This week, each Year 2 class took part in an energetic Taekwondo taster session. Led by a skilled instructor, the children were introduced to some of the basic movements and techniques of the sport, including kicks and balance work. The taster sessions encouraged important values such as respect, focus, and self-discipline all of which link closely to our school values. The hall was filled with enthusiasm and determination as pupils challenged themselves and celebrated each other’s successes. The Year 2 children really enjoyed the taster sessions. 

We are absolutely delighted to announce that Minet Infants and nursery school has achieved OPAL Platinum Award—the highest level of accreditation within the OPAL programme. This is a remarkable and rare achievement that reflects our school’s outstanding commitment to creating a rich, inclusive, and empowering culture of outdoor play. To achieve this award has not been easy!  It recognises that as a schools we have gone above and beyond in transforming the quality of our children’s play experiences.  

This achievement could not have been possible without the vision and dedication of our headteacher, our key Leads, Mohamed and Liz and the creativity and commitment of our wonderful play team, and the energy and imagination of our pupils at Minet Infants.  

Thank you to John Mcdonnell our local MP, who came to our school today to present the platinum award and for Cath Prisk (OPAL Mentor) for joining us.

On Tuesday we had our #RRSA Ambassador Elections! As well as learning about the democratic process children were enjoying their right to: Article 12-You have the right to give your opinion, and for adults to listen and take it seriously. The voting was really close and the new Ambassadors will be announced shortly. Mrs Vallijee is very excited to work with them this year!

We are proud to announce that, last week, we opened our doors to our first ever cohort of 2-year-olds!

Despite a few tears on the first few days, which is to be expected, all our pupils have settled incredibly well and have started joining in with stories, nursery rhymes and play.

Our team of staff considered every aspect of the provision, from the resources to the timetable to the curriculum, so that our youngest learners have the best possible start to their journey through education.

Take a look at the photos below to see how our classroom has been designed with high-quality, open-ended resources, and furnished with lamps and rugs to make it a home away from home.

If you have – or know someone who has – a child that is two or turning two, then please complete the following form to register interest in our provision:

https://forms.gle/FC4zEfvPpRuWCjoJ6

This week in English, the children have been enjoying the story I Love You, Blue Kangaroo, which tells the tale of a little girl and her beloved toy. To help bring the story to life, the children were invited to bring in one of their favourite toys from home.

It was wonderful to see how proudly and confidently they spoke about their toys, sharing what makes them special. The children listened carefully to each other and answered questions thoughtfully, showing great speaking and listening skills.

This activity really helped the children connect with the characters in the story and inspired some lovely discussions and writing. Well done, Year 1 – what a fantastic week of learning!

Year 2 pupils took part in a workshop, linking to their unit Globe Trotters. It was an engaging and interactive experience as pupils learned about the different continents and oceans around the world. They also played a series of games to learn about the different habitats in different parts of the world. This experience will help them to compare the UK to other countries and its climate.