January 2026 DINNINGTON FIRST SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

RECEPTION

Reception have loved learning about tropical rainforests and the animals that live in them. We now know some amazing facts, such as:

"I like the harpy eagle that can pick up big animals and carry them away from the tree tops." (Arthur)

"The spider monkey can hang from the trees in the canopy." (Ellis)

"The caiman can hunt and swim the rivers." (Ben)

The children brought their learning to life by visiting Sunderland Winter Gardens where they got to explore the indoor rainforest, hold a variety of natural rainforest objects, discuss the different layers that the animals live in and discover real plants from the rainforest. The children had the best time and commented on their experience:

"There were enormous banana leaves and some little leaves." (Anya)

"We held some hard seeds, fluffy seeds and shaky seeds." (Liam)

"We got to walk up to the canopy layer." (Riley)

In Maths, the children have been partitioning numbers within 10 and teen numbers in different ways. The children have been representing numbers by drawing them in arrays and writing addition sentences independently.    The children have also had introduction to Gymnastics this half term, where they have been testing their gross motor skills by climbing, jumping, swinging and balancing like different rainforest animals on the apparatus.   They have also enjoyed playing with their friends in the snow earlier in the half term and discussing what they have noticed about the season of Winter. 

Year 1

We have been very busy across the curriculum! In Geography, we have been busy being geographers, developing our map skills and learning about the counties of the UK.

In Science, we have been thinking carefully about how we can be helpful or harmful to the environment during winter. The children even wrote and performed speeches to teach Reception how to look after the environment — we were so impressed with their confidence and enthusiasm. In Art, the children have been creating clay sculptures inspired by the work of Barbara Hepworth, exploring shape and form with great creativity.

Across all areas of learning, the children have shown fantastic growth in confidence and independence as they continue to progress in Year 1.

Year 2

This month in science, the children made predictions about which cress would grow best and why. They have been carefully observing the changes and comparing the results. We’ve had lots of brilliant discussions about light, warmth, and how plants adapt to their environment. The curiosity and careful thinking from the class have been fantastic. In art we have studied the work of Wassily Kandinsky. We looked at his use of primary and secondary colours and the way he used shape and line to create interest in his abstract art.

  In PE, we have been developing 2 very different sets of skills.  In gymnastics, we have been exploring balances, rolls, and travelling in different ways. The children have shown great confidence and creativity as they built sequences and improved their coordination. In Boccia, the children have been practising accuracy, control, and teamwork. They’ve really enjoyed the challenge of aiming their throws and thinking tactically. 

Year 3

Year 3 have enjoyed a fantastic half term, embracing a very active start to the winter season. The children have taken part in dodgeball, developed their gymnastics skills, and played cricket. They’ve also been committed to running the Daily Mile and staying active during break times.   Alongside all this physical activity, the children have been strengthening their oracy skills. You might be wondering what oracy means. While it includes speaking and listening, it goes far beyond that. Oracy underpins children’s communication, supports their writing, and enhances learning across the curriculum. You can continue to support this at home by having rich, engaging conversations with your child—asking thoughtful questions and supporting them to develop their ideas. If you’re already doing this, that’s wonderful to hear!   Looking ahead, we’re excited for our upcoming trip to Woodhorn Museum, which the children are eagerly anticipating, as well as many more fascinating learning adventures to come.

Year 4

This half term, Year 4 have been developing their coding skills using Turtle Academy. The children learned how to create and edit algorithms to draw different shapes, building up to an exciting end‑of‑unit challenge where they programmed impressive spirals and patterns. They showed great perseverance and creativity as their coding confidence grew.

In P.E., Year 4 have been learning to play the inclusive sport of Boccia. They have been practising control, precision and accuracy when making their throws and have enjoyed working together during team games. Alongside this, the children have also been developing their gymnastics skills—exploring balances, creating shapes, and practising rolls and jumps with growing confidence. It has been wonderful to see their coordination and teamwork shine.

In science, the children have been learning all about electricity. They have explored how to build simple circuits safely and have been investigating the roles of different components, such as bulbs, wires and switches. Year 4 now understand the difference between conductors and insulators and have enjoyed lots of hands‑on activities to deepen their understanding of how electricity works.