Shortest Day

Today marks the solstice — the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere .

• Customs and traditions of the Winter Solstice
• Why do we have seasons?
• What are Solstices?

Newsletter 14

Newsletter 14, published on 18 December 2009, is now available to view.

Features include the Year 5/6 Pantomime and the Christingle Service as well as Panto Props, Demelza House and the Year 6 RM Maths Club.

Also there is a message from Tonbridge Methodist Church about their Christingle Service.

Woodlands Junior School is closed

Regretfully, both the Infant School and the Junior School have had to make a decision to close today owing to the adverse weather conditions. We both wish you a very Happy Christmas.

More information and details of school closures in the area can be found here on the BBC Kent Pages.

Advent Calendar

As Friday 18 December is the last day of term for many schools in England, we have opened all the windows on our online advent calendar. We hope you have enjoyed learning new and exciting facts about how Christmas is celebrate around the world.

Which country featured in our calendar was your favourite?
Can you remember all the countries we visited?
How many facts can you remember? Click here to find out (quiz)

We would like to thank our many visitors from around the world for sharing with us what Christmas is like in their country. If you would like to contribute to next years advent calendar, please send information and photos to woodlandsweb@hotmail.com.

A Merry Christmas to you all!
PS It is snowing! Maybe we will have a white Christmas this year.

Christmas Pantomime

We are all really looking forward to watching the year 5/6 pantomime tonight. The children need to be back at school by 6.30 pm please, ready for a 7.00 pm start. The pantomime lasts for at least an hour and a half and so the children will not be ready for collection until about 8.45 pm. Please note: we have altered the start time of the Wednesday performance to 1.30 pm in order to fit in the longer running time!

A Child Is Born

This week Woodlands Junior School saw the performance of the lower school production, "A Child is Born".
After several weeks of learning lines, songs and actions the children entertained staff, students, family and friends who were all delighted with this adaptation of the Nativity story.

The children showed off their talents in a variety of ways with some wonderful acting and singing.

Year 5 French Work

As part of their French learning, Year 5 created French speaking avatars. Click on the header above to see a selection.

Newsletter 13

Newletter 13, published on 11th December 2009, is now available to view.

Features this week include the Christmas Fair (and photos), the O2 Arena Concert. a reminder to complete the ParentMail form and a Lost Property update.

Carol Concert

We are looking forward to the school carol concert tonight - which begins at 7.00 pm. If your child is performing they need to arrive at school ten minutes earlier.

Year 4 sculptures

Year 4 have been busy making sculptures as part of their DT topic this term.
After visiting Pashley Manor to look at the sculpture gardens, they practised making sculptures using plasticine. They then used chicken wire to make their sculpture and then got very messy with paper mache!
Here are some of their results... they look fab!

Newsletter 12

Newletter 12, published on 4th December 2009, is now available to view.

Features this week include the Christmas Fair (and photos), the O2 Arena Concert. a reminder to complete the ParentMail form and a Lost Property update.

Woodlands take on the O2

61 children from Woodlands Junior School joined 8,000 children from schools throughout London and the South East at the O2 Arena on Wednesday 7th December for the Young Voices Youth Concert.
The children have rehearsed 14 songs since September in preparation for the big day. They were joined on stage by Britain's newest pop talent VV Brown and the popular classical group All Angels.
After a full afternoon of rehearsing at the O2, the children performed to a sell-out arena to thunderous applause.

A wonderful experience (possibly to be an annual event?) and the children represented their school with great enthusiasm and pride.

Christmas pages

Start your yuletide preparations by reading our beautiful story The True Meaning of Christmas. Or why not kick-start your Christmas spirit by reconnecting with the traditions of Christmas and Christmas Eve. Learn all about the Christmas tree, Christmas decorations, Father Christmas, Christmas cards, the Advent calendar, Christmas Crackers and why we wear a paper crown, Boxing Day and much more by visiting our many Christmas pages.

www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/