and learning from an early age.
The programme includes fun activities, reading challenges and rewards to encourage children on their reading journey.
Find out more and sign up here:
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives/libraries/little-steps/
Why not pop into your local library and get started today?
Early Years Team Receives Prestigious Top 20 Award
We are delighted to share the wonderful news that our Early Years provision has been recognised with a Top 20 Award from Daynurseries.co.uk.
This prestigious award is based on reviews and feedback from parents and carers, making it a particularly meaningful achievement for our team. It reflects the exceptional care, dedication and commitment shown every day by our Early Years staff who work tirelessly to create a nurturing, stimulating and happy environment where every child thrives.
We are incredibly proud of this recognition and would like to thank all our families who have taken the time to share their positive experiences. Your support and feedback are greatly appreciated, helping us continue to provide the very best start for our youngest learners.
Congratulations to our entire Early Years team on this well-deserved achievement. We are grateful for everything you do and look forward to building on this success in the future.
Junior Sports Day
Our Infant and Junior Sports Days were a wonderful celebration of teamwork, determination and sporting spirit, with pupils giving their very best and families providing fantastic support throughout both events.
The sunshine made a welcome appearance for the Junior Sports Afternoon, creating the perfect setting for an enjoyable afternoon of competition and team spirit. Everyone took part in a variety of events and were cheered on by enthusiastic parents who fully embraced the House spirit. There were some outstanding individual performances, alongside excellent teamwork and encouragement between competitors.
The final Junior House results were:
1st Place – Pendle (161 points)
2nd Place – Fylde (155 points)
3rd Place – Bowland (149 points)
Congratulations also to Pendle House who was crowned Tug of War Champions after a fantastic display of strength, teamwork and determination.
A huge well done to all our pupils for their effort, team spirit and enthusiasm. Thank you to our staff and families for helping to make both Sports Days such memorable occasions.
Cross Country Success at UCLan
Well done to our cross-country runners who recently represented Highfield at the Preston Schools Cross Country event held at UCLan.
Competing against many different levels of runners, our pupils demonstrated tremendous determination, resilience and sporting spirit. We came away with fantastic results which reflected the hard work and commitment they have all shown in training and competition.
A special thank you goes to Miss Edwards for accompanying the children and supporting them throughout the event. Congratulations to all our runners on representing the school so brilliantly. We are very proud of you all!
UCLan Sports Festival
Well done to our Netball team who recently represented Highfield Priory at the UCLan Sports Festival.
The team played an impressive seven matches throughout the day, winning three and narrowly losing four. Their teamwork and positive attitude helped them to secure an excellent 4th place finish in the group stages, competing against eight schools.
The event was made even more special as it marked the final time our Year 6 pupils represented Highfield Priory in Netball before moving on to secondary school. Congratulations to the entire team on a fantastic performance, and a special thank you to our Year 6 players for their dedication and contribution to Highfield Netball over the years. We wish them every success as they begin the next chapter of their sporting journeys.
Congratulations to all our Kwik Cricketers who participated in the UClan Sports Festival this week. After winning 4 out of our 5 matches, through excellent batting and accurate bowling, we made it through to the Quarter Finals. A special mention must go to Freddie( Y6) who scored 6 runs off the final ball to secure a victory by one run which gained Highfield Priory their place. Unfortunately, despite an excellent team effort with the bat and ball, we did not make it through to the next round. Congratulations to all the players for a very credible performance with over twenty schools taking part.
Message from Mr Duke
Keep Us Informed
To ensure we can provide the very best support for every child, we kindly ask parents to keep the school informed of any changes at home that may affect their child.
This may include changes to home circumstances, addresses, telephone numbers, medical information or any other information that should be updated in our records.
Having accurate and up-to-date information helps us to communicate effectively with families, understand a pupil’s individual needs and ensure that the wellbeing of every child remains at the heart of everything we do.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Sun Cream Reminder
With the warmer weather upon us, please remember to apply sun cream to your child before they come to school on sunny days.
School staff will support children in topping up their sun cream later in the day where required. To help with this, please ensure your child brings a clearly named bottle of sun cream to school if they have not done so already.
Thank you for helping us to keep our pupils safe and comfortable while they enjoy outdoor activities during the summer months.
A Huge Thank You to Our PTA Sponsors
As another busy and successful school year draws to a close, our PTA would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the local businesses and sponsors who have generously supported our events and fundraising activities.
The support we receive from our sponsors plays an important role in helping us to provide memorable experiences and additional opportunities for our pupils. Their generosity, whether through donations, prizes or event sponsorship, is greatly appreciated by the entire school community.
We are incredibly grateful for the continued partnership and support of our sponsors whose contributions help make so many of our PTA initiatives possible.
On behalf of the PTA, thank you for helping us make a difference for the children of Highfield Priory.
The Summer Spectacular was a huge success with everyone having a great time! It was lovely to see so many families in attendance and even alumni visiting! Thank you to the PTA and staff who worked hard to put such an amazing event together!
MERITS
Week Ending 12th June
RB – Eissa
1WE – Percy
2R – Henry
3M – Raine
4JD – Maria
5W – Veda
6P – Alaylah
Week Ending 19th June
RB – Zara
1WE – Mhika
2R – Kate
3M – Muhammad
4JD – Aurelio
5W – The Whole Class
6P – Abu Bakr
EVENTS NEXT WEEK
Mon Y6 Bikeability
NSPCC assemblies
Reception Father’s Day Breakfast
Tues Curriculum Evening for New Year 6 Class 6pm
NSPCC Workshops
Wed Athletics Training at UCLan 2-3pm
Year 5 French Breakfast
Fri Open Morning 9.30am – 12noon
Year 1 Trip to Skipton Castle
Other Key Dates
Year 6 Curriculum Evening – Tues 23rd June
Open Morning Fri 26th June
Year 1 Trip to Skipton Castle – Fri 26th June
Year 5 River Safari Trip – Tues 30th June
Year 1 Curriculum Evening – Thurs 2nd July
Leavers Assembly – Fri 3rd July
Reception Curriculum Evening – Tues 7th July
Year 6 Production – Wed 8th and Thurs 9th July
Reception Class Assembly – Friday 10th July
Prize Giving – Wed 15th July 2pm
LAST DAY OF TERM – Wed 15th July
Online Calendar: https://highfieldpriory.co.uk/calendar/
