Year 3
We’ve made it to the Easter holidays - what a full half term it has been! The children have shown enthusiasm in their learning, alongside enjoying a range of enriching experiences. From performing in The Three Trees, to exploring history on our visit to Colchester Castle, participating in our regular reading café, and attending our Easter service at church, the children have embraced every opportunity.
We are very fortunate to kick off next term with an activity day on Tuesday 14th April (please send your child to school in PE kit), and a visit to Audley End House and Gardens on Wednesday 22nd April (please complete the consent form and make the suggested payment).
We rounded off this week watching The Secret Garden (1993). The children demonstrated excellent listening and attention skills, and were captivated by the story’s themes of growth, friendship and change. Today, they will bring home their handmade Easter cards. If one doesn’t make it home, it may well have been gifted to a friend, as the children chose their own recipients. Do also look out for a small treat bag from the Year 3 team, which includes seeds for a simple home-growing project…
There is no formal home learning set over the holidays. However, regular reading (please!) remains incredibly valuable. You might also support them in practising high-frequency words (a copy can be found in their reading record). While many children can spell these words in isolation, we are focusing on applying this knowledge consistently in independent writing. For example, remembering correct past tense forms such as looked rather than lookt, and went rather than whent. These words are also available on Spelling Shed (in sets of 20), using the login details in reading records.
In English, the children consolidated their understanding of spelling, grammar and punctuation through spring-themed activities, and completed a creative writing assessment by composing the ending to a deep-sea adventure story.
In maths, we concluded our unit on mass and capacity, where the children solved problems involving totals and differences. We also revisited formal written methods for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, strengthening accuracy and fluency.
In science, our botanists observed their seed germination investigations and learned how water is transported through plants via specialised tubes called xylem. We look forward to continuing our study of plants next half term.
In computing, the children completed and evaluated their Secret Garden book trailers, using iMovie. They reflected thoughtfully on how to improve their work and discussed the strengths and limitations of the digital tools we used.
In PE, the children enjoyed an energetic dodgeball session. In PSHE, they explored the world of work with Miss Spinks, learning about the wide variety of jobs people do and beginning to think about their own aspirations.
We wish you all a restful and happy Easter break. I am ever hopeful of achieving a little gardening and seeing a little sunshine!
Miss Murphy and the Year 3 Team
Year 4
Well, there we are! End of the spring term already! Time for a nice 2-week break. I think the children need it. Although it has been a short half-term, the children do seem exhausted. Maybe the amazing performance wore them out. We have had a good week, a bit off routine, but lots of learning has been happening.
Our learning this week:
Maths – we revised our short column addition, subtraction and multiplication. On Wednesday they Fun Mystery puzzle about spring, using all their mathematical skills to find the answers.
English – we have been looking at Cinquain poems. On Wednesday they had a reading comprehension about spring.
Topic – the children finished their Volcano information posters.
Computing – finishing their word document posters.
Science – writing up their Egg experiment.
PHSE – the children were discussing dangers and how to keep themselves safe outside the home; swimming pools, crossing roads, fireworks etc.
Easter Fun!
Homework: " Yes, it's the Easter break, but please continue with the Maths Targets, Times Table practice, Reading (we will be counting reads for Star Reader when the children return) and spelling. It is double-sided this week! (This may take us out of sync with EdShed for a little while.)
Dates;-
Monday 13th April – Burwell House Parents meeting, 3.30 in the hall. Children are welcome. There will be mats on the floor for them to sit on, quietly.
Monday 20th - Tuesday 21st - Burwell House Residential!!
I hope you have a lovely Easter break and the weather is kind to us all so we can spend as much of it as we can outside. I know my garden needs some attention. The trouble is can I identify plant from weed ??
Have a great Easter break
Mrs Chittock and the year 4 team.
Year 5
We have come to the end of the Spring term. It is the shortest of the 3 terms but it always feels the longest.
It was great to see so many of you at the reading cafe on Monday. I was a little dubious when Mrs Gilmore told me we were following a drawing tutorial but our 'shelters for sadness' turned out really well. On Tuesday, we had our Easter service at the Church. The children were beautifully behaved and sang nicely.
In Maths this week, we have continued to develop our understanding of fractions by finding equivalent fractions and simplifying fractions to their simplest form.
On Monday, we finished coding our Scratch maze games and invited Y2 to come and play them. Y5 have worked so hard on their games, it was great to see all their hard work pay off. Y2 really enjoyed playing the games. In History, we learnt about mummification. It is a very complicated process! We then had a really interesting discussion about whether or not it is right that archaeologists dig up the dead. It is a complicated issue with lots of factors to consider. The children thought really sensitively about the issue and were able to write their views clearly and sensitively.
In science, we learnt about different types of seed dispersal methods. It is amazing to think about how plants have adapted and evolved to suit their environment.
On Thursday, we made our Ancient Egyptian death masks. The children worked really hard to create their masks out of their cereal boxes and carefully painted them so they looked like their original designs.
Have a wonderful Easter break. We look forward to seeing you all back at school on Monday, 13th April.
Miss Rutter, Mrs Grosvenor and Mrs Marsh
Year 6
What a full and memorable week it has been in Year 6!
In English, the children have been incredibly creative, writing their own alternative endings to Macbeth. It has been fantastic to see them take ownership of the plot, weaving in their understanding of characters and themes while crafting suspenseful and imaginative conclusions.
In maths, we have been working on algebra, focusing on using formulae and substitution. The children have shown great resilience when tackling these more abstract concepts and are growing in confidence when applying their skills.
In PSHE, our discussions have centred around healthy friendships, recognising that relationships can have both highs and lows. The children engaged thoughtfully, reflecting on how to navigate challenges and support one another.
Our history learning has taken us into the time of Henry VIII, where we explored the dissolution of the monasteries and the reasons behind this significant change. The children asked insightful questions and made excellent links to our previous learning on the Tudor period.
On Tuesday, we had a wonderful visit to the church—a special moment as it marked the children’s final visit as a primary class. They represented the school beautifully and showed great respect throughout.
We also began the week with our much-loved Reading Café, where we shared the book A Shelter for Sadness. This inspired some truly thoughtful reflections, which the children expressed through their Etsy-worthy paintings.
To round off the week, despite the wet weather, spirits were high as the children enjoyed a game of dodgeball—definitely a firm favourite!
We hope you all have a restful and enjoyable holiday. Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
The Year 6 Team
