Poor old Mr Brian…when we had the Spelling Bee last Friday I made a stupid, stupid mistake with ‘questionnaire’ (which is definitely a word I usually spell correctly) but then I really started to concentrate as I went through the rest of the spellings. However, I got into trouble with the word ‘minuscule’ because I spelled it ‘miniscule‘. I was CERTAIN I was right – but I was wrong and so I got a pie in my face because 20/22 wasn’t good enough for first place (curses Miss Cartwright who got 21/22 and won the chocolates)

But I have been thinking a lot about the word ever since: I found out that if you take all the times that the word is used in print, more people misspell it ( miniscule) than get it right ( minuscule) how funny is that – but it is still the WRONG spelling. I think my problem was that although I may say ‘miniscule’ in conversation, I am not sure if I have ever written it: but I do know that I will never make that spelling mistake again.

What word (s) do you think you have trouble spelling – if you write them in the blog, they will probably stay in your mind and you will never make that mistake again :-).

Every year at this time, we talk about Poppy Day and the reason why this time of year is a special time for remembering all the people who have made sacrifices in the armed services of our country. Armistice Day (see word of the week) is always the 11th November and there is two minutes’ silence at 11.00am as it was at 11.00am on 11th November 1918 that the First World War came officially to an end. Remembrance Sunday is the nearest Sunday to Armistice Day when the Queen and the Prime Minister lay wreaths in Whitehall at the Cenotaph.

At school, we have different items from the British Legion that can be bought in support of the Poppy Appeal: we have poppies, snap bands, reflectors ( a poppy attached to a clip to put on your outdoor coat) friendship bracelets and wristbands. The suggested donation for a poppy is anything you like, but the wristbands and reflectors are 50p and the friendship bracelets and snap bands £1. (But don’t forget, we are not allowed to wear wristbands or bracelets in school…)

I would like children to ask parents and grandparents if there have been people in their family in the armed services. My dad was in the army although he was in the Royal Signals and didn’t see action. However, my Granddad was in WW1 (I am very old!) and he joined up when he was 15!!! He got sent home from the front line after being wounded and after they found out his real age.

Let us know if anyone in your family has served in the forces – and make sure you buy something to support the British Legion Poppy Appeal.