West Leigh Juniors Weekly News

Year 3

It has been another varied and enjoyable week in Year 3. As usual, the children have worked hard and embraced all of the learning opportunities available to them. In English lessons, the children have begun to write our very own Legend of Old Leigh. They have generated descriptive vocabulary in order to create vivid character and setting descriptions for their story opening. Next, they went on to write an engaging piece of dialogue to demonstrate how an author shows character interactions within text. In our Layered Reading lesson, we have been developing the ability to follow a theme within the non-fiction text, London. The children were able to use the index to locate page references where information about bridges could be found and then to gather evidence about how these have changed in both quantity and purpose. Maths lessons have focused on consolidating the children’s knowledge of 2-D shapes and the vocabulary needed to describe their properties. The children then went on to work with 3D shapes: interpreting visual representations before building the three-dimensional objects. In science, our plant investigations have continued: children have been taking turns to water and measure the plants. We have begun to build a results table for analysis in the weeks to come. New learning this week has focused on pollination. Much fun was had as the children imitated being bees and other pollinators as they moved from flower to flower. Geography this week, gave the children the opportunity to look in more detail at our very own River Thames. They have identified its source and tracked the features it displays on its way to the estuary we call home. Their knowledge was illustrated as they drew and annotated diagrams showing the river’s upper, middle and lower courses.

PE Days Summer 1

3T

• Indoor PE - Tuesday
• Outdoor PE - Friday

3H

• Indoor PE - Wednesday
• Outdoor PE - Thursday

3L

• Indoor PE - Monday
• Outdoor PE - Friday

3M

• Indoor PE - Tuesday
• Outdoor PE - Thursday

Swimming

• 3H - Monday
• 3L – Tuesday
• 3T – Wednesday
• 3M – Wednesday

Year 4

As another week comes to a close, Year 4 have celebrated many learning successes. In English, the children have used their knowledge of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to plan, write and edit a sequel to the story. They used their storytelling skills to describe the characters and setting, included a dilemma and a resolution where the problem is solved.  As mathematicians, some groups have been practising rounding numbers while others have practised multiplying and dividing numbers by 10, 100 and 1000 in order to convert between metric units of measure. Some groups have solved problems involving metric units of measure and have practised reading measures using a variety of scales. Science involved making a functioning switch as part of an electrical circuit. After identifying the purpose of a switch, the children worked in groups to make one of their own, correctly using the provided resources. They then tested it within a circuit. When a problem arose, they had to find solutions in order to make the bulb light up. As geographers, the children worked in small groups and had great fun creating their own theme parks - money was no object! Using large grids, they produced their own maps and included a wide range of rides and attractions. They reinforced their knowledge of 4-figure grid references by plotting features at specific points across their grids. They further demonstrated their mathematical skills by calculating the total cost of all of the rides and attractions within their theme park. 

PE Days Summer 1

4B

• Indoor PE - Friday
• Outdoor PE - Tuesday

4E

• Indoor PE - Monday
• Outdoor PE - Thursday

4SW

• Indoor PE - Wednesday
• Outdoor PE - Thursday

4C

• Indoor PE - Monday
• Outdoor PE - Tuesday

Swimming

• 4B - Monday
• 4SW - Monday
• 4C - Wednesday
• 4E - Friday

Year 5

Another busy week has flown by and we’re already a third of the way through 2026! In English, we have focused on explanation texts. The children explored a range of examples, identified key features, and compared their effectiveness. Linking to our science topic on space, they have been learning about black holes - gathering facts and generating questions for further research. They ended the week by writing introductions, ready to develop these into full, creative explanations next week. We have also begun our final Layered Reading text, Dragon Mountain. The children enjoyed meeting the characters and made predictions about the ending, which have been sealed in envelopes to be opened once we finish the book. In maths, we revisited multiplication and division. The children began by reviewing factors and practising formal multiplication of 2 and 3 digit numbers using their times tables knowledge. We then moved on to multiplying decimals, finishing the week by revising formal methods and explaining their reasoning. Science this week focused on the rotation and revolution of the planets. The children defined the difference between the two and compared how long each planet takes to rotate and orbit the Sun. In Connected Curriculum, the children deepened their understanding of the Mayan civilisation of Central America. We explored the meanings of civilisation and culture, then examined artefacts to hypothesise what they revealed about Mayan life, work and celebrations. Learning about the region’s rich ecology and natural resources helped the children understand how the Maya developed a thriving civilisation, achieving advances in building, learning and trade. We then looked more closely at farming, exploring the crops they grew, the methods they used and how these were adapted to their environment.