A comic book approach

Year six have been focusing on non fictional writing this week, using their science topic of muscles and the body as the vehicle for this.

They have researched information, presented it in various types of note form and are now using the iPad's to produce a comic book approach to communicate their learning.

The absolute silence that was evident when I visited the classroom was a clear indication of how engrossed they were in this work. But also the imaginative and confident way in which the children used the Comic Book App was fantastic to see. I certainly learnt a few things I didn't know how to do today.

Really looking forward to seeing the finished articles.

All about Japan

Year 4 are currently learning about Japan and it was great to speak to them and learn from their enthusiasm today.

I now know how to count to ten, the names of some of the main cities and have an understanding of the extremes of temperature that Japan experiences due to the length of its Islands.






The proximity of the southern islands to the Equator leads to very warm temperatures, whilst if you were to visit  the northern islands at certain times of the year the temperature would be below freezing.

The research they were doing today was clearly engaging them, they had worked together to mind map some of their initial thoughts and they were now building on their understanding and knowledge.

Each table I visited was keen to tell me something and I am sure that I will be finding our more over the coming weeks!

A morning in Foundation stage

Great fun today to visit Foundation stage and to see what they are enjoying learning about at this time. There was great excitement over some new costumes that have appeared for the dressing up corner as well as wonderful learning going on outside in the wind and the rain, which the vegetable garden was certainly enjoying!

In addition there was another brilliant lighthouse being created as part of the seaside topic, lots of enthusiasm to share their new designs for sunglasses and as for the work on the writing table, well the focus and concentration was brilliant!

Always a joy to wander down into this part of the school. I have to say that the children were very keen for me to try on a Santa Claus beard and hat, which I did, however no chance of that picture appearing on the blog!

Battle of Hastings 2015

Great excitement yesterday as the children in year 2 returned from their half term break all equipped to take part in a re enactment of the battle of Hastings.

Such is the level of creativity that the year 2 have shown, that the corridors have been turned into a King's armoury!

At this time the re enactment is scheduled for Friday - weather permitting - and will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of  the year so far.

A day of HOPE

Today we had a day of HOPE to raise money for the Indian boys town charity that we support. Each year we raise money and as a school it has given us great delight to see the children that we have supported, grow and leave the home that the charity provides for them and live their own independent lives.

Across the school there were many different activities linked to the theme of HOPE.

In Foundation stage  they came up with a brilliant piece of art work, that really communicated the key concept that we have been considering this week. Namely that HOPE is something that we are all responsible for bringing to each other.

HOPE is in our hands,visually reinforces that key aspect of God's call to love our neighbour as ourselves. If we keep all that we have to ourselves, it will not benefit any one, but if we share and use what we have, then surely HOPE will arise.

In assembly we played a fun game that reinforced the idea of sharing HOPE around. Children suggested ways in which we could bring HOPE to each other, we wrote these ideas on balloons and then passed the balloons around the hall. The enjoyment and fun was evident instantly, and this again provided a real example of the impact that the sharing of HOPE can have.

As we close for half term, our final prayer was that God would use us to bring HOPE into other people's lives, either through our own actions of through the way in which God answers our prayers through the actions of others.