It has been a busy week with children visiting London and the local area, a harvest celebration and parent evenings for all.
Nursery kicked off the week making their very own bird feeders – it got a little messy but the children absolutely loved it! They used the leftover bird seed in a messy play tray, where some of them practised pouring and mixing in different containers while others used outdoor trucks to transport the seeds around. The children also read a new story, ‘Peace at Last’, and have enjoyed joining in with Mr Bear’s repeated line, “OH NO! I can’t stand this!” In maths, Nursery have been exploring the number 3, where they went on a hunt around the environment to spot hidden pictures that represent 3. It’s been a busy and joyful week.
In Reception this week the children have started practising their phonics and been Giants in PE.
You can read more here:
https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/173649
In maths this week, Year 1 have partitioned numbers using counters, part-whole models and tens frames. Additionally, they have written number sentences to show how they add together numbers. In English, the children used adjectives to describe the bear’s hat from the story ‘I Want my Hat Back’ and described how the bear felt after losing his hat. This week in science, Year 1 investigated the statement ‘bigger hands pick up the greatest number of cubes’. They discovered that the statement is true as the teachers have bigger hands and picked up the most cubes! On Tuesday, the children visited the local park to identify human and physical features in the local area which linked to their thematic topic. They also observed any signs of autumn, linking to our ‘seasonal changes’ topic in science. Year 1 had a great time in the park and later on in the week created a map of the route they took to get there.
This week in English, Year 2 have been consolidating their use of capital letters, finger spaces and past tense verbs ready to retell the story of ‘The Bear and The Piano’. The children created their own story maps and are looking forward to using these to support their writing. In maths, the children have been working on number bonds of 10, 100 and 20. They have been spotting patterns and thinking about how knowing bonds of 10 can help us to know bonds of 100 and 20. During computing sessions, the children have been thinking about privacy and learning how to create strong passwords and usernames. In gymnastics, they learnt about balance points and practised using varying numbers of balance points whilst working in pairs. In science, the children learnt about different food groups and have begun to explore what it means to have a balanced diet and why this is important.
In English, Year 3 have continued working on their non-chronological reports about the Tyrannosaurus Rex by using subordinating conjunctions to link interesting facts, alongside crafting intriguing, inviting and enticing introductions to hook the reader right away. Meanwhile in maths, they have been wrapping up their topic on place value by focusing on their 3-, 4- and 8-times tables and applying these skills to solve multi-step problems. During whole class reading, the children have been completely immersed in the wonderful book ‘Dinosaurium’, while in thematic lessons, the children practised dynamic sketching techniques to show shade, tone and texture They used their new skills to draw a detailed image of the Crystal Palace for the front cover of their thematic books.
It’s been a busy and creative week in Year 4! In maths, the children have been mastering place value, learning to plot numbers accurately on a number line and rounding to the nearest 10. In English, the children have been channelling their inner warriors by crafting powerful persuasive sentences and rhetorical questions in preparation for writing their own Boudica speeches. Meanwhile, in art, pupils have been refining their pencil control while sketching facial features and exploring the key principles of proportion.
This week in maths, Year 5 have been busy consolidating their understanding of the column method, adding and subtracting 4- and 5-digit numbers as well as using their estimation and rounding skills. In English, the children thought creatively to generate detailed paragraphs linked to their visual literacy ‘Alma’. They have used lots of ISPACE openers to improve their writing and thinking about ‘show not tell’. In thematic sessions this week, Year 5 have been using their sketching skills to draw Viking helmets, including detailed patterns and shades. In RE the children have looked at the features of a Gurdwara and discussed the rituals of a Sikh’s place of worship. In reading, the children have been learning about ‘The Bristol Bus Boycott’ and compared the similarities and differences between that boycott and the story of Rosa Parks. Year 5 started their Online Safety unit in computing and thought about what makes a secure password. They are also working on sloped letters in handwriting and beginning to apply this in the rest of their learning.
In English, Year 6 have begun their exciting new unit on the Suffragette Movement, learning about the famous suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst and her campaign for women’s right to vote. This week, the children took part in a fantastic immersion lesson, where they experienced inequality through practical activities, helping them understand the unfair treatment of women in the past. They have also been exploring famous persuasive speeches, identifying the language and techniques used to engage and influence an audience. By the end of the unit, the children will write their own persuasive speeches, encouraging others to join the Suffragette Movement and fight for women’s right to vote. In maths, we have continued our fractions unit, developing our understanding of ordering and comparing fractions. The children have also been revisiting how to convert between improper fractions and mixed numbers, applying their knowledge to a range of reasoning and problem-solving questions. Finally, Year 6 enjoyed a fantastic trip to the Natural History Museum this week, supporting their Science unit on Evolution and Inheritance. The children had the opportunity to investigate fascinating fossils, visit the Darwin Centre and take part in an engaging workshop exploring adaptation and survival of the fittest, based on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to bring their classroom learning to life and deepen their understanding of how living things have adapted and evolved over time.
Harvest Festival
Many thanks to everyone who donated goods to our harvest appeal for the Nightwatch charity which has been feeding Croydon’s homeless for the past 50 years. The school council treated us to a very thought-provoking assembly today where we were all able to reflect on what we have to be thankful for.
Sports News
Well done to our Boys’ Football team who kicked off their season on Thursday. The boys played a home match against Courtwood and exhibited some excellent skills and great teamwork. Goals from Zac (4) Woody (2) and Jack led the boys to a convincing 7-0 win. Thoroughly well done to everyone involved.
Wear Red
Next week, all children are invited to wear red on Friday to support the campaign stand up to racism. This is an awareness raising event so there is no need to bring any financial donations but children are encouraged to wear something red or go all out and wear red all over. If your child is scheduled for PE on Friday, please make sure they are wearing suitable footwear.
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Please check these dates as the list is regularly updated.
Friday 16th October – Show Racism the Red Card – Wear Red day
Thursday 22rd October end of half term
Tuesday 3rd November – First day back to school
Thursday 5th November: FOAP Fireworks display
Thursday 5th November: Year 1 Science Museum trip.
Friday 6th November: Magenta Class assembly
Friday 13th November: Indigo Class assembly
Friday 20th November: Cyan Class assembly
Friday 20th November: Year 4 Roman Workshop
Friday 20th November: Year 2 Hampton Court Palace trip
Friday 27th November: Amber Class assembly
Wednesday 2nd December: Year 1 church visit.
Friday 18th December: End of Term
Monday 4th January: Back to school
