Key Stage 2 football club

Now the weather is hopefully beginning to improve we will be recommencing Key Stage 2 football club on Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtimes from next week.  This is open to all pupils in Key Stage 2, however they must bring a pair of old trainers or football boots and a change of clothes.  The field is still muddy and unfortunately we have had a visit from a very active mole over the winter break so we have some extra hazards to contend with on the pitch!

Y4 Residential - Folly Farm

Next week, there will be a letter being sent out regarding the Y4 residential in June. The cost of this residential will be £185 and parents will be able to pay in instalments or via invoice if required.

There will be a meeting for parents to share information about this residential on Tuesday 11^th February at 3:30 in Kestrels classroom to provide you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about this visit. Please come along and find out more about this exciting and unique opportunity for your children.

Question of the Half Term - Growing Faith Foundation

This is part of engaging children and young people in meaningful conversations and give them a platform to share their thoughts on important topics. Each half-term, responses to the thought-provoking question are collected to better understand the perspectives of young people.

This half-term, the question is:
"Do you feel your mental health is stronger now than it was this time last year?"

Responses can be submitted via this link: https://churchofengland.tfaforms.net/4904166

The form takes about 1 minute to complete and provides a great opportunity for your children to reflect and share their unique perspectives. Thank you so much for your support.

Tobi Omoloso, Growing Faith Coordination Specialist, The Growing Faith Foundation | The Church of England

We had a lovely surprise this week when Pengee returned from his travels to see us. He brought with him the book, Jonty Gentoo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, which we enjoyed studying in Drawing Club. In the book Jonty escapes from the zoo and goes off to find the wild gentoo penguins at the South Pole with a few adventures along the way. Inspired by this story we started to research polar environments using our globe, world map and Google Earth.  We discovered that the polar regions are very cold and are covered in snow, ice and rocks.  We didn't see any grass or trees in these areas on Google Earth because the weather is so cold that nothing grows.  We also started to look at some of the animals which are found in polar regions and how they have adapted to survive in the cold environment.  In art, we used the polar landscapes and northern lights as inspiration for some lovely artwork using pastels and watercolours.  Our writing challenge this week involved labelling items we would pack in our suitcase for a trip to the North pole.

In maths, we have been reinforcing our understanding of numbers to 5 including using the rhyme "5 little speckled frogs" to study the composition of 5.  We were given the challenge of calculating how many frogs were in the pool by looking at how many were sitting on the log, for example if there were 4 frogs sitting on the log 1 must be swimming in the pool.

The children have worked really hard in phonics this half term and have learnt all the vowel digraphs as well as the Phase 3 tricky words.  Next week is assessment week so there will not be any new homework in the orange phonics books. Instead, please take the time to revisit the sounds and tricky words we have already learnt this term with your child.  Thank you.

This week in English, the children have been working hard to compose a diary entry from the perspective of the little old lady in A Squash and a Squeeze. They have been focusing on including all the key features of a diary, such as time adverbials, as well as thoughts and feelings, to truly bring their writing to life.

In maths, we have been wrapping up our unit on shape. The children have been identifying and counting the faces, edges and vertices of various shapes. They have also enjoyed sorting both 2D and 3D shapes in different ways and taking on the challenge of guessing how their partner chose to sort them - whether by colour, number of faces or vertices. To end the week, we explored patterns using 2D and 3D shapes, reinforcing their understanding and knowledge of shapes.

In science this week, the children were set the task of finding the most suitable material for an umbrella. They worked in groups to test a range of materials, including fabric, plastic, rock and metal, to determine which were the most waterproof. This hands-on investigation encouraged great discussion and problem-solving skills.

In design and technology, the children have been reflecting on their previously built structures. They have been evaluating their chair designs and considering improvements, learning just how important the evaluation process is in creating strong and functional structures.

Timetable

Monday: Wellies and a coat suitable for the weather

Tuesday and Thursday: PE kits

In maths this week, Y3 have been focussing on measurement. We have been reminding ourselves about equivalent measurements,10mm = 1cm, 100cm = 1m. The children were then using their prior knowledge about multiplying by 10 and 100 to convert between measurements. They were also using place value grids to support their learning.

In Y4, the children started the week by revisiting their learning on perimeter before we moved on to finding the perimeter of rectilinear shapes. Once the children were secure with this, we discussed how to find missing lengths of sides, using all the information they could see. We established that if you are looking for a missing vertical side, you needed to focus on all the other vertical sides and what measurements they gave you and the same for missing horizontal sides.

In PE, we continued with dodgeball. The children have picked up the rules very quickly and the games have become more competitive! The children's aim and accuracy when throwing has improved and they are beginning to become far more tactical when playing.

In PSHE, as part our topic of 'Dreams and Goals', the children were given different scenarios to act out where something hadn't gone their way. After they had performed these, we discussed different ways in which they could deal with the disappointment, how they could react and how they could find a positive resolution to problem.

In music this week we performed the Samba groove altogether, focusing on how to start and stop at the same time. In our groups, we returned to our Carnival composition and added the Samba groove, in preparation for our final performance next week.

In computing we created an algorithm to make our own game. The game had to make a sprite disappear and play a sound once it was clicked. 

In English, the children focused on looking at sentences from The Iron Man that explained time and cause. The children explored how these sentences often contain adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions. An example of this would be: Just before dawn, the Iron man slowly scanned the view in front of him and wondered what he was seeing. The children then had a go at writing some time and cause sentences themselves.

This week in English, the children were introduced to the whimsical poem Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. They explored its unique rhyming patterns and creative language features, analysing how Carroll played with words to create a sense of fantasy. The children then took on the challenge of writing their own portmanteau words, using their imagination to blend two words into one. By the end of the week, they began planning their own imitation poem, creating original settings and creatures that will feature in their writing next week.

In maths, the children continued to explore fractions, with a focus this week on multiplying them. They practiced applying their understanding of fraction multiplication to various problems. Next week, they will be tackling the division of fractions and using their knowledge to solve word problems that involve fractions in real-life contexts.

In science, the children concluded their experiments from last week. They followed the scientific method to write detailed conclusions, ensuring they included their observations and the evidence they collected. They also learned how to apply the point-evidence-explanation formula to present their findings clearly and accurately.

In geography, we have been exploring the ways in which we can change our lifestyle and behaviours to help save our oceans. The children have learned about the various environmental issues affecting marine life and discussed practical actions we can all take to protect our oceans for future generations.

In DT, the children continued building their truss bridges out of wood. They used glue guns and saws to carefully assemble their designs, ensuring they were structurally sound. Next week, we will be testing the weight-bearing capacity of the bridges and reflecting on the building process to see where improvements can be made.

In music this week, we looked at how music is structured. In our groups, we have composed a contrasting section to include in our final performance next week.

https://www.pta-events.co.uk/abberleyfriends/index.cfm?event=event&eventId=94259

Please see below information within the community but independent of the school

For more information and to book, please see this link to our website: https://malvern-theatres.co.uk/event/mary-poppins-dance-and-draw/