IN THIS ISSUE

The end of the school year is just over the horizon and we are already looking to September. This year, as last, we have received a great number of applications for both schools and so you will all be seeing some new faces in the classes next year. I know from experience that the new families will be welcomed warmly by those in SIS and we’ll be looking for volunteers to come to our traditional coffee morning on the first day of school. It is in part thanks to the parent volunteers that the testing of the new candidates went so well this year and we were very grateful for their help and support. Not only will we be welcoming new families next year, but also a new school timetable. Although Boulogne has yet to declare their intentions, we in the SIS have already decided on a scenario for next year. We will put in place a system whereby we take each year group on a Wednesday morning once a month, so making up for the time lost by a shorter school day. It is the simplest and least disruptive solution to what promises to be an interesting Educational change.

Boulogne is also the site of our continued development and we are pleased to announce that Carol Cretaigne, from our Wednesday School and Secondary Section will be taking on the task of co-ordinating the Internationale Section opening up in Jean Renoir. Her experience in the primary and secondary section make her the ideal candidate to guide our year 6 students through their initial paces in secondary school . We are de l ighted by her appointment and look forward to forging close links with the secondary school that are essential part of a child’s education.

For those of you who are thinking ahead to the final years of your children’s school

days you might want to consult the project for a new Lycee in Boulogne: http://naoshub.com/blog/le-futur-lycee-trapeze-boulogne-billancourt/

It will be opening in September 2017, just as our students get to 2nde, and is just round the corner from Jean Renoir.

The transition from primary to secondary is a big step in children’s lives and we are working at finding ways to make this move as easy as possible. Those of you who have children in Year 6 will already know about the ‘Taster Lesson’ which takes place at the college in Sèvres each year and of which you will find photos - (cont. page 2)

Editorial by Catherine Potter-Jadas Head of Primary

P r i m e N e w s

ENGLISH PRIMARY SECTION APRIL 2014 ISSUE NO.11

INTEGRATED CLASSES Here comes the serious stuff

WEDNESDAY CLASSES Never short of great activities

THE GRUFFALO TRIUMPH  By Mr Tidmarsh

WELCOME TO OUR FUTURE STUDENTS!

Hugo Minogue Amelia Alexander

(cont. page 1) - later on in the magazine. We are indebted to the secondary school teachers who volunteer each year to teach the P6 children and thereby demystifying the secondary school and ease the move. This year the children got the chance to write the worst possible poem with John Bauer; be historical detectives with Michelle May, Darren Griffiths, and learn about literature with Jeanne Salvato.

Lastly, it is with great pleasure that I announce the births of Amelia Alexander and Hugo Minogue. The latest new is that the mums are doing well and are suitable proud of the new additions to their families.

YOGA

SIS CLUBS

DRAMA CORNER

Gruffalo The Primary Team’s version of the Gruffalo triumph ! Mr Tidmarsh wrote an SIS version of the famous book. Much to the delight of the children the staff threw themselves whole heartedly into their roles. Much fun was had by all and a new Christmas tradition may well have been started !

P2IS CLASS HAVE BEEN LEARNING ABOUT SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS

P2IB DRESSED UP FOR MARDI GRAS

P4IS THE CHOCOLATE

TOUCH After reading The Chocolate Touch P4IS appreciated a Kiss from their teacher …turning it into a magical: carpet, silver skirt,  present, Superbowl ball, ring, glittery pencils, snow, football, telescope, alien horse and dog, to go on an adventure with.  

!The final touch was reading a classmate’s story and helping them to improve their writing by peer-editing.

They have carried out a number of scientific experiments, including making ice lollies and eating them. They also

opened an ice cream shop in the class room. 

P4IB ARE READING THE IRON MAN BY TED HUGHES. HE USES SOME GREAT WORDS

HERE ARE THE ONES WE LIKED

BEST

P3IS HAS ENJOYED READING 'TARQUIN

THE WONDER HORSE' AND WRITING ABOUT

HIS TROUBLES. !Punctuation, proofreading, and improving have been some of their targets.

P5IB ROBIN OF SHERWOOD

THE CLASS HAD ROBIN HOOD DAY WHICH

INCLUDED SOME ROLE PLAY AND GAMES DATING FROM THE MIDDLE AGES:

MARBLES, PICK-UP STICKS,'RING AROUND THE

ROSY' AND A TRIVIAL GAME ABOUT NOTTINGHAM

TOWN.

P5IS WAR

P5 INTEGRATED CLASS AT SÈVRES HAVE BEGUN LEARNING ABOUT THE

MIDDLE AGES. WE HAVE FOUND THE WAR-LIKE

BARBARIANS, INCLUDING KING CLOVIS,

PARTICULARLY INTERESTING. SO

INTERESTING, IN FACT, WE FELT WE NEEDED TO RE-ENACT A BATTLE OR TWO

P6 WEDNESDAY AND INTEGRATEDTASTER SESSION

All the P6s were invited to a ‘taster session’ at the secondary school in Sèvres. Their first experience of going to ‘big school’ was a great success and we are

grateful to Michelle May, Darren Griffiths, John Bauer and Jeanne Salvato for giving up their time and considerable energy to make this event happen.

CARMEN MARKES P5WMA

CONNIE MONTRELLA P5WMO

!‘Akimbo joins the hunters and they walk for a long way tracking elephants. They find a group of elephants, but the elephants manage to escape’.

Victor Rillet’s talk on Guadaloupe was very interesting. All his classmates listened attentively.

We have been reading The Witch's Tears and using drama activities to learn how to empathize with the characters. Freeze frame: pupils listened and observed the character's actions to begin to understand what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes and see the world through their eyes. Here's Mr Blossom on the deserted moor calling for help, "I'm scared!";"I'm lost!";"I'm stuck and can't find my way home!";"It's cold!"

Carol Cretaigne P4WC Drama

‘Akimbo goes to Matimba’s house. He shows Matimba the ivory and tells him there are more pieces and he will give them to him in exchange for going along on a hunt’.

‘When the hunters decide to sleep, Akimbo leaves them and walks the long distance back home. On the way he is nearly hit by a charging rhino’.

CYNTHIA KAISER

After reading Dear Max, P4WK have been writing their own letters to get answers to their questions about the world around us.

Questions this year ranged from "How is glass made?" to " Why do people speak different languages?" to "Why do we cry when we are sad?”

Letters were sent to various experts capable of answering these thoughtful questions and the class took a trip to the post office to mail the letters.

Replies have begun to arrive and have been shared during circle time in class.

John D'Auria P5WDAfter reading chapter 1 in The Firework Makers Daughter, P5WD had a go at drawing one of the fireworks that was described in the text.

PRIME TIMES ISSUE NO. 11 FROM THE INTEGRATED AND WEDNESDAY PRIMARY SECTION

For more information concerning Sections Internationale de Sèvres go to: !

http://www.sis-sevres.net!

APRIL 2014

TALIA ELLETT P4/5WE

WE HAD A PYJAMA PARTY!