This week, we have explored genes and genetic inheritance. Through a number of investigations, we have understood that there are thousands of inheritable traits that are passed from parents to offspring and that children gain a mixture of genes from each of their biological parents, at random. If you are interested in looking at an investigation, that contains a small sample of genes, search 'genetic wheel California Academy of Sciences'. The more family members that plot themselves on this chart, the more interesting it becomes! We have also compared different breeds of dogs, allowing children to notice their physical characteristics and then identify which characteristics a cross-breed may have. We have continued to consider Charles Darwin as a significant figure and, at the end of the week, have added Mary Anning into the mix! 

In maths, we have studied divisibility, square and cube numbers, using counters and cubes to represent these physically, before using the concepts in abstract calculations. They have been introduced to the term 'powers of', which will lead them into their Secondary learning. The children have worked very hard in their assessments this week, showing resilience and flexibility. These assessment support the students in becoming more familiar with the testing process and prepares them for May 2026. These also help the teachers to identify areas in which we need to provide additional support.

Finally, we are looking forward to our trip to the Natural History Museum, next Wednesday.