The Courier

For a two or three week period this year we will be focusing on one of the sayings in the new School Promise. We will talk about this in assembly and in form period. It would be great if you could discuss this with your children at home and support the messages we are emphasising in school.

This week’s promise is in the category of Good Learners.

The school council chose this one in the category of Good Learners as all children know that they learn best when they are focused in class and there is a determined, hardworking atmosphere.

'We are calm and sensible'

Class 1E have been perfecting their skills in counting in 2’s and were ready to move on to using this knowledge in early multiplication. The children were introduced to the concept of ‘groups of’ e.g. 4 groups of 2 = 8.

They enjoyed a series of activities including paint and playdough where they had to visually and physically put things into groups of 2 then use their counting in 2’s skills to count the groups to find how many there were altogether.

We discussed putting the multiplication symbol in place of the words ‘groups of’ to start our times tables journey. The children tested their knowledge by creating their own counting in 2’s problems on whiteboards.  On to applying our learning to 10's and 5’s next week.

After halving in fractions involved the equal division (and eating) of a Kit Kat, it seemed only right that on pancake day we should develop our understanding of quarters by dividing a pancake into four equal parts and putting toppings on each quarter to make a whole.

Lots of fun and learning took place all finished off with a story of Mr Wolf’s Pancakes where the children discussed the importance of working as a team and helping with the making as well as the eating of the pancakes.

Class 3S carried out an investigation of different materials and which ones gave more or less friction. We used toy cars and ramps to test and record our findings. Great collaborative work 3S!

Class 5F concluded their RE learning on what it means to be generous and the importance of forgiveness by reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus. Not only did we recall and understand the story of transformation, we also created a fantastic opera emphasising the emotions and choices made by the main characters. 5F loved performing their final operatic performance to Mr Thackway, Mrs Tucker and Mrs Nelson.

Bravo!

A delivery of new class books has got 4M excited this week. As well as some classics like Anne of Green Gables and The Railway Children, we have also introduced some new fiction into our class library.

Old favourites from David Baddiel and David Walliams sit alongside new offerings by the hilarious Miranda Hart and Tom Fletcher on our shelves, waiting to be enjoyed.

We can't wait to get started!

Class 5F were asked the question: How tall is our class?

They were then given five minutes planning time and half an hour to find the accurate answer in metres. Various pieces of measuring equipment and recording materials were available. After a little discussion the class tackled the open learning problem without any more input from Mrs Dowling or Ms Forth.

After some excellent organisation skills from Hattie, Isaac, George R, Emme and Joshua, the whole class recorded heights and applying addition skills practised previously, they found out that the 25 people in class 5F on Wednesday measured 35.68m!

They extended the analysis to working out that the classroom is 3.24m high, so 5F is the height of about a 12 story building! They concluded that they were the tallest class in school because they had more people in a class than 6Y or 6W even though they have some who are very tall.

A valued and important rite of passage here at Crescent is the Year 6 children being buddied up with a Reception child to support them through their first year at school. 

Due to the double Year 6 class this year, the Reception children have been lucky enough to have two buddies. They started the year with 6Y and on the last Friday of half term they spent privilege time together; reading, playing and having fun.

The very proud and slightly emotional 6Y said goodbye to their buddies as they handed them over to parents at the end of the day.

6Y have loved being buddies and have now handed over the baton to 6W for them to take their turn in this precious tradition.

We had a 'flipping' great time eating pancakes in FROG this week celebrating Shrove Tuesday. We then chatted about what our key ingredients would be for a happy life and wrote out our recipe.

The bible verse we reflected upon is from Proverbs 3 v5-6 which says,' Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.'