News
Newsletter for the week ending Friday 8th April
A lovely last week of term. Please do read on to find out what has been going on in all the classes.
For next term we have made a few operational changes to continue our efforts to return to pre Covid normality. To ensure you are aware of these changes please read this letter.
As a holiday approaches our mind swings around to the need for extra vigilance regarding children being safe online with all their extra freetime .Please click here for an update on current e-safety matters.
Please click here for details of the May Fair Parade fancy dress competition on 30th April and here for an entry form.
Atlantic Racquet Centre are holding a free family day on Saturday 23rd April for all the family to come and try out tennis, badminton, table tennis and the gym. They have different classes happening through the day with expert coaches on hand to help you. For more info please use the link below and feel free to just turn up on the day, no booking required. http://www.atlanticracquetcentre.co.uk/opendays
Well done to this half term winners of the Literacy Cup and the Values Cup and to Arctic House for winning the House Cup.
We wish you all a super Easter break and look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 25th April.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
AROUND THE CLASSES
This week in Turtles and Dolphins we have carried on learning about Spring. We visited the Jungle on Tuesday to look for the signs of Spring. We used our senses to explore the Jungle. On Thursday we talked about Easter. We read the story and talked about how and why we celebrate Easter. We also cooked Easter biscuits. We made Easter baskets to take our biscuits home in. We hope you all have a lovely Easter break.
This week year 1 have been making more slime! We tried out a different recipe this week and then had a go at writing the instructions. We took pictures of each step to use for our final write up because we found that having pictures makes the instructions more interesting and easier to follow. In Maths we have carried on with measuring and have enjoyed measuring items around the classroom. We’ve been learning about Easter in RE this week and also got to do some baking with Mrs Monroe!
Lundy Puffins have had another brilliant half term! Well done for all your hard work. In English, they have written a description of the machine from the new book they will be looking at after the Easter break: The Dragon Machine. In Maths, they have completed their work on 3D shapes and have been describing them using the mathematical terminology: faces, edges and vertices. They have completed their topic ‘What does it take to be a great explorer?’ by thinking about what sort of person might be needed to travel to Mars in the future. Mrs Stephens, Mrs Halloway and I (Mrs Stanbury) hope that you have a relaxing break with your families.
All year groups celebrated all things Easter and Spring this week. They listened to the music of Vivaldi and read the poetry of Wordsworth whilst making their own “host of golden daffodils. Year 5 are beginning to recognize the notes on the stave and considered quavers whilst playing Hot Cross Buns in four parts on the recorder. Year 3 filmed their katak dancing including the narration to tell the story of Krishna and the Mountain.
In maths this week, Seahunter have been learning how to create and interpret data using pictograms. In English, the children have been practising using skills for punctuating speech as well as creating a storyboard and mapping out our innovate writing. In Topic, the class have been researching significant monuments to discover when and why they were built. Year 3 imagined what it might be like to be living in the Bronze Age and wrote postcards home to their families.
HMS Echo have had a wonderful final week of term, the highlight being a trip to Coldharbour Mill near Tiverton. They dressed as Victorian children and found out what working conditions were like. As part of a living drama experience, they met the somewhat intimidating ‘Mr Robson’ who put them through their paces finding out if they had what it took to work in the mill. They also met ‘Annie Armstrong’, a lady who struggled to keep her job as she wanted to fight for the rights of women and children in the workplace. The children were shocked by that harsh conditions and showed great empathy towards Annie and her plight. They showed great resilience, some standing up to Mr Robson to fight for Annie’s rights…a brave move indeed! In the afternoon, they enjoyed a tour of the mill using audio guides and learnt about how the introduction of steam engines changed Britain. It was an amazing day.
Year 5 have been busy completing their space poems and their favourites have been published. They are now confident in writing a haiku, Kenning, cinquain and acrostic poem. In maths they have been applying all their skills in solving Easter word problems. We have compared the big bang theory to the creation story and answered the question: Is creation and science conflicting or complimentary? A group from the class went to Buckland Brewer this week to take part in a musical event. Please find out more by reading their report. Thank you Y5 for working so hard this term (this shows in your end of term assessments). Have a wonderful break with your families and we look forward to seeing what the summer term brings! On the 7th of April, some of us went to Buckland Brewer town hall. We learnt and produced the musical Carmen. Our group spent the morning learning the theme tunes of the characters (Don – Hoza, Carmen, Macala and Es Camilo) and doing warm-ups. As one of our warm-ups, we played opposites. It was where if someone clapped their hands, we would stamp our feet. Reporters: Rosie, Amelie, Lottie, Ruby and Nancy. We sang a lot of songs e.g. “Hey Mr Miller”. At the end of the day, we performed the piece. Amelie was Macala, Nancy and Rosie were selling pots, Ruby was a goat cheese seller (and a Narrator) and Lottie was a Narrator and a buyer. We loved it very much.
Year 6 have been busy designing wizarding gadgets in literacy – some very inventive ideas so far. In science, they have been continuing to look into healthy lifestyles and have discussed the effects of some drugs and alcohol. They have also talked about medicines and their uses. In maths, which we have done a fair amount of this week, it’s been a variety of topics from pie charts, to parts of a circle, angles in polygons and timetables as they come to the end of their main curriculum input before SATs. Please try to encourage your children to keep their skills ticking along over the holidays and help them to remember some of the facts they need. Enjoy the Easter break.
