Attendance

Top tip for the week

WhatsApp Guide for parents

Some pupils are having conversations regarding WhatsApp group chats.  We encourage parents to stay informed about how WhatsApp is used by children and the potential risks involved. Please click the link below to read a helpful article outlining what parents need to know about WhatsApp and how to support safe and responsible use. Click here

This week our big question in Wrens was "Would a penguin make a good pet?"  What do you think?

We decided to research penguins using some non fiction texts.  We found out lots of amazing facts and then produced our own non fiction book.  Did you know when penguins slide on their tummies it is called tobogganing?

The children have been working really hard in phonics and have covered all the vowel digraphs and trigraphs which we will be looking at this year.  We are now moving onto segmenting longer words with double letters and plurals.  We have also covered all our phase 3 tricky words.  Please continue to practise these at home with your child as it only by constant repetition that they become confident reading and writing them.

In DT this week we have learning to join different materials using tabs.  We then used these skills to create some igloos on a model of a  polar landscape.  In science we explored floating and sinking and we will be using this knowledge in our next DT project.  I wonder if you can guess what it is?

This week in English, the children have been exploring characters and gathering ideas for their writing through role play. The children were detectives to hunt down some missing items in the classroom. They then had to give instructions to their partner to be able to find the item. We focused on imperative verbs and used these in sentences.

In maths, we have been finishing off our shape unit. Children have been counting vertices on 3D shapes. They have also been finding different ways to sort 2D and 3D shapes, sorting a variety of shapes and asking their partner to figure out their sorting rule. We have also been making patterns with 2D and 3D shapes.

In geography, we looked at lots of pictures of Kenya and discussed its location along the equator and how this affected the weather. Children compared both rural and urban areas in Kenya with the UK. Some children also explained which place they would rather live in.

In DT, the children began the process of making their rabbit puppets. They cut the fabric using a template before connecting two pieces together and starting to add details such as whiskers and eyes.

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, the children have carefully planned their polar bear reports, revisiting and applying all the writer’s knowledge we have covered recently, such as organising information, using subject-specific vocabulary and thinking about their audience.

In maths, we began our work on short division, focusing on dividing 3-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers. The children used place value grids and counters to practically explore how hundreds, tens and ones can be shared, helping to build a strong conceptual understanding.

In art, the children followed their own designs to construct ice cream cones, developing their making skills by shaping cardboard and layering papier mâché with care and patience. We will focus on the melting ice cream part of their sculptures next week.

During PE, the focus was on handstands, where the children worked hard to build upper body strength, practise balance and learn the correct techniques for safe and controlled movement.

In geography, the children learned about the indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest, exploring how they live sustainably and use the rainforest’s natural resources to meet their needs.

In English, the children have immersed themselves in “The Origin of the Species,” by Sabina Radeva. They’ve analysed the discoveries and crafted their own description poems and setting descriptions from what they’ve read.

In maths, we’ve continued with fractions: multiplying, dividing and finding fractions of amounts, even in measurements like milliliters or centimeters!

In DT, they finished the structural build of their playgrounds and, next week, we’ll add the landscaping and decorations!

In geography, we explored the wonders of desert landscapes: mesas, arches, sand dunes, salt flats, mushroom rocks and how they formed.

A special highlight: On Tuesday, we had a fantastic day out at Young Voices in Birmingham’s Resorts World. The children had so much fun and represented the school brilliantly!

This week in computing, we have found out how a storyboard is used to plan a stop motion animation. In groups, we have created our own storyboards and designed our characters, ready to create each frame to make a short animation.

In French, we have looked at different items that could be packed to take away on holiday in either summer or winter. We have created sentences explaining which items are in our suitcase.

In science, we have continued to look at the effect of air resistance  on objects and have carried out an investigation to see if a larger parachute will fall more slowly than a smaller one.

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