Our blogs

Ruby Class Science - Electricity, by Mr Rickaby

Date: 15th Sep 2017 @ 3:46pm

This afternoon we started a Science unit on electrcity.  We introduced the topic by looking at some of the dangers associated with electicity and some of the steps that we need to take to ensure that everyone is kept safe when using electricity.  

We used Switched On Kids to visit the different rooms in a house and identify the dangers we could see on the screen. 

Then, the children produced a warning poster which we are going to display in key locations around the school to remind everyone to keep safe.

Next, we got practical and had a go at using some equipment to make simple circuits.  The children were given very little guidance at this point, they could choose from the selection of equipment to make the bulb light up and the buzzer sound.  They did a fantastic job problem-solving in their groups and by the end of the afternoon we had multiple bulbs in the same circuit, a bulb and a buzzer, and even a working propeller!  

We'll take this learning on a step further next week by consider what is needed to make a circuit work before investigating conductors and insulators.

Y3 Spanish and Computing, by Mr Rickaby

Date: 13th Sep 2017 @ 5:34pm

Today, children in Y3 had their first Spanish lesson!

First, we did a little bit of phonics whereby the childrean learnt that all of the letters in Spanish sound exactly as we would expect.  We played some games with the vowel sounds which they seemed to enjoy (and which made us all giggle! pa, pe, pi, po, pu!)

Next we leant two simple questions: ¿Como te llamas? and ¿Como estas? and how to answer, before practising the following conversation in pairs.

Today we explored a piece of software called Logo where the children learnt how to give commands such as 'forward', 'right', 'left' etc to draw shapes.  It was great to see them spotting errors in their own code and correcting themselves when things didn't quite work.  We discussed how to change the commands to draw a rectangle and then even had a go at a circle.

As a school we subscribe to a suite of online software called J2E.  Children can access this at home by going to j2e.com, clicking the 'sign in with Google' option, and then using their [email protected] email address and password.  If you need any help with his, just come and ask.

Should Daleks be allowed to live on planet Earth?, by Mr Rickaby

Date: 13th Sep 2017 @ 5:06pm

This week we have begun thinking about discussion texts: texts which debate a topic or issue and then offer a conclusion based on the evidence.  

We have read a text which asks whether or not daleks should be allowed to live on Earth.  This week we are trying to learn this text off-by-heart, using text maps to help. 

The idea is that once we have learned this text well and internalised the features, we can use the structures and some of the vocabulary to help us write a personalised text about an issue important to us.

Here is a link to a YouTube clip of the text which demonstrates what text-mapping is.

Wonder, by Mr Rickaby

Date: 13th Sep 2017 @ 4:56pm

This term Y6 are using the book Wonder by R J Palacio to practise their reading and comprehension skills.  

The book is all about August, a young boy who has an extremely rare medical facial deformity, which he refers to as "mandibulofacial dysostosis".  Due to numerous surgeries, Auggie had been home-schooled by his mother, but his parents decide to enroll him in Beecher Prep, a private school, for the start of middle school.

The book is already providing lots of 'laugh out loud' moments as well us making us think.  

First Days at School, by Mrs Hewitt

Date: 13th Sep 2017 @ 2:46pm

Well that's it. All three groups have had their first day at school. They have all been amazing and no tears! I just wanted to share a few pics of what they've been up to. Please remember to activate your tapestry account so you can see what they've been up to. I am really proud of them all and you should be too!