Year 3
It’s been a real scorcher (one of our spelling words!), and after a busy Sports Day, we were very grateful for our cool classroom. We hope you are as proud of the children as we are – they showed fantastic determination and sportsmanship throughout the day.
Please note: our spelling test will take place on Thursday next week.
As the warm weather continues, please ensure your child brings a sun hat every day. On Thursday afternoon, four children did not have hats, and although we found spares, we cannot guarantee these will always be available.
Here’s a snapshot of this week’s learning:
English – The children completed their imitation write-ups of Daedalus and Icarus: A Warning Tale, identified word classes and tackled their weekly grammar challenge. They also enjoyed a reading comprehension about fossils, linking back to previous science learning.
Maths – We have completed our shape unit, recognising and describing 2D and 3D shapes and drawing polygons, and a 3D shape-making challenge.
History – The children imagined a visit to the Asclepian sanctuary at Epidaurus, describing how Ancient Greeks believed gods could cause and cure illness. Ask your child why dogs roamed these healing sites!
Computing – The children remixed an animation by adapting existing code.
Art – We recreated patterns inspired by Ancient Greek vases.
PSHE – The children learned about the dangers of smoking.
RE – They began a new unit on Sikhism.
PE – The children developed their cricket skills.
French – We revisited Le Navet Énorme (The Enormous Turnip) and practised numbers to ten.
Have a super, sunny weekend!
Claire Murphy
Year 4
Wow what a scorcher! And what a fab day for Sports Day. I have had several reports about how good the class were and how well they did, I am very proud of them all. Thank goodness for air conditioning, the children have struggled in the heat so goodness knows how they would cope if we didn't have it. I have spoken to them about running around a lot at playtime, we did have an indoor alternative for them today, but there are still several of them that feel the need to run constantly. Please could you speak to your child about the dangers of heat exhaustion.
In our learning;-
Maths - We have continued with money and have looked at finding change and two step processes to find change. On Wednesday the children had a closing assessment on time.
English - We have finished looking at our imitation text having now mastered the actions and picture map. We have also looked at how to change the flow of a sentence so that we don't have too many The and A starting sentences. On Wednesday the children had a reading comprehension about Father's Day.
Science - We had a lovely lady called Tara come in from Cambs Wildlife Care to talk about identifying different animals and when they are in need of help or not.
French - The children used the Talk for Writing process, in French, to retell the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
RE - We have started a unit on Sikhism.
SPORTS DAY
PHSE - the children looked at emotions and how to manage them.
Topic - We looked at why the Titanic was built and the difference between the classes on board.
May I please remind you that show and tell is connected to our learning or a special achievement and happens on a Monday or Tuesday.
Reading - Please ensure your child, or you, have written how many pages you have read. 'read lots' is not enough information and will not attain a read.
Have a lovely weekend, spoiling dads on Sunday!
Mrs Chittock and the Year 4 team
Year 5
In English this week, we finished our unit on formal letters of complaint. The children planned and wrote letters complaining about a terrible trip to a restaurant. I really enjoyed reading the letters - the righteous indignation in some of the letters did make me smile.
In Maths, we have been learning how to do long multiplication! Some of us were initially skeptical but many of us had learned to love and appreciate it by the end of the week. We've been multiplying TU x TU with a multiplier up to 40 if you want to practice more at home. I understand that some parents have already been made to have a long multiplication lesson at home! I'd say sorry - but long multiplication is great!
In History this week we learnt about Louis Pasteur and how his accidental discovery changed the face of medicine. It's even more impressive when you consider that Pasteur was not a doctor and wasn't interested in healthcare. I've been told that some of the homework instruction dropped off the chart when I printed it - it should say "Study Louis Pasteur - What role did he play in developing our understanding of disease?"
In Science, we investigated air resistance. Children made 3 different parachutes and tested to see how long it took for the parachute to fall. We discovered that the shape of parachute didn't really matter, it is all about surface area! Parachutes with big surface areas are much better than parachutes with small surface areas. Parachute manufacturers tend to make rectangular ones because they're easier to fold back up!
On Tuesday, we completed the end of year reading test. There were some good scores achieved. Some children found it difficult to read and sustain concentration for an hour. Reading stamina is so important - it would be beneficial to work on this at home.
It was great to see so many of you on Wednesday for Sports Day. Congratulations to Voyager (the yellow team) who secured victory this year.
The summer fair is after school next Friday. Thank you for all your kind donations for the bottle and toy tombolas. The Y5 team will be manning the bottle tombola. We look forward to seeing you there!
Have a great weekend - stay safe in the sun!
Miss Rutter, Mrs Grosvenor & Mrs Marsh
Year 6
It has been another busy and productive week in Year 6, with the children continuing to embrace the many opportunities and experiences that this exciting final half-term brings.
In maths, we have been exploring a range of multiplication methods from around the world. The children were fascinated to discover that there are many different approaches to solving calculations and enjoyed comparing strategies used in different countries and cultures. It has been a wonderful way to develop mathematical thinking whilst appreciating the diversity of mathematical traditions.
In English, we have begun reading Louis Sachar's There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom. The children have already engaged thoughtfully with the novel's key themes, including isolation, unfair treatment and the idea of self-fulfilling prophecies. We are looking forward to exploring the characters and their development in greater depth over the coming weeks.
Rehearsals for The Wind in the Willows are now well underway and are progressing brilliantly. We have had some initial discussions about costumes with a few cast members, but our intention is to keep things relatively simple so that the focus remains firmly on the children's performances. The enthusiasm and commitment shown by the cast so far have been fantastic.
In geography, the children have been working collaboratively on research projects exploring extreme environments. Different groups have investigated the plants, insects, birds and other living things that have adapted to survive in some of the world's harshest conditions. Next week, they will compare their findings and consider the remarkable ways in which living organisms adapt to their environments.
A reminder that we are attending Crucial Crew on Wednesday. Children will need to bring a packed lunch with them for the day.
As we move further into the summer term, the diary is becoming increasingly full, with many transition visits taking place over the next four weeks—often on different days and at different schools. As a result, we will be making the most of the time we have together in class to continue rehearsing for the production and preparing for our leavers' assembly.
SATs results are due to be published on 7th July. Children moving on to Newmarket Academy will receive their results on 8th July. Please note that results will not be shared over the telephone, as it is important that we have the opportunity to discuss them individually with each child and ensure they fully understand their achievements.
Finally, we hope that you enjoyed your child's last Sports Day with us. Secondary school sports events tend to take on a rather different format, so it was lovely to be able to celebrate this milestone together and make it a true family occasion. Thank you, as always, for your continued support as we approach the final few weeks of your children's primary school journey.
Have a super weekend.
The Year 6 Team
