Friday 26th April 2024

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Amongst all the learning that occurred this week in Year 3, a special Bible was brought into school by Archie. Finding this beautiful book amongst other household objects, has certainly excited Archie’s family and the class!  Over the last few days, allowing us to keep the bible in school, Archie has been explaining the Bible’s history. The children have been very lucky to have handled a book with so much history.  Thank you to Archie and the Cornwall family  for allowing us to examine this precious book.

In Maths this week, the children have continued learning about fractions and carried out many problem solving activities to deepen their understanding. In English, we have started our unit on persuasive writing based on Stella and the Seagull.  Yesterday, Year 3 worked on their persuasion skills by trying to come up with reasons as to why they should be able to stay up later. I’ve heard some of them tried to use their ideas at home! In Geography, we have been learning about the world’s climate zones. Using climate maps alongside political maps, the children located what sorts of climates different countries have.

In PE, the children have begun to look at Cricket as a summer sport. On Wednesday, the children practised their throwing skills by throwing a tennis ball towards a target and ‘the batter’ having a go at hitting it.  Well done children!

Have a restful weekend

 

Mrs McNamara and Mrs Lines

 

Home Learning

Mathletics

Spellings and SPaG activity on spellinghshed

Year 5 – 26/04/24

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Another busy week has flown by in Year 5! Here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve been up to:

RE: This week, we continued exploring God’s plan for redemption. We connected the dots between ‘Original Sin’ and the Second Story of Creation, and we talked about how Jesus brings hope and restores our relationship with God.

Maths: Fractions have been our focus in maths, and we’ve been getting better and better at adding them up. We started with adding fractions that have the same denominators, then moved on to adding fractions with different denominators (where one is a multiple of the other), then on to adding mixed numbers. It’s been great to see everyone’s progress in this area!

English: Our journey through “Hidden Figures” continued as we explored the key themes of discrimination and segregation. We discussed why the women in the book are such important role models and started learning about the features of newspaper reports.

PE (Physical Education): We’ve been keeping active in PE with our athletics unit, this week focusing on throwing techniques.

Science: Things got interesting in science as we looked at evidence for both flat Earth theory and spherical Earth theory. It sparked some lively discussions and got us thinking about how we know what we know about the world.

Here is this week’s home learning:

Maths Mathletics assignments:

·         Adding fractions within 1

·         Adding fractions with total greater than 1

·         Adding two mixed numbers
Reading 5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
SPaG Either:

·         Edshed.com quiz: Brackets, dashes and commas to indicate parenthesis

Or:

·         Spag.com task: Parenthesis & commas (B)
Spelling Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Words with ‘ie’ after ‘c’

·         ancient

·         glacier

·         science

·         scientists

·         species

·         sufficient

·         efficient

·         emergencies

·         deficient

·         inefficient

Y5 dates for your diary for this term:

Thurs 9th May – 10am KS2 attend Mass at OLASV Church to celebrate the Feast of the Ascension
Thurs 6th June Year 5 Trip to Bayfordbury Observatory
Fri 7th June – 2.30pm Blessed Sacrament Procession – Please collect your children from the church at 3.15pm
Tues 11th June – pm Sports Day: KS2 in the afternoon
Mon 17th June – am Other Faith Visit to Twelve Apostles Greek Orthodox Church
Thurs 4th July Year 5 Trip to Aylesford Priory
Fri 12th July Year 5 to Building The Kingdom Event in St Albans
Thurs 18th July – 2pm Year 5 Mini police assembly

A huge well done on your 100% attendance this week, Year 5! Have a lovely weekend and see you all on Monday in your summer uniforms.

Miss Donatantonio

Summer 1 Week 2

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This week our focus was George and The Dragon. We read the story of St George and the children thought about how they could get rid of a dragon. The children made flags for St George’s Day. We looked at maps and globes and found England on them. The children made shields and swords using card and tinfoil. We displayed lots of wonderful independent writing in our class. On Thursday, the children made dragons using different materials. Using boxes, lego and blocks, the children made castles. The children designed their own dragons and labelled their pictures with words.

 

In Maths, we have been learning about numbers 11-20. The children have been counting to 20 and counting objects to 20. We have been using tens frames to demonstrate that 11 is 10 and 1 more and 12 is 10 and 2 more. The children have been playing games, making prints with numicon and stamps to show this. Please practise counting objects to 20 at home.

In Religion we listened to the story The Road to Emmaus. We discussed how Jesus was kind to his friends and showed them love. We thought of ways we can show love and kindness in the classroom and at home.

In Phonics, we are revising the Phase 3 sounds. Please continue to practise these at home and practise reading and spelling the tricky words.

Thank you for the lovely photos around Potters Bar, if you have not sent one in please send it in next week.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Carey and the Early Years Team

Friday, 26th April 2024

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Year 4 has had yet another busy week with lots of practical, hands on activities.

We started the week on an exciting note by going out into the International Garden to locate our hidden eggs and exchange them for some chocolate on Monday. The children really enjoyed the Hunt and the outdoor games that followed.

In English, the class carried on with their learning of explanation texts and looked at other examples of intriguing machines from our class book ‘Until I met Dudley’. They used cohesive devices to explain their inner workings before writing maintenance instructions for a steam powered Rhino borrowed from Charlie Small’s Gorilla City.

In Maths, we started our next unit of money and looked at writing money using decimal points; converting between pence and pound; comparing amounts using our conversion knowledge and finally calculating with money using formal written and mental methods.

In RE, we used timelines to put Pentecost into context and explored how Jerusalem looked like at the time of Shavu’ot. We also used Luke’s Gospel to retell the story of the Pentecost when the disciples of Jesus received the Holy Spirit before explaining how the Holy Spirit enables the children themselves to live their life differently.

In Art, the class completed their final pieces in their ‘Still life’ unit creating Still life collages using a mixture of media.

Please remember next week Thursday, 2nd May is an INSET day, therefore the school will be closed for the children.

Have a lovely weekend,

Ms Varga

Home Learning Due back on Tuesday, 30th  April 2024
Spelling Words with ‘c’ before ‘i’ and ‘e’

https://www.edshed.com/en-gb

Next week’s words: solve, insoluble, real, reality, dissolve, solution, realistic, unreal, realisation, soluble
Reading https://readtheory.org/auth/login
Multiplication https://ttrockstars.com/

https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/7-11-years/times-tables
English Planning Children will start working towards their final writing pieces in their Explanation text unit next week. As a preparation to that, I would like the children to explore and research existing ‘cracking contraptions’; interesting inventions from around the world of science and technology and then plan their own invention.

Examples:

Solar panelled hoodie

Massage me- a game console based massage vest that allows relaxation whilst playing a game.

the Fizz, a new walking bicycle

  keyboard jeans

I would like the children to draw a well sized, detailed (A4) diagram of their invention and label all parts explaining their function briefly. This diagram will serve as a planning sheet, therefore should only include bullet points and short labels/captions.

In previous years, the children came up with brilliant ideas from shoe box sized machines that clean dirty football boots through remote controlled pet feeders and groomers to a light powered umbrella that displays a google map image and gps location to help finding your way even in the heaviest of rain.

Use your imagination and add interesting functions to your invention!

 

 

Summer 1 week 2 w.b 22.4.24

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In English this week the children have been learning to summarise a new instruction text. Using images and text they sequenced the first part by matching the pictures with the captions.

The children are really enjoying their weekly tennis lesson with Coach Mills. This week, Year one worked in partners to drop and catch the tennis ball, bounce the tennis ball to each other using their rackets to hit the ball and roll the ball on the floor to each other.

Year one were very excited to take part in a mini Easter egg Hunt outside. All the classes, were kindly given a donation of  Malteser bunnies that we were very fortunate to share.

In Science, we have started our learning on our new Unit: Plants. Year one looked for plants, weeds, grass and trees that can be found in our outdoor area. We talked about their qualities, similarities, differences and discussed plants we would find in our gardens and in the wild.

In Italian this week, the children learned the names of various animals in Italian.

                                           

In History the children have explored what they know about Kings and Queens and looked at the role of the Monarchy. This week they focused on King Charles and what his role involves, they also explored what they think makes a good, successful King or Queen.

In RE the children were learning to understand the story of the Pentecost through imagery. After some discussion on the carpet, they chose a picture to write about and explained why they liked that specific image.

Home Learning – Due Friday.

Mathletics – please complete the activities set.

Spellings – please practice the spellings with your child for a spelling test next Friday.

Phonics – In preparation for the Phonics Screening, could you please practice the words that have been sent home. Please encourage your child to add the sound buttons as they read. This does not need to be sent back to school as the children practise these daily. The words with monsters next to them are nonsense words, which they will also need to read in the screening. Thank you for your support.

Reading – 5/10 minutes daily.

Have a lovely weekend!

Mrs Poyiadzis & Mrs Barnes

 

 

Year 6 Week Beginning 22.4.24

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This week, Year 6 have continued to work hard in preparation for their upcoming SATs, which take place in a couple of weeks. In order to help them deal with any anxiety that they are feeling about them (and indeed any other situation that the children are currently worrying about), the class took part in an exam stress workshop with Beth Cullen, who is an Educational Mental Health Practitioner from the Hertsmere Mental Health Support Team.

She spoke to the children about:

  • What anxiety​ is and how our bodies and minds react to it
  • The Fight, Flight, Freeze response and what this feels like​
  • The impact of anxious thoughts ​
  • The power of positive thinking​
  • Handling worries and anxiety​
  • The power of self-care​

The children had the opportunity to create their own self-care plan, which Beth suggested they displayed in their bedrooms.

She also shared the following two videos:

Meet the animals that live in your brain!

Fight Flight Freeze – A Guide to Anxiety for Kids

Beth will be visiting Year 6 again after half term to talk about how they are feeling about transferring to secondary school.

Home learning this week:

Summer 1 Week 2

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We have publish our recounts this week and painted pictures to go with them. Here are some examples of our work.

In Maths we have solved multiplication and division word problems.

Our new Art topic is ‘Expressive Painting’. We have looked at art work by Marela Zacarias and Charlie French, which have inspired us to paint expressively. Next week, we are going to be looking at the brush strokes Van Gogh used to create his master pieces.

Thank you to South Mimms Services, for the generous donation of chocolate malteser bunnies. We enjoyed using them for mini Easter egg Hunt outside.

Home Learning

Please complete the Maths in your child’s reading folder and read.

Spelling has been set online.

 

 

 

 

Summer 1 Week 1 w.b 15.4.24

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Welcome back year 1!

The children began their week with a visit from the Mental health and well being team. The children found out the yellow zone of regulation and ways in which to help themselves when they are feeling frustrated, silly worried or excited, Thank you to all the parents who attended the coffee morning on Wednesday and met the Mental health team, We hope you enjoyed it and found the morning beneficial.

In PE, year one began their first session of Tennis with coach Karl Mills. The weather was a bit temperamental but the children thoroughly enjoyed using their tennis rackets for balancing and hitting their tennis balls.They finished their lesson with a fun game of  ‘Where is the crocodile!’  Please remember that year one will begin their weekly swimming lessons commencing on Wednesday 24th April in the  afternoons.

In Ten Ten the children were learning to

  • Recognise when they have been unkind and say sorry.
  • To recognise when people are being unkind to them and others and how to respond.
  • That when we are unkind to others, we hurt God also and should say sorry to him as well.
  • That we should forgive like Jesus forgives.

In Maths the children have been learning about money. They were introduced to the different coins and ordering coins to their values from the least amount to the largest amount.We will be continuing learning about money next week, This weekend, if you are popping to the shops could you talk to your child about prices of items in the shop, and if you pay for any items with cash maybe your child could help count the money and pay for the items!

In English this week the children have been independently writing their own version of a familiar story. The children spent the first part of the week planning their story with a beginning, a setting and deciding what characters they were going to include. They also had to include some or all of the days of the week and end the story using their plan. There were some very creative writers in Year 1 with amazing imaginations!

Home Learning – Due Friday.

Mathletics – please complete the activities set.

Handwriting sheet – practice letters sent home. You do not need to send this back as they are also practised daily in school.

Phonics – In preparation for the Phonics Screening, could you please practice the words that have been sent home. Please encourage your child to add the sound buttons as they read, they will know how to do this and I have also done the top one as an example for them. This does not need to be sent back to school as the children practise these daily. The words with monsters next to them are nonsense words, which they will also need to read in the screening. Thank you for your support.

Reading – 5/10 minutes daily.

Ten Ten – please click here for this terms letter.

Reminders

Swimming starts next Wednesday. Please indicate permission on Schoolcomms if your child can wear goggles and send them to school in their PE kit.

PE days are now on Tuesday and Wednesday, please ensure your child is wearing their kit on these days.

Wishing you all a Lovely weekend.

Mrs Poyiadzis and Mrs Barnes

Year 5 – 19/04/24

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Welcome to the final term in Year 5; where is the time going?! Here’s what’s been happening in the Year 5 classroom this week:

Science: This afternoon, we kicked off our Earth and Space science unit, igniting curiosity and raising questions we’re eager to explore in the coming months.
English: Linked to our science topic, we dove into our new text “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly, discussing the inspiring journey of four female African-American mathematicians at NASA, and began to explore the key themes of resilience and overcoming gender and racial barriers.
Maths: Building on our previous knowledge of equivalent fractions, we tackled comparing, ordering, and adding fractions.
RE: In RE, we delved into the four Resurrection accounts, comparing them and creating visual representations of Mark’s account through Resurrection art.
PE: Our PE sessions introduced us to the fundamentals of athletics, focusing on running and jumping as we began our athletics unit for the half-term.

Home learning for this week is as follows:

Maths Mathletics assignments:

·        Comparing & ordering fractions less than 1

·        Comparing & ordering fractions greater than 1

·        Add & subtract fractions with the same denominator
Reading 5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
SPaG Edshed.com quizzes:

·        Brackets to indicate parenthesis

·        Dashes to indicate parenthesis

·        Commas to indicate parenthesis
Spelling Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Challenge Words (from the Year 5 and 6 Statutory Word List)

·        amateur

·        foreign

·        ancient

·        pronunciation

·        awkward

·        symbol

·        criticise

·        yacht

·        excellent

·        equipment

Please see the attached letter that outlines the RSE learning for this term.

Have a great weekend and see you on Monday!

Miss Donatantonio

Friday 19th April 2024

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Welcome Back!

It has been wonderful to catch up with the children and hear all about their Easter breaks. It has also been very exciting to hear how their Holy Communion preparations are coming along.

This week in English, we have been finishing off our Flotsam stories that we started before half term. In Geography, we have started our new unit called ‘Why are jungles so wet and deserts so dry?’ In order to begin to understand this question, we have needed to learn about the climate of the UK. We discovered that Potters Bar is in one of the drier and warmer places of the country, although it doesn’t always feel like it! Our PE learning this half term will focus on striking and fielding, with cricket being our chosen sport.

In Maths the children have continued learning about fractions.  We focused on adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator and solving problems involving fractions.  The key words have been: denominator, numerator, halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, sixths etc… We have also been focusing this week in our PHSE/Wellbeing lessons on Keeping Ourselves Safe looking this week at videos about: Keeping safe near Railways, Water and Roads.  These short videos pose questions for the children to discuss and have helped them to explore the video content they have just watched.

In Science the children have started their new unit on Light and today we spoke about what the children know already, what they would like to know about light and did an activity on classifying light sources (Natural and Man-made).  The children were interested to learn that the moon is not a light source and that light from the sun hits the moon and is reflected into their eyes.

 

Please click here to see the RHE/PHSE we are covering this summer term using Ten Ten.

This afternoon, Sofia had kindly brought into school a gingerbread man for each member of the class and the children decorated their own one.  Thank you to Sofia for her kindness.

Wishing you and your families a wonderful weekend.

Mrs Lines and Mrs McNamara

Home Learning

Mathletics: please log on and complete the activities set.

TTRs: please log on and practise your timestables especially your 3, 4 and 8 times tables.

Spellings on Spellingshed
For reference, this half term’s spellings can be found here: Summer 1 Spellings  

SPaG Activity also on Spellingshed