This week, our Year 5 children watched a video from the One Goal website all about what it means to be a Well-being Champion. The video helped them understand the important role these champions play in supporting others and promoting positive mental health across the school. The children really enjoyed learning about how they can help make our school a happier, kinder place, and they’re now getting ready to apply for the role themselves. We can’t wait to see who steps up to take on this exciting responsibility!
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development (SMSC): Blog items
Reception- Black History Month
Date: 17th Oct 2025 @ 3:11pm
This week Reception have been reading the book Whoever You Are as part of Black History Month.
We talked about how children may not look the same, speak the same language and their lives might be quite different. However, inside they are just the same- everyone is different and everyone is special.
"I like learning with my friends" Zara
"We let everyone join in our game" Reggie
"We hug our friends when they are sad" Eliza
Date: 17th Oct 2025 @ 2:34pm
Children in Rowan have been collecting items for our class Autumnal Table all half-term! On Friday we used the leaves and conkers to create unique pieces of art! We had great fun and will be taking our pieces home when (if!) they dry!
Date: 17th Oct 2025 @ 11:51am
This week we had our first meeting. Everyone was very excited to be voted in as a School Councilor and are looking forward to an exciting year.
We will meet twice each half term to discuss issues, work on projects in school and give opinions on school decisions.
We will also need to write the minutes for each meeting (the official record of what was discussed and actioned at the meeting) and this is usually carried out by Y5 or Y6.
Finally we visited the display board so we know where it is located in school.
Date: 17th Oct 2025 @ 11:12am
Thank you for your amazing support! A huge thank you to everyone who has collected bottle tops for our sustainability project with Houndshill Shopping Centre!
Your efforts have helped create a stunning giant sea turtle sculpture, which is now proudly displayed at Houndshill Shopping Centre. 
This fantastic project shows what we can achieve when our school community works together to make a positive difference for our environment. Well done to all our pupils, families and staff who got involved! 
Date: 17th Oct 2025 @ 8:58am
Acorns have enjoyed meeting our school nurse Miss Brooks. She visited us as part of our topic, people who help us. We enjoyed a wonderful multisensory learning experience about help and helping others.
We explored our core word help, through visual, signing and verbalisation. We loved helping our teddys and making them feel better. We even explored helping each other.
Date: 16th Oct 2025 @ 8:38pm
This week the children have been reading the story 'Oliver's Wood'. The story is all about an owl called Oliver who stays up one night until the sun rises and discovers what is like to be awake during the day. The children have been exploring the differences between nocturnal animals and diurnal animlas. The children have been sorting the animals into groups and finding out how the animals have adapted to being awake during the night. As part of our learning the children were lucky enough to meet four different animals and a little hedgehog called 'Lucky'
"Nocturnal animals use their senses at night" Ibrahim
"Hedgehogs sniff out their food" Reggie
"Owl have talons to catch mice" Rohan
"Bats hang upside down to sleep" Joseph
Date: 12th Oct 2025 @ 8:21pm
This week the children were lucky enough to have a visit from SMJ Falconry, who brough 4 owls including JD, Midge, Tike and Bugs. The children learnt lots of different facts about the owls including what they eat, their different appearances and how and when they hunt. The children enjoyed observing a flying demonstration and were even lucky enough to hold an owl. What a fabulous experience!
Reception- Sensory Experience: Making Bread like Little Red Hen
Date: 10th Oct 2025 @ 6:18pm
This week some of the children in Reception have been exploring making bread.
They used all their senses to explore the ingredients and had fun feeling the flour, mixing in the water and mark making - we got very messy!
We were also learning to work alongside each other and focus our attention and concentrate during an activity.
Date: 10th Oct 2025 @ 6:00pm
This week Reception have been learning about Harvest.
They donated food to Vincent House and then attended a whole school assembly led by Year 6.
We talked about being thankful for the food we eat, our good health and the life we live.
Thank you to everyone for their support.
School Council- Symposium Meeting
Date: 10th Oct 2025 @ 3:49pm
Year 5 and 6 School Councilors met with other School Council representatives at Boundary Primary School. They had an interactive look at the evolution of democracy and how we came to have the voting system we have today. Then, they went on to identify the issues that matter to their peers and plan what we’re going to do about them.
A very successful afternoon.
Year 3 - When Year 3 met Jen Carney an author and illustrator
Date: 9th Oct 2025 @ 9:17am
Year 3 had an exciting and inspiring visit from author and illustrator Jen Carney, thanks to the National Literacy Trust. Jen is the brilliant mind behind The Day My School Got Famous and The Accidental Diary of B.U.G., and we were lucky enough to hear her read extracts from both books. Her stories were full of humour, creativity, and relatable characters — we were hooked!
As part of her visit, Jen also led us in a fun and imaginative drawing activity. We each chose a letter of the alphabet and had to think of the most obscure thing that began with it. Then we got creative and drew our own unique pictures based on that word. It was amazing to see how original and quirky our drawings turned out — just like Jen’s own illustrations!
We’re also very grateful to the National Literacy Trust, who gifted our year group 40 copies of Jen’s books! We’ve been enjoying them during our daily ‘Buzzing about Books’ time and can’t wait to read more.
A huge thank you to Jen Carney for inspiring us with her words, her artwork, and her enthusiasm for books!
Year 5 - Why is it sometimes difficult to do the right thing?
Date: 3rd Oct 2025 @ 7:54am
Today we discussed the Lord’s prayer and what each line might mean to Christians. Some groups re-wrote their verse to fit in with modern-day vocabulary and some groups changed or defined specific words to make it easier to understand.
As a class, we then looked through each line and thought about how the prayer acts as a reminder to Christians about how great their God is and is evidence of their hope in that he will one day return to Earth and rule it as He does in heaven.
Date: 2nd Oct 2025 @ 7:12pm
Acorns loved dressing up as people who help us. We loved exploring the different job roles using puppets and props.
Our shared play helps developed our communication and social interaction. We developed our play alongside each other and interacting with our peers. We also had lots of opportunities to make choices between the different hats, props and puppets.
Coby "let me listen to your heartbeat"
Abrianna "police"
Omer "fire nee nah"
Year 1 Visit from Reverend Thompson
Date: 2nd Oct 2025 @ 4:00pm
Today we had a visit from Reverend Thompson. He came into our classroom to tell us about his job and talk to us about baptism. Reverend Thompson shared information with us about his daily practice and how it is his job to be a teacher, to lead services and to share Gods message. He also visits those who are ill and are not able to physically visit the church. We revisited our previous learning about baptism with Reverend Thompson and the important artifacts, such as the font, candle and water. He also told us the important part the Godparents and vicar play in a baptism ceremony. Reverend Thompson showed us how he conducts a baptism and explained to us that new members of the congregation are also given a candle as a symbol of light.
Date: 30th Sep 2025 @ 7:26pm
This week the children have been reading the traditional tale 'Little Red Hen' As part of our learning the children enjoyed going to the school kitchen Redcliffes to make their own loafs of bread, just like the Little Red Hen. Before we started we talk about the iportance of hygiene and made sure we had all washed our hands properly. We also used our widget vocabularly sheets to idntify any new words and talked about what they meant. We checked we had the correct ingredients including; flour, water, salt, oil and yeast. We followed the recipe to make make our dough making sure we kneading it well. We then put it in the oven for it to cook. When it was ready we enjoyed tasting the bread.
Date: 30th Sep 2025 @ 6:56pm
As part of our preparation for starting school next September, our pre school children have attended our first 'Ready, Steady, School' session. The children session was hosted by the North Hub and supported by Better Start. The children invited their parents and carers in to take part in a range of different activities similiar to those they will experience when they start school next year. The children enjoyed using the visual timetable to see what activities where coming next and engaged in a range of play baed activities including small world play, fine motor activities, maths and water play. The children enjoyed participating in short maths and phonics activities based on listening and attention. It was lovely to see so many parents and carers supporting their children in this important transition. Keep your eyes peeled for more 'Ready, Steady School' activities.
Date: 30th Sep 2025 @ 9:57am
Our Year 5 class had an exciting RAF Road to RIAT day, where the children explored the fascinating world of space and rockets. They took part in engaging activities that helped them learn about how rockets work, the challenges of space travel, and the science behind launching into orbit. The day was filled with curiosity, teamwork, and hands-on learning, inspiring the children to think like scientists and engineers while deepening their understanding of space exploration. As part of the experience, the children also took part in a live lesson where they designed, built, and tested their own rockets, putting their new knowledge into practice in a fun and memorable way.
Date: 29th Sep 2025 @ 9:01am
In this lesson, pupils explored how to act with empathy and show respect in situations involving discrimination, teasing and bullying. Through role-play and guided discussion, they examined a range of realistic scenarios and considered the impact of words and actions on others.
The Year group worked collaboratively to identify respectful responses, such as standing up for someone being treated unfairly, offering support, and seeking adult help when necessary. This approach encouraged pupils to develop their understanding of kindness, fairness and inclusion, while giving them practical strategies for responding appropriately and respectfully in challenging social situations.
Date: 26th Sep 2025 @ 4:39pm
This week we have been reading the story Rosie's Walk. Although, unaware that a fox is after her, Rosie the hen takes a walk around the farmyard, leading him into one accident after another. An amusing story that helps children learn positional language.
We sequenced the story, collaged a fox, retold the story using small figures and puppets and then acted out the story in our outdoor area where we made an obstacle course to travel under, over, through and around just like Rosie did on her walk.
Take a look at our photos.
Date: 26th Sep 2025 @ 2:26pm
Acorns will be exploring and learning about people who help us for the next few weeks. We have enjoyed listening and interacting with our sensory story.
Acorns have enjoyed being introduced to people who help us through our puppets. We have also incorporated activities into our learning. We loved putting out fires outside like firemen.
Year 5 - School Council Elections
Date: 25th Sep 2025 @ 10:51am
School Council Elections!
Yesterday was a very exciting day- it was Election Day for the School Councillors!
Candidates started the day by presenting their manifesto to their class and then every child completed a ballot paper to vote for their chosen representative. The voting booths had been set up in the hall and children placed their ballot paper in the ballot box. After the votes had been counted, an assembly was held to reveal the results.
The children learnt about the key British Value, democracy, what it means and if it is a good thing.
Date: 24th Sep 2025 @ 12:53pm
Today we were visited by local magistrates who told us all about their jobs and how they play integral roles in the court system. We then took part in a mock trial, which centred around a case of online bullying. Children were given roles to play and words to read out, these included prosecution, defence, judge, victim, court usher and witnesses. The children really got a feel for what goes on in a courtroom and some of us are even considering future careers!
Date: 19th Sep 2025 @ 11:34am
This week the children in Reception have been looking at the characteristic 'kindness'- Katie Kindness.
They read stories about being kind and talked about what it meant to be kind.
"You help people" Zara.
"You hug them when they cry" Dolcie-Rae.
"If someone falls over you take them to the teacher" Lockie.
"When you share toys you are being kind" Isabel.
