English
Our English text this half term is Stone Age Boy, which ties in perfectly with our topic: ‘The Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age’. At the beginning of the unit, the children explored how to use carefully selected adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and similes to create vivid imagery and engage the reader’s imagination.

We have since progressed to writing an alternative ending to the story, with a particular focus on the suspense genre. The children have thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and have shown great creativity in their efforts to slow the narrative pace, vary sentence structures, and appeal to the reader’s five senses using a technique called “Show, Not Tell.”

Throughout the writing process, the children are encouraged to proofread their work—either independently or with a partner—to check for spelling and punctuation errors. They also make use of the ARMS and COGS strategies to improve their writing by Adding, Removing, Moving, or Substituting words and checking for Coherence, Organisation, Grammar, and Spelling.

Spelling

It is important that children apply the spelling rules they have learned during their daily lessons. Please continue to support this by regularly practising the specific rules noted in their logbooks each week.

Maths

The principal focus of mathematics teaching in lower key stage 2 is to ensure that pupils become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value.

Year 3

In year 3, the children have explored the place value of numbers to 1000 and are now learning about addition and subtraction. The National Curriculum objects are listed below.

Year 4

In year 4, the children have learnt about the place value of numbers to 10,000. The National Curriculum objects are detailed below.

Year 4 multiplication check

In Year 4, children will take part in the Multiplication Tables Check in June. This assessment evaluates their recall of times tables up to 12 × 12. To support their success, it is important that they practise regularly at home.

Times Tables Rock Stars is an excellent online platform designed to help improve fluency in multiplication.

Science

We had a fantastic Science Week focused on the topic Animals, including Humans.

Year 3
The children explored the idea that animals, including humans, require the right types and amounts of nutrition, and that they cannot produce their own food. They particularly enjoyed sorting play food into the correct food groups, and examining food packaging to identify nutritional patterns.

In addition, they learned that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles that provide support, protection, and enable movement.

Year 4
The children began with a scientific enquiry into the digestive system, exploring the important roles that key organs play in the digestion of food. They were highly engaged in discussions and activities that helped them understand this vital bodily process.

Following this, the focus shifted to teeth and food chains. The children identified different types of teeth and explained their specific functions. They also constructed and interpreted a variety of food chains, demonstrating an understanding of producers, predators, and prey.

History

We have thoroughly enjoyed travelling back to prehistoric times to explore the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Throughout this topic, the children have developed their historical enquiry skills by investigating a series of thought-provoking questions:

• Enquiry 1  – How much did life change between the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods in Britain?
• Enquiry 2 – Why did the Neolithic people of the Stone Age start to farm if it may have made their lives harder?
• Enquiry 3 – How have people explained Stonehenge since it was built?
• Enquiry 4 – What can Julis Caesar tell us (and not tell us) about Iron Age Britian?
• Enquiry 5 – Which turning point between 9300 BCE and 43 CE changed Britain most.

These enquiries have encouraged the children to think critically, consider different perspectives, and develop a deeper understanding of how life evolved throughout prehistoric Britain.

LKS2 Workshop

Lower Key Stage 2 took part in an amazing workshop which brought their learning about prehistoric Britain to life. During the session, the children created a large interactive timeline in the hall, explored a range of Stone Age artefacts and animal skins, and examined images of original cave art.

Inspired by what they saw, the children then designed and created their own artwork, using authentic examples as a reference. The workshop concluded with a fascinating look at Bronze and Iron Age military equipment, allowing the children to make connections between different historical periods.

Be sure to visit our Facebook page to see photos from this exciting and engaging day!

We’re looking forward to seeing you during our Learn With us afternoon on Monday 20^th October at 14:00.

Art

We are currently hard at work in Art, creating replicas of Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age jewellery in preparation for our upcoming exhibition.

Before beginning their creations, the children researched jewellery from each period, investigating how it was made, the materials used, and how styles evolved over time. They particularly enjoyed experimenting with natural dyes to better understand how people in prehistoric times might have coloured their jewellery.

We’re looking forward to showcasing the children’s fantastic work at the exhibition!

Computing

Throughout this unit, the children have developed their understanding of branching databases and how to create them. They are currently using yes/no questions to explore the concept of attributes and how these can be used to sort and classify groups of objects.

Next, they will apply this knowledge to create both physical and digital branching databases, demonstrating their ability to organise information logically and effectively.

Spanish

This half term, the children are studying the unit ‘The People Around Me’. By the end of the unit, they should be able to identify and introduce some family members, name common pets, and recognise several letters of the Spanish alphabet.

PE

Dance – Wild animals

The children are thoroughly enjoying their dance unit, Wild Animals. They have particularly engaged with responding to different stimuli to bring characters to life through drama and dance. As the unit has progressed, they have developed their skills by improvising a wider variety of movements, both individually and in extended sequences with a partner.

Handball

Lower Key Stage 2 have also been learning the skill of handball, with a particular focus on passing and receiving to maintain possession of the ball.  As the unit progresses, the children will develop an understanding of defensive skills, including how to win the ball back.

Whitby

At the start of the term, Y4 children had the opportunity to take part in their first school residential to YHA Whitby. Even the coach journey over had the children excited as they were astonished driving over the North York Moors! During the residential, the children took part in wide range of activities.

Day 1: On the first day in Whitby, they were taken on a walking our around Whitby town, they were able to see some exciting places such as: Dracula’s grave, Humpty Dumpty’s grave (where they found out he wasn’t actually an egg, but a canon!), the screaming tunnel and a whale jaw bone arch. In the evening, the children took part in a lighthouse challenge, their structure was tested against, height, wind and ice.

Day 2: After a yummy breakfast, our second day was spent split between the beach and the lobster hatchery. On the beach, although slightly windy, the children enjoyed digging in the sand, building sandcastles and looking for fossils! The lobster hatchery was fascinating, the children were able to see some different ocean creatures, how lobsters are important to Whitby and how they help them. After lunch, the children were taught by the YHA staff about Whitby jet and even got their own piece to polish. There was no rest in the evening, the children dressed up and the YHA hosted a fantastic pirate party with lots of fun party games.

Day 3: On the last day in Whitby, we explored the amazing Whitby Abbey in the glorious sunshine and found out lots of facts about it’s past. After lunch it was time to head back home on the coach and return to school.

Roman Day

While some of the Y4s were away at Whitby, the children in school enjoyed a Roman day. They were invited to come to school dressed as a Roman or in red, and they were joined by a special visitor. During the day, they took part in many activities such as: writing in Latin, playing Roman games and handling artefacts.

English

This term LKS2 have been using their creative skills to create some Spring poetry. After looking at different poetic devices, similes, onomatopoeia, rhyming, alliteration, the children had a choice of creating a rhyming or a narrative poem all about their Spring symbol. Some children will be reading their poems aloud at our Spring Sing on Friday 4th April.

At the end of the term, they started writing a narrative piece – writing for suspense. The children were introduced to the short film ‘Alma’ which follows a little girl who finds a doll of herself in a shop and gets trapped into a nightmare. They were able to bring their imagination to life retelling this spooky story using suspense writing techniques they have learnt such as: show not tell, short sentences, adverbial phrases and similes.

Making writing lively and interesting is key. Therefore, the children are always encouraged to use carefully chosen fronted adverbials, adjectives, verbs, adverbs and nouns to bring their writing to life. Throughout, the children are encouraged to use ARMS and COGS to edit their work.  

It is important that the children apply what they have learnt in their daily spelling lessons, so please don’t forget to keep practicing the spelling rules identified within their logbooks each week.

Children can also access extra practice on the Oxford Owl website, you can find the login for this in their planner, as well as a guide to which spelling tasks they should be accessing each week.

Maths

Y3 have been looking at the topic of measurement throughout the term, looking at length, mass and volume, before completing a mid-year revision of the topics learnt so far. The children were able to apply their basic understanding of the four operations (add, subtract, multiply and divide) to answer questions, as well as challenging themselves through worded problems. The children then moved on to look at the topic of money, a recap on identifying the different coins and notes, adding coins together, subtracting money and calculating change.

Y4

At the start of the half term, Year 4 were introduced to a range of graphs including bar charts and line graphs. They have learnt how read and plot data accurately on graphs as well as making comparisons between tables and different graphs. As the term continued, Year 4 have began learning about fractions. We built on our understanding of equivalent fractions, simplifying fractions as well as mixed number fractions. We then used our skills and knowledge to add and subtract fractions. Our problem solving skills helped us to solve word problems related to fractions. 

We are keen for the children to become fluent with all their times tables, so extra practise at home is essential. Children should be accessing their Times Tables Rock Star account at home to build up their fluency.

Science

Our science topic this term was all about sound. The children learnt how sound travels around us, how it travels in our ear and how we can change sound through volume and pitch.

The children had lots of fun taking part in practical activates and experimenting with different instruments. They had a go at making a string telephone, investigating which length of string would allow them to hear their partner the best, they also experimented making their own string instrument using a cardboard box and elastic bands.

Geography

In our Geography lessons, we’ve been exploring the UK and its counties. The children learnt to identify and locate the unique geographical features and their cultural significance within the UK. We examined how these counties contribute to the overall diversity of the nation and why they are important in the context of national identity. Through interactive maps, topographical skills, and engaging activities, our students gained a deeper appreciation of the distinct characteristics of the UKs counties.

PSHE

This term we have looked at 2 areas of PSHE, democracy and keeping safe. In our democracy topic, the children learnt how a government is created and how they make new laws and what impact we have on this. In our keeping safe topic, children looked at age ratings on video games and why these are important. The children also had a lesson with the BBFC (British Board of Film Classifications) on film age-ratings and how they decide on the appropriateness of a film.

The children have also learnt about what they should do if they were feeling pressured to do something by friends or family and how to stay safe near roads, rail and water.

Art

This half term, LKS2 have been studying the artist Joan Miro. We had thoughtful discussions based on his art work and drawing in the style of Miro. Through completing a colour wheel, the children explored complimentary and contrasting colours ahead of designing and creating their own 3D sculpture in the style of Joan Miro. 

Spanish

Y3/4 have continued their learning from Spring 1, looking at ‘Let’s Go’ topic. This topic looks at transport: el coche (car), el autobus (bus), as well as directions: a la izquierda (to the left), a la derecha (to the right), todo recto (straight on).

PE

This term the coaches and teachers have taught the children tennis skills – how to hold a racket, rallying the ball to their partner and hitting the ball over the net. They have also been taught tag rugby where they have looked at the basic rules in rugby, how to move with the ball and how to pass.

Music

This term we have been busy practicing songs for our Spring assembly on Friday 4th April 2025. During these sessions, the children have learnt how to use their voices effectively to sing in harmony, parts and rounds!

Stingrays have also been taking part in weekly music sessions with Leeds Education, learning different percussion instruments.