Our first half term has been a very busy one!

Thank you to all those who were able to join us for our class assemblies. I’m sure you’ll agree that we look forward to our end of year production where our talents will be shared even more!

Our learning question for Autumn 1 was:

‘As Geographers, can we discover how oceans are formed and why they matter?’

Writing

We have been busy authors this term, diving into all sorts of exciting writing adventures in English! Here is a peek at what your brilliant children have been working on:

Explanation Writing:

We put on our inventor hats and created our very own robots! From helpful homework machines to dog-walking droids, we wrote clear, detailed explanations to show how our robots worked (and why the world definitely needs them!).

Non-Chronological Reports:

Next, we discovered some very unusual creatures! From fiery forest beasts to underwater glow-squids, we wrote factual, informative reports about these made-up animals — as if they were totally real!

Descriptive Settings:

We also became masters of imagery, using powerful descriptive language to paint vivid pictures of different settings. Whether it was a spooky forest or a bustling city, our writing brought the scenes to life!

Black History Month Writing:

To celebrate Black History Month, we took inspiration from powerful voices of the past:

•      We wrote our own speeches in the style of Martin Luther King Jr., sharing our dreams for a better world.

•      We stepped into Rosa Parks' shoes and wrote moving recounts from her perspective during that famous bus ride.

•      We even imagined ourselves aboard the Windrush ship, writing heartfelt letters home describing the journey and the hopes we carried with us.

It has been a truly inspiring and imaginative term — your children have impressed us with their creativity, empathy, and growing confidence as writers. We cannot wait to see what they create next!

Reading

Our class text ‘Lonely Planet Kids - The Ocean book’ has led to some interesting discussions. In Reading lessons, we have focussed on annotations and word meaning. We have looked at a range of ways to help us breakdown unknown language. For example; looking at the root word and prefixes or suffixes, reading around the word and swapping out the word for one of the same word class.

Maths

We started by focusing on Number and Place Value. This means that we have a secure understanding of larger numbers; including ordering and comparing. Next, we looked at the four operations; mastering multi-digit calculations, solving word problems and calculating with the order of operations.

Science

In our ‘Electricity’ topic we were able to explore how electrical circuits work by building our own using wires, bulbs, buzzers, and batteries. We learned to identify complete and incomplete circuits, and investigated how changing components—like adding more bulbs or using different materials—affected the flow of electricity. We also developed our understanding of conductors and insulators, and used scientific vocabulary to explain our observations. It was exciting to apply our learning in hands-on experiments and to work collaboratively to solve circuit challenges.

Geography

Our focus on oceans started with how they were formed, locating them and comparing them to seas. We then looked at human and physical geography and compared different geographical features of the USA to the UK.

PE

We have enjoyed focusing on teamwork and skills in volleyball. Then, in Fitness, developing strength and endurance through various exercises and activities.

Music

In our 'Film Music' unit, we explored how music is used to create mood, atmosphere, and emotion in films. We listened to a range of soundtracks and discussed how different instruments, tempos, and dynamics could change the feeling of a scene. We also created our own short pieces of film music, using instruments to match music to different scenes. This unit helped us understand the powerful role music plays in storytelling.

Upcoming Events

•    Parent-Teacher Meetings: [Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th November]

Homework Reminders

•    After half term, homework will continue to go out on a Wednesday, to be returned on the following Monday.

Thank you for a fantastic first half of the term! Let’s keep up the great work!