This week in Reception we went on an Autumn Walk around the school grounds to look for signs of the changing seasons. We used our senses to explore the wonders of autumn. We noticed the changing colours of the leaves and heard the crunch of leaves under our feet. We collected natural treasures along the way…conkers, leaves and sycamore leaves.

In Maths our focus has been linked to the number 3. The children have been recognising the numeral, counting out three objects from a larger group and understanding the value. We have played a variety of games helping counting and subitising skills.  

The children enjoyed their trip to Melton Library, where they took part in an exciting storytelling session, ‘Storytelling – Tell Your Own Tale!’, delivered by storyteller Mark Fraser.

Mark captivated the children with an imaginative adventure beyond the pages of a book, bringing fables and original stories to life. They discovered tales of grumpy trolls, explosive sneezes and epic triumphs, as well as exploring the story of ‘The Red Ant’ and learning about the art of storytelling.

The visit encouraged the children to become active creators of their own stories. During the session, they took part in a 30-minute storytelling session featuring ‘The Red Ant’, followed by 30 minutes of practical storytelling activities. These activities gave the children the opportunity to use their imaginations, create their own characters and develop their ideas into unique stories.

It was an enjoyable and engaging experience that encouraged the children to be creative, use their imaginations and share their own wonderful tales.

 The Year 2 children were very lucky to visit the library and listen to author Mark Fraser, who amazed them by creating exciting stories straight from his imagination. The children enjoyed hearing how ideas can grow into wonderful stories and were inspired by his creativity. Afterwards, they had the opportunity to plan their own stories, using their imaginations to create interesting characters, settings and adventures ready for their future writing.

On Monday, year 3 learned a French rhyme which helped them to practise their knowledge of French greetings.  We made finger puppets and performed them with a partner. 

In PE, we have been working on our coordination and balance. 

Year 4 explored the importance of showing and receiving kindness within our school community. The children shared thoughtful examples of times they have shown kindness to others and reflected on occasions when others have shown kindness to them. We discussed how even small acts of kindness can make a big difference to someone's day and help create a positive environment for everyone.

To finish the lesson, each child made a personal promise to carry out a small act of kindness during the week. We are looking forward to hearing about the positive impact these kind actions have had and celebrating how our class continues to show respect, care and consideration for others.

Year 5 have had another busy and productive week, and we have been incredibly proud of the resilience and care they have shown. This week, the children completed their assessments, approaching each one positively and always trying their best. These assessments help us to identify any gaps in learning and areas where children may benefit from additional support and practice.

In English, we have begun writing our independent stories inspired by The Journey by Francesca Sanna. The children carefully planned their stories before creating a modelled class write together. They have now used these ideas to write their own stories, with a focus on developing vocabulary and description. Next week, we will edit and publish our finished stories.

We have also made fantastic progress with our number sense, with our class average score increasing this week. This shows that our times table recall is improving and that we are becoming quicker and more confident with our multiplication facts.

In History, we learnt about the famous House of Wisdom in Baghdad, an incredible centre of learning during the Islamic Golden Age. We discovered how scholars travelled there to study, translate important texts and share knowledge.

In Computing, we finished creating our own quizzes on Purple Mash and had lots of fun testing each other's creations. The children really enjoyed challenging their classmates and seeing how well their quizzes worked!

Year 6 went to the Warning Zone in Leicester this week and explored a range of real-life situations designed to help them stay safe. Through interactive activities, the children learnt about important topics such as road safety, fire safety, online safety and recognising potential dangers in everyday life. They had a fantastic time developing their awareness, making sensible decisions and learning valuable life skills that will help keep them safe in the future!

Writing:

In Writing this week, Year 6 have been planning their balanced arguments around the question, “Did Nelson Mandela help bring people together?” The children explored both sides of the argument, considering how Mandela challenged apartheid, fought for equality and encouraged change, while also examining different viewpoints about his actions. They worked hard to organise their ideas, gather evidence and develop persuasive points ready to write their balanced arguments.

Maths

In Maths this week, Year 6 have been practising a wide range of SATs-style addition and subtraction questions to strengthen their arithmetic skills and build confidence. The children explored different methods, applied their knowledge to problem-solving questions and worked on improving their accuracy and speed. They showed great determination when tackling challenging questions and explaining their mathematical reasoning!

RE:

In RE this week, Year 6 explored the different ways Muslims show their commitment to Allah. The children learnt about important practices such as praying five times a day, fasting during Ramadan, giving to charity and helping others. They discussed why these acts demonstrate faith and dedication, before reflecting on which commitments they felt were most important and explaining their reasons.

Mrs Moxham and Mrs Morgan are very proud of last years gardening club who achieved the gold award from Melton in Bloom.

We are aware the drain cover located under the second gate on the walkway into the school  is slippy, the sitemanager is looking into remedial action. Please avoid walking on this.  Many thanks.