Newsletters

24/25 - Spring 1, Week 2

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Dear parents and carers,

What a Week!

This week has been both incredibly busy and tremendously exciting at William Ford. On Wednesday, we had the privilege of hosting a celebrity as they filmed across the school for their upcoming programme. They were joined by a crew of nine, including producers, camera operators, and sound technicians. The children and staff managed the disruption admirably, showcasing resilience and adaptability throughout. This event tied in wonderfully with our career-focused curriculum, sparking aspirations amongst our pupils. Who knows? Perhaps one of our students will work in media production or even become the next TV personality in the future! We cannot share too much about this for now but will once the programme has aired.

Thursday brought another annual highlight with our vibrant Colombia Day celebrations. Classes engaged in a range of activities to learn about this amazing country and what life is like for the children we sponsor through the Stand By Me charity. We were thrilled to welcome representatives from the charity, who shared updates and stories about how God is at work in their community. To cap it off, lunchtime featured delicious Colombian cuisine, which brought a taste of Colombia to our school!

Collective Worship

This week’s Collective Worship continued our theme of peacemakers, focusing on the topic of conflict. Rev. Edwards from Dagenham Parish Church led our first worship of the week, drawing inspiration from our school vision: "Learning from Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, to work diligently, act generously, and live at peace with everyone." He challenged us to reflect on how we can avoid and resolve conflict in our own lives and encouraged us to pray for areas of conflict across the world. The children were inspired to embrace our school vision by becoming active peacemakers in their daily lives.

Thank you to all who made this week so special. Whether you supported the filming process, engaged in Colombia Day activities, or enjoyed the cultural experience over lunch, your involvement helped make these events a huge success.

I pray you all have a wonderful weekend.

 

Mr. David Huntingford

Headteacher

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Healthy Packed Lunches for a Safe and Nut-Free School Environment

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all our students and staff, we would like to remind everyone that our school is a nut-free zone due to severe nut allergies among some of our pupils and staff. Please take extra care when packing lunches to avoid any foods containing nuts, as even small traces can pose a serious health risk.

Additionally, we kindly ask that chocolate bars and bottled or canned fizzy drinks are not included in packed lunches. We encourage nutritious alternatives such as fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, whole grain snacks, and water or juice in non-fizzy forms.

Together, we can help create a safe and healthy environment for everyone at school. Thank you for your support and understanding!

 

Can we also remind parents to regularly check their child's hair for possible Nits. We have had a recent outbreak across all year groups .

 

William Ford School Food Pantry and Pre-Loved Clothing Drive Now Open – Donations Welcome!

We are excited to announce that the William Ford School Food Pantry and Pre-Loved Clothing Drive are officially open this week! These initiatives are aimed at supporting our school community by providing essential items to families in need, and we are reaching out to you, our generous school community, for donations.

Food Pantry:
The food pantry will offer non-perishable food items to help families in need of a little extra support. If you have extra canned goods, pasta, rice, or other staple items, we would be so grateful for your donations. These items will go directly to our school families, ensuring that everyone has access to nutritious food.

Pre-Loved Clothing Drive:
We are also collecting gently used clothing for families who may need help with clothing essentials. If you have clean, gently worn items that your family no longer needs, please consider donating them to help others in our school community. Clothing donations of all sizes are welcome – from children’s wear to adult-sized items.

We are also accepting donations of:

  • Food 
  • Uniform
  • Coats 
  • Shoes 
  • Cleaning Products (e.g., detergent, sponges, disinfectants)
  • Hygiene Products (e.g., soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, hand sanitisers)

Your generosity can make a real difference in the lives of our school families. Donations can be dropped off at the school office. Thank you for your kindness and continued support. Together, we can create a caring and compassionate community for all!

 

Weelcome to William Ford Food Pantry

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Year Three

Victor 3F

 

Year Four

Martin 4IW

Year Five

Shiven 5W

 

Year Six

Eliza 6L

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Parent Meet - Y6 SATS - what they are, how your child is assessed and how best to support them.
9:30am – 10:30am
20
January
Y5 Group 1 Swimming
9:30am – 10:30am
22
January
Y5 Swimming Group 2
10:30am – 11:30am
22
January
Pantomime Little Mermaid Y3 trip
1:30pm – 7:00pm
22
January
Young Voices @ the O2
All Day
23
January
Y5 Group 1 Swimming
9:30am – 10:30am
29
January
Y5 Swimming Group 2
10:30am – 11:30am
29
January
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16 Jan 2025
Colombia Day at William Ford Junior School
Celebrating our sponsorship with Stand By Me - a local Christian charity
Read more
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The Great Telephone Mix-up 

You should read this book because the phone lines go and then all the characters phones lines get mixed up. When they want to call someone, they end up calling the wrong person. My favourite character is Margaret because when she calls the wrong person, she gets confused and calls someone else to fix it and then she calls the wrong person.  

By Emmanuella 3F 

Year Three

What a great week it has been in Year 3! The children have worked diligently, and we are seeing so much progress in their behaviour and attitudes to learning. 

What we have learnt about this week 

This week, your child explored the fascinating world of rocks in science, learning to identify different types and describe their characteristics. In maths, they tackled the formal method of multiplication, improving their ability to multiply larger numbers efficiently. During geography, the children embarked on a journey through Europe, pinpointing various countries and expanding their knowledge of the continent’s geography. In English, they had fun with language, using alliteration and onomatopoeia to creatively describe animals found in London, enhancing their writing with vivid imagery and sound effects. 

 

What we will learn about next week 

Looking ahead, your child will dive into division in maths, learning how to divide two-digit numbers by one-digit numbers, with a focus on both methods that require exchanging and those that do not. In English, they will begin to explore the world of diary writing, discovering the key features of a diary and starting to plan their very own diary entry. In history, the children will step back in time to ancient Egypt, learning about the powerful and mysterious gods and goddesses that shaped the civilization. Lastly, in French, they will start a new unit, bringing colour and shape to their vocabulary as they learn the French words for various colours and geometric shapes. It’s shaping up to be another exciting week of learning! 

 

Year Four 

It's been another great week in 4 year!

What we have learnt about this week

This week in Year 4 has been both exciting and productive! In Maths, we began a new topic on fractions, where children learn to understand and work with parts of a whole. In English, our focus shifted to character description, allowing students to enhance their writing skills by developing rich, vivid characters in their stories. In Science, we explored the fascinating topic of sound, investigating how it travels and its various properties. Our Geography lessons introduced the children to Scandinavian countries, looking at their locations and unique characteristics. Finally, in Religious Education, we studied various religious buildings, promoting understanding and respect for different cultures and beliefs.

What we will learn about next week

Next week in Year 4, we will continue our focus on fractions, enhancing our understanding through engaging activities. In English, children will begin writing a setting description, encouraging creativity and descriptive language skills. In our sound lessons, we will maintain our exploration of various sound concepts. History will bring excitement as children study the historical landmark Stonehenge, fostering an appreciation for our nation's heritage. Additionally, in R.E., we will examine religious buildings in our local area, promoting understanding and respect for different faiths.

Year Five

Another fantastic week in Year 5, at William Ford. We have had a fun-filled week, with lots of wonderful learning!

What we have learnt about this week

This week in maths, we have been learning about division. Pupils have been working hard to remember their prior learning and it is clear that we all need to practice our times tables more! Please ensure that your child is practising their times tables. You can use BBC bitesize and TT Rockstars to help you. 

In English, we have continued to follow our story of Beowulf, looking at the ancient origins and the original poem with the same title. 

This has complemented our History topic, where the pupils have been learning about Anglo-Saxons and the raid of the Vikings. 

We also had a fantastic day on Thursday, when we celebrated Columbia day. We learnt and studied all things relating to Columbia, as well as making fact-files and non-chronological reports and Diamonte poems!!

What we will learn about next week

Next week, we will be moving onto character descriptions in English, furthering our knowledge and practice of division, in maths, as well as looking at what properties of materials are best to use for insulation in cups, during science. 

Year Six

What we have learnt about this week 

This week, the children have engaged in a variety of exciting learning experiences. In English, they began writing diary entries from Ruby’s perspective, developing their creative writing skills. In maths, they worked on solving two-step equations and problems with two unknowns. The class explored the art of Paula Rego. In PE, they focused on developing their football skills through practice and teamwork. In science, the children studied animal and plant descriptors, creating their own classifications. They also celebrated Colombian Day by writing kennings about the country, and in PSHE, they discussed their dreams and goals for the year. It’s been a week full of creativity, learning, and growth! 

What we will learn about next week 

Next week, the children will begin by sitting their mock SATs, which will help them prepare for the upcoming assessments in May. In maths, they will start a new unit on ratio, exploring its concepts and applications. In English, the children will finish their diary entries from Ruby’s perspective and spend time editing their work to improve clarity and detail. In geography, they will learn about the different time zones of South America, expanding their understanding of the continent. In science, they will use classification keys to sort living animals. In RE, the children will continue exploring the theme of life and death, deepening their understanding of different perspectives. Finally, in PSHE, the class will reflect on their dreams for the world and discuss how they can make a positive impact. It’s shaping up to be another exciting and enriching week! 

 

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Each week, staff select three children from each class who have shown effort and commitment to upholding an aspect of our school vision, shown at the bottom of the page. Congratulations to this week’s ‘stars of the week’ for their tremendous endeavours!

 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Three

3A

Name: Atene

For: her excellent class charter

 

Name: Miyah

For:  always being someone I can rely on to help myself and others

 

Name: Maryam

For:  always displaying a calm attitude to learning.

3F

Name: 

For: 

Name: 

For: 

Name: 

For: 

3M

Name: Tahiya

For:  trying hard in all  lessons and listening well. 

Name:  Zion

For: using his time at school and at home to improve his reading , writing and times tables. 

Name: Afiq

For: being calm in lessons and focussed on his learning.
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Four

4L

Name: Kaiden

For: working very hard on his character description.

 

Name: Stan

For: always being very polite, considerate and kind.

 

Name: Hannah

For: being a calm and peaceful member of the class.

4IW

Name: Purity

For: always making 100% effort in her work. 

Name: Riemen

For: acting kind and generous towards others.

Name: Alexander

For: being consistent with his reading and living at peace within the class room 

4N

Name: Gloria

For: 

Name:Umahawa

For: 

Name: Regan

For: 
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Five

5H

Name: Zatn

For: for trying to listen to instructions more attentively

 

Name: Azraq

For:  always being so helpful and polite when collecting new resources for the class.

 

Name: Deba

For: orking so peacefully in class all week, setting a great example

5P

Name: David

For:  Showing great attitude and resilience in his geography.

Name: Morgan

For: Active participation in our drama lesson

Name: Isabella

For:  Showing maturity and kindness towards others

5W

Name: Mia R

For: working diligently, especially when working on short division in maths. 

Name: Delia

For: always acting generously and producing an amazing performance in frame/English.

Name: Justin

For: living at peace and putting 100% effort in PE. 
 

Working diligently

 

Acting generously

 

Promoting peace

Year Six

6B

Name: Juelz

 For: Working hard in a range of lessons. 

v

Name: Dylan

For: Being a great work partner by sharing his ideas.  

 

Name:Zafrin

For:  Working quietly and calmly in lessons.

6I

Name: Andrea 

For:  Her cheerful nature and her dedication to working to the best of her ability. Well done! 

 

Name: Milda 

For:  Her consistent thoughtfulness and kindness. She always shows care and consideration for others. Well done

For: 

Name: Tilly

For: Her joyful attitude and unwavering kindness towards everyone. She always brightens our day with her positive energy.

6L

Name: Adam 

For: Writing an excellent Kenning poem for Columbia Day. Excellent Job! 

Name: Michael F 

For: For collaborating well with other pupils during group tasks

 

Name:  Aneisha 

For: Always smiling and including everyone in the learning. Well Done! : 
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