VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
If you would like to set up and run a club for the children at lunchtime we would be delighted to hear from you. Thank you to parents for restarting netball again. We also used to have a country dance session run by parents in the past. Any ideas?
Art Club
Art club is on Wednesday lunchtimes. Anyone is welcome to come along but if numbers are too large then we may alternate key stages each half term.
Choir
On Tuesday lunchtimes Watling echoes to the sound of singing as the choir has its practise session. Mrs. Street takes choir practice. The choir is open to children in year 3 and 4. We learn new songs and hymns which we later teach to the rest of the school and some which we keep to ourselves to sing at Harvest and Christmas services and at Leavers' Assembly. The choir also sing out in the community at large. We sing at the Tree Lighting in Dunstable in December and we sing to the old people at Furness Avenue at Harvest and Christmas.
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Computer Club - KS1
Mrs. Jandu takes computer club for KS1 on Monday lunchtimes. It is specifically for Years 1 and 2. Children have the opportunity to enhance their IT skills and learn to use ICT confidently in a friendly and open environment. They have opportunities to explore a variety of ICT tools (word processing, Dazzle, graphic packages, multimedia software and adventure games) and do research for specific topics or simply have some fun! Due to the overwhelming demand of this club, a rota system exists with each group being enrolled for half a term.
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First Aid
Every Year 4 pupil is given the opportunity to work towards Part 1 of the St. John Ambulance Young Lifesaver Award. The children learn how to assess the situation and check the casualty's response, open the airway and check their breathing. They learn how to put the casualty in the recovery position and check circulation. The children also learn how to telephone for the ambulance, how to help someone who is having an asthma attack and how to deal with a choking casualty. This is taught by Mrs Pynn.
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Football
This is organised by some of our Dads. Training usually takes place at the school on Saturday mornings and matches are arranged for teams of all age groups with other local schools. The school teams also participate in the local Gazzette Lower Schools' League. Children from year 1 to year 4 can go to training and we now have some thriving 'Old Boys' teams consisting from boys in year 5 and 6 many of whom attended Watling previously plus some others.
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Gardening Club
Gardening club takes place at the beginning and towards the end of the school year when the weather is drier. This is a lunch time club meeting on Tuesday at 1 o'clock for about 20 minutes. It is free (being financed by the profits from the plant and bulbs orders during the year). The children are from years 1 - 4 and are usually restricted to between 4 and 6. A rota system is organised to include everyone who wishes to come. The projects the club has completed are wide ranging e.g. hyacinth bulbs for display, spring bulbs in the school grounds, creating a sink garden, seasonal plants in many of the school planters and, of course, weeding and general tidying up.
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All children in Key Stage 2 at Watling have the chance to learn to play a musical instrument whether it be recorder (see below); violin, 'cello, guitar and now also wind instruments (clarinet, flute, saxophone, trombone, trumpet) and percussion through Bedfordshire Music. Lessons usually take place in school time. Unfortunately, there is a charge for all music lessons except recorder and fees are paid directly to Bedfordshire Music. Bedfordshire Music provide a loan service for violins/'cellos and wind instruments can be bought at 'Octave' in Dunstable on easy payment terms. Letters will come home explaining these opportunities in more depth.
Children who play instruments have the opportunity to play with other children in the town at large ensembles organized by the County music team (Fiddle Fiesta, Woodwind Whirlygig, Brass Bonanza and Guitar Festival). These take place at local middle or upper schools and children learn the music with their music teacher. Children meet just after lunch, rehearse together, have a packed tea then perform in a free concert to parents - all good experience and practise for playing in County Orchestras or Bands in years to come.
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Recorders
This is open to Key Stage 2 children. It gives children the opportunity to learn to play an instrument, many of whom go on to play another instrument in middle school. It gives them a good grounding in the rudiments of music and teaches them to read musical notation.
There are two recorder groups:
Miss Colton: Year 4 - Wednesday lunchtimes in Chestnut Class
Mrs Street: Year 3 - Thursday lunchtimes in Oak Class
Rugby
Mr. Black takes this 'Tag' rugby club. This a junior form of Rugby called Tag Rugby. The club is open to Key Stage 2 children and takes place Monday lunchtimes in the hall.
Contact details: Phone: 01582 - 662232 Fax: 01582 - 662232 email: watlinglower@schools.bedfordshire.gov.uk