Spellings (test on 24/4/26)

 Mr Chanter's Group

interact

interfere

intercity

international

intermediate

internet

intergalactic

interrupt

intervene

interject

Mrs Andersen's Group

badly

hopeless 

penniless

happily

lovely

joyless

slowly

quickly

careless

fearless

 Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a lovely Easter holiday. I don’t know why, but this always feels like my favourite half term at school – perhaps it’s the positive change in the weather and the lighter, brighter days ahead!

As you know, the school pool has now been installed and the children have begun their swimming lessons. They have made a fantastic start and shown great enthusiasm. Please could children ensure they bring their swimming kit (including costume, towel, and any other essentials) every day, as there may be additional opportunities for extra swimming sessions.

In English this week, the class have continued reading The Story of Tutankhamun and have been learning about Howard Carter’s famous discovery of the pharaoh’s tomb in 1922. The children explored what made this discovery so significant and how news would have been shared at the time. They have begun writing their own newspaper reports, focusing on key features such as headlines, introductions, factual reporting, and quotes. We discussed how to hook the reader’s attention and present information clearly, and the children have worked hard to write in a formal, informative style, just like real journalists from the 1920s.

In maths, the children have been learning about tenths and how to represent them as both fractions and decimals. They explored how tenths relate to place value, recognising that 1/10 is the same as 0.1, and used place value charts to support their understanding. The class also practised dividing numbers by 10 and identifying tenths on number lines, helping them to see the connections between fractions, decimals, and real-life quantities.

In science, as part of our topic on ‘Living Things and Their Habitats’, the children have been identifying, grouping, and classifying different vertebrates. They used classification keys to sort animals based on their characteristics, such as whether they are mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, or amphibians. The children enjoyed asking and answering questions to narrow down possibilities and began to understand how scientists organise and study living things.

In RE, we had a thoughtful discussion about where wisdom comes from and what it means to be wise. As a class, we explored stories, sayings, and examples of wisdom, and the children shared their opinions on people – including some cartoon characters – who they believe show wisdom. We concluded that being wise means making the right choices based on knowledge and experience. We will continue this topic by exploring stories linked to wisdom in different traditions.

In art, the class were immersed in the sounds of the rainforest before looking at images of tropical birds, plants, flowers, and fruit. This sensory experience inspired them as they began our new topic. The children selected images they found interesting and created detailed observational drawings, focusing on colour, shape, and pattern. Next week, we will build on this work to create our own rainforest-inspired mood boards.

A reminder that on Monday we will be going on our STEM school trip to Legoland Windsor. Please ensure your child arrives at school by 8:15am. They will need a packed lunch, a water bottle with a non-fizzy drink, and everything should be in a disposable carrier bag. Children should come to school wearing full school uniform.

Enjoy your weekend, and I will see you next week.