Good afternoon everyone,

I hope you have all had a lovely week and have something nice planned for the half-term break when it finally arrives!

In English, we have continued reading Tar Beach, exploring the story and its themes in greater depth. This has linked particularly well with our learning for Black History Month, as the children have been exploring the theme of segregation and how people were treated unfairly because of the colour of their skin. We discussed how the characters in the story experience discrimination and how this affects their opportunities and sense of belonging. The children then used these ideas to write letters expressing their thoughts and feelings about the unfair treatment of others. They have been developing their ability to explain their opinions, use persuasive language and give reasons to support their viewpoints, while thinking carefully about the importance of equality and fairness.

In maths, we have been adding and subtracting numbers with up to four digits, focusing on exchanging when working with larger numbers. The children have been practising how to exchange between ones, tens, hundreds and thousands when a column does not contain enough to complete a calculation. We have worked through a range of calculations, encouraging the children to set out their work carefully, show their methods clearly and check their answers. This is an important skill as we continue to develop their confidence and accuracy when working with increasingly complex calculations.

In science, we have started learning about the different diets of animals, exploring the terms carnivore, herbivore and omnivore. The children have been learning that carnivores eat other animals, herbivores eat plants and omnivores eat both plants and other animals. We discussed a range of familiar and less familiar animals, using our existing knowledge to predict which category they belong to and explaining our reasoning. The children have been encouraged to think carefully about the types of food different animals eat and how we can use evidence to support our predictions.

In geography, we have been exploring food miles and investigating how far different foods travel before reaching our plates. The children looked at the countries where a range of foods originate and calculated the distances they travel to reach the UK. We discussed how some foods are grown locally, while others travel thousands of miles from different parts of the world. This led to some interesting conversations about the impact of transporting food on the environment, including fuel consumption and carbon emissions. We also considered how choosing locally produced and seasonal foods can sometimes help to reduce food miles.

In art this week, everyone planned a composition for a mixed-media drawing. The children began by cutting out different images to create a collage, carefully arranging their pictures until they were happy with their overall composition. Once they had settled on their designs, they glued their images into place.

Next, the children created a wax-resist background using wax crayons on card. They filled the surface with bold blocks of colour, making sure there were no gaps. Next week, we will cover the wax crayon designs with black paint mixed with a little liquid soap. Once this layer is ready, the children will be able to scratch into the surface, revealing the colourful wax underneath and using their collage compositions as inspiration. I am looking forward to seeing how their final pieces develop!

In Spanish, we revised the days of the week, numbers and months of the year. We then explored the names of some saints and learnt about the many different saints' days celebrated in Spain. The children took part in a calendar quiz, searching for the names of saints and identifying their special days. They also practised saying the different saints' days in Spanish, helping to develop both their vocabulary and pronunciation while learning more about Spanish culture.

I also wanted to update you on the staffing arrangements for next week. Due to my leadership responsibilities, I will unfortunately not be available to teach the class next week. However, our consultation meetings will still take place as planned.

To help maintain familiar routines and provide the children with as much consistency as possible, we have arranged the following staffing:

• Monday: Miss Petrou will teach the class.

• Tuesday and Thursday: Mrs Baxter-Read will teach the class. She has taught the children a few times over recent weeks and has already begun to get to know them, helping to maintain continuity in their learning.

• Wednesday and Friday: Mrs Edwards will continue to teach the class.

Although I will not be teaching the children directly, I will continue to oversee the class, work closely with the staff supporting them and check in with the children several times throughout the day to ensure they are happy and well supported.

I understand how important it is to keep parents informed, particularly when staffing arrangements change. I will continue to communicate any updates as soon as I am able to share them and will confirm the arrangements for the following week on our class blog.

Please be assured that the children's happiness, wellbeing and education remain at the heart of every decision we make. Our aim is to return to greater consistency after the half-term break, and I sincerely apologise for the changes and any uncertainty they may cause in the meantime. Thank you for your continued understanding, patience and support while these arrangements are in place.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.