JUNIOR DEPARTMENT NEWS

This week in Reception

Reception had a lovely start to the week with a Spring Walk around the School grounds.

We set off looking for any signs of Spring and were delighted to find daffodils, snow drops, blossom and trees in bud. We heard the birds in the trees and talked about the animals that would soon be born.

It was a inspiring introduction to our new seasonal topic of Spring, and we look forward to sharing more of our springtime discoveries with you!

Have a lovely weekend,

The Reception Team

This week in Year 1

In our classrooms this week, Year 1 pupils have been creating lots of wonderful artwork related to the stories of Julia Donaldson.

We have made fearsome gruffalos and strange-looking aliens with a range of different media. Have a look at some of our creations below:

This week, in Forest School, we have continued these creative exploits by making our very own Stick Men with natural materials – again, some photos below!

Have a lovely weekend!

The Year One Team

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Head Lice appear to be making unwelcome visit to Year 1 at the moment. Please read Matron’s Fact Sheet for more information about how to treat and keep head lice at bay.

This week in Year 2

Science was our focus in Year 2 this week as we immersed ourselves into the world of animals.

We looked at the wide variety of animals which live in hot and cold climates, and thought about why they are so well suited to living there. We looked closely at the camel and were amazed to discover that it’s actually their stomach that can store up to 100 litres of water rather than their hump which stores fat! Group work was the order of the day and we had great fun with the Food Chain Game and sorting animals into different habitats.

In maths, we thought about giving change and how to solve two step problems. We decided that we have most success when we use the manipulatives (coins in this case!), exchanging 10ps for 1ps to work out tricky sums. Well done to those children who have been powering through NUMBOTS. Even five minutes a day is making a huge difference to your maths confidence.

How many book characters can you spot in our sliding moving mechanism cards?

Have a lovely weekend,

The Year Two Team

Congratulations, Sasha

Last weekend, Sasha (2B) competed in a Miss Quatro Gymnastics tournament in Wiltshire.

Competing against girls in both Year 2 and Year 3, and in a field of more than 60 competitors, Sasha came an amazing third overall, scooping a bronze medal for her achievements!

Well done Sasha, we are all incredibly proud of how hard you work at your gymnastics – you thoroughly deserve your fabulous medal!

Mrs Bloomfield

From the Junior Library

Library Recommendation: Ada and the Galaxies by Alan Lightman & Olga Pastuchiv

Illustrated with original pictures from the Hubble telescope, Ada and the Galaxies is a tender story covering family bonds and touching upon the wider galaxy.

Living in New York, Ada isn’t able to see the stars at night so she heads up to her grandfather’s house in Maine in the hope of finding them. Hindered by fog, her grandfather explains the stars to her until the fog finally parts.

The book finishes with an author’s note providing details of the Hubble telescope and astronomers theories.

Teacher’s Book of the Week: “Peepo”, by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

This week is it Mrs Roden’s turn to share her favourite book with us! This is probably one of the most famous “baby books” ever written and Mrs Roden loves it because “there is so much more to be read in the illustrations, a story within a story”

Head’s Commendations

Well done to all the recipients of Mr Balfour’s Commendations this week:

Year Group	Nurture	Engage	Inspire
Reception	Harper, Naomi, Alfie, Dominic	-
Year 1	Niya, Isabel K, Louis, Teddy	Felix, Allegra, Annabel,	Gracie, Robert
Year 2	-	James R, Charlie M	-