Kangaroo and Wallaby Class  

It has been a fantastic start of the year. I am delighted that all children settled in exceptionally well in their first year of 'big school'. Their enthusiasm, engagement, and commitment to their learning have been truly commendable. It is evident that they have formed positive relationships with their peers, teachers, and the wider school community. Our current learning focus centres around the central idea of "Unique Identities Influence the Choices Humans Make." Through our core text, "All Are Welcome," we have guided the children on a fascinating inquiry journey aimed at exploring various lines of thought, including: Who I am, how different strengths and characteristics make me an individual and human relationships, including friends, family, and community.

Through this exploration, we developed a deep appreciation for the uniqueness and value of every individual. We encouraged them to embrace both the similarities and differences between themselves and others, fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment. Additionally, we aimed to nurture vital social skills, such as taking turns, sharing, active listening, and recognising, naming, and positively dealing with their feelings. The children created self portraits and have practised name writing as part of our Art focus of identity.

Key Stage One

This term, KS1 have been focusing on the transdisciplinary theme 'Who we are' and exploring the central idea 'Learning about ourselves helps us understand and connect to others in the world'. The children started by exploring what makes them an individual before moving on to identifying similarities and differences between themselves and their friends. The book 'Can I build another me?' gave the children a brilliant insight into what makes an individual and the children produced lots of wonderful writing about it. As part of their Computing lessons, children have learned what their personal details are and understand the importance of keeping this information safe. The children have learned about the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and the eatwell plate which shows us the food groups we need for a balanced diet. The children have also explored where they live; learning about the location of Molehill as part of Maidstone, Kent, England, the UK and the world. They enjoyed visiting St Martin's church and learning about how people can belong to the religion of Christianity and learning about links St Martin's has to our community. We have finished off our term with a very creative action for our inquiry. The children have produced beautiful posters and poems to celebrate who they are, including lovely pictures of themselves doing something they enjoy. Designing and making fruit kebabs as part of this term's Fabulous Finish brought a busy term to a fantastic end. Well done KS1 for all of the hard work in Module 1! 

Cultural Day

Cultural day was a tremendous success. It was a sensational celebration of diversity within our school community, and we are thrilled that our children had the opportunity to engage in such an enriching experience. The spirit of the day was truly remarkable, with children and staff alike embracing the occasion by donning unique and vibrant attire representing various cultures. Witnessing this kaleidoscope of colours throughout the school was truly a sight to behold. Furthermore, the children's taste buds were treated to an array of delectable dishes from all corners of the world. We are immensely grateful to the parents who generously contributed their culinary delights and enabled our children to relish in this multicultural feast. We were privileged to have parents so willing to come in and share firsthand accounts about their own cultures and traditions. By openly discussing their customs and beliefs, you provided our children with valuable insights that will help them develop a greater understanding and respect for diversity.

By celebrating Cultural Day, we aimed to expose our children to a wide range of cultures, fostering understanding, tolerance, and respect among them. It is our firm belief that by embracing our diverse community, we create a richer and more inclusive learning environment, enabling our children to grow into well-rounded global citizens. Through the celebration of events such as Cultural Day, we strive to nurture globally minded individuals, who not only acknowledge their place in an intercultural global community but also demonstrate the attitudes and actions of internationally minded people. By instilling these values within our children, we equip them with essential skills that will shape their future lives and careers.