The Chronicle

This week in French, the children have been practicing their conversational skills in preparation for their residential trip. In pairs, they introduced themselves to each other and explained where they were from and what their likes and dislikes were. They then used their knowledge of French grammar to write longer sentences about their interests. Well done, Junior 6, this was a tricky task and you approached it with real enthusiasm. We can’t wait to hear you using these skills in France! Have a restful and pleasant half-term break.

Junior 5 have been busy donning their Michael Morpurgo hats this week. It was time for the childrens' half-termly writing assessment and they were all required to step into the shoes of Michael, describing their wonderful adventures on the Peggy Sue, in a letter back home. There were some superb examples of exciting descriptive techniques, similes, metaphors and personification. The children’s writing is showing great progress and they should all be very proud.

This week in Junior 4, we have continued our investigations about the three states of matter and reversible changes. We created a mini water cycle from putting hot water in a cup, covering it with cling film and placing an ice cube on the top. We observed all of the changes water goes through on its journey through the water cycle, from evaporation, to condensation and collection.

Junior 3 have been exploring Word, PowerPoint and email in their Computing lessons. They have been learning some key skills: inserting a picture in Word; changing size, colour and type of font and creating presentations. The children have been enthusiastically emailing each other and Mrs Lammas. They have been sharing their Word document about an interest of theirs with Mrs Lammas through attaching the document to an email. Junior 3 have begun to familiarise themselves with PowerPoint, creating a piece of work about light or Egyptians, demonstrating what they have learnt in Science and History this half-term.

Junior 2 have enjoyed performing their poetry and musical skills, showcasing a vibrant tapestry of creativity. With enthusiasm radiating through the air, these young learners have transformed simple recitations into captivating performances, infusing their verses with rhythm and melody. Through the exploration of poetry, they not only develop language and communication skills, but also cultivate an appreciation for the expressive power of words. Engaging in musical endeavors adds another layer of sensory delight, fostering a holistic approach to their artistic journey. Junior 2 confidently expressed themselves - we certainly have some budding stars! 

What a super trip Junior 1 had this week to the Transport Museum in Coventry to help support their learning in history. They had a wonderful time trying out scooters to see how wheels made from different materials can alter how smooth the ride is, tried balancing rounded blocks on top of each other, had a go at sitting on a Penny Farthing bicycle and tested out a Taxi before visiting the fastest car in the world! One of the highlights was being able to see how big the old cars were and comparing them to each other. Back in school, they put on marvellous performances in the KS1 Performing Arts afternoon, reciting poems and singing songs to all of our parents. We loved watching and listening to all the other children in KS1 perform and help make the afternoon a huge success.

This week has been all about our farm visit on Tuesday. We had a wonderful time, stroking the tiny black lamb and the sheep, feeding the goats and the rabbits, standing back from the grumpy llamas and spotting the different guinea pigs, chickens and rabbits in the barn. Our helper, Paul, was full of information and introduced us to his favourite bugs too! We met the millipede, a hissing cockroach and even a tarantula! We were very proud of both classes, who listened to instructions, behaved beautifully, and finished the whole day off with a ‘climb, and a slide, and a leap and a jump’ in the soft play. 

Pancake Day falls during half term so Badgers and Hedgehogs (and Staff) couldn’t resist having a little Pancake fun this week. The children have mixed the batter; watched eagerly whilst the pancakes cooked; chosen their favourite toppings; and munched delicious, wafer-thin discs of golden yumminess! We made some extra thick pancakes to take outside so that every child could practise tossing pancakes and the children also joined in with giggles and gusto during The Grand Pancake Race. The children learned a counting song too, all about pancake disasters in the kitchen, which they wanted to sing again and again.

Inside Nursery, the Preschoolers have continued to explore our RSHE topic about keeping our bodies safe. The message this week was ‘my body, my rules’, and that ‘privates are private’. We explored the importance of talking to their ‘special people’ if anything troubles them.

Chinese Lunar New Year also falls at the start of the half term break, so Badgers and Hedgehogs have created Chinese Lanterns and tried to use hinged chopsticks to fill bowls with noodles. The cohort thoroughly enjoyed the drama workshop about celebrating the festival.

The Phonics topic for this week is the ‘Vets’, so we have been looking after lots of sick and injured animals in the roleplay area, including a huge boa constrictor!

One lunchtime, an impromptu, pop-up hairdressers set up in the classroom and Mary helped the budding stylists to create all sorts of requested styles - ‘dinosaur’, ‘unicorn’ and ‘Elsa’, to name but a few.