Prep School Newsletter Friday 22 November 2024

Forest Explorers

We have been enjoying the story of the “Owl Babies”. On a tree in the woods, three baby owls, Sarah and Percy and Bill, sit and think and wait for their Owl Mother to come home. We have created some lovely pictures of the owls for our classroom display. We have also been learning about other nocturnal animals this week.

Reception

In maths this week, the children have been comparing length and developing the language involved with measuring. First the children compared their piece of wool with their friends, discovering whose wool was longer and shorter than theirs. They searched the classroom finding objects that were longer and shorter than their piece of wool. The children discovered that they found lots of things that were shorter but longer things took more time to find. Mystery Mouse was comparing Superhero footprints, and the children helped by estimating how long each footprint was in cubes. We decided to find out how long our shoes were, so the children drew around one of their shoes and measured the length with cubes. Then we created a line of shoe length form the shortest to the longest. The children were surprised to discover that most of the children’s shoe length was 11 cubes!

Year 1

Year 1 have been learning to use paint tools to create pictures in the style of different artists. This week's artist was Kandinsky and the children enjoyed creating their own versions. Their mouse skills have progressed so much since the start of the academic year. They are logging on with increasing independence too! Well done, Year 1!

Year 2

Outdoor learning has provided Year 1 and 2 children with many exciting opportunities to develop key skills through hands-on activities. During the session this week, they worked collaboratively to design and build dens using natural materials. They demonstrated excellent teamwork, sharing ideas and taking on different roles to construct their shelters. Alongside their creative efforts, the children engaged in risk assessment, carefully considering the stability of their structures and the safety of the materials they used.

Year 3

Year 3 are learning about magnets. They planned and carried out an investigation into the strength of different magnets. Using magnets in a variety of sizes and shapes they predicted which would be the strongest. After testing each magnet to see how many paperclips were attracted they discovered that their predictions weren’t always correct because strength of a magnet is not always based on its size.

Year 4

Year 4 have had a very busy week. We have studied food chains and worked out which animals are consumers and which are producers. This led on to us looking at our teeth; how many we have and what they are for. We look forward to further analysis of our enamel and how to prevent our teeth from rotting!

Year 5

Lessons have been full to the brim this week! The class have been exploring gravity, searching for and creating noun phrases linked to our latest text, 'Beowulf', and taking knowledge of division and multiplication to the next level. In Humanities, the Year 5 historians wrote well informed scripts for interviews between child factory workers and Victorian government officials. The poor children detailed their plights. They had to work incredibly long hours and were prone to injury, caught by the machinery and cruel hands of the overseers. Looking for evidence, the class read factory/mill rules and were horrified by the controlling conditions the children worked in.

Year 6

This week has been both educational and creative! Our students delved into the history and impact of the Windrush generation on British society, gaining valuable insights into this significant part of our heritage. In science, they enthusiastically classified animals into 12 distinct groups, enhancing their understanding of biodiversity. The art room was abuzz with excitement as they completed their vibrant Frida Kahlo-inspired headdresses, which look absolutely fabulous. In computing, we had important discussions about online communication and safety, ensuring our students are well-prepared for the digital world. Additionally, they showcased their programming skills by using variables to create basic step counters with BBC Microbits. It’s been a fantastic week of learning and creativity. Well done, Year 6!

STEM Club

The intrepid members of STEM Club were investigating air pressure this week. They undertook an experiment to prove that air does indeed weigh something, and then another experiment to see what happens when air pressure is increased and decreased. When we forced air into a bottle containing marshmallows, they decreased in size and then increased rapidly when we allowed it to escape!