IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL PARENTS

We have been made aware that several titles in the Spy Dogs, Spy Pup, and Spy Cat series by Andrew Cope contain a weblink at the back of the book that no longer directs people to information about the books. Instead, the link has been compromised and now leads to inappropriate and unsafe material, containing pornographic content with no age restrictions.

We have removed copies of the book from our school library and classroom book corners.

Below are images of some of the front covers in the series to help you identify the books should you have any at home. We advise you remove them immediately. Should any be the property of the school, please return them and we will dispose of them accordingly.

https://www.pta-events.co.uk/abberleyfriends/index.cfm?event=event&eventId=103094 for disco tickets.

On Monday we made the most of the sunny weather and had a lovely walk to Abberley shop.  On the way we spotted the different features of a village before buying the ingredients at the shop to make our bread.  On Tuesday we set to work making our bread.  All the mixing and kneading was hard work but the delicious smell of bread wafting through the school as it baked made it all worthwhile!

The children also drew some fantastic maps of the route we took on our walk.  We were really impressed with their understanding of how to create a map and attention to detail.  Well done Wrens!

The children are also progressing well in phonics.  We have one more week of learning left in this phase before we carry out assessments. If you have the opportunity please try and spend some time with your child looking at the sounds and tricky words in their phonics homework book.

In maths we have begun exploring the composition of 1, 2 and 3 and the different ways we can represent these numbers.

Our Concept Cat word this week is "short".  Please don't forget if you have any pictures or photos to share which link to this concept we would love to see them.

In English this week, we’ve been exploring some exciting new vocabulary linked with our book Old Bear by Jane Hissey. The children have been using these new words to write their own sentences about the story and to describe the setting of the attic. Using a mixture of adjectives and nouns, they created wonderful poems called “In the Attic”, describing what they could see from the story’s images. To finish the week, we discussed what makes an author's writing good and how using good vocabulary can make their stories come alive.

In maths this week, we have been focusing on using our knowledge of greater than, less than and equal to. The children have practised comparing and ordering numbers. They have also been using part–whole models to identify parts and wholes of numbers.

In geography, the children have been looking closely at maps. They compared OS maps to an aerial view of Abberley exploring the differences between them. They then identified human and physical features of Abberley on the maps. To finish, they began drawing their own sketch map key of some of the features in Abberley. Next week they will be drawing the map itself.

Timetable

Monday: Wellies and appropriate clothing for outdoor learning

Tuesday & Thursday: PE kits - please can those with longer hair have their hair tied up ready

In English this week, the children have been using their detailed planning to create their final piece of writing about our book, 'The Whale'. They have been focussing on building the skills to write a setting description using all of the writer's knowledge they have gained over the past three weeks.

In maths, we have started our new topic of addition and subtraction. We have been adding and subtracting 1, 10, 100 and 1000 this week, using place value grids to support the children's understanding and helping them to 'see' what happens when a boundary is crossed, as this can sometimes be confusing and where children make mistakes.

In art, we studied the work of Anna Blatman. She creates colourful pictures using bold lines and the children thoroughly enjoyed looking at different pieces of her art. They then used her work and style as inspiration to create three pictures of their own. The children are going to use one of these to create a glue batik picture over the next few weeks.

It’s been another busy and productive week in Merlins.

In English, the children have been finalising their diary entries written from the perspective of Rose, set in World War II Berlin. They’ve worked incredibly hard to think carefully about their sentence structure and to apply the writer’s knowledge and skills they’ve been practising over the last few weeks. I’ve been so impressed with the quality of their writing and I’m looking forward to displaying some of the best pieces on our board ready for Open Day.

In maths, the children have been practising using inverse operations, building on their strong understanding of addition and subtraction. This week, we’ve moved on to exploring multiples, an area where knowing their times tables really makes a difference. I’d encourage all children to keep practising these at home as often as they can!

In RE, we have unpicked Psalm 8, analysing it both as a piece of text and as a biblical passage that explores Christians’ understanding of humanity’s place in the world and in God’s creation.

In PSHE, we explored Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The children showed a strong understanding of the idea that certain physiological needs must be met for effective learning to take place. We also applied this concept to real-world contexts, discussing how these needs might not always be met for children in other parts of the world, such as those working on cocoa plantations in Ghana.

Finally, in geography, we used Venn diagrams and our own internet research to investigate the leisure activities available in Abberley, comparing these with those in Innsbruck, Austria. The children made thoughtful comparisons and enjoyed finding out about how geography and culture influence the types of leisure activities people enjoy.

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