November Newsletter Regent Farm First School

This half term, the children in Reception have been learning all about night and day. They began the topic by looking at the celebration of 'Diwali'. They made Diya lamps, tasted Barfi sweets and learnt some fantastic bhangra dancing. They were then taken on an adventure by the rough, tough Night Pirates who led them to a treasure island and helped them retrieve golden coins. During this, the children created a fantastic disguise to hide the pirate ship from the evil pirates! This week, we are exploring a book centered around the stars. The children are introduced to a 'Planetarium' and they will create their very own in our outdoor areas. The children will become astronomers, create constellations and discover why the little girl needs to return the stars in the night sky.

Key Stage 1

Fire - Fireworks, Fire Pit, Fire Safety: Year 1 have covered it all! In History the children have been exploring why we celebrate Bonfire Night, the Gunpowder Plot, uncovering the reasons behind why Guy Fawkes and his friends wanted the King dead and debating whether or not they were right to create their plan. The children enjoyed acting out the characters in 'The Quiet Little Firework,' thinking about how they are feeling and what they might be saying to each other.

They loved their trip to the fire pit, toasting marshmallows and have written amazing instructions on how to stay safe when you are there. What an amazing start to the half term Year 1 have had. Next stop...Nativity Rehearsals!

Year 2 were very excited at the start of the term when a strange basket of objects was accidentally delivered to our school. The children used their detective skills to identify the items and find out who they belong to. All the clues lead them to Australia and they have continued learning about this magnificent country through the book “Ella and the Ocean”. The children have been writing postcards and imagining what life is like down under! In Geography, the children have been comparing the weather and climate in Australia to the UK, and also Antarctica.

In Art, the children are using the artwork by Jackson Pollock to create their own emotive artwork. The children have enjoyed painting in the style of Jackson Pollock and being creative. In P.E, the children are developing their gymnastic skills. They've been developing their rolls, balances, and creating short sequences of movements and shapes. The children are continuing to learn about Judaism in R.E after visiting the local synagogue at the start of the month. Year 2, asked some great questions and the members of the Synagogue were blown away by the children's knowledge and curiosity. They'll be comparing the festival of Hanukah over the next few weeks with other religious festivals.

Key Stage 2

Year 3 are focused on our ‘Regent Farm Respects topic’ and the children are learning about the Hindu religion through stories, artefacts and a visit to a Hindu place of worship. The children have been using the story of Rama and Sita as a stimulus in their writing and they've created their own wonderful stories. The children thoroughly enjoyed our visit from the author and illustrator Adeola Sokunbi, and it was an absolute delight to have her in school to deliver a workshop with our classes. We were also lucky enough to have visit from a PHD student who talked to the children about her job as a scientist. The children showed lots of curiosity and asked some interesting questions. Our science topic this term is light and the children are busy planning a light experiment. They have particularly enjoyed making shadow puppets and presenting a shadow puppet play to the rest of the class!

This term has been a whirlwind of exciting learning and activities in Year 4! In Maths, the children have been focusing on mastering their times tables through engaging and interactive games to build confidence and speed. In English, they were inspired by the story of Walter Tull, the first black officer in the army and second black professional footballer . A special highlight was exploring postcards, telegrams and other objects from Mrs Moore's Grandad who served in World War II. In Science, the children investigated our school grounds, searching for vertebrates and invertebrates, while in History they celebrated Black History Month and learned all about incredible individuals and their achievements.

Year 4 also had some fantastic visitors this term. Author Adeola Sokunbi inspired the whole school with her stories and illustrations. Visits from the scientist Lucy Mae from the Newcastle University, and employees from the company Mott McDonald, encouraged us to explore exciting career possibilities. Finally, Year 4 took on the challenge of applying and interviewing to become lunchtime buddies, developing their confidence and leadership skills.