The adults in our classroom are: Mrs Hobbs, Miss Allen and Mrs Skipp

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Welcome back Koalas!!

We are really looking forward to welcoming you back and sharing another half-term of exciting learning adventures!

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Key Information

• School day: Classroom doors open at 8:30am and children will be greeted and ready to enter by 8:35am. The school day finishes at 3:20pm.

• PE: We will revert to weekly PE lessons which will take place on a Tuesday. Children will need to bring a full PE kit suitable for indoor and outdoor activities. This should consist of a plain white top and black shorts/trousers/leggings or joggers. Please ensure all items are clearly named. Please also ensure long hair is tied back. If your child does not have a kit, a phone call or message home will be made. 

• Earrings: Earrings must be removed on PE days. Staff are not permitted to remove these in school, so please ensure this is done at home if your child cannot remove them independently.

• Reading Books: Reading books will be changed every Monday. However, please ensure your child brings their reading book and folder into school every day, as we will also be reading with them during the week.

• Reading at Home: Reading is a vital skill that supports learning across the curriculum. Please aim to listen to your child read 3–5 times per week to help build fluency, confidence and understanding.

• Home Learning: We encourage children to continue accessing Numbots and Spelling Shed at home to support their maths fluency and spelling development. If you need login details replacing, please let us know.

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Curriculum – Spring Term

English

In English, we will be using the powerful book My Name is Not Refugee to inspire our writing. The children will explore the thoughts and feelings of the main character and use this to write their own diary entries, focusing on present and past tense, descriptive language and writing in the first person.

Maths

In Maths, we will be moving on to length and height, where children will learn to measure and compare using standard units such as centimetres and metres. They will practise estimating, measuring accurately and solving practical problems.

We will then move on to mass, capacity and temperature, exploring how we measure weight and volume, as well as reading and interpreting temperature. 

Science

In Science, we will be learning about food chains. The children will explore how animals and plants depend on one another, identify producers and consumers, and create simple food chains to show how energy moves through living things.

Geography

In Geography, we will be going on a virtual road trip around the USA! The children will learn about different states, famous landmarks, climates and landscapes across America. We will explore both human and physical features and compare aspects of life in the USA with the UK.

PSHE

In PSHE, we will be studying citizenship, learning about the different roles people carry out in our community. The children will think about how individuals contribute to society and how we can all be responsible, respectful members of our community.

Computing

In Computing, we will be working with Bee-bots, developing our understanding of algorithms and programming. Children will create and debug simple sequences of instructions to move the Bee-bots accurately.

Music

In Music, we will be creating soundscapes using our voices and instruments. The children will explore how different sounds can create atmosphere and represent settings or events.

Religious Education

In Religious Education, we will be learning about the Easter story and thinking about why Easter is important to Christians. The children will explore the key events and reflect on their meaning.

Art

In Art, we will be exploring painting and mixed media, experimenting with colour, texture and different materials to create layered and imaginative artwork.

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Spring 1 curriculum:

English
This term, our English learning will be based around an exciting dragon theme. We will explore The Dragon Machine by Helen Ward. Children will then write their own adventure story.

Maths
In Maths, we will be working on money, learning to recognise coins and notes, count amounts, and solve simple problems involving addition and subtraction with money.

Science
Our Science topic is Living Things and Life Cycles. Children will learn about different types of living things and explore how plants and animals grow and change over time.

History
In History, we will be learning about the History of Nursing, including significant individuals who have helped shape nursing as we know it today.

Religious Education
In R.E, we will explore the question: “Who is Muslim and how do they live?” Children will learn about key beliefs and daily practices within Islam.

We are looking forward to a fantastic spring term full of learning and creativity.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

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Autumn 2, key information:

PE will take place on Tuesday afternoons. Children must bring a full PE kit: black shorts or joggers, a plain white t-shirt and trainers. Please note that PE will take place both inside and out. Therefore, appropriate clothing for all weathers will be required. If children do not have the correct kit, a phone call or message home will be made.

Forest school and swimming will take place across the year. However, each class will now have two half-terms of Forest School and one half-term of swimming, alongside three half-terms of computing.

In Autumn 2, we will be doing computing.

There will be no Forest School or swimming this half-term.

Earrings must be removed on both PE and swimming/forest school days. We are not permitted to remove these in school and ask that this be done at home if your child can not remove them independently.

Reading books will be collected on Mondays and returned on Tuesday. Please ensure your children bring in their reading folders on that day in order that books can be changed.

Reading is an important skill which enhances learning throughout the curriculum. We ask that you listen to your child read 3–5 times per week at home. Reading certificates will be awarded to those completing 5 reads each week. 

Home learning: Please encourage your children to access Numbots and Spelling Shed at home. These games provide them with opportunities to enhance their mathematical and spelling skills. If you have misplaced login details, please inform us and we will be happy to replace them. 

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Curriculum Autumn 2:

English

We will begin the term by exploring a poetry unit focused on The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, enjoying its rhythm, rhyme, and playful language. We will then move on to the story The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson. This text will inspire us to write a non-fiction report.

Maths

In Maths, we will begin by consolidating our understanding of addition and subtraction before moving on to shape, learning to recognise, name, and describe 2D and 3D shapes using the correct mathematical vocabulary. Children will also investigate the properties of shapes, such as edges, vertices, and faces.

Science

Our Science topic continues to focus on materials and their properties. Children will compare and classify a variety of materials based on their suitability for different purposes, and conduct simple investigations.

Geography

In Geography, we will explore the fascinating topic of Food and Farming. The children will learn about where our food comes from and how it travels from farm to fork.

Music

In Music, we will be using instruments to enhance storytelling. The children will experiment with pitch, tone, and rhythm to add meaning and emotion to visual stories, developing both their creativity and confidence in performance.

R.E.

In Religious Education, we will be exploring the question: “Why does Christmas matter?” Children will learn about the Nativity story and reflect on the importance of Christmas to Christians today.

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Autumn 1:

We are so excited to welcome you back on Wednesday 3rd September and cannot wait to get started on our learning journey together.

Forest School will take place on Wednesday afternoons this term. As always, children must have appropriate clothing, consisting of a warm, waterproof coat, a change of footwear, e.g. wellies (to be kept in school) and long sleeves and trousers.

Curriculum Autumn 1:

In English, we will begin by exploring a poetry unit on the poem, Zebra Question by Shel Silverstein. This will be followed by looking at the story Troll Swap by Leigh Hodgkinson, which will inspire us to write our own stories in a similar style.

For maths, we begin by looking at place value, consolidating our knowledge of numbers to 100. This will then lead to some work on addition and subtraction later on in the term. 

In science, for the first term, we will be focusing on a range of different materials and their properties. 

Moving on to history, the children will be learning all about the fascinating topic of the Great Fire of London. This will help to inspire us for our PE lessons, which will involve a Great Fire of London dance!

In R.E, the children will be answering the question of 'Who is Muslim and how do they live?'

Mrs Hobbs, Miss Allen and the Koalas team :)