Good
afternoon everyone,
I can’t believe we are already at the end of our first full week. The
children have settled in brilliantly and we’ve had a wonderful week of learning
across all subjects. Here’s a little round-up of what we’ve been up to:
English
We have
begun exploring our class text Tar Beach. The children have really enjoyed
discussing the themes in the story so far, as well as making predictions about
what might happen next. Next week, we’ll continue to dig deeper into the book,
thinking about the author’s intentions and the messages we can take away.
Mathematics
In maths,
we started our work on place value by focusing on numbers up to 1,000. The
children have worked very hard to read, partition and compare numbers with
increasing confidence. Next week, we will be extending this further by applying
the same skills to numbers up to 10,000 – a brilliant challenge for everyone!
Science
Our
science topic this week was animals and their diets. The children learned how
to identify and classify carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. Next week, we
will be building on this by constructing and interpreting food chains,
exploring how animals and plants depend on one another for survival, and
considering the importance of balance within an ecosystem.
Computing
We began
our computing lessons by looking at how networks connect through the internet.
We also discussed how important it is to stay safe online and to be careful
about who we communicate with. Next week, we will be looking more closely at
what the internet is actually made up of, including servers, data and how
information travels.
Religious
Education (RE)
This week
we compared Christianity and Islam, identifying both similarities and
differences. The children had thoughtful discussions about significant people,
holy books, festivals and beliefs.
Art
In art,
we explored how tone can be used to make drawings appear three-dimensional. The
children practised using sketching pencils to shade light and dark tones,
producing some very realistic results.
Geography
Our
geography topic this term is Where does our food come from? This week we looked
at different types of food and discovered which biomes they typically grow in.
Next week, we will consider the idea of ‘trading responsibly’, including fair
trade, food miles and how our choices can impact communities around the world.
Half-Term
Project – The 500 Word Challenge
For this
half term’s project, I would like all children to take part in the 500 Word
Challenge. The task is simple: write a story they would love to read in 500
words or less. This is all about creativity – spelling, punctuation and grammar
are not judged.
Stories
should be handed in by Thursday 23rd October, with a copy also brought into
school.
Some key
details about the competition:
50
finalists will be invited to a grand final in February 2026, supported by Her
Majesty The Queen.
Winning
stories will be read aloud by celebrities on TV as part of a special 500 Words
programme on The One Show.
Judges
include Sir Lenny Henry, Malorie Blackman, Francesca Simon, Charlie Higson and
Frank Cottrell-Boyce.
Winners
will receive a bundle of books, with gold winners also winning 500 books for
their school library. Each winning story will also be given a beautifully
illustrated cover.
Rules to
remember:
- They must be written individually, not in groups.
- The story should be an original idea, in prose form (not poetry or rap).
- No personal details (such as names) should be included.
- Stories cannot be based on recounts of historical events, although inspiration from historical figures is fine.
- Stories must be created without the use of AI.
Stories
will be judged on:
- - Characterisation
-
Plot
-
Originality
-
Language
-
Enjoyment
I am
really excited to see the creative ideas the children come up with.
I hope
you all have a lovely weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone again next
week.
Best
wishes,
Mr
Chanter
