ATW Newsletter 19th April 2024

Welcome back! I hope that you are all feeling rested and refreshed after the Easter break. It has been lovely to see the children back in school and now all we need is some warmer weather to make us feel as if it really is the summer term.

In Reception and Nursery, there has been lots going on and you can read about what the children have been up to on the website here:

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/eyfs/atw-nursery-news-transport-oral-health-and-our-natural-world

https://www.pegasusacademytrust.org/news/eyfs/atw-reception-news-ramadan-eggs-and-our-natural-world

This week, Year 1 have started their topic of Africa. They have been researching and writing about what lions look like and how they hunt. The children have started to work with numbers up to 100 in maths, counting forwards and backwards and partitioning them into tens and ones. In science, pupils are looking at plants and went on a walk around the school looking at all the different plants they could find. They made observational drawings of daffodils, bluebells, sycamore seeds and more. The children looked closely at different African ceremonial masks and designed our own masks to make next week.

This week, Year 2 have started a new text in English; ‘Rosie’s Magic Horse’. The children have begun to develop their own characters and are excited to use in them in their adventure story next week. In Maths, the year group have been continuing to learn about time using quarter past and quarter to. In Thematic, the children have started a new topic all about the seaside and have been discussing how we know whether a place is a seaside resort or not.

The children in Year 3 have been learning about their new topic of Time recapping clock times before learning about 5 minute intervals. In Science, the children have started a new topic of light and shadow and have learnt about Ibn Al Haytham and his contribution to the science of optics. In English, the children have been exploring mystery writing.

In Year 4 the children have been learning about how bees make honey linked to their explanation text writing. Children had lots of fun today acting this process out using gravy granules and water, pouring the mixture between cups to represent the bees regurgitating the nectar! In maths, they have been trying so hard with adding mixed numbers and fractions – it has been challenging but they have shown lots of resilience. In Science, the children created posters about how animals are adapted to suit their environment. They researched their own animal at home for this over the holidays. They also had their first swimming lesson at Warlingham High School.

In Year 5, the children have launched themselves into their athletic unit in PE and been exploring the narrative poem of The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes in English. The children have been exploring fractions and mixed numbers in their maths work.

In Year 6 this week, Magenta class had a marvellous move into their newly refurbished classroom. The children are extremely happy with the extended room and have already been enjoying their direct access to the playground. In English, the year group have further immersed themselves in Wolf Brother creating some wonderful setting descriptions.

STAFFING UPDATES

Some of you may have seen that we have now opened our application process for a full time substantive deputy head teacher from September. In the meantime, Mr Chester will continue in post although he has moved to a part time role in anticipation of taking up a full time headship in September with a different group of schools. We are grateful for his ongoing support. Other leadership support through the summer term will be provided by Ms Sampson, one of the executive heads of the Trust, and Mrs Byrne who leads across the Trust on staff development and curriculum. Both are familiar with Atwood and the staff here and many of you will have seen them around. I know that you will make them feel welcome. We look forward to appointing a strong, permanent deputy who can help to lead the school on its journey.