Head's Up!30 January 2026 (by headmarton) |
Weekly news from Mrs Deakin
There’s been a real buzz around school and children have been very busy in classes working so hard. We have had some attendance spikes this week as childhood bugs have made an appearance but hopefully all children are now on the mend and we look ahead to Spring.
It's Cupcake Sale this afternoon and we are all just a (little) bit excited! What a delicious treat today. Thank you F&F for your support and baking!
Weekly news from our busy classes:
In Reception, we had lots of fun learning about floating and sinking. We tested different materials in water and watched to see what happened. Some objects floated on the top and some sank to the bottom, and we talked about why. We were curious, excited, and loved being little scientists together. After reading The Storm Whale in Winter, we wrote simple sentences about the cats hiding from Noi. The cats were snuggled up in warm, cosy places like in a sock, jar, shed and even a bin! The children worked hard on sentence structure and remembering what word comes next. This can be very tricky when you are only 4 and 5. Well done Reception!
Year 1 have loved writing about Jack and the beanstalk this week, we've practised using past tense verbs by adding ed. Year 1 have had a fantastic attitude to writing this week! Mrs Sparey has loved their new Golden challenge work - there have been some amazing models of the giant's castle that the children have put so much effort into. We're working on number bonds to 20 this week, we're going to use them to help us add and subtract. We've loved painting abstract pictures inspired by Klimt and the children were so helpful as we tidied up. We're talking about some of Jesus' miracles and the children can tell you about Jesus feeding the five thousand with just a few loaves and fishes. Reptiles were the topic for science this week and we had a long discussion about the difference between a turtle and a tortoise.
Year 2 have really enjoyed this week. In Geography we looked at maps and how to use a key. We’ve finally moved on from money in Maths, but we will keep revisiting it everyday to try and cement our knowledge. In English we wrote an introduction and also a kit list to become the world's greatest explorer. We really enjoyed our ELSA session with Mrs Woodmass and our additional PE session on Friday.
In Year 3 this week, there's been a fantastic mix of creativity, curiosity and discovery! In art, the children created beautiful watercolour leaf paintings inspired by the naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian. In maths, we’ve been getting hands-on with measurement, confidently using millimetres, centimetres and metres to measure the world around them. English lessons have been full of imagination as we explored figurative language to make our writing more vivid and expressive. To top it all off, our science sessions have taken us back in time as we investigated fossils, uncovering clues about life long ago.
This week, Year 4 have been busy locating and identifying capital cities across Europe in Geography. In English, the children have been describing the Chocolate Room from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, using rich vocabulary and imaginative detail. In RE, they enjoyed making origami boats while exploring key ideas in their learning. The children are also getting very excited and are busy preparing for their Robinwood residential on Monday!
Year 5 have had a busy and purposeful week of learning. In English, they have been writing vivid descriptions of Rumaysa’s prison tower, inspired by Rumaysa: Fairy Tale by Radiya Hafiza, while carefully improving their handwriting and checking their work for clarity, capital letters and full stops. In Science, the children have been learning about the effects of global warming on our planet, and in Computing they have explored how websites are constructed. They have also shown great resilience in Maths, persevering with the challenge of column multiplication.
Year 6 have enjoyed the start of our maths topic on Algebra this week and have found it easier than expected! In English, we completed our descriptive writing pieces, showcasing some excellent vocabulary and imagery. In RE, we discussed the differences between a holiday and a pilgrimage, thinking carefully about their meanings and purposes. In art, we continued our chromatic art unit by experimenting with watercolour painting, and in PE we’ve been developing our gymnastics skills with confidence and control.
Unfortunately I am now unable to conduct Parent Surgery on Tuesday 3rd Feb, this will instead take place on Tuesday 10th Feb @ 9am. If you would prefer to join remotely, please email me direct and I can send you a link. Our meetings last about an hour and a School Governor always attends.
Polite reminder from buses that an adult must be present to meet children when they are dropped off at the end of the day. Bus drivers have confirmed that children should not be allowed off the bus unless an adult is there to collect them. If another parent or adult will be collecting your child, please ensure your child is informed in advance and school is notified, so we can remind your child at the end of the day. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us keep all children safe.
Enjoy your weekend, Nevin Deakin