Atwood Newsletter 3rd May 2024

As ever, there has been lots going on in school this week.

In Reception and Nursery, amongst other things, a wolf came to visit this week. You can read more about what the children have been up to on the website here:

ATW EYFS News – Red buses and Riding Hoods

During English this week, Year 1 have looked at poetry and created their own poem about a lion. In the poem, the children used a variety of verbs and adjectives to describe the nouns. As an extra challenge, the adjectives and nouns needed to have alliteration. In maths, pupils have counted in 2s and also made groups of 2. They then used this knowledge to create arrays for multiples of 2. In science, Year 1 have discussed what a plant needs to grow healthily and they then planted beans to help investigate this concept. Over the next few weeks, the children will make close observations of the beans growing and complete a bean diary.

This week, Year 2 have started reading Iron Man by Ted Hughes and have been building their very own Iron Man out of enormous boxes and lots of tin foil! In maths, the children have been learning more about measure, both distance and mass, which led to the children making paper airplanes and measuring the distance they travelled, comparing each other’s to find the difference between the shortest and longest travelled distance.

In Year 3 this week the children have been completing some excellent recounts about their experience with Scuff and Twig their Stone Age visitors. In maths the children have been honing their time reading skills to learn times to the nearest minute and in science the children have been learning about the dangers of the sun. (Not that they’ve needed to worry about that this week.)

In Year 4, the highlight of the week was a trip to the Natural History Museum. The children set off by bus train and tube to explore the museum and returned full of amazing facts about all the wonderful things they had seen. Did you know that capybaras eat their own poo and that bats are the only mammals with true flight. They even got to visit the earthquake generator and experienced what it would be like to be in an earthquake. Back in school the children have been publishing their information writing explaining all about ‘How Bees Make Honey’

In Year 5, the children have made dioramas illustrating the different biomes found in Australia. The children were hugely creative building deserts and temperate zones. They have also been using their art skills to produce some excellent Aboriginal art using dot painting.

This week, Year 6 have been putting the final touches to their Wolf Brother narrative. They have been editing and revising their sentences as well as checking closely for accurate punctuation in their final published pieces. There is some excellent work being produced. The children have also been looking at reasoning problems in maths and polishing their comprehension skills in anticipation of their SATs.

SPORTS NEWS

As the football season draws to a close, our thoughts turn to preparations for Croydon Sports and an Inter-Trust Athletics competition that are both on the horizon. Trials have been taking place and various team members have been selected. The training now begins in earnest.

MORNING DROP OFF

A letter went out today via Study bugs explaining some changes to drop off procedures in the morning. This really only affects children in Year 3 and 4. However, please also be reminded that, in the mornings before the doors are open, children should not be playing football or using the climbing equipment.

And finally…

The early May bank holiday is associated with May Day and although the bank holiday was not introduced until 1978 in the UK, its origins go as far back as Roman times when festivities celebrating the Roman Goddess of flowers, Flora, were held in May. Enjoy the extra day this weekend.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Please check because new dates are being added below