20th  July 2026

 Reception

Expressive Art and Design 

In Reception, we have been learning about the artist Henri Rousseau. After carefully studying his famous painting, ‘Tiger in a Tropical Storm’, we practised mixing paint to create our own shades of green and orange. Using our new colours alongside paper plates and coloured paper, we then created these wonderful tiger collages!

Exotic Animal Encounter!

We had a wonderful experience where we could touch and hold a range of exotic animals, including a tortoise, tarantula, snake, bunny, and several more! Callum told us all about these marvellous creatures, how to care for them, and what they like to eat. It was a fantastic hands-on experience!

Year 1

Jungle Day!

We had an amazing day in Year 1 with our jungle themed day. We started the day by meeting the exotic animals and the children were very brave holding and touching them. They saw a snake, gecko, tarantula, rabbit and tortoise and enjoyed listening to all the facts about them. We then tried some exotic fruit for our snack and again the children did great trying different fruits that most of them had not tried before. They found lots of new fruits they enjoyed! We then ended the day with colouring and watching the Jungle Book with some popcorn. What a lovely day!

Year 4

Visit to Hunstanton

Year 4 had a fantastic day at Hunstanton this half term. The children had time to play on the beach and then we went into the Sea Life Centre. The children took part in a workshop where they had the chance to investigate rock pools with their hands. They explored the other creatures in the centre and outside where the penguins were a great hit. We all enjoyed ice creams and lunch before going back onto the beach for a while.  Some of the children built amazing rock structures!

Travelling by Tuba

The whole school had the opportunity to take part in a music concert called Travelling by Tuba.  The concert took the children around the world using musical instruments, particularly the Piano and Tuba but also some more unusual instruments such as the Didgeridoo and Alpine horn.  Some of the children came out to try playing the instruments and they finished off with a percussion concert involving a number of pupils.  It was an excellent concert and everyone enjoyed it.

Year 6

Year 6 has had an incredibly busy and productive term, showing great enthusiasm and creativity across their learning.

In Design and Technology, the children took on the exciting challenge of creating water walls for our Reception and Nursery children. They followed the full design process, beginning by researching different water wall designs and considering how younger children would use them. They then developed their own ideas, carefully planned their designs, and selected suitable, recycled materials. Working collaboratively, the children built their water walls and demonstrated excellent problem-solving skills throughout the construction process. Finally, they evaluated their finished products, reflecting on what worked well and how they could improve their designs in the future.

We are extremely proud of the hard work, teamwork and perseverance the children have shown. The finished water walls have been a fantastic addition to the outdoor learning environment, and it has been wonderful to see the younger children enjoying them.

Year 6 also enjoyed an exciting and informative visit to the local fire station. Throughout the day, the children took part in a range of engaging workshops designed to help them stay safe and make responsible choices.

They learned about water safety, including how to recognise hazards near rivers, lakes and the coast, and what to do in an emergency. The children also developed their understanding of fire safety, learning how to prevent fires and what actions to take if a fire occurs. Sessions on road safety and animal safety provided valuable advice on keeping themselves and others safe in everyday situations.

In addition, the children explored the importance of internet safety, discussing how to stay safe online, protect personal information and respond appropriately to online risks. A highlight of the visit was the first aid training, where pupils learned essential life-saving skills and how to respond confidently in an emergency.

The visit was both educational and enjoyable, equipping the children with practical knowledge and skills that will help them stay safe now and in the future. We were extremely proud of their excellent behaviour, enthusiasm and thoughtful participation throughout the day.

Fond farewells

The end of the academic year is always a mix of emotions, and this year is no different. As we all look forward to relaxing and recharging our batteries, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to those staff who are leaving us this year.

Miss Kitchen

We will miss Miss Kitchen in Year 1 next year. Her enthusiasm, routines and teaching have been amazing this year and we wish her the best of luck.

Mrs Chivers

Meaning only to come for a few days on a temporary basis, we really couldn't have done without Mrs Chivers this year. She has been a real asset to the team and to Orchards and it has been lovely to watch the children grow and thrive under her care.

Mr Rouse

Congratulations to Mr Rouse who is to become the new Assistant Headteacher at St Peter's Junior School in September. It is a well-deserved promotion but we will miss him next year.

Attendance

Our overall attendance target for this year was 96%. Sadly we were short of our target, coming in at 91.1% - next year there will be a big push to promote attendance.

Well done to the 42 children who have achieved 100% during the summer term - not easy with three heat waves.

12 children in the school need to be celebrated as they managed to maintain 100% throughout the entire academic year!

Well done to 5S who have achieved the best overall class attendance of 92.8%.

Dates for the diary

Whilst it still seems a long way away, just to say that we will be welcoming the children back to school on 

Thursday 3rd September. Gates open at 8:20!