PSHE Curriculum

This half-term, our PSHE focus is the unit “Changing Me.” As part of this learning, children will be taught about their bodies using correct scientific vocabulary. For older pupils, this includes elements of the science curriculum relating to puberty for both boys and girls.

Following a parent consultation held several years ago, it was agreed that Abberley would offer a dedicated sex education lesson to Year 6 pupils only. Parents/carers retain the right to withdraw their child from this lesson if they wish. This year, the lesson will take place on Wednesday 1st July. Should you wish to withdraw your child, please email the school office by Friday 26th June with this request.

Looking ahead, with the introduction of a new PSHE curriculum in September 2026, we will be holding further parent consultations next academic year to review and discuss Abberley’s PSHE provision.

Please click here to find more detailed information about what will be covered in the coming weeks.

National survey, The Big Future
Dame Rachel de Souza, Children's Commissioner for England

Take part here:
http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/thebigfuture.

It is crucial to hear from children in every school and college, in every community, across the country to ensure their experiences, views and aspirations form part of the national picture that will help shape future policy.

At a time of significant change for children and young people, it is more important than ever that their views are reflected in policy making. Through this survey, the voices of children can be taken directly to the centre of government.

On Monday this week Year 6 came to join us for maths.  We had lots of fun playing games inside and out to practise our subitising, counting and number recognition skills.  It was really lovely to see the confidence the children showed when talking and playing with numbers.

We have really enjoyed exploring the book "Aliens love underpants" in Drawing Club over the last couple of weeks.  The children have come up with some very imaginative adventures for the aliens including getting stuck in the laundry, playing hide and seek and a pants party!

We have also been competing some lovely space themed artwork with Mrs Postlethwaite.  The children did a great job of drawing some fantastic rockets.

On Friday we were very sad to say goodbye to our butterflies when we released them into the Wildlife Area. If you see them flying around the school grounds don't forget to say hello!

In RE we have started a new topic on special places.  This week we talked about places which are special to us and how we feel when we spend time in them.

The children have brought home a letter this week about the Early Years Music Festival which will take place in a couple of weeks at The Chantry.  We are currently busy learning our space themed songs and will be making alien headdresses and instruments over the next couple of weeks.

In English this week, we have carried on with our work on The King Who Banned the Dark. To begin the week, the children used some of the ideas that we collected as a class about why the dark should not be banned to compose sentences that they will be able to use in their persuasive letters. We then spent the rest of the week looking at the example letter in depth, exploring its features and structure. This really helps the children when it comes to writing their own letters, as they know what a good persuasive letter should include.

In maths, we finished our topic on money. The children worked on calculating the change needed from different transactions. Any extra practice of this at home will benefit the children greatly, as it is quite a challenging concept, especially now most people rarely use cash! We then moved on to our topic of fractions by first looking at parts and wholes, followed by equal and unequal parts. We ended the week by recognising and identifying a half of a shape or picture.

In science this week, the children learned about the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees. They were given a variety of leaves and had to sort them into deciduous and evergreen groups by examining their features, including their texture and shape. They then used their knowledge to complete a fact sheet about deciduous and evergreen trees.

In RE, we looked at the story of the Good Samaritan and discussed how people should act to help one another and care for others on our planet, regardless of their beliefs.

Timetable

Wednesday: Outdoor learning - please ensure your child brings appropriate clothing on this day

Wednesday: Swimming kits

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

In English this week, the children used their chosen illustration from our book, 'The Journey', as a stimulus for writing a detailed descriptive paragraph from the perspective of one of the children in the story. They carefully considered what the character might be thinking, feeling and experiencing as events unfolded for the family. As part of their writing, the children were challenged to apply the grammatical and writing skills we have been focusing on this half term, including the use of alternative nouns to avoid repetition, accurate pronouns for cohesion and possessive apostrophes to show ownership. They also worked hard to enhance their descriptions with ambitious and varied vocabulary.

In maths, we have started our new topic of decimals. The children began by revisiting tenths as fractions before exploring how these can be represented as decimal numbers. Using place value charts, they developed their understanding of how the digits move and where they should be positioned when writing decimals.

In PSHE, we have begun our new topic, 'Changing Me'. Year 3 explored the changes that take place in both animals and humans from birth through to adulthood, discussing the different stages of growth and development. Meanwhile, Year 4 focused on genetics and inheritance, learning about how many of our physical characteristics are passed down from our birth parents through genes. The children shared examples of traits they may have inherited and considered how every individual is unique. Both year groups engaged thoughtfully in discussions, listened respectfully to one another's viewpoints and asked some insightful questions. It was lovely to see the children confidently sharing their ideas and making meaningful connections to their own experiences.

Earlier this week, our Year 6 pupils had the exciting opportunity to take part in bellboating on the River Severn. The children demonstrated fantastic teamwork, perseverance and enthusiasm throughout the experience and it was a pleasure to take them out. They should be very proud of the way they represented the school and supported one another during the activity.

In history, we have completed our timelines charting the rise of the Sikh Empire. The children have worked hard to develop their understanding of key events and figures and it has been wonderful to see them making connections across the period we have been studying.

In maths, we have been focusing on algebra. The children have shown growing confidence in using symbols and understanding simple algebraic expressions. Next week, we will be moving on to substitution and applying these skills in a range of contexts.

This week, our Year 5 pupils have spent time preparing to write letters to their new Reception buddies for September. We hope these letters will be completed soon and ready to be sent out to our new pupils over the summer holidays. This is always a lovely opportunity for the older children to help new members of our school community feel welcomed and excited about starting school.

Year 6 have also finalised all of their writing in preparation for their assessments. I would like to thank them for all the effort, determination and pride they have put into their work. They have worked incredibly hard and I am confident that this commitment will be reflected in their results.

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