Xylophones, Times Tables and a Journey to Jo’burg

Miss Steven • June 6, 2025

Xylophones, Times Tables and a Journey to Jo’burg

Miss Steven • June 6, 2025

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!

More posts

A group of children are sitting in a circle writing with chalk on the ground

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

By Miss Ramsdale • May 2, 2025
From acting out Bible stories to exploring odd and even numbers, Mary Ellis class have had a jam-packed week of discovery. They've sorted materials, investigated castles, written about animals, and zipped through athletics—all while learning what it means to be a good friend

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

By Mr Crombleholme • April 25, 2025
Before the Easter break, Tanni Grey-Thompson Class dived into Arctic adventures, cricket coaching, rugby sessions, and some impressive maths challenges. Their enthusiasm and hard work shone through across geography, science, RE, and sport — setting them up for another fantastic term ahead!
A group of children are holding plastic bags in their hands in a classroom.

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

By Ms Bushell • April 4, 2025
Tim Peake Class have packed their week with geography games, science experiments, cricket coaching, and a lot of excitement. From planting broad beans to celebrating perfect attendance, it’s been a brilliant lead-up to the Easter holidays!
A group of children are standing in front of a dinosaur statue.

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

By Mr Craig • March 31, 2025
It’s been a brilliant week in Year 4! The children finished their fairy tales, smashed their times tables, and explored the Natural History Museum – teeth, dinosaurs, earthquakes and all. A ferry ride to London made the adventure even more memorable!
A group of children dressed in costumes are posing for a picture.

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

By Miss Mew • March 10, 2025
From a fascinating visit by the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary to pancake fun on Shrove Tuesday and World Book Day celebrations, Reception has had an action-packed week! With storytelling, outdoor learning, and creative activities, the children embraced every moment of fun and discovery.
A group of children are doing exercises in a gym.

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

By Miss Ramsdale • March 3, 2025
From mastering numbers with fun visuals to exploring emotions like jealousy, Mary Ellis class has had a packed week! With cricket and tennis adding to the excitement, the children have been engaged, active, and eager to learn after the half-term break.
A boy and a girl sit at a table playing with a robot

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

By Mr Crombleholme • February 16, 2025
From writing monster-battling tales to coding with Bee-Bots and sculpting with clay, Year 2 have been on an exciting learning journey! They’ve explored forgiveness in R.E., played invasion games, and even planned how to trap mythical creatures. Find out more!
A group of children are sitting around a table making crafts

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

By Mrs Bushell • February 7, 2025
This week, Tim Peake Class embraced creativity in all forms! From crafting stunning outdoor art with natural materials to painting moon phases and designing stained-glass windows for Saint Blaise Day, teamwork and imagination were at the heart of every activity—even on skateboards!
A group of children are playing in a grassy field.

Maths Battles, Magical Creatures & Melting Moments!

By Mr Craig • January 31, 2025
Ellen MacArthur Class have kicked off 2025 with enthusiasm! They tackled the Times Tables Rock Stars Challenge, created imaginary creatures in writing, and explored melting points in Science. With football, rugby, and cricket in PE, they’re keeping active too! ⚽🏉🏏
a child's artwork

Teamwork, Sports & Exciting Learning in Year 5!

By Miss Deakin • January 24, 2025
Year 5 have had a fantastic start to the half-term, working in teams in RE, building skills in cricket and netball, and embracing new challenges with enthusiasm. Their determination and teamwork are shining through—exciting times ahead! 💪🎉
Show More