Dear Parents and Carers,

As the cold snap settled in this week, we’ve embraced the chill and started preparations for our festive Christmas events. There’s a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks. Please take a moment to check the letter sent home about the events scheduled for December.

Our Year 2 pupils and Reception classes have had a wonderful time exploring the library and discovering new books over the last couple of weeks.  They had a story shared with them, which they really enjoyed and we hope this continues to foster their love for reading.  Both Year 4 classes have had an exciting visit to Wagamama, where they learned about healthy eating and food preparation.  In school, we have been busy too.  Thank you to the Year 1 parents who joined us to observe how we teach phonics.  We hope it provided valuable insights into how we support your child’s early reading skills. A huge well done to Walnut Class for their fabulous assembly. It was an absolute pleasure to see how much they know and remember about their learning this year so far.

Road Safety Assembly

Denise Digweed, School Crossing Patrol Area Lead for Hertfordshire, led an important session on road safety this week with the children. You would have spotted Denise on the Grosvenor Road crossing with Vernon, our school crossing patrol officer.  Please take a moment to discuss road safety with your children to reinforce their understanding over the weekend.  Grosvenor Road is incredibly busy and we would also like to remind parents and carers to exercise caution when dropping off or collecting children. Please park in designated areas and avoid stopping in unsafe or restricted zones, as this helps to maintain a safe environment for everyone.

Your partnership is essential in helping us keep our school community safe. Thank you for your continued support. Wishing you all a warm and restful weekend.

Kind regards,

Mrs Wright

It’s been a wonderful few weeks in Pine Class, filled with learning, exploration, and lots of enthusiasm. Here’s a glimpse into what we’ve been up to:

Our Library Adventure

Last Monday, Pine Class had an exciting trip to the library. The children learned about books, how to care for them, and the purpose of a library. It was heartwarming to see their curiosity grow as they explored the world of reading.

Classroom Highlights

English: This week, we stepped into the shoes of Rapunzel and wrote diary entries from her perspective. We practiced writing in the first person and past tense, while also incorporating expanded noun phrases and subordinate conjunctions. Their creativity was incredible.

Maths: We tackled adding and subtracting two-digit numbers without crossing 10. For example, solving problems like 34 + 23 = 57 and 49 - 23 = 26. The class worked diligently and showed great progress.

Phonics: Our bridge to spelling units continue to build confidence in segmenting and blending words. The learners also had fun adding sound buttons to words as part of their practice.

History: We delved into the inspiring story of Louis Braille. The children were fascinated as they wrote their names using the Braille alphabet.

Science: We explored the human life cycle, learning how we grow from babies to adults, and compared humans with animals.

DT (Design & Technology): Pine Class has been introduced to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a legendary British engineer. We’ve begun exploring his remarkable bridges and can’t wait to learn more.

Assessment Week: This week also marked the start of our Year 2 assessments. The children have been putting in their best efforts, and we are so proud of their hard work!

As we move forward, we are excited to continue our learning journey over the next four weeks. Pine Class is giving their best every day, and we can’t wait to see all they achieve. Keep up the hard work, Pine Class.

This week's book recommendation is suitable for LKS2 children.

The Sword in the Stone
By Tracey Mayhew

When two boys save an old man from robbers, they learn of a competition in Londinium to decide the next King of Britain.
The elder, Kay, is determined to prove himself worthy as a knight or a king. The younger is Arthur, a farm boy through and through - until he sees The Sword in the Stone.