The half term seems to have flown by but when we reflect on all that has happened in school we can see where the time went. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a restful break. We look forward to seeing you back on Tuesday the 3rd of November.
Nursery had a great week this week. They started the week reading ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It’ and singing the nursery rhyme. Inspired by the story’s celebration of children from around the world, the children created a beautiful class tree mural. Every child printed their handprint onto the tree to symbolise that together they are a ‘class family’, growing and learning together.
In Maths, Nursery explored the number 5 and sang 5 Little Speckled Frogs. The children used their fingers to help them count and looked for ‘5’ in the environment. For Black History Month, the children were introduced to a wonderful traditional nursery rhyme called Yellow Bird, which they loved learning and making up actions for. The children also learned about the vibrant work of artist Alma Thomas and created their own colourful abstract pieces inspired by her unique style.
In Reception this week, the children have been reading ‘The Leaf Thief’ by Alice Hemming and the children learned about the artist Lubaina Himid. Read more here:
https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/atw-reception-black-history-month-and-the-leaf-thief
In English this week, Year 1 sequenced the events of ‘The Gingerbread Man’ story and orally rehearsed each part in groups. The children then retold the story in simple sentences using capital letters, full stops and finger spaces. They also extended their sentences to include adjectives. During maths, the children explored number bonds to 10. They also completed a challenge where they needed to decide which items would cost 10p using their knowledge of number bonds. Year 1 have been observing seasonal changes linked to the season of autumn in science and discussed the changes as we grow up in their thematic lessons.
This week in Year 2, the children have enjoyed learning and performing the classic poem ‘The Owl and The Pussycat’. Through the poem, they have explored the concepts of nonsense, rhyme and repetition. They enjoyed using prosody and adding actions when performing. In maths, the children have continued their learning on addition and have been working towards adding 2 two-digit numbers together. As part of their history learning, they have explored John Blanke, a black Tudor trumpeter, who famously wrote to King Henry VIII asking for more money. In science the children have discussed the importance of exercise and its impact on their body.
This week in Year 3, the children have been thoroughly engaged across all areas of the curriculum, starting in English where they wrote atmospheric story introductions to ‘The Lump’ from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, skillfully using prepositions and high-level verbs to build tension. In Maths, the children mastered 2- and 3-digit addition using the expanded column method, securing the key mathematical concept that ten ones are equal to one ten as they practised exchanging at the ones column. During Whole Class Reading, Year 3 explored the inspiring book Young, Gifted and Black, looking at the lives of multiple significant figures, with a special focus on the incredible achievements of musician Stevie Wonder and Olympic champion Nicola Adams. Finally, in History, the children stepped back into the Victorian era to compare life before and after the Industrial Revolution across homes, jobs, and travel, which sparked a lively debate on whether they would have preferred living before or after the industrialisation of the UK.
It has been a productive week in Year 4. In mathematics, the children have been mastering the skill of counting in 25s and learning to read negative numbers, connecting these concepts to real-life applications. This week’s English lessons were filled with energy as the children explored classic nonsense poetry, including Spike Milligan’s The Ning Nang Nong and Edward Lear’s The Quangle Wangle’s Hat. Working in small collaborative groups, the children brought The Ning Nang Nong to life, delivering performances enhanced by expressive actions and percussion instruments. They also recorded their persuasive Boudica speeches and put the final touches on their portraits of the warrior queen. Year 4’s scientific enquiries took them into the natural world, where the children investigated food chains and learned to identify the names and functions of different human teeth.
This week Year 5 have worked exceptionally hard and powered through to the end of term despite feeling tired! In English, the children published wonderful suspense stories based on Alma, creating their own books complete with blurbs and illustrations. Hands-on learning continued in Science as the children explored how levers work and put their knowledge to the test by building catapults. In Maths, the children launched their new statistics unit with a “flip” lesson to assess prior knowledge, before diving into interpreting bar charts, line graphs, and pictograms. During Reading, the class engaged with Armistice Runner, discussing the meaning of “Armistice” and exploring its dual character narrative. In thematic learning, Year 5 mapped out Viking migration routes to Britain, creating clear, labeled maps showing the routes taken and the lands invaded. Year 5 have put in fantastic effort all half term and thoroughly deserve a well-earned, restful break!
In English, Year 6 have completed their fantastic persuasive speeches, writing in the role of Emmeline Pankhurst to encourage people to join the Suffragette Movement and campaign for women’s right to vote. The children have worked incredibly hard to produce powerful, dramatic and convincing speeches, using emotive language, rhetorical questions and a range of persuasive techniques to capture their audience’s attention. Their speeches are full of passion and determination, highlighting the importance of equality and giving women a voice.
In Maths, the children have completed their fractions unit. This week, the children have been focusing on multiplying and dividing fractions, building their confidence and accuracy with different methods. They have also been applying their knowledge to a range of reasoning and problem-solving challenges, demonstrating their understanding and explaining their mathematical thinking.
In PE, Year 6 have finished their exciting and energetic Street Dance unit with some fantastic street-dance battles! Working in groups, the children choreographed and performed their own routines, going head-to-head in lively dance-offs. The battles were full of energy, creativity and impressive moves, with each group showcasing their rhythm, coordination and teamwork. It was wonderful to see the children’s confidence shine through as they cheered each other on and brought the vibrant atmosphere of street dance to life!
Gold Award
Well done to all the children who achieved a Glad Award in our assembly this week. We were celebrating children who have had an excellent term demonstrating resilience and perseverance.
Parent MACs
We are currently seeking new parent members of our Academy Council. If you are interested in this position or simply want to find out more then please speak to Mr. Robins. Alternatively, there will be an opportunity to meet the chair of the Academy Council on the afternoon of Tuesday 3rd November. You can read more about the work of the academy councils on our website here: ear 5
FOAP Events
Remember, remember the 5th of November because that is the date for the FOAP fireworks at Atwood School if you haven’t already got your tickets, you can buy them through the link: https://buytickets.at/foap/2432325
This is always a sell out and is a significant fundraiser for school funds so please come along and support this event.
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Please check these dates as the list is regularly updated.
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
Wednesday 11th November: Reception Maths workshop
Friday 13th November: Indigo Class assembly
Monday 16th November: Diabetes UK Mufti Fundraiser
Friday 20th November: Cyan Class assembly
Friday 20th November: Year 4 Roman Workshop
Friday 20th November: Year 2 Hampton Court Palace trip
Wednesday 25th November: Year 3 Victoria & Albert Museum trip
Friday 27th November: Amber Class assembly
Wednesday 2nd December: Year 1 church visit.
Wednesday 2nd December: Rocksteady Concert
Friday 4th December: Panto performances.
Friday 4th December : FOAP Christmas Fayre
Tuesday 8th: Year 4 & 6 Christmas production (am and pm performances- details to follow)
Thursday 10th: Year 3 & 5 Christmas production (am and pm performances- details to follow)
Friday 11th December: Reception Christmas Production (am and pm performances- details to follow)
Tuesday 15th December: Key Stage One Nativity (am and pm performances- details to follow)
Thursday 17th December; Year 5 Viking workshop
Friday 18th December: End of Term
Monday 4th January: Back to school
