Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning

A personal message from Mr Taylor...

Oakwood Junior School is a very special place to work, but on some days your children and our staff leave me so proud I'm speechless. (And that's saying something!)

Friday was one of those days!

We had decided to host a coffee morning in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Care Charity. We know that so many families are affected by this horrible, vicious disease and wanted to do something positive and amazing to show that we are part of beating it.

So we got busy...

The kitchen was buzzing as children made cakes and classrooms turned into "Invitation Factories!" We invited parents, friends and families, local businesses, people from organisations we work closely with, such as Neptune Court and Semble House, governors - in fact anyone and everyone we could think of! We said "Come and have a coffee and a cake and make a donation to Macmillan..."

But we weren't sure how many people would come and how much money we would raise...

Friday morning came and after a steady build-up, the queue stretched out of the door! We reckon over 250 people came and shared the morning with us...

We raised a grand total on the day of £644 - in just one hour! (And a little more has come in since!)

My personal thanks to everyone who came and had a cake or helped organise the morning - and a very special thank you to all our children. If it weren't for them, we'd have had no cakes, no people to eat them and no money to give to Macmillan... You are superstars!

Welcome Back!!!

We would like to welcome back all the children at Oakwood Infant School and say a big hello to all the new Year R children.....!

Year 4 Roman Feasting!

Year 4 really enjoyed their hook day tasting food 'Roman style'!

Throughout the day year 4 ate a Roman breakfast and lunch as well as designing their own menu. The children completed research using the internet and books to find out key information.

Lots of fun was had by all, a brilliant day all round! Well done year 4 for all your hard work and trendy togas!





Year 4 are looking forward to more detective work for their new topic and trip next week!

MultiSports Day

Oakwood pupils took part in a fun MultiSports event on Thursday run by Jo Terry from Premier Sport.
Pupils had a go at out tri-golf activities - putting to a target and chipping to a flag.
There was also a standing long jump competition.

Well done to eveyone for great effort!




Look forward to Monday school assembly where Jo & Mrs Mahoney will hand out certificates to the boy and girl in each class who jumped the furthest.

Jo will also be letting everyone know about his exciting new club which starts next Thursday - Mini-Olympics!

Awesome Egyptian Morning!

What a fantastic start to the first whole week as the new Year 6!

We celebrated the start of their Ancient Egypt topic by having an Egyptian feast, cooking flatbread, building pyramids and learning all about hieroglyphics!

Miss Denton, Miss Beavill and Mrs Collins had a lovely day teaching the whole year group. The award for best costume definitely went to Mrs Collins! It is truly amazing what you can do with one sheet and a bit of Blue Peter magic!

We look forward to sending our Egyptian home learning projects home at the end of this week and the children will be able to dress up on the Home Learning Exhibition day - so lots to look forward too!

Well done to all our new Year 6s for such an enthusiastic start to the academic year. We look forward to a year of fun, laughter and hard work in equal measure!

Welcome Back!

We're looking forward to welcoming everyone back at 9am on Friday (4 September) and to our new Year 3 children arriving for their first proper junior school day!

This is just a very quick reminder that, for the time being, Sandpiper Road is One Way only, while the School Zone roadworks are being completed.



This is mandatory, so please observe it for everyone's safety, especially your children. The City Council have said that the work will be finished by next Friday (11 September).

Thank you for your understanding.

Where in the world is... OSCAR Bear?

Hello All!

I hope you are enjoying your holidays! After spending a year in Australia, it's very different being back home in England... or am I???

I will post a few photos over the next few days - see if you can work out where I am!



PS Who is Barnaby again?

Get off the sofa!

In partnership with the Lordshill and Lordswood Schools Cluster, Southampton YMCA is providing Summer workshops and activities.

They will take place at the different school sites - give them a quick call to find out what's happening at Oakwood!



There's lots on offer, including:

• Family Fridays
• Dance
• Drama & Music
• Sports
• Arts & craft
• Outings
• ICT

For more information call: 023 8021 0227

SAM in Mexico

SAM says:

I met up with an old friend again the other day when Mrs Hamilton came into assembly to tell everyone about her trip to Mexico last summer - and to tell us why she's going again this year...

I spent last summer working on the dumps on the outskirts of Mexico City - for me, it was just a couple of weeks, but for many families and children, it's their home.

They live on the dump, with no access to clean running water, education or doctors.

I went out to Mexico with a charity which takes health workers, dentists and other care workers out to the dumps and provides check ups to the families who live there.

You can see some of the conditions and the help we provided in the photos below...



Mrs Hamilton and her family are there again this summer with the charity, so next time you turn on your tap, or think about school, or go to the doctor or dentist, please spare a thought for the families they are helping.

A Life at Sea for Me!

Year 6 had a very busy end of term and everyone went on one of the Big Ships in Southampton Docks. The cruise ships are basically floating hotels, but the WhitChallenger gave us a better idea of what a life at sea is really like!

We had to follow very important health and safety rules, including wearing yellow hi-viz jackets, and we toured every part of the refuelling tanker, learning about navigation, safety, food and accommodation on board - and even knots! (Some things never change at sea!)

We also learned a lot about what goes on behind the Dock Gates in the city and how important the maritime industry is to Southampton.



Some of us were shown around by 2nd Officer Tom Barkley, who has recently been awarded the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's Officer Trainee of the Year Award, so we couldn't have had a better guide!



Thanks to Tom, the rest of the crew and to Ashley Jenkins, a director of the Whitaker Group for giving us this great opportunity!