Timetable for today:
Reading
Focus: Roald Dahl
Click here for the
English
Direct Speech Click here
Maths
Maths Mystery Activity (work in pairs!) Click here
Science
Explorify Activity: Click here
Vocabulary: colour, size, texture, context
Use this vocabulary to help you explain what the picture shows
It was lovely to see many of you at Meet the Teacher meeting yesterday afternoon. The information shown and handed out yesterday is on the Year 3 Class Page. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.
This week, the children have been busy with their learning!
In Maths, the children have been continuing with a variety of opportunities to represent numbers in different
ways using resources, pictorially, using language and symbols. These opportunities have allowed them to experience playful regrouping (partitioning) to strengthen their understanding of place value. They fully immersed themselves in the games they have been learning too.
In English, we have continued our learning on fables and have worked hard to tell one by using a storymap. We have also been considering our conjunctions and trying to use a range of them. The children were fantastic in picking out why certain animals are chosen in fables and could see the themes such as ‘sly foxes’ and ‘loyal dogs’. We investigated a set of fables and looked for evidence of the characters through what they said and did.
In PE the class have started to look at invasion skills and worked together to support their trio/group with the set activities to complete.
This week we have also continued with our music lessons in learning the recorder. They each have learnt how to hold the recorder and have played alongside some lovely musical pieces remembering the note B and reading the musical score whilst following the tune.
We have begun our French Unit and learnt ways to greet people using: bonjour, bonsoir, bonne-nuit and salut!
In Art, the children have been introduced looking at the work of artists Inbal Leitner and Rosie Hurley to see how they use their sketchbooks to develop characters and refine ideas. The class then responded by filling a couple of pages in their sketchbooks with visual notes about what they were thinking and seeing. Some of the class explained why they had sketched their ideas and as a class, the children looked at each others’ ideas, an activity which they clearly enjoyed.
In RE, we reflected on how our new Reception class feels about starting a new school and how we want them to feel about being at Pope Paul. The children shared beautiful ideas about how we can make them feel welcome and have a sense of belonging through our words, actions and symbols. This was a great start to thinking about initiation and the sacraments of our church.
Home Learning has been set in:
Mathletics- Log onto your account and complete the tasks set.
TTRs – log on and try your hand at your times tables!
Spellings on spellingshed
Wishing you and your family a lovely weekend.
Mrs McNamara and Mrs Lines.
Items handed out yesterday at the Meet the Teacher meeting.
Year 3 Autumn Overview 2023 Meet the Teacher powerpoint Year 3 Booklist
I am sure you will have tired children this weekend after their first full week in school! The children have been a delight to have in the class and are all settling in extremely well.
This week we have been thinking about our families. We read the story Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. This beautiful story is about three babies owls who wake up and their mummy is not there. Just like this children in Reception, leaving their families to come to school, this can be difficult for some. Throughout the week, the children have been making story maps, drawing their families and acting out the story. The children have been drawing, colouring and making collages using different materials. They have also been making owls using playdough.
Each child painted a self-portrait, first we looked at our skin colour in the mirror, then we chose the correct colour paint and we looked closely at the colour of our eyes and lips. This year is the Year of Diversity. We are looking at how we are all different and unique.
We have also been learning to make the sign of the cross , please practise at home.
Next week we will start our phonics learning. The children will be given a phonics book with the new sound each day from Monday to Thursday. Please complete the activity, practise the rhyme and practise writing the new letter. Over the weekends, practise all of the sounds learnt that week. The children must bring their book into school each next day so we can stick the new sound in.
I have sent home a lunch menu. Next week is Week 3 on the menu. You can order the children’s lunches on school comms, this would be helpful because the children find it difficult to choose or please talk about what they would like before they come to school. If you child is not eating enough lunch, I will let you know.
We have very little socks if the children get wet or dirty, if you have any spare socks at home, please send them in.
Please send in a family photograph if you have not already.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Mrs Carey and The Early Years Team
Welcome back!
Year 6 have had a fantastic first week in their new class and have settled really quickly. The weather has been hot, hot, hot; despite this, the class have worked incredibly hard and given their best, all week long.
This year, Pope Paul School is celebrating the Year of Diversity. The children have spent lots of time in class thinking about what diversity means to them and have learnt that it simply means difference.
In English, the children have been learning about persuasion. They used cohesive language when discussing what makes a good/bad leader and prepared short speeches to express their opinion about, ‘What makes a leader effective?’ Year 6 also listened to different persuasive speeches, such as Greta Thunberg’s motivational speech at UK Climate Strike, for inspiration.
Greta Thunberg’s speech at UK climate strike – YouTube
They learnt that rhetorical devices, when used well, are powerful techniques for getting what you want. Examples of these are: Flattery, hyperbole, using imperatives and personal pronouns, repetition (the rule of three), using anecdotes and emotive language. Next week, the children will be applying these techniques to their own writing, when they compose their leadership letter of application to Mrs Heymoz.
In Maths, Year 6 have been reading, writing and exploring large numbers: some children have been working with numbers well into the billions- very impressive!
In RE, the class have been focussing on the school’s Mission Prayer. They used the bible to locate where each part of the prayer comes from, and wrote about how they intend to live out the values of the Mission Prayer, this year.
In Art, the children began their new topic: Activism: Printing, drawing and collaging! This topic explores how artists use their skills to speak on behalf of communities. During this unit, the class will make art based on the things they care about.
In Computing, Year 6 learnt about what is necessary to have effective communication and the importance of agreed protocols. They applied this understanding to IP address and the rules (protocols) that computers have for communicating with one another. The children also learnt about the use of a Domain Name Server (DNS) to translate web addresses into IP addresses.
In Music, the class began their new unit about swing music and were given a taste of Glen Miller music!
The week was finished off by a special mass of thanksgiving for Ms Lawlor, who has dedicated 25 years of her life to the children and families of Pope Paul School- thank you Ms Lawlor!
Online home learning will commence again from next Friday.
This weekend, the children have been asked to compose a speech, to persuade the other children in the school to vote for them to be a House Captain, on Friday. All children have been encouraged to apply for these roles, however, if your child doesn’t want to, this is absolutely fine, but please note that they are still required to write a speech using all of the persuasive features learnt this week in class.
Things to consider when writing your persuasive speech:
What effect do you want to have on the audience?
Some people, particularly politicians, use something called a rhetorical device.
Rhetorical devices are powerful techniques for getting what you want.
Examples are:
Other factors that contribute towards a successful persuasive piece are:
Good luck!
I am looking forward to see you all at the Meet the Teacher, next Monday at 2.45pm.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Ms Pemberton
It has been lovely meeting you for lunch this week to begin the children’s journey at Pope Paul School. The children settled into the class well and have started to learn some of the class routines. It was wonderful to see the children getting to know each other and sharing their different interests. We have enjoyed getting to know the children and learning about what they enjoy to do.
Please send in the data collection sheet as I will not be able to add photos to the blog until we have received all of these.
Please make sure all the children’s uniform, hats and water bottles are labelled.
Our Topic this term is All About Me. Please send in a photograph with your child and their family by Thursday 14th September.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Mrs Carey and The Early Years Team
We have been busy with transition this week. As well as writing about ourselves for our new teachers we have visited our new class and helped the current Year 1 children with some Maths. Solomon also treated us to a guitar concert, well done Solomon, you played beautifully.
Next week
Monday – Please return your reading record and any reading or library books that you have at home and bring a carrier bag in.
Tuesday and Wednesday – PE days – no swimming.
Thursday – fun day – please wear your own clothes.
Friday – school finishes at 1pm
Have a lovely weekend
Miss Pringle
Huge congratulations to Year 6 for their stunning performance of Jungle Book this week.
Click here to see glympse of the performance captured on camera.
Have a lovely weekend.
Mrs McNamara and Mrs Lines
Home Learning:
Gather together memories of your time at Pope Paul by speaking with your family . These notes will be an aid to you when you are writing your memories of your time at the school during your English lessons next week.
Sketching Alliums
Click on the allium to watch the tutorial on how to sketch one. When you feel ready, take your pencil and sketch an allium.
This week has been filled with many things including having visitors from the NSPCC and Bejiing!
On Monday I delivered an assembly on NSPCC’s Speak Out and Stay Safe focus. In the assembly the children learnt about who their trusted adults are; what Childline is; and the importance of speaking out if something is wrong. On Tuesday morning, Year 6 had a workshop delivered by two of the NSPCC Team about their Speak Out and Stay Safe Programme and the children felt empowered and enlightened because of this powerful message.
On Wednesday a group of children from Beijing, China visited our school and Year 6 spent time with them during breaktime and lunchtime and in the afternoon. During the afternoon session, they paired up with a student and asked them questions about themselves, their school in Beijing and their life there. Our visitors also found out about Year 6. They then took part in a maths reasoning and problem solving activity and it was lovely to see our Year 6 children work alongside them on a subject and language they both know so well.
Our children are growing up in a world where they are global citizens and it’s important for them to learn about life beyond Potters Bar and the experience of this visit has given them a taster of this! The children were a credit to the school; they were welcoming, engaging, enthusiastic and active participants. The Chinese students gave the children some gifts to thank them for their friendship shown to them on this day.
NSPCC Workshop
On Wednesday afternoon,eight children went and took part in a Netball Tournament. Miss Pringle said that the children played well as a team in ALL their matches. Their primary objective was to shoot a ball through the defender’s goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own goal ring and Caroline, Ela-Maria, Elle, Kian, Max, Sophie, Violet and VJ did just that!! They returned to school the following day buzzing, coming 4th in the overall competition. Well done!
We have continued with our rehearsals for the production and the children are working on their dances for the songs. There are still some children who have not brought n their costumes. Please send them into school by Tuesday. In PE, we have been practising for the Sports Day races. Sports Day is on Wednesday 28th June (AM). Please see more details on sports day arrangements in the newsletter. All children must have a sunhat and a bottle of water.
Today our Year 6 took part in the first of two transition (Year 6 to Year 7) workshops led by the
Hertsmere Schools Partnership. This provision forms an important part of our Year 6’s preparation for
secondary school and the children participated fully in the workshop activities.
Have a lovely weekend.
Mrs McNamara and Mrs Lines
Home Learning:
Please encourage your child to learn their lines for the play.
