St. Francis Primary Academy Learning Blog

Fingerprints, Forensics and Focus – Year 6 Step It Up!

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:30:11 GMT

An inspiring week of forensic science, teamwork and strong preparation for SATs.

TL;DR:

Investigated fingerprints and how they identify individuals.

Explored forensic science, including facial reconstruction.

Examined specimens and worked collaboratively in a workshop.

Gained insight into future careers in science and investigation.

Showed strong focus and determination ahead of SATs.

Year 6 have come back after half term with a brilliant attitude and an enthusiasm for learning that has truly impressed us all. It has been wonderful to see such focus, determination, and positivity in the classroom.

The children explored the science behind fingerprints, learning how unique they are and how they are formed. They had the opportunity to examine prints closely and understand how they can be used to identify individuals — just like real forensic investigators! One of the highlights of the workshop was examining live specimens, which gave pupils a hands-on experience and sparked lots of curious questions.

The children also learned about building up facial structures, discovering how experts can reconstruct faces using skeletal features. It was amazing to see their concentration and teamwork as they carefully pieced together information to form conclusions.

The workshop was not only educational but incredibly inspiring. It opened our eyes to potential future careers and showed how science, history and investigation all link together.

We are already hoping to explore other aspects of forensic and anthropology studies in the future.

With SATs fast approaching, we couldn’t be prouder of the hard work Year 6 are putting in every single day. Their commitment, resilience and determination to do their very best is fantastic to see. They are supporting one another, asking thoughtful questions, and really pushing themselves to improve.

If they continue with this positive mindset and effort, they will be more than ready to shine when the time comes.

Well done, Year 6 — keep up the amazing work!

Ladybirds, Lanterns and Lunar New Year Fun in Reception!

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:17:01 GMT

A vibrant week of storytelling, cultural learning and creative celebrations in Reception.

TL;DR:

Settled back into school after half term with enthusiasm.

Voted for favourite class story, choosing What the Ladybird Heard Next.

Learned about China, comparing Beijing with Shanklin.

Discovered their Chinese zodiac animals.

Enjoyed a creative Chinese New Year craft afternoon with families.

It was lovely to welcome the children back to school on Monday and to see them all so ready to learn after the short half‑term break. They settled back into classroom life beautifully, and we’ve had a truly exciting week together.

This week we introduced a system in the class for voting for our favourite book that Miss Mew or Mrs Roberts can read to us! We were very excited and kept pointing out which tower was taller, meaning that book had the post votes. Our first class, pick was 'What the Ladybird Heard Next'.

Our learning focus has been the Chinese New Year. The children explored where China is in the world, looked at photographs of its landscapes and cities, and even compared Beijing to our own Shanklin. They were fascinated by the differences and similarities, and there were plenty of thoughtful discussions. We also discovered which Chinese zodiac year each of us was born in, which caused great excitement across the classroom.

On Wednesday, we were delighted to welcome families into school for a fun‑filled afternoon of Chinese crafts. The classroom was buzzing with creativity, laughter, and plenty of red and gold paper. The children had a fantastic time sharing the experience with you, and the results speak for themselves—just look at the amazing things they made.

It’s been a joyful week of learning, exploring, and celebrating together, and we’re already looking forward to what next week will bring.

Shapes, Stories and Island History – Year 1 Shine This Term!

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:24:12 GMT

A creative and engaging term of history, science, maths and storytelling for our enthusiastic Year 1 class.

TL;DR:

Learned about the history of the Isle of Wight and changes over time.

Investigated materials and their properties through experiments.

Explored 2D and 3D shapes, patterns and tangrams.

Wrote creative stories and character descriptions.

Created outdoor Earth Art using natural materials.

This term, Year One have been incredibly busy and have shown such enthusiasm for their learning!

In History, we have been exploring the fascinating history of the Isle of Wight. The children have loved learning about how the island has changed over time. They asked thoughtful questions and enjoyed comparing the Isle of Wight in the past with how it looks today. It has been wonderful to see them developing their understanding of chronology and talking confidently about “then” and “now”.

In Science, we have been investigating everyday materials. The children have explored a variety of materials such as wood, plastic, metal, glass and fabric, learning to describe their properties using scientific vocabulary like “waterproof”, “transparent” and “flexible”. We carried out some exciting experiments, including testing which materials were best for keeping things dry and investigating which materials were strongest. There were lots of predictions, careful observations and big smiles as we discovered our results!

In Maths, we have been focusing on both 2D and 3D shapes. The children have been identifying, naming and describing shapes by their properties, including counting sides, faces and vertices. They have created repeating patterns, built 3D shapes and even explored tangrams to make pictures and solve shape puzzles.

Our English lessons have been full of creativity. The children have written fantastic character descriptions, thinking carefully about appearance and personality. Over the past couple of weeks, they have designed their own imaginative characters and written short stories about their character bravely defeating a monster! We have been so impressed with their exciting vocabulary and storytelling skills.

In Art, we embraced the outdoors with Earth Art. Using natural materials such as leaves, sticks, stones and petals, the children created beautiful sculptures and patterns. They worked collaboratively, showing great imagination and care in their designs.

What a brilliant term it has been – we are so proud of all their hard work and creativity!

Bee-Bots, Brave Heroes and the Great Fire of London!

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:58:13 GMT

TL;DR:

Practised teamwork and attacking/defending skills in invasion games.
Learned about the Great Fire of London and life in 1666.
Explored animal life cycles and how offspring grow.
Wrote exciting “defeating the villain” adventure stories.
Programmed Bee-Bots to follow simple algorithms.

A busy half term of history, teamwork, storytelling and coding for our enthusiastic Year 2 class.

We have had a fantastic half term in Year 2, full of exciting learning across all our subjects!

In PE, we have been practising invasion games, learning how to use simple attacking and defending skills. The children worked brilliantly as teams, finding spaces, passing carefully, and trying their best to protect their goals.

In History, we have been exploring the Great Fire of London. We have looked at how the fire started, why it spread so quickly, and how London changed afterwards. The children enjoyed comparing life in 1666 to life today.

Our science lessons have been focusing on offspring and life cycles. We learned how animals grow and how babies can look similar to their adults. The children made wonderful diagrams to show how different living things change as they grow.

In RE, we have explored the question “What do Christians think God is like?” by learning the story of The Lost Son. We talked about forgiveness, kindness, and how Christians believe God always welcomes people back when they make mistakes.

In English, we have been writing defeating the villain tales. The children created brave heroes, sneaky villains and exciting problems for their stories. We had some amazing action-packed endings!

Finally, in Computing, the children have used Bee-Bots to practise programming. Everyone has enjoyed creating simple algorithms to move the Bee-Bots around mats and solve little challenges.

What a busy and brilliant half term we’ve had so far!

Puzzles, Pharaohs and Powerful Writing in Year 3!

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:43:35 GMT

A busy few weeks of problem-solving, creative writing and ancient history adventures for Year 3.

TL;DR:

Enjoyed a puzzle afternoon with parents joining the fun.
Learned about right angles in maths and built confidence.
Planned character descriptions inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
Practised inference skills while reading George’s Marvellous Medicine.
Explored Tutankhamun and the Valley of the Kings in history.

Wow – what a busy and exciting few weeks we’ve had in Tim Peake Class!

The children have been absolutely fantastic and have worked incredibly hard across all areas of learning. It’s been a joy to see their enthusiasm, resilience and teamwork shining through each day.

One of the definite highlights of this week has to be our puzzle afternoon. The classroom was buzzing with excitement as the children tackled a range of tricky puzzles, from problem-solving challenges to creative thinking tasks. A huge thank you to the parents who were able to come in and join us. It was wonderful to see you working alongside the children, encouraging them to persevere and even having a go at designing your own puzzles. The children loved sharing their ideas and showing off their thinking skills.

In Maths, we’ve been learning all about right angles. This has certainly tested the children’s endurance, as it’s a concept they’ve found challenging at times. However, they should be incredibly proud of themselves. They’ve shown great determination, asked thoughtful questions and are making really good progress. It’s been lovely to see their confidence grow as things begin to click.

Over in English, we’ve been busy planning our final “orange write” – a character description inspired by The Wizard of Oz. The children have worked hard to bring their characters to life using similes, metaphors and the ever-important “show, don’t tell” technique. Their ideas have been imaginative, descriptive and full of personality, and we can’t wait to see their final pieces.

In Reading, we’ve continued our journey through George’s Marvellous Medicine. The children have been focusing on inference, thinking carefully about what the author is suggesting rather than just what is written on the page. This has sparked some great discussions and thoughtful responses.

Finally, our history lessons have been a real hit as we’ve been learning about Tutankhamun. We explored who discovered his tomb and learned about the fascinating Valley of the Kings. The children have been captivated by ancient Egypt and have asked some brilliant questions along the way.

What a wonderful few weeks it’s been – well done, Tim Peake Class!

Creatures, Coding and a Sleeping Beauty Surprise in Year 4!

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:36:48 GMT

TL;DR:

Watched a live performance of Sleeping Beauty.
Continued exploring Varjak Paw in guided reading.
Designed imaginative creatures using similes and metaphors.
Developed football skills and teamwork in PE.
Learned coding with Turtle Academy to draw shapes and letters.

A creative few weeks of theatre, reading, coding and teamwork for our enthusiastic Year 4 class.

The last few weeks in Ellen MacArthur class have been full of excitement, creativity and lots of brilliant learning!

One real highlight was our visit from M and M productions who performed Sleeping Beauty. The children were absolutely captivated by the performance and loved seeing the story brought to life on stage. There was plenty of discussion afterwards about the characters, the music and the memorable moments – a wonderful experience for everyone.

In guided reading, we have continued to enjoy diving deeper into Varjak Paw. The children are becoming more confident at discussing the text, sharing thoughtful opinions and making predictions about what might happen next. It has been lovely to see how engaged they are with the story and how their understanding is growing each week.

Our English lessons have been bursting with imagination as the children have been busy designing their own creatures. They have done a fantastic job bringing these creations to life, using a wide range of techniques such as similes, metaphors and direct speech. The descriptions have been incredibly creative, and it has been a joy to see how proud the children are of their work.

In PE, we have been focusing on football, which has been a big hit! The children have been developing their skills, practising teamwork and, most importantly, having lots of fun while staying active.

In computing, we have been learning to code using a programme called Turtle Academy. The children have really enjoyed giving instructions to their turtles, making them draw different letters and shapes. Some of the children have even learned how to change the colour of the pen, adding an extra splash of creativity to their coding!

It has been a wonderful few weeks in Ellen MacArthur class, and we are very proud of all the enthusiasm and effort the children continue to show.

Low Moods, Long Division and Ancient Legacies in Year 5!

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:43:44 GMT

TL;DR:

Learned strategies for supporting mental wellbeing.
Tackled division with regrouping and remainders.
Analysed suspense writing in The Phantom Coach.
Started science on reproduction and life cycles.
Explored the legacy of Greeks and Romans in Britain.

A busy week exploring wellbeing, division, mystery writing, science and ancient history.

What a Busy Week We’ve Had!

This Monday, we welcomed our school’s mental health team for a really important session. They talked to us about low moods and shared some brilliant tips on how to change our outlook when we’re feeling down. It was a great reminder that looking after our minds is just as important as looking after our bodies!

In Maths, we’ve been diving into division – and not just the easy stuff! We’re tackling two-digit numbers all the way up to four-digit numbers. There’s been lots of regrouping and even some tricky remainders to keep us on our toes. The children have shown fantastic perseverance – well done, everyone!

Over in English, we’ve been exploring an extract from The Phantom Coach by Amelia B. Edwards. It’s full of suspense and atmosphere, and we’ve had some brilliant discussions about how the author creates tension. The pupils are really enjoying getting into the mystery!

Tinier and less incongruous in its arrangements than the outside, the room was awakening my curiosity. The fire was puffing out smoke by the second. The walls were bare except for the scientific and mathematical scribbles. A mummy stood in the front room surrounded by organs, acid puddles and chairs.

Based on the text -by Arthur G

Science has begun to take us on a fascinating journey into the world of reproduction – both in humans and other animals. There have been lots of “wow” moments as we’ve begun to learn about life cycles and how amazing nature really is.

Finally, in History, we’ve been looking at the incredible legacy of the Greeks and Romans on Britain. From language to architecture, their influence is everywhere – and the children have loved beginning spotting examples in modern life, and relating them to their own experiences.

What a week of Wisdom, Friendship, and Endurance! Here’s to more exciting learning ahead!

Swimming, Skeletons and Science Adventures for Year 6!

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:44:53 GMT

A brilliant start to the term with swimming, immersive science and new learning topics.

TL;DR:

Started swimming lessons and showed great endurance.
Visited Gosport Museum for an immersive science experience.
Assembled skeletons, examined organs and explored taxidermy specimens.
Learned new science skills ahead of the “Healthy Bodies” topic.
Began fresh English, maths and humanities units for spring term.

In Year 6 we have already had a fun and exciting week back!

We had our first swimming session Tuesday where all the children worked and showed that true value of endurance.

Then on Wednesday we had a school trip to the Gosport Museum where we took part in some self-led activities, a trip around the museum, got to see The Lord of the Rings exhibition and lastly take part in a super exciting immersive experience. During this we had to help Dr Bones get into her lab as Dr Moans had locked her out.

We put a whole skeleton body together and unlocked the door.

The next room we took part in activities such as looking at x rays, sticking vital organs onto each other, looking at how muscles work and identifying different joints! Onto the last room which had taxidermy specimens, bones, insects under the magnified glass and skeletons of different animals. It was a great day we all learnt lots and we look forward to using this information when we do our science topic this term!

Our topics for this term:

English – character and instructions
Maths – composing shapes, multiplication, division, and area, perimeter, position and direction.
Reading - Once
History – Ventnor and Victorian Britain
PDL – Stealing and zones of regulation
Art - Photography
French –My class
RE – Kingdom of God.
Science – Healthy bodies – animals and humans

Christingles, Steam Trains and Christmas Magic in Reception!

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:37:42 GMT

A festive week of celebrations, trips and confident performances in Reception’s first Christmas at school.

TL;DR:

Made Christingles with care and welcomed Nursery to join the fun.
Performed confidently at the Christingle service for families.
Enjoyed a secret trip to The Steam Railway.
Celebrated with an attendance treat and toys from home.
A magical first Christmas at big school!

A Magical Week in Reception

What a wonderfully busy week we’ve had in Reception. It’s hard to believe this is our very first Christmas at big school, because the children have taken every moment in their stride and made it truly magical.

We started the week on Monday with our Christingle making. It was such a lovely morning, and we were lucky enough to have some of the Nursery children join us too. The children worked so carefully and were so proud of their creations.

On Tuesday, we welcomed families into school for our Christingle service. The children were absolutely amazing — they sang beautifully and showed such confidence. It was one of those moments that makes you stop and realise just how far they have come since September.

Thursday was our Secret Trip to The Steam Railway, and what a day it was. Every single child from St Blasius made us so proud. Their excitement, their behaviour, and the way they looked out for one another was just wonderful to see.

We rounded off the week on Friday with a special attendance treat. The children brought in toys from home, and the classroom was full of imagination, sharing, and lots of happy chatter.

Reception, you have worked so hard this term and brought so much joy to our school. Enjoy the break — you truly deserve it.

Visitors, Nativity Stars and Festive Fun in Year 1!

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:17:41 GMT

A joyful half term of learning, visitors, performances and festive celebrations for our brilliant Year 1 class.

TL;DR:

Welcomed visitors including NHS nurses, coastguards and Ability Dogs.
Explored the local area during an autumn geography walk.
Performed confidently in the Nativity show Shine Star, Shine.
Enjoyed Christmas crafts, a KS1 disco and festive activities.
Continued learning poetry, maths skills and the five senses.

What a wonderful half term Year One has had!

It has been an exciting, busy and fun few weeks filled with fun learning, special visitors and memorable events.

This half term, we have been lucky to welcome several fantastic visitors who helped bring our learning to life. NHS nurses joined us to talk to the children about hygiene and keeping our hands clean. Ability Dogs for Young People visited to show how specially trained dogs support children in everyday life. We also had an interesting session with Ventnor Coastguards, who taught us all about keeping safe and their important work. We were also visited by Mr. Randini, who delivered a session on road safety.

Our Geography fieldwork this half term took us on an exciting autumn walk, where the children investigated features of our local environment. They loved being geographers for the day, created some brilliant maps and made thoughtful observations.

This week, we were incredibly proud of the children as they performed in our Nativity Show ‘Shine Star, Shine’. Their confidence, singing and storytelling were wonderful to see, and every child shone on stage. Thank you to families for helping with costumes and practising lines—your support made all the difference.

Another highlight was our Christmas craft afternoon, where family members came in to get creative, making some excellent gingerbread men decorations. It was a lovely opportunity to work together and enjoy some festive fun.

Year One also had a brilliant time at the KS1 Christmas disco, with lots of dancing, laughter and excitement filling the hall!

In class, we have been finishing off the term with a wide range of engaging learning.

In English, we have been exploring poetry, using our senses to inspire descriptive language and imaginative ideas.
In Maths, we have developed our understanding of odd and even numbers and also partitioning.
In Science, we have been investigating the five senses with lots of practical activities.

Even though we’re nearing the end of term, there is still plenty to look forward to! Next week we will be taking part in a special Advent service in church, and we also have a very exciting secret trip planned… but we can’t reveal more just yet!

Thank you for your continued support. We are incredibly proud of the children and all they have achieved this half term.

Swimming Success, Super Muscles and Creative Thinking in Year 3!

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 14:01:49 GMT

A fun-filled week of creativity, fitness and thoughtful learning as Year 3 build skills in and out of the classroom.

TL;DR:

Continued reading The Iron Man with curiosity about the ending.
Learned 2, 4 and 8 times tables and explored square numbers.
Discovered what makes an animal a vertebrate.
Practised hockey skills with Mr Marshall.
Wrote suspense stories and extended learning at home.

Year 3s have had another busy and fun packed week!

In our Design Technology lessons with Mrs Dunn we have been learning about packaging and this week we looked at the different fonts that are used and tried to replicate the lettering.

On Tuesday, it was our last trip to the Heights after ten weeks of swimming lessons! We will very much miss our walk to the bus, our amazing bus driver who negotiates the various road closures to get us there safely, on time and with a different view each week! We were sad to say goodbye to our super swimming teachers but they were delighted to receive a card we made which included a drawing of each of us in the pool. The children have made such good progress over the weeks and I really hope they continue to build on the skills learnt, particularly living on an island!

On the ‘keeping fit’ theme we have joined ‘Active Schools’ and daily complete the imoves sessions – the children particularly enjoyed the boxing session as it linked to our learning in Science where we are looking at the human body – the role of the skeleton and muscles!

This week we learnt about the role of skeletal muscles, particularly the extensor and flexor as shown here by Mila, Finn and Rufus!

In our R.E. lessons we have discussed different views on gender stereotyping in our unit on ‘Angels’. This is Jessica’s wonderful drawing when she was asked to draw people in different roles. The children were very shocked to learn that in some places around the world girls and boys are not treated equally, and they felt very passionate about ensuring that they will continue to treat everyone the same.

Thank you to all our amazing parents who have supported the school this term.

Dragons, Chocolate Cake and the Big 5 – Year 4 in Action!

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:00:29 GMT

A few exciting weeks filled with creative writing, maths mastery, wellbeing workshops and a special cinema trip.

TL;DR

Mastered rounding and column addition with 4-digit numbers.
Wrote suspense stories using short, powerful sentences.
Enjoyed Michael Rosen Day and learned fun poetry facts.
Explored “the big 5” for good mental health.
Celebrated with a cinema trip to How to Train Your Dragon

Over the past couple of weeks, Year 4 Ellen MacArthur class has been busy diving into exciting learning across all our subjects.

In maths, we’ve been developing our confidence with 4-digit numbers. We have practised rounding them to the nearest 10, 100 and 1,000, thinking carefully about which digit helps us decide whether to round up or down. We’ve also been tackling column addition with 4-digit numbers, lining up each place value correctly and remembering to regroup when needed. It’s been wonderful to see everyone growing more accurate and resilient with each lesson.

In English, we’ve stepped into the world of suspense writing. Our focus has been on building tension by using short, snappy sentences and choosing powerful verbs that make the reader feel on edge. The class has embraced the challenge brilliantly, crafting moments that keep the audience guessing about what might happen next. We’ve talked a lot about how even tiny changes to word choice can create a big impact. One of our highlights was Michael Rosen Day. We had the chance to join a live talk with Michael Rosen himself, which felt incredibly special. The children were completely captivated as he performed some of his well-loved poems. His retelling of “Chocolate Cake” had everyone smiling, laughing, and hanging onto every word. We also learned a fun fact—Michael Rosen does not like walnuts! This sparked lots of lively discussion about favourite (and least favourite) foods.

We also took part in an important mental health workshop that introduced “the big 5,” a set of strategies to help us look after our wellbeing. The children explored how staying active, connecting with others, getting enough sleep, eating well, and taking time to relax all contribute to feeling healthy and happy. It was a thoughtful session that encouraged everyone to reflect on how they care for themselves.

To top it all off, last week we were lucky enough to take a trip to the cinema to watch How to Train Your Dragon. The experience was magical - popcorn in hand, cosy seats, and an exciting story full of adventure and imagination. It was a lovely way to celebrate all the hard work the class has been putting in.

Year 4 Ellen MacArthur has certainly had a busy few weeks, and we’re excited for everything still to come!

Pledges, Poppies and Pudsey – What a Week for Year 5!

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 08:15:49 GMT

A week of kindness, reflection and celebration as Year 5 explored Anti-Bullying Week, Remembrance Day and Children in Need.

Wow!! What a wonderful week it has been in Year Five

The week began with an Anti-bullying assembly in the hall, followed by a live lesson from the BBC.

The lesson is made in partnership with the Anti-Bullying Alliance who are the official organisers of Anti-Bullying Week in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The children the designed their own anti-bullying posters and included some of their own pledges.

If you want to find out more you can visit : Anti-Bullying Week 2025 – Live Lesson - BBC Teach

Please enjoy the pledge written by Albie:

I will speak out against bullying.

I will report bullying when I see it happen.

I will learn what is and is not bullying.

I will make others feel relaxed and valued.

I will solve problems in people’s ways.

I will think before I speak or post.

We discussed truths and myths and the importance of telling a trusted adult about any type of bullying.

Year 5 have had another amazing, busy week. As well as our normal lessons this week, we have thought about the significance of 11th November, Remembrance Day. We joined together with St. Francis and Lanesend to share the Remembrance service. The children, of course, completed their 2-minute silence, on the 11th hour, on the 11th day of the 11th month. In class, we watched a short Remembrance video and talked about the effect of the war on both people and animals.

Many of the children were able to share information about the great- grandmothers and great grandfathers and their personal experiences of this time. All the children were very reflective.

We also enjoyed odd sock day on Wednesday and celebrated Children in Need on Friday. What a busy week!

Building Bridges, Bright Futures and Brilliant Minds in Year 6!

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 19:38:51 GMT

TL;DR:

Attended a Kooth Mental Health workshop about wellbeing and transition.
Learned to use Kooth safely and supportively.
Covered exciting topics from big numbers to time zones and poetry.
Explored “Seeing Light” in Science and “Hey, Mr Miller” in Music.
Showed friendship, endurance, and wisdom throughout the week.

Year 6 explored mental health, big numbers, global geography and creative learning as they prepare for their next exciting chapter.

This week, we had a visit from the Kooth Mental Health Team. They delivered a fantastic workshop all about looking after our mental wellbeing and preparing for the exciting transition to secondary school. We learned how to set up our Kooth accounts safely and explored all the ways the platform can support us as we move into this next chapter. The children engaged thoughtfully, asked mature questions and showed great responsibility.

Our topics for this term:

English – suspense, poetry and explanation.
Maths – multiples of 1000, numbers up to 1,000,000.
Reading - Stormbreaker
Geography – time zones and major cities.
PDL – Keeping and staying healthy - alcohol
DT – Building bridges
Music – Hey, Mr Miller. RE – Is Jesus the Messiah?
Science – Seeing light.

Throughout all of our learning this week, our Year 6 pupils have shown exceptional commitment and enthusiasm. They continue to shine by demonstrating our core school values of:

Friendship — supporting one another and working beautifully as a team,
Endurance — tackling challenges with determination,
Wisdom — thinking deeply and making thoughtful choices.

Dream Jobs, Real Heroes and Our First Harvest Festival!

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 19:30:17 GMT

TLDR:

Celebrated Aspiration Day with fantastic costumes and big dreams.
Met Emma the Paramedic and learned about her important job.
Walked to church for their first Harvest Festival.
Reflected on sharing, kindness, and community spirit.
Reception have settled beautifully into their first school term.

Reception Class enjoyed Aspiration Day, met a real paramedic, and celebrated their very first Harvest Festival together.

This week has been full of exciting firsts for our Reception class!

To kick things off, we celebrated Aspiration Day – and what a fantastic day it was! The children came to school dressed as what they would like to be when they grow up. From doctors and dancers to firefighters and astronauts, the classroom was filled with imagination and ambition. It was so inspiring to see the children confidently sharing their dreams with one another.

In preparation for Aspiration Day, Reception had a special visit from Emma the Paramedic last week. Emma spoke to the children about her exciting and important job, showing them some of the tools she uses and explaining how paramedics help people every day. The children loved asking questions and learning all about life as a real-life hero!

Then, on Thursday, we celebrated another big milestone – our very first Harvest Festival. The children did brilliantly walking to the church and sat so beautifully and respectfully throughout the service. It was a lovely opportunity to come together as a school community and reflect on the importance of sharing and giving thanks.

It’s hard to believe we’re already coming to the end of our first term at ‘big school’! The children have settled in so well, made new friends, and embraced every new experience with enthusiasm and joy. We’re so proud of them and can’t wait to see what next term holds!

Counting, Seasons and Old Toys – A Busy Start for Year 1!

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 08:14:38 GMT

A wonderful start to Year 1 with counting, writing, history and science adventures full of creativity and discovery.

TL;DR

Practised creative writing using adjectives and imagination.
Counted forwards, backwards and in 10s through songs and games.
Compared modern and old toys in history.
Explored how the seasons change in science.
A joyful, curious and exciting start to Year 1!

What a fantastic few weeks it’s been in Year One! The children have had so much fun learning about lots of exciting new topics across all of their lessons. They’ve shown great enthusiasm, curiosity, and teamwork as they’ve explored, created, and discovered new things every day.

In English, we’ve been working hard on our writing. The children have been using their imaginations to describe where their stories are taking place, using adjectives to make their writing come alive!

In Maths, we’ve been busy counting forwards and backwards to 20 and even counting in 10s! The children have enjoyed using songs, games, and practical activities to help them understand number patterns and build confidence with their counting skills.

Our History lessons have taken us on a fascinating journey as we’ve explored toys past and present. The children loved comparing the toys they play with today to those from the past, discovering how materials and designs have changed over time.

In Science, we’ve been learning all about the seasons. We’ve talked about how the weather, plants, daylight, animals and humans change throughout the year and enjoyed observing the signs of autumn appearing all around us. It’s been a wonderful start to the year—full of laughter, learning, and lots of achievements. Well done,

Year One! We can’t wait to see what exciting adventures the next half term will bring.

Journey Tales, Guy Fawkes and Shoelaces – Year 2 Do It All!

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:07:03 GMT

A packed start to the term filled with writing, history, science, PE, music and important life skills.

TL;DR

Wrote imaginative ‘journey tales’ using similes and noun phrases.

Learnt about Harvest symbols and the Gunpowder Plot.
Explored habitats, mini-beasts and food chains in science.
Enjoyed tag rugby, music and online safety lessons.
Even mastered tying shoelaces — well done, Year 2!

Year 2 have been fantastically busy recently.

In English, they have been fantastic writers. They have been working hard on their handwriting and they are independently writing their own ‘journey tales’. The children prepared for this by creating their own expanded noun phrases and similes in order to describe the setting of the story.

In R.E., the children have been focused on their unit based around the concept of ‘symbols’ and Harvest and the Harvest loaf. They have enjoyed learning why Harvest and the Harvest loaf are so important to Christians. The children are going to come up with their own ideas of what might be a suitable alternative symbol of Harvest.

In P.E., the class have been working on the fundamental skills of running, jumping, skipping and hopping, whilst enjoying tag rugby lessons with Mr. Linfield.

The class have also been fantastic historians. They have been enjoying learning about King James I, Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. They have also learnt about Catholics and Protestants, why Guy Fawkes was so upset with the King and what his fate was.

In science, the children are coming to the end of their unit on Living Habitats by learning about the habitats of a variety of creatures, including mini-beasts and also looking at food chains.

Finally, in music the children have learnt to sing the song Tony Chestnut with actions and are we about to move on to learning to play the tune on the glockenspiel.

In computing, Year 2 have been deepening their knowledge of online safety.

Finally, in PSHE the children have made a great effort at learning to tie their shoelaces.

They have made a great start to the year and I look forward to seeing what they will achieve.

Kicking Off Year 4 with Maths, Rugby and New Faces

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:10:03 GMT

Ellen MacArthur Class dive into maths challenges, rugby skills, and welcome new classmates in a brilliant start to Year 4.

TLDR:

Year 4 made a strong start with column addition in maths.
Children solved reasoning problems and worked collaboratively.
Rugby lessons introduced tries, offsides, and backward passing.
Pupils are gaining confidence in teamwork and sports skills.
New classmates have been warmly welcomed into Ellen MacArthur Class.

We have had an excellent start to the year in Ellen MacArthur class and are stuck into our learning!

In maths we have been consolidating our work on column addition. We have been able to use our skills to answer problem solving and reasoning questions. It has been fantastic to watch the children work collaboratively and help each other out when they’re feeling confident.

We have enjoyed learning about rugby in our PE lessons. We have learnt that when you score during a game, it is called a try and what the offside rule means. We have learnt to pass confidently behind us and have even practiced passing behind us in teams.

It has been a pleasure getting to know year 4 and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year holds for Ellen MacArthur class. The children have been fantastic at making everyone feel welcome and it is lovely to have some new faces in our class.

Clay Creatures, Tag Rugby Skills and Art for the Town!

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 08:25:07 GMT

A creative and active start for Year 5 with clay pets, rugby teamwork, and a community art project.

TLDR:

Inspired by Barnabus, pupils created clay ‘failed’ pets.
Practised Tag Rugby teamwork and communication.
Started a community art project with Year 6.
Shanklin Town Council introduced the project, including an ex-pupil!
A fantastic, creative start to the year.

Our Amazing Year 5

We started our year reading Barnabus by the Fan Brothers. The children then designed their own ‘failed’ pets and drew pictures of Banabus and Stick 1. We then developed our ideas further and turned them into clay sculptures.

Tag Rugby

The children commenced their first lesson on Tag Rugby and were fantastic at drawing on their prior learning and ready to build upon this further. They worked in pairs and teams of four and six, practising passing the ball, communicating within their group and reminding themselves of the basic rules of the game.

Collaboration with Shanklin Town Council

Finally, we have been asked to work in collaboration with Year 6 to produce a piece of Art for the board in Station Avenue. This is an exciting opportunity for us as our work will be able to be seen for many years. Two members of the council came to talk to us about this and one was even an ex-pupil!

Quizzes, Fire Drills and Fantastic Learning – Year 6 Get Started!

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 08:17:11 GMT

A brilliant start to Year 6 filled with fun quizzes, exciting topics, and impressive determination during unexpected challenges.

TLDR:

Year 6 made a fantastic start, showing hard work and determination.
New learning tool Blooket made quizzes exciting.
Topics include WWII, Skellig, E-Safety, art with pastels, and science circuits.
Pupils impressed during maths tests, even with a fire alarm!
The class are ready for an exciting and challenging year ahead.

What a wonderful start to Year 6 we have had! I am so proud of all the hard work and determination the children have put in these first few days.

Year 6 is always an important year and I am looking forward to journeying through this new year group together!

As part of our curriculum, we do some fun quizzes at the beginning and end of each topic. We are using a new piece of software called Blooket – the children loved this and incorporated the fun into the learning!

Our topics for this term:

English – setting descriptions and persuasion.

Maths – calculating using knowledge of structures.

Reading - Skellig

History – World War Two

Computing – E-Safety

PDL – Water safety and zones of regulation

Art – Discovering pastels.

French – My class

RE – Rituals

Science – Circuits

As we are Year 6, the tests have started already. As part of maths we do an arithmetic test, which is that quick thinking skill. Even though the unexpected fire alarm went off during this, children were fabulous. I am super impressed with their determination and ability to put across those skills!

From Paris to Parliament: Year 6’s Wild Summer Send-Off

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 05:52:28 GMT

Trips, treats and transitions in a whirlwind few weeks

Visited Paris and saw famous landmarks on a boat tour
Conquered rides (and fears!) at Parc Asterix
Made chocolate creations during a sweet stop in Belgium
Helped younger pupils prepare for Sports Day
Still to come: Portsmouth Cathedral and Parliament visits

Wow! What a busy few weeks it’s been for Year 6. Leavers hoodies received, a residential to Paris, some children have visited the Donkey Sanctuary and Robin Hill, we have made our entrance to DCAT in Bloom, helping Reception to practise for Sports Day, a visit from Mr. Davidson to talk to us about the eye, completed a Secondary transition day, and we still have visits to Portsmouth Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament to come. Phew!

Here are just a few photo’s which highlight our busy few weeks.

We also had additional input from two of our class children:

Paris

It all began on a warm very early Tuesday morning, the morning turned to an afternoon as we went from the Isle of Wight to Dover to Calais to France.

The first activity was the sight-seeing, we saw the Eiffel tower, Champs Elyse and Arc de Triomphe. However, the amount of mini Eiffel tower sellers was unpleasing as everywhere you looked there were at least 13 of them! Well anyway the sight-seeing was definitely worth it. After that, we went on a tour boat and saw lots of cool things including the Notre Dame; the Eiffel tower again. Then, we had dinner and went back to the hotel and went to bed.

The next day, we went to Parc Asterix and I am sad to inform you of this but we were forced to go on a ride that not many of us want to go on the water ride (not helping) Mr Augustus said there would be a 50ft drop so my class being the people they are said either YES!!! Or NOOO this is unfair how mean noooo! So as you have heard, it didn't go well. You were thrown around in your seat and 20% of the passengers on the ride in your group would be crying. Anyways, the rest of the rides were a joy and the sun thankfully dried our soaked clothes.

The last day was the best in my opinion as we got to make and buy chocolate in Belgium weirdly the ride didn't feel that long and when we got there we were given a warm welcome and two lovely videos to watch. After that we went and got are Choco in a mould and filled it with sweets (Smarties and marshmallows) then they were set to cool then they will be delivered to our school. After we drove back to the boat and went the long journey back home.

By Amber.N.H and Julia.B

Pirates, Plastic, and Preparing for Year 1

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 05:44:08 GMT

A week of adventure, action, and looking after our world

Celebrated “A New Home for a Pirate” with a pirate dress-up day
Explored sports from the Island Games in an afternoon of active fun
Started a new topic, “Somebody Swallowed Stanley,” with an environmental twist
Welcomed new starters from Furzehill with kindness and leadership
Getting ready for next week’s exciting transition into Year 1!

What an exciting and eventful week we've had in EYFS!

On Friday, we had a swashbuckling end to our learning journey on “A New Home for a Pirate”. The children had a fantastic time dressing up as pirates – our classroom was filled with eye patches, hats, and lots of “Ahoy, matey!” It was a wonderful way to celebrate all the brilliant learning we’ve done around this story.

In the afternoon, we continued the fun by learning all about the Island Games. The children explored different sports and activities from the islands – a great way to combine movement, culture, and curiosity!

Then on Monday, we arrived at school to quite a surprise – the classroom was covered in rubbish! This dramatic start launched us into our new learning journey, “Somebody Swallowed Stanley”. The children were immediately intrigued and keen to investigate. Throughout the week, we’ve been exploring how to care for our environment and the many different uses of plastic. The children showed such compassion and enthusiasm for making a difference – future eco-warriors in the making!

On Wednesday, we were thrilled to welcome the new starters from Furzehill once again. The children loved having them join us for play and learning. It’s such a joy to see our EYFS children showing kindness, patience, and leadership as they help the new starters prepare for their own exciting journey into school life.

Looking ahead to next week, we are full of excitement as we prepare for our transition day into Year 1! It's a big step, and we know our children will approach it with the same curiosity, confidence, and joy they’ve shown all year.

From Honey Hats to Castle Keeps – A Joyful Journey in Year 1

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:48:04 GMT

A creative mix of writing, word problems and a trip to Carisbrooke Castle

Mary Ellis Class have been busy learners over the last few weeks! Every one of them is growing in independence and confidence which is fantastic to see.

In English, we have begun our writing based all around our text on Mrs Honey’s Hat. To get us started, the children created their own imaginative hats by sticking on a variety of interesting items as part of our ‘hook’ activity. They then used their growing vocabulary to describe these items, carefully choosing exciting adjectives and learning how to separate them with commas in their writing.

We’ve also begun exploring how to write speech. The children started by using speech bubbles and some have even started experimenting with speech marks!

In Maths, our young mathematicians have been hard at work solving and creating their own addition and subtraction word problems. Using ‘First’, ‘Next’ and ‘Now’ frames, they’ve been able to break down problems step by step and shown real determination.

To wrap up our History topic on Castles, we enjoyed an exciting visit to Carisbrooke Castle. The children climbed the tower and experienced what life might have been like for Lords, Ladies, Knights and Soldiers by dressing up in costumes.

Some even climbed all the way to the keep, looked through the arrow slits and admired the beautiful views from the top of the walls It was a wonderful day full of learning, laughter and adventure.

From Treasure Maps to Fruit Lollies – Year 2’s Got It Covered!

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:52:30 GMT

Exploring, creating, growing and learning right to the end of term.

TL;DR – Year 2 Highlights:

Athletics in PE and refining catching and throwing skills
Designed and made seaside-themed snacks in DT
Learned about historic seaside holidays using photos and evidence
Created and followed treasure maps in geography
Explored special books, plant growth and fractions in other subjects

As we come towards to the end of the current school year, it is wonderful to reflect upon the progress the children have made since September.

This term, as usual, Year 2 have taken on many challenges and have always shown an eagerness to succeed and a good level of endurance when they been challenged.

This term in PE, Year 2 have enjoyed taking part in athletics and they have spent time refining their catching and throwing skills.

In DT, Year 2 are enjoying their making their own ‘Seaside Snacks’ such as fruit lollies and cupcakes.

In history, the children were fascinated by the topic of ‘Seaside Holidays in the Past.’ They were interested to learn about the steam train and the effect it had on the ability of poorer people to go on their summer holidays at the seaside. The children became mini-historians and examined photographs and other forms of evidence in order to discover what people wore, what kind of entertainment they viewed and what kinds of food people ate at the seaside in the past.

This half term in geography, the children are becoming ‘Map Makers’. They have begun examining maps and have had fun designing their own treasure maps. They had the chance to direct their friends around the maps.

In RE, Year 2 have just begun their learning journey centred around the theme of ‘Special’. The children brought in what they considered to be their very own special books. They discussed why their books were special to them.

In science, the children have been enjoying many practical activities as part of the topic of ‘Growing Plants’. They have learnt about what plants needs to grow. They have also attempted to grow their plants.

Yet again, Year 2 have been fantastic mathematicians. They have successfully refined their addition and subtraction skills. They have applied these skills to their knowledge money. In addition, they have learnt how to find halves, quarters and thirds of various shapes, objects, sets of objects and quantities.

We are looking forward to a fun and eventful end to the school year!

From Pinocchio to Power Cones — What a Week in Year 3!

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:35:45 GMT

Drama, fractions, West End moves, and a quest for the next big treat

✅ TL;DR (Top 5 Highlights):

Won the Attendance Cup and working towards a new reward.
Took part in a high-energy West End workshop.
Introduced cone challenges to boost focus and coordination.
Used drama to bring Pinocchio alive in English.
Learned about unit fractions with movement and teamwork.

Tim Peake have had a super week that began last Friday when they achieved the Attendance Cup!

We have all been working hard to ensure that we are at school every day, ready and on time and we are well on our way to our next attendance treat by spelling out the words ‘ST BLASIUS’ – what treat will they choose?

On Wednesday, those children selected to take part in DCAT Enriched (a third of the class!) took part in a West End Workshop to begin to learn their piece – Mrs Bushell popped in to see how they were at break time and has never seen so much enthusiasm, energy and enjoyment in one song – well done all!

We have introduced ‘cones’ to enable us to challenge our brains and our motor movements in between lessons – when books are being handed out, we work on beating our prior score to stack and unstack the cones with our left and right hands – our partner keeps score!

In English we have begun a unit based on Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi and we have been using drama prior to our writing tasks – look at us acting out the scene when Master Cherry was about to chop the piece of wood!

In Maths we have been learning about fractions and yesterday we had to make a whole using unit fractions – there was a lot of calculating, and movement, to ensure we had the right amount of parts!

And even a wet play in June didn’t dampen our enthusiasm, creativity and fun!

What a super week – and an amazing year we have had – Mrs Bushell will miss you all lots when you move up to Year 4!

Xylophones, Times Tables and a Journey to Jo’burg

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:42:08 GMT

A week of music, maths and meaningful reading

This Week in Ellen MacArthur Class:

We started reading Journey to Jo’burg and made predictions using the cover and blurb
Practised times tables daily in preparation for the multiplication check
Challenged Miss Steven to Rock Stars battles – and we’re winning!
Explored seasonality in Design and Technology, linking it to climate and availability
Played xylophone chords and began learning a full song in music class

This week has been full of exciting learning in Ellen MacArthur class.

We have started to read ‘Journey to Jo’burg’ by Beverley Naidoo and are delving into predicting what is going to happen in the book. We have used the blurb and front cover to help us make our predictions and are looking forward to reading on and seeing what happens next!

Every day this week have been practicing our times tables ahead of the Multiplication check coming up. We are getting super speedy and Miss Steven has

enjoyed trying to race us now she has her own Times Tables Rock Stars account – we are definitely winning at the moment! The children have been so resilient in tackling the tricky tables and giving it their best go every time; it isn’t easy but they’re showing our value of endurance by keeping going even when it gets tough.

When we’re not doing our times tables, we have enjoyed being creative. In design and technology, we are focussing seasonality. We have explored what seasonality means and looked at a calendar showing which fruits are available during which seasons. We then made good links to our previous knowledge of seasons and climate to explain why we can’t get every fruit all year round.

Music has been good fun this week too; we have been learning to play chords on the xylophone and are building up to playing and singing a whole sing together!

Beans, Picnics and Big Ideas in Reception

Fri, 09 May 2025 15:24:39 GMT

Planting seeds, learning about jobs, and celebrating VE Day together

✅ TL;DR (Top 5 Highlights):

Planted seeds and learned parts of a plant.
Started a bean-growing experiment in a sandwich bag.
Discussed different jobs and uniforms in our community.
Celebrated VE Day with a lovely picnic.
A week full of discovery, teamwork and smiles.

This week in Reception, we've had an absolutely, fabulous time!

On Tuesday, we delved into the fascinating world of plants, learning how to plant our own and discovering the different parts of a plant. We even got our hands dirty in the garden, planting seeds and watching them grow. We then explored what would happen if we tried to grow a bean in a sandwich bag… stay tuned for the results!

Wednesday, we spent time looking at and discussing the important jobs that our families and members of our community have. We discussed the special clothes that different professionals wear. The children came up with some brilliant examples, vets, doctors, builders, and job workers are just some examples.

On Thursday, we celebrated VE Day with a fabulous picnic, enjoying delicious food and fun activities with our fabulous families. It was a lovely way to commemorate the end of World War II and learn about history.

What a fantastic week of learning and fun!

From Greedy Seagulls to Giant Mammals – A Bright Start to Summer Learning

Fri, 02 May 2025 11:35:56 GMT

Sunny playground science and creative writing have set the tone for an exciting new term

This Week in Mary Ellis Class:

Kicked off the summer term full of energy and sunshine
Described cheeky seagulls with similes in English
Explored addition and subtraction with part-whole and bar models
Learned about mammals and their features in Science
Used chalk to create giant animal diagrams on the playground

Mary Ellis Class has had an excellent start to the Summer Term! The sunshine has lifted everyone’s spirits and the children returned full of energy and ready to learn.

This week in English, we have been diving into the world of ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’. The children focused on describing the mischievous, greedy seagulls using powerful adjectives and imaginative similes. It’s been wonderful to see them bringing their writing to life.

Our young mathematicians have been hard at work exploring addition and subtraction. We’ve used part-part whole models and bar models to represent problems and the children have done a fantastic job writing equations to match. Their confidence with number work is soaring!

All the children have really enjoyed beginning our Science topic on ‘Animals’. On Tuesday we learnt all about mammals and their key features. The children worked in teams to draw chalk outlines of different mammals in the playground and label their features.

We are so excited for a term full of growth, sunshine and exciting discoveries. Thank you for your continued support – we can’t wait to share more of our learning with you.

Exploring the Arctic, Smashing Cricket Shots, and Cracking 3D Shape Challenges

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:24:19 GMT

A brilliant term of geography, sport, science, RE, and maths as Year 2 prepare for even more exciting learning.

It’s great to be back with Year 2 after the Easter holidays.

In the weeks leading up to Easter, Year 2 were very active in their learning. On Tuesdays, they were lucky enough to take part in ‘Chance to Shine Cricket’ with Mr Poplett and on Fridays they took part in rugby lessons. They greatly enjoyed both activities and improved their skills as the weeks went on.

In Geography, the children became Arctic explorers and learnt about the variety of countries occupying the Arctic Circle. They also learnt about the types of animals which live in the Arctic Circle and the human and physical features of the Arctic. The children were then able to successfully compare a town in the UK with a town in the Arctic Circle called Sisimuit. They also investigated the Inuit people and made posters displaying interesting facts about the people and their way of life.

In RE, Year 2 developed their knowledge of the Easter story. They imagined how Christians would feel at Easter and thought about which parts of the Easter story would make them feel happy and which parts of the Easter story would make them feel sad.

In science, the children continued with their learning on the topic of ‘Growth and Survival’. They finished the term by examining the life cycles of various animals including chickens.

Year 2 have been fantastic mathematicians. At the end of last term, they successfully took on the challenge of adding a two-digit number to another two-digit number. I was impressed with the prior knowledge that they had retained from previous work on addition; we were able to build on this very successful.

We also investigated 2D and 3D shapes, including identifying which 2D shapes form the faces of various 3D shapes. As part of their learning, the children created their own 3D shapes. Finally, the children applied their mathematical skills to some problem-solving challenges.

We are looking forward to this term and what the children can achieve.

From Broad Beans to Bouncy Castles: A Week of Learning and Fun

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:47:42 GMT

A fun-filled week of geography, science, sport, and celebrations as we head into the Easter break.

What a great week we have in the lead up to our Easter Holidays! It certainly has been action packed!

We have been learning about ‘Our European Neighbours’ in Geography – and have become experts in human & physical features, flags and capital cities – using a Top Trump style game. It has also given us another excuse to celebrate how many different countries our families are from.

We have enjoyed the practical side of our Science unit on ‘How Plants Grow’ and daily checked how our broad beans were germinating (although some of the class did not believe that they would in cotton wool and water!) So yesterday, we planted them and they went home with a promise to record their growth and share on DoJo! We used other types of seeds when making bird feeders to help encourage birds into our gardens – It was great fun moulding the various ingredients with lard!

Tuesdays are our P.E. day and we have been lucky to have Mr. Poplett coaching us in ‘Chance to Shine Cricket’ in the mornings together with tennis in the afternoons! The children are looking forward to continuing developing their cricketing prowess at local clubs in Dynamos or All Stars cricket coaching sessions.

Finally, some children in the class were recognised for achieving 100% attendance this term – they had a great time on the bouncy castle (that took up most of the field!) and we are keeping our fingers crossed that the whole class can achieve this next term!

Dinosaurs, Fairy Tales, and Ferry Rides – A Week to Remember for Year 4

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:37:56 GMT

From writing adventures to museum discoveries, Ellen MacArthur Class made the most of every moment this week.

In Ellen MacArthur Class, we have continued to work hard and learn well. I have been immensely proud of the children's effort and progress in all areas. More and more of the class are getting top marks in our times-tables practices, and their writing moves from strength to strength, with them finishing and editing their alternative fairy stories this week. They have really thought about their toolkits to make gripping openings and interesting and satisfying endings for them.

The highlight of the week has definitely been our trip to the Natural History Museum in London. We went there with St Francis Academy as part of our science unit to investigate different teeth of animals extinct and extant (still living today) and saw some amazing examples. We used our learning from class to work out whether the teeth belonged to carnivores, herbivores or omnivores.

Of course we made the most of our visit to explore other area of the museum too. We particularly enjoyed the dinosaur exhibits, complete with an animatronic T-Rex! Other highlights included the whale skeletons and being in a recreation of an earthquake in Japan.

It was an excellent experience for us all - even taking a boat to the mainland is exciting if, like me, you don’t do it very often. I know the children all thoroughly enjoyed themselves, even if they were pretty tired by the end of that long day!

Thank you to Mrs Cooke and Miss McGimpsey for helping to make the trip so successful. I would also like to praise the children for continuing to display the exemplary behaviour for which they are becoming well known.

A Week of Eagles, Pancakes, and Storybook Magic in Reception

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 17:10:41 GMT

his week in Reception, we were lucky enough to have a visit from the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, who came to talk to us about white-tailed eagles.

The children were captivated by the fascinating facts and images shared by the sanctuary team, and it was a perfect way to bring the wonders of nature into our classroom. Then in the afternoon, we enjoyed our PE lesson with Mr Poplett, modelling different positions with our bodies!

On Tuesday, we celebrated Shrove Tuesday with enthusiasm, learning about its significance and tradition. We decorated our own pancake faces and wrote a list of ingredients for our own special (and extra sugary) pancakes. Of course, the highlight of the day was getting to eat them!

Thursday was extra special as we celebrated World Book Day. Everyone had fun dressing up as their favourite characters. It was fantastic to have our adults join us for the celebration, and we all enjoyed reading together and celebrating the magic of stories.

Our literacy work continued with the beloved story Dear Zoo, where the children wrote a short recount about our trip to the zoo last week. We finished the week with our outdoor learning, singing nursery rhymes and exploring the nature.

It’s been a week of fun, learning, and creativity in Reception, and we can’t wait to see what next week has in store!

Exploring Numbers, Emotions, and Sports – A Busy Week in Mary Ellis Class!

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:33:16 GMT

Mary Ellis have definitely had a busy week back after half term and I have been really impressed with their attitude towards their learning since returning from the February break.

In Maths we have been learning how to represent the numbers 6 to 10 with a five and a bit structure. We have represented these in different ways, using our fingers, using double sided counters within a tens frame and using the rekenrek.

PDL this term is all about emotions, especially jealousy. Before half term we had the Mental Health Support Team in to talk to the children about naming feelings and being able to recognise them. The children were extremely knowledgeable and enjoyed this interactive session with the team.

This week we have begun Cricket on a Tuesday morning and Tennis in our afternoon PE session. The children have had lots of fun learning how to throw a ball to one another and being in the get ready position, to move quickly, so they can catch the ball.

Trapping Myths, Tackling Multiplication, and Crafting Clay – A Busy Week in Year 2!

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 08:23:25 GMT

Year 2 have very busy recently.

In English, they independently written their own ‘defeating the monster’ tales. The children prepared for this by creating their own expanded noun phrases, sentences of three in order to describe the characters in the story.

They have now moved on to instruction writing. The final task in this learning journey is to write instructions on how to trap a mythical creature.

In maths, Year 2 have been learning about multiplication. You should have now received the children’s TTRS passwords.

In R.E., the children have been focused on their unit based around the concept of ‘What do Christians believe God is like?’ They have retold the Parable of the Lost Son and discussed the Christian view of God as forgiving. They role played how they would forgive others and discuss why it is important to forgive others.

In P.E., the class have been playing invasion games, including elements of netball and hockey.

In computing, Year 2 have been working on their programming skills. They have used the bee-bots to do this.

In history, they are enjoying learning about Florence Nightingale.

Whilst in science, the children are coming to the end of their unit on Growth and Survival.

In Art, they have greatly enjoyed working on creating sculpture through various mediums, such as clay.

Exploring Nature, Moon Phases, and Stained Glass: A Creative Week in Tim Peake Class

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 09:35:57 GMT

This week, Year 3 have been exploring their creative side through a range of exciting activities that encouraged collaboration, problem-solving and artistic expression.

Inspired by the work of Andy Goldsworthy, they ventured outdoors to collect natural materials and used them to create stunning temporary artworks, appreciating the beauty of nature and the concept of impermanence

To celebrate Saint Blaise Day on 3rd February, the children worked together to make beautiful stained-glass windows depicting his symbol of crossed candles.

The whole school have been producing artwork as part of a P.E.A.C.H. (Partnership for Education, Attainment and Children's Health) Art Competition. The theme is CHANGE and Tim Peake Class kept with their class space connection and looked to the night sky, carefully painting the phases of the moon to deepen their understanding of the changes in the lunar cycle.

Throughout the week, the children demonstrated fantastic teamwork, sharing ideas, supporting one another and taking pride in their collective achievements. It has been wonderful to see their creativity flourish, and we are all looking forward to more exciting projects ahead!

And on a final note… they’re even creative on skateboards!

Maths Battles, Magical Creatures & Melting Moments!

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 09:29:03 GMT

Ellen MacArthur Class have had a brilliant start to the new year and have been working super hard.

Last week, we competed against other DCAT schools in the Times Tables Rock Stars Challenge 'Battle of the Brains'. As well as ending up in a respectable position on the leaderboard, we have also got better and better at our times tables recall. We have also made a huge amount of progress in our writing, where we have been using various devices inspired by E Nesbit's 5 Children and It to create characters of imaginary creatures.

We got technical in Science, where we used a digital thermometer to measure the melting points of different solids, including butter, chocolate and ice-cream. Now we know why fridges and freezers are so important! This term we are being particularly active with three PE sessions a week. As well as our regular lesson, where I am teaching football skills, we are lucky enough to have a specialised rugby coach to visit is on Fridays.

Our regular sports coach, Mr Poplett is also inspiring us to get active with our Chance to Shine cricket opportunity. I have been so impressed with the effort the children are putting into these sessions and can see that they're having lost of fun doing so.

So, a great start to 2025 - let's see what else it will bring!

Teamwork, Sports & Exciting Learning in Year 5!

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 10:02:59 GMT

It's hard to believe that we are already well into the school year but year 5 class are truly settling in well and thriving as always!

From the very first day back after half term the children have been excited to learn, engaged and ready to learn together.

We have been doing some group work recently in RE where the children had to work with different people and all have a different role within the team. It was an interesting task but they took it in their stride with determination and enthusiasm.

In PE the children are very lucky to have an extra session of cricket in the morning with Mr Poplett as well as then in the afternoon with the both of us doing netball. There have already been several new skills learnt to improve our overall gameplay. I have been very impressed and will be keeping an eye out to see children who continue to try their hardest and take on that team spirit.

We look forward to even more exciting learning moments in the weeks to come. Keep up the great work year 5, you are all doing amazing.

Drama, Dialogue & Dark Discoveries: Year 6 in Action!

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:43:10 GMT

The children Year Six have had another amazing, busy week. As part of our English lessons we have been studying a model text from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

The children have worked in partners taking the role of Nelly and Mrs. Linton and have really been able to get into character. To do this we has used role play to get into character considering how dialogue is used to move the story forward. Here are a few examples that the children have created so far.

Original piece “Don’t you see that face?” she enquired, gazing earnestly at the mirror. And say what I could, I was incapable of making her comprehend it to be her own; so I rose and covered it with a shawl.

“It’s behind there still!” she pursued, anxiously. “And it stirred. Who is it? I hope it will not come out when you are gone! Oh! Nelly, the room is haunted! I’m afraid of being alone!”

“It’s still within my eye-sight!” in a shivering tone. “Who is this? I hope this cruel creature does not come out to kill me. Oh! Nelly, the hotel is demonic, please don’t leave me!”

Troy

“It is behind it!” she said in an anxious tone. “It keeps swaying! What is is? I hope it won’t attack me when you leave! Oh! Nelly, the bedroom has spirits!”

Millie

In Art we are looking at the media of photography. The children have begun by looking at how images can be taken from different places and reassemble to create a new image.

Racing into the New Year: Tracks, Transport & Tiny Creatures!

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 07:56:16 GMT

Reception have had a great start to the New Year. We have started the new topic of Transport and looked at different forms of transport comparing long ago to more recent times and spotting what had changed and what remained the same.

With our new topic in mind, we have started our new Mountain Challenges this week. We have been tasked with building a track so that our toy cars can have a race and have been testing our fine motor skills cutting out 2D shapes to complete a picture of a bus.

As the weather hasn’t been too bad, we have been able to use our outdoor area every day so far. We have been building, digging and using the water tray, we have also been adding to our bug hotel. We found a couple of worms whilst we were digging so we were able to use our magnifying glasses to take a closer look at them as they wiggled into their new home.

In music we have been listening to bird song and copying their sounds and movements. We also got to join in with the cuckoo song.

Nativity Stars, Spooky Stories & Smelly Surprises!

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:30:23 GMT

Wow, Wow, Wow Year 1. We have had an absolutely fabulous half term. I have seen the children come on leaps and bounds within all their learning and am so, so proud of each and every one of them.

They all worked so hard to learn the songs for Nativity and I hope that you can agree that it was an amazing production.

In Maths this past couple of weeks we have been learning how to use inequality and equality symbols to compare numbers. We have also been using part-whole models to represent a whole partitioned into parts.

In English the children have been writing a short scary narrative based around our text this term ‘The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark’. They all gave some amazing scary adjective suggestions which has led to some great extended sentences, as well as some of them writing similes.

In Science we have had fun learning all about our senses. Last week we did a smell test. They all enjoyed trying to work out what the scents were. I think their favourite had to be the sweet smell of chocolate spread. They weren’t so sure of the garlic!

Diving, Dancing & Discoveries: A Week of Fun & Learning!

Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:09:31 GMT

Another busy, but exciting week in Tim Peake Class! It was ‘Chance to Shine’ week where the children had an opportunity to show how much they had learnt this term. They were extremely respectful to others by working silently, checked through their answers and all tried their very best.

Assessment continued at the Heights too for our (nearly) last lesson where we were swimming lengths/widths. The children have all being working so hard building their swimming skills and I had some super comments from the swim coaches about their progress. I am sure that they will want to continue with lessons in the New Year.

In Science we began our investigation following our learning about human and animal bones and muscles. The children thought of a question to investigate, predicted what may be the result, thought about equipment and what to do to make it a fair test. I am sure they will let you know the results next week!

After a busy week they certainly let their hair down at the school KS2 disco last night! Year 3 were pronounced the best dancers (thank you Mr. Lynas1) and Judah Carman was presented with the ‘Best Limbo Dancer in Year 3’ balloon hat!

And then this morning they came into school (still with a bit of face paint on!) laden with gifts for the tombola at our Christmas Fayre next Friday. They have certainly been showing our values of Friendship, Wisdom and Endurance this week

Drunken Sailors and other modern day banned items in school!

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:50:41 GMT

We have had a fun and busy week in Year 5!

Year Five have once again had a great start back after the October half term.

We are learning about lots of new topics and children are really putting their all into it!

In maths we consolidated our knowledge on negative numbers by playing a game with our partners. The children were really engaged and even Mrs Potts was impressed by all the children.

In DT this term we are looking at making moving toys , this week we were looking at structure and had a competition to see who could hold the heaviest item with their structure. I look forward to seeing end result at the end of the term.

In music we have been learning ‘The Drunken Sailor ’, and this is something that we have all been enjoying. This week we had a mid point assessment where we learnt:

“Hey, ho! Nobody home!

Meat nor drink nor money have I none.

Still I will be very merry.

Hey, ho! Nobody home!”

They all did really well and even managed to add some body percussion.

In English we are looking at suspense and what makes a piece of writing suspenseful. This week we are starting to generate our ideas about a modern day banned item in school!

All children wrote a prequal to their suspense story with hoe the banned item got into their bag including this one—

At home my parents don’t allow me to drink coffee but why are my friends allowed too? I’m tired of no coffee but today was the day I’m going to sneak it in, it can’t be that hard.

I woke up very early that morning so I could use the coffee machine in my home. I got my water bottle, put milk into it and turned it on. I then heard the loudest noise. Thankfully no on heard it! I’m still safe.

I look forward to reading the suspense story in full!

Dina Asher-Smith Class Update Autumn 2024

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 09:56:12 GMT

Wow!! What a wonderful week it has been in Year 6!

Year Six have had a wonderful, creative, messy start to their new school academic year. We kicked off the school year thinking about what makes a good leader. From this many of our Year 6 decided to be courageous and put themselves forward to be considered for House, Vice Captain, and School Council.

An amazing well done to all and I am really proud of the way the class supported each other in the process.

We have started the year writing some setting descriptions. Here are a couple for you to enjoy:

In vast ocean someone was sailing and crash landed on a desert island. They started scavenging for food and materials fast because it was one day before winter.

Luckily, he brought lots of materials in case it’s happened. So he got to work, he made a list on what to do. I will tell you the list :

Melt sand to make glass.
Flip the boat,
Put the glass on the boat,
Make a chimney out of supplies,
Make a fire place,
Make a door,

Done. A few hours after he finished his checklist and he started working on a fire. As soon a s you walked in you could smell burning wood from the fireplace.

By Noah Sainsbury-Fillis

Once there was a tiny house in a snowy town. The house was made out of wood and it was painted green so it wouldn’t look boring and in that house lived Santa.

Santa was a huge man with a long, white beard. Inside you could hear the fire and Santa snowing on a cosy chair. Outside, you could see barrels filled with wood.

If you would walk past, you could smell mince pies being made and baked.

By Julia Biesaga

Here are a few examples of our stunning art work from last week using the media of pastels and chalk.

Malala Yousafzai Class Update Autumn 2024

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 09:34:41 GMT

We have had a fun and busy week in Year 5!

Year Five have had a fabulous start to their new school academic year. From the moment they all stepped into the classroom they have shown enthusiasm and eagerness to learn! We have had some amazing work, from setting descriptions in English to learning about lifecycles and different parts of plants in science. I am super excited for the year ahead.

Year 5 have a brilliant attitude to learning and many eager to take every opportunity that they can!

We have started the year writing some setting descriptions. Here are a couple for you to enjoy.

On a gloomy dark evening, I was walking around London but for some reason I felt like someone or maybe something was following me, it was strange. Then I heard this voice in the distance saying my name. I shouted “Who are you? And how do you know my name?”

“Oh I know every bodies name dear” said she “As I am a ghost and I’ve been watching you.”

And then I knew who she was, she was the Women in White my parents have told me stories about her but I didn’t think they were real …

Then she reached out and grabbed me and forever more I am a ghost and have taken her spot!

By Allina Craig

At the end of the train track a mysterious figure appeared out of nowhere.

All around was pitch black and foggy mist so I couldn’t see who it was.

I started hearing bells in my head my stomach churned then I looked up at the figure disappeared I looked all around and all I could see was the black night.

Then I ran far and tripped and fell and there it was; a figure in front of me, white garments from head to toe! I don’t know what to do—to run or hide? Then she said something? “What train goes to London?” I said “12pm the train goes to London.” We turned around and the train was coming!

By Millie Guy

Tim Peake Class Update Autumn 2024

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:52:31 GMT

Tim Peake class have had another busy week and have really settled into Key Stage Two!

In Art they have learnt a new way to draw trees using a ‘V’ shape – you can see how proud they are of their work!

In maths we have been discovering different ways to use the manipulatives that help us with our calculations. We used double sided counters to investigate patterns and compare numbers

In our Science learning on ‘Animals including Humans’ we completed a survey this week to find out what pets the class have and what they eat! This involved the children asking questions of each other and completed a tally chart and to find out what the animals ate ‘experts’ shared their personal knowledge from feeding their own pets at home. As a class we have a total of 225 pets!! but this does include quite a lot of fish!

Our Tuesday swimming lessons are going really well! The children are in ability groups now and are gaining confidence every week in readiness for the 2032 Olympics!

Tanni Grey-Thompson Class Update Autumn 2024

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:45:17 GMT

Year 2 have been very busy recently!

In English, they independently wrote their own ‘journey tales’. The children prepared for this by creating their own expanded noun phrases and similes in order to describe the setting of the story. They have now moved on to persuasive writing. The final task in this learning journey will be to write a persuasive leaflet advertising ‘The Hibernation Hotel.’

In maths, after successfully finishing their learning around place value, they have moved on to working on addition and subtraction; putting their place value skills to use.

In R.E., the children have been focused on their unit based around the concept of ‘symbols’ and Harvest and the Harvest loaf. The children have come up with their own ideas of what might be a suitable alternative symbol of Harvest. In P.E., the class have been working on the fundamental skills of running, jumping, skipping and hopping. They have also started to learn how to skip with a skipping rope. We had some very good attempts. They will use these skills as they move on to taking part in striking and fielding games in the coming weeks.

In computing, Year 2 have been refining their knowledge of online safely.

In history, they are enjoying learning about King James I, Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

Whilst in science, the children are coming to the end of their unit on Living Habitats by learning about the habitats of a variety of creatures, including mini-beasts and also looking at food chains.

Finally, in music the children learnt to sing the song Tony Chestnut with actions and have moved on to learning to play the tune on the glockenspiel.

Mary Ellis Class Update Autumn 2024

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:40:32 GMT

Wow! What a super half term we have had in Year 1. I have been really impressed with their enthusiasm towards their learning and how well the children have settled into new routines within KS1.

In Maths this week we have been learning to find more and less of a given number using manipulatives and to find missing numbers within a count. We have been using stacking counters to create staircase representations for one more and one less and the children have been saying the comparative sentences

In Music we have been learning ‘The Menu Song’. The children have enjoyed coming up with food actions for each day of the week and keeping a steady beat with clapping and tapping. It was a great final performance of this in class this week.

In PE we have been exploring combination jumping and skipping with a skipping rope. The children have been working well together in teams and also shown real perseverance and determination.

I am really looking forward to seeing them continue to grow next half term!

Meeting Colin Counting Finger in maths and Fred in phonics

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 09:42:04 GMT

Wow!! What a very busy, busy, busy first half term we have had in ‘big’ school! And now we are raring to go with what we know will be another very exciting albeit busy term!

We have been busy exploring our new environment, making new friends, learning what big school is all about and making our brains full with lots of new information! We have met Colin our counting finger in maths, met Fred in phonics and Mr Grumble Grey Bear our home bear! We have been learning our sounds to help us read and write and had lots of opportunities to develop our skills in our discovery time.

We have made and tasted our own bread, been to the church for our first Harvest Festival, and appeared in the County Press!!

We finished the term with our aspiration day! We were super lucky to have Charlie’s mummy who is a nurse and Papa G who works with the RNLI come and talk to us about their fabulous roles in society.

Watch this space for our future updates!!

Ellen MacArthur Class Update Autumn 2024

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 09:21:58 GMT

Well, it's still only September, but Ellen MacArthur Class have certainly got into the swing of things with some superb work and learning as they begin Year 4.

It is a real privilege to teach a group of children who are so dedicated to their learning, kind to each other, and take so much pride in their work.

In maths, we have been learning the column method of addition to add numbers with up to three digits. To help us really understand this process, we have been using concrete, pictoral and abstract methods, all of which are shown in the photos - I wonder if you can tell which method is which? Alongside this, we have been consolidating our knowledge of times-tables; it is the year where we have our Multiplication Tables Check, and we are making sure we are good and ready for it when it comes in the summer!

There has also been some exceptional writing going on. We have been inspired by The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley to write underwater settings. We have really thought about how to be writers by using our toolkits to ensure we use a range of techniques to grab our reader's imagination and paint a picture in their head. I have been really impressed with the attention to detail that the children have shown, and how much they seem to enjoy creating fantastic descriptions.

On top of all this, the class have reenacted the story of Noah and the flood, imagined being a trader in an ancient civilisation, shown some great tag-rugby skills, as well as a host of other achievements. What a fine start to the year - I can't wait to see their progress for the rest of Year 4.

Year 5 - Mass in science and 5 jumps to beat a world record!

Fri, 17 May 2024 07:45:52 GMT

It has been an interesting week in Year 5, not least because we did a lot of our morning learning in the hall while Year 6 borrowed our room for SATs.

The pupils adapted well to this situation and made some great progress. In maths the children have been learning about decimals, and how to add and subtract them - I have been really impressed with how well their understanding grew and grew around this sometimes tricky concept. Year 5 are also smashing their ability to edit their own work for punctuation, and have become pretty adept at using commas, brackets and dashes for parenthesis.

The photos depict my two favourite lessons of the week:

In science, we dropped items of different mass into a cocoa-sprinkled tray of flour to investigate how the weight of an object affects the depth and size of the crater produced. This was a fun lesson, and in general, our hypothesis that heavier objects created deeper craters was proven to be correct. Measuring the depth of the craters in centimeters also helped us consolidate the understanding of decimals that we gleaned in maths.

On Thursday, we were pleased that the morning rain cleared for us to have our PE lesson on the field. We learned the less-than-straightforward technique for the triple-jump (hop, step, jump). We also watched a clip of Jonathon Edwards jump an amazing distance of 18.29m - a world record that still stands nearly 30 years later. We measured out the distance and saw how many jumps we would need to reach that total; for most of us (including me) it was three, four or five!

We are now looking forward to our last week before the half-term break, where we will be back in our classroom and eager to learn even more!

PHEW!!!! Big school is super tiring!

Wed, 08 May 2024 16:09:36 GMT

Wow!!

We have had a super exciting first week back at school full of learning and fun! We have had lots of fun sharing our new book… Whatever Next! by Jill Murphy. We have talked about how we would get to space and what space would look like and made our own rockets from junk, building blocks, play doh and all sorts of things we could find!

The adults are really impressed with how well we are doing learning our phonics and using our Fred talk… we are now learning special friends (2 letters 1 sound). Soon we will be able to join some of the bigger children to progress even further!

In maths we have been looking at our numbers to 5. We have had lots of fun subitising with our eyes, ordering numbers and matching objects to numbers.

We have a very busy month this month with our reading breakfast, lunch with our adults, Randini and a trip to the cinema! Oh and who could forget Christmas and the nativity!

We cant wait!

Last term was super busy too… we had such fun walking to the church with the big children. We felt very proud of ourselves how we performed in front of a big audience for the first time. We had our Aspiration Day… this is where we got to dress up for the job we would like to do when we are bigger… we had lots of fun learning about these jobs.

AND… we had our attendance treat as we managed to get all of our letters – we had ice cream AND popcorn!

PHEW!!!! Big school is super tiring!

Year 5 - Our 'Chance to Shine' and how Marconi is linked to the Isle of Wight!

Wed, 08 May 2024 08:07:40 GMT

We have had a very busy week this week as it was our 'Chance to Shine!' I have been really proud of the students during these assessments and of what they have achieved. As well as improving on past performances, the pupils are really getting used to answer the different types of questions that are presented to them.

During these weeks, we like to do something slightly different in the afternoons. In year 5, we have looked at our school logo, explored the story of St Blaise, and produced a piece of artwork inspired by our logo, school values (Wisdom, Endurance and Friendship) and our vision , particularly 'Follow in the footsteps of Jesus' and 'Enjoy and achieve in life in all its fullness'.

We have also had our weekly philosophy lesson with Rob Torrington. This week we learnt how to have a debate, and how to give reasons for a particular argument, even if it represents a point of view with which we may not agree. This lesson, as always, was highly interesting and enjoyable, but also helped us with skills that will benefit us in life.

Another lesson that was slightly off our main curriculum was our science, where we looked at the life and achievements of Guglielmo Marconi, particularly his pioneering work with radio and communications. He is of particular interest to us as much of his work was undertaken on the Isle of Wight!

Although we have enjoyed this week, we now look forward to returning to our regular lessons as we keep up the hard work on the run-up to Easter.

Year 3 - Making Easter baskets and Mardi Gras with the new Carnival Company

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:36:21 GMT

We have had a fantastic last week of term!

On Monday afternoon we were joined by lots of parents and grandparents to make our Easter baskets, this was a super afternoon and we had some lovely baskets made.

Tuesday we were joined by the New Carnival Company for an inspirational session for St Blasius entry this year to Mardi Gras. The children learnt about the history of Mardi Gras, and got to design costumes for this year’s theme Greek Festivals. Children can sign up to take part in Mardi Gras on Arbor, we will make costumes and take part in the parade on July 6th in Ryde.

In PE we have been learning how to play tennis! the children really enjoyed theses lesson and we have learnt some fantastic skills, using both their forehand and backhand strokes.

Thursday afternoon we had our reward afternoon for attendance, we had an Easter egg hunt and a craft session. Well done year 3, for your super attendance.

Have a fantastic and restful Easter break.

St Blasius Day - 3rd February 2022

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 20:43:57 GMT

The whole school celebrated St Blasius Day by learning about St Blaise

Reception class learnt about St Blaise and produced a colourful display.

Year 1 recreated the sheiks design by making stained glass candles and painted tigers.

Year 2 learnt about Saint Blaise and what he was known for. They wrote this information with an illustration and also created fish bone pictures with Art straws and black paper. In addition they traced and coloured the St Blasius shield in a stained glass window style.

Year 4 explored the life of Saint Blaise and they created a range of artwork and writing pertaining to his life's events.

Year 5 researched St Blaise and wrote prayers to him and about him.

Year 6 researched St Blaise and created drawings depicting him on crosses.

Year 3 | Godly Play - 9th December 2021

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 15:29:53 GMT

Year 3 enjoying free response time to the Godly Play Advent story.

Year 2 | St Andrews day - 30th November 2021

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 15:41:23 GMT

Year 2 have produced some work for St Andrews Day.

Year 6 | Remembrance Day - 11th November 2021

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 15:45:53 GMT

Year 6 held a Remembrance service for the school.

They did an amazing and very mature job. They shared their wonderful work and read their very poignant poems about WW1.

They led the whole school in the 2 minutes silence showing great respect, remembering those who have been lost.

St. Francis Primary Academy Learning Blog

Fingerprints, Forensics and Focus – Year 6 Step It Up!

An inspiring week of forensic science, teamwork and strong preparation for SATs.

TL;DR:

Ladybirds, Lanterns and Lunar New Year Fun in Reception!

A vibrant week of storytelling, cultural learning and creative celebrations in Reception.

TL;DR:

Shapes, Stories and Island History – Year 1 Shine This Term!

A creative and engaging term of history, science, maths and storytelling for our enthusiastic Year 1 class.

TL;DR:

Bee-Bots, Brave Heroes and the Great Fire of London!

TL;DR:

A busy half term of history, teamwork, storytelling and coding for our enthusiastic Year 2 class.

Puzzles, Pharaohs and Powerful Writing in Year 3!

A busy few weeks of problem-solving, creative writing and ancient history adventures for Year 3.

TL;DR:

Creatures, Coding and a Sleeping Beauty Surprise in Year 4!

TL;DR:

A creative few weeks of theatre, reading, coding and teamwork for our enthusiastic Year 4 class.

Low Moods, Long Division and Ancient Legacies in Year 5!

TL;DR:

A busy week exploring wellbeing, division, mystery writing, science and ancient history.

Swimming, Skeletons and Science Adventures for Year 6!

A brilliant start to the term with swimming, immersive science and new learning topics.

TL;DR:

Christingles, Steam Trains and Christmas Magic in Reception!

A festive week of celebrations, trips and confident performances in Reception’s first Christmas at school.

TL;DR:

Visitors, Nativity Stars and Festive Fun in Year 1!

A joyful half term of learning, visitors, performances and festive celebrations for our brilliant Year 1 class.

TL;DR:

Swimming Success, Super Muscles and Creative Thinking in Year 3!

A fun-filled week of creativity, fitness and thoughtful learning as Year 3 build skills in and out of the classroom.

TL;DR:

Dragons, Chocolate Cake and the Big 5 – Year 4 in Action!

A few exciting weeks filled with creative writing, maths mastery, wellbeing workshops and a special cinema trip.

Pledges, Poppies and Pudsey – What a Week for Year 5!

A week of kindness, reflection and celebration as Year 5 explored Anti-Bullying Week, Remembrance Day and Children in Need.

Building Bridges, Bright Futures and Brilliant Minds in Year 6!

Year 6 explored mental health, big numbers, global geography and creative learning as they prepare for their next exciting chapter.

Dream Jobs, Real Heroes and Our First Harvest Festival!

Reception Class enjoyed Aspiration Day, met a real paramedic, and celebrated their very first Harvest Festival together.

Counting, Seasons and Old Toys – A Busy Start for Year 1!

A wonderful start to Year 1 with counting, writing, history and science adventures full of creativity and discovery.

Journey Tales, Guy Fawkes and Shoelaces – Year 2 Do It All!

A packed start to the term filled with writing, history, science, PE, music and important life skills.

Kicking Off Year 4 with Maths, Rugby and New Faces

Ellen MacArthur Class dive into maths challenges, rugby skills, and welcome new classmates in a brilliant start to Year 4.

Clay Creatures, Tag Rugby Skills and Art for the Town!

A creative and active start for Year 5 with clay pets, rugby teamwork, and a community art project.

Quizzes, Fire Drills and Fantastic Learning – Year 6 Get Started!

A brilliant start to Year 6 filled with fun quizzes, exciting topics, and impressive determination during unexpected challenges.

From Paris to Parliament: Year 6’s Wild Summer Send-Off

Trips, treats and transitions in a whirlwind few weeks

Pirates, Plastic, and Preparing for Year 1

A week of adventure, action, and looking after our world

From Honey Hats to Castle Keeps – A Joyful Journey in Year 1

A creative mix of writing, word problems and a trip to Carisbrooke Castle

From Treasure Maps to Fruit Lollies – Year 2’s Got It Covered!

Exploring, creating, growing and learning right to the end of term.

TL;DR – Year 2 Highlights:

From Pinocchio to Power Cones — What a Week in Year 3!

Drama, fractions, West End moves, and a quest for the next big treat

Xylophones, Times Tables and a Journey to Jo’burg

A week of music, maths and meaningful reading ﻿

This Week in Ellen MacArthur Class:

Beans, Picnics and Big Ideas in Reception

Planting seeds, learning about jobs, and celebrating VE Day together

From Greedy Seagulls to Giant Mammals – A Bright Start to Summer Learning

Sunny playground science and creative writing have set the tone for an exciting new term

Exploring the Arctic, Smashing Cricket Shots, and Cracking 3D Shape Challenges

A brilliant term of geography, sport, science, RE, and maths as Year 2 prepare for even more exciting learning.

From Broad Beans to Bouncy Castles: A Week of Learning and Fun

A fun-filled week of geography, science, sport, and celebrations as we head into the Easter break.

Dinosaurs, Fairy Tales, and Ferry Rides – A Week to Remember for Year 4

From writing adventures to museum discoveries, Ellen MacArthur Class made the most of every moment this week.

A Week of Eagles, Pancakes, and Storybook Magic in Reception

his week in Reception, we were lucky enough to have a visit from the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, who came to talk to us about white-tailed eagles.

Exploring Numbers, Emotions, and Sports – A Busy Week in Mary Ellis Class!

Mary Ellis have definitely had a busy week back after half term and I have been really impressed with their attitude towards their learning since returning from the February break.

A week of music, maths and meaningful reading