The children in class 2 have been doing at least two nice things for each other every day this week. My favourite observation was one of the children sharpening his tables’ pencils with the exhaust hole of his new tractor sharpener.
In our English lessons the children have been using both adjectives and simple conjunctions in their RWI recording work. We are currently making sure that we are verbalising our words and sentences properly when we are both reading and writing in class. Our work buddies have been an essential part of this process offering support along the way. Our stories work has had lots of lovely discussions and ideas have been shared well when talking as a class. For our end of the week book study we have continued with the story Beegu where the children’s inference skills have really impressed us all. They have ordered the story up to a certain point and have made a prediction as to how they feel the story might end. The reason for their predictions was both well thought out and very imaginative.
In maths the children have continued with addition and subtraction. As a whole class warm up we have been focusing on number bonds to 10/20 and have used our rhymes to help along the way. 8 and 2-chicken poo (makes 10) seems to be their favourite for some reason. The children have been looking at adding on from certain numbers and solving problems involving this. They have worked practically and have tried their best to give as much reasoning as possible along the way. They have completed part whole models and have used equipment along the way to support them. They have also worked on finding number bonds. They have also used a mathematics platform on the iPads to co-inside with their work.
In music the children were reading simple music from the front of the class and playing their notes beautifully together with Mrs Tan, a real breakthrough for them all.
This week the children have got in role as the Time Team for our new history topic and I thought it would be a good idea to test out my new metal detector in the school grounds. Well we were in for a surprise! They set off together taking it in turns with the detector and trowel. After the odd bleep for can ring pulls the detector started to frantically bleep on a mound of soil and rubble by one of the hedges. After being unearthed we discovered an old, heavy, cold and dirty tin box. Nobody could believe their eyes as we carefully brought it back into the classroom. Upon opening it we discovered that it was a time capsule full of old possessions. To our surprise we also found a letter addressed from a girl called Mary aged 6 who was from Bicton Village in the year 1870. She wanted somebody from the future to find out about both her and her parents. We investigated the items she had placed in the box which sparked some ingenious ideas as to what they were and what they were used for. One of the children thought it would be a good idea to put the date on her letter into Google. We then found out that Mary was from The Victorian times and we can’t wait to find out more…
In PE the children now have Embrace teaching hockey on Fridays which they are all really enjoying. On Mondays they have also games with Mr Sudlow. Once again I would like to remind you that your child needs outdoor trainers for PE this term.
Spellings have gone home tonight and there will be homework next week for the new term. Homework will be sent a little more frequently with it being in our second term. If you require more activity materials for your child at home please do not hesitate to come and see me.
We have a Class 2 trip booked for Blists Hill linked to our new history topic. The letter has already been sent out, so please could you return them as soon as you can. If you require another you will be able to get one from the office.
Have a lovely weekend together and see you on Monday.
Mr Mavin

A big warm welcome back to you all after what was hopefully a lovely Christmas period for everybody.
The children have come back bright as buttons this week and have effortlessly slipped back into normal routine together for the new term. Apparently there wasn’t any coal or horse manure in their Xmas stockings this year which in my opinion just emphasises what well behaved and studious the children they were last year!
In our English lessons we have moved onto different story books in RWI. Some children have moved onto different stages regarding their story banding. They have been teaching each other very well in partnerships emphasising the right way to say their speed sounds and story words. They have also recalled their essential red story words on sight which has really impressed us. The fluency of their reading is improving and lolly pop sticks have been used very professionally for the direction of what is being read by our ‘budding’ teachers of the future. The children have had very fruitful discussions about what they are focussing on. They have related what they have read to their own experiences, some of which have tickled us, especially anecdotes about bus trips. In addition to RWI we have started our whole class novel study work with our new story book Beegu. The children have listened to the first section of it and have answered simple comprehension questions with their talk buddies. They have acted parts of it out using freeze framing and have made insightful predictions as to what may happen next in the story.
In maths, the children have been chanting and singing counting forwards and backwards in two’s and 10’s. They have consolidated work on place value both comparing amounts, two numbers, ordering up to three groups/numbers whilst using the language smallest to greatest.
In science the children have the new topic of Animals including Humans where we firstly investigated and asked questions of how we have changed since we were babies. We got out of our time machines and looked at photos of teachers as babies and discussed what things looked the same and what had changed. We then did some investigation work involving our bodies, locating the different parts and features, using their scientific names and then learnt what our main senses are and what part of the body drives them.
In RE the children have been talking about how Christians might look after God’s Earth. They devised and described their favourite thing they have seen in their world and made a set of rules which might be followed by others to preserve the Earths’ creation.
All of the children have had a very successful spelling test today. Well done to all, very proud of you! The new list is in their books for next week. Congratulations to Thea who got the classes 1st Star of the week trophy award for persevering with her English work and aiming to improve her sentence word building skills in writing. I wonder who will be going home with the trophy next week?
The children now have a PE session of a Monday and Friday afternoon. Please could you ensure that your child has a kit which includes outdoor trainers in school on those days.
Please come in to see me as usual for a chat if you need to discuss anything to do with your child.
Have a lovely weekend together.

Mr Mavin

Once again, Class 2 have had an ‘I can’ attitude in all aspects of their school work this week.
In English they have moved on to different story texts in their RWI groups and have looked more in depth at improving their sentence structure when recording text related sentences. Talk for writing has been key with the children experimenting with more adventurous vocabulary. In reading we have worked on answering verbal comprehension questions, giving more of an evidential answer as well as a predictive one. The children have also enjoyed our whole class story times where I am sharing some of my favourite stories. Next week….one from Roald Dahl. For their spelling and grammar we have used the conjunction ‘and’ to link sentences and our ideas together in our writing based on their ideal birthday parties.
In maths the children have been looking in greater depth at subtraction and how we can use apparatus to help when working something out independently. We also talked about how subtraction is relevant and used in their everyday lives in the world around them. We then moved on to finding the difference between 2 quantities in practical contexts and have recorded our number sentences from this alongside ways to record findings in models used to help us. The children are also starting their times tables journey again with their 2 times table.
In topic the children have been exploring ‘the Polar Bear Capital of the World’, a little natural haven called Churchill, a town in Canada. They have been in role as tour guides who are trying to persuade people to visit there. They watched a visual tour presentation of the place and learned about the bear’s habitats and habits they have there. They also reminded people what items they were required to bring to such a destination and when was best to visit. They also gained an understanding of why the bears congregate in the town and the devastating affects which are happening to the ice caps and their normal environments in the wild.
In design and technology the children have been up and down ladders, sawing and also….painting, cutting and sticking bits of their class ‘Grand Design’ house. After a mildly heated discussion as to whether to paint the door pink or not, watching the collaboration and sharing of ideas and materials this week was a joy. Some of the children have also worked on smaller structures and shapes in which resembles the skeleton of a house after they were shown some visual 3D animations of houses being planned and built.
In music the children have incorporated different instruments into their performances and songs with Mrs Tann. The timing of the children playing along as groups or a whole class is really developing. It is evident that we have a class full of budding musicians.
In Science we are continuing to monitor the seasonal weather using our measuring tools we designed and made to collect our findings. The children have a more developed understanding of the seasons and the affects they have on lives during different times of year.
New spelling lists have gone in the children’s books today to be tested next Friday.
Please do not hesitate to come and see me if you need anything and have a lovely weekend together.

Mr Mavin