This week we have started learning about some of the larger animals on the Earth as Mrs Lightfoot found a whale washed up on the beach!  The children were very knowledgeable about how to take care of it and it is currently living in a fish tank in our classroom.  We have been reading the book "The Storm Whale" about a little boy who finds a baby whale and becomes friends with him.   We have also been enjoying exploring some lovely sea themed art using water colours, transition art materials and coloured sand.

In DT this week we started to practise our sewing technique in preparation for making a bookmark. The weaving and threading skills we learnt earlier in the year have come in very handy when learning this new ability.

In RE we have started a new topic on special places. This week we shared a place which is special to us and talked about how we feel when we visit it.

On Monday we were delighted to welcome the children who will be joining our school in September for their first taster afternoon. The children were very helpful and made our visitors feel at home. We are looking forward to further visits over the next few weeks.

We are very excited about our trip to the Early Years Music Festival next week.  We can't wait to see the children's costumes!

In maths this week, the children have been recognising and identifying halves of shapes and everyday objects. They have also impressed us with their ability to use their knowledge of dividing by two to find halves of quantities. We then moved on to identifying quarters and comparing them with halves.

In English, the children worked on writing their own poems, carefully following a structure that used a verb, adjective and noun in each line. They also explored an example text in detail, thinking about the language and structure choices made by the author and discussing why these choices were effective.

In science, we had a fantastic time exploring the wildlife at Abberley. We took our learning outdoors and enjoyed activities such as pond dipping and mini beast hunting. It was wonderful to see the children so engaged and curious about the natural world around them.

In history, the children turned into detectives as they examined a photograph of Bessie Coleman’s pilot license. They looked closely for clues to help them learn more about who she was. Then we explored why she is historically significant. They discovered that despite her dreams, Bessie faced barriers because of the colour of her skin, which led to a discussions about equality and determination.

In art, the children created their own collages inspired by the natural world. Using bugs as a source of inspiration, they created a unique piece that displayed the shapes, textures and colours found in nature.

Just a note to remind you that on Monday morning we have the Multi-Skills Festival at The Chantry. Please send your child to school in their PE kit and with their water bottle. 

Timetable

Monday: Wellies and appropriate clothing for outdoor learning

Tuesday: Swimming, please bring in swimming kit and towel

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

In maths this week, both year groups have been looking at time. Y3 have been learning to tell the time to 5 minutes and to the minute. We then started looking at converting analogue time to digital time. Y4 have been converting hours to minutes, minutes to seconds and vice versa and then started working on using the 24 hour clock. Time is something that a lot of children find difficult, so any practice you can do at home would really support their learning.

In science, we revisited a topic from earlier in the year, 'Sound'. The children found a spot around the school grounds and sat listening carefully for 10 minutes, creating their own sound maps based on the direction the sound was coming from and whether it was quiet or loud.

In history, the children were looking into the pros and cons of Roman invasion and debating whether they thought it was a good or a bad thing. The children used different sources of information to formulate their arguments and support their opinions.

In French this week, we have been learning to name various objects found in our bedrooms, expanding their vocabulary and confidence in speaking. They've also been practising how to write sentences about these objects, focusing particularly on their position within the room using prepositional phrases.

In English, the children have completed their analysis of an example text featuring the invention of underwater goggles. They are now moving into the exciting planning phase of their own invention narratives, inspired by the Aqualung, an incredible underwater breathing apparatus invented by Jacques Cousteau.

In PSHE, the focus has been on understanding the changes that occur during puberty. The children have been learning about the physical and emotional changes experienced by both boys and girls, as well as gaining a foundational understanding of the reproductive systems of both males and females.

On Thursday, the school was buzzing with excitement as the children participated in a full day of rehearsals for this year’s production: Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits. They worked incredibly hard and should be very proud of the progress they made. We’re all looking forward to seeing their efforts come to life during the dress rehearsal, which is now just two weeks away!

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