Dear Parents/Carers,

The children have been extremely busy this week!

This week, the children in Reception have been exploring the theme of "where we live". They have been discussing their homes and even had fun finding them on Google Maps, zooming in to see their street and house and comparing their location to the school. This activity sparked great conversations about their local environment. After reading the book Martha Maps it Out, they made their own maps together, adding their homes and familiar landmarks like the local park, post office or shops to create a special map of their own community.

In Year 1 PE lessons, the children have been travelling in all sorts of ways. They explored different levels and pathways, traveling high like a stretching giraffe, low like a creeping caterpillar and wide like a soaring bird. They also worked on their balance skills, holding different poses on one foot and trying to maintain their stability, which helps build core strength and body control.

This week, Year 2's RE lessons focused on various celebrations from around the world. The children shared personal experiences, discussing what they do, what special foods they eat and who is involved in the celebrations they are a part of, such as birthdays, Diwali, or Christmas. They then wrote about these celebrations in their books, using descriptive words to bring their experiences to life and explain them to their friends.

Our Year 3 children have enjoyed their computing lesson this week. They have been learning about how devices take in and process information, a key concept known as input and processing. To put their knowledge to the test, they designed their own imaginary device using different input methods, like buttons, a touch screen or a microphone. They gave their device a name, carefully drew its design and then explained how it works to the rest of the class, showing great creativity and understanding.

In Year 4, the children have been continuing their hard work in maths, progressing to addition with larger numbers. They have been focusing on using the column method, a foundational skill for more complex calculations. They paid careful attention to making sure they were writing each digit in the correct place value column—ones, tens and hundreds—to ensure their answers were accurate and they understood the importance of precision.

Year 5 children have been honing their throwing and catching skills in PE. They focused on proper technique, like using a step to gain power when throwing and cupping their hands to catch the ball carefully. They also discussed how this practice will help them in team ball games like netball and basketball, where quick and accurate passes are essential for success.

Year 6 kicked off their hockey unit in PE this week. They thoroughly enjoyed their first lesson, where they learned the correct way to hold a hockey stick and practiced the push pass. They worked in pairs, focusing on passing the ball accurately to their partner, a key skill for working as a team on the field.

Today was Maundene's 50th Birthday! In the morning, the children started off having an assembly led by Miss Capes. She spoke to the children about the history of Maundene and the children sang Happy Birthday and 'blew out' the candles on our wonderful Maundene cake baked by Chartwells. Additionally, Mrs Barker made some yummy cupcakes for staff in the shape of 5 and 0! Throughout the day, the children across the school participated in a range of history activities and at the end of the day, they ate birthday cake with their friends. Thank you to the PTA for organising biscuit decorating for each class. We had a fantastic day celebrating together. 

Please remember to send your child to school in the correct and full school uniform each day. This includes ensuring any hair accessories are in school colours. Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain a smart and consistent uniform standard.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!

Miss Capes, Mrs Jackson and the Maundene Team  

Developing strong oracy skills is crucial for children's success in school and beyond. It empowers them to express themselves confidently, think critically, and engage effectively with others. To support this vital skill, our weekly newsletter will feature fun and engaging oracy activities that families can enjoy together at home, fostering communication and building confidence in your children.