Welcome to our first International Newsletter.

We are very proud of the international work we do at Old Bexley School and want to share it with you. The children in the Earth Matters group have written most of the articles and I would like to thank them for their time and dedication to our group.

him to our link schools and all around the world. By Daniel year 4

get to learn about news around the world. By Mia year 4

Link School Letters

On 5 October 2012, the whole of KS2 wrote letters to their link schools in different countries. The children in KS1 drew a picture of themselves to send. In the letters the pupils wrote about themselves. They wrote things like their favourite food, games and other things so the pupils from their link schools know a bit more about them. By Alaina year 5
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Black History Month

Theodore

At the start of the school year we had a visitor from America. He is called Theodore and travels around the world visiting schools in different countries. Theodore is a cuddly bear who collects badges from each of the places he visits. He spent time in a range of different lessons and the children completed a book about what happens at Old Bexley School. The children in USA learned about afternoon tea and how to curtsy to the Queen! By Mrs Cruickshank

International Day

Peace

In October we thought about Black History month. The children took part in workshops where they painted masks made from the root of the miracle tree. They used the masks to learn African dances. The children really enjoyed these activities and the masks looked amazing! Thank you to Miss Ghosal for organising the workshops. By Mrs Cruickshank

International Link Schools

We would like to welcome all our link schools from around the world. We are so pleased to be working with you this year. Welcome to new link schools in India and Australia. Here is the list for this year: Reception: Broadway School in Worcestershire Year 1: Carlos Maria School, Spain Year 2: Australia Applecross School,

Winston GB

In celebration of International Peace Day, the teachers asked us to draw around our hands, on different colour card, and then cut it out. In assembly the next day we looked around and saw all our paper hands made into a rainbow. We also wrote a peace prayer on our hands. It was brilliant! By Erin year 6

Mr GB is going to be sent to all different kinds of schools in different countries. He has already been to London and Malawi. We got the idea of getting him from Theodore, a teddy bear all the way from America. He got his name, Mr GB, from a vote we had at school. We would like to send

News Books
Everyone has a turn on the book. The idea is that every one in each class (in key stage 2) gets to cut out an article from the newspaper and write about it. They then read it to the class and pass it onto another child. We all

Year 3: Anguillara Veneta, Italy Year 4: Lake Mathews Elementary School, USA Year 5: MDN Public School, India Year 6: Linderud School, Norway

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find out about building new houses. We will be thinking about the differences between building techniques here in England and in Malawi.

Fair Trade
We will be working on making the school a Fair Trade school over the course of this year. If you are interested in finding out what requirements there are, please look at this website, http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/school s/how_to_become_a_fairtrade_s chool/

School Spotlight:
Lake Mathews Elementary School.
One of our link schools is outside Los Angeles in America. It is in Riverside. There are over 900 pupils. They go from th Kindergarten to 6 grade. In Kindergarten they are four to five years old and in grade 6 they are eleven years old. Our link teacher is called Mrs Nuttall and she rd works in 3 grade where the children are 8-9 years old. There are four classes in third grade and there are 122 students altogether (that is a lot!) By Laura year 4

Q: Do you think Fair Trade is important? A: The important thing about Fair Trade is that lots of people are working hard but not being paid enough. Fair Trade means they get a fair price and that is a very good thing. Q: Where do you think our mascot Mr GB should visit next? A: I think he should go everywhere and bring back lots of information from those countries. It would be good to start with our link schools. Q: What do you do in your job as Head of School? A: Gosh, where do I start? Its busy, busy, busy. It is the best job in the world. I get to make sure children get the best education they can, and I believe, from the bottom of my heart, that that is what is needed and what we do. Q: What is your most embarrassing moment while in school? A: When I was working at a different school, I was taking singing practice with the whole school when I stepped back and fell over a bench. I fell with my legs in the air- it was probably the worst singing practice ever! Q: If you could choose any teacher to run the Earth Matters group, who would it be? A: Mrs Cruickshank as she puts a lot of time into running the group and I know she does it properly. Thanks to Ms. Lindridge for her time.

Sharing Books
The children in the Earth Matters group would like to send a typical English book to our link schools. We hope they will then send us a book from their country that we can share and learn from. The suggestions so far have been, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Famous Five, Horrid Henry and Harry Potter.

Christmas Cards
On 30 November the children made Christmas cards to send to our international link schools. They really enjoyed thinking about how other countries celebrate Christmas.
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Interesting Interview: Ms.Lindridge

Questions by the Earth Matters group. Q: Do you think the Earth Matters group is a good idea? A: Yes. I think that the group is a very good idea as it is important to learn from, and with, people around the world. Q: Do you think that the Earth matters? A: It is very important. There is only one Earth and it is here for everyone so we need to look after it.

Building Site Visit

On the 7 December the members of the Earth Matters group and Mrs. Gibbon went to a local building site where they got the chance to try brick laying and
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International next term.

dates

26.4.13 World Malaria Day 18.5.13 World Fair Trade Day 21.6.13 Refugee Day 5.7.13 International Tell a joke day

Earth Matters Members

Group

Year 6- Erin, Lauren, Katie Year 5- Euan, Zoe, Alaina Year 4- Daniel, Mia, Laura Year 3- James, Velvet, Sam Editor: Erin

21.1.13 Martin Luther King Day 10.2.13 Chinese New Year 22.3.13 World Water Day 19.4.13 Earth Day