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January 2025

  • Year Group Updates - Years 4 & 6

    Published 31/01/25

    Year 4 Update

    What an exciting and eventful week we’ve had in Year 4! Our learning has been full of new challenges, discoveries, and plenty of meaningful discussions.

    In Maths, we’ve been diving into the tricky concept of division with remainders. At first, this was a real challenge for many of us, but with plenty of perseverance and determination, we’ve made fantastic progress! Everyone has worked hard, and we can now confidently tackle division problems with remainders. However, as we know, practice makes perfect! It’s important that the children continue to practice this skill at home to really embed it and build even greater confidence.

    In English, we’ve been reading the moving and thought-provoking Christophe’s Story by Nikki Cowell. The book has provided a powerful insight into the experiences of a Rwandan refugee who has moved to the UK. As we’ve followed Christophe’s journey, the children have been engaged in deep and heartfelt discussions about what it might feel like to leave behind everything you know and start a new life in a foreign country. The themes of hope, resilience, and the challenges faced by refugees have sparked some incredible conversations, and it’s been wonderful to witness such empathy and reflection from the class.

    In Geography, our exploration of Eastern European countries has been a highlight. The children have loved learning about this fascinating region of the world, and for some of them, this topic hits close to home. Several students have shared their personal experiences of having lived in Eastern Europe before moving to the UK, which has made the learning even more meaningful. Using Google Earth, the class enjoyed zooming in on different countries, cities, and landmarks. The children were able to explore their connections to the places we’ve been studying, and we encourage them to keep exploring at home to discover even more about this region and the wider world.

    In Computing, we are focusing on online safety and programming, teaching the children how to navigate the digital world responsibly and creatively.

    During our RE sessions, we have been learning about Sikhism and the significance of the 5Ks, allowing students to appreciate different cultures and beliefs.

    In Science, we have been investigating sounds, which has sparked great interest among the children as they engage in hands-on experiments.

    Finally, our Geography lessons have taken us on a journey through the physical and human features of Eastern European countries, providing a broader perspective of the world we live in.

    Additionally, we are discussing PSHE topics related to family composition and diversity, helping the children understand and respect different backgrounds.

    Meanwhile, some of our Year 4 superstars have been hard at work preparing for their class assemblies. They’ve been practicing their lines, songs, and performances with great enthusiasm and dedication, and we can’t wait to see them shine in front of the whole school!

    It’s been a week of exciting learning, new experiences, and personal growth. From tackling tricky maths to exploring new cultures and discussing important global issues, Year 4 has certainly been a class full of explorers. We’re all looking forward to more learning adventures ahead!

    Reminders:

    PARENTS EVENING - Please book a slot on Arbor for the upcoming parents evening on Thursday 13th February 2025.

    UNIFORM - A few children have been coming to school in incorrect uniform particularly shoes. Please ensure that the children arrive in school in the appropriate school uniform.

     

    Year 6 Update

    This week Year enjoyed:

    PE - Hockey

    The children have been working so hard on developing their skills this term during their hockey session. They have learnt to pass and move to keep possession and to increase awareness when dribbling with the ball. We look forward to seeing the children implement attacking tactics during sided games later this term.

    Religious Education (RE)

    The children have been creating their own booklets focused on Christianity. They have been learning about significant events in the Christian faith, and each child crafted their booklet to explore these moments in a way that was meaningful to them. It has been wonderful to see their creativity shine through as they reflect on these important stories.

    Poetry

    In English, the children stepped into the role of poets and wrote their own poems. The theme was "What would you do if you had fins?" and "What would you do if you had wings?"

    The children had great fun imagining life under the sea. From swimming with dolphins to exploring coral reefs, their ideas were full of imagination and creativity. It’s been fantastic to see their poetic skills develop!

    Art

    This week in year 6, we have been exploring our creative unit in Art. Our unit began with an in depth look at a Nigerian born artist who later moved to the United states of America, Njideka Akunyili Crosby. We explored the different techniques used within her pieces before then using the same techniques to help influence our pieces on culture and identity. The children have all been very enthusiastic and have applied themselves well towards the Art unit. Well done!

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  • Year Group Updates - Years 1, 3 & 5

    Published 24/01/25
    Year 1 Update

    Year 1 have been busy learning this week.

    We have been learning about different types of animals. Last week we learnt about mammals. Mrs Gardener visited our classes with Cerys our school dog.

    This week Mrs Q came into school with her pet tortoise Reggie. He was alot smaller than Cerys but the children were fascinated and many were brave enough to touch his shell and legs!

    In Maths we have continued our work learning numbers up to 20. We used various different resources to make the numbers in different ways.

    In History we have been learning about different houses from the past including Tudor, Medieval, Georgian and Victorian.

    1H and 1B were the first 2 classes to visit Kenton Library. 1VG and 1K will visit next week. Thank you to all the parents who were able to support us on the visits.

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    Year 3 Update

    In Year 3, we have been obsessed with the Egyptians. Using our new text, Cinderella of the Nile, we have been finding out about how the Egyptians lived and what was important to them. Society was very different back then and Rhodopis soon found out how cruel life could be for peasants when she was captured by pirates. The children have used emotive language to help describe her experience throughout the story. In our English lessons, we have started writing narratives in third person. All children have shown fantastic commitment to their learning!

    Over the holidays, some children also did some optional homework and created their own pyramids at home. They embraced the challenge with enthusiasm, creativity, and lots of imagination. See attached photos!

    In History, we have been learning why the Nile was so important to the Egyptian people and its impact on farming and travel. As part of our Egyptian learning, the children have also looked at Egyptian Art when they have been learning how to “paint with scissors” by cutting card to create a larger piece of artwork.

    In our recent Science lessons, students have been exploring nutrition and learning about the importance of choosing the right types and amounts of food. They examined various food labels and engaged in thoughtful discussions about the different food groups. It was a great opportunity for them to reflect on what makes food healthy and how we can make nutritious choices in our daily lives. We have been so impressed by how enthusiastic the children have been about this, sharing their own food experiences from a range of cultures.

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    Year 5 Update

    Year 5 have been working hard on our persuasive leaflets persuading tourists to visit the Caribbean Island of St Lucia. All of the children have worked hard and published their work today. We look forward to sharing the work with parents and carers at Parent’s evening. We were also lucky enough to have class assemblies with a professional wheelchair basketball player this week which was truly inspirational.

    We have also had our inter house dodgeball competition this week with all of the children playing to win house points. This was really fun and the children enjoyed the competition immensely.

    Finally we have started our science work on materials with an interesting investigation about what happens when you add raisins to lemonade: would you believe they float up and down!

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  • Wheelchair Basketball Assembly

    Published 22/01/25

    On Wednesday Year 5 and 6 had a talk from Matt Sealy paralympian who plays for the London Titans. London Titans are currently the British Wheelchair Baskeball Premier Division Champions! He talked about competing at the highest level in Wheelchair Basketball, building resilience and how he manages his daily life with his two different wheelchairs. He shared the rules of wheelchair basketball and showed us his Team GB kit from when he participated in the Paralympics. As an athlete who has been in a wheelchair most of his life, our pupils learnt so much about Matt’s ‘can do’ attitude and how he takes on daily challenges. Thanks for coming, Matt!

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  • Year Group Updates - Years 2,4 & 6

    Published 17/01/25

     

    Year 2

    We’ve had a fantastic week in Year 2, full of exciting learning and new adventures!

    Money Matters This week, the children have continued to explore money. We've been learning how to identify different coins and notes, and practicing how to make different amounts using different combinations of coins.

    Making New Friends We’ve had some new arrivals to our year 2 classes this week, welcome! This has fitted in nicely with our work on relationships in PSHE. The children have been participating in activities that help them understand the importance of kindness, honesty, and supporting one another effectively. It’s wonderful to see them working together and forming positive relationships with each other, making our classrooms feel like a supportive community.

    New Text: Poles Apart This week, we started reading a fantastic new book called Poles Apart. It’s a story about a family of penguins who get lost and we’ll be using it as inspiration for some exciting writing activities. The children will explore how to structure instructions, using clear steps to guide others, and they’ll be crafting their own “how-to” instructions when a penguin gets lost in their garden!

    Exploring Hot and Cold Places In our geography lessons, the children have been learning to identify the key features of hot and cold places around the world. We’ve looked at where polar regions and tropical climates are located and noticed how different they are! Year 2 know how to use the equator to decide if a country is hot or cold.

    Our Production – A Great Start! The children have also begun working on our class production. Letters have come home today with costume requests and lines to learn. We can't wait to show you in a few weeks time!

     

    Year 4

    A WEEK OF EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY!

    What an exciting week Year 4 has had! We've been diving into new learning adventures and exploring a variety of fun topics!

    In Maths, we’ve been unraveling the mystery behind multiplying and dividing numbers by 10 and 100. It’s not just about adding zeros – we’re understanding how the digits shift on the place value chart, making us true place value experts! In English, we’ve been mastering the art of instructional writing by learning how to care for a baby elf. With many of our students having younger siblings, they were able to connect with the steps involved in taking care of a tiny magical creature. Who knew writing instructions could be so much fun? In Science, we’ve been tuning into the world of sound! Using a range of musical instruments, we explored how vibrations create sound waves. The students had a blast discovering that sound is all around us – it’s the vibrations of objects that make the air around us buzz and create the sounds we hear. It’s been a week full of hands-on learning, exciting discoveries, and lots of creativity. We’re so proud of Year 4’s hard work and enthusiasm – keep up the fantastic effort as we continue to explore and learn together!

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    Year 6

    English - Deforestation Debate

    This week Y6 had the chance to participate in a debate which gave the opportunity to explore the real-world topic and issue of deforestation. The debate engaged the children as it is a topic they are passionate about.

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    Science - Living Things and their Habitats

    Living things is our new science topic! We have enjoyed learning about plants, animals and microorganisms. Y6 have been grouping and classifying living things based on their characteristics.

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    Home Learning - Maths.co.uk

    Y6 have a new home learning platform starting from this week. https://www.maths.co.uk/ is an online platform perfect for maths SATs revision. Children will be allocated 2 activities per week to complete as part of their home learning.

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  • Year Group Updates - Years 1 & 3

    Published 10/01/25

    Year 1

    Year 1 have been learning about the weather and how it changes throughout the year. We discussed wind and how it changes both direction and speed. Children made kites and we went outside to see which direction the wind was blowing. We will go outside next week to see if the wind is still blowing in the same direction.

    Year 1 have also been learning about numbers to 20. We learnt how to read, write and make the numbers 11, 12 and 13 using a range of resources.

    We have also started to look at different types of houses including detached, semi- detached, bungalows, flats and cottages. Children then drew and labelled their own houses and labelled features they could remember.

    This term children will be looking at different houses from the past and identifying which features are the same and different both inside and outside the houses.

    In art, we have learnt about the artist Brianna McCarthy. We learnt a little about her life growing up in Trinidad and Tobago and how she uses collage to communicate and create portraits.

    Children have also started in their new phonics groups. They will continue to learn new sounds and words as well as reading stories and creating some writing linked to the stories. All children have been allocated an activity on Oxford Owl to complete at home.

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    Year 3

    English

    This week Year 3 have begun exploring the captivating text ‘Cinderella of the Nile’. As part of our reading journey, we have examined various illustrations from the book, using them as a basis for making thoughtful inferences about the story. Our focus has also been on the main character, Rhodopis. The children engaged in brainstorming creative and descriptive ideas to craft an exciting character description. Next week, we will delve deeper into the narrative by enacting key scenes from the story. This will allow us to explore the characters’ emotional journey and experiences.

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    Maths

    In our Maths lessons, we have been multiplying 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number both with and without exchange! The children have shown fantastic resilience and determination in their learning. We have also started linking multiplication and division facts. These are some of the key questions we have discussed in class

    • What is the same and what is different about the two calculations?
    • How can you show the calculation using place value counters/ base 10?
    • How is multiplying by 10s different from multiplying by 1s?
    • What division facts do you know by using the fact × =?

     

    History

    This week we have been learning about how Ancient Egyptian society was organized like a pyramid! Each level of society had different roles and we learned about the important jobs people had thousands of years ago. At the very top of the pyramid was the Pharaoh, the ruler of Ancient Egypt, who was seen as a god on Earth. Below the Pharaoh were the priests, who were responsible for keeping the gods happy through rituals and ceremonies. We looked at the roles of officials and talked about artisans, the skilled workers who created beautiful artwork, jewellery and tools that we still admire today. Our classes had great discussions about how everyone’s role helped keep Ancient Egypt thriving for thousands of years!

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    Science

    In our Science lessons, we have been exploring the exciting topic of nutrition and the different food groups. We have been discovering how each food group helps our bodies stay healthy and strong.

    The children asked some fantastic questions about staying healthy, such as how we can get all the nutrients we need and why they are important. It's been great to see their curiosity and interest in understanding the role of food in keeping us healthy!

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January 2025