On Wed 7th May, eleven Year 4s took part in a Tri-Golf tournament with eight other schools. Activities included using golf skills such and putting and chipping. The Year 4 team showed great teamwork and support for other teams; lots of laughing took place as well as cheers of encouragement from onlooking parents. The team came third and it was declared a super achievement.
A team of children from Year 5 and 6 took part in the netball finals after qualifying earlier in the year. They played 9 games against schools of different abilities and performed fantastically well. They finished a very respectable 7th out of 10 teams.
We are delighted to have been awarded the 2024-2025 Gold School Games Mark award for the third year in a row for our commitment to ensuring engagement in PE, School Sport and Physical Activity. We are continuing to develop and succeed with regards to high-quality PE, clubs, intra-house competitions, inter-school competitions, inclusion, active learning, young leaders etc.
A group of 10 children from Year 2 took part in lots of fun activities based around the skills of tag rugby and then some competitive games against other schools to finish off. This was all led by the Sports Ambassadors.
KS2 had the pleasure of a visit from author Peter J Murray. He engaged the whole audience and led to meany children wanting to buy his books and get them signed the next day.
Year 5 had a great day visiting Milestones Museum to link all their previous learning about WW2 together. They experienced life as an ARP Warden amongst other things. Two of the highlights included finding the model of a man sat on the outside privy and visiting the sweet shop for their weekly rations.
Year 5 have been learning how to be leaders by taking part in the recognised Leadership Skills Foundation Playmaker Award. Over the Spring term, they have been learning the key skills needed to be able to deliver activity sessions to others including considering P.A.C.E. The culmination of this saw them plan and deliver a coaching session to half a class of Year 2 children which they were assessed for. From their reflections, they were very honest and said it had been challenging! The Year 2s also provided feedback based on how fun and active each session was. It will be great to see them apply these skills for the rest of Year 5 and in leadership roles in Year 6.
31 children from Y3/4/5 took part in the cross country event at Newbury Showground with around 1,600 other children. Every single child did themselves and the school proud by trying their best and not giving up. Special mentions must go to Jax for coming 10th in the Y5/6 boys' race, Sophie 12th and Pandora 14th in the Y5/6 girls’ race and Alexis for coming 60th in the Y3/4 girls’ race. All these races were out of 400 participants!
A team of children from Year 4 took part in the semi-final of the cup against Birch Copse. It was a tough first half against a really good team and we found ourselves 2-0. The second half started and the team really got stuck in and pulled a goal back straight away. They kept up the pressure but couldn’t get the equaliser. Unfortunately, the opposition scored a couple more goals to make the final score 4-1. Each and every one of the players should be so proud of their efforts.
Y1& Y2 enjoyed their visit from a local beekeeper. They learnt lots of facts about bees, including their importance. Some children dressed up as beekeepers, they played ‘bee bingo’ and were able to taste different types of honey. They also learnt about the lifecycle of a bee.
A team of children from Year 5 and 6 took on three other schools in a netball competition at Downsway. They beat Pangbourne 6-2 and Theale Green 11-0. They then took on the hosts who stormed to a 6-0 lead at half-time – whilst this was the case they didn’t give up and pulled it back to 8-5 which was a great effort against a really strong team. These results saw us come second out of four teams which means we have qualified for the finals in May.
Children dressed up as their favourite characters to celebrate World Book Day. Lots of different activities took place in each class to complement the existing love of books and reading across the school.
A team of children from Year 3 took part in a tag rugby competition against three other schools. This was most children’s first time representing the school in a competition and having only attended tag rugby club for a few months and learning about it in some PE lessons, they played fantastically well. Whilst they lost every game to schools with lots of Year 4 children in, they should be so proud of their efforts and it certainly bodes well for the future. A special mention must also go to the Sports Ambassadors who did superbly well to referee and score the competition.
A group of children from KS2 had the chance to take part in some Paralympic sports in the hall. They experienced Boccia, Kurling and Goalball - all of which required a range of different skills including coordination, accuracy, focus and teamwork. It was great to see teams made up of children from each class in KS2 work so well together.
A team of boys and girls from Year 5 took part in a football competition against four other schools at Pangbourne College. After drawing their first game, they won the other three which meant they finished top overall. Well done team!
Fantastic effort from a team of Y2 children competing against local schools at a cup stacking festival this week. They had to complete a carousel of different cup stacking challenges. The children worked well as a team and were very supportive of each other. They came 2nd place out of 12 teams, winning silver medals. Considering this was their first time ever cup stacking, we were so incredibly proud of them! Well done Year 2!
A team of children from Year 4 took on Francis Baily in the quarter finals of the Adam Page Cup. After going down to an early goal, the team rallied and played some absolutely fantastic football which saw them lead 3-1 at half-time. This continued after the break with another two goals being scored - this meant we won 5-1. It was a superb performance from the whole team and we are so proud of them all!
We were very lucky to be able to invite Simon Murray (the author of Ickydoodah) to come in and work with the children in creating a character. He visited each class to work with them on this and everyone was thoroughly mesmerised. What a fantastic opportunity and some spontaneous reading and writing from it too.
A team of children from Year 5 and 6 took on Springfield in the quarter finals of the cup. We took an early lead before falling 3-1 behind. It might have been easy to give up but the team came on strong with 15 minutes left, pulling one back and coming so close to equalising on several occasions. A 3-2 defeat was no disgrace and the boys should be proud of their efforts.
It was a pleasure to take seven Year 6 children to a Cup Speed Stacking event at Theale Secondary School, after school on Wednesday. We all had great fun, laughed and supported each other. The children were enthusiastic and competitive but weren't phased if a teammate dropped a few cups or made a mistake, they simply helped and encouraged them. They showed great perseverance, resilience, sportsmanship and teamwork. We didn't place in the top four spots but all agreed that it didn't actually matter because we'd enjoyed ourselves and tried out new skills. They were a credit to Long Lane and made me extremely proud.
Year 5 experienced what life was like as an evacuee including a full day of WW2 schooling. As part of their day, they had the opportunity to bake carrot cookies using rations, take part in military drill for PE as well receiving punishments from the time such as writing lines and wearing the dunce hat. Parents even joined in at the end of the day when the air raid siren went off.
All children from Year 5 and 6 took part in an orienteering event around the school grounds. In mixed teams from houses, they had to use a map of the school to help them locate flags and solve maths calculations. Lots of running, teamwork and thinking needed!
A team of children from Year 6 (+ Bodhi from Year 3) took part in an archery event at Theale Green School against 14 other teams. They participated in games where they had to hit the bullseye, shoot nerf targets as well as various other archery activities. They performed fantastically as a team and came 4th overall which meant they got silver medals.
I am delighted to be able to share the final Ofsted report with you all. I think you will agree with me that the inspector has captured the essence of our school perfectly and celebrates our unique inclusive and therapeutic culture and excellent teaching. Please click on the link to read the full report: Long Lane Primary School Ofsted Report - January 2025.pdf
An extremely busy week saw shows, parties, carols at the church, a Christmas lunch amongst plenty of other festivities. We hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and a Happy New Year. See you on Monday 6th January 2025.
The annual PTA Elf-lympics took over the track to light up a dreary afternoon. 12 festive-themed activities for the whole school led by all children from Year 6.
The Year 5/6 girls football team had done amazingly just to get to the ESFA Finals @ Francis Baily. Tough games to start saw us lose 5-0 to Falklands and then a tight 1-0 defeat against Francis Baily. Confidence and belief didn't drop though and we beat St Gabriels 1-0 and then Pangbourne 2-0. We ended up coming third in the Newbury and District area which is something to be very proud of.
An absolutely fantastic team performance saw a team of boys from Year 5 and 6 beat Basildon 5-2 in the second round of the Bill Mc Cup. Everyone played their part in what was a well-deserved victory. Goals from Henry (2), Lewis, Jake and Jax alongside a superb defensive display was enough to see us go through.
A group of children from across the school took part in an archery event in the hall - experiencing different games and activities in teams. There was such great teamwork and support for each other - especially from older children when supporting younger children to learn how to use a bow and arrow correctly.
Two teams of children from Year 5 and 6 took part in a tag rugby and netball competition at Denefield Secondary School. Fantastic performances from both teams saw them win plenty of games against other local schools and end up second overall.
Thank you to all who supported this years Poppy Appeal at Long Lane Primary School. As a school we raised an incredible £225.44 for The Royal British Legion.
Please see the calendar below/attached for all the wonderful events the PTA are running in the lead up to Christmas. Christmas planner PTA 2024.pdf
A team of boys from Year 5 and 6 took part in the ESFA finals against five other schools. They had done amazingly to qualify for this and faced some really tough games in the finals. Subsequently, they won one, drew one and lost three. Special mentions must go to Jax and Bobby from Year 5 who really stepped up and performed fantastically.
What an amazing turn out for our Book Fair and Reading Breakfast. We ran out of breakfast snacks very quickly and had a huge turnout. Thank you to the PTA parents who shared it in the WhatsApp parent groups. So far parents have raised £141 towards new books for school.
We are so lucky to have some amazing people into school to support us and to run clubs. Nitro-Jen is a staple in school each year and shows the children how much fun Science can be.
Year 4 were treated to a visit from Rabi Zvi from the Jewish Community of Berkshire. The children listened to stories from the Old Testament told in fantastic detail and a reconstruction of a Shabbat celebration, including grape juice and Challah bread. We set up the classroom in the style of the synagogue and Rabi Zvi taught the significance of Friday for Jewish people.
Six children from Year 6 took part in four different activities at Theale Green School. They worked as a team to compete in new sports such as boccia, seated volleyball and kurling. Lots of fun was had by everyone.
The Girls Football Equal Access Award has been awarded to us for our continued efforts to ensure equal opportunities for girls in football but this also reflects the equal opportunities we provide across PE, School Sport and Physical Activity.
We are very lucky to be making links with the new care home - Stoneham Grove. Long Lane pupils were invited to help the new care home choose appropriate names for the different quarters of the home. Some of our school council got to visit the home for a tour and some celebrations of tea and cake which we thoroughly enjoyed. We feel that these links in the community are really valuable and look forward to sharing more events with them.
A team of children from Year 5 and 6 took part in a tag rugby competition against three other local schools. They lost their first match in a very tight game, before winning their second match 5-3 and their third match 7-2. Well done team!
Y2 had a fantastic time visiting Didcot Railway Centre. They deepened their knowledge of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and loved going on the train! They behaved beautifully and thoroughly enjoyed themselves!
Year 5 had their annual visit from the fire brigade to teach them about fire safety and the wide range of calls that they attend. The children were able to ask lots of fantastic questions as well as get the chance to see the appliance in action.
A superb performance from a team of boys and girls from Year 4 saw them win 16-0 against St Joseph's in the second round of the cup competition.
A lovely afternoon on the field saw Year 5 and 6 compete in a house tag rugby competition. Two competitions going on at the same time with lots of great teamwork and individual skills. Both Unicorn teams won all their matches but Phoenix played some of the best team rugby. It was also brilliant to see so many children being confident enough to referee and score.
See the photos below for upcoming PTA events such as the annual quiz and community gardening day. Your support is much appreciated.
A fantastic afternoon of tag rugby on the field as Year 3 and 4 took part in a house competition refereed and scored by 8 Year 6 leaders. Lots of skills demonstrated from PE lessons in a competitive, but fun, spirit. Combined results from the two competitions saw Phoenix come out on top.
A team of boys from Year 6 took part in the ESFA football competition at a rather wet Francis Baily. They won their first two games: 2-0 and 2-1 before losing their third 1-0 in a closely-fought game. They didn't let this disappointment impact them and won their last game 5-0 to finish second in the group. This might be enough to see them qualify for the next stage.
All children from Year 1 and 2 took part in a carousel of tag rugby related activities led by the Sports Ambassadors. They got the chance to learn new skills including tagging, ball carrying, scoring a try as well as applying lots of other skills. Lots of smiles and plenty of running around!
A team of girls from Year 5 and 6 took part in the ESFA football competition against three other schools at Francis Baily. They won their first game 5-0 before also winning their second game 2-1. Their final game saw them take on a strong team who beat us 4-0. A fantastic team performance - coming second place overall might see us progress to the next round.
Congratulations to the Year 6 children that have been chosen to be House Captains and Sports Ambassadors this year. It was a tough decision as all children have demonstrated the skills needed to fulfill these important roles. Those chosen have already led assemblies as well as supporting the lunchtime staff to deliver active breaks.
Welcome back to school for a new year. We hope you had a fantastic summer break and are raring to go.
It was a day of learning in hot and humid conditions; sounds awful? Not for Year 4 who enriched their Science and Geography learning about the world's rainforest habitat, met real animals from the regions and were amazed by the adaptations of plants and animals.
Family and friends were treated by our guitarists, pianists and a flautist in a concert of solo and ensemble performances. Some of the guitarists have only been playing a matter of months. Well done to everyone who took part and thank you to Gill McCoy, our peripatetic guitar and voice teacher, for putting this together; we are looking forward to many more!
Year 2 had a fantastic time at the Multi-Skills event at Theale Green School on Wednesday. They all worked incredibly well as a team and supported each other throughout the different challenges. They enjoyed archery, curling, cup stacking and mini-golf!
26 children from Year 5 and 6 took part in the now annual Tilehurst Olympics at Palmer Park. Events ranged from 800m to discus to 100m relays. The team performed superbly in every single event - perseverance in abundance and really demonstrating our motto of 'Strive to Succeed'. So many fantastic individual performances that contributed to a final team total of over 2,300 points!
A huge thanks to the PTA for raising an incredible amount of money for the school.
After watching the odes, Aaron Phipps sent a reply to us to let us know what he is up to in preparation for the Paris Paralympics next month. We also found out that he is now the face of Channel 4's advert for their coverage of the games.
Aaron's reply to LL: Aaron Phipps Update - July 2024.mp4
Year 5 odes to Aaron: Odes to Aaron Phipps 2024 Website
Channel 4 Paralympics advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUs_mNTNwvE
Year 5 had two fantastic activity days at Wokingham Waterside Centre. We did kayaking, dragon boating, raft building, kata-canoeing and paddleboarding. Lots of new skills learnt and plenty of smiles and laughter! See our letters to WWC to tell them about our experience. Year 5 Long Lane Primary Letters to WWC.pdf
Year 5 have been learning about ancient Greek odes as part of our English and history study. We decided to write, perform and video edit our own odes for our great friend, Aaron Phipps, who will be competing in the wheelchair rugby at the Paris Paralympics this summer. We hope to inspire him to another gold medal at the games. Click on the link to see our odes: Odes to Aaron Phipps 2024 Website
13 children from Year 6 took part in a rounders competition against three other schools. The team won their first two games and lost their final game. It was a fantastic afternoon full of great individual skills, superb teamwork and plenty of smiles/laughter!
Two teams of children from Year 4/5/6 competed against Francis Baily in basketball on Thursday after school. Competitive games saw both Long Lane teams come first and second overall.
A fantastic sports day for the school was held in rather hot conditions. The morning saw the infants take part in various races with all children giving their all and having fun. The afternoon saw the juniors taking part in more competitive events with Phoenix coming out as eventual champions.
Year 6 had a fantastic few days at PGL in Liddington. They took part in so many different activities which required individual bravery as well as the ability to work together successfully in a team. The sun was shining and everyone had an amazing time. A huge thanks to Mrs Hazell, Miss Gardiner, Mrs Mileham and Mrs Baber for supporting the children.
Two teams of children from Year 4 and 5 went up to Downsway for an afternoon of netball. This consisted of some skills and drills with our netball coach Mrs Walls and some friendly, but competitive, matches against Downsway. We are looking forward to all these children attending netball club next year as well as taking part in more competitions.
The children were taken back to the 17th century where they experienced life for the Londoners during 1666. The children visited different stations with each adult where they made things based on jobs of people in 1666 (weaver, tailor, candle maker, leather maker). The children became archaeologists and had to dig up clues and piece them all together to work out what job and what kind of house each family would have lived in. All of the children had a fantastic day and were smiling from ear to ear.
Year 5 and 6 had a visit from the History Squad. The morning saw an ancient Egyptian teach Year 6 about the pyramids and mummification and the afternoon saw an ancient Greek discuss the city-states and the many conflicts that took place. An enjoyable and educational day.
Two teams of girls from Y3/4 and Y5/6 took part in the annual Tilehurst Panthers football tournament. The Y3/4 team played 6 - winning 3, drawing 1 and losing 2. The Y5/6 team played 8 - winning 3, drawing 1 and losing 4. They all performed fantastically - showing superb individual skills and great teamwork. A big thanks to all the parents that braved the lovely June conditions to support the teams.
All children from Year 3 and 4 took part in a house rounders competition. For many, it involved lots of new skills and learning the rules as they played. Lots of tight games eventually saw Phoenix and Dragon finish as joint winners.
A team of children from across KS2 took part in a cricket competition against other primary schools @ Douai Abbey. They won their group stage matches against Pangbourne and Francis Baily which meant they then went in to the finals against two other schools. They beat Hermitage in a tight game and lost to St Nics in a tough game. This means they came 2nd out of 9 teams and have qualified for the county finals in July. A fantastic performance by the whole team.
Year 3 had a wonderful time on their trip to Baylab. The children enjoyed their workshop on 'dyes and pigments' and learnt about how we see colour. They even mixed their own paints and took samples home!
All children from Year 1 & 2 took part in a striking and fielding event on the field. They rotated around 4 different stations which involved skills related to rounders and cricket. This was led by the Sports Ambassadors and thre rest of Year 6 who supported a very enojyable afternoon.
We were lucky enough to have some musical workshops from Rock Steady in preparation for weekly sessions coming soon. They will be offering children the opportunity to be part of a band and have weekly band practise.
Year 5 had a fantastic day at Pangbourne College designing and making watch keyrings. They used a variety of tools such as hacksaws, files, drills to create their products. It was a great opportunity to experience what DT will look like when they go to Secondary School.
Y2 had a fantastic time on their trip this week. Their behaviour was outstanding on the journey and during our time at Baylab. The children enjoyed learning about bees and other types of pollinators and how we can protect them. The children conducted some experiments where they made seed balls and candles.
A lovely afternoon for a Year 5/6 house rounders competition - especially after a week of SATs tests. Lots of closely fought games but Unicorn came out on top!
A team of children from Year 3 & 4 took part in a football competition at Downsway. They played fantastically well together and subsequently won 6-0, 6-0, 3-0 and 1-0!
Well done to all of Year 6 for managing to get through SATs week - we are very proud of you!
A great day on Saturday with over 15 families coming and supporting on our gardening day. It was absolutely fantastic and everyone worked their socks off to get lots of things done. Lots of gardening, cleaning of the outdoor classroom and painting the outside, clearing all the sheds and rearranging the equipment. It was a lovely day for it. Thanks to the PTA and all families and staff that attended!
Year 4 children took part in a Tri-Golf competition against 9 other teams at Theale Green school in glorious sunshine. Team Golden Golfers (as they named themselves) had a lot of fun; scoring a whopping 130 points by using golfing skills such as chipping. driving, putting etc.
A team of children from Year 3 and 4 took part in a tag rugby competition at Long Lane against three other schools. Fantastic skills and teamwork saw them beat Downsway 8-5, Westwood Farm 14-3 and Birch Copse 7-5. Huge thanks to the Year 6 children who refereed superbly too!
As part of the English, History and Computing curriculum, Year 5 have planned, filmed and edited video biographies about the life and achievements of codecracking genius and World War Two hero, Alan Turing. Click on the link to watch some of these videos and learn more about this amazing man. 2023-2024 Year 5 Alan Turing Video Biographies
Year 3 launched their new Roman Britain topic with a visit to Ufton Court on Thursday 25th April. They spent the day with Roman citizen 'Samius' and tested out three Roman occupations: auger, soldier and craftsman. Which occupation do you think was their favourite?
A team of children participated in a football competition at Pangbourne College. There were plenty of close games with the team just losing out by the odd goal in the first three games before losing on penalties in their 4th game. They then finished off strongly with a 10-1 win.
A team of netballers took part in the local area finals day in Newbury. There were some extremely tough games against schools with more experience but they never gave up and ended up finishing the tournament with a win and a draw. This saw us finish 7th out of 10 teams.
Year 5 completed their @LshipSkillsFdn Playmaker Award by delivering an activity session to groups of children from Year 2. They took on board all the learning related to P.A.C.E and created their own exciting games. Brilliant to see confident leaders!
Six children from Year 4 and 5 took part in a cross country competition at Pangbourne College. It was a great event with many schools. Long Lane gained 1st place (well done Jax) and a number of other top finishing positions. Fantastic performances all!
We hosted our first Reading Breakfast this week before school. This drop-in event provided the opportunity for families to come in and enjoy reading in a different way. Thank you to the PTA for buying pastries for those who came.
Year 4 visited Hampton Court to further deepen their knowledge and understanding of the Tudor period. They experienced many of the different rooms as well as the extensive gardens of the palace.
A team of children from Year 5 and 6 played matches against two other schools. For all, it was their first competitive netball action and they performed fantastically - they won one and lost one and have got through to finals day in April.
A group of children from Year 2 took part in a tag rugby event with three other schools. They started by learning some tagging and ball skills through fun games before having a tag rugby match against another school.
Year 5 had a fantastic trip to Milestones Museum to further develop their knowledge of all things WW2 related. They met an ARP warden as well as a nurse before having time to explore and visit the sweet shop with their ration books.
20 children from KS2 took part in a wellbeing event led by James Mandry from the West Berkshire School Sports Network. They learnt about determination, setting goals and working together as a team.
As well as the usual Science lessons, classes took part in the Big Plastic Count as part of Science Week.
Children wore something red to help raise money for Red Nose Day. It was fantastic to see so much red to help brighten up a dull day.
30 children from KS2 took part in the annual cross country event at Newbury Showground. With over 1,500 children taking part, our lot represented the school amazingly showing perseverance and pacing themselves to ensure they made it round to the best of their ability.
Children joined in lots of activities related to Children's Mental Health Week and Internet Safety Day across the week. This included a dress down day, discussing the pros and cons of social media as well as creating videos related to 'My Voice Matters'.
Rainbow class enjoyed an afternoon of orienteering activities - they had to create face maps as well as match numbers to characters on flags spread around the playground. Lots of great teamwork and plenty of smiles!
Long Lane Spring Reading Bingo Grid.pdf
We would like to introduce the Reading Bingo challenge linked above. We would like all children to enjoy this spring reading challenge at their own level and pace. Children have until the end of the Easter holidays to complete as many of the challenges as they can. Of course, these can be adapted to suit their age and level of reading to ensure that all children can join in. For example, adults can share books with children to enable them to access books they may not yet be able to read independently.
Felicity from Year 5 brought in this coin which has an absolutely amazing story. It saved her great grandad's friend's life when it stopped a bullet during World War Two.
Six Y2 children took part in a cup stacking event at Theale Green. The children have never took part in a competition like this before but they supported each other and worked well as a team. They came 2nd place out of 6 schools with 211 points!
Year 5 have started their @LshipSkillsFdn Playmaker Award this term. They have been working on developing such skills as effective communication when leading others.
Six children from Year 5 attended a Speed Stacking event at Theale Green School. They had a really good time and demonstrated such good teamwork and support for each other. For some of these children it was their first time representing the school in an event like this.
All children from Year 1 and 2 had a great time working collaboratively to use cones to make different face maps as well as finding flags marked on a map of the school field.
Two students came from Denefield to deliver a mental health workshop to children in Year 5. Children created their own 'Worry Jars' where they wrote positive affirmations to put inside.
All children from Year 3 and 4 took part in orienteering activities around the school grounds. They had to use maps to locate coloured flags and work out the answers to maths questions written on white flags. It was a fun afternoon with all children mixed up with children they wouldn't usually work with - many of our Secrets of Success demonstrated throughout.
Year 5 went back 84 years to World War Two to experience what school life was like for an evacuee. They took part in a variety of lessons as well as drill, rations cookery, air raid sirens and even trying spam and corned beef.
Year 5 and 6 took part in some orienteering around the school grounds. They had to work in teams using maps to locate flags as well as practising their maths calculation skills to answer questions and work out a final total. Some great teamwork and perseverance!
On Monday 15th January, we had a visit from poet James Carter. He supported children with writing different types of poems from kennings to cinquains. A finale performance was then held in the hall at the end of the day. A huge thanks to the PTA for funding this fantastic experience. http://www.jamescarterpoet.co.uk/
A team of children from Year 6 + Henry from Year 5 took part in the annual Denefield Shield. Fantastic performances saw them win three matches and lose just one - this resulted in them coming 2nd out of 5 schools. Brilliant teamwork and skills on show.
A team of girls from Year 6 took part in an event at Theale Green School which challenged their aim through various archery and nerf gun related activities. Great teamwork and accurate shooting saw them end up in 2nd place out of 12 teams - a superb performance!
All children took part in a sponsored PTA Elf-lympics led by the Sports Ambassadors and House Captains. 12 festive activities around the track saw everyone have lots of fun!
A group of children from Year 4, 5 and 6 joined the Lunchtime Supervisors for a morning's training session delivered by Hampshire Outdoors. Lots of new games, ideas and activities have been learnt so that both adults and children can help support active and enjoyable lunchtimes.
A huge thanks to the PTA for all the fantastic Christmas events they have put on for the children over the last week. Multiple discos, an Elfridges shop and Elf-lympics to name a few. It is much appreciated.
Year 5 had their annual visit from the Royal Berkshire Fire Service - they learnt about fire safety as well as the role of the fire brigade and different emergencies they have to respond to. Lots of fantastic questions and responses from the class.
Year 5 have been immersed in a realism art project this term. They have studied the artist Dennis Wojtkiewicz, learnt skills and techniques related to realism and then created their own piece in a similar style.
A group of children from across all year groups took part in an archery event in the hall. It took a while to get their aim right but then lots of team games saw many a bullseye and lots of points being scored. It was a fun afternoon learning new skills.
Please see the newsletter for all the information regarding the PTA's festive events. Festive Events 2023.pdf
A team of children from Year 6 took part in an Alternate Olympics event at Theale Green School. They performed fantastically and were particularly successful at the seated volleyball and archery activities. Their final points score saw them finish joint first in their group - this meant gold medals!
It was great to see so many parents and family members come in to classes at the end of the day to sit and read with the children. This included reading one to one, in small groups and joining in with whole class reading sessions. Children in Rainbow class also enjoyed having family members in to stay and play.
After Aaron Phipps' visit, many classes wrote letters and notes to say thanks and he sent a video reply back to Year 5 who sent him over their letters. Read Year 5's letters: Letters to Aaron Phipps.pdf and watch the video reply: Aaron Reply to Year 5 Letters.mp4
Friend of the school @AaronPhippsGBWR made a welcome return to Long Lane to share his story. All the children were so engaged - listening carefully and asking some fantastic questions. He is truly inspirational and we love having him here. #weallhavechoices
A team of boys from Year 5 and 6 took part in the ESFA Football Finals. They drew their first game and lost the last two in really tight contests. They can all be proud of their efforts!
Two teams of children from Year 5/6 took part in a tag rugby competition against two other schools. Fantastic skills and teamwork from all teams on show - a 6-6 draw between our two teams left everyone feeling satisified!
It can be hard to know what apps and games it's safe to allow your child to access online. These handy guides from National Online Safety contain some suggested age-relevant safer apps and games for children. Visit https://nationalcollege.com/parents and follow @natonlinesafety on Twitter for more information and advice about keeping safe online.
A huge thanks to everyone who donated items for our Harvest Festival Assembly. New Beginnings Reading will be able to support so many local people as a result of the generosity of our school community. Mrs Maggs had an extremely full car!
https://www.newbeginningsreading.org/
An amazing afternoon of Year 5/6 football against four other West Berkshire schools. After losing the first game 1-0, the boys won the next three without conceding a single goal. This resulted in us topping the table on goal difference - it also means we will attend the Newbury and District finals.
On Thursday 12th October, there will be a harvest festival assembly where children are encouraged to bring in donations to help support the charity New Beginnings Reading.
A team of girls from Year 5 and 6 took on Thorngrove Prep in a cup match. For a team that haven't played much competitive football, they showed great passion, teamwork and determination. Unfortunately, they lost 3-0 but they should be really proud.
All children from Year 5 and 6 took part in a tag rugby house competition. Lots of fast-paced action and some great teamwork on show. Unicorn came out on top overall.
Year 4 had their annual visit from Rabbi Svi. Children learnt about the customs and traditions of the Jewish community.
A team of children from Year 2 enjoyed taking part in a multiskills festival at Theale Green. They were a great team who supported each other throughout.
Year 5 and 6 children have been taking part in Level 1 and 2 of Bikeability over the last couple of weeks. They have learnt key cycle safety skills to take with them into their next stages of their lives.
Say hello to this year's Sports Ambassadors who will be helping get children active at break and lunch as well as leading and officiating at sports events.
A team of Year 5 and 6 boys played Hermitage in the first round of the Bill Mc Cup. A great team performance saw them win 4-0 with two goals each from Henry and Luke.
We are all really excited to begin our Italian lessons at Long Lane. The children have thoroughly enjoyed their first lesson of Italian and have been really enthusiastic to learn about the Italian flag and follow some instructional language.
We are very fortunate to be able to offer two Italian clubs;
Letters will come out for these clubs shortly.
Please put the date in your diaries now – FRIDAY 29th September 7.30pm at school.
On Tuesday 18th July Rainbow Class took their teddy bears for a picnic at Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre. They had a really lovely day and so did their teddies!!
On 14th July children across the school took part in a sponsored Colour Run organised by the PTA . Even though it was raining the children had a great time running laps around the field, whilst adults sprayed them with colourful powder paint.
A great fun event for the end of term.
A huge thanks to Mrs Walls for running the Year 5/6 netball club this year. She has also agreed to do it next year even though she won't have any children left at Long Lane.
A team of children from Year 5 took part in a dodgeball competition at Theale Green school. The children came joint third but more importantly demonstrates fair play and honesty when participating.
On 12th July Year 6 had a great day out at the park in Pangbourne. They enjoyed playing in the playground, rounders and eating pizza and ice creams!!
On Tuesday 11th July a team of children from Year 2 took part in a Multiskills event at Theale Green. They played a variety of different games and scored a whopping 434 points - this saw them win gold medals!
On 6th JulyYear 1 enjoyed an amazing day at Bucklebury Farm Park learning about all the farm animals. The children saw goats, pigs, sheep and lots more animlas. They were able to touch rabbits and they enjoyed a tractor ride in the deer park where they feed the deer.
On Thursday 6th July two teams of children took on Francis Baily in some basketball matches. Long Lane 1 and 2 drew with each other and then both teams won both their games against the opposition. Some fantastic individual and team performances on show!
On Friday 30th June a team of Year 6 children took part in a rounders competition. They beat Birch Copse 13-9 and drew (15-15) with Downsway. It was a great afternoon of friendly competition.
Year 6 had a fantastic 3 day residential trip to PGL Liddington. They enjoyed lots of activities including: raft building, climbing, zip wire and so much more. What an amazing end to Year 6!!
On Friday 16th June some children from Year 3/4/5/6 took part in an archery event. They played team and individual games - some of which were very frustrating and required a lot of perseverance!
We are delighted to announce that we, Long Lane Primary School, have achieved the School Games Gold Mark Award for the 2022/23 academic year.
The School Games Mark is a Government-led award scheme launched in 2012, facilitated by the Youth Sport Trust to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community, and we are delighted to have been recognised for our success.
Please click here to read the press release
With many young people competing in local inter-school competitions this year, we are extremely proud of our pupils for their dedication to all aspects of school sport, including those young volunteers, leaders and officials who made our competitions possible. As part of our application, we were asked to fulfill criteria in the areas of participation, competition, workforce and clubs, and we are pleased that the hard work of everyone at our school has been rewarded this year.
A special thanks to all those involved in supporting Long Lane Primary to be able to achieve what we have this year!
We look forward to applying once again in 2024!
On Monday 12th June Year 5 and 6 had a visitor from Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. They learnt plenty about what life was like in these periods as well as getting to handle some equipment. This visit complemented what we have been learning about in our classes.
Auction of Promise
Please follow this link to log in and BID on some AMAZING experiences - please share with family & friends!
https://auctionofpromises.com/EnchantedExtravaganza2023
The online part of the auction will close Friday 23rd JUne @ 10pm and bidding will continue at Long Lane Extravaganza concluding @ 3.45pm!
On Friday 9th June Year 1 and 2 took part in a striking and fielding event on the field. Four different fun activities led by the Sports Ambassadors. The most popular activity was trying to knock balls off targets using beanbags!
On Wednesday 6th June a team of children from Year 4/5/6 took part in a cricket competition at Douai Abbey. They beat Francis Baily, Brimpton and Winchcombe in the group stage. They then lost to a really strong Falklands team before beating Woolhampton - this meant they came third overall!
On Thursday 25th May Year 5 took part in a Design and Technology workshop at Pangbourne College where they created their own watches. It was a fantastic day and the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
On Friday 19th May Year 3 and 4 took part in a house rounders competition in what may be called rather wet conditions. It was so wet that the score sheets disintegrated! Spirits weren’t dampened though and lots of fun was had by all.
The children in Art Club try out lino printing.
Year 4 children enjoyed a cookery session where they made Ginger Millet Porridge as the Shang Dynasty would have done during the Bronze Age.
Bags 2 School will be collecting from the school office on Wednesday 14th June .
Donations to school office from Monday 12th, but please ensure your bags are in the before 9am on Wednesday.
Thanks, Your PTA
On Wednesday 10th May a team of children from Year 3 and 4 took part in a Tri-Golf event at Theale Green. They played a range of golf related activities and they came third overall. A really good positive experience for them all.
The children in Art Club made some wonderful pots that they planted up with baby spider plants.
King's coronation picnic letter.pdf
On Friday 5th May, to celebrate the Coronation, pupils enjoyed a special lunch.
Huge THANK YOU to Mrs Murtagh-Darling and Miss Rossiter for putting on such a great spread!
On Friday 28th April a team of girls from Year 5 and 6 played football against John Rankin - it was a really tough game which they lost. Whilst that was the case, they never gave up, played as a team and had a good laugh at the same time!
Our good friend @AaronPhippsGBWR has sent us message about what he has been up to in preparation for the upcoming Wheelchair Rugby European Championships. He also wished the Year 6s good luck with their SATs. More information about European Championships which take place in Cardiff between 3rd-7th May can be found here: https://gbwr.org.uk/2023-wheelchair-rugby-european-championship/
On Friday 21st April a team of Year 5/6 boys played against Downsway in the cup. It was a tight game throughout and with the score at 3-3 with not long left, our opposition came on strong and won 7-3. The boys kept their heads up and responded well by beating Meadow Park 7-3 in a friendly afterwards.
A team of Year 5/6 children took part in the Newbury Schools Netball League Finals. Just qualifying for this was a massive achievement! After beating Downsway and Cold Ash and drawing with Francis Baily, we got through to the final against Hermitage. Sadly, we lost to a very strong team in the final but our lot did us proud. Being the second best team in the local area is a fantastic effort!
On Monday 27th March Year 5 had the final session of their Sports Leaders Playmaker Award. They delivered their activity sessions to children in Year 2. Lots of important leadership skills learnt that can now be demonstrated in and out of school.
On Tuesday 21st March a team of children from Years 3/4/5/6 took part in a cross country event at Newbury Showground. Brilliant performances by all - they demonstrated many of our secrets of success and represented the school magnificently.
A BIG thank you to everyone who supported Red Nose Day this year. We raised £165.25 - THANK YOU.
We will be celebrating Red Nose Day on Friday 17th March by inviting children to wear something red with a red nose if they wish to. Donations for the charity will be gratefully received.
Year 5 are in the middle of their Sports Leaders Playmaker Award. On Monday 13th March, they learnt about the importance of communicating in different ways when leading activities.
As part of studying the Stone Age Year 3 have recreated cave paintings in art and followed instructions to make their own woolly mammoths.
On Wednesday 8th March Year 6 took the train from Tilehurst into Reading in the snow to visit Reading Museum as part of their Victorian Topic. In the morning they travelled back in time to 1893 to become pupils in a Victorian classroom. They practiced reading, spelling, arithmetic and handwriting. In the afternoon they learnt about the Huntley & Palmer Biscuit factory and the impact it had on Reading. A great day had by all!
On Tuesday 7th March a team of Year 6 and Mia from year 5 played two netball matches. They beat Downsway 6-3 and also beat Birch Copse 7-1. Absolutely brilliant performances from everyone. A huge thanks must also go to Mrs Walls for making so much progress with the team this year!
On Monday 6th March Year 5 went up to Denefield School for a languages morning. One group tried German whilst the other group learnt about the Hungry Caterpillar in French. Amazing attitudes and engagement by all!!
On Friday 3rd March two teams of Year 3/4 children took part in a tag rugby competition against other schools. Both teams won their first two games and then had to play each other. Long Lane Reds beat Long Lane Blues 8-4. Fantastic attitudes and performanes by all.
On Friday 3rd March pupils and staff dressed up as their favourite book character to celebrate World Book Day - everyone looked amazing!
On Tuesday 28th February Year 4 went back in time to be Tudors for the day. They enjoyed dressing up and reenacting The Battle of Bosworth where Henry Tudor defeated Richard of York and became Henry V11. For lunch they had a fantastic Tudor banquet.
Year 5 have just finished our counter balance and counter tension unit of gymnastics - we have been working hard to create excellent sequences on apparatus combining balances and travels.
Did you know that whenever you buy anything online – from your weekly shop to your annual holiday – you could be raising free donations for Long Lane School PTA with easyfundraising?
There are over 7,000 brands on board ready to make a donation – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds.
All you need to do is:
1. Click here and join for free.
2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping.
3. After you’ve checked out, the brand will make a donation to Long Lane School PTA at no extra cost to you whatsoever!
There are no catches or hidden charges and Long Lane School PTA will be really grateful for your donations.
Thank you for your support.
On Friday 24th February some children from Years 2-6 took part in some alternative Olympics activities. They played boccia, kurling and goalball. Lots of fun and laughter whilst learning new skills through new sports.
Our Dress to Express day in Children's Mental health week raised a fantastic £234.62 to help more young people get the support they need.
Thank you to everyone for your support.
Rainbow class took part in orienteering activities on Friday 10th February. They had to make faces out of cones using maps and then had to find lots of clues that been dotted around the playground/field. Lots of fun was had by all!
Online safety advice
Early use of digital technology has been shown to improve language skills and promote children’s social development and creativity. However, it’s not without risks for young children. Unfortunately, they may come across inappropriate content, share personal information or begin to copy what older children do online, which might put them at risk. The following link and document will help you to understand what you can do to give young children aged 6-10 the best experience of going online.
For further advice please refer to our E-Safety page
A huge thank you to everyone who came to help on Saturday on our second Gardening Day. Parent helpers did a brilliant job filling planters and planting trees aroung the site - it looks amazing!
Thank you once again.
On Friday 3rd February all children from Year 1 and 2 took part in some orienteering activities. They worked together to create faces using maps as well as finding coloured flags around the field using a map of the school.
Year 1 enjoyed a walk to Pikeshaw Woods. They worked together to identify plants, trees and animals in the woods.
On Friday 27th January a team of Year 6 children took part in a football tournament at Denefield. We were unbeaten after four games - we drew them all!
On Thursday 26th January all children from Year 3 and 4 were orienteering on the field. Great teamwok and perseverance shown when trying to calculate the total of all the mahs questions on the flags.
