Week Commencing 6/10/25

Clumber Class Update

This week has been another fantastic one in Clumber, full of curiosity, creativity, and teamwork!

English: We began reading our new class text War Boy by Michael Foreman. The children used inference skills to make predictions about what might happen next and explored the emotions of the characters in the opening pages. Later in the week, we focused on adjectives—first identifying suitable ones to describe the Anderson shelter, and then using thesauri to improve and refine our choices by finding more powerful synonyms.

Maths: Our focus has been on shape. The children learned to recognise, name, and sort both 2D and 3D shapes. We practised identifying sides and vertices, counting them carefully on 2D shapes, and then challenged ourselves to accurately draw a variety of 2D shapes using rulers and careful observation.

Science: We conducted our experiment investigating how water temperature affects solubility. Pupils carefully followed the method, recorded their observations, and drew conclusions from their results. There was lots of great scientific thinking and discussion about why temperature changes the rate of dissolving.

RE: We continued learning about the Kindertransport and discussed the experiences of the children who travelled to safety. Each pupil began creating a square for our ‘story quilt’ to represent their thoughts, feelings, or understanding of the Kindertransport.

Humanities: Our studies this week focused on the animals involved in WW1. The children learned about their different roles—such as messenger dogs, carrier pigeons, and horses—and were fascinated by the bravery and loyalty of these wartime helpers.

PE: We started our new netball unit! The children practised different types of passes and focused on moving into space as soon as they had thrown the ball, developing both teamwork and coordination.

The class have continued to show great enthusiasm across all subjects—well done, Clumber!

Week Commencing 22/09/2025

We’ve had another busy and fun week of learning in Clumber! Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Maths- This week we focused on addition and subtraction, learning about doubles, number bonds to 10, and creating fact families to show different ways of representing number facts.

English- In English, the children worked on retelling the story Stubby. We started by ordering pictures and discussing the events together. The children then wrote their own retells, editing and improving their work with support from word banks, tricky word lists and sound mats to encourage independence.

PSHE- Our germs experiment continued this week! We observed how the bread changed over time depending on whether it was touched with dirty hands, hands washed without soap, or hands washed with soap. The results were clear – soap is very effective in reducing germs! We also created a list of healthy habits, including drinking water, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and staying active.

RE- In RE, we learnt about Shabbat, the Jewish holy day, and explored what happens during Shabbat and why it is so important.

Humanities- The children designed and built their own models of World War I trenches, applying what we learnt last week about life in the trenches.

Science- Our science experiment focused on dissolving. We tested different substances to see which dissolved in water and which did not. We discovered that sand does not dissolve – and linked this to why sandbags were used in trenches to keep out water.

PE- In PE, we continued to develop our volleyball skills through a range of fun activities and team games.

Well done to all the children for their fantastic effort this week, particularly on their wonderful writing in English!

Week Commencing  15/09/25

We have had another exciting and busy week in class!

Trip to Bestwood Country Park
On Monday, we enjoyed a wonderful trip to Bestwood Country Park where the children took part in a range of World War II activities. These included:

• A billeting activity, where they were assigned different jobs.
• A suitcase activity, where they explored the contents of four suitcases to work out who they might have belonged to.
• A plane orienteering activity, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed!

English- In English, we have continued reading Stubby. The children have answered comprehension questions and summarised sections of the text by identifying key events.

Maths- This week we started our new unit on addition and subtraction. We have been using number lines, tens frames, and Numicon to help us. The children also practised their number bonds to 10 and explored how these can be applied to solve other calculations.

RE- In Religious Education, we explored important people, places, and items in Judaism. The children asked thoughtful questions and showed great curiosity about this topic.

PSHE- In our Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education lessons, we have continued learning about personal hygiene products and also discussed healthy habits—ways we can look after both our physical and mental health.

Humanities- We have begun learning about the trenches in World War I, thinking about what life might have been like for soldiers.

Science- In Science, the children carried out a scratch test to identify which materials are harder and which are softer.

On Friday we also visited Kirkby-in-Ashfield library. The pupils explored lots of books and had a great time.

It has been a fantastic week of hands-on learning and exploration. Well done to everyone for their enthusiasm and hard work!

Week Commencing 2/09/2025

It has been a great start to the term, and the children have settled back into school life and routines really well.

In English, the pupils created wonderful 3D posters all about themselves, which were a lovely way to celebrate individuality. We also began exploring our new class text Stubby: A Story of True Friendship by Michael Foreman, making predictions about what the story might involve.

In Maths, we have been focusing on place value, using charts and partitioning to deepen understanding.

Our Humanities lessons introduced the lead-up to World War I. Pupils explored the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and studied maps of Europe from 1914, comparing them to modern-day maps to see how country borders have changed. Using these maps, they identified the two opposing sides in WWI – the Central Powers and the Triple Entente (the Allies) – and began organising key events on a class timeline.

In Art, the children enjoyed a creative task where they drew themselves as an animal or alongside an animal they would like to be.

In PSHE, we revised how germs are spread and created posters to show how we can reduce their transmission.

Finally, in RE, we reflected on the importance of Religious Education and discussed how respect can be shown in different contexts, including the classroom, home, and playground.

It has been a busy and productive start, and we are looking forward to building on this excellent foundation in the weeks ahead.

Week Commencing 21/04/25

We’ve had a fantastic start to the summer term! Here’s what we’ve been up to this week:

• English: We have started working on comprehension skills using fictional stories. The children have been focusing on understanding key details and answering questions based on the stories they read. • Maths: We’ve been focusing on multiplication using arrays. The children have been exploring different ways to represent multiplication and are making great progress in understanding the concept.

• Humanities: Our new topic, Secrets of the Forest, has begun, and we’ve been learning about our local area of Nottinghamshire. The children have been identifying key villages, towns, and places to visit on a map.

• Science: We are currently studying life cycles, where the children are learning about the stages of different living organisms and how they grow and change over time.

It’s been an exciting start to the term, and we are looking forward to exploring more in our new topic!

Week commencing 31/04/25

We had a fantastic end to the term with our American Road Trip! The students looked absolutely brilliant in their themed outfits, and we had such a fun time exploring the states of Texas, Florida, and New York. The children really enjoyed learning about the culture, history, and landmarks of these iconic states. It was a great way to wrap up the term, and everyone had a wonderful time!

Week commencing 24/03/25

This week has been filled with exciting learning and activities! Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve been up to:

• Maths: We’ve been focusing on recalling bonds to 100, working through reasoning and problem-solving steps, and addressing common misconceptions to ensure a deeper understanding of the concepts.

• English: We’ve been creating examples of news stories using the 5 W’s (Who, What, Where, When, Why) and comparing these examples in preparation for writing our own news articles next week.

• Humanities: This week, we’ve focused on the six regions of the USA, exploring the states that form each region and identifying the differences between them.

• PE: In PE, we’ve been developing our leadership skills by organizing equipment, leading warm-ups, and coaching each other during games like seated volleyball.

• Science: The children explored air resistance by carrying out experiments to observe how different shapes and materials affect the movement of objects through the air.

• RE: We had the opportunity to interview a visitor about their faith, discussing the importance of special journeys (pilgrimages) and reflecting on how these experiences made them feel.

It’s been another engaging week of learning, with the children showing great enthusiasm and teamwork across all subjects!

Week commencing 17/03/25

This week has been filled with exciting learning and activities! Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve been up to:

• Maths: We’ve been working on related facts as part of our addition and subtraction topic, helping the children make connections between numbers.
• English: We’ve been exploring quotations, distinguishing between facts and opinions, and practicing picking out the 5 W’s from examples to gather key information.
• Humanities: We’ve been describing the positions of the states in relation to each other and identifying the different sections of the USA. The children have been making great progress in understanding the geography of the country.
• Careers: We had fun with road safety bingo, learning about road safety signs and their importance in keeping us safe on the roads.
• DT: In Design and Technology, we’ve been looking at how we can turn objects into something new for a useful purpose, sparking creativity and problem-solving.
• Science: We’ve been learning about gravity, conducting an experiment to test how the distance a car travels varies on different surfaces. The children then created a bar chart to represent the results.
• PSHE: As part of our environment topic, we planted vegetables, learning how we can care for the environment and grow our own food.

It’s been a week full of hands-on learning and teamwork. The children have worked hard and had fun in every subject!

Week Commencing 03/03/25

This week we've been working on:

Maths: We've continued working on place value, representing values on different number lines and reflecting different values.

English: We’ve been exploring headlines and captions and how they are created using alliteration and puns.

RE: This week, we have been researching special places for Christians to go to on a pilgrimage and why they are important. We focused on Lourdes and looked at a clip of a group of pilgrims on their journey to Lourdes and how it made them feel.

Humanities: We have been looking at how to use an atlas and the types of information it gives us. We practiced finding different places in the atlas and comparing maps.

Independent Travel: As part of our practical learning, we visited local charity shops to practice independent travel skills.

Week commencing 24/02/25

This week, we've had a busy and exciting time in class, here are some of the things we've been working on:

• Maths: We've been continuing our work on place value, learning how to represent 3-digit numbers in expanded form. We also started using number lines to help us with this concept.
• English: We’ve been exploring the features of a newspaper and discussing why it’s different from other types of reading material.
• RE: This week, we revisited the Hajj pilgrimage and learned about its significance. We also introduced special places that Christians visit as part of their faith journey.
• Humanities: we have been recapping prior learning on continents and oceans and identifying where North America is on a map.
• PSHE: We discussed the importance of saving energy and water and created posters to share ideas on how to promote these values.
• Independent Travel: As part of our practical learning, we visited local charity shops to practice independent travel skills.

It’s been a great week of learning, and the children have worked hard on all activities!

Week commencing 10/02/25

In English, we have been using different apps to creatively retell Native stories we have explored in class, such as How the Stars Fell into the Sky. This has helped develop storytelling skills in a fun and interactive way.

In DT (Food), we have continued practising our omelette-making skills, focusing on using different ingredients and improving our techniques.

In RE, our focus has been on pilgrimages, particularly exploring what happens during Hajj and why it is a significant journey for Muslims.

In PSHE, we have been learning about recycling, sorting different materials, and discussing how we can make environmentally friendly choices in our daily lives.

In Maths, we have been working on shape, focusing on key concepts such as identifying and counting sides accurately, recognising different 2D shapes, and understanding that not all shapes with the same number of sides look the same. We have encouraged children to use sentence stems to explain their thinking and have been working on strategies to ensure they count sides correctly without repetition or omission.

Week commencing 27/01/25

Week commencing 13/01/25

This week, we have been busy learning:

• English: As part of our "American Road Trip" theme, we have been reading stories from Native people as part of our American Road Trip. We have been discussing morals and how stories can teach us lessons.
• PSHE: We have been looking at ways we can contribute to keeping our environment safe, tidy and how to take responsibility for our own spaces.
• Humanities: We are looking at the discovery of America, Christopher Columbus and how we talk about periods of time in history.
• DT: We are practicing making omelettes and amending the ingredients each week to try different ingredients (so by half term, they should be able to treat you to a tasty omelette!).
• PE: We are practicing leading warm ups and our leadership and communication skills when playing sports.

Week Commencing 06/01/2025

Welcome Back to Clumber Class!

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Clumber Class has returned to school full of energy and enthusiasm for learning, and we are excited to dive into our new topics.

• In Humanities, we are embarking on an American Road Trip. This term, we will be exploring the origins of the USA and learning about the pioneers who discovered the west.
• In PSHE, our focus is on the environment. We will be discussing ways to care for our planet, taking part in tree planting, and even growing our own plants and vegetables.
• In RE, we are learning about pilgrimages, exploring the idea of these special journeys and their significance across different cultures and religions.
• In DT, our cooking skills will take centre stage as we focus on mixing and combining ingredients, developing confidence in the kitchen.

It is going to be a fantastic term filled with discovery, creativity, and hands-on learning!

Week commencing 16/12/24

This week, we celebrated Christmas Around the World, and our chosen country was India! The pupils had a wonderful time tasting some traditional Indian foods and dressing up in costumes. We also visited other countries and learned about their Christmas traditions. Clumber class had a fantastic time celebrating and exploring different cultures!

Week commencing 29/11/24

We've had a very busy week this week in Clumber Class, as we reach the halfway point in our half term (and the start of the Christmas countdown!). In English, we have sadly finished our class book, Danny the Champion of the World, so we have been reviewing the key parts and discussing our favourite parts. Our new book is a non-fiction text about the Black Death, so prepare for some facts! In our Humanities lesson, we have been looking at medieval medicine and treatments for common illnesses (we were all VERY relieved to have modern medicine!) and we are now looking at the start of the plague. The highlight of the week was our trip to the cinema to watch Super Mario Bros, we were so excited and really enjoyed it! Most of all, we were so proud of how sensible, well behaved and mature our class was on the trip so we gave them all Star of the Week - we really are grateful to have such kind, happy young people in our class that make these times so special and thanks for all the support from parents and carers 😊😊 We hope you have a lovely weekend and, from what we've been told, some of you will be very busy putting up Christmas decorations and getting in the festive spirit!

Week commencing 11/11/24

This week, Clumber class has been taking part in Enterprise Week, to create a product to sell at our Christmas Fayre - we had some great ideas (that mainly centred around food 😋🤣 ) and decided to make Christmas chocolate bark. We looked at some examples and watched how to make it before deciding on our ingredients. We made a shopping list and collected the ingredients from Morrisons, choosing the best value for chocolate, biscuits and sprinkles. Then we decided that the best thing to do was make a trial batch (purely for research purposes 🤣🤣) and we all took part in making a white chocolate version and a milk/white chocolate version. Today it was finally ready to break up and take photos for our order form and for homework, pupils will complete their taste test sheet (feel free to be our testers too!). We've had a great week, it's been lots of fun and we can't wait to make the final batch!

Week Commencing 23/09/24

This week in Clumber class, we have continued reading our class book, Danny the Champion of the World, and have been trying to consider how the characters feel, using adjectives and recreating the scenes.
In our Zones lesson, we have been thinking about how facial expressions can give us clues to how people are feeling and we looked at examples and tried to name those feelings.
In our RE lesson, we have been thinking about what it means when people 'pass away' and how our lives can be thought of as a journey - there were some really thoughtful comments shared!

In Science, we have been looking at the respiratory system and identifying different parts of the lungs - the pupils made some amazing 3d models with labels!

In assembly, we celebrated European Day of Languages and practiced greetings in different languages - there are some well travelled pupils!

Week Commencing 09/09/24

A great week 2 in Clumber class! This week, the class started reading ‘Danny the Champion of the World’ and making predictions based on what we can see and the story summary. In our Zones of Regulation lesson, we discussed what it means to feel proud, how it can motivate us, and how it makes us feel good. In RE, we explored the human life cycle and the idea of life as a journey, recognizing that while we all have different experiences, we celebrate special times (milestones) in a way that is similar across different religions. During our Humanities lesson, we learned about the roles in Medieval society and the concept of ‘the Feudal System’. We even role-played different jobs and the rules of a Medieval village – I think many would definitely prefer to be the lord of the castle! 😊 In PSHE, we spent time getting to know different people in the class, practicing turn-taking and handling moments when we lose in a game to strengthen our friendship skills. Finally, in Art, we practiced drawing perspective lines and used the correct terminology to discuss art, its properties, and how it makes us feel.