The Chronicle

This week, Junior 6 have been working exceptionally hard in the lead-up to Christmas, sitting end of term assessments for English and Maths! As a break from this, in Science, the children have been learning about viruses, bacteria and fungi and, in particular, about Coronavirus. They now have a much better idea of why they need to keep their hands clean and why it is so important to socially distance! In addition, we had a ‘foot-fungus’ competition… you’ll be pleased to know our J6 are athlete’s-foot-free!

Our Junior 5s have been getting creative in their Art/DT lessons this half term and have all produced a felt bauble under the expert guidance of Mrs Clark! They have had to get close up and try not to prick themselves on their needles. In Music, the children have been getting their Christmas performances polished in time for the recordings this week. They sound amazing – you’re in for a treat when the videos are published.

Junior 4 have been learning all about Romans.  In Art and Design Technology they have designed and made Roman style shields and Roman coil pots decorated using the method of sgraffito; a process whereby the clay pot is painted and a design scraped off revealing the underneath colour of the clay.  Using a pencil in their art books, they designed Roman patterns and used Roman numerals to create their own designs, carefully transferring these onto their pots using a metal instrument or wire.

Said their subject teacher, Mrs Clark, “It is a really tricky subject, not only getting the coil pots right, but the fine motor skills involved which the pupils have to employ to get the end result just right. Year 4 have done a marvellous job!”

In our final full week of term, Junior 3 have been feeling fully festive and have turned our attention to making gingerbread men and women hand puppets. We learned two different stitches (running stitch and blanket stitch) and we helped each other when the inevitable knots appeared! We have also completed our wonderful Romero Britto self-portraits, written an adventure story set in the Stone Age and become masters of the four times and eight times tables.

Our class elves are so proud of us and we can’t wait to find out what Santa has heard about our busy, bustling classrooms. Well done, everyone, for a fantastic first term.

Have a truly magical Christmas.

This week Junior 2 have been working their socks off in writing a descriptive letter to their imaginary friend, Frederick. Children have blown Ms Holmes and Mrs Bhogal away with their amazing thoughts on the vision of a Christmas tree discovered in a winter wonderland. Picture ‘The Nutcracker’, if you will!

One pupil described the lights from the tree as ‘dancing upon her tongue’ – quite a statement at six-years-old! Others described twinkling colours, shivering branches, snow squirrel babies and glimmering shades of blue, gold and pink. Pupils loved the task and it was fabulous to see such focus and delight in our bubble of Christmas excitement.

Christmas has arrived in Junior 1! Not only have we been busy re-telling the story of Jesus’ birth in our English lessons, but we have also been getting festive creating some wonderful decorations and Christmas crafts. We have made star decorations for the tree, turned each child into a Christmas elf with ‘springy’ arms and legs, made some beautiful star-shaped Christmas cards and decorated mini-boxes with a winter scene. You never know there might be a little treat added into our boxes before the end of next week!

Elves Poppy and Chippy have also been busy helping us out. During the night the cheeky elves got together and added some green sparkles to our ‘springy’ elves and got covered in the glitter whilst doing it!

Christmas preparations have been in full swing in Reception this week.

We have been busy making paper chains, writing cards and Christmas lists, playing in the snowy small world and even found some time to make lovely gifts for our families too (ssshhh, they are a surprise!)  In fact, we have been so industrious that we are pretty sure that Father Christmas could give us all jobs as elves! Amongst all the Christmas cheer, we have also been focusing in our RE and Literacy lessons on the real meaning of Christmas - the birth of baby Jesus. Ending the week by performing our nativity play, ‘The Angel Who Nearly Missed It All!’ helped us to understand that Jesus really is the best Christmas present of all!