Driffield Church Of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School

This week has been all about celebrating Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year).

We started the week by learning some of the traditions linked to Lunar New Year. These include dragon dances, so we decided to make a large dragon so we could perform a dragon dance. The children worked together to make a large dragon head, we have attached a large piece of material behind the head to make the body and tail. Tomorrow we will perform a dragon dance around the school with some of the children under our impressive dragon. All the children have also made their own dragon masks with coloured streamers to represent the fire, some of us will dance with these tomorrow as we parade around the school. We will also bang drums and make lots of noise to scare away the bad luck so all the good luck can come in. 

We have also been learning how to write numbers in Chinese, we did this outside with paintbrushes and mud and inside with pencils and paper. The children also had the opportunity to taste some Chinese food.

One of the traditions linked to Lunar New Year is the giving of red envelopes with money inside them. Today the children each came home with a red envelope (red is a lucky colour) containing a chocolate coin. 

The children have listened to the traditional Chinese story of 'The Race.' This story explains how each year in the Chinese calendar is named after an animal. This year is the Year of the Horse!

After an exciting week learning all about Lunar New Year this week, we head into another special week next week. Next week is our whole school Careers week. We will have lots of visitors in school coming to talk to the children about their jobs.

Next Thursday (5th March) is World Book Day. The children will be encouraged to Read Everywhere And Discuss! You are invited into school at 2.30pm on Thursday to share some of our learning and read instructions to play games with your child in the classroom. We look forward to seeing you in school next Thursday.

Next Friday (6th March) is Careers Week, Dress Up Day. We invite the children to come dressed up as what they would like to be when they are older. 

Please don't forget the World Book Day competition, the closing date for entries is Monday 2nd March. Your challenge, for our competition, is to show us how reading has helped you to make something, do something or find something out. If you are unsure, please just ask.

On Monday 9th March, it is the EYFS school disco after school. We are looking for some volunteers to help out at the disco with refreshments and supervising the children. If you are able to help at all, please pop into the school office and give them your name.

Finally we would like to welcome Mrs Lawrence to the Hedgehog teaching team. Mrs Lawrence is a student teacher, on her final teaching practice. She will be team teaching the Hedgehogs, with Mrs Dean, between now and the end of the summer term. 

Many thanks for your continued support.

Kind regards

Mrs Dean & the Hedgehog Team