porters grange weekly newsletter week ending 14th June 2024

Nursery

This week we have been continuing to enjoy writing our own names and other words. We also have enjoyed listening and talking about the letter names and sounds in circle time. We have enjoyed looking and caring for our bean seeds every day. Next week we may plant our seeds outside so we can continue to watch them grow.

REMINDERS:Please continue to bring in your child’s favourite book from home. They love sharing these at story time. Thank you

Reception

In maths we have continued to look at sharing and grouping, using our resources to share equally between two or more people.

We have also been writing sentences about the things that we like and what we do at the weekends.

Some of us have moved phonic groups and are learning new sounds.

REMINDER:Please remember to sign the reading record after reading with your child.

Year 1

In English we have been reading the text ‘The Hummingbird’. The children have enjoyed this text and wanted to find out more about birds. So, the children wrote questions about what they would like to find out, focussing on where to write the question mark. In maths, we have been partitioning numbers to 100. We are starting to recognise how many tens and ones are in bigger numbers. In science, we have been learning about the human body and it’s senses. We even labelled Mrs. Britton’s tongue with a post it note!

REMINDER: Please remember to bring in your child’s P.E. kit if you haven’t done so already.

Please refer to SeeSaw for your child’s home learning activities, they are great fun!

Year 2

In our English lessons, we explored some of Rudyard Kipling's books. We learned about what "attributes" are and how they make characters interesting. We also changed parts of a story to see how different attributes can affect what happens. Next, we started planning our own stories. Our task is to write a story about how the animal got that attribute. In maths, we've begun exploring the concepts of position and direction. We have expanded our understanding of positional language, learning how to describe movement and turns with precision. In Geography, we explored the different layers of the rainforest. We learned about the emergent layer, canopy, understory, and forest floor, and identified the plants and animals that thrive in each layer. We also discussed the reasons why these species choose their specific habitats, considering factors like sunlight, moisture, and food sources.

REMINDER: Please remember that all PE kits must be brought to school for our Tuesday PE sessions. Ensuring your child has their kit will allow them to fully participate and enjoy their physical education activities.

We encourage you to continue listening to your child read every day and make sure to record it in their reading log books.

Year 3

This week we have been doing NFER tests in spelling, grammar, reading and maths. In history we have been learning about the Roman army and in DT we have been investigating the Roman scutum (shield) and building a prototype ahead of making a larger sized version. In English we are writing a setting description of ancient Rome.

REMINDER: please remember to bring PE kits for Tuesdays and Thursdays including appropriate footwear.

Year 4

Congratulations to all the children that completed their Multiplication Tables Check this week. Everyone has worked hard to learn their times tables and we are very proud of their effort.

In English, we have started thinking about writing our own stories based on Beowulf the hero defeating a monster. In maths, we have finished learning about money and are starting to learn about time. In design and technology, we have reminded ourselves of the sewing skills from year 3 and are working towards making a Viking purse.

REMINDER: Ask what the time is at home. Wearing a watch really helps with this.

Year 5

This week, year five have been using all of our learning powers as we completed a test week. In English, we have been writing our own reports about our trip to the beach in the last term where we picked up litter. In maths, we have been continuing our work on decimals. In PE – we have been going for a hole in one as we took our clubs and played golf! It was a ‘hole’ lot of fun learning how to pitch from a distance and learning what ‘par’ is.

REMINDER: PE kits needed for Monday and Friday please.

Please strive to read for 20 minutes a night and record this in diaries.

Please also keep practising on TTRS as times table fluency will be really useful when in year six.

Year 6

This week, year 6 have continued to work on their writing portfolios - editing and re-drafting their work. In art, the children have continued to practice techniques to create shading, texture and pattern and have learnt about one-point perspective. In our maths lessons, we are working on themed projects where the children can apply their knowledge to a variety of scenarios such as planning a holiday and creating a theme park.

REMINDER:Please bring a PE kit into school on Wednesday and Friday.

Please continue to read daily and record in your home school diary.

French

This week, year one have enjoyed making sentences with colours in French; year four have been working on dictionary skills; year six have been talking and writing about their secondary school subjects and what they might think of them.

Music

Cliffs Pavilion Music Festival

On Thursday evening, selected children from Years 5 and 6 sang on the stage at the Cliffs Pavilion as part of the Junior Music Festival. After weeks of rehearsal, they sang with confidence and enthusiasm and represented the school wonderfully. Well done! We hope this will a memorable event to look back on in the future.

Music Clubs

• Tuesday 12.00pm: Band
• Tuesday 3.30: Music Making (Yrs 1,2)
• Thursday 3.30pm: Choir (Yrs 3,4,5,6).

Instrumental Lessons

We do have a few vacancies, please contact Mrs Baines if your child would like to learn an instrument.

• Tuesday am: Guitar (Mr Brown)
• Wednesday am: Keyboard (Mr Hockey)
• Wednesday am: Guitar (Mr Elliot)

Nb. We are currently looking for a tutor in order to continue offering drum lessons.

Healthy Schools

Community

Cost of Living Advice

Click here to access cost of living advice from Southend City Council. It contains information on housing support, energy cost advice and benefits and support for those with children.