Edinburgh Primary ~ a community school with a passion for the arts!

Redwood Class

15th November 2024

Redwood have been working very hard over this Autumn. Recently we visited Queen’s Road Cemetery opposite the school to explore habitats. We took part in some Citizen Science! The children investigated the different microhabitats and which would provide the best cover for hedgehogs. Conservationists from the Hive (Suntrap) will use our children’s findings to place hedgehog boxes in the best locations to try and encourage hedgehogs to live at the cemetery as their numbers are decreasing.

This trip was a good introduction to our new Science topic; Living Things and Habitats. So far, we have classified animals by the general habitat they live in and have looked at the 5 groups of Vertebrates. We have looked at the 7 processes all living things do which can be remembered by the mnemonic MRS NERG - see what your child can remember! Do you know them all?!!

In English we are currently reading the children’s classic story “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” by C.S.Lewis. Here the main characters discover a magical and mysterious, wintery land by going through an enchanted wardrobe, but things aren’t all they seem. The children have many adventures whilst trying to help the residents of Narnia put things right. We have been exploring setting and character descriptions using adverbs and actions. We have also been developing our skills at writing speech and adding in actions to give more detail to our writing.

In D.T. (Design and Technology), we have been building on our electricity knowledge that we learnt last half term during science and we are beginning to explore torches. We have just started to design a torch for a specific brief that the children could choose. One was for someone who enjoys exploring caves whilst the other was for someone who worked at night investigating criminals! The children had to think about suitable colours, should it be hand held, a head torch or attached to the body?

Finally, in Art we have been learning all about shades and tints and how they can enhance our work. A shade is where black is added to a colour and a tint is where white is added to a colour. The children applied these skills to these beautiful paintings of musical instruments. The use of shades and tints really helps them look more 3-Dimensional.

Pear Class

8th November 2024

Our Topic this term is ‘Festivals and Celebrations’. We have been learning about festivals and this week we have been learning about Diwali. Diwali is an important festival celebrated by many around the world. It is celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. It is sometimes called the ‘festival of lights’ in the very old Indian Language, Sanskrit. Diwali (or Deepavali) means ‘row of lamps’. People light lamps at Diwali to show that light is more powerful than darkness, and good is a more powerful force. Diwali also celebrates new beginnings. We made divas out of clay. We moulded them and added patterns using the clay knife. We then waited for them to dry and painted them with our own designs.

In Literacy our Book of the week is ‘Handa’s Surprise.’ We have been looking at different fruits from the story such as mango, avocado, pineapple, orange, passion fruit, banana, guava, orange and tangerines. We tasted the different types of fruit then we described how the fruits tasted. Our favourite fruits were oranges, bananas and avocados. We then wrote a description of our favourite fruit.

In Understanding of the world, we have been looking at autumn, learning that autumn is one of the four seasons and includes September, October and November. Children have been learning that there is less light and that this means some trees find it difficult keep their leaves green during autumn time. The leaves on these trees turn from green to orange, yellow, brown and red. These trees are called deciduous trees, which means their leaves change colour and fall off. 

Tamarind Class

1st November 2024

Welcome to Tamarind’s class corner for the autumn term.  The children have settled fantastically well into year 6 and are showing good progress in their learning. 

History: The Victorian Era

Our history lessons have focused on the fascinating and transformative Victorian era (1837-1901), a time of remarkable change in Britain. The children learned about Queen Victoria’s reign and how advancements during this period shaped modern Britain. Topics include the Industrial Revolution, innovations in technology and the impact of railways and factories on everyday life. We also explored the stark contrast between the lives of wealthy Victorians and the working class, particularly the experiences of children in workhouses, factories, and mines. Through these studies, the children developed an understanding of social change, child labour laws, and the importance of education reform. Discussions emphasised empathy, as students considered how Victorian children’s lives differed from their own. Activities such as role-playing and diary writing from a Victorian child’s perspective encouraged students to step into history and reflect on its relevance to their lives today.

English and Reading: Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones

In English, our primary focus was on the thrilling novel Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones, set in Victorian London. This mystery-adventure follows the character Wild Boy, a young circus performer covered in hair and with a gift for observation, as he unravels a complex murder mystery. The novel not only engaged the children in the story but also deepened their understanding of life in the Victorian era, echoing themes from their history lessons. Writing outcomes included a flashback story focusing on Wild Boy’s terrible time in a Victorian workhouse. Through reading sessions, the children developed critical reading skills, analysing characters, settings, and themes. They learned how to use reading techniques such as retrieval and inference to comprehend the story and also developed their range of vocabulary.

Science: Electricity

In science, the children explored the fundamentals of electricity, a topic that dovetailed well with their Victorian studies, as electricity was a ground-breaking development in that era. They learned about the basic principles of electricity, including circuits, conductors and insulators and how batteries work. Students had hands-on opportunities to create circuits using batteries, wires, bulbs, switches and even lemons! They also experimented with different materials to see which ones conducted electricity and which acted as insulators.

Additionally, the children were introduced to series and parallel circuits and investigated the practical uses of electricity in daily life.  We even designed a light  which required the children to construct the circuit they would need to make it work. The lessons encouraged curiosity and problem-solving, as students hypothesized, tested, and observed outcomes. Discussions on the environmental impact of electricity and the importance of sustainable energy sources rounded out the unit, tying science concepts to real-world issues.

Pine Class

18th October 2024

Welcome to Pine Class Corner! This term has been filled with exciting learning experiences as we have explored new subjects and delved into fascinating topics. Here’s a glimpse of what the children have been up to this term:

English

In English, the children have been thoroughly enjoying the book How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. This story follows a young Viking named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, who embarks on a quest to train a dragon and prove himself to his tribe. Throughout the book, Hiccup learns valuable lessons about bravery, friendship, and self-discovery as he encounters various challenges. The children have been engaging with the text through lively discussions and creative writing exercises. This enchanting tale has inspired many imaginative responses and a deeper understanding of character development and themes.

Science

In Science, the children have been diving into the intriguing world of electricity. They have learned about how electricity is generated and the importance of electrical safety. To showcase their understanding, the children created fantastic electrical safety posters, emphasizing the need to handle electrical devices carefully. They also explored the concepts of conductors and insulators. The children learned that conductors, like copper, allow electricity to flow easily, while insulators, such as rubber and plastic, prevent the flow of electricity, making them essential for keeping us safe.

History

In History, the children have been captivated by the topic of traders and raiders, focusing on the beliefs and practices of the Vikings during this period. They explored the Viking way of life, including their adventurous spirit and their travels to trade goods and raid new territories. The children also learned about the Anglo-Saxons, their culture, and the clothing they wore during this time. The Anglo-Saxons favoured practical garments made from wool, with men wearing tunics and women donning long dresses. By comparing the two cultures, the children gained insights into the significant impact of both the Vikings and the Anglo-Saxons on British history.

Oak Class

11th October 2024

In science, we have been focusing on circuits and how they function. We have learned that a circuit is a path through which electricity flows, and for a circuit to work, it needs a power source, such as a battery, and a complete loop of conductive materials. We have also been learning how different objects affect the flow of electricity. Conductors, like metals, allow electricity to pass through them easily, making them essential for wiring and electrical connections. On the other hand, insulators, like rubber, wood, or plastic, do not allow electricity to flow through them and are used to protect us from electric shocks by keeping the electrical current inside the circuit. This knowledge helps us understand how electrical systems are designed to be safe and effective in everyday appliances.

In English, we have been focusing on reading the story How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. We’ve been developing our descriptive writing skills by analysing the setting, the characters, and the dragons in the story. One of our main tasks has been to describe the world of Berk, a Viking island filled with dragons, using vivid language to capture the rugged landscape and the intense atmosphere. We've also concentrated on character analysis, especially Hiccup, the main character, exploring his personality, motivations, and how he grows throughout the story. Additionally, we’ve been practicing using figurative language, such as similes and metaphors, to bring our descriptions of the dragons to life, making them seem fiercer, wild, or even funny. These lessons have helped us use skills like descriptive adjectives, making inferences, and building our vocabulary, so we can better understand and explain the details in the book.

In our Topic lessons, we have been learning about the fascinating world of the Vikings and their impact on history. We began by exploring the Viking timeline and learning about key events and periods that shaped their culture and influence, such as their raids and settlements across Europe. We also learned about their gods and goddesses, like Odin, Thor, and Freyja, to understand the beliefs that guided Viking society, as well as the weapons they used in warfare. A key part of our learning has been the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England, leading to the rule of Edward the Confessor.

Banyan Class

13th September 2024

Year 1 children have settled in well to the new school year.

To start off our term in History, our topic in Banyan class is ‘Childhood’. In the topic children have been learning about everyday life and families today, including comparisons with childhood in the 1950s.The children were able to look at various items from the past, for example, thinking about how the toys, books and other objects are similar or different from items from their childhood.

The children were able to discuss in detail similarities and differences in the toys and identify what materials the various items were made from linking in with Science. The children enjoyed playing with many of the toys which included marbles; dolls; finger puppets; yoyos; cup and ball; pop gun and spinning top we even played hopscotch outside in the playground.

We started our Maths lessons by looking at the unit ‘Place Value within 10’ Children collected some seeds and leaves to represent Autumn. They then sorted the objects in three different ways such as colour and shape. In addition, children were also given a selection of 3-D shapes to sort into two groups and then challenge a partner to say how the objects have been sorted. Practical activities have been used to support the learning in this step. The concept of sorting has been reinforced during daily activities such as lining up before they move onto counting objects.

Gingko

7th June 2024

Ginkgo has continued to explore many exciting things this half term, our main topic being The Romans. Just after Easter, they took part in a dance workshop where they developed a dance about being in the Roman army and making a tortoise! They thoroughly enjoyed it – it was a noisy dance.

We have been learning all about the Roman invasions of Britain and the initial power struggles between the Celts and the Romans. We have also learnt about the many inventions that the Romans brought to this country such as the aqueduct, arches and even the toilet!

In art the children have learnt about then designed and created their own amazing mosaics.

En Francais the children have learnt the words for different types of transport –Une voiture, un bateau, un avion, un train – ask the children what they mean!

In Science, we have been learning about animals through the topic of Predators and Parasites. The children have explored which animals have endo and exoskeletons and how they provide protection. Based upon whether an animal is a herbivore, carnivore, predator or prey, the children created detailed food chains. Perhaps the most exciting fact the children discovered, was the predatory behaviours of the Cuckoo. These birds don't build their own nests like most birds, instead, they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, making them a ‘brood parasite'. Listen out for them this summer!

Pine

24th May 2024

This term in History, the children of Pine class have been taken back in time to 14th Century Britain to study the feudal systems of the time to better understand the roles and responsibilities of kings, nobles, knights, merchants and peasants. As a focus, the children studied the steps required to become a Knight - from page, squire and knight - they created a step by step guide on how to succeed as a knight in the 14th Century. 

Not only this, the children have completed in depth research into The Black Death!  Through looking at primary and secondary sources of information the children have created a timeline of the spread of the Black Death through Europe and into Britain.

Linking with their English work, the children also researched the causes, symptoms and impact of the Black Death throughout Britain and created an information text to present their findings.

In science, children have been learning about life cycles of different plants and animals. Through investigation and practical work the children have compared the life cycles of different plants and animals discovering similarities and differences between species.  The children thoroughly enjoyed their investigation into birds where they looked in detail at the inside of a chicken egg to understand how the role of each component of an egg can result in the creation of a chick.

In music, African Samba music has been the focus. The children have enjoyed learning about the history of samba music and understanding the components of samba music including the different Samba rhythms and playing them on a variety of percussion instruments.  Following practice of different break rhythms, the children composed their own samba song. 

We look forward to our final half-term and know there are many more exciting things to learn!

Juniper

17th May 2024

Our study of the Romans is coming to an end. Recently we have been reading about the life of a Roman slave in ‘The Journal of Iliona’ by Richard Platt, in which a young Greek girl and her brother are captured by pirates and sold as slaves. Iliona works for a wealthy senator’s family and over time she learns about aqueducts, visits the Nero baths and witnesses gladiatorial contests at the local amphitheatre. Eventually, Iliona…. Ahh, but that would be telling - we still have a few pages to go before finishing the Diary!

In English, we have been looking at instruction texts and trying to apply our learning to the Roman game of trigon. This is a ball game that requires three players to stand in a triangle and fourth person to keep score. Players must throw the ball with their right hand and catch it with their left (unless they are left-handed, in which case the opposite applies). A point is awarded for a successful catch and deducted for a poor throw. The first player to 10 points wins!

The Roman theme continues in our History topic. This half term we have learned about Julius Caesars attempted invasions of Britain in 55BC and the subsequent conquest in 43 BC. We Considered how the Ancient Britons responded to this new occupying force and learned about Boudicca, warrior queen of the Iceni tribe, who took on the might of the Roman army and destroyed the cities of Colchester and London before being defeated at St Albans.

In Science we have been studying food chains. We looked at producers (which are plants that use sunlight to make their own food) and consumers which are animals and fall into three categories: herbivores, which only at plants; carnivores, which only eat other animals; and omnivores which eat plants and animals. We made food chains to show how energy generated by producers passes from one animal to the next until it reaches an Apex Predator – the group of animals at the top of the food chain. This group is rarely threatened by other animals. It includes humans. 

Waratah

10th May 2024

Year 6 have made a strong start this term and are currently busy preparing for their upcoming SATS next week. They have recently completed Playwright sessions where they created their own plays on any topic they choose! In Science, they have been learning all about inheritance and evolution. Did you know that there are about 29 to 30 thousand of genes in every cell of the human body?

In Maths, the children are recapping the different types of 2D and 3D shapes including their properties. 3D shapes have three dimensions - length, width and depth.

In Science, they are improving their understanding of Evolution and Inheritance. Did you know the difference between evolution and inheritance? Evolution occurs when there is a competition to survive: this is known as natural selection. Inheritance is when something is passed on to the next generation. Did you know that 99% of the DNA of every human being on the planet is exactly the same?

Hornbeam

3rd May 2024

It has been an exciting week in Hornbeam Class!   In our art lesson, we have been designing our own unique mosaic piece, exploring colour, shape, and texture along the way.

We have looked at warm and cool colours along with complimentary mixtures. We also learned about mosaic art from ancient Rome. It was interesting to see how they made designs with small pieces of coloured tiles.

In our science lesson, we have been learning about different types of skeletons: exoskeletons, like those found in insects, vertebrates like us, and endoskeletons, which are inside some animals. Did you know? The blue whale, the biggest animal ever, has bones so big that sailors used to mistake them for small boats.

Oak

26th April 2024

This half term we are learning all about the Black Death. On the first day back, we were Black Death detectives and tried to research as much information as we could to create our own information texts.  Since then, we have explored the origins, how it spread and the timeline of it’s journey from Asia to Europe.

In our reading lessons, we have begun the story ‘The Children of winter’ which takes us on a journey of a family taking cover in a barn form the storm. As the main character, Catherine, settles in she has a feeling of familiarity. She starts to imagine a family from a previous life who would have been in the same situation as her only they were hiding from something much worse, a plague.

So far in science, we have found out about the life cycles of animals. We then started to compare them to see if there were any similarities or differences between the life cycles in different animals. We have also been specifically looking at mammals and their characteristics. We know that all mammals have fur or hair, breathe with their lungs, give birth to live young, produce milk to feed to their young and they are warm blooded.

On Friday, we were lucky enough to have a dance teacher come and teach us a medieval dance. We spent some time in the afternoon learning a routine that linked to a medieval style of dance and performed it at the end. We’d be happy to teach you some medieval dance moves if you ask!

Banyan

19th April 2024

Last half-term, Banyan class enjoyed the topic ‘Dinosaur Planet’. In this topic, children found out about dinosaurs and amazing fossils. Children learned that animals come in all shapes and sizes! They were able to discuss similarities and differences between animals, look at different habitats around the world and investigate camouflage.

Children were able to use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features around the environment. They were able to locate the world's seven continents on a world map and identify the world’s seven continents and five oceans.

To further enhance our learning, we invited Suntrap to visit us to bring in a variety of animals which the children observed and interacted with at the visit.

Last half-term, Banyan class enjoyed the topic ‘Dinosaur Planet’. In this topic, children found out about dinosaurs and amazing fossils. Children learned that animals come in all shapes and sizes! They were able to discuss similarities and differences between animals, look at different habitats around the world and investigate camouflage.

Children were able to use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features around the environment. They were able to locate the world's seven continents on a world map and identify the world’s seven continents and five oceans.

To further enhance our learning, we invited Suntrap to visit us to bring in a variety of animals which the children observed and interacted with at the visit.

Tamarind

22nd March 2024

In Tamarind, we’ve been learning a lot about the wondrous ways that the human heart works, as well as the components of blood. We’ve done experiments on this as well. In addition, we’ve explored the circulatory system of the body. We found out that our circulatory system isn’t the only system in our body: the skeletal system, the muscular system and circulatory system all contribute to the workings of a human. How cool is that!
 

We have carried out lots of investigations and experiments. These made us feel like proper scientists! In one of our experiments on osmosis, we replicated the flow of blood by utilising water and food colouring into 3 cups. We then placed tissues in the 3 cups to see if the coloured water would flow into the cup in the centre. This experiment helped us to understand how blood flow allows nutrients to get absorbed into our bodies.

We’ve also been looking at the heart! We learnt that the heart pumps blood through 4 chambers, pumping deoxygenated blood to the lungs and oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. The chambers are known as the: right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium and the left ventricle. These parts are what keep us going. The job of the right atrium is to receive oxygen-poor blood from all parts of the body. The job of the right ventricle is to give oxygen-poor blood to the lungs. The left ventricle pumps oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body, and the left atrium pumps oxygen-rich blood to the lungs. 

Did you know that the size of an adult heart is about the size of 2 fists, and a child’s heart is about the size of 1 fist? Amazing!

Diffusion experiment – we observed over time that the food colouring was absorbed into the gelatine.

 

Redwood

8th March 2024

This week brimmed with inspiration and new-found revelations, keeping us fully engaged with different activities and delving into various realms of learning.

In mathematics, we got our minds busy with assessment on reasoning and arithmetic to help us consolidate our previous learning experience and figure out areas where gaps are evident. We also continued our learning journey with percentages, fractions and decimals. In English, we've been focusing on further refining our handwriting and enhancing our creative writing abilities, with a specific emphasis on crafting an extended chapter for our chosen text, "The Wild Robot."

In Science we are exploring forces and we delved deeper into looking at how the distance of the fulcrum to the load affects the effort required to lift the load. We will investigate further the change in the different measured positions of the fulcrum and observe how that affects the effort to lift the load in our next lesson.

We have been investigating our world in geography and as part of our learning experience, we had an enriching experience visiting The Queen Elizabeth Olympic park. The children were able to put into use their classroom learning on map reading, coordinates, physical features of the environment and the evolution of the environment. Many thanks to the parents who came along and made the visit possible.  

And of course, World book week! We have enjoyed creating and designing a book cover, writing a blurb, a book mark, writing a book review, guess the mystery reader and the last day which was the icing on the cake. We had the opportunity to dress up in our favourite character, meet a children’s book author – Sabine Adeyinka and joining other children around the world in doing a quiz. This week has ended on a good note and it will forever be a memory stays with us.

Pine

23rd February 2024

Last half term, the children of Pine class were blasted into space when the science dome visited Edinburgh! This immersive experience allowed the children to experience space without leaving the school hall due to detailed and interactive projections inside the dome.  The children deepened their understanding of the constellations, the moon phases, the earth’s orbit and why we have night and day and different seasons.

In DT, the children designed and made a material book sleeve.  They had to consider the type of materials which would suit the purpose of the book sleeve and then choose the correct stitching patterns to sew their designs effectively. Below are some of the children’s completed designs.  

In geography, the children have begun their work on mapping.  We have explored and studied a number of different maps including OS maps, climate maps and contour maps.  With this knowledge in mind, we will soon be visiting The Olympic Park in Stratford to put the children’s knowledge and skills to the test!  Whilst at the park, the children will have to complete various tasks involving surveys, mapping and orienteering.

Juniper

9th February 2024

Over the past half term, Year 3 have continued their exploration of the past, travelling back nearly two thousand to the Roman city of Pompeii. In English we have followed the fate of two children, Tranio and Livia as they flee the eruption of a very angry Mount Vesuvius.

We continued the rocks and volcanos theme in Geography, Science and Art.  We studied the main types of volcano – stratovolcano (cone shaped), shield vocano (dome shaped) and cinder cones, made of ash and cinders. We also looked at the different types of rocks – sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous, the last of which are the result of cooled and solidified lava or magma.

In Science, we studied the creation of fossils from the skeletons  of animals that swam in the oceans millions of years ago. Lawrence was kind enough to share fossils he found on the Jurassic coast in Dorset, evidence of life on Earth 320 million years ago.

Continuing the theme of fossils, in Art we tried our hand at printing and used a pencil to press an image of an ammonite into a polystyrene tile. We created a background using cut-out shapes. Then we rolled the tile with paint and printed it onto the background paper. We printed our tile several times to make the final piece of ammonite art.

Ammonites  were marine animals with a coiled external shell similar to that of the modern nautilus, a type of mollusc.

Banyan

1st December 2023

As part of our Topic unit ‘Changes in Living Memory’ we were excited to welcome the Victorian Toys Drama Workshop which took place recently.  It was lead by an actor dressed as a Victorian toy factory owner-looking for new apprentices to make toys for her. 

The children had the opportunity to dive into Victorian Britain and looked at old toys which children in the past played with. They also had the chance to have a go at a couple of old fashioned street games before looking at a series of Victorian toys in detail which included dolls, yoyos and spinning top. They were encouraged from the beginning to use their enquiry skills and think about similarities and differences between old and modern toys. This visit has further enhanced the knowledge gained within their in-class sessions.

Redwood

24th November 2023

The week overflowed with inspiration and fresh discoveries as we had our hands and minds busy doing assessments and exploring other areas of learning.

In mathematics, we have been building knowledge on multiplication-taking steps that aim to embed the children’s fluency while also providing them with strategies to use the multiplication facts they know to find unknown facts.  In English, we have also continued to refine our handwritings skills and improve our creative writing abilities tailored towards writing a non – chronological report.

In Science we took a step away from the Tudors and have been investigating different separating techniques. This week we set up an experiment to test the most effective filtration process to clean as much dirty water as possible. We observed that the clarity of water from each filtration process differed due to the filter being used.

Most notably, Redwood had a delightful and enriching experience visiting Queen Elizabeth’`s Hunting Lodge in Chingford. They were captivated by an exceptional representation of the Tudor times in the building. They were able to consolidate learning and research about the Tudors.

We explored each floor in-depth with our imaginative hats and travelled back in history to visualise the events that occurred in the building during the Tudor era. The children had fun dressing up as the Tudors and taking part in role play-pretending to be different people from Tudor times. It will continue to be a trip they’ll never forget!

Gingko

17th November 2023

Ginkgo have had a wonderful start to the year, learning lots of exciting things and having some great experiences.

For Black History Month the children participated in a brilliant African drumming workshop. Here they did themselves proud, showing they were excellent listeners and able to follow rhythms and participate in Call and Response pieces.

Our main theme has been Prehistoric Times and we have read some exciting books linked to this – Stone Age Boy and The Great Storm. In art they have explored Stone Age cave paintings and made some beautiful pottery inspired by the work of the Beaker people.

In Science, our theme for the half term is Forces and magnets. The children have been investigating which materials are magnetic and which ones are not. They used magnets to sort objects into a Venn diagram and were a little surprised that some of the objects had some parts which were magnetic and some which were non-magnetic.

4 Laburnum

30th June 2023

Year 4 has had an excellent start this term! This half term, our topic is Ancient Egypt. This week, we travelled to the British Museum and applied our current learning to the artefacts that we saw in the museum. We also learnt interesting facts to deepen our understanding. Did you know that the ancient Egyptians worshipped over 2,000 gods and goddesses?

In English, we are reading our new book ‘I was there, Tutankhamun’s tomb’ and the children will shortly begin writing their own historical fiction stories based on the book.  In History, the children are busy learning about the different roles of people during Ancient Egypt as this varied depending on their wealth and education.

Lastly, in Design and Technology, the children carefully created their own pavilion structures inspired by current structures in London. Next week, we will create our own complex pavilion structures using lolly sticks and our knowledge of 2D and 3D shapes!

2 Davidia

31st March 2023

2D had a very busy week last, week 5 of the term, as they were practising for their SATS which will be in week 5 of the following summer term. It is super important that the children are reading every day and practising their arithmetic skills. The children have worked so hard this year and we want them to do their very best!

For British Science Week, we had a chance to work collaboratively and made posters called ‘FARM’ that were focussed around food chains and food webs. We discussed what would happen if the farmer knocked down the barn which is where the bats and owls roost. How do you think it would impact the food chains or food webs?

In Science, we started our investigation and our question is: Do insects have a favourite colour? We have planned our investigation, where we have discussed our independent, dependent and controlled variables, and we will be conducting our investigation on Friday 31st March and writing up our results and conclusions! Living Things and Their Habitats has been a favourite for many of our 2D children. 

In Maths, we have been learning about unit and non-unit fractions and we have also been practising the column method (which will be really useful for our SATs!). Again, 2D are always so engaged and enthusiastic in their Maths lessons and they work so well with each other on the tables. 

In English we have been reading and writing about Mrs Tiggy Winkle. The children have engrossed themselves in the world of Beatrix Potter and love the characters which include Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny.

Finally, in DT, the children have made pouches! Impressively, they learnt how to do a running stitch independently. I was so pleased to see how careful and gentle they were with their tools. Well done 2D! 

6 Tamarind

24th March 2023

On Monday, Year 6 went to the Imperial War Museum as part of our WWI and WWII History topic, Britain at War. We had a brilliant time discovering more about the world wars and life on the home front. We were amazed to explore the real-life fighter planes, tanks and trucks that were actually used to fight during that period. We even got to spend time in an Anderson and Morrison Shelter to get a sense of how hard it must have been for families during the Blitz.

Our workshop session was based around a WWI Documentary Challenge. We worked in teams of three and four to create, direct and edit a real documentary about WWI. It was so fun to use smartphones to navigate the gallery and tell the stories that interested us the most. It was challenging to fit everything in, but we were really pleased with our final results. It wasn’t easy avoiding members of the public and other school children, who kept walking into our takes, but we persevered. 6T might just go on to produce the next great documentary maker of the future.  

3 Hornbeam

3rd March 2023

This half term we are learning about the Romans. Our class novel is ‘Roman Diary – The Journal of Iliona’ by Richard Platt and is about girl who is captured by pirates and sold as a slave to a Roman family. Through her journal, we learn how life was like during the Roman times. We have written descriptions of Roman Baths and are looking forward to writing our own diary entries as a Roman child.

In History, we have been finding out who the Romans were and where they fit in with other periods in history. We have been using AD and BC to place key events in chronological order. Now, we want to find out why the Romans invaded Britain.

In Science, our topic is ‘Light and Shadows’. So far, we have investigated how light travels, by placing some items in a box and shining a torch through holes. We discovered that light travels in straight lines as we could only see the objects right below the torch beam. By making a reflection tester, using a torch and white card, we were able to test a range of materials to see if they were good reflectors and therefore suitable as a reflective strip on a school bag. Mirrors and shadows still to come!

2 Elm

10th February 2023

Our topic this half term has been the scented garden and we have been engrossed by all things to do with plants. We have grown our own bean plants and have been carefully observing how they have changed from a seed into a plant. We have also conducted an experiment to determine what plants need to survive. We did this by growing cress in 4 different ways. What do our results tell you about what plants need to survive?

Art has had a plant focus too. We learnt about primary and secondary colours by making our own colour wheel which of course needed to have a flowery theme. We are also in the process of making an abstract 3D meadow filled with flowers.

We have also put the final touches on our class bird following the ‘Big schools’ Birdwatch’. Can you guess which bird we were allocated? We see them everywhere!

1 Banyan

3rd February 2023

Last week, Year 1 children thoroughly enjoyed counting the number of birds that they saw in the playground for ‘Big Schools’ Birdwatch’ week. The children helped to collect birdwatching data to help the RSPB wildlife charity to determine if the bird population is healthy and help build a picture of how our UK birds are coping with the challenges of the nature and climate emergency. They used a bird identification chart and tally sheet to help record their results.

We also did research on our class bird, ‘the Great Tit’ and created some lovely art work including a whole class collage for our classroom door in addition to many wonderful water colour paintings.

6 Waratah

27th January 2023

In 6W, our topic this term is Frozen Kingdom. Through this topic, we are exploring the polar regions of the world. We have learnt lots and lots of fascinating things for example, did you know that in the summer months, the sun never sets in Antarctica and the Arctic? Amazing! In line with our topic, we are reading a book by Hannah Gold titled, The Last Bear. The book is about an 11-year-old girl who made friends with a polar bear somewhere in the Arctic Circle. We have found the storyline very engaging and we have written our own adventure stories based on the plot of the book.

Alongside this, in science, we have been learning about classification. We applied this knowledge by creating a Linneaus sorting diagram to differentiate between living organisms we share the planet with as well as developing our understanding of how creatures are binomially named. Also, we were super excited to apply our knowledge of classification for our Big Birdwatch project. Our class bird is a goldfinch and we found out that its scientific name is Carduelis carduelis!

R Pear

20th January 2023

Our Topic this term is ‘Into the Forest’. We are looking at traditional tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Little Pigs. This week, our book of the week is The Gingerbread Man. We have had a busy week completing lots of activities related to our book. In our creative area, we have painted our own Gingerbread man! In the malleable area we made our own Gingerbread man out of playdough. In our fine motor area, we designed and cut our own Gingerbread man. In the writing area we told the story using our phonics to help sound out and spell out words. We also decorated our own Gingerbread man with icing and decorations. The best part was when we got to take it home and eat it!

4 Maple

9th December 2022

Year four kicked this half term off with an educational visit to Lea Valley to explore rivers as part of our Rivers and Mountains Topic. The children engaged in an interactive group tour around the River Lea with a Lea Valley education expert to identify the features of a river. 

Following this, the children had the opportunity to utilise Lea Valley’s bird watching centre.  The children used binoculars to carefully spot different varieties of birds who visit the River Lea and its associated lakes and ponds.  The children reported sighting ducks, herons, gulls, drakes and even the very rare Bittern bird!

On returning from Lea Valley, the children used their art skills to sketch and label parts of the River Lea.

2 Davidia

2nd December 2022

2D has been very busy - as usual! In Geography, we have been learning about human and physical features and were reminiscing about our visit to one of London’s most famous landmarks: Tower Bridge! We now know that it is a human feature.

In Science, we have been continuing our learning about materials and their properties and this week we tested the strength of different kinds of paper. In DT, we have been making castles with drawbridges where we have had an opportunity to link our Science, Geography and DT knowledge, skills and understanding together. Finally, we have also been creative and made some Christmas crackers ready for our whole school Christmas display.

3 Hornbeam

25th November 2022

This term, Year 3 have been exploring life in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. We learned how Ancient Britons fashioned tools out of wood and flint, and lived in small nomadic groups called clans. Over a long period of time, the discovery of bronze, and later iron, together with the advent of farming led to the building of hill forts and more permanent settlements.

Quiz:  How many fronted adverbials can you find on this page?

While our English and history relate to millennia past, our Design and Technology project was very much present day. We have been exploring pneumatics, a branch of engineering that uses pressurised air to cause a movement or lift a heavy object. We used balloons, pumps and syringes to make monster models from recycled boxes.

1 Alder

18th November 2022

This half-term, Year 1 Alder children have been enjoying our topic ‘Paws, Claws and Whiskers’. In this topic, children have been learning about big cats, small rats, tiny fleas and buzzing bees!

Children learned that animals come in all shapes and sizes! They were able to discuss similarities and differences between animals, look at different habitats around the world and investigate camouflage. Children were able to use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features around the environment. They were able to locate the world's seven continents on a world map and identify some countries and continents that are home to different species of big cat. In order to support our learning, we have even invited Suntrap to visit us this term to bring in a variety of animals which the children can observe and interact with at the visit.  

Reception Pear

11th November 2022

Our Topic this half term in Reception is ‘Festivals’. We have been looking at the festival of Diwali. Diwali is an important festival celebrated by many around the world. It is often celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. It is sometimes called the ‘festival of lights’. We have been doing lots of fun activities learning about Diwali. We have been making Rangoli patterns, firework pictures and Diya lamps out of clay. We moulded the clay into a shape of a Diya and used tools to carve patterns in them. When dry, we painted them and decorated them with glitter.

6 Tamarind

4th November 2022

This is week in 6T, we delved into the past to explore the Victorian era. We started our lesson trying to put important dates from British history in chronological order. We had to rely on our knowledge of History from KS1 and KS2, which was tricky, but we managed to correctly order everything. Then we used pieces of artwork as primary sources to make inferences about the lives of different Victorian families. We were shocked to learn that many children did not go to school in this time and had to work to help support their families. We are really excited to continue to discover more about this important part of our history.

5 Pine

21st October 2022

Year 5 has had a positive start to the year. Our topic this term is the Tudors which links to our fantastic class text, ‘Treason’ by Berlie Doherty. In English we have written our own pieces of historical fiction and have formed balanced arguments to explore Henry VIII’s break from Rome.

In Art, we began the year by exploring tints and tones but have moved on to explore Tudor painters such as Hans Holbein and creating out own miniature portraits using water colours. 

In Science, our focus has been on Resistant Materials and the students have planned and participated in several experiments involving thermal insulators, absorbency and testing the strength of a variety of materials.  5 Pine also produced some fantastic environmental themed poems for World Poetry Day, many of which are now on display around the school.

3 Hornbeam

14th October 2022

Year 3 has had a great start to the year. This half term, our topic is Traders and Raiders. In English, we are reading ‘How to Train your Dragon’ and the children are busy writing their information texts for varied topics. In Science, the children have enjoyed various experiments that involve electrical circuits and learning about the different components that make up a circuit!

In Design and Technology, the children experimented with commonly found materials to create their own functioning torches! The children carefully assembled torches with circuits using recycled plastic water bottles and foil. Next, they will be focusing on evaluating their torch designs.

In History, the children are enjoying learning about the Anglo-Saxons. Year 4 have completed research on various aspects of Viking life including Viking families and jobs. The children have organised their research into leaflets and information texts! 

Year 3 Gingko

7th October 2022

3G has had an excellent start to the new year and are learning lots of exciting things. Our topic is Tribal Tales - Prehistoric times. In English we are reading Stig of the Dump, whilst in History we are finding out about Stone Age life, which helps us understand Stig more. In art we have designed our own Beaker Pots, which are an ancient style of pottery - about 4500 years old! We will then model our very own clay pots.

In history we have created timelines and had a go at being archaeologists! We used clues to work out what the different flints were.

In science we have been doing lots of experiments that investigate what plants need to grow well. We have used cress seeds and given some seeds nothing, others a little water, light and soil and the third group has a lot of water, soil and light. 

Year 2 Elm

30th September 2022

This half term our topic is land ahoy. We have sailed the seas looking for explorers and pirates. This week we found out about some famous female pirates. We learned that most pirates were very superstitious and believed that females were unlucky to have on board. This didn’t stop Anne Bonny or Mary Read, they were just as fierce as the men. Mary Read even dressed up as a man so she could sail the seas.  

In English, we have read ‘the Troll’ by Julia Donaldson and have been busy planning and writing our stories all about our very own under the bridge characters.

In science, we have been learning all about different materials so we can choose the best ones to make our own boats with later in the term. This week we were testing which shape boat is best for holding as much pirate treasure as possible.

Year 1 Banyan

23rd September 2022

This half-term, Year 1 children have been enjoying our topic ‘childhood’. In this topic, children have been learning about everyday life and families today, including comparisons with childhood in the 1950s, using artefacts and a range of different sources. The children were able to look at various items from the past and compare these to toys that they have now. Children were able to discuss in much detail similarities and differences in the toys and identify what materials the various items were made from. They really enjoyed playing with many of the toys which included marbles; dolls; finger puppets; yoyos; cup and ball and spinning top.

Reception Pear

16th September 2022

It has been a busy and exciting week in Reception. We have settled in well and are learning our class routines. We have been exploring different areas of learning indoors and outdoors. In the construction area, we have been building ‘big fire trucks. In the maths area, we have been counting objects to 5 and matching the numeral. We have made lots of new friends. We have enjoyed exploring the climbing frame. Our book of the week is ‘Harry and the Dinosaurs go to school’. The book is all about Harry’s first day at school.

5 Pine

10th June 2022

This week has been art week and we’ve been looking at 3D Mark Making. On Monday, the children had an insight to Liz Pichon’s Mark Making (Tom Gates Illustrator) they followed her instructions to create their own versions of the character Tom Gates. They also had to opportunity to listen to a range of music and used that as inspiration to draw what came to mind.

They challenged themselves on Wednesday, focusing on the artist Favour Jonathan and her inspired sculptures; to build a sculpture from inspiration taken from a memorable moment in their lives. We finished the week by incorporating all the skills they used throughout this week’s lessons and collaborated with their peers in creating a mega masterpiece from resources brought from home. Have a look at what our artistic young minds have created!

Reception Pear

20th May 2022

This half term our topic is People who help us. We were lucky enough to meet a real fire fighter and try on some of his uniform!

We created pictures of fire fighters and police officers and of a range of emergency vehicles like fire engines and police cars. We used a range of materials such as paint and oil pastel.

In the Home Corner we have created the Children’s Ward of a hospital. Patients are seen by doctors and triaged! They are able to have their eyes tested, x-rays are taken and treatment are given. We are also learning about the NHS and the different uniforms that people wear.

In Literacy we have been reading the story ‘The Train Ride’. We talked a lot about our own train journeys and then looked closely at steam trains. We used our imaginations to anticipate the next part of the story and talked about what we might see looking out of the window of a train. We then wrote sentences describing what we could see out of the window. We used our phonics to write, practising our new sounds.

1 Alder

13th May 2022

This week In Geography we have been using simple compass directions, locational and directional language, to describe the location of features and routes on a map. We directed beetbots using directional language such as forwards and backwards, left and right. We used grid lines and space terrain map. We programmed the beetbot to move around the map.

3 Hornbeam

6th May 2022

Back once again for an online update about the adventures of 3H! This term has been an interesting one, with students learning about the trials and tribulations of the Greek Gods. Our studies of the Greek Gods haven’t just been dissected within our History and Art lessons but also our English studies. Children have even been given the opportunity to create their own Greek God, leading to very entertaining and powerful character descriptions!

Mathematics has been an interesting time…. Since we have been learning about, you guessed it, time! Students have been confronted by the dreaded 24 hr clock and have even faced the challenge of reading by the minute off an analogue clock. For those of you wishing to join us in our study of this brand new topic, feel free to do some practice of reading an analogue clocks at home.

All in all, it has been a fantastically interesting start to our final term of the academic year, with students already proving that they are ready to face the challenges ahead of them!

4 Katsura

29th April 2022

This half term our topic is 1066 and the Norman Conquest. We are reading the historical story book, “1066, I was there,” by Jim Eldridge which the children are thoroughly enjoying. We are studying life in Anglo Saxon England and then the Norman conquest. This is throwing up lots of thought-provoking questions from the pupils. We have already written an election campaign for a potential king of England which the children found a challenge but attacked with gusto!

In Art and Design we are looking at our looking at the ancient skill of weaving. So far, we have explored examples of woven cloth and looked at the technical terms relating to weaving.  Next week, we are very excited to actually start weaving on our own mini looms. We aim to create a shape on our looms and so use two colours!

2 Elm

25th March 2022

This half term our topic has been movers and shakers. We have been reading many Beatrix Potter tales which has inspired us in many ways. We have written our own stories, letters and we have just finished writing instructions. Mr McGregor’s garden is a terrible place to be if you are a bunny so we needed to write a set of clear instructions informing other bunnies about how to escape!

In our history lessons, we have been exploring many different historical figures such as Vincent Van Gogh, Christopher Columbus, Neil Armstrong and many more! We have researched their lives and how they have made significant changes or discoveries. Can you think of any people that have been significant in history?

In DT, we have been busy learning to sew so that we can make our very own explorer pouches. We chose a significant explorer and designed a pouch specifically with them in mind. We carefully cut out our fabric and have just finished sewing our pieces together. Next, we need to add our design to the front. What designs would you choose?

5 Redwood

18th March 2022

This half term in year 5, This half term we have started our swimming lessons! We are all super excited! This is an amazing opportunity for the children to gain confidence in a sport that they can continue on outside of school.

We have been looking at the book ‘Hugo Cabret’ by Brian Selznick. The theme of the book is a mechanical man and we have explored the idea of this in our D.T lessons.  The children have spent the past few weeks researching, designing and creating their own robotic hands.  Take a look at the outcomes:

Reception Apple

11th March 2022

This half term our topic is Growth. We spoke about the different things needed to enable a plant to grow. We talked about the different parts of the flower including the petals and stem. The children then had a go at creating their own flower through cutting and sticking.

This half term, we have also been looking at the work of Andy Goldsworthy. We looked at a range of beans and pulses and created our own still life flowers using these materials. Like Andy Goldsworthy, we wanted our art to be temporary so once we had taken a photo, we then removed all the beans.

In maths this week, we have been looking at mass and weight. We used scales to investigate what happens when we put different objects on either side. We have been using the language ‘heavier’, ‘lighter’ and ‘balanced’ to explain our observations.

1 Banyan

3rd March 2022

This week, Year 1 took part in many fun activities to celebrate World Book Day.

Children thoroughly enjoyed the ‘DEAR moments’ (Drop Everything And Read) which happened throughout the week. Once they heard the librarians blow their whistles, they dropped everything and read a book for 5 minutes.

1B were very excited at ‘Guess the masked reader’ challenge, in which the children had to guess which masked staff member was reading an extract from a book. The children had opportunities to write down their guesses and win prizes.

On World Book Day we had lots of fun dressing up as characters from books. Children created a character passport for the character they dressed as. It was fantastic to see how enthusiastic children were to read and retell their favourite stories. We finished the day with a looking for Wally and his friends in the playground. 

6 Tamarind

25th February 2022

This half-term, Year 6 are studying World War II. We are reading the modern classic; Goodnight Mister Tom, which tells the story of a young boy named William Beech, who is evacuated out of London due to the outbreak of WWII. He finds himself in the small village of Little Weirwold, surrounded by new and fantastic sights. William is put under the care of a seemingly grumpy man named Mr Thomas Oakley, but all is not what it seems.

We will be studying the causes of WWII and making links to the impact that World War I had on Europe throughout the 1920s and 30s. It has been amazing to see the enthusiasm and incredible knowledge that Year 6 already possess and it will be fantastic to see this broaden and deepen over the next six weeks.

It has been fantastic to see Year 6 making links to the past and considering how events have impacted the present day. As they say; “those who do not learn History are destined to make the same mistakes.

3 Gingko

11^th February 2022

Class Corner 3 Gingko 3G have been very enthusiastic about their new topic - ‘Rock, Relics and Rumbles’! We started off the unit with a rock hunt around the school, which the children thoroughly enjoyed.

In Science, we have been learning about the three types of rocks: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic and how each one is formed. The children then described the properties of a range of rocks including granite, slate and pumice and explained how they are used in everyday life.

In Art, the children have been learning about artistic techniques used in sketching and printmaking. Here are some images of our ammonite fossils on polystyrene tiles!

In Geography, we have been learning about Earthquakes and Volcanoes. The children learnt about the four layers of the Earth and how the crust and uppermost layer of the mantel is made of carefully placed together jigsaw pieces called tectonic plates. In addition, the children learnt about the different types of volcanos and statuses.

To celebrate the end of this wonderful unit, the children finished making their 3D volcanoes and watched them EXPLODE today!

4 Maple

4th February 2022

4M have been enjoying their topic - ‘The Blue Abyss’. Last week in science, we classified sea animals and creatures into different groups. We then created classification keys in order to organise their very interesting characteristics. This week, we learnt about food chains. We now know what a producer and consumer is!

This week in Geography, we learnt about erosion and deposition of rivers. 4M found that erosion and deposition can change the shape of a river forming meanders and oxbow lakes. For the last couple of weeks, 4M have been adding all of the knowledge that they have gained in geography into their history and geography scrap books which they will be taking home with them in year 6!

These knowledgeful scrapbooks have shown how very creative this class can be! It has been an absolute joy to see the little artists inside of them shine bright as they show and tell everything they know! Not to forget their creativity when choreographing a river dance in PE; making sure they incorporate the skills (unison, canon and call & response) that they had learnt over the weeks.

For the last three weeks in English, we have been reading and writing about our core text ‘The Sandman and The Turtle’. We have written setting descriptions about beaches & islands, character comparisons and a story based on our theme. We have been trying hard to form our letters correctly and to write different types of sentences in a paragraph.

This week in English, we have been delving deeper into facts about The Blue Abyss. We have read many non-fiction articles and have had a very heated debate about the global problem of ‘plastic pollution’. Next week, we will be writing letters to the prime minister hoping he can help make a difference.

Last week in maths, we had been working very hard to master the written methods for multiplication and division. We practised answering reasoning style questions. This week, we have overcome our ‘fractions’ fears! We have mastered identifying unit and non-unit fractions and have been working very hard on finding equivalent fractions.