Week commencing 2nd December 2024
It’s been a great week in our class and we’ve been busy busy!
We had a visitor this week - PC Hannah Coll - as part of our computing and RHE work. She came to speak to us about internet safety and how we can make sure that we’re making good choices online now and in the future. The children also got to ask questions about her job and they found all her kit (that she was wearing) fascinating. The children as always were being the best they could be.
In gymnastics, the children considered wheeling movements - teddy bear rolls and cartwheels. Ali Dixon showed us how to get there step by step and everyone had performed some sort of cartwheel by the end of the session; they were very resilient. Some children were even given challenges to complete too.
Maths this week has been focused on angles and shapes. The children really impressed me when they managed to accurately draw triangles using specified lengths and angles; this is something which they again showed resilience with as it isn’t easy!
In our English lessons, we have planned our flashback story ready to write next week. The children were asked to use a memory for their flashback and enjoyed sharing these with others during our planning lesson.
Science and DT this week have been linked to switches and parallel circuits. The children had a great time making series and parallel circuits to test switches. They are getting ready to make their models - hopefully they have started to talk to you about what they need to bring in (I sent a message out regarding this).
Carol service practise is also underway and the Year 6’s seem to be really impressing all staff with their confidence and ability to have a go. Well done!
Week Commencing 24th November 2024
It’s been a great week in Year 6! We enjoyed our Advent Retreat on Thursday and lots of the class were commended for how well they looked after the Reception children showing empathy and kindness – thank you St David’s Class.
This week our computing lesson was very active! We learnt about data packets and how information is transferred across the internet. It was a very busy activity moving around the room!
In English we have been looking at flashback stories linked to our History topic WW2. The children have thought about bombing in a street. This also links to our DT topic where we are going to be making Anderson shelters in the week before the Christmas holidays – the children should be collecting items to make this!
Our Maths lessons have been focused on angles this week and we have explored key facts:
- Angles at a point equal 360 degrees
- Angles on a straight line equal 180 degrees
- Angles in a triangle equal 180 degrees.
Science was focused on bulbs and cells in a circuit and what happens when they are added and removed. This again links to our DT topic as the children are going to need to put a working light in their Anderson shelter. As I say to the class it all links!
During our RE lesson we considered what makes a good leader and the children were very vocal in their thoughts having high expectations for what a leader needs to be successful; many felt aspirational about the fact that they are the role models in our school.
On Friday we worked with our Reception buddies to package up our shoeboxes – the children enjoyed this task – there was lots of love filling the room!
Week commencing 18.11.24
Another week of the class REACHing and being the best that they can be.
Our maths work has focused on linking fractions, decimals and percentages (FDP) – we have talked about how important it is that they understand percentages for the purposes of sale items especially as this weekend is Black Friday sales! They enjoyed playing maths games in pairs in our MOT session and had to match up FDP; they got very excited when they won!
In English the children completed their persuasive text unit by writing their Room 101 pieces – these were great and showed so much passion! Mrs Blanch (our MAT CEO) came in and complimented the class on these; she was impressed with how engaged and aspirational they were with their writing too.
The children are learning new skills and growing in confidence each week in Gymnastics. This week we did work linked to front and back support positions, shoulder stands and various rolls. Each week their skill set is growing and they are improving and being more resilient. A reminder that the children need to wear shorts to enable them to go on some of the apparatus – they can wear these underneath their trousers or change into them before PE as I know that it has been rather chilly!
During our Science lessons we have been focused on an experiment - the children have been exploring light bulbs or buzzers and cell use. They have worked in small groups using resilience and empathy to ensure that they worked as a team to get a clear result.
In Outdoor Learning, the children combined their artistic and geographical skills to create a 3D map of the centre of Nympsfield. They had to use natural materials and naturally many of them chose ice!
Week commencing 11th November 2024
This week has been great in St David’s Class. It started with our respectful and empathetic Remembrance service on Monday. I have attached some pictures of our art work from this. The Year 6 and Reception buddies worked hard together to create a thoughtful service and we were proud of them.
This week has been Anti-Bullying week with the theme of Choose Respect. The class focused on cyberbullying and being respectful online as this is something that will become important as they grow up and move on to secondary school. We discussed the need to tell a trusted adult if something online makes you feel worried or upset. They were incredibly respectful on Friday when two local councillors came in to talk to them about local council and how it works and also their jobs and what being a councillor entails. The children asked thoughtful and relevant questions throughout and were keen to learn more showing our value of aspiration! They liked gathering for a picture at the end too!
In Maths we have been focused on fractions and lots of people have been very resilient collecting resources to help them when they are unsure or stuck. We are moving on to decimals and percentages next week as these topic areas link together brilliantly.
Our English Room 101 work continues and the children confidently wrote persuasive texts linked to homework and school uniform – there were some very passionate arguments! They have planned their own text to write next week and I am looking forward to seeing how they try to convince the reader that their item/idea/thing should be put in Room 101 for eternity!
With our Reception buddies (on Friday) we started to think about our Rotary Club Shoeboxes – Mrs Howells has sent a letter out about this. They are working in little groups with some year 6 and reception children together and should have brought home a sheet with the items that they would like to bring in written. We love being able to support this worthwhile cause and the children will be packing their boxes with their buddies on Friday 29th November.
Week commencing 4th November
We are back after a full on week on our residential (don’t forget to check out the blog) and a half term holiday - the children have been busy with a range of activities this week!
On Monday we had a Zoom call with our partner class from St Peter's Catholic Primary in Gloucester and talk ed about what topics we have learnt about this year - there were lots of similarities! The children showed great confidence coming up to the board and asking questions.
We have been preparing for our Remembrance service (which is on Monday 11th November) and the children have worked hard to learn songs, practise lines and create art work with their reception buddies. They enjoyed working with their buddies to prepare a pebble to show the weight of the war on people and also they practised their poem lines together showing empathy and understanding.
In Science, we have started to look at our new topic – electricity and the children recapped and revisited their previous learning by making simple series circuits and discussing what they already knew.
The class have enjoyed the start of our new English unit – persuasive writing linked to Room 101. They have considered different techniques by looking through a range of work, learning a text map and thought about what they might put in Room 101! They enjoyed watching some short clips linked to this especially Noel Fielding putting spiders in!
Maths has been focused on coordinates this week. The children revisited previous knowledge and then applied this to a four quadrant grid. They have worked on translating shapes and reflecting them too with some problem solving thrown in to keep them challenged.