What a warm and wonderful week it’s been at Rockliffe Manor! The hot weather has brought a vibrant energy to the school, and our children have embraced it with enthusiasm and joy. From exciting trips to our Meet the Teacher sessions, there's been a real buzz in the air. The children have been full of curiosity and excitement about the year ahead, eager to connect with their new teachers and explore what’s to come.

Despite the heat, our pupils have continued to show incredible focus and determination in their learning. It’s been fantastic to see them staying engaged, working hard, and supporting one another with such positivity. Their resilience and enthusiasm never fail to impress us! We’re so proud of everything they’ve achieved this week – take a look at some of the highlights below.

This week, our hall was transformed into a rock concert as our Rockliffe iRockers showcased their incredible skills. Families were welcomed to watch their children's performances, and the smiles on their faces made the event even more special. We truly have some very talented rockers in our school, and we are excited to see them continue to grow and develop their skills next academic year.

And today, Reception held their very first sharing assembly, and it has certainly been worth the wait. It was so amazing to see all the children share so much information about bee’s and their final song at the end wowed families, children and staff too! Well done Reception and thank you to all the families for attending. 

If this week wasn’t fun-filled enough, On Thursday we held our annual Meet the Teacher sessions, where the children were introduced to their new class teachers for the first time. The whole hall was buzzing with excitement as the children eagerly awaited to hear the names of their new teachers! Each class then went to their new classrooms and participated in ‘getting to know you’ activities. The children had lots of questions for their new teachers, and their teachers had many questions for them!

Transitioning to a new classroom with new adults is always an exciting time, a moment to display growth and look ahead to the future. While we know this may be a time of mixed emotions, we have every faith that the relationships built with staff will be the key to our success next year. Details of the staffing for next year have been shared in a letter via email, so please check your inbox if you have not seen it already.

And today, Year 1 had a fabulous time on their beach trip to Broadstairs. This year with an added twist! We welcomed Sky News with us as they recognised the incredible impact this trip has on so many of our children, especially those who have never been to the beach before. The children showed the Rockliffe values and loved spending time with their friends, building sandcastles, paddling and eating ice creams. Year 1 were so thrilled with their trip, and they are excited to write a detailed account of the day, reliving all the fun they had! 

Tomorrow is the Summer Fair! The Friends of Rockliffe have worked tirelessly to put on this event for the community. We really hope that lots of you can make it and we are sure that the children and adults alike will have lots of fun. 

We look forward to the week ahead with our year 6 production being unveiled to families and friends, we know this is a show we will not want to miss! 

Until then, wishing you all a lovely weekend. 

With very best wishes, Mrs Cook and the Rockliffe Manor team

Let’s take a look at the learning this week … 

This week, our Nursery classroom was bustling with excitement! We welcomed 7 new children during our stay-and-play sessions, and we can’t wait to welcome them into the Rockliffe family in September. The children have worked brilliantly in Maths, spotting numbers beyond 5 and experimenting with addition and counting-on strategies. In Literacy, the children built a wormery, learning fascinating facts about worms as they created a cozy habitat together.

Our Reception children have had a magical week transforming the classic tale of The Three Little Pigs into their own stories using creative story maps. One highlight was Orlaith’s imaginative twist: The Three Little Witches and the Big Bad Princess! They have also been putting the finishing touches on their sharing assembly, which they’re eager to present to their families. Well done, Reception!

Year 1 ended the week on a high with their much-anticipated annual beach trip! This year’s visit was extra special as Sky News joined the children to film a segment on enriching school trips that help build cultural capital. The children were absolutely buzzing with excitement all week, talking non-stop about the sandcastles they would build and the special memories they would make. We’re so proud of how they represented the school!

Year 2 have been busy mathematicians this week, exploring how to describe turns and movement. They revisited key concepts like quarter, half, and three-quarter turns—linking their understanding back to both fractions and telling the time. The children had a great time acting out movements and giving instructions to each other—some even moved like robots as they practised their turns!

Year 3 students were introduced to angles for the first time and tackled this new unit with enthusiasm. In our Global Learning topic inspired by The Accidental Prime Minister, pupils worked in “political party” groups, brainstorming ideas for the class manifesto using flip chart paper—a fantastic chance to collaborate ahead of their presentations.

Year 4 has been merging creative writing and mathematics this week: using repetition for effect in English and continuing to practice identifying angles in Maths. They’ve also been designing signage for their “change-makers” Global Learning project, preparing to launch a digital petition at Rockliffe to promote sustainable development in our community next year.

Year 5 have been deepening their understanding of the Caribbean and the Windrush generation through their English and History work. Holly particularly enjoyed creating a timeline of key events and proudly shared that Jamaica gained independence from the UK on 6th August 1962. Meanwhile, River and Aasiah talked about their learning in maths, confidently explaining that a line of symmetry divides a shape into two identical parts.

Year 6 have been showing incredible creativity and teamwork this week as they put the finishing touches on their costumes for upcoming events. Irene learned how to sew beads onto fabric, while Liya used a hot glue gun (with supervision!) to attach colourful feathers to her design. Sienna and Daisie also contributed by painting signs for the Summer Fair. Many Year 6 pupils also had the exciting opportunity to visit their new secondary schools—there was lots of excitement as they shared stories of taster sessions, including art, drama, and cooking!