New School Access Arrangements

Our brand new £9.2m state of the art school will be open to pupils on Wednesday, 4th January 2017.

Tomorrow afternoon, all children will practise entering and leaving our new school, in preparation for the first day of the spring term. How exciting!

Maps of the initial access arrangements for Early Years/KS1 and KS2 are available below:

Prospective Reception Parents - Presentation

Over the last few weeks, it has been fantastic to welcome parents of children due to start Reception in September 2017. For those of you who could not make one of the sessions, or if you would like to be certain that this is the right school for your child, a copy of our presentation is available here ».

If you have any more questions about our school, do not hesitate to contact us »

Our New School - Progress Update

We are pleased to be able to inform you that contractors Galliford Try are very confident that our new £9.2 million school will be completed and ready to hand over on Monday 19th December. As you are all aware, pupils break up for Christmas a week early this year on Wednesday 14th December.

650 removal crates have arrived in school. Between the 15th and 22nd December all Hacton staff will be working in collaboration with Galliford Try’s removal contractors to move everything from our present school to the new build. Staff will then set everything up ready for pupils to start the spring term in the brand-new building on Wednesday 4th January.

Externally rendering cladding and decoration is now 95% complete. Internally all mechanical, electrical and joinery work is totally complete, as is the school kitchen. Ceilings are 90% finished, furniture, fittings, and equipment installation is 80% complete and carpet/vinyl flooring is 75% complete. Final decoration is 75% complete. Currently, Galliford Try are completing these internal and external finishes as well as constructing the EYFS and infant playgrounds at the rear of the school; all of which will be finished prior to pupils finishing school on 14th December.

Although the new building will be complete, the second phase of the project - the demolition of the current building and the landscaping and development of this area - will commence in January for completion in August 2017. From January to July, the only pedestrian access to the school will be via Goodwood Avenue. I will give you detailed access arrangements for all pupils before the end of term.

We are all very much looking forward to an exciting new chapter in Hacton’s development, commencing on January 4th when the new school opens to your children for the first time.

More photos of the new build are available on our website »

Google bring Expeditions to Hacton

Children in KS2 at Hacton were extremely lucky to have a visit from Google Expeditions. To support their Humanities learning, our pupils experienced amazing virtual reality tours of different environments: deserts and battlefields, under the sea and outer space.

Google Expeditions has been running for over a year and combines three things: software built with teachers for teachers, immersive content that is built around the curriculum and availability on a range of devices that are available to any school. Miss Vlasic and Mrs Mason organised for a representative from Google to visit and they brought with them around 60 smartphones and Google Cardboard VR goggles.

Through placing the Google Cardboard device over their eyes, pupils embarked on a 360° virtual panorama constructed from 3D images — annotated with details and points of interest. Our outstanding teachers led the expedition, controlled by a tablet supplied by Google. By immersing our pupils completely with the chosen environments, it enabled them to become immersed in their learning in new and exciting ways.

With the connected devices, the children engaged in the experience as a whole class and they were given opportunities to ask questions and discover answers in the virtual world. They listen to information from their teachers and talked to peers about what they were experiencing.

Thank you Google for providing a wonderfully engaging learning opportunity for our pupils. 

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort last week.

Remembrance at Hacton

Today at Hacton, we joined with people around the world to stand in silent contemplation. We stopped. We thought. We remembered.

In both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 assemblies this week we have discussed the reasons why we wear poppies and about the importance of remembrance. We have not forgotten the people who sacrificed so much for our country. Our pupils learnt that Armistice Day is commemorated every year on November 11 to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

Year 6 pupils wrote moving poems from the point of view of children affected by war that they read out in today's assembly.

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort last week.

Last Open Day of the Year for Prospective Parents

If your child is due to start Reception in September 2017 and you want to visit our school, we would like to welcome you to one of our open days. Our last open day of this year is:

Thursday 17^th November at 1.15

If you wish to attend this session please contact the school office on 01708 443991 or email us at contact@hacton.havering.sch.uk.

The visit will last approximately one hour and will consist of a presentation by Headteacher, Mr Nigel Emes, and a look around the Early Years Foundation Stage area led by school's EYFS leader and Reception teacher Mrs Michelle Stephenson.

Science Week Begins

Science Week began with a bang as 'Mad Science' led the school assembly; creating fireballs, squeezing eggs through tight spaces and building excitement amongst all of our pupils. The children then had the opportunity to work with our guest scientists to discuss chemical and physical changes. Every child was able to take part in an experiment and create their own slime by mixing a variety of materials together. In the afternoon they also had the opportunity to work in a number of different classrooms and take part in some fantastic experiments (keep an eye out for blogs about them later in the week). It was a fantastic start to what will be a great week!

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort last week.

Boys' Football: Hacton 1 - 0 Towers

Last Wednesday, the Year 5 and 6 boys kicked off the new football season with a victory over Towers Junior School. Both sides played well in a hard fought contest featuring solid defending and impressive goalkeeping heroics. After a goalless first half, Tommy drove the ball into the back of the net: 1-0 to Hacton! The boys defended well and kept their lead for the rest of the match; a very promising start to the season. Well done!

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort last week.

No Pokémon, Match Attax or Similar Trading Cards in School Please

Children get very excited about new crazes but these can cause issues in the playground. Pokémon trading cards are currently very popular and we have had a few problems with missing cards and misunderstandings about swaps. Children feel strongly about these issues, so to avoid upset we are requesting that trading cards are not brought into school.

If a pupil does bring cards into school, their class teacher will look after them until the end of the day. Children can then enjoy trading cards with just their close friends outside of school. Thank you for your co-operation.

Year 3: Maths

Year 3 have had another busy but enjoyable week. In Numeracy the children learnt about fractions. They all had fun experiencing fractions in real life when looking at them as a 'set of objects', using Smarties as an example. Some children found they had 0/32 orange Smarties in their unlucky tube. However, some lucky children had 9/36 blue Smarties in their tube. Additionally, the class totalled fractions and some found that the total of red and brown smarties was 8/32 of their tube.

In Miss Vlasic's maths class on Wednesday, the children thoroughly enjoyed becoming Mastery Maths Detectives. They had a range of envelopes on their desks with different fraction challenges where the focus was on 'explaining why'.

Although the children said they loved all of the fraction lessons this week, their favourite part was clearly ... eating smarties!

Recognition for Outstanding SATs Results

Mr Emes was delighted to receive a letter from Dr Tim Coulson, Regional Schools Commissioner, to recognise this year's outstanding SATs results. With increased expectations in the new tests, this crossover year proved to be a challenge for staff and pupils; a challenge that our staff and pupils rose to. The Regional Schools Commissioner understands that results like ours only come about through the hard work and dedication from staff. It is encouraging to receive official recognition for our work supporting and nurturing our pupils so they achieve personal excellence.

Secondary School Transfer

Have you completed an online application for your child to transfer to secondary school in September 2017?

If not you should apply online now, and no later than 31 October 2017 otherwise your application will be late which could result in you not being offered a school of your preference. You can apply via www.havering.gov.uk/eadmissions. Even if your child has a brother or sister that attends the school you will still need to apply for a place.

Free School Meals and Pupil Premium

Apply for
free
school meals Do you qualify for Free School Meals? You can register your child for Free School Meals if you get any of these benefits:

• Income Support 
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance 
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance 
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 
• The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit 
• Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190 
• Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

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Although all our infant pupils are now able to receive a universal free school meal our school budget is based upon many factors, two of which are;

• the number of pupils eligible for Free School Meals, whether they take them or not. 
• the number of pupils who are from families where a parent/carer is employed by the Armed Services. 

At Hacton our numbers in these categories are relatively low and so our budget allocation for the school is reduced accordingly.

If you are in receipt of any of the benefits listed below then your child may be eligible for Free School Meals and it would be much appreciated if you could let us know. Even if you choose to send your child in with a packed lunch or even if you have an infant child who is eligible for universal free school meals, please apply as it makes a big difference to our budget share as a school.

If you believe you may be eligible please contact Student Finance on 01708 433929 and they will advise you immediately if you are entitled to receive Free School Meals.

If there is a member of the Armed Services in your immediate family, please notify the school office on 01708 443991.

With many thanks for your anticipated support in this matter.

N P L Emes

Headteacher

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort this week.

Year 6: The Battle of Britain

Year 6 became history detectives as they investigated a variety of sources to learn about the Battle of Britain. Our pupils summarised their findings in an explanatory paragraph and researched the aircraft used during the devastating battle.

Did you know?

"Just over 20,000 Spitfires were built during the war." Megan

"The Spitfire was the most famous fighter aircraft in World War 2." Lily

"The name Spitfire was taken from an old English word meaning someone of strength." Adam

"The Spitfire weighs about 2,400kg.” Nila

“The children’s author Roald Dahl flew Hurricanes for the RAF during World War 2.” Megan

"Many German pilots believed the Spitfire was better than their own planes so one German pilot even asked his commanding officer for a squadron of Spitfires!" Rachel

Early Years: Reception Children Settle In

Well done to the children who have all settled so well into their new Reception classes. The Elephants, Zebras and Giraffes have become familiar with their classrooms and have enjoyed exploring the outside learning environment. Children have already been picking up routines and have enjoyed finding out the names of their new friends!

Places Available in Hacton Nursery

We have a few places available for children in our nursery. The morning session runs from 8.45am until 11.45am and the afternoon session runs from 12.30pm until 3.30pm. Find out more about our 'outstanding' nursery »

If you would like to visit our nursery or reserve a space for your child please contact us on 01708 443991 or email contact@hacton.havering.sch.uk.

Science Club

In science club, for our first experiment we came up with theories to explain the answer to the question ‘will an egg float?’. As you’ve probably guessed, it doesn’t. As a result of this, we were assigned the job of creating a device to make it do so. There were some great ideas, although many of them didn’t really work e.g. making a boat out of a polystyrene cup. However, a few of them did, including Rachel’s great cup invention (personally named). At the end, Mr Coombes showed us the scientific solution: he tipped some salt into a container of water and we watched in amazement as the egg floated! The salt made the water denser.

I certainly had fun and by the way everybody else looked, I think they did too.

By Rachel (Year 6)

Year 1: The Lost Sheep

Year 1 have been learning about the Parable of the Lost Sheep in RE. They have learnt that Christians believe God looks after all of his flock and he will search for any that lose their way.

The children have made their own fluffy sheep that have been used to create a baa-rilliant display in the Year 1 corridor. To reinforce the message in the story, a different sheep will go missing every day and the children will need to find it. Five house points will be given to the pupil who rescues the lonely sheep and returns it to the flock.

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort this week.

Singing Assembly: "A Wiggly, Waggly Worm"

Key Stage 1 singing assembly was fantastic fun this week. The children started to learn a new song (that we plan to record at a later date) and revisited an old favourite, "A Wiggly Waggly Worm". Our pupils certainly know how to follow instructions; next time, Miss Wells may think twice before asking the children to sing "as loud as possible"!

Year 4: Metaphors and Similes

Last week in Literacy, Year 4 learnt to describe using metaphors and similes. They used iPads to capture what they thought each simile meant. Can you guess which picture represents 'as bold as a boxing glove'?

Year 1: Counting and Phonics

Last week, Year 1 were counting like crazy! They really got to know their numbers by counting forwards and backwards. The children also worked on their phonics and, as you can see, they focused on the letter X; Year 1 have got the X factor!

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort last week.

 

New House Captains

Following their captivating campaigns and persuasive presentations, hopeful Year 6 pupils sat in assembly with fingers crossed, eager to hear their names announced as new House Captains. Cheers erupted in the hall as Mr Emes revealed the winners of the elections. Congratulations to our newly appointed House Captains and Vice House Captains who now have the honour of leading their Houses for the year and wearing shiny new badges.

Year 3: Friction

Friction is a force that slows things down. More friction is created when a surface is very rough and bumpy. Objects travel fast across smooth surfaces because there is less friction. Year 3 decided to investigate whether a car travels slower downhill on different surfaces. They predicted that the car would travel slower down the rough surfaces and speedy down the smoother surfaces. To keep it a fair test we kept the car and the person letting go the same but changed the surface boards.

The young scientists learnt that there was more friction on the carpet board and the sandpaper as the car travelled more slowly. The car travelled much faster down the wood surface and the smooth foam surface. The wood surface took the car 1.51s, the foam took 1.55s, the sandpaper took 1.77s and the carpet took 2.69s.

Next week, Year 3 begin the lengthy task of formally writing up the investigation in their science books!

Year 3: A Great First Week in Key Stage 2

Our Year 3 pupils clearly enjoyed their first week in Key Stage 2. In Literacy, the children recapped punctuation, word types and were introduced to the increased expectations in writing. In Maths, they learnt about about place value and were able to represent hundreds, tens and units (HTU) using pictures. Science was a particular hit with Year 3 who learnt about forces and watched some fascinating videos about g-force and gravity. We were very impressed with the children's enthusiastic start to life in Key Stage 2: we're sure it's going to be a fantastic year.

Year 4: Ancient Egypt

Year 4 began their History and Geography topic in the first week of term by learning about the river Nile and its importance to Ancient Egyptian people. After discovering its location on a map, the children made wheels to illustrate Akhet, Peret and Shemu, the three seasons of farming. Our enthusiastic Egyptologists did a fantastic job of adding decoration and split pins to create their wheels. Next week, Year 4 will continue to learn about Egypt in class, as well as creating artwork and beginning to learn an Egyptian dance. Great work Year 4!

Year 5: World War 1

Last week, Year 5 began learning about World War 1, particularly looking at how and why it started. The children have started this topic by reading the fantastic book War Horse. The children have completed their own research and discovered some really fascinating facts. They are looking forward to learning even more about this turbulent time in history.

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are presented with the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly. This week, many teachers awarded the cup to their entire class for a great start to the year. Alongside individual winners, a boy and girl were chosen to represent their class in our celebratory photo.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort this week - what a great start to the year.

Welcome Back

As the gates opened for the beginning of another school year, our eager Hacton pupils flooded into the playground to embark on the next stage of their learning journey. Equipped with all the necessary travel documents (passports and boarding passes), children settled quickly into their new classes and enjoyed catching up with their friends. It was a pleasure to see the children looking so smart and full of enthusiasm for the year ahead. Like all terms at Hacton, we have a jam-packed calendar of events planned for the autumn term. We endeavour to keep you up to date with all the latest news through both our school and phase group blogs with our weekly learning objectives being updated each Monday.

We would like to warmly welcome our new members of staff: Miss Masters (Reception) and Miss Burk (Year 1) report that they had a fantastic first day ay Hacton. We hope you have an easy time settling back into the school routine and enjoy the start of another fun-filled school year.

An Outstanding Year

What an exciting school year we have had! In December, our school was the first in Havering to be graded ‘outstanding’ in all areas under a much more rigorous Ofsted framework. Our pupils have really risen to the challenges of the new national curriculum, with so many making accelerated progress in the last 12 months. At both KS1 and KS2 they have achieved results well above the national average. We know that Hacton has had a truly brilliant year because we have seen our beautifully behaved, happy pupils demonstrating their love of learning. They are a credit to their parents and our school.

As children and staff gathered in the hall for the final assembly of the year, there were mixed emotions. Amongst laughter as our pupils reminisced about life at Hacton, there were tears of sadness and pride as our Year 6 leavers received certificates and awards in recognition of their achievements. They have made fantastic progress both academically and socially and we feel confident that they are ready for the next exciting chapter of their school life.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank parents and carers for their ongoing support. We hope that the sun continues to shine throughout the holidays and that pupils, parents and staff enjoy a safe and relaxing summer. Whilst we wish our Year 6 children every success as they venture on to secondary school, we look forward to welcoming back our pupils in September. Enjoy the holiday everyone!

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