They're Back!!!!

 As the children left tonight - some of them said "It doesn't feel like it's been only a week, it feels like we've been back for ages!"  I'm not entirely sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing but I'm going to have a positive mind set and decide that it means they already feel back into the swing of school and have settled back well.  The evidence certainly seems to suggest that.  It has been a really lovely week - the children have been happy, relaxed sociable and calm all week.  We have done lots of practical activity as well as lots of activity to check in on mental well being as well as easing back to a good standard of learning and focus.  I hope to continue to integrate practical activity with their written work but have stressed the importance that they are able to switch from activity and group work to focussed independent work so that all skills are developed to an appropriate standard in readiness for secondary education. 

This week we have been inspired by Amanda Gorman's poem The Hill we Climb.  If you haven't heard it click on the link below to watch her recite it at Joe Biden's inauguration speech.  Such stirring stuff from a young woman!  We illustrated some of the most meaningful phrases as well interpreting some with movement.  We have also returned to our 'Overcoming the monster' story of Beowulf and made some gruesome monster faces and used drama to respond to Kevin Crossley-Hollands version.  We have begun work on measures and had a go at estimating the capacity of the school pool to varying degrees of success - however some children had some excellent strategies for estimation and some showed good knowledge of volume and capacity and how they were related.  In science we have been recapping on our evolution and inheritance topic and today, we investigated bird beaks and learnt how Darwin's theory of evolution was supported by the different beaks of the Galapagos finches.  We also had our first real-life PE lesson with Mr Stronge.  It was good to see EVERYONE joining in the team games with respect and cooperation.  We have read our own books every single day this week and have also started our new class novel - Skellig - one of my all time favourites!

I have not set any homework for this week - they've done enough of that for a while!  However, I today checked that they all still had their Home Reading Diaries and gave new ones to anyone who didn't.  Please make sure your child continues reading regularly, even if this lapsed in lockdown, and notes their reading in their diary to be checked at school once a week.  Children could also be using Timestable Rockstars at home and next week I will set spellings too.

Thank you everyone for being so amazing during lockdown - although only a few children brought home certificates today, really I could have given out loads more as they were all fantastic!  I hope you have an enjoyable weekend.

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The Hill we climb by Amanda Gorman