Year 3
It has been absolutely lovely to welcome the children back to school, particularly with a shorter week, and the special treat of the Widdershins puppet theatre’s ‘Pigs and Bears don’t come in pairs.’ This was perfectly timed as we have started our new English topic by ‘hot-seating’ the wolf, who gave his perspective on the tale of the three little pigs, and a writing cold task, telling the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ from the giant’s perspective. We also fitted a grammar lesson in somehow!
In maths we are focussing on multiplication and division this half term. So far, we have looked at multiples of ten and related calculations, e.g. making the connection between 3 x 4 = 12 and 3 x 40 = 120. In science we began considering why we need light and what is/isn’t a light source. Ask your child to explain that our Moon is not a source of light. Miss Spinks lead the first PSHE lesson of the term, on setting and achieving personal goals. The children began learning about dharma (duties) in Hinduism with Mrs Chittock. In PE, the new topic is football skills (this is not just playing matches, but learning lots of new skills that are applicable in a wide range of sports and helping children to be active).
Following some issues, we had a class discussion about PE, including the following:
- being correctly dressed for the weather, tying back long hair and wearing earring tape (this must be applied for the start of the lesson)
- trying their best, even if it is not a sport they particularly enjoy
- working nicely with their PE partner (these are chosen for them for the term and reviewed half-termly)
- avoiding PE by reporting minor aches and pains (we will, of course, not expect them to join in with a genuine injury and/or if we have received a message from home)
I would be grateful if you would please reinforce these points at home.
Mrs Chittock would like to thank the year 3 families for her Christmas gift, and the Year 3 team have all thoroughly enjoyed ours – thank you again. 😊
Have a super weekend.
The Year 3 team
Year 4
Happy New Year!
Welcome to 2025 and welcome back to our Spring Term. The children have returned full of news and stories of their holiday, it's lovely to hear them. They are also ready to continue with their learning which is great. So, talking of learning . . .
Our learning this week;-
English - The children have looked at a reading comprehension with Mrs Harper and have completed their spelling test for this week.
Maths - With Mrs Harper the children were looking at perimeter and area for rectilinear shapes and Mrs Harper was impressed with their work.
Computing - the children completed their Anglo-Saxon house designs in Sketch Up and then had the opportunity to look at one another's work.
PHSE - With Miss Spinks the children have started a new unit about keeping healthy and eating healthily.
RE - We started a new unit looking at Hinduism. We investigated the meaning of Dharma.
It was such a lovely treat to once again have a visit from Widdershins, thank you PTA. It was the story of 'Pigs and Bears don't come in pairs!' and it was as good as ever.
The children have brought home a log in for Typing Club. If you could enable them to practice at home it would be great. We can offer a certain amount of time to it at school but it's the practice that's important. Touch typing is a really important skill to help aid their computing skills. Homework is still Reading (as of Monday we will start counting for Star Reader), Maths Targets (please remind your child to tell us if there is one that needs checking off), Times Table Rockstars (I'll be posting the new certificates on Monday) and Spellings (these must come in on Thursday).
Have a lovely weekend
Mrs Chittock and the Year 4 team
Year 5
It has been lovely to see the children back at school this week. We've jumped straight back in! Year 5 have come back in fine form - on Wednesday afternoon both Mrs Crook and Miss Spinks came to tell me how much they'd enjoyed their lessons with them.
In Maths, we have been looking at money. We have had a go at some money problem solving, made different monetary amounts and developed quick mental strategies for adding 99p and 98p onto amounts. In English, we have began our Shakesperean study. The children have written their own stories, read about William Shakespeare and learnt how the use of italics can change the meaning of a sentence.
On Thursday afternoon we had a real treat. We watched "Pigs and Bears don't come in pairs" by the wonderful Widdershins theatre company. The children (and staff) all really look forward to our annual puppet show and it's lovely to have something to look forward to in January.
No homework this week - that will come out on Monday. Spellings for next week will become 'live' on EdShed from 8am tomorrow.
Have a super weekend! Stay warm.
Miss Rutter, Mrs Marsh and Mrs Nichols
Year 6
Happy New Year!
We hope you had a wonderful holiday. Thank you again for the kind wishes, cards and gifts - we were truly touched.
We enjoyed Widdershins yesterday - it was a lovely way to begin the term, and it is something which has been a core part of each new year for many years now.
It's been a productive start to 2025! In English, we have been reading Michael Morpurgo's short story, The Giant's Necklace and are preparing to be journalists next week.
In maths, we are consolidating and developing our understanding of decimals and place value: it is a really important skill.
I have explained to the children that we are going to be monitoring their reading really carefully: as they are recording their reading independently (mostly), we are going to be working with a range of children to review their reading at home. Whilst it is nice to engage in some 'switch-off' reading, we would like the children to stretch and challenge their reading, to both stimulate their imagination and broaden their vocabulary. We expect that the children read for a sustained period each night- we have also had conversations to emphasis that one page is an insufficient amount.
Next week, we will begin our geography topic 'Coasts', and we will also be beginning our drugs and alcohol education which will include topics such as vaccination, safe use of medicine, names of some illegal drugs, some of the risks associated with illegal drug use, vaping, smoking and alcohol and peer influences/pressures. If you have any questions, please do get in touch.
Home learning this weekend is a reading task
Have a super weekend!
Nuala Gilmore
