It has been lovely to see them settling into their new class, becoming familiar with our routines and expectations, and beginning to understand the increased independence and responsibility that comes with starting Key Stage 2. It has been especially lovely to welcome back some familiar families and to briefly meet some new parent faces too. We have made a start on our teaching this week, and from next week we will really begin to get into the swing of things!

Topic:

We have launched our exciting new topic, “Why do people live near volcanoes?”, and the children have already shown so much enthusiasm and curiosity.

It has been wonderful to hear them sharing what they already know, talking about experiences they have had, and bringing in books and information from home. Their excitement to discover more has been fantastic to see!

We are looking forward to exploring volcanoes in much greater depth over the coming weeks and finding out why, despite the potential dangers, so many people choose to live near them.

English:

Next week, the children will be writing a set of instructions on how to make a volcano.

To support their writing, we will have a hands-on practical experience in class, giving the children the opportunity to make their own volcano and experience the process before writing about it. This will provide lots of ideas and vocabulary that they can use in their writing later in the week.

We will focus on the features of instructional writing, including how to organise instructions clearly and effectively.

During our SPaG sessions, we will be looking at::Adjectives, Adverbs and Imperative verbs

We will also be exploring a set of instructions during our reading sessions, helping the children to recognise and understand the features they will later use in their own writing.

Maths:

This year, we have moved to Oak Academy  as a whole school.

In class this week, we have been focusing on doubles and near doubles to support our understanding of addition and subtraction. The children have worked hard and are beginning to develop confidence with these strategies.

Snack:

As the children are now in Key Stage 2, please remember to provide your child with a healthy snack each day for them to enjoy during our morning break.

Alternatively, you can make payment via ParentPay for school to provide your child with either a piece of fruit or milk.

Thank you for helping us to encourage healthy choices and ensuring that the children have something nutritious to enjoy during the school day.

School and Eco Council elections:

If your child is interested in standing for election, please encourage them to prepare a short speech to help persuade their peers why they would make a great representative.

The elections will take place on Thursday or Friday next week. We are looking forward to hearing the children's ideas and seeing them demonstrate their confidence and leadership skills!

Homework:

Spellings have been issued today in preparation for next week's learning. The spelling test will take place on Friday morning.

As always, children should be reading for at least 10 minutes each day for pleasure. Please use the VIPERS questions to help ascertain and develop their understanding of what they have read.

For their English/topic homework, children can choose one of the following::Research and find out some interesting facts about volcanoes. Draw and label a diagram of a volcano. Or find out some interesting information about why people live near volcanoes.

Your support at home is incredibly valuable. Encouraging your child to talk about what they have learned, read around our topic and share their ideas will help them to deepen their understanding and, importantly, give them a sense of ownership over their learning.