We are really pleased how well the children have come back to school after the Christmas break, they have settled quickly and are keen to learn. Our new topic is 'Journeys' and our book this week is all about different maps, for example maps of the world, the country, our town or our house. We have been making our own maps in CIL and have drawn maps of where we live, or our houses. Next week our focus will be on some journeys made by famous people, such as Amelia Earhart and Rosa Parks.

Year 1 have had an amazing start to the Spring Term! The children worked hard on their recounts in English and practised using past tense. In maths the children have looked at sequencing months of the year and days of the week. Our topic work has focused on History where the Children have loved learning about Mary Anning and how she discovered different fossils. The children also enjoyed revisiting Animals in our Science lessons and showed how much they were able to remember! As it is still cold please make sure any gloves, scarves, or hats have the child's name in. 

In Year 2 we have been working towards writing our own story based on a different culture to our own. We are basing this on our Geography learning from before the Christmas Holidays around Nairobi, Kenya. We are looking to practice our use of third person pronouns, past tense verbs and general sentence structure. In our topic sessions, we have been learning all about William Morris and the art of print making! We have been using a variety of tools and mediums to print such as potatoes and printing ink. In maths, we have been practising addition and subtraction to 20, specifically trying to calculate these mentally. We are about to extend our Chemistry learning in Science by looking at uses for everyday materials. We are very excited to start learning this and sharing it with you. 

Thank you all for your efforts so far this week. You have all settled back into class brilliantly, and we have enjoyed hearing all about your festive break.

This week, we have continued to learn about teeth and eating, and have moved on to the finer details of digestion. Our lesson on how food is digested proved to be particularly popular. Well done on identifying the different parts of the digestive system.

In English, we have completed our newspaper reports and have begun our new unit on stories from other cultures. We look forward to writing about the Amazon rainforest in more detail. We have also just finished our unit on multiplying and dividing by 100, factoring in decimal notation. We will now briefly review prior to learning about decimal place value before moving on.

Next week, we will be participating in an online event with Electric Umbrella. You will get the opportunity to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness by singing a range of exciting songs similar to those you have
experienced when the band came to visit us in school. We will also begin our D&T unit on mechanisms.

In Year 5 the students have been working on across various subjects.

Science: Friction and Air Resistance In Science, students have been exploring the concepts of friction and air resistance. They have learned how these forces act on objects in motion, and have conducted hands-on experiments to observe how different surfaces and materials affect the speed of objects. Our next lesson will involve comparing the effects of friction in different environments, as well as understanding how air resistance can slow down objects moving through the air.

Maths: Comparing Fractions In Maths, students have been developing their skills in comparing fractions. They’ve learned how to identify equivalent fractions, and how to compare fractions with different numerators and denominators. Through a range of activities and problems, students are becoming more confident in finding common denominators and using visual aids like fraction bars to aid their understanding.

English: Narrative Writing - Ancient Greece In English, students have been writing exciting narrative stories set in Ancient Greece. They’ve been using their knowledge of Greek mythology and history to craft creative stories, while also focusing on improving their writing techniques. We have been working on using the third person perspective and expanding noun phrases to add detail and make the stories more engaging. Additionally, students have been practicing how to incorporate dialogue to develop characters and advance the plot.

Re-Commitment and PSHE: Diverse Britain In PSHE, we have been exploring the theme of “Diverse Britain.” Students have discussed the importance of inclusion, respect, and understanding in our multicultural society. They’ve reflected on their personal values and how they can contribute to a more diverse and accepting community. Through various activities and discussions, students are becoming more aware of the importance of embracing differences and celebrating diversity in all its forms.

Year 6 have made a great start to the Spring term, which is always a busy one! In English, they have been writing adventure stories that include a natural disaster. They began with creating a planning board of pictures to inspire them, and we have been so pleased with the quality of work that they have produced from this. We have also started lots of new topics in other subjects; the kidneys and water transportation in science, settlements in geography, gymnastics and netball in PE, and singing some traditional African songs in music. They are continuing to make us proud with how hard they are working every day!

There are many great courses for parents and carers. To view all courses on offer visit the DSPL5 website https://www.dspl5.co.uk/training-workshops-1/

For pupils in Years 3 to 6 who are not eligible to receive Free School Meals.

We are writing to inform you of some important changes to the way we manage school dinner debts.

Hertfordshire Catering Limited, our provider, require payment in advance. However, as a school, we have not enforced this in the past and have been fair in allowing parents to pay after meals are taken.

Unfortunately, due to the rise in outstanding dinner money, we have made the decision to pass dinner debts over to our provider - this is the same process that all School Grid schools follow.

What does this mean?

This means that unless school meals are paid for in advance, you and the school will be unable to place a lunch order if there is no credit on the account. You will therefore be required to send your child in with a packed lunch.   

These changes will come into effect from Monday 24^th February 2025. This will give you some time to settle any outstanding debt on your child's dinner account. If you wish to discuss your account with us, please contact the School Office. 

You may be eligible for Free School Meals if you meet certain criteria. To check your eligibility go to https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/at-school/free-school-meals/free-school-meals.aspx