Welcome Back

"Have we only been back for a week?" one of the children asked me today!  I know exactly how they feel.  We have crammed so much learning into one week that it feels like we've already been back much longer. 
The children completed their work on ancient civilisations with an interesting debate on which civilisation was the best and why.  This was an opportunity for them to, not only develop their critical thinking, perspective and judgement about historical events, but also to practise their oracy skills which are getting stronger all the time.
We have used drama this week to plan the next chapter in The Story of Antigone and started our practice writing stage of the sequence.  Earlier in the week, the children had a go at writing a 'crow's eye view' of a battle in Ancient Greece.  These were very effective descriptions - children are making good progress in their writing.
We have begun our final science unit (Living things and their habitats) and children have already been exploring the orchard for living things.  This afternoon, they found a toad making one of the huge tractor tyres its home!
Today we had the first in a series of Relationship and Sex Education lessons which covered ground rules for our sessions and the anatomically correct names for boys' and girls' body parts.  I intend to deliver the next four lessons over the next four Fridays which cover puberty, relationships and human reproduction.  You may find the following websites useful if your child has questions:
www.childline.org.uk
www.nspcc.org.uk
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/puberty/Pages/Pubertyinfoforchildren.aspx
 www.kidshealth.org/kid/
www.bbc.co.uk/education/topics/z3xxsbk
www.thinkuknow.co.uk
The children enjoyed their PE lesson with Mr Stronge today which will be athletics this half term.  Additional to this, Mr Foreman has organised an afternoon of athletic activity for us next Thursday called Quad Kids.  They will need to wear PE kits to school, therefore on Thursday and Friday next week.  As you know we will be starting swimming lessons next Tuesday as well - I have attached a copy of the letter sent home this week. Please return the slip by Monday.  It's going to be an active week!
Children have been set revision homework on division in maths and retrieval in reading as well as spellings.  I have also given them a new homework topic web today and I will also post a copy on this website. I will set revision homework for the next few weeks until we complete our assessments week commencing 28th June.  I have encouraged children to use the revision books to go over areas of maths or reading that they need to as well as the revision I have set.
Have a great week - the weather looks set to be sunny- please remember to send children to school wearing sun protection and with a hat next week.

Homework Web Summer 2

Swimming Letter