Class Teacher: Miss Bottomley

Teaching Assistants: Mrs Edgerley & Mrs Lau

Week Commencing: 15.04.24

We’ve had a very busy first week back in Class 4/5. In geography, the children have produced their own travel guides based on Iceland and have done an amazing job. In science, we have been busy completing the final experiments of our unit where we looked at reversible and irreversible changes. The children particularly enjoyed the irreversible change of mixing baking soda with vinegar in order to create carbon dioxide.  In RE, we have started our ‘Sacrifice’ unit where we explored the theme of temptation linked with Jesus’ time in the desert. The children then worked in pairs to create a role play set in the modern day showing someone being tempted but resisting.

Week Commencing: 18.03.24

WOW! We have had an incredibly busy week in Class 4/5! It has been assessment week in school which is always an amazing opportunity for our children to showcase their learning. Each child has given 100% effort and I am incredibly proud of them. Between our assessments, we’ve had lots of visitors (an author, an entrepreneur and a social carer) and the children have really enjoyed learning about their roles. Curriculum wise, we have produced an independent piece of writing in English this week with an animal focus. The children have tried incredibly hard with this and each and every story is unique. We have also been very busy preparing for our parent workshop on Friday – the children have enjoyed putting everything together to ‘teach the parents about the Titanic’.  

Week Commencing: 11.03.24

Class 4/5 this week! On Tuesday, we celebrated British Science week and completed 2x experiments linked with this year's theme of 'time'. The children worked with a partner to test each other's reaction times and then looked for patterns within results. Then, we looked at how temperature changes over time when it comes to liquids being cooled. In English, the children have been focusing on writing their own folktale which includes parenthesis - they have done an amazing job and are looking forward to sharing them with Class 2/3 next week. In maths, Y5 have been looking at fractions of amounts whilst Y4 focused on improper and mixed number fractions. In RE, we have been thinking about sacrifices and the sacrifices we ourselves (and the others around us) make in daily life. We thought about how (usually) sacrifices are made because of love. 

Week Commencing: 04.03.24

This week, Class 4/5, we have been looking at why Iceland is sometimes referred to as ‘The Land of Ice’. This followed on from our learning last week which focused on ‘Land of Fire’. The children are really enjoying this unit and have blown me away with their use of complex vocabulary. In RE, we are focusing on memorial sacrifice due to the current period of Lent. The children created their own information booklet based on the meaning of Eucharist – they did a fab job! Finally, we ended our week by looking at our grammar element for this unit of work in English which is parenthesis – the children have done a brilliant job of picking this up incredibly quickly and I look forward to them applying it independently in their folktales.  

Week Commencing: 26.02.24

We’ve had a productive week in Class 4/5! In English, we have been focusing on our reading phase linked with our unit ‘Folktales’. We have looked at a range of stories and completed activities such as finding point, evidence and explaining, as well as writing a summary. In maths, Year 4 have been focusing on units of measurement whereas Year 5 have been looking at compound area (a tricky one). In geography, we looked at why Iceland is given the title ‘Land of Fire’ and the children were able to explain that this is due to Iceland sitting on 2x tectonic plates and the mid-Atlantic ridge. Finally, Y5 have been focusing on dodging this week in PE (linked with our dodgeball unit) whilst Y4 continued with swimming.

Week Commencing: 19.02.24

We have had a lovely start to Spring Two in Class 4/5. We have started our new unit in English which is based on folktales from around the world – one that I think the children will really enjoy. This links with our Geography topic — ‘The Land of Fire and Ice’ (Iceland). We will be looking a the location of Iceland, the climate and then comparing areas within a region. In science, we launched our new unit this week by organising materials and then exploring their scientific properties. 

Week Commencing: 05.02.24

We've had a lovely end to the term in Class 4/5. At the start of the week, we celebrated Number Day. We looked at famous mathematicians and completed an investigation of our own in order to solve a mystery! On Tuesday, we celebrated Safer Internet Day which is one of our annual events in school. We looked at this year’s theme and completed a whole-school carousel of activities linked with the 4 Cs related to online safety. In science, the children worked practically to explore pulleys, gears and levers which they really enjoyed. In R.E., it was the last lesson in our unit where the children explored the different denominations of Christianity - this was very interesting. All in all, a VERY busy week!

Week Commencing: 29.01.24

We’ve had a productive week in Class 4/5. In English, we have started to plan our newspaper reports which we will be writing next week. The focus of our reports will be the sinking of the Titanic as this links with what we have been covering in history. In maths, both Year 4 and Year 5 have been looking at division. Year 5 have been using the short method, whilst Year 4 have been using equipment to help them share amounts into groups. In RE, we have been looking at Jesus’ apostles and their mission. We looked at the way in which they were united as one despite approaching their mission in different ways. I cannot believe we are approaching the last week of half term already – the weeks really do flyby!

Week Commencing: 22.01.24

We have had a very productive week in Class 4/5! In science, we have been carrying on with our forces unit and have been exploring air resistance. This week, the children planned and conducted their own experiment based on creating the safest parachute (the one that takes the longest to land). The children enjoyed working as a team to plan their experiment and also create their parachutes – we all had a lovely afternoon and learnt lots! In RE, we have been thinking about the role of the Bishop in our community and explored Archbishop Malcolm McMahon’s motto and coat of arms. In PE, the children are enjoying a dance unit this half term where they are learning the ‘Time Warp’ and of course staff had to get involved as the song is infectious.

Week Commencing: 15.01.24

We have had a wonderful week in Class 4/5. In English, we have started our unit based on newspapers and have therefore been looking at the timeline of events on the night that the Titanic sunk as this will be our focus for our report. In PE, the children have been enjoying their dance unit which has been lovely to see. In RE, we have been looking at the importance of mission and linking it back to our local community and the roles that people play. The children also produced their final pieces in art, and I am incredibly proud of each and every one of them as they are fantastic! 

Week Commencing: 08.01.24

We've had a wonderful first week back in Class 4/5. In English, we have been innovating and presenting our stories from before Christmas and the children have done an amazing job. In maths, Year 4 have been looking at multiplicating by powers of 10, whilst Year 5 continue with the never- ending fractions unit. It has also been Art Week and we have been looking at the local artist Helen Bradley whose work is incredible. The children will be recreating a piece of their own and I cannot wait to see what they produce. 

Week Commencing 11.12.23

WOW! What a fantastic final full week of term we have had in Class 4/5. The children have finished all of their end of term assessments and I couldn't be prouder of them and the effort they put into showcasing all that they have learnt. In English, we have started to write our own version of the story 'Tyger' which we have been studying this half term. The children have blown me away with their use of vocabulary and sentence structures - I cannot wait to read the final product. Excitingly, Christmas has slowly been sneaking into our classroom as we have started our Design and Technology unit which is based on designing and creating a light-up Christmas card - watch this space!

Week Commencing: 04.12.23

We have had a lovely week in Class 4/5. On Monday, some residents and staff from Stanley Grange came to visit and we enjoyed a craft session with them. We each made a ‘Santa Stone’ to be placed in our gardens. In science, we have been exploring water resistance and completed an experiment linked with this. We discovered that honey created more resistance than water. In R.E., we have been looking at the Advent wreath and the meaning behind each section of it. Finally, we have been full steam ahead with our assessments and the children have done an amazing job – I am incredibly proud of them!

Week Commencing: 27.11.23

We’ve had a fabulous week in Class 4/5! In science, we have been exploring friction. From our experiment, we discovered that different surfaces generate different amounts of friction. In R.E., we have started our new unit (Advent). We will be looking at the importance of waiting and how, as Christians, we wait hopefully for the return of Jesus to Earth. On Monday, the children had a special visitor, Mr Doodlebug. He spoke to the children about resilience and the importance of having a growth mindset. The children completed a drawing activity with him linked to this and thoroughly enjoyed their session.

Week Commencing: 20.11.23

We have had a wonderful week in Class 4/5. In geography, we have been looking at our capital city – London. This week, we looked at areas within the Greater London region in order to explore the differences between urban and suburban living. In R.E., we have been learning all about the Jewish festival of Passover and how it is celebrated – the children really enjoyed learning about another faith. In PSHE, the children have been thinking about their identity and how wonderful it is that we are all different.  

Week Coomencing: 13.11.23

We have had a fabulous week in Class 4/5! This week, we got practical in science in order to explore the difference between measuring force and weight. In maths, Year 4 have been making great progress with their times table unit, whilst Year 5 have been focusing on fractions (one of my favourite topics).  In computing, the children have been looking at photo editing and this week they were editing photos from films.

Week Commencing: 06.11.23

This week in Class 4/5, we have been devouring our new text in English ‘Tyger’. The children used the text to gather key vocabulary linked with the mythical creature in order to then write a character description and they certainly didn’t disappoint! It was lovely to see the children’s enthusiasm for vocabulary and writing shine through. In science, the children started our new unit on forces with a discussion based on the question ‘Why do unsupported objects fall to the ground?’ In Picture News this week, we have been looking at the changes to the Remembrance Poppy over the years and the latest design.  

Week Commencing: 30.10.23

We have had a very productive first week back in Class 4/5. In English, we have been finishing off our text from last half term ‘Street Child’ and completed a book review to end our unit – the text was very highly rated! In R.E., we have been looking at ‘vocation’ and exploring the fact that although we are united through faith, we each have our own vocation in life. We also finished our history unit on the Victorians this week. We had a brilliant afternoon showcasing our knowledge by playing a whole-class game of Kahoot and answering our enquiry question – the children did incredibly well with this and have thoroughly enjoyed the topic. 

Week Commencing: 16.10.23

And just like that we are at the end of the first half term! It has been an absolutely delightful first half term in Class 4/5. The children have settled in brilliantly, produced some super work and most of all displayed their thirst and love for learning. This week, the children have produced their own chapters based on the previous events in Street Child and now we are looking forward to finishing the book and finding out what actually happens. In maths, Year 5 have been doing an AMAZING job with multiples and factors; whilst Year 4 have been working hard to master the written method of subtraction (with exchanging). In science, the children ended our teeth and digestion unit by creating their own food chains based on different habitats. A major highlight to the week was our class assembly for parents on Thursday which was all based on the topic of Victorians – the children did a wonderful job!  

Week Commencing: 09.10.23

We have been incredibly busy in Class 4/5. In maths, we have been looking at addition and subtraction. Year 5 have been applying their knowledge in order to solve missing number calculations and multi-step problems, whilst Year 4 have been consolidating their understanding of the methods through reasoning and problem-solving style questions. In Collective Worship this week, we have been thinking about sharing empathy with others and the impact this can have. And in history, we took a step back in time and explored some real-life job advertisements for children in the Victorian times. The children had to decide which job they would want to do, and it was a difficult choice as none of them were very appealing! We look forward to welcoming you to our class assembly next week.

Week Commencing: 02.10.23

We have had a brilliant week in Class 4/5. The children have now finished their diary entries in the role of Jim and have done an amazing job of showing and not telling emotions! In French, we have been consolidating our understanding of numbers whilst also learning to say how old we are. BUT the highlight of the week was when the children worked in groups to create their own models of the digestive system – we had SO much fun! The children then used this knowledge to write in the role of a piece of fruit travelling through the digestive system – they did a fantastic job!  

Week Commencing: 25.09.23

We have had an eggcellent week in Class 4/5 as we finally found out the results of our Science experiment. Last week, we placed 5 eggs into different drinks (coke, lemonade, fresh orange juice, milk and water) to find out which drink is most likely to cause tooth decay. After leaving them for a week, we can confirm that the answer is both lemonade and fresh orange juice. The children enjoyed sharing their results with class R/Y1 and also explaining to them what they need to do in order to keep their teeth healthy and avoid tooth decay. In maths, we have been rounding, rounding and more rounding! The children have done incredibly well with this as it can be tricky. In English, we have started to plan our diary entries in the role of Jim and I am very much looking forward to seeing what the children produce next week. 

Week Commencing:18.09.23

We have had a fabulous week in Class 4/5! In P.E., we have been focusing on football and the skills of dribbling, travelling with the ball and interception. This has linked well with our R.E., where we have been looking at our personal qualities and talents and how our qualities can impact our talents. Towards the end of the week, we planned and carried out an experiment in science to find out which drink is most likely to cause tooth decay. The children have each made their own predictions and cannot wait to find out the results.

Week Commencing: 11.09.23

We have had a very productive week in Class 4/5. We have started our science unit for this half term which is based on teeth and the digestive system. For our first lesson in the unit, we explored different types of teeth and their purpose – something the children really enjoyed. In maths, Year 4 have been looking at flexibly partitioning numbers up to 10,000, whereas Year 5 have been comparing and ordering numbers up to one million.  In English, we are really enjoying our text ‘Street Child’ and getting to know our main character (Jim) ahead of writing in the role of him in the next coming weeks.  

Week Commencing 04.09.23

It has been full steam ahead this week in Class 4/5! In English we have started our new text ‘Street Child’ which is set in Victorian London. We have been focusing on the VIPERS (our reading skills) linked with the text and the children have provided some very well thought out ideas. In maths, we are all focusing on place value and the children have blown me away with their prior knowledge. As it has been art week in school, we have spent our afternoons drawing and sketching facial parts ahead of producing our own portraits in the style of Pablo Picasso. It has been lovely to welcome back the Year 5s and also get to know the Year 4s – I think we are going to have a fabulous year!