Anti-bullying wristbands were on sale during anti-bullying week, 14th and 18th November, to raise money for the charity anti-bullying alliance. We raised a total of £103. Thank you to all who bought them.

Congratulations to the winner of the 2011 Children In Need Raffle.

Thank you to everyone who took part we raised a total of £193.60

Year R: Jerrard Dagdag for a fantastic picture of his story
Year 1: Joseph Houston for sharing his wonderful knowledge of plants with Year 1
Year 1/2: Thomas Hughs for always being ready to answer questions in maths
Year 2: Lewis Rutherford for trying really hard in singing practice
Year 3: Ethan White for always taking part and sharing ideas
Year 4: Lucy Perry for always being ready to listen.
Year 5: Peter Hamilton for improved behaviour in class
Year 6M: Estelle Clark for fantastic freeze framing in Literacy.
Year 6A: Olivia Lazzaei for fantastic teamwork during shelter building
Mrs Clark: Megan Shiell for outstanding written work about Shabbat
Mrs Fox: Rosie Bamling for good answers when planning the Year 1 Liturgy

At St. Alban's school we are so lucky to have excellent volunteers that come into school when needed. Recently we embarked on a Comenius cookery fortnight where all children had the opportunity to cook recipes from Turkey and Finland. This was a roaring success, with children tasting foods they never imagined they would. Thank you for all of your help! The recipe books are still available to buy at £2 from Mrs Reynolds.

St Alban's pupils visited St John's school to enjoy a day working with the Lions of Zululand. We watched a fantastic display of their traditional dance, followed by workshops in dance, art, language and culture and singing. It was a wonderful day - thanks to St John's for hosting the event.

Barnaby Bear enjoyed his recent trip to Turkey. As well as doing lots of work on the Comenius project, Barnaby enjoyed a trip on a boat with his Finnish friend, Moomin.

During June we celebrate Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month by finding out about different communities. Mrs Fenwick brought Tina and Johnny into Reception Class to tell the children about their lives. We enjoyed playing with our new friends, looking at models of trailers and stencilling scrollwork.

Following our campaign to save energy we have cut our carbon emissions by 14%, dropping our school rating from E to D. As a result we are one of the first schools in the country to gain the DECC "Energy Award for Schools". Well done to everyone for 'switching off'!

We were very proud to receive our award from Andy Akinwolere and Lord Hill. The Church School Awards is a new event, open to all Church Schools, promoting the fantastic and vital work done in the areas of community cohesion and global citizenship. It was a wonderful opportunity for St Alban's to showcase the important work that pupils, teachers, governors and staff do for our local community, for our country and throughout the world. Linking Citizenship with Religious Education enables our children to see faith in action and to know that their actions have an impact on others and the world.

We had two winners of our Fairtrade competition. The lucky boys received goody bags from our Fairtrade shop. The answers to the quiz are on display in the corridor.

To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight our school council took part in a parade of school children over the Millennium Bridge. The bridge was festooned with bunting which the children had decorated with Fairtrade messages. The Mayor of Gateshead and the Lord Mayor of Newcastle spoke about the importance of supporting Fairtrade.

To spread the word about Fairtrade Fortnight, we have a new display in Pelaw Library. We hope it persuades people to buy Fairtrade goods.

To help us celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight lots of parents came to our Fairtrade Liturgy and Coffee Morning. Our quiz this year is 'Whose Bag?' Entrants have to match the bag with the member of staff to win a Fairtrade hamper. Quiz sheets are on sale this week for 50p. The focus of our Citizenship lessons is Fairtrade cotton.

We promise to turn the lights off when we leave a room and not to leave things on 'stand by'.

Last June children worked with Gateshead's Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service to celebrate Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month. We were delighted to discover that the work of one of our children had been Highly Commended in the National Poetry Competition.

Teachers from our Comenius partners in Finland and Turkey are arriving in school on Thursday 4th November. We will be working on our new project, 'Work, Rest and Play'. Everyone is invited to join us for afternoon tea in the Hall on Thursday from 3.10pm to meet our visitors.

In Citizenship Year 1 are finding out what children around the world like to eat. We studied photographs and thought of lots of questions we would like to ask children from other countries.

Year 5 enjoyed a morning of playground buddy training today. They found out how to teach younger children playground games that make break times enjoyable and active.

Election fever gripped Key Stage 2 last week as classes voted for the new School Council. The successful candidates were Kieron Nixon and Lauryn Wiscombe in Year 3, Jack Luke and Lucia White in Year 4, Aaron Morris and Sophie Johnson in Year 5 and Matthew Boyle and Emily Brown in Year 6.

Mrs Ann Nelson from the Association for Citizenship Teaching and representing the Institute for Global Ethics, presented the Head Boy and Head Girl with the Impetus Award for their work to promote human rights. The school council had led a project using the 1Goal campaign for Global Education for All linked to the World Cup celebrations in South Africa. Mrs Nelson was most impressed with the children's work in Citizenship.

Bernadette and Sabrina Smith were invited to a celebration ceremony at Dryden Teachers' Centre by the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service. They were presented with certificates by the Mayor of Gateshead. The girls had made a dvd of Bernadete's First Holy Communion with Digital Voice Media Productions. They also received certificates from the Royal Television Society for their film.

We are celebrating Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History month in school. Mrs Walton and Mrs Fenwick have been working in classes, helping us explore topics including the Circus, Fairs and Bargees. We have looked at artefacts and listened to stories and music.

Our football team and Barnaby Bear show they are supporting the Global Campaign for Education. Throughout the World Cup we will be asking friends and family to join international footballers in supporting the campaign by signing one of our supporters' scarves. When the World Cup is over we will be sending our signatures to David Cameron .

Year 1 watched the Save the Children dvd, 'What Makes Me Happy' and discussed what friendship means. In pairs they acted out how friends treat each other. They remembered that all children have a right to play.

Year 4 watched video clips from the Save the Children website as part of their Citizenship work on Friendship. They found out about friends living in Kroo Bay in Sierra Leone and wrote Friendship poems. There was lots of information on the website about the work Save the Children do and how our fundraising will help.

To prepare for our Friendship Funday on Friday Reception Class watched films about friends around the world. They made a Friends poster and thought about what friendship means. Children are wearing non-uniform on Friday and donations received will be sent to Save the Children.

We had great fun guessing which mug belonged to each member of staff. Finally the results are out.....
We had three winners who matched the most mugs to staff- well done! These children, above, received a Fairtrade goodie bag.
We have made a great effort to support fairtrade this fortnight, let's continue to 'swap' more produce for Fairtrade produce.

Today, parents, carers and our local community enjoyed a nice cup of Fairtrade tea. The parents liked the tea so much that they are going to start buying Fairtrade tea!

As part of the School Linking Network, Year 4 from Brighton Avenue Primary School visited St Alban's Year 4 this week. In the morning they listened to Mr Glickman from the Gateshead Jewish community talking about the synagogue. They also worked with Susie, a story-teller, on a tale about Hannukah. In the afternoon they were very busy making mezuzahs, havdalah candles, tasting Jewish food and sketching artefacts. Many of the children have become friends and we are sure we will keep in contact with Brighton Avenue.

Our school is taking part in Switch Off Fortnight. In our Citizenship lessons we are learning that wasting energy is very bad for the environment. We are all making an effort to switch off lights that are not needed.

As part of their Schools Linking Project Year 4 worked with Northumbria University PGCE students at Shipley Art Gallery, where they met their linked school, Brighton Avenue. Everyone had a very creative day and we're looking forward to the next meeting at Brighton Avenue in November.

This Harvest Fast Day we are supporting CAFOD's work in Brazil. Children are asked to give up a favourite sweet and to donate the money to support CAFOD. The donations will be offered in our liturgy on Friday 2nd October at 2.40 pm. Children have been learning about the work of CAFOD in Citizenship lessons.

Anyone for coffee and a cake?

Thank you to all parents that donated cakes for our coffee morning; they were scrumptuous. Together, we raised £71 for Macmillan Cancer Care.

The House Captains running the Fairtrade shop.

Today, the Fairtrade shop was incredibly busy with everyone enjoying the treats.

It's election time. Year 5 have been busy preparing for the Key Stage 2 School Council elections. Candidates have written and delivered speeches and votes have been cast. Watch this space....

St Alban's Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy
Click on the link to read our child friendly policy, which was written in consultation with the School Council and the Head Boy and Head Girl.

Following our Citizenship work on anti-bullying this week, the School Council and Head Boy and Head Girl took part in a themed 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' quiz. We are launching our Child Friendly Anti-Bullying Policy this afternoon in pastoral lessons.

Our Member of Parliament, Sharon Hodgson, visited school today. The Head Boy and Head Girl took her on a tour of the school. Year 6 had prepared questions to ask her about her work as an MP. The school council gave a presentation on the Send My Friend To School campaign and we gave her messages to forward to Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister.

We took part in The Big Read today to support the Send My Friend To School 2009 campaign. We watched the Global Campaign for Education dvd and listened to a story from their website. In our Citizenship lessons this week we are discussing children's right to an education.

Activities will be completed over the next 2 weeks about the work of Fairtrade.
We stand by the Fairtrade slogan, 'Fairtrade guarantees a better deal for third world producers'.

Our Fairtrade shop was very busy today.
"We're really lucky to have our own Fairtrade shop. It's great being able to buy tasty treats and know that you're helping people at the same time". Tomas Van Baelen

Comenius Newsletter
Click on the link to read the latest news about our Comenius project.

We have been awarded the National Fairtrade Award by the Fairtrade Foundation. Thank you to everyone for their continuing support.

Today is Anti-Bullying Day. We have supported the campaign by wearing blue clothes and wristbands.

The House Captains gave a presentation in Merit Assembly about Anti-Bullying. Now, we all know what bullying is and what to do if we are being bullied or if we see someone else being bullied.

This week is National Anti- Bullying Week.
You can buy an anti-bullying wristband for £1 to support this campaign.
All children will also be doing anti-bullying activities in their Citizenship lessons.

Today, we observed a silence at 11 o'clock to remember all those who lost their lives during the World Wars. We also prayed for friends and families who have lost loved ones.
In Flanders Field

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

We are finding out about the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in our Citizenship lessons this week. We are selling poppies in school to support their work. In St Alban's Prayer Room we can make tissue poppies and add them to our Poppy Man whilst saying a prayer of remembrance.

Today is Family Fast Day.
"We have given up a treat and donated the money to CAFOD."

Mmmm cookies!
Thank you for supporting our fairtrade shop; the Year 6 shopkeepers were run off their feet with custom!

Here are our newly appointed School Council.
The children have been given their Councillor badges and look very official.
Good luck councillors; lots of hard work ahead but we know you'll all rise to the challenge.

Today, we are delighted to welcome teachers from our partnership Comenius schools. Our visitors come from Finland, Turkey, Spain and Italy and will be able to sample life in the North East of England.
Our curriculum has truly been enriched by this project. Our children have been learning about different cultures throughout many subject areas.
"We love having penpals in different countries and get very excited when we get new mail."
"We are looking forward to asking the teachers about their schools". (Year 6)
There will be an Art show in school today at 3:15pm, where cream tea will be served.
To view pictures of our day, see 'Comenius trip' in the Gallery.

On Friday 9th May we were invited to Cardinal Hume School to give a presentation on Fairtrade in St Alban's School. The guest speaker was the BBC News Reader, George Alagiah.

April Promise
I promise to find out more about the lives of other children around the world by visiting
www.cafod.org.uk/kidzone.

Our Comenius website is currently under construction. Click the link on the main page of our school website to view it. Information about the project and about our partner schools will be added soon.

Barnaby is having a lovely time in Finland!

Can you imagine what it must be like to be in someone else's shoes?
As part of our Fairtrade fortnight activities, we are playing a game to match the pair of shoes to the correct member of staff. The staff are having a lot of fun trying to figure it all out too.
Children and adults are asked to donate 50p to have a go.
1st prize is a hamper of Fairtrade goodies.
So have fun and good luck!

To view the shoes, have a look in the Gallery.

Please click on the link for information about activities planned for Fairtrade Fortnight.

Newsletter 15.2.08 Fairtrade Fortnight

Join us at 9.30 for a meeting about Fairtrade. We will show you how we are encouraging members of our school community to buy Fairtrade goods. We would also like your views on how we can do more.

On Wednesday evening Mrs Fox, Mrs Hetherington, Thomas Storey (Head Boy) and Abbie Brough (Head Girl) will visit Traidcraft in Gateshead to meet Fairtrade producers from Peru.

We were given the responsibility of being 'shopkeepers' for the fairtrade stall.
As you can see, we look very professional. What's more, our maths skills are so good, you certainly wouldn't be short changed!

Thank you for all your kind support; the Fairtrade stall was very busy!

The staff of St Alban's collected £73.00 to send to UNICEF for the Day of Change. The money will be used to support UNICEF's work to improve water, sanitation and hygiene for children in The Gambia.

I really enjoyed selling fairtrade goods.
The chocolate chip cookies were a best seller!

This week the children have been learning about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children. We have focused on the right to clean water and have linked it to the UNICEF Day for Change.