Welcome back to school everyone, we hope you all had a restful half term and were able to spend some quality time with friends and family. This first week of the half term has seen some fantastic lessons designed to hook and excite the children in their learning, and we can’t wait to see where the learning journeys take us over the following weeks! 

In Monday’s assembly, the children explored how to take ownership of their learning using Knowledge Organisers. They discovered that these organisers act as valuable tools, summarising key facts, essential knowledge, and vocabulary for their subjects. The assembly emphasised the importance of retrieval practice, making connections between past and present learning, and using key strategies such as quizzing and discussion to help embed knowledge.

Linking to our school values and learning behaviours, the children were encouraged to develop independence, curiosity, and resilience in their studies. By actively engaging with their Knowledge Organisers they can strengthen their understanding and build confidence in their learning. The key message was: "Know more, Do more, Remember more!" We look forward to seeing how the children apply these strategies throughout the term!

On Tuesday, we were delighted to welcome Andrew, the Chair of Trustees from the Inspire Partnership for a visit to our school. As our former Chair of Governors, this was a fantastic opportunity for him to reconnect with our school community and see first-hand the strengths we have built upon. During his visit, he toured the classrooms, observed learning in action, and spoke with both staff and children. He was incredibly impressed by the children’s enthusiasm and their ability to articulate their learning so confidently. He commented on the positive atmosphere across the school and left with a real ‘fuzzy feeling’ about the sense of community, engagement, and high expectations we foster every day. It was wonderful to receive such positive feedback, and we are so proud of how our children showcased their learning and school values so brilliantly!

On Wednesday, the Year 3 class visited the Ragged Museum in London linking to their Spring 1 history topic of the Victorians. They had a hands-on experience of what it was like to be a student in the Victorian era, being separated by their gender, using slate and chalk to write and even some children experiencing what it was like to wear the ‘dunce’ hat. This experience was an amazing opportunity to embed the key skills and knowledge that the children learnt throughout their history topic. 

We've had an exciting week with the return of our Book Fair! It was wonderful to see so many families choosing new books, sparking fresh adventures and a love for reading. This has been the perfect way to kick-start our Book Week celebrations, leading up to the much-anticipated World Book Day. The children have been buzzing with excitement, eagerly discussing which characters they’ll dress up as for the big day!

And like that, the first week of Spring 2 is done! We very much look forward to seeing everyone back to school on Monday and hope you all have a wonderful weekend. 

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

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

Nursery

This week in Nursery, the children have been thinking about what they want to be when they grow up. They have been discussing different jobs, acting them out for their friends to guess, and learning about the roles people play in their work. In maths, they have been exploring prepositional language, positioning a bear in, on, and under a basket—by the end of the week, they even explored next to!  

Reception  

Reception had an exciting start to the half term with a special visit from local beekeepers. The children were fascinated by the session and loved asking questions to deepen their understanding. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm as they confidently recalled key facts and vocabulary throughout the week. Arthur H said “I liked the honey because it was really, really good and really, really sweet and really, really tasty!” Eva shared that she learnt about “pollinated flowers and the bees collecting nectar.”  

Year 1  

Year 1 had a fantastic surprise when they returned to class after assembly on Monday—balloons, binoculars, and a map had mysteriously appeared! The children investigated who these objects might belong to and made exciting predictions. Some thought they belonged to Mr Smith, as he has a backpack big enough to fit them all. Later, they discovered that the clues were linked to their new English learning—studying the Disney film ‘Up’.  

Year 2 

This week, Year 2 have written incredible poems inspired by the theme of animal freedom. Using their core text ‘Starbird’, they explored what it means to be free and worked collaboratively to craft thoughtful and expressive poetry. Their creativity and imagination have truly shone through in their work!  

Year 3 

Year 3 had a fantastic trip to the Slade Library, where they met author Rumya Julian. She shared her book about Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, inspiring the children to think about their own heroes. They even created hero masks, which some proudly wore for the rest of the day! Meanwhile, in the classroom, Miss White led an engaging yoga session, with children reflecting on how relaxed and flexible they felt afterwards.  

Year 4 

Year 4 had an exciting start to their new core text, ‘Tamarind and the Star of Ishta’, with a sensory hook lesson. They explored traditional Indian food, different spices, flags, and even henna tattoos. This immersive experience helped the children make meaningful connections to the smells and flavours in the story.  

Year 5  

Year 5 have been diving into their new core text, ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’ exploring character traits and making inferences. In maths, they have been developing their confidence with finding percentages of amounts. It has been fantastic to see their perseverance and growing independence in tackling challenging problems.  

Year 6 

Year 6 have returned after the half term with focus and determination. They have particularly enjoyed their reasoning Maths sessions, working collaboratively to strengthen their problem-solving skills. In English, they are exploring ‘The Landlady’ by Roald Dahl, analysing key themes such as deception and manipulation—engaging discussions have filled the classroom!  

We look forward to another fantastic week of learning ahead!