Autumn Term Reflections

Happy half term to you all! 

We have reached the end of a marathon first term. 7 and a half weeks ago we were not really sure how it would feel being back in school after 6 months of lockdown. Happily, the children bounced back into the classroom and got stuck into their learning. We've had a great term. The children certainly deserve some fun, games and rest during the half term week. 

The Squirrels staff team have been reflecting on things we are proud of this term and we wanted to share our thoughts with you: 

• Kindness to all: the children care hugely for each other and actively try to make sure everyone in the classroom is happy.
  'Show racism the red card' day on Friday 16th October helped us all to stop and consider our differences but also celebrate them. None of us are the same but we are all brilliant individuals for many reasons. No matter what, our personalities and who we are inside matter the most.
  Our skin colour, gender, race, culture, appearance, talents and families and friends are different but we are all equal and all valued. The class did an amazing job of recognising this. 
• Respect and concern for the environment: collective worships on the environment, acknowledging Recycling Week, helping to tidy up after lunches and our Forest Mantle have all helped to develop the children's awareness of humans' impact on the world.
  The children were hugely upset to discover the world's issues with plastic in the sea, landfill waste and deforestation and were vocal about wanting to make changes for the better. They now ensure the absolute minimum goes in our classroom black binbag each day and have been trying to encourage families to recycle more at home.
  They know that if we all make small changes, together we can have a big impact for the better. 
• Endurance in writing and maths: returning to daily lessons has been a big change for our Squirrels and they have responded brilliantly. Their enthusiasm every day is impressive and they know that mistakes help them to learn. They encourage each other and won't give up. We can't ask for anything more! 
• Mantle achievements: this term's Mantle story required the children to unite as the 'Forest Rescuers' team to try and save the Minpins' forest from being destroyed by a development company. The children worked hard to gather evidence to present to the 'big bosses' and persuade them to redirect their development down a longer route. They have explored food chains, habitats and eco-systems whilst also learning how to do surveys, listen to other viewpoints and write and speak persuasively. No insect or micro-habitat was too small; it all mattered to the Forest Rescuers. On Monday the developers agreed to re-route works away from the forest after being presented with evidence by the Forest Rescuers and listening to their persuasive arguments. We certainly have some future debaters and politicians in the class!

Half Term Homework 

• Please work on your child's targets that were given at parent teacher meetings. 
• Continue to practise spellings, maths facts and phonics (Y2) little and often. 
• Please read every day and talk about what you read together. 
• Additional optional homework will be set on the Doodle apps (released throughout the week). 
• Write stories together or keep a half term diary. Help your child to read and edit their writing. 
• Practise place value maths and addition and subtraction. Year 2 should work with 2-digit numbers whilst Year 3 work with 3-digit numbers.

Have lots of fun and rest over the week. The term has certainly been a busy one and we all deserve a rest. I can't wait to hear what you've all been up to when we come back to school on Monday 2nd November! From Miss Cartwright 😄

Squirrels Class: Autumn Update 2

Hello Squirrels and Squirrel adults. I hope you are all well and you're enjoying the autumn changes in and around Whaddon. 

We certainly did during our forest school sponsored walk: a whopping 2 and a half hour 5k walk to Oxley Park and back. We had great fun along the way and some chocolate biscuits halfway round certainly helped keep us going. Enjoy these photos below of our wonderful midweek walk. 

Within class we have been very busy. Addition of 2-digit (Y2) and 3-digit (Y3) numbers using the column method with carrying, autumn poem writing, wildlife surveying and Harvest Festival celebrations have all been underway. 

At home: 

• Please practice adding numbers together using different methods. Encourage your child to use objects or draw pictorial representations to help or to check their answer if they can work sums out in their head. Support them to use their number bonds to 10 and 20 knowledge or doubles work to speed up their problem solving. Alternatively, you could solve some addition sums yourself and ask your child to check your answers to see if you are correct! Year 2 parents, please make sure the sum answers are not larger than 99. Year 3 parents, please make sure the sum answers are not larger than 999. 
• Conjunctions: we have been working hard on using conjunctions to add detail to our writing during super sentences. Challenge your child to add more detail or extend their sentences by using 'and', 'but', 'so', 'because', 'if', 'that' and 'when'. 
• Poetry: explore poems with your child at home. Find some to read in a bouncy rhythm or spot rhymes together. Talk about line length and stanzas (verses). Make up your own poems about whatever you like! 
• Talk about autumn: observe the changing season with your child and discuss why some trees lose their leaves but others don't, or perhaps how animals are preparing for winter. 
• Use the Doodle apps little and often.  
• Read every day!

It isn't long to go until half term now! 

From Miss Cartwright