GPS Newsletter

Our FS children have been very busy these last few weeks. We have enjoyed exploring video games where we looked at the different aspects of a game, such as the characters, game play, story line, powers etc. The children enjoyed designing and creating their own video games in writing and art and even created their own you tube channel in role play where they took different roles to record or review a product.  In Science, we have been exploring friction, looking at the types of materials that might make a good pair of shoes for Sonic the Hedgehog to run really fast in! We have begun practicing for our end of year show, so we are sure that they are probably singing some tunes at home for you. 

This week we started our Pirates and the Seas project. The children discovered a sealed treasure box and had to make predictions as to what might be inside. They wrote down their predictions, creating sentences using their phonic knowledge and drew illustrations as well. We had lots of very different ideas such as; maps, chicken nuggets, Pokemon, a baby pirate! The children continue to enjoy the pirate role play area with costumes and props, they have even been making their own to add to the area.  The children got to open up the treasure box as well this week and we found a map, a wanted poster, compass and some treasure! We used our language skills to build our vocabulary to describe the items we found in more detail and then worked in pairs to write down our ideas. We had some great adjectives! Next week we will explore maps, coordinates and go on a treasure hunt!

Woopiee! What an interesting start we've had to our summer term! In English, we have been learning poetry, which is a very tricky topic but the children have been working so hard and have really impressed me this week with their imagination and creative ideas. They have learnt to recite a lovely poem 'Cats' so make sure to ask them to recite it for you at home.  We are working our way through Monster phonics and are now applying split digraphs! 

In maths, we have been learning all about fractions- finding a half and a quarter of a shape and a quantity. The children have been participating in various hands on activities and have completed challenges in teams to become the class maths superstars. 

In science, we are continuing with our topic- materials and their properties. The children have been busy designing a boat of choice, thinking about the materials they need to collect and how they can make it waterproof. Once completed, we will be testing their boat designs to see if they are waterproof and to see if they will float or sink. 

For IPC, we have just finished our topic 'Treasure Island'. The children were learning all about compasses and how to use them, they even made their own treasure maps with directions  on where to find their treasure and designed their own islands. We have now started our new topic 'The Magic Toymaker' where we will be exploring toys from the past and present and looking at their functions. The children are thoroughly enjoying have a toyshop in the provision room where they are buying and exchanging toys for money. 

It has been a very interesting start to Term 3, despite all the interruptions Year 3 have thrived through it and have been working extremely hard on catching up!

In English they have been perfecting their writing for poems, by diving deeper into using figurative language and rhyming words. They have done really well in creating poems based on themselves and the school. Whereas in Maths they have been focusing on fractions,  they have been focusing on recognising unit and non-unit fractions. As well as comparing and ordering fractions from smallest to greatest. In Science we recapped on friction and the impact it has on different objects and materials. The children carried out an investigation and tested different materials and explained what the correlation was between friction and the object. 

What a rainy start to the summer term it has been! However, I'm thrilled to share that we've finally enjoyed a whole week of school, and what a fantastic week it has been. Year 5 have bounced back into their routines with remarkable ease, showcasing their adaptability and determination. Their positive attitude and enthusiasm for learning has been impressive.

In English, our focus has been on the captivating theme of voyage and return, drawing inspiration from the beloved world of Harry Potter. Throughout the week, the children have delved into the intricacies of this genre, exploring the beginning, build-up, and problem stages of a story. They've also honed their storytelling skills by learning to retell the narrative using actions for keywords and a story map.

Meanwhile, our young mathematicians have been revisiting the concept of time in Mathematics. From reading o'clock to mastering half past, quarter past, quarter to, and five minutes past, they've been sharpening their skills in telling time on an analogue clock. Additionally, they've tackled the challenge of converting between am/pm time and the 24-hour clock format, solidifying their understanding of this fundamental skill.

We wrapped up our Earth and Space unit in Science by studying how the moon moves. Additionally, we explored different processes for separating mixtures, including filtration, sieving, evaporation, and magnetic attraction. The children had hands-on opportunities to experiment with irreversible changes, like combining milk, vinegar, and baking soda.  Year 5 had a blast exploring these concepts! 

In MSC, we started a new unit of work on Trade, Travel, and Communication. The children learned about old trade methods and different trade routes. 

Please note that NGRT assessments begin next week, so please ensure devices are brought to school, fully charged. Additionally, internal assessments will be conducted during this time. 

What a start to our term 3! Despite the couple rainy days, weve now finally gotten into a routine with our heads in gear. Next week we will be completing our summer 1 internal tests and reading NGRT test. The children have been preparing their comprehension and inferencing skills this week along with their non fictional letter writing. 

Maths has been intense with fractions percentages and decimals however after much practice the kids are ready for their test. We've been covering the topic of light in Science and completed a couple mock tests so rest assured we will be aiming to do well in our GL tests the following weeks.

Humanities and MSC topics have been the south asian continents and their coasts, although there wont be any tests this half terms for these two topics, we shall be carrying on to prepare for our finals this year!

Hola Everyone , 

Hope all of you had great spring break , last weeks we learned and did so many activities to improvise Spanish . KS1 discussed about los dias de la semana (days of the week), los meses (months of the year ) and seasons in Spanish by listening , singing, and writing in worksheets based on the topics. KS2 discussed about  days of the week , months name and seasons in Spanish . In KS3 students learned Verbs and make short sentences with pronouns and verbs in which they learned about types of professions and nationality in Spanish . Coming week we  have assessment so some work will be on seesaw for practice . Keep supporting your kids . 

Muchas Gracias 

Hasta Luego 

It's a fun week for everyone in our STREAM class in GPS! The children in FS learnt how to properly care for their teeth as we continued our topic in IEYC Healthy Habits. The students in year 1 were busy making and designing their compasses as they ended their IPC "Treasure Island", while year 2 enjoyed designing and creating different toys from recyclable materials. This week, years 3 through 8 have been busy designing and building structures using junk for our waste innovations project.