Atwood Newsletter 12th June 2026

After a couple of very wet weeks, the rain finally stopped so that we could have our Sports Day. It was a great day with lots and lots of parents in attendance. It was lovely to see the children supporting each other and competing in a sporting fashion. Thank you to Mrs Bayliss for putting the whole even together.

The Nursery children have been enjoying Forest school and learning about beavers.

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/eyfs/nursery-news-12th-june

In Reception, the children have been learning about mini beasts with a visit from Zoolab.

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/eyfs/atw-reception-news-caterpillars-stick-insects-and-a-visit-from-zoolab

This week Year 1 have been working with money. They made different amounts using a variety of coins. They also planned their own version of the story of the Awongaleema tree. They picked what animals would be in their story and performed their story to each other. In science they found out which animals were carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. Finally, they investigated which parts of the world their food comes from.

Year 2 have had a busy week. They have written persuasive letters based on the text ‘There’s a snake in my School’. The children had to explain why they thought the snake should be allowed to stay in the school. They used emotive language to talk about all the ways in which the snake could be useful. In maths the children have been using their knowledge of the properties of shapes to solve problems and in science the children have been learning about different habitats around the world.

In Year 3 in English, this week the children have been diving into the beautiful and evocative world of The Tin Forest. Year Three have been focusing on descriptive writing, using some truly great adjectives to bring the setting to life, building towards a persuasive piece of text. The children have also been experimenting with complex sentences by using the conjunctions because and when. They have even challenged themselves by moving the subordinating clause to the beginning of their sentences. In Whole Class Reading sessions, Year Three have started a new book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. The children have loved getting to know the characters and are already making wonderful predictions about the story. In Maths, the focus has turned to geometry. The children have been exploring lines and angles, specifically learning how to identify and compare perpendicular and parallel lines. Year Three have been hunting for these lines in shapes and around the classroom, showing a fantastic understanding of how they interact. Young scientists have been at work in Year Three as the children explore the world of botany. The children have been identifying and labelling the different parts of a flowering plant. They have looked closely at everything from the roots to the petals, learning exactly what each part does to help the plant survive and grow. Year Three have stepped back in time to become historians. Following a brilliant Stone Age experience day, the children have written fantastic write-ups of their experiences. They have also been busy creating their very own ‘Stone Age Survival Guides’. Alongside this, Year Three have been comparing day-to-day life in the Stone Age to modern lives, looking closely at how homes, tools, and daily routines differ from life today.

This week, Year 4 have been learning about bees’ honey making process and even acted this out so that they knew every stage thoroughly. The children are writing each stage in an explanation text using technical vocabulary and subordinate clauses to add detail. All children have now completed the multiplication check and we are so proud of the calm approach from all of them. Finally, the children have been learning about how to be assertive in PSHE lessons and acted out scenarios where they needed to be assertive.

As a wonderful finale to their Earth and Space learning, Year 5 had a visit from the Wonder Dome, an immersive 360-degree planetarium show which transported us all into space. The children asked some excellent questions at the end so were clearly incredibly engaged. In Maths the children have begun a new unit and have been converting units of metric measure. In English, the children have continued their sleuthing about the High Rise Mystery. Who killed Hugo Knightly-Webb and in Computing the children linked their learning with English by creating a concept map about the High Rise Mystery.

In English, Year 6 have been publishing their scene setting piece linked to their Wolf Brother reading. They have also been rehearsing their songs and lines for the upcoming end of year production. The play is really coming together and is shaping up to be a five-star triumph.

FOAP Summer Fair

Many thanks to everyone who braved the conditions to attend the Summer Fair. The rain really tried to spoil the event but the amazing volunteers from FOAP showed remarkable perseverance to relocate much of the fair inside and carry on regardless. There were many fantastic musical performances channeling a wet Glastonbury vibe. The inflatables were wet and wild. The food stalls and bar were doing a great trade and the whole fair was topped off with an exciting colour run that was a great way to finish things off. Overall, the fair raised £1700 that will go directly to support the children in school. Many thanks to Katie and her tireless band of helpers for all the work putting the fair together. If you enjoyed the fair and would like to get involved in helping with FOAP, I’m sure that Katie would be delighted to widen the group who help out at FOAP events.

Pupil Spotlight: Evie Takes to the Stage!

We are thrilled to share that Year 5 pupil Evie McManus has been cast in the role of Lily in The Great British Bake Off Musical, which will be performed at the Mitre Theatre from 21st–25th July 2026. This is a particularly impressive achievement as the production is an adult community theatre production, and Evie is the only junior cast member. Following a successful audition process, she secured the role of Lily and has been rehearsing alongside an experienced adult cast, demonstrating great confidence, dedication and talent. Based on the popular television series, The Great British Bake Off Musical is a heartwarming and hilarious show celebrating friendship, competition and, of course, baking!

We are incredibly proud of Evie and all that she has achieved. If you would like to support her and the cast, tickets are available for July performances at the Mitre Players website. We are sure she would love to see some familiar faces in the audience. Congratulations, Evie, and best of luck for a fantastic run of performances!

www.mitreplayers.org.uk

https://www.ticketsource.com/mitreplayers/e-jzpyav