Dear Parents and Carers, 

We have received notification from BCP that they are advising pupils to stay at home tomorrow where possible. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to take this choice if you can. We will have a skeleton staff on site at the school because we know that some parents are essential key workers who may well be required for emergency purposes depending on the impact of the storm.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that most schools in the local area are completely closed, our staffing capacity is severely reduced and so we will not be able to offer live lessons. The pupils are invited to read, complete some TT Rockstars/Numbots, do some Purple Mash activities, explore BBC Bitesize, look at the lessons on the Oak Academy website or enjoy a well deserved rest!

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but the advice from BCP is now much clearer than it was earlier in the day. 

Yours sincerely, 

Nigel Helm, 

Headteacher 

Year 5 students were invited along to Cobblestone Academy for a dance class instructed by their own year 10 students. The children were shown a dance they all had to do together, broken down into sections.  They were then set the task to choreograph their own dance in pairs. The results were truly inspiring with the end dance being incredible.

In addition to our league games, we have also played three friendly fixtures. The first was against Oakdale Junior when a Year 6 team braved the cold to put in a fantastic performance. From the very first whistle until the end, all of the players showed tremendous effort and great teamwork. The game finished 6-0 to Longfleet thanks to a hat-trick from Harrison, two goals from Dylan and a goal from Ethan. A special well done also to our defenders and two goalkeepers (Victor in the first half and Ethan in the second) for keeping a clean sheet.

We also took a team, made of mostly Year 5s, to play St Michael’s Middle School. In a very entertaining match, we lost 8-2 with both of our goals coming from Zac. For many of the children, it was the first time they had played for the school and should be proud of their efforts.

In our next match, Zac was again on the score sheet twice, this time in a 5-3 win at Baden Powell. The team was a mix of Year 5s and 6s and two goals from Jaiden and one from Edward capped a fine performance.

Friendly Squad Players: Jamie, Isaac, Harry G, Matthew, Reuben M, Dylan, Ethan, Thomas, Gabriel, Jaiden, Zac, Henry, Ladji, Isaac, Teddy, Brodie, Callum, William, Gethin, Harrison L, Ali, Ashton, Fraser, Harry F, Victor, Edward, Liam

Well done to all of the players in all of the games and thank you to those who were able to come and cheer them on! 

Before Christmas, our league team had qualified for the next set of fixtures and we were placed in a group with Baden Powell Junior and St Michael’s Middle. Each team played each other once with the group winners going through to the semi-finals.

Our first game was an exciting encounter against St Michael’s Middle School. Two goals from Philip and one from Joseph earnt a 3-3 draw. This meant that we had to win our last game against Baden Powell to progress to the next round. Thanks to a great headed goal from Tyler and a fantastic defensive performance, we won 1-0. As a result, we are now through to the semi-finals and are looking forward to finding out who we will play.

League Squad Players: Jacob, Finley, Reuben (c), Berties, Alex, Joseph, Harrison, Philip, Tyler, Callum, Sam

Before Christmas, our league team had qualified for the next set of fixtures and we were placed in a group with Baden Powell Junior and St Michael’s Middle. Each team played each other once with the group winners going through to the semi-finals.

Our first game was an exciting encounter against St Michael’s Middle School. Two goals from Philip and one from Joseph earnt a 3-3 draw. This meant that we had to win our last game against Baden Powell to progress to the next round. Thanks to a great headed goal from Tyler and a fantastic defensive performance, we won 1-0. As a result, we are now through to the semi-finals and are looking forward to finding out who we will play.

League Squad Players: Jacob, Finley, Reuben (c), Bertie, Alex, Joseph, Harrison, Philip, Tyler, Callum, Sam

Longfleet took two teams to Baden Powell and St Peter's Junior School for a festival, which included 6 other teams. Matches were short but filled with action- with both our A and B teams showing determination and resilience with some strong tackling and blocking. Highlights included the A team keeping clean sheets in all their matches, whilst Thomas F made two superhero saves in the B team (not bad considering he didn't want to be in goal!) Things are certainly looking promising for our young football teams going forward!

As part of Kindness Week, children have thoroughly enjoyed participating in acts of kindness within our local community. We began the week with a trip to our local food bank distribution centre. The children were amazing and helped with sorting and organising food do-nations ready for distribution to the collection points. We learnt a lot about why we have food banks and how they help people.

Secondly, children went to the Garland Road crossing to pre-sent our lollipop man John with a huge thank you card. As a school, we said thank you to him for helping us stay safe in our community.

Finally, a group of children baked two fantastic cakes to deliver to a local nursing home to say a huge thank you to all of the care workers that help to look after the elderly. As part of Kindness Week, the children decided they wanted to deliver these cakes for staff and

residents to enjoy.

In November we celebrated Anti-Bullying Week, or as we prefer to call it at Longfleet, Kindness Week. Throughout the week, children participated in several activities and assemblies around the theme of being kind to each other and understanding what bullying means. The week began with lots of children and staff wearing odd socks to celebrate that we are all different and that being unique is good. Each class created a Kindness Charter pledging kind and respectful behaviour to one another. We wrote letters and postcards saying thank you to people and thought about what we are thankful for. Children were awarded Kindness certificates and were given a card if they were 'caught' doing a random act of

kindness. Classes discussed the difference between bullying and banter and the impact of being unkind to people and the lasting affect this can have. The primary objective of the week was to focus on how being kind is so easy and yet makes such a huge difference to people and their wellbeing. Let the kindness spread!

On Tuesday 30th November, an excited crowd at Longfleet cheered on the Year 5 and 6 football team to a tremendous victory in the first round of the Dorset Cup. Close neighbours St Marys took an early lead with a great finish and it stayed that way until just before half time when Tyler drew the game level.

In the second half, two excellent strikes from Phillip made it 3-1 and put Longfleet into the second round.

Well done to all of the players and the supporters who cheered them on!

Our Year 5 and 6 Football team have now completed their first two matches of the Poole And East Dorset League.

In the first game, we played Ocean Junior. Despite battling back from being three nil down to bring the game back to 3-2 thanks to goals from Joseph and Phillip, we eventually lost 4-2.

In the second game against St Mary's, we took a two goal lead thanks to Tyler before an own goal made it three. St Mary's scored a well deserved goal to set up a tight finish.

We are hoping that by finishing second in the group, we will qualify for the next round. Well done to all of the players who have played so far!

Longfleet hosted their second SEND Panathlon, with children from Baden Powell, Canford Heath Junior, Oakdale and Haymoor Junior joining us for a range of fun-based activities. Six Longfleet Sports Ambassadors were on hand to help out with scoring across the events and Chris Sugden (of Panathlon Challenge) was the brains behind the events on show. Each child came away with a medal, a certificate and their Panathlon t-shirt. Overall, a hugely successful, fun and engaging morning's work!