Good afternoon everyone,
I hope you all had a lovely half term break. It has certainly been a very busy first week back in Year 4 - it has been wonderful to see how much the children have enjoyed it!
On Tuesday, we were lucky enough to be visited by professional gymnast Saffron Severn, who was crowned Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion for Great Britain in 2019. She led the children through a range of exercise drills and also delivered an inspiring whole-school assembly where she spoke about perseverance, dedication and working hard to achieve your goals. A huge thank you to all of you for your support in helping the children raise money for this fantastic event — it really was appreciated.
Wednesday brought another exciting opportunity, as some of our children travelled to the O2 Arena to take part in the Young Voices concert. For those who have attended before, you will know what an incredible spectacle it is! The children represented the school brilliantly, singing their hearts out and showing fantastic enthusiasm throughout the evening. They should all be extremely proud of themselves.
On Thursday, we stepped back in time for our Ancient Egyptian Workshop, which was both fun and educational — even for me! The children made a wonderful effort with their costumes, which really helped bring the day to life. We began by creating a range of artefacts from the period, including jars, canopic jars, amulet bracelets and soaps. This was followed by storytelling and role play activities before finishing the day with an Egyptian-style celebration for the Pharaoh and his wife, complete with performances and a feast. Unfortunately, I was executed for treason at the end of the day… you’ll have to ask the children for the full story!
In Science, we have begun our new topic on States of Matter. This week, the children investigated and compared the melting points of different materials. We explored how some substances melt very easily, while others require extremely high temperatures. The children looked at examples such as olive oil, which can change state at relatively low temperatures, and wax, which melts when heated and then solidifies again as it cools.
In Maths, the children have been finishing their topic on length and perimeter. Over the past week, they have been applying their knowledge of measuring in metres, centimetres and millimetres, as well as converting between different units of measurement. They have also been calculating the perimeter of a range of shapes, including both regular and irregular polygons, and solving reasoning and problem-solving questions involving real-life contexts. Next week, we will be moving on to our new topic of fractions. The children will begin by revisiting what fractions represent as equal parts of a whole before exploring equivalent fractions, counting in fractions and placing fractions on a number line. As the unit progresses, they will also learn to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator and develop a deeper understanding of how fractions relate to division and whole numbers.
The excitement continues next week as Thursday marks World Book Day. Children are invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character and will take part in a variety of book-themed activities throughout the day. We are also delighted to welcome poet Stewart Henderson, who will be visiting the school to talk about his work and lead a series of workshops with the children. Signed copies of his book will be available to purchase from the school hall at the end of the day for £6.99.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It has been a fantastic start to the half term and we are looking forward to another exciting week ahead!
Mr Chanter
