SUMMER 1 2024

Welcome back!

 I hope you all had a great Easter holiday. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut.

R.E. – As part of religious education, we will:

• Know the key external features of a church (bell tower, spire, church yard, stain glass window).
• Know the key internal features of a church (font, pulpit, lectern, alter, pews).
• Know that weddings take place in a church.
• Know that people are thankful to God.
• Know that we all have special places and that church is special to Christians.

SCIENCE - As scientists, we will:

• Understand the forces of ‘push’ and ‘pull’.
• Know that surfaces effect the speed of a car.
• Know the different sources of light (sun, electrical light, flame).
• Know the we use our ears to hear sound.
• Know that vibrations are the source of sound.

HISTORY – As historians, we will:

• Know that castles were built in a particular location (high up, near water, near food sources).
• Know that a castle had rooms such as a chamber, great hall, garderobe, keep, watch tower, gatehouse etc.
• Know that knights, cooks, watchmen, messengers and servants worked in a castle.
• Know that life for rich and poor was very different (education, food, clothes, work, living and accommodation).
• Know that people attacked castles to expand land, gain riches, gain power and influence.

P.E. – As sports people we will 

• Develop our throwing and catching skills.
• Develop our hitting and aiming skills using a racket and bat.
• Know how to hold a bat and racket correctly.
• Know how to work well as team, using good communication skills.

This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and WEDNESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 2 2024

Welcome back!

 I hope you all had a good half term. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut.

R.E. – As part of religious education, we will:

• Know some miracles Jesus performed (healing the blind man, healing the paralysed man, feeding the 5000 etc).
• Reflect on how the stories impact on our thoughts and actions.
• Know how people responded and reacted to these miracles.
• Know the importance of being thankful.

SCIENCE - As scientists, we will:

• Know the names of some wild and garden plants (daffodils, pansies, hydrangea, dandelion, daisy etc).
• Know that some trees are evergreen and some are deciduous.
• Know the names of parts of trees and plants (stem, flower, roots, leaves, truck, branches).
• Know the stages of growth from seed to plants.
• Know that a plant needs water, soil, right temperature and light to grow. 

GEOGPRAPHY – As geographers, we will:

• Know that human features have been made by humans,
• Know that physical features are natural.
• Know some features of our local area (fields, woods, shop, church)
• Know some features of China/Shanghai (Great wall, bridge, river, skyscraper, rainforest).
• Know the similarities and difference between Walesby and Shanghai.

P.E. – As sports people we will be looking at invasion games such as basketball, football and netball with our sports coach. In REAL PE, we will be developing our ball skills and counter balance skills.  This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and WEDNESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding. 

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 1 2024

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year! It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut.

R.E. – As part of religious education, we will be learning about the Jewish religion during our topic on ‘From Creation to Shabbat’. We will know that Jews believe in one God and that he is important to them. We will know how Jewish people celebrate the beauty of the world around, which God created. We will know the story of Noah and the ark, which shows the trust Jewish people have in God. We will know that Abraham is seen as the father of the Jewish nation. We will know what Shabbat is and its importance to Jewish people.

SCIENCE - As scientists, we will know that there are two sources of electricity (battery and mains). We will know that appliances need an electrical source to work. We will know how to build a simple electrical circuit and that a circuit needs a battery, wires and output (light, buzzer etc). We will know the four seasons and know the key features of different seasons (weather, day length, characteristics). We will know how the weather differs from season to season. We will know that the sun appears to move across the sky during the day and know the position of the sun can be used to estimate the time of day.

HISTORY – As historians, we will know examples of toys from the past. We will know how toys have changed over time. We will know how smart toys came about. We will know how modern toys are the same and different as those from the past.

P.E. – As sports people we will be developing our dance skills. We will know how to keep balanced and keep control when holding a shape between moves. We will know a range of different leg position, developing core strength. We will know how to move smoothly to the beat of the music. We will know how to develop dance moves with a partner. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and WEDNESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 2 2023

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a good break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy start to the year for Class Horse Chestnut as we look forward to Christmas!

R.E. – As part of religious education, we will be looking at Hinduism and the festival of Diwali (the celebration of light). We will then be looking at Christmas with a focus on gifts. We will look closely at the gifts the three wise men gave Jesus and how we celebrate by giving gifts. We will also look at how Christmas is celebrated in a church.

SCIENCE - As scientists, we will be looking at materials and how we can group and classify different materials. We will also look at changing materials and considering how materials are suitable for different purposes and uses. We will be looking at how we can the appearance of materials by squashing, bending and twisting.

HISTORY – As historians, we will be learning about ‘The Great fire of London’. We will travel back in time and look more closely at what happened during ‘The Great Fire of London’ and look at how things have changed since, such as the fire service. We will how the fire spread through London so quickly. We will be able to recall the key events that took place during this period of time.

P.E. – As sports people we will be taking part in sessions to develop our gymnastics skills. We will be developing our balance, movement and space awareness skills.  This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and WEDNESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 1 2023

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a relaxing summer break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy start to the year for Class Horse Chestnut!

R.E. – As part of religious education, we will be looking at different groups we belong to, such as our family, school and wider community. We will then consider how we can be part of a Christian community and family when we are baptised.

GEOGRAPHY – As geographers, we will be investigating the geography of Walesby (the local area). We will understand what physical and human geography is and identify examples within our local area. We will be looking at land use in Walesby using a range of different maps. We will also be using online mapping to help us plot a route around Walesby and describe the human and physical features in the local area.

P.E. – As sports people we will be sprinting, going over hurdles and developing their throwing technique with our sports coach. This will prepare the children for sports day.  In REAL PE sessions, we will be working on our movement skills and agility. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 2 2023

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a good break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut!

R.E. – As part of Religious Education, we will be exploring what it is like to visit a synagogue. We will identify the different features within a synagogue and what they are used for in worship. We will also consider what Jews wear in a synagogue and why they wear what they do.

SCIENCE – As scientists, we will be investigating living things and habitats. We will start by looking at what is living, dead and never lived. We will the move in to looking at habitats, both locally and around the world and identifying animals and plants within these habitats. We will consider how living things depend on each other in these habitats.

GEOGRAPHY – As geographers, we will be learning about the seaside and the coast. We will look at what makes an area of land urban, coastal or countryside. We will explore rock pools and what lives in a rock pool. We will consider why we must protect our coastlines from pollution and how pollution is occurring. Finally, we will think about why people don’t visit the UK coastline as much as they did in the 1970’s.

P.E. – As sports people we will be sprinting, going over hurdles and developing their throwing technique with our sports coach. This will prepare the children for sports day.  In REAL PE sessions, we will be working on our movement skills and agility. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 1 2023

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a good Easter break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut!

R.E. – As part of Religious Education, we will  be looking at ‘Jesus; friends and followers’. We will be looking at friendship and Jesus’ teachings and stories on friendship. We will also look closely at Jesus’ disciples and how they became his followers.

SCIENCE – As scientists, we will be learning about parts of the human body and the senses. We will be naming the kay parts of the body (hands, nose, feet, ears etc.). We will then be looking at different senses of the body (taste, smell, touch, sight and hearing) and their functions and jobs.

HISTORY – As historians, we will be learning all about significant people, with a focus on nurses from the past.  We will be learning about and comparing the lives of three different women who helped people who were sick or poorly during wars and outbreaks of sickness. These women are; Mary Seacole, Edith Cavel and Florence Nightingale. We will think about the impact they have had on people’s lives and our lives today.

P.E. – As sports people we will be looking at striking and fielding games such as rounders and cricket with our sports coach. We will be developing our throwing and catching skills. We will also be thinking about how to work well as team, using good communication skills. In REAL PE sessions, we will be working on our movement skills and agility. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 2 2023

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a good half term break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut!

R.E. – As part of religious education, we will be learning about Jesus and his stories. We will be exploring the various parables of Jesus, including the Good Samaritan, The Lost Sheep and The Prodigal Son. We will look at the meanings behind these stories and think about the Christian values they promote, such as caring, forgiveness and giving. We will reflect on our own experiences and how these stories impact on our lives. This time of year is also important to Christians as we approach Easter. We will be looking at the Easter story, Palm Sunday and Holy Week.

SCIENCE – As scientists, we are learning about offspring and microhabitats. We will be exploring the different life cycles such as a frog, human and duck. We will also investigate the names of different animal’s offspring and how these offspring vary depending on animal group.

GEOGRAPHY – As geographers, we will be answering the question: ‘How does the weather affect our lives?’. We will be looking at the weather around Walesby over the next 6 weeks by measuring rainfall, wind speeds and temperature. We will use the data collected to make bar charts to show the results. We will also compare the weather in Walesby to different places around the world.

P.E. – As sports people we will be looking at invasion games such as basketball, football and netball with our sports coach. In REAL PE, we will be developing our ball skills and counter balance skills.  This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 1 2023

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut!

R.E. – As part of religious education, we will be looking at the Torah and Jewish stories. We will be exploring stories such as ‘Moses and the Ten Commandments’ and the story of ‘Joseph and his multi-coloured coat’. We will learn about what the Torah is and why it is special for the Jewish faith.

SCIENCE – As scientists, we will be investigating how we can keep our bodies safe and healthy. We will look at how we should exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet. We will also look at good hygiene (hand washing etc) and what we need to survive. We will be working scientifically by grouping and classifying and using observations and ideas to answer questions. 

HISTORY – As historians, we will be looking at ‘Great Explorers’. We will be looking at and comparing the achievements of explorers such as Ranulph Fiennes, Amy Johnson, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong. We will also be considering the motives of these great explorers and the significant impact they had.

P.E. – As sports people we will be developing our dance skills with our sports coach, Josh. They will be thinking about sequencing moves, rhythm and using different parts of our body. In REAL PE, we will be looking at static and dynamic balances.  This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 2 2022

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a good half term break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut as we run up to Christmas!

GEOGRAPHY

As geographers, we will be investigating the question ‘Why don’t penguins need to fly?’. We will be using maps and atlases to identify the seven continents and five oceans of the world. We will compare climates and weather patterns. We will locate and recognise human and physical features within the different continents.

R.E.

As part of religious education, we will be investigating the ways Eid is celebrated and exploring journeys, which are high lighted, during the Christmas celebration. We will be looking at the journeys of Mary, Joseph and the donkey, the shepherds and the wise men, as well as the feelings associated with them. We will compare the celebrations of Eid and Christmas and note similarities and differences.

SCIENCE

As scientists we will be investigating seasonal change. We will be thinking about how the weather changes between seasons and how the world around us changes. We will focus on the season of winter and observe and collect evidence to show the how we have moved from Autumn to Winter.

P.E.

As sports people we will be developing our skills in Gymnastics. We will be developing our balance, movement and space awareness skills with Coach Josh. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day.

NATIVITY

In Class Horse Chestnut, we are practising and preparing for our nativity. Children will receive the script and the parts they will performing. It is important that children practice these parts both in school and at home.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 1 2022

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a relaxing summer break and enjoyed the fabulous sunshine we had!. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut!

HISTORY

As historians we will be thinking about significant people and those who have helped make the world a better place. We will be looking at Sarah Forbes-Bonneta, Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks. We will consider why these people are significant and recall key events in their lives.

R.E.

As part of religious education, we will explore two important Jewish characters, David and Daniel, followed by the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. The focus is on developing the children’s understanding of the stories of David and Goliath, Daniel in the lion’s Den, the Fiery Furnace and Hanukkah, and becoming more aware of the difficulties faced by the Jewish people and the ways they overcame them.

SCIENCE

As scientists we will be describing and comparing the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals).  We will be encouraged to understand and use the vocabulary carnivore, herbivore and omnivore. We will be sorting animals into different groups with similar features and will be looking at food chains within the animal Kingdom.

P.E.

As sports people we will be developing our skills in outdoor games. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 2 2022

Welcome back!

I hope you all had a good half term break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut!

GEOGRAPHY

As geographers, we will be exploring where it is our food comes from. We will start of by looking at a dairy farm in Devon and looking at the process of making cheese and how it is exported all over the world. We will also look at products that come from other parts of the world, where the climate is better suited to help them grow. We will also look at why it matters where sugar comes from and how we should eat a balanced diet

R.E.

As part of Religious Education, we will be reading Jewish stories. We will be learning about Moses and what happened to him at the start of his life. We will learn about what happened to Moses at the Burning Bush and think about how he reacted and why?

SCIENCE

As scientists, we will be looking at how to grow healthy plants. We will be looking at seeds and the key parts of seeds. We will then grow our own plants and test to see what conditions effect the growth of plants (light, water, soil and temperature). We will also compare healthy and unhealthy plants and consider how we can make them healthy again.

 P.E.

As sports people we will be sprinting, going over hurdles and developing their throwing technique with our sports coach. This will prepare the children for sports day.  In REAL OE sessions, we will be working on our movement skills and agility. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 1 2022

Welcome back!

I hope you all had an exciting Easter break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut!

HISTORY

As historians, we will be looking at Lincoln and Newark castles. We will be answering the questions: Why build a castle in Lincoln and Newark? What were the castles like? Who worked in the castles? What was life like for the children of the lords? What happened when the castles were attacked? What was it like for the rich and the poor? All these questions will form the basis for our historical investigations. What else can you find out at home?

R.E.

As part of Religious Education, we will be exploring where Christians go to worship. We will be thinking about what place are special to us and linking this to special places for Christians and how they come together as a community. We will consider what ceremonies take place in churches. We will explain and explore how Christians are thankful to God.

SCIENCE

As scientists, we will be looking at Light and Shadows. We will be looking at the different sources of light, such as the sun, flames and torches. We will look at how darkness is the absence of light, how shiny objects reflect the light and how we can block light to create a shadow. We will then be looking at the season of Summer and what the weather is like during Summer.

 P.E.

As sports people we will be looking at striking and fielding games such as rounders and cricket with our sports coach. We will be developing our throwing and catching skills. We will also be thinking about how to work well as team, using good communication skills. In REAL OE sessions, we will be working on our movement skills and agility. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 2 2022

Welcome back!

I hope you all had an exciting  half term break. It looks like it’s going to be a busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut as we leap into Spring!

GEOGRAPHY

As geographers, we will be comparing a contrasting location. This location will be Kampong Ayer, which is located in Brunei. We will be comparing and contrasting Kampong Ayer to the UK and Walesby. We will compare Schooling, Homes, Transport, Climate and Weather. Do you think it will be different or the same?

R.E.

As part of religious education, we will be looking at Jesus and his Miracles. We will reflect on how the stories impact on our thoughts and actions. We will look at miracles performed by Jesus. We will also be learning about RE throughout our weekly Collective Worship, and we will write our own prayers to share with the rest of the school.

SCIENCE

As scientists, we will looking at plants and tree. We will be naming, describing and comparing the different plants we find growing in our local environment. We will also be looking at the different types of trees in our school grounds and considering the differences between evergreen and deciduous trees. We will be looking at different roots systems.

 P.E.

As sports people we will be looking at invasion games such as basketball, football and netball with our sports coach. In REAL PE, we will be developing our ball skills and counter balance skills.  This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 1 2022

Welcome back and Happy New Year!

I hope you all had an exciting and festive half term break. It looks like it’s going to be an exciting and busy half term for Class Horse Chestnut as we jump into the New Year.

HISTORY

As historians, we will be focusing on our topic of toys. We will be looking at toys from the past and consider how they have changed, or in some cases, not changed. We will also be looking at how Tim Berners-Lee’s creation of the world wide web impacted on toys we have in modern times.

R.E.

As part of religious education, we will be learning about the Jewish religion during our topic on ‘From Creation to Shabbat’. We will be developing our understanding of some important beliefs of Jewish people and learn about key Jewish figures, such as Noah and Abraham, who listened to God.

SCIENCE

As scientists, we will be exploring the forces of push and pull. We will be looking at whether objects need to be pushed or pulled for them to move. We will investigate how to change the distance a toy car travels using different ramps and surfaces. We will begin to look at seasonal change by focusing on the season of Spring.

 P.E.

As sports people we will be our dance skills with Coach Josh. They will be thinking about sequencing moves, rhythm and using different parts of our body. In REAL PE we will be looking at static and dynamic balances. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 2 2021

Welcome back Year 1 and 2!

I hope you all had an exciting and fun half term. It looks like it’s going to be an exciting and festive half term for Class Horse Chestnut as we draw near to the Christmas season. 

HISTORY

As historians, we will be learning about ‘The Great fire of London’. We will travel back in time and look more closely at what happened during ‘The Great Fire of London’ and look at how things have changed since, such as the fire service. We will also touch on geography this half term by looking at where London is and how the fire spread through London so quickly.

R.E.

.As part of religious education, we will be looking at Hinduism and the festival of Diwali (the celebration of light). We will then be looking at Christmas with a focus on gifts. We will look closely at the gifts the three wise men gave Jesus and how we celebrate by giving gifts. We will also look at how Christmas is celebrated in a church.

SCIENCE

As scientists, we will be looking at changing materials and considering how materials are suitable for different purposes and uses. We will be looking at how we can the appearance of materials by squashing, bending and twisting. We will also be looking at the reversible changes of melting and freezing.

 P.E.

As sports people we will be taking part in sessions to develop our gymnastics skills. We will be developing our balance, movement and space awareness skills with Coach Josh.  This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day. Please also ensure that PE kits do not have logos or branding.

NATIVITY

In year 1 and 2, we are practising and preparing for our nativity called ‘It’s a miracle’. Children have received the script and the parts they will performing. It is important that children practice these parts both in school and at home.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 1 2021

Welcome back Year 1 and 2!

I hope you have all had a good summer break and are ready for another busy and exciting year! 

GEOGRAPHY

As geographers, we will be investigating the geography of Walesby (the local area). We will understand what physical and human geography is and identify examples within our local area. We will be looking at land use in Walesby using maps. We will also be using online mapping to help us plot a route around Walesby and describe the human and physical features in the local area.

RE

As part of religious education, we will be looking at different groups we belong to, such as our family, school and wider community. We will then consider how we can be part of a Christian community and family when we are baptised.

SCIENCE

As scientists, we will be sorting and classifying materials based on their properties and what they are made from. We will be testing different materials to find out the different properties they possess. Are all metals magnetic? Which materials are waterproof? We will consider which materials are best suited to specific jobs based on their properties.

PE

As sports people we will be developing our skills in outdoor games. This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and TUESDAY. Please ensure your child comes to school in their full PE kit, including suitable footwear, for outdoor PE (navy joggers, tracksuit, navy jumper and trainers). Children will still change their shoes throughout the day.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 2 2021 - GREAT EXPLORERS!

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our topic is 'Great Explorers'. We are looking forward to our residential trip to Perlethorpe on the 24th June 2021!

HISTORY

In history, we will be looking at ‘Great Explorers’. We will be looking at and comparing the achievements of explorers such as Ranulph Fiennes, Amy Johnson, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong. We will also be considering the motives of these great explorers and the significant impact they had.

RE

Our focus in RE will be looking at synagogues. We will think about why they are special place for Jewish people and how they are similar and different from Christian places of worship. We will look at what people wear when they visit the synagogue and how they prepare for worship. 

Science

In our science lessons this half term, we will be looking at the water cycle. We will be thinking about what happens when our clothes dry and how the water evaporates. We will also look at the different parts of the water cycle. We will then move on to looking at plants and their habitats. We will consider what plants different animals eat and the part plants play (producer) in the food chain.

PE

This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and WEDNESDAY. Some of the sessions this half term will take place OUTSIDE. Please ensure your child has their full PE kit in school at the beginning of the week, including suitable clothing and footwear for indoor and outdoor PE. We will be taking part in striking and fielding games during our PE sessions. 

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 1 2021 - WRIGGLE AND CRAWL

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good Easter break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our topic is 'Wriggle and Crawl'. We are looking forward to our residential trip to Perlethorpe on the 24th June 2021 where will explore this half term's topic further!

RE

Our focus in RE will be looking at the Torah and Jewish stories. We will be exploring stories such as ‘Moses and the 10 commandments’ and the story of ‘Joseph and his multi-coloured coat’. We will learn about what the Torah is and why it is special for the Jewish faith.

Science

Our Science topic is about microhabitats and life cycles. We will be exploring the different microhabitats around our school grounds to find out which minibeasts live there. We will also look at the life cycle of a frog and investigate the names of different animal’s offspring.

PE

This half term PE will be on a MONDAY and WEDNESDAY. Some of the sessions this half term will take place OUTSIDE. Please ensure your child has their full PE kit in school at the beginning of the week, including suitable clothing and footwear for indoor and outdoor PE. We will be taking part in striking and fielding games during our PE sessions. 

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have a great half term! Remember to read our half termly curriculum newsletter for more information about what we will be covering across the whole curriculum!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 2 2021 - STONE AGE to IRON AGE

Welcome back! I hope you all had a good half term break and are looking forward to another fun filled half term! This half term, our topic is 'Stone Age to the Iron Age'.

Science

Our Science topic is ‘Rocks’. We will be looking at different types of rocks and how they compare to each other. We will compare the physical appearance of the rocks and the properties they possess. We will investigate how fossils are formed over time. We will look at what is in soil and what it is made up of.

History

Our history sessions will focus on the Iron Age. We will be looking at and ordering the pre-historic periods from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. We will be looking at life in the Iron Age and will compare to life today. This includes looking at jobs, houses, clothing and tools used.

RE

Our focus in RE this half term is ‘Caring and Praying’. We will be learning about the Lord’s Prayer and investigate Christian prayer and its importance. We will be think about where people might pray and how they listen and talk to God through prayer.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have an enjoyable half term!

Mr Mackenzie

SPRING 1 2021 - HABITATS, CLIMATES AND PETS

Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a good festive break and are looking forward to another fun filled half term! 

Science

Our Science topic is ‘Living things and habitats’. We will explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive. We will also be considering how different habitats provide for the animals that live in them. We will look at the types of animals we keep as pets and how we might care for those animals. .

Geography

This half term our topic is called: ‘Why are jungles so wet and deserts so dry?’. We will be focussing on climates and how the climates vary around the world. We will be using maps, the globe and various graphs and charts to help us compare the climates.

RE

Our focus is RE this half term is the religion of Islam. We will be learning about where Muslim people go to worship and some important stories in their religion. We will investigate how Muslims worship and what similarities and difference their religion has to our own.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have an enjoyable half term!

Mr Mackenzie

AUTUMN 2 2020 - WINTER and ELECTRICITY

Welcome back! I hope you all had a good half term break and are looking forward to another fun filled half term! 

Science

This half term our science topic will be electricity. We will be exploring different appliances that use electricity and what those different appliances use electricity for. We will be looking at circuits and learning about what different circuits need to work. We will conduct our own investigations into circuits and make predictions about what we think will happen. We will also learn about insulators and conductors and consider the dangers when using electricity.

Geography

Our geography investigation question this half term is ‘Why don’t penguins need to fly?’. We will be using maps and atlases to identify the seven continents and five oceans of the world. We will compare climates and weather patterns. We will locate and recognise human and physical features within the different continents.  

RE

This half term we will explore two important Jewish characters, David and Daniel, followed by the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. The focus is on developing the children’s understanding of the stories of David and Goliath, Daniel in the lion’s Den, the Fiery Furnace and Hanukkah, and becoming more aware of the difficulties faced by the Jewish people and the ways they overcame them. As we approach Christmas, we will be looking at the importance of light at this time of year.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading or grammar task. 

I hope you all have an enjoyable and festive half term!

Mr Mackenzie

AUTUMN 1 2020 - AMAZING ANIMALS and SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE

Welcome back! I hope you all had a fabulous summer break and are looking forward to another fun filled half term! 

Science

Our topic this half term is ‘Grouping Animals’. During this topic, the children will be describing and comparing the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals).  They will be encouraged to understand and use the vocabulary carnivore, herbivore and omnivore. We will be sorting animals into different groups with similar features and will be looking at food chains within the animal Kingdom.

History

In our history topic this half term we will be thinking about significant people and those who have helped make the world a better place. We will be looking at Sarah Forbes-Bonneta, Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks. We will consider why these people are significant and recall key events in their lives.

RE

Our topic for this half term is, Jesus and his stories. We will be exploring the various parables of Jesus, including the Good Samaritan, The Lost Sheep and The Prodigal Son. We will look at the meanings behind these stories and think about the Christian values they promote, such as caring, forgiveness and giving. We will reflect on our own experiences and how these stories impact on our lives.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

I hope you all have an enjoyable half term!

Mr Mackenzie

SUMMER 2 - KAMPONG AYER vs WALESBY

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good half term break and tried to get outside as much as you could! This half term, the way we learn will be very different for most of us but we still have lots of exciting work!

GEOGRAPHY – In our Geography sessions, we will be comparing a contrasting location. This location will be Kampong Ayer, which is located in Brunei. We will be comparing and contrasting Kampong Ayer to the UK and Walesby. We will compare Schooling, Homes, Transport, Climate and Weather. Do you think it will be different or the same?

SCIENCE – Our topic for science will focus on 'Plants and Habitats'.  We will be looking at the different habitats around our school and think about the types of animals that might live there. We will also be thinking about plants and how they are the source and start of food chains. 

R.E. – This half term we will be looking at the various Hindu celebrations including: Holi, Raksha, Bandhan, Bandmashtami and Hindu Weddings. Children will have opportunities to discuss and think about right and wrong, good and evil.  We will look at the promises made in Hindu weddings and compare them to promises made at Christian weddings.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Some of these sessions will be outdoor and some will be indoor.

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

(Please note - the above information is coverage pre covid-19 for Summer 2) 

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie

SUMMER 1 - PIRATES!

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good Easter break and tried to get outside as much as you could! This half term, the way we learn will be very different for most of us but we still have lots of exciting work based on our topic is Pirates!

GEOGRAPHY/HISTORY – Our topic this half term is ‘Pirates’. We will be focusing on the geography objectives around mapping and directions. We will look at different types of maps and how we can use a key to identify different places and features. We will learn how to read a compass and how this can help with directions using a map. The children will have a go at creating their own treasure maps and how to make them look authentic. They will also use skills learnt in computing lessons to navigate bee-bots around our own maps.

SCIENCE – In science, we will be looking at the water cycle and answering questions such as, what happens to puddles of water after it rains? Where does rain come from? Why do we get condensation? We will be conducting investigations to solve these questions.

R.E. – In RE this half term we will be looking at a topic called ‘Visiting a Church’. We will be looking at the importance and significance of a church for members of the Christian community. We will be visiting our Parish church, St Edmunds, and looking at the events that may take place in the church, such as baptisms, weddings and funerals. During this half term we will also be joining the rest of the school on a trip to Leicester to visit places of worship of other religions such as Hinduism. This will enable us to compare different places of worship. 

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Some of these sessions will be outdoor and some will be indoor.

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

(Please note - the above information is coverage pre covid-19 for Summer 1) 

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie

SPRING 2 - CASTLES AND DRAGONS

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This term our topic is Castles and Dragons!

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY

We will be answering the Questions: Why build a castle on a hill? What was a castle like? Who worked in the castle? What was life like for the children of the lord? What happened when the castle was attacked? How did people celebrate their victory? What was it like for the rich and the poor? We will also be visiting Conisbrough Castle as part of the topic.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Some of these sessions will be outdoor and some will be indoor.

SCIENCE

Our topic is 'Light and Shadows'. We will be looking at the different sources of light, such as the sun, flames and torches. Looking at how darkness is the absence of light, how shiny objects reflect the light and how we can block light to create a shadow.

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 1 2020 - MIGHTY METALS AND RECYCLING

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a fantastic festive break over the past couple of weeks and enjoyed the Christmas celebrations! This term our topic is Mighty Metals.

SCIENCE

This half term, our science lessons will be focused on materials and their properties. We will be looking at a range of properties  materials might have, from magnetic to water-proof. We will conduct a number experiments to test these properties and sort them into categories.  We will investigate how mighty metals really are.

ART

In art this half term, we will be looking at sculpture and having a go at designing and creating our own sculptures. We will look at the artist Henry Moore and some of the work he has created to help inspire us.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great start to the New Year!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 2 2019 - TOYS!

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our work is based around 'Toys'!

NATIVITY

As you may be aware, in Class Horse Chestnut and Class Silver Birch, we are practising and preparing for our ‘Everyone loves a Baby!’ nativity. Children will receive the script and the parts they will performing. It is important that children practice these parts both in school and at home. Our performances will be on the afternoon of the 3rd of December and the evening of the 4th of December. Please show your support for these performances.

R.E

Our focus for RE this term will be looking at celebrations and with the festive season fast approaching, we will be looking at Christmas and the values linked to it. We will also be learning about RE throughout our weekly Collective Worship, and we will even have chance to write our own prayers to share with the rest of the school.

HISTORY

Our work in History this half term is focused on our topic of toys. We will be looking at old fashioned toys and how they have changed, or in some cases, not changed. As part of the topic, we will be having a visit to the Weston Park Museum in Sheffield, where we will see some old fashioned toys.  

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

May the force be with you… this half term our science topic will be all about forces. We will be exploring the forces of push and pull. We will be bringing in our own toys and exploring what forces we use to play with them and looking more into how our toys work. 

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term and a Merry Christmas!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 1 2019 - THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON!

Welcome back! I hope you all had a fabulous summer break and are looking forward to another fun filled half term! 

This half term we will be looking at The Great Fire of London, which happened around 350 years ago and destroyed large parts of our capital city.

Key Questions: 

What caused the fire? 

How long did the fire last?

How did they put the fire out?

What happened after the fire?

We will also  be looking at Samuel Pepys and his perception of what happened.

RE

Our focus for RE this term will be Jesus and his Miracles. We will reflect on how the stories impact on our thoughts and actions. We will also be learning about RE throughout our weekly Collective Worship, and we will even have chance to write our own prayers to share with the rest of the school.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Science

In science we are looking at changing materials, starting off with observing some different changes. We will then be investigating properties of materials. Do they stretch? Bend? Twist? Squash? These are questions we will find out!

Homework

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

I hope you all have an enjoyable half term!

Mr Mackenzie

SUMMER 2 2019 - ROBIN HOOD AND SHERWOOD FOREST

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break! We are all ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our work is based around 'Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest'. 

R.E

In R.E. we will be reading Jewish stories. We will be learning about Moses and what happened to him at the start of his life. We will learn about what happened to Moses at the Burning Bush and think about how he reacted and why?

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY 

During our class topic on ‘Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest’ we will be learning where Robin Hood and the middle ages fits in with our chronology of history. We will find out about and read stories about the legendary outlaw. In Geography we will locate places associated with Robin Hood such as Sherwood Forest, the village of Edwinstowe, Robin’s Hood Bay and the Peak District.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

Science work will be linked to our class topic on ‘Tree and Bird Detectives.’ We will continue to observe the changes that occur in our school grounds during the different seasons. We will find out how animals in all habitats depend on plants and each other in order to survive and flourish. We will also try to identify and name some common garden birds using identification guides.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term,

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 1 2019 - KEEPING HEALTHY 

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good Easter break! We are all ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our work is based around 'Keeping Healthy'. 

R.E

In R.E. we will be learning about the Jewish religion during our topic on ‘From Creation to Shabbat’. We will be developing our understanding of some important beliefs of Jewish people and learn about key Jewish figures who listened to God.

HISTORY

This half term our history topic will be all about significant people in history, with a focus on nursing.  We will be learning about and comparing the lives of three different women who helped people who were sick or poorly during wars and outbreaks of sickness. These women are; Mary Seacole, Edith Cavell and Florence Nightingale. We will think about the impact they have had on people’s lives and our lives today.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

Our Science topic this half term is ‘Keeping Healthy and our body’. We will be looking at different senses of the body (taste, smell, touch, sight and hearing) and there functions and jobs. We will also be thinking about how we can keep our bodies healthy and germ free by keep clean and having good hygiene skills.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term,

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 2 2019 - PLANTS AND GROWING 

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good half term! We are all ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our work is based around 'Plants and Growing'. 

R.E

We will be looking at ‘Jesus; friends and followers’ and ‘Easter’. We will be looking at friendship and Jesus’ teachings and stories on friendship. We will also look closely at Jesus’ disciples and how they became his followers. This time of year is also important to Christians as we approach Easter. We will be looking at the Easter story, Psalm Sunday and Holy Week.  

GEOGRAPHY

This half term our geography topic is ‘Where does our food come from?’. We will be looking where food comes from and whether or food is reared and caught or if it is grown and harvested. We will also investigate the different climates that are required food to grow and where in the world our food could be grown.   

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

In our Science topic this half term is ‘How does your garden grow?’. We will be looking at what plants need to grow and be healthy. We will investigate the different parts of a plant (leaves, stem, roots, and flower) and what they do. We will also look at how water is transported through a plant from the soil.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term,

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 1 2019 - RMS TITANIC

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year! We are all ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our work is based around 'Titanic'. 

R.E

We will be looking at ‘Signs, Symbols and Parables’. We will be looking at different Christian signs and symbols and what they mean. We will also be exploring a range of Jesus’ parables such as, ‘The Sower’, ‘The Talents’ and ‘The Banquet’.  

HISTORY

Our learning journey in History takes us back 100 years it the sinking of HMS Titanic. We will be learning about how the titanic sank in 1912 and the impact it has had on ships today. We will also learn more about the people on board and how life was different depending on which class you were in.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

In our Science work this half term, we will find out more about forces. We will investigate friction and its impact on movement. Linking to our topic on the Titanic, we will be looking at up-thrust and answer the question: How do ships float on water?  

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term,

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 2 2018 - ANCIENT GREECE!

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good summer break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our work is based around 'Ancient Greece'!

NATIVITY

As you may be aware, in Class Horse Chestnut and Class Silver Birch, we are practising and preparing for our ‘Prickly Hay’ nativity. Children will receive the script and the parts they will performing. It is important that children practice these parts both in school and at home. Our performances will be on the afternoon of the 4^th of December and the evening of the 5^th of December. Please show your support for these performances as the children and staff have put in a lot of hard work to make them a success.

R.E

We will be looking at Hinduism and the festival of Diwali (the celebration of light). We will then be looking at Christmas with a focus on gifts. We will look closely at the gifts the three wise men gave Jesus and how we celebrate by giving gifts. We will also look at how Christmas is celebrated in a church.

HISTORY

Our learning journey in History takes us back 2700 years ago to Ancient Greece. We will discover which events were in the very first Olympic Games. We will answer questions such as ‘Do you know which events are in the Olympic Games now compared to when they first started?’ We will compare Ancient Greece to modern-day Greece today through our study of school and home life. 

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

‘Amazing Bodies’ will be the theme of our Science work this half term as we find out about how amazing our bodies really are. We will investigate questions such as ‘Why do we have a skeleton?’, ‘How do our muscles work?’ and ‘Do people with longer legs actually run faster?’ We will learn some amazing and fun facts about how athletes train their bodies to make them stronger, faster and healthier.  

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task, handwriting and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term and a Merry Christmas!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 1 2018 - LONG TO REIGN OVER US!

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good summer break and are ready for another busy and exciting year in Class Horse Chestnut! This half term our topic is 'Long to reign over us!'. 

HISTORY

Our topic for this half term will be “Long to Reign over Us”. The children will learn about HM The Queen. They will learn about her life and her family and her importance in the UK and the world. We will look at the London landmarks that have been important in the reign of the Queen such as Westminster Abbey, Tower of London and Buckingham Palace.

RE

Our topic is called ‘Belonging’. We will look at different groups we belong to, such as our family, school and wider community. We will then consider how we can be part of a Christian community and family when we are baptised.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

In Science, the children will be looking at sound and hearing. They will be encouraged to recognise sounds within the school, home and outdoor environments. Our Science work will be both practical and fun and will involve the children testing out their own ideas about how sounds are made. They will be encouraged to think about how sound travels and will learn amazing facts about the human ear.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 2 - SPACE

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our topic is 'Space'. 

HISTORY

In history, we will be looking at famous astronauts. The astronauts we will look at are Neil Armstrong (famous for the moon landing), Helen Sherman (famous for being the first women in space) and Tim Peake (famous British astronaut). We will learn about their lives and how their missions to space were significant. We will also learn about the moon landing and how important it was to space exploration.

RE

Our focus in RE will be looking at synagogues. We will think about why they are special place for Jewish people and how they are similar and different from Christian places of worship. We will look at what people wear when they visit the synagogue and how they prepare for worship. 

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

Our Science topic is ‘Space and the Solar System’. We will be learning about the different planets in our solar system and how they orbit the sun. We will explore how we have a night and daytime and how planets, including the earth, have moons that’s orbit them. We will also find out how eclipses are formed.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 1 - WRIGGLE AND CRAWL

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our topic is 'Wriggle and Crawl'. We are looking forward to our residential trip to Sherwood Forest!

GEOGRPAHY

In our geography sessions, we will be looking at weather at patterns. We will compare and contrast the weather patterns around the world. We will observe and measure the weather at our school over a short period and have a go at presenting our own weather forecast.

RE

Our focus in RE will be looking at the Torah and Jewish stories. We will be exploring stories such as ‘Moses and the 10 commandments’ and the story of ‘Joseph and his multi-coloured coat’. We will learn about what the Torah is and why it is special for the Jewish faith.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

Our Science topic is about microhabitats and life cycles. We will be exploring the different microhabitats around our school grounds to find out which minibeasts live there. We will also look at the life cycle of a frog and investigate the names of different animal’s offspring.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 2 - THE STONE AGE TO THE IRON AGE

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our topic is 'From the Stone Age to the Iron Age'. We are looking forward to our trip to Creswell Crags to visit the caves and learn more about the Stone Age. 

HISTORY

Our history sessions will focused around the Iron Age. We will be looking at and ordering the pre-historic periods from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. We will be looking at life in the Iron Age and comparing to life today. This includes looking at jobs, houses, clothing and tools used.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

Our Science topic is ‘Rocks’. We will be looking at different types of rocks and how they compare to each other. We will compare the physical appearance of the rocks and the properties they possess. We will also into more detail about how fossils are formed over time. We will look at what is in soil and what it is made up of.

RE

Our focus in RE this half term is ‘Caring and Praying’. We will be learning about the Lord’s Prayer and investigate Christian prayer and its importance. We will be think about where people might pray and how they listen and talk to god through prayer.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 1 - WHY WOULD A DINOSAUR NOT MAKE A GOOD PET?

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good Christmas break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our topic is 'Why does a dinosaur not make a good pet?

HISTORY

In History the children will begin with the question: When did the dinosaurs roam the earth? They will focus on finding out about what the world was like during the era of the dinosaurs and the different types of dinosaurs that roamed the earth. We will also look at fossils and how they have helped us understand life during the time of the dinosaurs. We will also be looking at dinosaur discoveries in the United Kingdom.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

Our Science topic is ‘Living things and habitats’. We will be asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways. We will explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive. We will also be identifying and naming a variety of plants and animals in their habitats.

RE

Our focus is RE this half term is the religion of Islam. We will be learning about where Muslim people go to worship and some important stories in their religion. We will investigate how Muslims worship and what similarities and difference their religion has to our own.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 2 - WINTER! 

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good summer break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our work is based around winter!

NATIVITY

As you may be aware, in Class Horse Chestnut and Class Silver Birch, we are practising and preparing for our ‘A Midwife Crisis’ nativity. Children have received the script and the parts they will performing. It is important that children practice these parts both in school and at home. Our performances will be on the afternoon of the 5^th of December and the evening of the 6^th of December. Please show your support for these performances as the children and staff have put in a lot of hard work to make them a success.

GEOGRAPHY

This half term we will be travelling the world with the snowman. We will be using maps, atlases, globes and google maps to locate different parts of the UK and explore the range of physical and human features in different parts of the world. We will look at how the temperature is different around the world and we will learn about the equator and where it is located.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

This half term our science topic will be electricity. We will be exploring different appliances that use electricity and what those different appliances use electricity for. We will be looking at circuits and learning about what different circuits need to work. We will conduct our own investigations into circuits and make predictions about what we think will happen. We will also learn about insulators and conductors and consider the dangers when using electricity.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 1 - AMAZING AFRCIA! 

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good summer break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This half term our topic is Amazing Africa!

HISTORY

For our history sessions we will look at how important individuals have made the world a better place.  In our class we will focus on the influential figure Nelson Mandela and will study his life and beliefs. We will also look at other influential figures such as  Rosa Parks and Martin Luther-King and their fight for equal rights. 

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Session may take place outside or inside so please make sure you pack PE kits for both of these options. 

SCIENCE

During this topic the children will be describing and comparing the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals).  They will be encouraged to understand and use the vocabulary carnivore, herbivore and omnivore. We will be sorting animals into different groups with similar features and will be looking at food chains within the animal Kingdom. We will also be visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park to see some animals you might find in Africa first hand and expand our knowledge of food chains. 

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings/phonics, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and a reading task. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 2 - PLANTS, HABITATS AND THE AMAZON! 

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good half term break and are ready for another busy and exciting final half term! This term our topic is Plants, Habitats and the Amazon Rainforest! This half term, in preparation for transition, we will be encouraging the children to become more independent. Therefore, as of Monday 12^th of June, we will be asking parents not to come in the cloakroom when bring the children to school in the morning.

GEOGRAPHY

Our geography sessions will be based around the Amazon Rainforest. We will be looking at where the Amazon is located and the different habitats you might find there. We will look at the different animals we might find and think about why the Amazon is important. We will be comparing the environment and habitat of the Amazon to the the area surrounding Walesby. 

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Now that the weather has improved most of our PE sessions will be outdoors. 

SCIENCE

Our topic science will focus on 'Plants and Habitats'.  We will be looking at thee different habitats around our school and think about the types of animals that might live there. We will also be thinking about plants and how they are the source and start of food chains. 

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and we will also have Creative Homework. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great final half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SUMMER 1 - PIRATES!

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good Easter break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This term our topic is Pirates!

GEOGRAPHY

Our geography sessions will be linked to our topic of pirates as we take journey across the seas of discovery. We will be looking at maps and learning how to read maps and even create our own treasure maps. We will earn how to use and read a compass and create keys for our maps. We will have a go at a simple orienteering task around the school grounds.  

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your outdoor and indoor PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Some of these sessions will be outdoor and some will be indoor.

SCIENCE

Our topic is 'The water cycle'. We will be investigating the water cycle and answering questions such as 'What happens to a puddle of water?' and 'Where does rain come from?'. We will be conducting different investigations to solve these questions. 

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and reading comprehension. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 2 - CASTLES AND DRAGONS

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good break and are ready for another busy and exciting half term! This term our topic is Castles and Dragons!

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY

We will be answering the Questions: Why build a castle on a hill? What was a castle like? Who worked in the castle? What was life like for the children of the lord? What happened when the castle was attacked? How did people celebrate their victory? What was it like for the rich and the poor? We will also be visiting Conisbrough Castle as part of the topic.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday. Some of these sessions will be outdoor and some will be indoor.

SCIENCE

Our topic is 'Light and Shadows'. We will be looking at the different sources of light, such as the sun, flames and torches. Looking at how darkness is the absence of light, how shiny objects reflect the light and how we can block light to create a shadow.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and reading comprehension.

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!

I hope you all have a great half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

SPRING 1 - MIGHTY METALS

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a fantastic festive break over the past couple of weeks and enjoyed the Christmas celebrations! This term our topic is Mighty Metals.

ART

In art this half term, we will be looking at sculpture and having a go at designing and creating our own sculptures. We will look at the artist Henry Moore and some of the work he has created to help inspire us.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday.

SCIENCE

This half term, our science lessons will be focused on materials and their properties. We will be looking at a range of properties  materials might have, from magnetic to water-proof. We will conduct a number experiments to test these properties and sort them into categories.  We will investigate how mighty metals really are.

HOMEWORK

Homework tasks will continue to be set on a Thursday each week, so please make sure homework folders are in school on this day. Spelling tests will also be completed in school on a Thursday using the previous weeks spellings and score will be recorded the following Friday in the dairies. Homework this half-term will consist of weekly spellings, weekly maths task (on Mathletics or given as sheets in the homework folder) and there will also be topic related homework tasks set at the beginning of the half term. 

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all go for gold in our half-term reading challenge!!

I hope you all have a great start to the New Year!

Mr Mackenzie 

AUTUMN 2 - TOYS

Welcome back. 

I hope you have all had a good half term break and are ready to start this half terms topic of toys.

We will be looking at all aspects of toys this half term and thinking about some key questions such as: How have toys changed? How do our toys work? What different types of toys do we play with? During the half term we will also be visiting Weston Park Museum in Sheffield where we will learn more about toys from the past. Children will also be able to bring in their own toys from home as part of our science and history lessons.

PE

Our PE sessions continue to be on a Monday and Wednesday so please make sure you have your PE kit in school and have a named water bottle everyday.

HISTORY

In history this term we will be looking at toys from the past and exploring how they have changed over time. Children will have the chance to bring in their own toys as part of this learning. 

SCIENCE

May the force be with you… this half term our science topic will be all about forces. We will be exploring the forces of push and pull. We will be bringing in our own toys and exploring what forces we use to play with them and looking more into how our toys work.

NATIVITY

As you may be aware, in Class Horse Chestnut and Class Silver Birch, we are practicing and preparing for our ‘Baubles’ nativity. Children have received the script and the parts they will performing. It is important that children practice these parts both in school and at home. Our performances will be on the afternoon of the 5^th of December and the evening of the 6^th of December. Please show your support for these performances as the children and staff have put in a lot of hard work to make them a success.

READING

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

I hope you all have an enjoyable and festive half term!

Mr Mackenzie 

Autumn 1 - The Great Fire of London!

Welcome back! I hope you all had a fabulous summer break and are looking forward to another fun filled half term! 

This half term we will be looking at The Great Fire of London which happened around 350 years ago and destroyed large parts of London, our capital city. Will will be looking at how the fire was caused. How long did the fire last for? How did they put the fire out? What happened after the fire? We will also  be looking at Samuel Pepys and his perception of what happened.

We start off the term with a visit from Partake, who will be doing some drama work and giving Horse Chestnut class and Silver Birch class an insight into the story of The Great fire of London. We will also be having a visit from the fire brigade and a real life fire engine later in the half term!

PE

Our PE sessions this year will be on a Monday morning and a Wednesday morning, please make sure that children have there PE kits in school for these days! We will be focussing on outdoor sports this half term. 

Music

This half term Mr Tryner will be teaching us how to play the ukulele.

Reading

Remember to try and read as many times as possible during the week and make sure you record your reads in your school dairy! The more reads you have the better! Hopefully we can all be reading superheroes this term.

Science

In science we are looking at changing materials, starting off with observing some different changes. We will then be investigating properties of materials. Do they stretch? Bend? Twist? Squash? These are questions we will find out!

I hope you all have an enjoyable half term!

Summer 2 - Class Horse Chestnut

Welcome back to an exciting and busy half term in Class Horse Chestnut.

Our learning journey begins over 2700 years ago in Ancient Greece. We take our Olympic torches back in time to discover which events were in the very first Olympic Games, there may be a few surprises along the way! We will answer important questions such as Do you know what the Olympic Games are? What do you know about the games? As History detectives we will use different types of evidence to help us find out what life was really like for children and their parents in Ancient Greece.

Our Olympic theme continues in our Science topic this half term as we find out about how amazing our bodies really are. We will investigate questions such as 'Why do we have a skeleton? ', 'How do our muscles work?' and 'Do people with longer legs actually run faster?' We will learning some amazing and fun facts about how the Ancient Greek athletes trained their bodies to make them the strongest and fastest of all athletes.

We will use the important words of the Olympic creed "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part" to help guide us in preparation for the Walesby School sports day on 22nd June. Please don't forget to bring your PE kit to school every Monday. This half term PE will take place every Monday and Wednesday morning when we will be developing our own athletic skills in a wide variety of field and track events. It is important to keep our bodies hydrated. Please don't forget to bring a named water bottle to school with you every day. Thank you.

We are going for gold with our times tables this half term and we will be holding regular times tables challenges. Will you achieve a bronze, silver or gold medal this half term?

Daily reading at home continues to be an important part of our learning journey. Try to read as often as you can and record it in your diary. Don't forget that reading 6 times a week will make you a Golden Guzzler Reading Champion by the end of this half term. Go for it!

We look forward to our Time Travelling trip on 15th June at Southwell Minster and our residential visit to Sherwood Forest on 19th/20th July.

Thank you for all of your continued support. If you have any questions about any of our topics this half term or if you have any resources at home that your child could bring in to enhance our topics, please do not hesitate to contact me at the end of the school day. We look forward to welcoming you all back soon.