Year 3
We were most fortunate to visit Colchester Castle on Wednesday. Please see the school website for details and some super photos! We were ever so proud of our children, who behaved beautifully, worked fantastically together and embraced every element of the day.
Our last week has seen the children busily: writing fairy tales from an alternative perspective; learning about internet safety; exploring crosses around the world; giving opinions in French; investigating the best material to make curtains; using adverbial phrases of place and adverbs; and measuring perimeters in maths. Our next challenge is the Year 3/4 Easter play.
Children are bringing home song words, which it would be wonderful if they could practise over the half term holiday. We hope you enjoy the half term break! All good wishes from the Year 3 team.
Year 4
In our last week, we have written an epic narrative scene with speech, counted beyond a whole in fractions and, once again, conducted a smelly egg experiment (all in the name of learning I can assure you!). We’ve also thought about global responsibility within our PSHE learning, reflected on the symbolism of light within Hindu Diwali, and, compared East Anglia with a volcanic region in Italy using digital tools.
I can honestly say, as a whole, Year 4 have greatly improved their focus and learning behaviour this term. Their maturity as students is becoming more evident. We will continue to increase expectations after half term. As part of this, we will be celebrating in class those who practise the most on Ed Shed, and, Times Tables Rockstars. Home learning and partnership with parents and guardian is so vital for your child to reach their potential. Thank you for all the home learning that you prioritize already.
I will be busy at points over half term allocating parts for our School Play. They will receive their lines on the first day back. As it is such a short term, we will need to ensure we get rehearsing and knowing our lines quite early.
Have a very well deserved rest over half term and keep safe.
Mr T
Year 5
I can’t believe this week brings to us to the half-way point of the school year! We’ve been very busy this week trying to get all of this half-term’s topics finished off ready for all the fun next half-term will bring.
Even though some of us were still a bit tired post-Horstead this week, we have got lots done!
We’ve done lots of science this week. On Tuesday, we had lots of fun making and then separating Alien Soup! We found some mixtures are much easier to separate than others. We finished our writing unit this week. The children all wrote an explanation/instruction text about delta formation. Mr Coldwell had led many of these English lessons and he was so impressed with their final pieces of writing. In Maths, we have been multiplying fractions and mixed numbers by integers. Sounds tricky but we have been brilliant at it!
Mrs Manning has the sheets for parents’ evening appointments – thank you to those families who have already signed up. Mr Coldwell and I look forward to meeting with you all and sharing your child’s learning with you.
Have a wonderful and safe half-term. Pray for me – I’m off to Iceland tomorrow where it’s currently -13?C! ??
Joanne Rutter
Year 6
It has been a very productive week in Year 6.
In maths, we have been revising calculating with negative numbers, and we have completed some assessments.
In English, we have been busy writing gothic tales, paying close attention to description and building suspense through the 'show not tell' technique. I cannot wait to read the finished narratives as what I have read so far is VERY good.
In RE, we have been learning about the significance of the synagogue for Jewish people and the customs and practices which happen in them, drawing comparisons with churches and mosques. We have also been learning about the differences between Orthodox and Reform Jews.
In geography, we have been consolidating the learning about coasts and coastal features.
We had a wonderful time at Horstead last week, albeit a rather rainy one. It was humbling to see so many children push themselves to achieve things they might never have thought possible for themselves from scaling Jacob's Ladder to singing to a packed room. We were very proud.
Home learning this holiday is in two parts: one is a maths task which is a fractions revision booklet. Many of these questions the children should be able to work through at speed. The other task is a GAPS paper on spag.com
We hope you have a wonderful holiday: this term officially marks half of the year completed, and we are entering a very busy time, starting with the release of secondary places when we return. Exciting.
The Year 6 Team
