Year six have started learning about Charles Darwin as their focal British scientist. They have started researching his life in order to write a biography about him.

The children have enjoyed exploring light, particularly reflection and refraction, through different experiments and have been surprised at some of the effects. They will be able to recreate some of these experiments at home to show you and their siblings!

The weekly guitar lessons are paying off as the children have learnt new chords, strumming patterns and songs ready to perform next week!

Another week has flown past for Willow.

Investigators used gears to compare rotations and explore mechanical advantage.

Investigators also had their final Forest School session. It was lots of fun, with a den building challenge. The children can explain what they had to do…ask them! In case they have have forgotten, we have these pictures as reminders:

Both classes learnt about ‘register‘ in English. They had the opportunity to explore roles, with a short drama taken from My Fair Lady. We had some very interesting upper class and lower class accents! Watching an extract from the original film of Eliza having her elocution lessons was also entertaining.

Acting stars of the future:

 

Advent next week… get those calendars ready.

 

Year Six have been learning about fractions this week. They have found equivalent fractions, simplified fractions and converted improper fractions to mixed number fractions!

In literacy we are focusing on register. Having studied a section of text from The Northern Lights, the children were able to identify the differences between formal and informal speech and use this to help them draft their own speeches between a prisoner and lawyer.

Willow Explorers had their first dance lesson yesterday, they are looking forward to building on this each week.

In science we are continuing to investigate light. Willow Investigators explored light reflecting from different surface textures.

Year Six have been working hard this week to develop their ability to write a narrative for Lord of The Rings using DADWAVERS to help them. We look forward to posting their finished pieces next week.

Wednesday saw a few changes with Mr. Henry Harrison leading the school! Willow Investigators designed some Islamic art and Willow Explorers played some sports that they are not normally taught in PE. Needless to say everyone also enjoyed their extra ten minutes break.

Willow Investigators experimented lighting different types of tinder and building fires at Forest School. They were very successful and were rewarded by being able to toast a marshmallow.

This week is Parliament Week so year six have been learning about democracy. They are voting for a new headteacher for the day so within their class they formed parties, wrote their own policies and delivered persuasive speeches to try and secure votes.

       

Willow Explorers had a challenging DT lesson learning about levers, force and mechanical advantage to try to lift Mr Neary!

Can you believe we have got to half term already?

Willow investigators had a great time in the mud at their first forest school session!

Have a great half term everyone.

We will see you in November!

All the classes enjoyed a day finding out about biodiversity within the school grounds on Monday 12th October.

Making gall ink (a type of ink that was used to sign the Magna Carta)

  Marshmallows around the camp fire.

  Completing a biodiversity audit.

We also learned about food chains and considered the effects off what happens when part of the food chain is no longer available (ie becomes extinct).

 

 

We have had a very busy week. We explored circuits and investigated what happened when we changed the voltage of our battery.

 

On Wednesday we linked up with MRC for a virtual Maths challenge along with many other Primary Schools in the area. We were given a problem solving challenge. A few children managed to solve it within the time.

 

During Forest School Willow Explorers have investigated the use of different types of tinder when fire lighting, cooked banana doughnuts and improved their whittling skills!

Four children represented the school at the Memorial Service for the 78th anniversary of the bombing of Petworth Boys School. We learned about primary and secondary resources and explored these to find out more about this key event in our local history.

 

Autumn has begun, and it has brought some rain!

Despite this, we have still been able to get outside everyday. Willow Explorers have been enjoying participating in Forest School. They have been den building, playing in the river and learning how to tie knots to create a slack line.

In maths, the children have practiced their skills of rounding and negative numbers.

Mount Everest has been the focus for English, and beginning to think about whether people should be allowed to climb it. We all found out some fascinating facts…ask the children!

After learning about time zones in geography, who could find out the answer to this question: If it is 10AM in London, what would be the time at base camp on Mount Everest?

In science, we have continued building circuits.

The week has flown past, and already we have got to Friday.

We have been exploring different styles of artwork for painting mountains this week.

We also began our science unit of work, electricity, making circuits and beginning to learn the symbols to represent the different parts of circuits.

In RE, we have begun to think about  what makes God special. What is God like? Words such as “omnipotent”  “omniscient” and “eternal” were thought about in relation to what Christians believe God is like.