Welcome to the Falcon Class 2023-2024!

Hello and welcome to the Falcon's class page.

Mrs Bower is the class teacher supported by Mrs Brooks who is the teaching assistant  for the Falcons. We are both really excited to be working with you this year, sharing and celebrating the progress and achievements of the wonderful children in our care.

PE:

PE will take place every Thursday and Friday.

Children are asked to leave their PE kit in school until the end of the half term when it will be returned to wash.

READING:

Reading books will be changed on a Tuesday and Friday, but please send bookbags into school every day.

HOMEWORK:

Homework will be issued on Friday and should be returned the following Friday.

WATER BOTTLES:

Please send children to school with a water bottle every day. We are a healthy school, so water only please (no fruit juice or flavoured water) 

Week commencing 29th January 2024

This week we continued to read a brilliant non-fiction book called An Amazing Animal Atlas of Scotland, which covers all of the different habitats in Scotland and the animals that live there. Using the information from the book we created our own fact files of some of these amazing animals and habitats. 

In Maths we have been exploring money by recognising coins and notes, making totals using different coins and solving simple word problems. We also had an exciting morning riding on the Calverton Connection using our simple sketch maps to locate things in the local area as well as spotting various types of housing, industry and leisure facilities. 

Welcome back to the Spring Term!

Week commencing 8th January 2024

'Would you rather live in Calverton or the Isle of Coll?'

This week we started to read a story from the Katie Morag series which is set on the Hebridean Isle of Coll (known as the Isle of Struay in the stories). Over the course of this  term we will be comparing life on Coll to that of Calverton with the aim of making an informed judgement to answer the above question by the end of our learning journey.

In Maths, we've been identifying 2D and 3D shapes along with counting the number of sides and vertices.

STARS OF THE WEEK:

School Value: READY

Archie & Rufus:

Both boys were awarded a READY wristband for demonstrating an every growing 'readiness' to learn. Well done boys - Keep up the super work!

Week Commencing 20th November 2023

Week Commencing 13th November 2023

What a busy week we've had! 

It's been Anti-Bullying week, a few children took part in an inter school gymnastics activity on Tuesday, we've all had CPR training (Wednesday) and on Friday we celebrated Pudsey Bear day by wearing spots! 

In addition to all this exciting learning, the children have continued to read our class story 'Goldilocks and the three crocodiles' researching facts about crocodiles to make a fact file. I wonder if they can remember any interesting facts to tell you?

In Maths, we've been learning to add and subtract using the formal column  method (not crossing the ten). Homework consolidates this concept.

In RE, we've been learning about the Hindu festival of light Diwali and it's many associated traditions.

STARS OF THE WEEK:

Amelie

Isabella

Week Commencing 6th November 2023

Welcome back to the first week of our new half term. It was wonderful to welcome so many of you into the classroom for our 'Traditional Tales' reading morning. I know this was very special for the children - Thank you!

Our new class text this week is an alternative traditional tale called 'Goldilocks and the three crocodiles'. The children are thoroughly enjoying this version and have been using their prior knowledge of the tale to make predictions as well as onomatopoeias to describe the sound of the sea. 

In Maths, we have been finding ten more and ten less than a given number as well as adding and subtracting across ten.

We've also learnt about Remembrance day and made poppies to commemorate the lives lost during the First World War.

Finally, the children enjoyed sharing their half term homework projects during 'celebration assembly'. It was wonderful to see so many different models, pictures, and projects. Many thanks for taking the time to support your child with this task.

THIS WEK STARS OF THE WEEK:

Kiyah-Mae

Evie-Rose

Week Commencing 16th October 2023

This week we finished reading the class text 'The tin forest' and created our own alternative version using time connectives, expanded noun phrases and conjunctions.

In Maths we've been using our number bonds to add and subtract across a ten. This is really tricky concept and requires sound knowledge of number bonds to 10. 

In Science, we learnt about the Scottish Scientist Charles Macintosh who invented the waterproof mac by sandwiching a type of rubber between material also known as a 'rubber sandwich'

Following this, the children then investigated if they could waterproof paper. We tested various methods with a clear outcome.

I wonder if the children can tell you the result of this fascinating investigation?

STARS OF THE WEEK ARE:

Megan

Eli

Week Commencing 9th October 2023

This week we've started to read our new class text 'The Tin Forest'. A wonderful book about a man who lives in a place near nowhere and close to forgotten that was filled with all the things that no one wanted. The children are really enjoying the text and have been using their imagination to describe what a tin forest would look like.

On Tuesday it was our Harvest Festival in church and we really enjoyed sharing our learning with you. Thank you to everyone who came along  - we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

In Maths, we have been using our knowledge of number bonds to add and subtract by making ten

STARS OF THE WEEK:

Arthur 

Terri-Louise

Week Commencing 2nd October 2023

Preparation for next week's Harvest Festival has been the focus of this week's literacy work. The class have used expanded noun phrases to describe harvest produce, before creating a class poem which we're looking forward to sharing with you in church on Tuesday.

In Maths we've continued to count in 2s. 5s. 10s and 3s as well as consolidate number bonds to 10 and 20.

In art we have created harvest pictures using felt tip pens and a water wash.

We hope you can join us for our Harvest festival as we look forward to sharing this week's learning with you then.

Stars of the week

Poppy and Kendall: For excellent concentration and effort in class - well done girls!

Week Commencing 25th September 2023

Our learning of the The Great fire of London has raged on this week starting with an exciting re-enactment with the Partake Theatre company on Monday. The children had lots of fun taking on the various historical roles and the lesson really embedded key knowledge. (photo's to follow)

In addition to this we have been reading Vlad and the Great Fire of London in which a flea tells the story of the fire from his perspective. The children have enjoyed asking and writing questions for Vlad and will be retelling the story next week.

In Science, we have been investigating friction, to discover which material would make the best firefighter's boot. We also linked this to last weeks learning and the need for the material to be waterproof.

Maths this week has focused on ordering numbers and counting in 2s, 5s, and 10s.

Please use the links below to access online songs to support this learning.

Count by 2 | Dancing 2's | Skip Counting by 2 | Count to 100 | Educational Songs | Jack Hartmann - YouTube

Count by 5's | Exercise and Count By 5 | Count to 100 | Counting Songs | Jack Hartmann - YouTube

Count Together by 10's | Counting Workout for Kids | Jack Hartmann Counting by 10s - YouTube

STARS OF THE WEEK

Clemmie: For excellent concentration and continued hard work, keep it up!

Lucas: For his readiness to learn and contribution to group activities - Well done!

Week Commencing 18th September 2023

What another busy week we've had!

The class are really enjoying discovering facts and writing about the Great Fire of London. This week, we've learnt about the importance of Samuel Pepys and his famous diary. We've learnt how his diary was an important historical artefact which provided the facts about the fire which we know today. With this in mind, we've pretended to be Samuel Pepys and write a letter to King Charles II in the present tense, explaining how the city is on fire and requesting help to stop the fire from spreading.

In Science, we had lots of fun carrying out an investigation to see if we could stop leaky buckets to help put the fire out! We tested different materials to see how waterproof or absorbent they are.

In Art, we've been learning about Christopher Wren and the architecture he designed including Saint Pauls Cathedral.

In Maths, we've been plotting numbers on a number line and estimating where numbers will be by looking at the various integers. 

There's still a few children without PE kits in school. Please can these be sent into school and remain here until half term to ensure all children are wearing the appropriate clothing on PE days - Thank you for your help with this. 

This week's stars of the week are:

Honey: For fantastic concentration - Keep up the super work!

Caben: For High Expectations! An amazing start to Year 2! 

Week Commencing 11th September 2023

This week the children have been eager to begin learning about our class topic The Great Fire of London. We have started to read a wonderful book about this historical event exploring how the fire started and what London was like back in the 17th Century.

In English, we  have researched London today including many of it's famous landmarks and used adjectives and high quality vocabulary to create a poster to encourage tourism to the capital.

In Science, we have started to look at the properties of certain materials and why some materials are better suited to certain uses e.g. glass windows so that we can see out.

In Maths, we've been partitioning numbers to 100 in different ways building on our prior knowledge of tens and ones. 

Our Stars of the week are:

Aiden and Ted: For excellent readiness to work, independence and concentration -

A great start to Year 2 boys, keep up the super work!

Week Commencing 5th September 2023

What a wonderful first week we've had in the Falcons!

The children have quickly settled into their new class and have been full of exciting news to share about their summer holidays.

This week we've been exploring our emotions in a class book called 'In my Heart'. We've looked at how throughout a day or week, we feel many different emotions and that all our emotions are important. To support this work we've create an emotional check in wall where the children can identify and let others know how they are feeling without having to explicitly talk about it. We've also looked at ways in which we can support our friends during these different times.

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KS1 SATs INFORMATION

Please read the attached letter for information on the upcoming statutory assessments.

Week Commencing 26th June 2023

Unfortunately or church visit to St Wilfrid's was cancelled on Monday morning but that didn't stop us from having a GREAT week!

The children have been searching for local minibeast habitats in the school grounds. We looked under logs, in water containers, under leaves, in the hedgerow and discovered a wide range of different creatures all living in the school grounds. Our English work linked nicely to this as we've been researching bees to create a fact file. 

Maths this week has focused on consolidating time, paying particular attention to 5 minute intervals past the hour.

On Tuesday, we had a lovely walk over to Sir John Sherbrooke. The children were greeted by Miss Maddison and were able to look around the inside of building and the school grounds in preparation for their transition visit on Monday.

STARS OF THE WEEK

This week our stars are..

Harry: For excellent TEAMWORK during PE lessons and group activities. Well done Harry, you always give 100% and are supportive and encouraging to others.

Hugo: For demonstrating great CONCENTRATION and an eagerness to do the best he can.  Well done boys!

Week Commencing 19th June 2023

We've had yet another busy week in the Falcon's class!

In English, we have been reading a new class book titled 'Grandpa's garden'. The story follows a boy and his grandad planting and growing seeds throughout the year. Linked to this, the children have all planted seeds ready to watch them grow over the next few weeks. (see photos below) We've also been sketching different flowers making close observations of their petals and leaves. 

On Wednesday, the second group went to Tywcross Zoo and again were a credit to both parents and school. (see photos in the school gallery).

Finally, in Maths we've been recapping and extending our understanding of tally charts, pictograms and block charts.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Esme: For being kind and caring towards her friends

Lily: For being ready to learn and listening carefully on the carpet

Week Commencing 12th June 2023

This week we've been busy retelling the class story 'The Flower' by John Light using interesting sentence openers, conjunctions, adjectives and verbs. 

In Maths we've been measuring and comparing capacity and volume in ml and l.

We've also widened our knowledge of China and it's wonderful culture by creating a poster demonstrating all of the facts we've learnt so far.

Our creative juices have also been flowing when we made a 'Father's Day' card to give to someone important to us.

Obviously, I can't forget to mention the wonderful day half of the class had on their class trip to the zoo on Wednesday. The children were all amazing, and a credit to both the school and parents. They were a pleasure to take and learnt so much from this valuable experience. We look forward to going again next week with the remaining children.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Fallon: For increased concentration, independence and effort in writing. Keep it up!

Amelia: For being always being ready to learn and giving 100% effort. Well Done!

Week commencing 5th June 2023

This week we've started to read a new class text called The Flower written by John Light. It's a beautiful story set in the dull and dismal city in the future and is all about a boy called Brigg who makes an unexpected discovery!

In Maths, we've been consolidating our previous learning on mass. The children have been measuring in grams and kilograms and using all four operations to solve weight related word problems.

In Geography, we've been learning about China. The children have learnt which continent it's in, as well as the names of a number of cities and rivers.

Finally, can I please remind everyone that PE is on Fridays. All children require a PE kit in school on this day. 

STARS OF THE WEEK

Molly: For showing great curiosity and resilience when problem solving

Sophia, For super writing and concentration in class

Well Done girls!

Week Commencing 22nd May 2023

This week we've been reading the story 'Silly Billy' which is about a boy who worries a lot. In class we've been talking about our own worries as well as thinking of ways to help Billy. We've also made our own worry dolls which the children will be taking home tonight.(see pictures below)

In Maths we've looked at lots of word problems including 2 step problems.

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Finally, the whole class have amazed me this week with their resilience and determination to give 100% to the SAT tests. I am extremely proud of each and every child and couldn't have asked them to work any harder. Well done everyone!

No homework has been issued as all children deserve a well earned rest following the SATs test. ENJOY THE HALF TERM HOLIDAY!

STARS OF THE WEEK

Ekko: For demonstrating great teamwork and kindness whilst playing with his friends.

Jack: For perseverance when trying to solve word problems 

Well done boys!

Week Commencing 15th May 2023

Well, it's a good job that we're back to a normal five day week this week otherwise we  wouldn't have been able to fit in all the fabulous learning we've been doing!

As I'm sure most of you are aware by now, we're almost through the month of May when the SATS have to be carried out. The children have previously done lots of practise booklets so this week our booklets were just a little more special (they were in colour) so we've been carrying out a simple investigation to see if a biscuit before work can help us concentrate. The verdict is definitely YES but we're not sure as to which kind of biscuit is the best, so further tests and tastes may be needed for the remaining booklets next week.

In addition to lots of reading, arithmetic and biscuit eating, we have also enjoyed painting the background to our moving pictures, designing and building animals homes on the laptops and learning new tennis skills in PE.

Finally I'd also like to say a huge thank you to everyone for turning out to the village get together. The children looked great, sang beautifully and were a real credit to yourselves and the school.

STARS OF THE WEEK:

Oliver: For excellent concentration and perseverance .

Meilah: For fabulous independent writing.

Keep up the hard work!

Week Commencing 9th May 2023

We've had yet another short but busy week in the Falcons!

On Tuesday, the children were very eager to tell me all about the King's Coronation which led us to write our own oaths for the King. You'll be pleased to read that we all want the kind to be kind, fair and respectful - great Manor Park Values!

In English, we're continuing to read stories by Anthony Browne. This week we've planned and written an alternative version of the story 'Gorilla' involving a different animal and setting.

In Maths we've finished measuring length and height and also looked reading the temperature on a thermometer.

In Art we've sketched a plan for our moving pictures and in Science we've been learning about the human life cycle.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Isabella: For excellent concentration and engagement in learning

Scarlett: For fantastic confidence and independence in Maths

Well Done girls!..

Week Commencing 2nd May 2023

Although it's been a short 4 day week we've still managed to pack a lot of fun and exciting learning in!

Our English work has focused on the life of King Charles and forthcoming coronation. The children have researched facts about the monarch, learnt about his many jobs, and also the key events of the coronation. 

In art, we have learnt about the significance of the Crown Jewels and sketched the orb and sceptre.

Maths: This week, we have moved on to measuring using centimetres and metres. We have also been doing lots of arithmetic practice in preparation for the SATS.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Violet: For taking extra care over her handwriting resulting in a pen licence - Well Done!

Jake: For great improvement and concentration in reading - Keep it up!

Week Beginning 24th April 2023

We've had yet another busy week in the Falcons!

Our English focus, continues looking at stories by Anthony Browne, and this week we've been using adjectives and expanded noun phrases to level up our writing.

In Maths, we've moved onto telling the time at quarter to and quarter past the hour. Time can be a tricky concept so all children would benefit from regular practice at home to consolidate this learning.

The class have thoroughly enjoyed ICT this week as we used a mosaic program to create animal pictures. 

In Art, we've looked at the beautiful work of Henri Rousseau. We will be using this as inspiration for the background to our moving picture project later in the term

Finally, on Wednesday, The Cricket Stars came in to give the children a taster session. The children practiced throwing, catching and batting and had lots of fun learning new skills.

Alyssa - For demonstrating High Expectations with her handwriting

Faith - For excellent concentration in class

Keep up the super work girls!

Week Beginning 17th April.

Welcome back, I hope you all had a lovely Easter break!

It was lovely to see the children again and share our exciting Easter adventures 

We started our new topic 'Why are animals amazing?', this week, looking at how animal babies are sometimes different from their adults.

In Maths we're learning to tell the time and this week we've recapped o'clock and half past. Next week we will be moving onto quarter past and quarter to so please practice this at home if you have the time.

In English we are looking at stories by the same author, Anthony Browne. First we researched the author before enjoying some of his wonderful stories.

Finally on Friday we invited the swimming instructors into school to teach us about water safety. Although we had lots of fun during the session, we also learnt some very important lessons including; what each flag means, where it's safe to swim, how the current can be dangerous and finally how to safely rescue someone who may have fallen in a body of water. 

STARS OF THE WEEK

Sienna & Layla: For excellent concentration and continued hard work in class. Well done girls -Keep it up!

EASTER BONNETS:

Thank you to everyone who took the time to make an Easter Bonnet. You all looked amazing and Miss Hanson found it really difficult to pick a winner - Well done to Freddie!.

We hope you all enjoyed your little Easter treat from school!

Week Beginning 13th March

It's been Science week this week and all our work has linked to the wonderful picture book 'Float'. - A beautiful story about a boy and a newspaper boat.

The children have had lots of fun learning how to fold their own paper boats, investigating which type of paper makes the best boat, and which boat holds the most cargo. We also explored ways of stopping sugar cubes absorb water.

Our English work has also focused on this wonderful picture book, with the children writing their own story to match the illustrations.

In Maths, we've continued to work on fractions and this week we have identified halves, quarters and thirds of a shape and amount.

Alissia & Freddie - For excellent resilience in swimming - you have both made super progress both in confidence and ability - Well done!

Finally, we would like to wish all of the Mummies a very happy and relaxing Mother's Day!

Week Beginning 6th March 2023

We've had so much fun in the Falcons this week!

On Monday we became chocolatiers, as we started to explore the affect of heat on certain materials. This involved looking at the appearance, smell and taste of different types of chocolate - yummy! The children also designed their own investigation based around this theme.

We all enjoyed the Robin Hood Theatre experience on Wednesday when we acted out the now familiar story about this local hero! (See photos below) 

In Maths we have started a new unit on fractions beginning by identifying equal and unequal parts..

Finally, all attention turned to the weather on Thursday as the snow arrived bringing with it lots of excitement and fun!

STARS OF THE WEEK:

Darcie: For her High Expectations and continuous hard work in everything she does - Well done and Keep it up!

Molly: For great Team Work, encouraging others and working well together. Well done and keep it up! 

Week Beginning 27th February

To coincide with world book week, we have been looking at Traditional Tales and this week's focus  has been on The Princess and the pea.

On Thursday, the children all looked fabulous in their costumes and had a great day talking about and sharing their favourite books.

In Science, the class have been using torches to investigate the transparency of various materials and in Maths we're continuing to explore the properties of 2D and 3D shapes.

PE was a little earlier this week as the class had the opportunity to learn some new wheelchair skills during the very exciting 'wheel chair basket ball' lesson!

STARS OF THE WEEK

Jake: For always being ready to learn and eager to begin his independent work -Well done!

Charlotte: For excellent concentration in class - Well done!.

Week Beginning 20.2.2023

This week we've been very busy reading Mr Wolf's pancakes. All this talk about pancakes made us very hungry so on Shrove Tuesday we had the opportunity to taste a pancake with a choice of topping...yummy! 

In DT, we've started to research superhero costumes with a view to designing and making our own.

Maths this week introduced the new unit on shape. So far we've recognised and named 2d shapes, counted the number of sides and vertices and sorted 2 d shapes. 

STARS OF THE WEEK:

Oliver: For always being kind and caring.

Amber: For high expectations in her writing.

SPRING TERM 2023

Week Commencing 30th January 2023

This week the class have been on a mission to help Traction Man find the best material to provide more grip to his boots. The class loved exploring the different materials and used their knowledge of their properties to decide the most suitable.

The overall winner was rubber because it provided great grip, it's waterproof and very hardwearing!

Traction Man was also the theme for our DT as the class constructed their 'superhero vehicle' this week. These will be finished next week but please take a look at the models so far in the pictures above.

In Maths, the class have moved onto statistics looking at tally charts and pictograms as a way of presenting data.

In PSHE, we have been discussing safe secrets and surprises, enabling children to identify who they can and can't trust.

PE focus this half term is basketball skills and the children are really enjoying the associated skills and exercises.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Harry - For working hard to extend his sentences by adding detail and a range of punctuation.

Tyler - For amazing effort and improved confidence in writing - well done!

Week Commencing 23rd January 2023

This week we have really enjoyed listening to and writing about our new class text 'Traction Man'.

The children have described Traction Man, used personification to bring everyday kitchen utensils to life for a 'sink adventure' and even used speech bubbles and speech marks for direct speech. 

In Maths, we've been dividing through sharing, grouping and using the division symbol.

Our Science lesson involved using our knowledge of the properties to explore the suitability of certain materials when making different objects e.g. why is a window made from glass?

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This week in DT, the children have loved designing their own moving vehicle. Please save any small boxes, toilet roll tubes and yoghurt pots in preparation for the making process (school will be providing the materials for the wheels, axles and chassis).

STARS OF THE WEEK

Jack: For exceptional effort in writing. Well done Jack your handwriting is beautiful!

Scarlett: For excellent questions and predictions in Science - Well done!

Week Commencing 16.1.23

This week the children have really enjoyed planning and writing their own version of the traditional tale 'The three little pigs'. 

In Maths, we're continuing working on multiplication and division with a focus on counting in 2s, 5s and 10s.Please click on the links below to access the multiplication action songs we're singing in class.

Counting in 2s

Counting in 5s

Counting in 10s

Science this week has involved a hunt for different materials. We also looked at how particular materials are used for certain things depending on their properties.

In History, we have been learning about the local legend 'Robin Hood' and the different people in his Band of Merry Men. 

STARS OF THE WEEK

Everlyn M: For fantastic concentration and improved independence in writing - Well Done!

Ekko: For great effort and improvement in his cutting skills - Well Done!

Week Commencing 9.1.23

It's been lovely to see the children starting the term with such great enthusiasm for learning.

This week we welcomed Mrs Minhas to our school. Mrs Minhas is a trainee teacher who will be working and teaching in the Falcon class under my supervision and guidance - The children have already enjoyed a few of her lessons and we look forward to working with her over the coming weeks. 

On Wednesday morning we had a few anxious faces as the next group of children prepared to go swimming for the first time. This soon changed to excitement once they got in the water and the children are now asking me daily when we'll be returning!

We also started this terms topic on 'Superheroes' looking at the local hero Robin Hood and his famous hideout, the Major Oak. 

In Science, we are exploring the uses of different materials, which also links nicely to our class text 'The Three Little Javelinas'. This is a South American version of the traditional tale The three little pigs. 

Maths work has introduced the concept of multiplication through equal groups.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Lily: This young lady has been working really hard to improve her writing, taking great care to extend her sentences and use the correct punctuation. Well Done!

Meilah: This little super star has been working very hard in Maths this week demonstrating her readiness to learn! Well done.

Week Commencing 12th December 2022

Wow, what a week we've had!

I cannot express how extremely proud I am of every single child in the class for the enthusiasm and confidence in which they delivered the KS1 nativity. 

The children delivered their lines with confidence, clarity and a smile on their faces, as well as raising the roof with songs. The children thoroughly enjoyed putting on the performance and we hope you enjoyed it too - Many thanks for supporting the class!

In addition to this, we've been busy comparing and making money totals in Maths and retelling the story of 'Father Christmas' by Raymond Briggs in English. 

The children have also started to make their Christmas cards and Calendar ready to take home next week.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Hugo: Hugo has amazed everyone this week with his resilience and determination. Initially he didn't  want a part in the show, but due to the unfortunate illness of a number of children Hugo developed the confidence and courage to say their lines in the actual performances demonstrating true Manor Park Values - Well done Hugo! 

Scarlett - This award has been given for fantastic effort and progress in Maths in particular handling and counting money. Well done, we are all very proud of you!

Week Commencing 5th December 2022

The children have been amazing this week!

On Tuesday we posted our letters to Father Christmas before heading to St Wilfrid's church for the Christingle service. In church, the children listened carefully and learnt about the symbolism of the Christingle, made a paper chain demonstrating everything they were thankful for and sang beautifully.

Wednesday saw the last swimming lesson for the first group of children and myself and all of the swimming instructors are amazed at how much progress everyone has made - well done!

Then on Thursday the panto came to school....'Oh yes it did!'  and fun was had by all!

Amongst all of these extra curricular activities, the children have remained busy with their leaning. In English we've been working on our new class story 'The Christmas pine', In Science we've continued to classify different animals, and in Maths started our new unit on Money! 

Oh, and of course we've managed to fit a few Nativity rehearsals in between everything else. so all in all another rather busy and fun filled week!

STARS OF THE WEEK

Alissia: For continued hard work in phonics and reading, and developing greater self-confidence and independence - well done keep up the super work!

Violet - For always concentrating in class and working hard - keep it up!

Week Commencing 28th November 2022

The Christmas feeling has really taken hold in the Falcon's class this week!

We've been writing our letters to Father Christmas, learning the lines and songs for the Nativity and arrived at school on Wednesday to discover that the elves had decorated our classroom!! We've also got a 'Kindness Advent Calendar' with a new challenge every day designed to spread some 'Christmas Cheer'.

Don't forget it's Christmas Jumper day next week - Thursday 8th December.

For homework this week, the children have been asked to learn their lines for the Nativity including when to say them. Scripts were sent home last week so please spare a few minutes each day to help with this.

Swimming finishes next week (8th December - last session) for this term.

It resumes again on January 11th for those children who haven't yet been.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Evelyn: This young lady is always considerate kind and helpful. She consistently tries her very best and has exceptionally high expectations.

A well-deserved award - Well done and keep up the super work!

Isabella: You can always rely on Isabella for a smile and kind word. She brightens every day with her caring nature. 

Week Commencing 21.11.2022

The children have been full of excitement this week as the Christmas preparations have truly begun. We've been rehearsing the songs and lines for our Nativity, and the trees gone up in the entrance which we've all painted a decoration for...and it's still only November!

In addition to this, the class have made (and tasted) medieval bread and written instructions using imperative verbs (bossy verbs) and adverbs. We have also consolidated the column method for adding two 2-digit numbers in Maths, classified and sorted various animal groups in Science, created a fact sheet about the Battle of Hastings in History and started to research the artist Anni Alders for Art.

All in all, a very busy and creative week!

STARS OF THE WEEK

Esme: I'm so proud of Esme for her enthusiasm to learning. She works extremely hard and is always ready to learn. Well done Keep it up!

Hugo: For his perseverance. Hugo is going the extra mile to try his very best, especially when faced with a challenge. Well done and keep it up!

Week Commencing 14.11.2022

What a busy week we've had! 

This week's literacy work has been based on the poem 'Dragonbirth' by Judith Nicolls. The intriguing text has inspired the use of rich descriptive vocabulary which was used to create expanded noun sentences and a dragon themed poem of our own.

In Maths, the children have been adding and subtracting by making 10 as well as adding 3 one-digit numbers using number bonds and doubles. 

As Historians, we explored the Bayeux Tapestry and the depiction of the main events in the battle of Hastings. The class are truly enjoying learning about this period in time and can accurately sequence the order of events. 

It's also been 'Anti-bullying week', so along with wearing odd socks, the class have taken part in various circle time activities in which they've learnt to 'reach out' and ask a reliable adult for help should they or a friend ever need too.

Finally, huge thanks to Mrs Evans for organising the Year 2 family of school's gymnastic event this week. Unfortunately, due to numbers, not all children could participate however those selected were amazing and fantastic ambassadors for our school - well done!

STARS OF THE WEEK

Jake: Consistent hard work and readiness to learn - Keep it up!

Layla: For her curiosity and higher order questioning in Science and History lessons.

Week Commencing 7.11.2022

In Science this week, the children have been using their senses to explore, sort and taste different fruits.  It was wonderful to see the children coming up with different criteria for sorting: this included fruits which needed peeling, fruits grown in bunches, fruits with segments, berries, colour and obviously taste. Good fun was had by everyone, with some children enjoying tasting certain fruits for the very first time!

History involved further work on our Class timeline, sorting the occurrence of events into within and beyond living memory. We also discovered who the Duke of Normandy was, so hopefully the children will be able to tell you a little about the Battle of Hastings!

In Maths, the class have started to add using the column method. This is something we will be returning to regularly to ensure the method is fully understood and embedded.

English this week involved retelling the story of The naught knight from a characters point of view (in the first person). The children were encouraged to include sequencing words, adjectives to describe feelings and the pronoun I to tell the story.

Finally, we made poppy wreaths as a mark of remembrance, discussing the significance of the poppy!

STARS OF THE WEEK

Fallon: For her cooperation and teamwork during group activities - Thank you for helping others!

Alyssa: For her concentration and constant hard work - keep it up, you're amazing!

Week Commencing 31,10,22

Welcome back to Autumn Term 2 where we've got more exciting learning and experiences planned. 

This week we have started to read our new class text called 'Winnie and Wilbur and the Naughty Knight'. Associated work has involved sequencing the story using time conjunctions such as next, after, later and using these words to retell the story in our own words. 

In Maths the children have been using related number facts to identify number bonds to 100, as well as adding and subtracting 1s and 10s. 

Our science lesson this week was very exciting as the children became biologists exploring the use of their sense of smell! During the lesson, we learnt that scents travel up our noses to the sense receptors which send messages to our brain to inform us what the smell is and if we like it or not! The class were great at identifying different smells and developed a great vocabulary list to describe them.

In History we have started to create a timeline indicating events happening today, in living memory and beyond living memory. Look out for more work on this next week!

PE has now changed to Dance and will take place on Fridays from next weeks. This terms unit is all about water, exploring it in its different forms and how it moves/ travels. The children had a great lesson and can be seen enjoying this in the pictures below. 

Finally, children who currently go swimming on a Wednesday will be exploring life saving skills over the next two week. For this they are required to bring either shorts or leggings and a T-shirt to wear in the pool over their regular swimming costume. 

STARS OF THE WEEEK:

Amelia - This young lady has been working so hard in Class, but it's her concentration and participation in Maths which has really impressed me. Amelia always puts her hand up to answer questions and independently gets on with her work with increased confidence. Well Done! 

Charlotte - What a creative little girl we have in Falcons! Charlotte not only draws with great detail, but her creativity also flows through her written work making it a pleasure to read. Well Done!

Week Commencing 10th October 2022

Wow! What a week we've had to finish this half term!

It started on Monday with our wonderful Harvest Festival in church. The class amazed me with the confidence, bravery and teamwork in which they all delivered their lines and sang the songs, making it a memorable occasion for everyone. Thank you to everyone who joined us and donated to the foodbank - we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

We then moved from one performance to another, when on Wednesday, the children who currently don't go swimming went with Mr Asplin to the William Lee building to perform a short musical ensemble - making everyone very proud once again! (see photos)

English work this week has been based on the poem 'Portrait of a dragon' This work concluded with the children writing a descriptive poem of their own, using similes and metaphors to describe various features of the dragon.

Maths this week has revised number bonds to 10, fact families and related number facts

.

Finally, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who attended the learning review meetings on Thursday. It was so nice to share and celebrate the progress children have made so far.

Have a great half term holiday!

STARS OF THE WEEK

Sienna - for demonstrating great perseverance, bravery and resilience in overcoming her fears to swim in the deep end - Well Done!

Amber - After initially being reluctant to participate in the Harvest Festival, Amber amazed everyone when she volunteered for a speaking part and delivered her lines with such clarity and confidence - Well done!

Week Commencing 3rd October 2022

In preparation for our Harvest Festival next week, the Falcons have been learning all about Autumn and harvest time.

In Science, we have used our observation skills to investigate different signs of Autumn. This included describing what we saw, noticed and wondered about each object. (See photos below).

We have also learnt about acrostic poems and created one to share with you during our Harvest festival, so please join us if you can on Monday at 11.30am in the Methodist Church.

STARS OF THE WEEK

Bella - This week in swimming Bella demonstrated great PERSEVERANCE and even swam with her face in the water! Well Done

Sophia - During every lesson, Sophia always listens carefully, participates in class discussions and gives 100% effort, earning herself a HIGH EXPECTATIONS wrist band! Keep up the super work Sophia!

Week Commencing 26th September 2022

This week in Falcons the children have been reading and creating fact files about dragons! As part of this work, we have identified the title, headings, subheadings, captions, and technical vocabulary. used in each fact file.

In Maths, we have been identifying and estimating where numbers should go on a number line, as well as counting forwards and backwards in 2s.

Our Topic work this week has involved researching the artist Monika Zagrobeina who is famous for the mythical creatures she creates. We have also sketched and labelled castles, looking at the purpose of each feature and compared and measured various body parts (see photos below). 

STARS OF THE WEEK

Jack - For his amazing detailed sketch of a castle earning himself a Creative Wristband

Darcie - Always participating in class discussions and producing thoughtful and considered work earning herself a Ready wristband.

Well done to you both!

Week Commencing 19th September 

Although it's been a shorter week, the children have been extra busy and have produced some super work.  We've used inference skills to work out how the character 'Sir Scallywag' is feeling throughout the story and also created a character description with a focus on the use of adjectives and extended sentences.

In art, the children have developed their sketching skills, using a variety of art pencils to sketch and shade 3D shapes.

The class are also loving the weekly music lessons, particularly learning new action songs!

STARS OF THE WEEK:

Freddie - This week Freddie has impressed us all with his ideas and readiness to learn earning a READY wristband - Well Done Freddie!

Molly - Since starting in Falcons, Molly has always tried her very best in everything she's done earning herself a HIGH EXPECTATION wristband -Well Done Molly!

Week Commencing 5th September 2022

What a great first week we've had in the Falcons!

The children have been amazing and thoroughly enjoyed learning about feelings through the class story 'The Colour Monster'.

We have used adjectives and similes to describe our feelings and explored various calming methods to use when we are feeling angry, scared or worried. 

We have also created a 'self regulation feeling wall' in class, where children can express their feelings throughout the day.

Homework  - Spellings and Maths homework  will be sent home on a Friday (Please look in bookbags) and should be returned the following week. 

Book change days are Tuesday & Friday but please send folders into school every day.

Stars of the week:

Congratulation to our stars of the week who are:

Harry - For always showing 'high expectations', participating in class and being a super role model to others.

Tyler - For showing great enthusiasm to his learning and for always being 'Ready' to learn!

We are very proud of you both -Well done boys!

Congratulations also go to Fallon for completing the Summer Library Reading Challenge - Keep up the super work! 

Week beginning 12th September

We started another great week by reading our new class story 'Sir Scallywag and the golden underpants', which links nicely to this terms topic 'Dungeons and Dragons'. Following this, our English work focused on using adjectives, similes and specific vocabulary to describe the setting of the story which is a castle.

In maths, the children have been partitioning numbers into tens and ones and writing associated addition facts. 

We have of course also focused on the life of Queen Elizabeth ll. The children have learnt about the four nations of the UK where she reigned and labelled their capital cities and royal residences. We have also looked at ways in which the nation may express sadness and gratitude, including how this is reflected in traditions such as flying flags at half-mast. This work culminated in the children creating a fact file all about Queen Elizabeth ll recognising why she was a special monarch.

Our stars of the week are....

Oliver for demonstrating great independence. Oliver impressed everyone with his ability to get dry and dressed  independently in an organised manner following swimming - Well done! 

Thandie for having high expectation. Thandie has worked extremely hard this week and always takes great care and pride the presentation and content of her work. Her behaviour in and around school is also impeccable. Well done! 

Welcome to Falcon's Class!

Hello and welcome to the Falcon's class page. Mr Fennell teaches the Falcons and Mrs Thompson and Mrs Evans supports the learning. 

We are really excited for this year as we have lots of fun things planned! 

Our P.E day is Friday.

Please bring book bags into school on Tuesday's and Friday's. Staff will change the children's books for them. We will also look at reading diaries.

Homework

On a Monday a list of spellings will be sent home for the children to practise. 

On Friday a piece of Maths homework will be sent home. 

Please return all homework by the following Friday.

Summer 2

WC: 25th July 2022

See you later Falcons

Mrs Evans, Miss Malbon, Miss Thompson and I would like to wish the Falcons a wonderful summer and a smooth transition to Sir John Sherbrooke Junior School. It has been a real pleasure to teach you all and we are going to miss you! 

Stars of the week

Stars of the week this week go to Thea and Harley for always having high expectations of themselves and their work. Well done to you both.

WC: 11th July 2022

This week in English, Falcons have been writing poetry about the beach and the many different objects that can be found on the beach. 

In maths this week we have revisited multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. We are getting better and better at all 4 operations. 

In geography this week we have been learning how to read and plot routes on a map. We have learnt how to use a compass too. 

This week we participated in sports day. Well done to all the children who took part and tried their best. 

Stars of the week

This week the stars of the week go to Jack and Ella CB. 

Jack has received a concentration wristband for being a top concentrator! He concentrates in all lessons. Well done Jack. 

Ella CB has received a high expectation wristband for all her fantastic work.  

Well done to both of you! 

WC: 4th July 2022

This week in English, Falcons have been learning all about badgers and we have used our new knowledge to write a fact file about badgers.

In maths this week we have revisited 2D and 3D shapes so that our knowledge is refreshed and we are becoming experts in the properties of 3D shapes. 

In art this week, we made our own 3D sculptures based on the drawings of Kaori Kurihara's inspired fruit we drew last week. We were all very creative in coming up with new and interesting designs and really focused on the texture and small details of our fruit sculptures. 

We have also begun our practice for sports day and we are all very excited to compete in different races and events next week. 

Stars of the week

This week the stars of the week go to Lewis Su and Skyler. 

Lewis Su has received a concentration wristband for his handwriting which he was been working so hard to improve. 

Skyler has received a kind wristband for always offering to help in the classroom an being the first one to volunteer when someone needs help. 

Well done to both of you! 

WC: 27th June 2022

This week in English, Falcons have been looking at their new book Tidy by Emily Gravett and looking at describing the main character, Pete the Badger. In maths we have been continuing our work with measurement and looking at how water and other liquids are measured. 

In art we looked closely at the work of Kaori Kurihara, a Japanese artist who works with ceramic and we drew our own wonderful vegetable creations! 

The whole school had wheelchair basketball which they thoroughly enjoyed and it was a great experience! 

Stars of the week

This week the stars of the week go to Isaac and Darcie. They both received a kind wristband for being polite and kind. Well done to you both. 

WC: 20th June 2022

This week in the Falcons we have drawing our story maps in preparation for our golden write on Friday of The Last Tree in the City by Peter Carnavas. The children have been working hard on developing their use of suffixes, adverbs, adjectives and time words. In maths, we have looked at measuring mass using grams and kilograms, and in science we are continuing with our work around habitats and went on a minibeast hunt to see what we could find in our local habitat.

In P.E we have been looking at being accurate whilst running. 

Stars of the week go to Georgie and Ella T. Georgie received a high expectations wrist band for her beautiful manners and for always being so polite. Ella T received an independence wristband for her writing.  Well done to you both. 

WC: 13th June 2022

This week in the Falcons we have written character descriptions about Edward a character from the Last Tree in the City by Peter Carnavas. The children have been thinking about the characters appearance, personality and where he lives. In maths the children have been continuing measuring using centimetres and metres, whilst in science we have been looking at habitats where certain plants and animals live. 

In P.E. we have been looking at how to balance on apparatus. 

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Ozzie and Myles. Ozzie received a concentration wristband for his hard work and Myles received a ready wristband for all ways being ready to learn and for completing his work in the time given. Well done to you both. 

WC: 6th June 2022

This week in the Falcons we have learnt about Sir David Attenborough. The children have learnt about where he was born, his childhood and his career. In maths the children have been measuring using centimetres and metres, whilst in science we have been looking at what is alive, dead and has never been alive.

In P.E. we have been looking at being agile whilst running.  

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Zac and Isabelle. Zac received a concentration wristband for his improvement in his handwriting and Isabelle received a high expectation wristband for all her hard work across all subjects. Well done to you both. 

Summer 1

WC: 16th May 2022

This week in the Falcons we have been busy with our SATs tests. We still have one more week of testing to go but the children have worked so hard and they have really focused and concentrated on the tests. 

Also this week we have been looking at plants in science, the story Florette in English and in P.E we have been improving our tennis skills.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Cole and Osita. Both children earnt a concentration wristband because they concentrated extremely well in their SATs tests and they gave 100% effort. Well done to you both. 

WC: 9th May 2022

This week in the Falcons we have written descriptive paragraphs about our new book, Florette by Anna Walker. In the story the little girl loves plants and when she moves to a large city she is sad that there are very few plants to see. She sets about drawing and growing her own plants and convinces others to do the same. The children have been writing descriptive paragraphs about the city and the florist that the little girl visited.

In maths the children have been looking at time (o'clock, half past, quarter to and past) and have begun to read the time to the nearest 5 minute interval. In art we have been printing using the tiles that we made last week, which are based on art work by William Morris. In guided reading we have continued to read the story, Winnie the Pooh and answer some more comprehension questions.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Ollie and Leo. Both children earnt a ready wristband because they are always ready to learn. Well done to both of you. 

WC: 2nd May 2022

This week in the Falcons we have written instructions on how to grow a nasturtium plant from a seed. This week the children have story mapped the instructions and they have then written the instructions in their own words. In maths the children have been looking at time (o'clock, half past, quarter to and past) and in art we have made our own tiles that we are going to use to print with. In guided reading we have continued to read the story, Winnie the Pooh and answer some comprehension questions.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Lewis Sn and Lewis Su. Lewis Sn received a concentration wristband for all his hard work in maths where we have been looking at time. Lewis Su received a perseverance wristband for his determination to tell the time. Well done to both of you.

WC: 25th April 2022

This week in the Falcons we have continued to look at our new book the Secret Sky Garden by Linda Sarah. This week the children have story mapped the story and they have then written the story in their own words. In maths the children have been looking at fractions and in art we have been looking at the artwork of William Morris and have begun to design our own tile that we are going to use to print with. In guided reading we have started our new story about Winnie the Pooh.

Chicks

This week the children have held the chicks. The children were really excited and loved the experience. 

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Osita and Georgie. Georgie received a high expectation wristband for all her hard work, whilst Osita received a concentration wristband for his concentration and progress across all subjects. Well done to both of you.

WC: 18th April 2022

This week in the Falcons we have started to look at our new book the Secret Sky Garden by Linda Sarah. The children have designed sky gardens and have written descriptive paragraphs about them. In maths the children have been looking at fractions and in art we have been looking at the artwork of William Morris. In guided reading we have been continuing our reading of Beatrix Potter books. 

Chicks

This week F1 took delivery of an incubator and eggs. The eggs hatched late this week and the children have visited them to see their progress. The children were really excited by the new arrivals. 

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Myles and Darcie. Myles received a high expectation wrist band for all his hard work in English, whilst Darcie received a concentration wristband for her concentration and progress in maths. Well done to both of you.

Spring 2

WC: 28th March 2022

This week in the Falcons we have continued our work on Fractions. We have learnt about quarters, halves and three quarters of amounts. In English we have written stories based on the book 'Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain' by Verna Aardema. 

Easter Bonnets

This week the children brought their Easter Bonnets to school. Thank you to all the parents that helped their children make such amazing bonnets. See the pictures below. Myles won the Easter Bonnet competition. Well done Myles.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Harley and Archie. Harley and Archie have shown high expectations in their handwriting. Well done to you both!

Happy Easter to everyone in the Falcons.

WC: 21st March 2022

This week in the Falcons we have started to look at Fractions. We have learnt about equal amounts and what a half looks like when written in words and numbers. In English we have been looking at our new book Bringing the rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema. We have been describing the African plain using adjectives and similes. 

Patchings

This week we also went to Patchings art centre. Graham taught us how to mix paint and how to use gouache paints. We painted an elephant on our own canvases. See the pictures below.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Isla and Ella. Ella has shown high expectations in her written work. She is remembering to use her finger spaces and has worked so hard on her spelling. Well done Ella! Isla always concentrates and produces wonderful neat and detailed work. Well done Isla!

WC: 14th March 2022

Art Week

This week the children have taken part in art week. They have been learning about the artist Lubaina Himid who is a British artist and curator.  Her art focuses on themes of cultural history and reclaiming identities. The children have been painting portraits using pencils and paint. They have painted on plates and in their new art sketch books. 

Linked to art week and our topic about Africa, the children participated in African drumming. The children really enjoyed this and we performed in front of the whole school. See the pictures below.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Scarlett and Ella. Both Scarlett and Ella have been concentrating very hard on their work and so they have made lots of progress. Well done to you both!

WC: 7th March 2022

This week the children have been working hard on their learning. In maths the children are looking at symmetry, vertices and sides on a 2D shape. We find symmetry difficult so we will keep practicing!

In English the children have been writing diaries based on the story Lila and the secret of rain by David Conway. 

This week we have also been learning about Africa in Geography, materials in Science and Tag-Rugby in P.E.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Hannah and Tyler. Tyler has been working really hard and has been putting in a lot of effort into his work. Well done Tyler. Hannah has been persevering with her work and has shown that she can do it! Well done Hannah!

WC: 28th February 2022.

This week the children have been working hard on their learning. In maths the children have started to look at 2D shapes. We have been learning about sides, vertices and symmetry. 

In English the children have been writing a narrative based on the story Lila and the secret of rain by David Conway. 

This week we also participated in World Book Day. The children dressed up as characters from their favourite stories. Please see the photos below.

To celebrate World Book Day we also participated in a story telling workshop which was held in school. The children had a fantastic time and enjoyed the different stories that were told to them. Again please see the photos below. 

This week we have also been learning about Africa in Geography, materials in Science and Tag-Rugby in P.E.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Isabelle and Finley for their super concentration. Well done!

WC: 21st February 2022.

This week the children have continued to look at statistics and have been learning how to interpret data. In English we have been writing descriptive paragraphs about Kenya.

In science the children have been looking at materials and their everyday uses, and in guided reading we have started to look at the many stories written by Beatrix Potter.

In R.E the children have been looking at the story Jonah and the Whale and wrote a character description about Jonah.

In P.E the children have continued to practice their gymnastic skills and how to present like champion gymnasts.

Stars of the week

The stars of the week go to Tyler and Lewis for their high expectations of themselves in English. Well done boys.

Spring 1

WC: 7th February 2022.

This week the children have been looking at statistics and have been learning how to interpret data. We will continue with this topic after the half term break, and we will focus on working out the difference. In English we have been writing instructions on how to make apple muffins. The children made apple muffins and then ate them. They were delicious. 

In DT the children have been making fox puppets using felt material. The children sewed the material together and then added a face, eyes and nose. 

In R.E the children have been looking at Judaism and the weekly Shabbat festival. 

In P.E the children have continued to practice their gymnastic skills and how to present like champion gymnasts.

Stars of the Week

This weeks stars of the week are Leo and Cole. Leo received his star of the week for always being a hard worker in all subjects. Cole received his star of the week because he is always polite and kind. Well done Leo and Cole.

WC: 31st January 2022.

This week the children have continued to look at division. We have been sharing and grouping to see how division works. We are still finding it a little tricky so we will keep on practicing until we have mastered it. In English we have written a biography all about Roald Dahl. We have found out some very interesting facts about him, including, when and where he was born, his school life and what he did in the Second World War.

In science we have continued to look at materials. This week we have been testing materials to see if they are transparent, translucent or opaque. 

Stars of the Week

This weeks stars of the week are Ollie and Skyler. Ollie received his star of the week for always being cheerful and kind. Skyler received her star of the week for concentrating on her work and for working hard. Well done Skyler and Ollie. 

WC: 24th January 2022.

This week the children have begun to look at division. We have seen how division can be about sharing into equal groups and it can also be seen as grouping into equal groups. We will continue to look at this next week too. In English we have written descriptive paragraphs about the ocean. We have focused on using noun phrases, similes and metaphors. 

In R.E we have continued to look at the Jewish faith and in Geography we have been drawing maps. 

Cricket

This week Martyn Hill from All Stars Cricket explained to the Falcons class how to play cricket and the skills that we need to play the game successfully. We had a lot of fun and we learnt how to play cricket successfully. 

Shakespeare

Also this week we have started to look at the story A Mid Summers Nights Dream by Shakespeare. A dance company called Ascension came into school and taught the story to us through dance. We had a lot of fun and learnt a lot about the story. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Isaac and Zac for their perseverance. Isaac has been persevering with his written work and Zac has been persevering with his handwriting. Well done to both of you.

WC: 17th January 2022.

This week the children have continued to explore multiplication in maths and in English we have been writing descriptive paragraphs about a woodland habitat. We have been studying the woodland itself and the many animals that live there. In R.E we have been looking at the Jewish faith and the story of creation. In science we have been exploring everyday materials and how they can be altered. In P.E we have been looking at how we can move across gym apparatus like a champion gymnast! 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Ozzie and Jack for their perseverance. Ozzie has been persevering with his work and Jack has been persevering with his handwriting and has finally been awarded his pen license. Well done to both of you.

WC: 10th January 2022.

Happy New Year and welcome back. We have started our new topic; Our Wonderful World. This topic is about Calverton and the local area. Later on in the topic we will compare Calverton to another place in the world. This topic is Geography based.

This week we have been multiplying in maths, studying non-chronological reports in English and we have started to look at Judaism in R.E. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Thea and Nieve for being so kind.

Autumn 2

WC: 6th December 2021.

In the run up to Christmas the Falcons children have been very busy with their learning. In maths we have been subtracting two digit numbers, in English we have been writing the nativity story and in art we have been studying an artist and creating calendars for the new year. We have also been learning our lines ready for our nativity performance on the 14th December. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Isabelle and Lewis. Well done to Isabelle for her reading progress and to Lewis for being kind. 

Christmas Jumper Day

On Friday the 10th December we wore our Christmas jumpers....

WC: 29th November 2021.

This week in maths we have continued with our maths topic: money. We have continued to find totals, make totals and compare amounts. In English we have been looking at the Christmas story of how Jesus was born and the different characters in the story. We have also carried on our class story, Paddington Bear. This week we have continued to look at inference questions. 

Pantomime Visit

This week the children watched the Pantomime Aladdin. The children really enjoyed watching the show and sang along to all the songs.

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Lewis and Ella. Well done to you both for all your hard work and high expectations, especially in writing. 

WC: 22nd November 2021.

This week in maths we have started to look at money. We have been looking at the different coins and notes that we use in the U.K. We have been finding totals, making totals and comparing amounts. In English we have been looking at formal letters. We have written letters to Father Christmas explaining to him how good we have been and what we would like for Christmas. We have also carried on our class story, Paddington Bear. This week we have been looking at inference questions. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Nieve and Ella. Well done to you both for all your hard work and high expectations. 

WC: 15th November 2021.

What another amazing week we have had in the Falcons. This week in maths we have been learning how to add using the column method and learning our number pairs to 100. In English we have been looking at newspapers and we have written our own newspaper article about the Great Fire of London. We have also carried on our class story, Paddington Bear. This week we have been studying the vocabulary in the book. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Thea and Ozzie. Well done to you both for all your hard work and concentration especially in writing.

Anti-Bullying Week

WC: 8th November 2021.

What an amazing week we have had in the Falcons. This week in maths we have been learning how to add using the column method. We are still finding this tricky so we will continue to practise and consolidate. In English we have been looking at recounts and we have written all about our trip to Brackenhurst. We have also been looking at our new book Paddington Bear. So far we have done observational drawings of Paddington and written character descriptions. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Isaac and Jack. Well done to you both for all your hard work and concentration. 

WC: 1st November 2021.

We have had a great first week back after the half term break. This week we have been bridging through ten in maths, writing instructions in English and in history we have been learning about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder plot. 

This week we also went to Brackenhurst where we did some orienteering and problem solving. Simon (the centre leader) demonstrated all the activities and we had a wonderful time. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Cole and Georgie-Rae. Well done to you both for all your hard work and concentration. 

Autumn 1

WC: 11th October 2021.

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Harley and Zachary. Well done Harley and Zachary, you have worked so hard this half term.

WC: 4th October 2021.

Maths

This week the Falcons have been practicing their number bonds and looking at the adding and subtracting ones. Some children have started to bridge through ten whilst adding and subtracting - this can be tricky!

English

This week in English we have been writing a non-chronological report about fire fighters.

Foundation Subjects

In R.E we have been looking at the Christian faith. We have been looking at a christening and how Christian's welcome babies into the Christian faith. 

In Science we have been looking at human bones and why we need them.

In P.E we have been working hard on our football skills with the Mansfield Stags and we have been swimming at the local leisure centre. 

Harvest Festival

This week we performed our Harvest festival concert. Please see 'our children' tab on the home page. Our new Methodist Minister, Yanyan Case, explained what harvest time means and how we should be thankful for everything we have. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Ollie and Isla. Ollie received a 'concentration' wristband for always concentrating on his work and Isla received a 'kind' wristband for caring for her friends. 

WC: 27th September 2021.

Maths

This week the Falcons have been comparing number sentences, practicing our number bonds and looking at the inverse of calculations. We find the inverse tricky, especially when we are using it to check our calculations. 

English

This week in English we have been writing about the Great Fire of London. We found out about Samuel Pepys and his famous diary.

Foundation Subjects

In Art we have been using different pencils and using different shading and tone to create detailed pencil drawings of houses. 

In Science we have been looking at the internal organs of the human body and learning about their function. 

In P.E we have been working hard on our football skills with the Mansfield Stags and we have been swimming at the local leisure centre. 

Special Guests

This week we were visited by blue watch from Arnold fire station. They taught us about the Great Fire of London and how to stay safe in our own homes today. 

Stars of the Week

Stars of the week go to Finley and Scarlett. Finley received a 'ready' wristband for always being ready to learn and Scarlett received a 'kind' wristband for caring for her friends. 

WC: 20th September 2021.

Maths

This week the Falcons have been ordering numbers and counting in 2's, 5's, 10's and 3's. We are finding counting in 3's tricky but we will keep practicing.

English

In writing and guided reading we have started to look at the story of the Great Fire of London. In writing the children have begun to recount the story of the Great Fire of London and in guided reading we have been practicing how to retrieve facts from the text. 

Foundation Subjects

This week we have continued to improve our football skills with Mansfield Stags and we have been swimming. In science we have been studying the human body and in PHSE we have been learning about how to be a good friend. In R.E we have been looking at the phrase 'belonging' and what that means to us. 

20/09/21: Stars of the week were Hannah and Tyler for their perseverance and high expectations. Well done!

Welcome back!

WC: 6th and 13th September 2021.

In the Falcons we have been learning about how to be a good friend. The children made a friendship web and spoke about a person who had been a good friend. 

In English we have been learning about our feelings and we have been writing instructions on how to make a fruit salad.

In maths we have been partitioning numbers and counting in 2's, 3's, 5's and 10's. 

On the 14th September the life Education Bus came in to school. Harriet explained how to be healthy and how to manage our feelings. 

06/09/21: Stars of the week were Leo and Myles for all the effort they have been putting into their learning. Well done boys!

13/09/21: Stars of the week were Darcie and Archie for their positive attitude. Well done!

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Summer 2

Week Commencing the 19/07/21

Stars of the week

Eliza - for being a confident reader in our leavers assembly.

Abigail - for singing beautifully in our leavers concert.

Week Commencing - 19/07/21 - Leavers Concert

The children performed their leavers concert on the 23rd July 2021. The children sang beautifully and shared some of their favourite memories. All the children received a leavers teddy.

Week Commencing - 19/07/21 - Olympic Gymnast

We are delighted to tell you the an Olympic medal winning gymnast, Sam Oldham, has visited our school for our PE lesson. What skills does a good gymnast need?
 

We learnt that a good gymnast needs to have good balance, strength, flexibility and the ability to persevere.

We looked at Sam’s Olympic medal and torch. 

We took part in some gymnastic services and used some apparatus. What fabulous gymnasts we are!

Week Commencing - 12/07/21

This week we have been writing instructions on how to make Yucca bread. A bread made by the Yanomami tribe in the Amazon Rainforest. 

In Maths we have been looking at 3D shapes and their properties. 

In science we have been conducting experiments, asking questions and observing closely. 

This week we also had our sports day. The children participated in a obstacle, egg and spoon and straight running race. The children showed great sportsmanship and excellent behaviour. 

Week Commencing - 28/06/21

This week we have been writing the Great Kapok Tree story from beginning to end. The children have learnt how to use speech marks as well as similes and adjectives to make their writing even more exciting to read.

In history we have been looking at Victorian life, especially what it was like in a Victorian kitchen. The Falcons looked at artefacts from the Victorian era including sugar pincers, wooden bowls and jelly moulds. We have written all about the similarities and differences between Victorian kitchens and modern kitchens.

In maths we have been looking at weighing objects using standard units, grams and kilograms. 

This week we also became food ambassadors for the school. We tested 7 different meal options and gave the kitchen our feedback. We liked some of the options and these will be placed on the school menu for the whole school to enjoy.

Week Commencing - 21/06/21

This week we have been writing newspaper articles about the talking animals in the Great Kapok Tree story. In science we have been looking at food chains and in art we have been looking at the artist Henri Rousseau, who created jungle/rainforest scenes. His famous painting is entitled 'Surprised'. We have created our own pictures using pastels, crayons and the technique Sgraffito. 

In maths we have been looking at advancing and receding the time and time durations. We have started to look at weighing objects using standard units, like cubes. 

Week Commencing - 14/06/21

This week we have been writing persuasive letters to the woodcutter in the Great Kapok Tree story. We have been trying to persuade him to leave the rainforest and to refrain from cutting any trees down. 

In maths we have been looking at advancing and receding the time which we are finding very tricky. In science we have been looking at the layers in the rainforest and in geography we have been comparing Rio de Janeiro with Nottingham. 

Week Commencing - 07/06/21

This week we have started our new book 'The Great Kapok Tree' by Lynne Cherry. We have also started our new topic the rainforest. In maths we have been looking at telling the time to the nearest o'clock, half past, quarter to and quarter past the hour. We have also looked at telling the time to the nearest 5 minutes. 

In nursery we now have chickens. The children in Falcons went to visit them in their new area. 

Week Commencing - 24/05/21

This week we have recapped our learning on everything this half term. We have learnt about scales in maths and in guided reading we have started our new book the Fox and the Star. 

This week we also had the Life Education Bus visit. Guy taught us how to stay healthy and how to cope with our feelings if we are angry. 

Week Commencing - 17/05/21

This week we have recapped our learning on fractions. We have learnt how to halve, quarter, three-quarter and find a third of amounts. In guided reading we have finished the book the Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith and we eventually found out how Max crossed the street safely. In writing we have started our new book the Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith. We are currently writing a narrative using the book as a stimulus. 

This week we have also been researching food webs and working out who are the producers (plant) and who are the tertiary, secondary and primary consumers.

In art we have started to look at printing using polystyrene sheets.

Week Commencing - 10/05/21

This week we have being learning how to turn using whole, half, quarter, three quarter, anti-clockwise and clockwise. In guided reading we have continued to study the book the Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith. In writing we have been looking at writing diaries. 

This week we have also been researching food chains and working out who is a producer (plant) and who is a consumer (animals). 

Week Commencing - 03/05/21

This week we have being learning how to turn using whole, half, quarter, three quarter, right and left. In guided reading we have continued to study the book the Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith. In writing we have been looking at fact files and writing our own about woodland animals.

This week we have also been researching woodland habitats, painting woodland animals by mixing our own paint colours, and working with Mansfield Stags on our football skills.

What a busy week! 

Week Commencing - 19/04/21

This week we have being learning how to measure in centimetres and metres. In guided reading we have started to look at the book the Hodgeheg by Dick King-Smith. In writing we have been looking at the Hodgeheg and writing descriptions of some of the scenes in the book. 

This week the Mansfield Stags have started to teach us how to play football. Our football skills are developing nicely!

This week we have also been helping to design a new school menu. Donna came in from Catering Services and we tasted different fruit and discussed the schools current menu. We decided what we liked and what we didn't like. Donna asked us to bring in menu's and recipes of food that we liked. 

Spring 2

Week Commencing - 29/03/21

This week we have learnt the story Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. We acted the story out and then wrote a recount of the story. 

We finally finished the story Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl, the children really enjoyed the story. This week we perfected our sewing skills and we all managed to complete a running stitch with a needle and thread. 

We also participated in an Easter bonnet parade. Miss Hanson and Mrs Kelley had the hard job of choosing the best one for an Easter prize.

Week Commencing - 22/03/21

This week we have learnt about the Easter story and we have continued to read our story Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl. The children have also been learning about fractions in maths. The children have also enjoyed practising their sewing skills. They are currently learning how to create a running stitch which can be tricky!

Spring 1

Autumn 2

Falcon's children from 2019-2020

Spring 1

William Shakespeare

On Friday 24th January the children participated in a William Shakespeare Workshop. The children learnt about William Shakespeare and his play Henry 5th. They re-enacted the play using props and showed their understanding through freeze framing.

Autumn 2

Tree Planting

On Tuesday 3rd December the children planted trees at Manor Park. We discussed our previous topic about the Amazon Rainforest and how the rainforest is being destroyed at an alarming rate. We planted trees to replace those that have been destroyed.

Christmas Experience

On the 28th November all the year 2 children went to St Wilfrid's church to participate in the Christmas experience. The children learnt about the Christmas story and advent.

Autumn 1

Great Fire of London Workshop by Partake Theatre Company. 

On the 16th October 2019 the Partake Theatre company came to Manor Park and did a Great Fire of London Workshop. The children real enjoyed learning more about the Great Fire. The children dressed up in authentic clothing and learnt about how the people escaped the Great Fire on boats across the River Thames.

Brackenhurst

The Falcons class had a great time at Brackenhurst. The children completed a picture hunt in the walled garden and did some team building activities on the main lawn. The children learnt how to work as a team and problem solve.

Falcon children from 2018-2019

Summer 2

Amazing Animals

Our new topic is amazing animals. We will learn about nocturnal and rainforest animals. Look at the topic information below.

We are having a wonderful time learning about the amazing animals that live in the Rainforest. To kick start our topic we invited the Whitepost farm into school. 

They brought with them an amazing array of different Rainforest animals. We learnt how these animals are adapted to live within the Rainforest and the different food chains that exist within the Rainforest.

DT

We looked at the story 'The Great Kapok Tree' by Lynne Cherry. In the story a man walks into the rainforest and falls asleep. The children were challenged to build a shelter for Senhor that could keep him dry if a monsoon hit the rainforest. 

Look below for the children's shelters.

Superheroes.

We are having a great time in the Falcons class learning about people who have been and who are Superheroes.

So far we have learnt about Florence Nightingale and Marie Curie who have both changed the world for the better and who are Superheroes to the world. We have also looked at the book Traction Man by Mini Grey and we have written instructions for Superhero smoothies.

We are now going to look at Superheroes in our local community who help us like police officers, vets and fire fighters.

Easter Concert

On Thursday 4th April 2019 the Falcons and the Meerkats took part in the Easter Concert. The children really enjoyed singing and signing the songs using British Sign Language.

Archery

As part of our topic on Superheroes we have been learning about Robin Hood and debating whether he is a Superhero or not. Some children believe that he was a Superhero because he helped the poor but others believe that he wasn't because he stole from the rich. We learnt how to fire an arrow from a bow and hit a target.

Measuring in Art and Maths

We really enjoy our maths lessons in the Falcons class. This week we have been learning about how to measure in centimetres and decided to combine art and maths together. The children measured out buildings and then cut them out. They added windows and doors and of course the height of their building in centimetres. The children repeated this until they had created a city scape. The children then went on to work out the difference in height between one building and another. 

Some children drew around their feet and hands and then measured them with 50p coins, paper clips and cubes. The children estimated before they measured.

Shakespeare Workshop

The Nonsuch theatre company came into school and worked with the children on the Shakespeare play a 'Midsummer's Nights Dream'. 

The children dressed up in costumes and performed the play to each other. 

Happy New Year from the Falcons.

We hope you had a fantastic Christmas and we wish you all a fantastic new year.

In the Falcons class we have started our new topic 'Superheroes'. 

Come back in a few weeks to see what we have been learning.

Christmas in the Falcons

In the Falcons we have been very busy over the Christmas period. We have performed three Christmas nativities, one Christingle concert and we have sung three times in the local community. We also had a special visit from Santa and his elf!

We have had a great time and we wish everyone at Manor Park a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Dungeons and Dragons

The Falcon children are really enjoying our topic 'Dungeons and Dragons'. Today we learnt about the Bayeux Tapestry that depicts the story of the battle of Hastings and William the Conqueror. The children then made their own tapestry by weaving material and drawing soldiers, horses and boats.

Warwick Castle

The Falcon children really enjoyed visiting Warwick Castle on Tuesday 6th November. The children loved looking around the castle and exploring all the rooms, towers and battlements. The children even watched a bird of prey show and learnt more about castle life and William the Conqueror.

Homework Smart

The Falcon children have been busy at home making castles, presentations and posters as part of our 'Homework Smart'. Take a look below at some of the amazing castles that have been sent in by parents and carers.