Friday, 19th April 

Thank you for a wonderful first week back! We've loved exploring some of our new topics, which you can find listed below. 

Thank you also to all of the parents who volunteered at our MaraFun this afternoon - the children had a brilliant time and thoroughly enjoyed helping the rest of the school community complete their run!

Next week, we have our first Positive Minds session delivered by Watford FC Education Trust. This is a 10-week wellbeing programme which teaches and engages the children in the topic of mental health. They will learn about coping strategies, support networks and will gain a greater understanding of what mental health is and how they can look after their own.  

Over the Easter holidays, many new playground games have arrived at school and we have been making the most of having them! On KS2, we now have a huge sandpit, den-building equipment, tyres and planks for obstacle courses, and sports equipment to use at break and lunch! 

Our topics for Summer 1: 

Geography: North and South America
Science: Evolution and Inheritance
Art: Wave Bowls
Computing: Variables in games

PSHE: Being my best

RE: Humanism 

Music: Composing a Leaver's Song

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete pages 48 and 49 (Two Missing Numbers) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Complete pages 6 & 7 (Verbs and Adverbs) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Learn the spellings and meanings of the following words which contain and 'sc' spelling which sounds like 's'. 

muscle, disciple, crescent, ascend, obscene, scenery, fascinating, scientific 

Reading - Make sure that you read at least five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed to show this. Reading books and Reading records should be in school every day. 

Next Week: 

PE is on the normal days of Tuesday and Friday. 

On Monday, we have our first Positive Minds lesson. 

In Maths, we will continue to learn how to calculate the mean of a range of data. 

In English, we will use the book Cogheart to develop an understanding for how author's build suspense by alternating between characters. We will explore the journeys of characters and how twists appear in writing. 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Thursday, 28th March 2024
After a short week of Easter celebrations, we are now at the end of the term. 

The children are brining home with them this week their final set of practice SATs papers. We have gone through them together in class, but should you wish to explore the mark scheme(s) further, they are available on the DfE website for each year and paper. Use the link below to find the one(s) you need. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum-assessments-practice-materials 

Home Learning

There is no home learning set over the Easter holidays, however, please continue to read regularly and note this in your reading record. Below are some Maths and SPAG revision booklets, should you wish to practise over the Easter break. 

After Easter: 

School starts on Monday, 15th April. PE will be on the normal days of Tuesday and Friday that week. 

On Friday, 19th April we will be holding a sponsored 'mini marathon' around Rickmansworth Aquadrome. Children have brought home their sponsorship form this week. 

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter holidays. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 22nd March 2024

We had the great pleasure of taking part in the K'NEX challenge again this year. This year's challenge was to make a Bulldozer that could flatten a surface, seat an operator and raise the blade from the floor. The designs were well-thought through and the construction of the bulldozers showed great teamwork and communication. See the photos below for the finished designs! 

We travelled back in time to Ancient Greece on Thursday as we held our Ancient Greece Day! We designed and made our own clay Greek vases and decorated them with intricate designs and images of people. We tasted some traditional Greek delicacies such as feta cheese, olives, dried figs and Greek yoghurt. There were some pleasantly surprised customers in our restaurant! We also spent some time putting our wealth of knowledge to the test by designing our own board games which included facts we had learnt in our History lessons. It was fun to play each other's games and try not to be taken down to the Underworld!

Home Learning

Maths - Complete pages 82 & 82 (Pie Charts) in your Maths Workbook. 

English - Please read and answer the questions on 'Macbeth' on pages 30 and 31 in your Reading Comprehension book. 

Spellings - Learn the meanings and spellings of these words which have an i sound spelt with a y. 

pyramid, mythical, mysterious, typical, system, symbol, physics, oxygen

Reading - Please remember that Reading Records should be in school every day, and are signed on a Friday to check at least five reads over the week. 

Next Week

On Tuesday, there is a bake sale after school in the hall. Any contributions should be brought into school in the morning. The money raised will go towards the charity Cardiomyopathy which is the charity that Miss Devlin is running the London Marathon in support of. 

On Wednesday, we have our Easter Service at St. Mary's Church. Children should be dropped to the church hall for 5.30pm, ready for a 6pm start. 

On Thursday morning, we will host our Easter Bonnet parade - please bring your bonnet/crown/headwear in on Thursday morning! 

Thursday is the last day of term and school finishes at 1.10pm. 

Have a brilliant weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 15th March 

In Science, we have been learning to classify living things based on their observable features. This week, we applied this to sweets! We had a great time deciding on the differences between our sweets and sorting them using a classification key. Our self-discipline was at an all-time high! 

In DT, we have been practising our sewing skills by sewing on buttons, beads and fabric shapes to our original fabric. Next week, we will be designing our finished cushion to begin working towards making it in our final week of term. 

On Wednesday, 27th March, we will be holding our Easter Service at St. Mary's Church at 6pm. The children have been learning songs as a class and as a key stage in preparation. Children will need to be at church at 5.30pm on this day. 

On Thursday 28th March (the last day of term), we are holding our Easter Bonnet Parade. Please make/bring in your bonnet/hat for this!

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete page 61 (Volume of Cubes and Cuboids) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Complete pages 56 & 57 (Punctuating Speech) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words which end in -ture or -sure. 

measure, pressure, enclosure, pleasure, furniture, adventure, picture, creature

Reading - You must read at least five times during the week and get your reading record signed. Your school book and reading record need to be in school every day. 

Next Week: 

PE is on the normal days of Tuesday and Friday. 

On Wednesday afternoon, we will be taking part in the K'NEX challenge! 

On Thursday, we have our Ancient Greek Day. Children are invited to dress up as a Greek figure. We will be hosting activities such as food tasting, making clay vases and exploring Greek Myths. 

Wishing you a great weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 8th March

It's been a wonderfully busy book week which we have thoroughly enjoyed! On Monday, we read the book 'Dear Earth' and discussed the importance of Earth Day (celebrated in April). We discussed the impact of plastic pollution on our planet, and looked at (shocking) images and videos of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. We designed posters to show our learning and share the need to raise awareness of this issue. On Tuesday, we wrote poems which portrayed both the beauty and destruction of the Earth, using our knowledge and powerful vocabulary from our discussions. On Wednesday, we enjoyed a hot chocolate and chose a story to listen to in the hall. 

It was great to share our love of reading on Thursday as we celebrated World Book Day. The effort and thought in each outfit was incredible, and the children loved sharing their favourite characters and books. We took part in the book swap, heard Reception recite some poems, and enjoyed the return of The Masked Reader! 

It was lovely to welcome so many of you in to school to read with your children this morning, and we hope that you enjoyed the time to share together. Thank you so much to you all for your effort and enthusiasm, as always, in making Book Week memorable for the children. 

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete pages 34&35 (Relative sizes) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Read and answer the questions on 'I asked the river' on pages 22 & 23 of you Reading Comprehension book. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words which contain ei after c. 

receipt, height, deceiving, seize, reign, neither, perceive, weightless

Reading - Please continue to read and have your reading record signed to show at least 5 reads. Your school reading book and reading record should be in school every day. 

Next week: 

PE is on the normal days of Tuesday and Friday. 

In Maths, we will be learning to calculate the volume of 3D shapes. We will also be solving problems involving converting measurements. 

In English, we will be using the book 'Night of the Gargoyles' to plan our own narratives in a menacing setting. 

Have a fantastic weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 1st March 

Welcome back to school - we hope that you had a great half term. We've begun exploring our new topics this week, which has been very exciting. In Science, we are learning about the classification of living things; in RE we are learning about Salvation in the lead-up to Easter; in Computing we are learning about spreadsheets and their uses; in PSHE we are learning about Rights and Respect; in DT we are learning to make our own cushions; and in History, we are continuing to learn about Ancient Greece. 

Today, members of St. David celebrated St. David's day by learning about the saint and where the day originated. They also got to sample Welsh Cakes!

Home Learning

Maths - Complete page 23 (Dividing fractions by whole numbers) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Complete pages 12 (Clauses) and 13 (Phrases) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Learn the meanings and spellings of these words with -ous suffixes. 

disastrous, monstrous, marvellous, conscious, mischievous, various, famous, nutritious

Reading - Remember to read at least five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed to show this. School reading books and reading records should be in school every day. 

Next week: 

PE days are the (new) normal days of Tuesday and Friday. 

It is book week next week; we will be taking part in book-themed activities throughout the week to celebrate. 

On Thursday, it is World Book Day. Children are invited to dress up. We will be holding the 'Big Book Swap'. Please bring in a book you no longer need (in good condition) to swap for another. There will also be a bake sale after school - any contributions should be brought into school in the morning. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 16th February 

We've had a busy final week before we finish for half term. This week, we designed and created fairy gardens for our school garden. We placed these in the garden this morning and think they look wonderful in their new home!

We loved inviting you in to view work this week in our Learning Showcase. The children are really proud of their finished non-chronological reports, which they have also brought home today. Photos are below in case you were unable to make it! 

Home Learning

There is no home learning set over half term. The children have a grammar booklet on verb tenses to bring home today should they wish to practice over the holidays. Please continue to read regularly and note this in your Reading Record. 

After half term

Our PE days will be changing to Tuesday and Friday. Our first PE day will be Tuesday 27th February. 

In Maths, we will be learning to solve a range of problems involving the four operations with fractions. 

In English, we will be reading the book 'Night of the Gargoyles' write short narratives which build atmosphere. 

Have a lovely half term break! See you on Monday 26th February. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 9th February 

On Wednesday, Year 6 attended the ‘Educate and Empower your school’ event at Watersmeet Theatre, organised by Three Rivers District Council. We joined many other year 6 classes to hear from speakers representing a range of organisations. 

We heard from Alison Cope, an anti- violence campaigner who spoke to us about knife crime and why some people feel they need to carry knives. An educator from Herts Young Homeless explained to us the importance of conflict resolution and helped us to identify what type of arguer we are! The charity MIND explained to us why looking after our mental health is important and what it can look/feel like if we have poor mental health. We explored stressors we might have in our lives and, most importantly, discussed the strategies we can use to help cope with these stressors. These included getting out in nature, talking to friends, listening to music and losing ourselves in a good book. Our final speaker of the day was a PCSO from Hertfordshire who showed us why it is so important that we don’t engage with strangers, and that we carefully consider who we share our personal information with. 

Our key take-away from the day was to Speak Up and Speak Out whenever we are in a situation that makes us feel uncomfortable, upset or concerned. 

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete pages 74 & 75 (Coordinates) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Read and answer the questions on pages 24 & 25 (Theseus's Adventures) in your Reading Comprehension book. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words with -able and -ible endings. Normally, if the root word ends in an e, the e is usually dropped to add the suffix. 

sociable, approachable, unidentifiable, deniable, flexible, visible, combustible, digestible

Reading - Make sure that you read five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed. 

Next Week: 
PE is on Monday and Tuesday as normal. 

In Maths, we will be learning to multiply fractions by whole numbers and fractions. 

In English, we will be drafting and publishing our non-chronological reports. 

On Thursday, parents/carers are invited in to school from 2.30pm for our Learning Showcase. You will be able to view the children's books and other work they have done this half term. 

Wishing you a great weekend, 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 2nd February 

On Thursday we attended the indoor athletics comeptition at the Reach Free School against other local primary schools. The children gave their all to each event and cheered each other during their races. They did a fantastic jobs and placed very well in the competition. A huge thank you to parents/carers for arranging pick-ups and drop-offs for this event - we wouldn't be able to take part in these opportunities without you! 

In History this week we learnt about the Trojan war and the reasons it began. We explored the key people involved and the incredible way in which it ended. We then examined evidence about it in order to decide whether there is enough evidence to say that the war truly happened!

Home Learning

Maths - Complete pages 72 & 73 (Angle Rules) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Complete page 51 (Hyphens) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Please learnt the meanings and spellings of these words that contain -fer with a suffix added. 

reference, referring, referred, transferring, offered, transferred, preferred, preference

Reading - You must make sure that you read at least five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed. 

Next Week: 

PE is on Monday and Tuesday as normal. 

On Wednesday, we will be attending the 'Educate and Empower your school' event at Watersmeet theatre. Children will need a packed lunch on this day. 

It is Wellbeing Week next week. We will take part in themed activities each day to learn about the different areas of our wellbeing. 

In English, we will be planning and drafting our own non-chronological report about mythical creatures. 

In Maths, we will be learning to translate and reflect shapes in the full coordinate grid. 

Have a fantastic weekend. We cannot wait to hear about Young Voices on Monday!

Miss Paxton

Friday, 26th January 

In English this week, we have been reading 'Athur Spiderwick's Field Guide to Fantastical Beasts' to learn about some weird and wonderful creatures. We have learnt about boggarts, river trolls, and will-o-the-wisps to name just a few. Today, we wrote letters to Mrs Maxwell telling her we suspect there to ba changeling amongst us as we have been observing some unusual behaviour! 

In History, we learnt about the Olympians. We found out their powers, what the Greeks believed they were capable of doing and important symbols/animals associated with them. We made fact files about the ones we found the most interesting. Some of us also attempted to draw a family tree to show how they were related to one another and other famous Greek figures!

Home Learning

Maths - Complete page 60 (Perimeters and Areas) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Read and answer the questions on pages 26 & 27 (Interview with Leticia Marquez-Magana) in your Reading Comprehension book. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words that end in the consonant suffixes -ful, less, ment, ness and ly. When we add these to root words, the spelling of the root word usually doesn't change. If the root word ends in a 'y', this is changed to an 'i' before adding the suffix. 

merciful, pointless, dreadful, embarrassment, doubtful, business, cautiously, spiteful

Reading - Make sure that you read at least five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed. 

Next Week

In Maths, we will be learning to calculate missing angles in diagrams, around a point and on a straight line. 

In English, we will be learning to use the passive voice to report on mythical creatures. 

On Thursday afternoon, we are attending the Indoor Athletics competition at the Reach Free School. Please see the letter sent out from the office this week for details. 

Wishing you a great weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 19th January 

This week we compared Athens and Sparta in our History lesson. We learnt about what boys and girls could do and the rights that the people living during this time had. We then chose whether we'd prefer to be an Athenian or a Spartan and held a debate to decide who was greater! The Athenians were victorious. 

In PSHE, we have been learning how to keep safe online and how to take make sure that our own Emotional Needs are met. We explored the importance of friendships, feeling successful, having time with others and time alone, and made posters to show the importance of these needs. 

In Computing, we've been beginning to make our own websites. We learnt about copyright and the rules around using images that belong to other people and how we can make sure that we follow these rules when choosing images online. 

Home Learning

Maths - Complete the Maths worksheet given (a copy is attached below) on long division. 

English - Complete pages 48 & 49 (Brackets and Dashes for Extra Information) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Learn the meanings and spellings of these homophones (words which sound the same but have different spellings and meanings)

allowed, aloud, whether, weather, draft, draught, passed, past

Reading - You must make sure that you read at least five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed to show this. 

Next week: 

In Maths we will be investigating shapes that have the same area or perimeter and comparing these. 

In English, we will begin reading 'The Monsterology Handbook' to write non-chronological reports about mythical creatures. 

Wishing you a fantastic weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 12th January 

In Science this week, we learnt about the job of the heart and carried out an investigation to explore how exercise affects our heart rate. We had to find our pulse (which requires being very calm and still) and then observed how it changed after exercise. We found that our heart rate almost returned to our resting heart rate 4 minutes after exercise. We discovered that, because the heart is a muscle, it needs exercising to remain strong and healthy. The healthier the heart, the less often it needs to pump blood, meaning a lower heart rate.  

In Maths, we have been learning to solve algebraic problems. This has included a range of missing number problems where the unknown value is a shape, letter or word. We have shown our working through bar models to show that both sides of an equation are equal. 

Home Learning

Maths - Complete pages 46 & 47 (Missing Number Problems) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Read and answer the questions on 'THE INSTRUCTIONS' on pages 6 & 7 of your Reading Comprehension book. 

Spelling - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following words taken from the National Curriculum Year 5/6 Spelling list: 

criticise, especially, necessary, privilege, average, sufficient, interfere, recognise 

Reading - You must make sure that you read at least five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed to show this. 

Next week: 

PE is Monday and Tuesday, as normal. 

In Maths, we will be learning to use the method for long division and how to give remainders. 
In English, we will be planning and writing our own reports using structures and vocabulary that we have learnt from our book 'Planetarium'. 

Have a great weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 5th January 2024

A warm welcome back to you all this week. We hope that you have had a great time over the Christmas holidays and had a chance to rest, ready to begin a new term. Over the last two days, we've been thinking about our school rules: Ready, Respectful, Reflective. We've been considering what this looks like in practise and how we can do these things in our many roles around the school. 

We've started to learn about some of our new topics, including the Human Circulatory System in Science. We learnt what is in our blood and what important jobs our blood has. Can you find out what your blood type is? 

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete page 50 (Formulas) in your Maths workbook. 

SPAG - Complete pages 90 and 91 (words with 'ough' in) in your SPAG workbook.

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words that contain the -ough letter string.

plough, borough, drought, although, thoroughly, roughest, sought, nought

Reading - Please make sure to read at least five times over the week and get your Reading Record signed. Some people are very close to getting their silver badges!

Next Week: 

PE is on Monday and Tuesday. 

In Maths, we will be learning to complete calculations using BODMAS. We will also be learning how to relate equations to the four operations and begin to solve simple algebraic problems. 

In English, we will be using the book 'Planetarium' by the Science Museum to help us with our report writing skills. We will be using subordinating conjunctions to write multi-clause sentences, as well as using prepositions and adverbs for detail. 

Have a lovely weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Tuesday, 19th December

Finally, the end of term has arrived! We have had a festive-filled few days with carol singing, making crafts and opening our Christmas cards. Yesterday, we spent time in our family groups learning about Christmas traditions in other parts of the world. Year 6 then reported back on their learning to the whole school in assembly. They remembered the key points and spoke of their learning clearly, as well as showing compassion and patience to the younger children in their family. 

There is no home learning set over the Christmas holidays. We look forward to welcoming you back, rested and refreshed, on Thursday 4th January. 

A very big thank you for all of your kind and generous words and gifts over the last few days. With our very best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a peaceful and healthy New Year. 

Miss Paxton and Mrs McLeod. 

Friday, 15th December 

It was wonderful to see so many of you attend the KS2 Carol Service at church on Tuesday evening. The children performed beautifully and were very proud of their singing (as were we). It was lovely to see it all come together and help us get in the festive spirit. On Wednesday, we watched Sleeping Beauty at the Watersmeet Theatre which was such a joy. We were laughing from start to finish. Year 6 walked with Reception and were great role models on the long walk into the town centre. 

This afternoon, we had our class Christmas party. We held a (competitive) quiz, made Christmas cards, listened to Christmas songs and made 3D Christmas scenes. We also enjoyed the lovely treats generously given by you all - a very big thank you for those! 

There is no homework set this week. We will visit the library on Monday and make sure everyone has a book to read over Christmas. 

Next week, school finishes at 1.10pm on Tuesday for the Christmas break. 

Have a fantastic weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 8th December 

On Wednesday, we enjoyed our Christmas lunch together wearing our Christmas outfits in aid of Save the Children. We have a Christmas card postbox in the classroom. Should you wish to give any, children may post them and they will be distributed right up until the final day. 

In Guided Reading, we have been studying the poem 'Poetics' by Benjamin Zephaniah. We have spent some time learning about the work that he has done during his life and were saddened to hear the news of his death yesterday. Below is a newsround article that details his life and includes a short video about some of his experiences growing up. Your children might like to perform the poem for you!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/67652556 

In English, we have been learning to use emotive language for persuasion, and have been writing in role as evacuees. We have been reading and comparing narratives about these experiences and considering how/why some children might have had different perspectives. 

Home Learning

Maths - Complete page 11 (Written Division) in your Maths workbook.

English - Complete pages 24 & 25 (Passive and Active Voice) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Please learn the spellings and meanings of the following words ending in -ence.

confidence, difference, excellence, experience, independence, innocence, obedience, preference

Reading - You must read at least 5 times during the week and get your reading record signed to show this. 

Next week: 

On Tuesday evening, we have our KS2 Carol service at church. Children need to be at St. Mary's church at 5.40pm ready for the service to begin at 6pm. 

On Wednesday afternoon, we will be walking to Watersmeet Theatre in Rickmansworth to watch the pantomime. Children will need to be collected from the theatre. Details of this will be given by the school office. 

Have a great weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 1st December 

Christmas arrived in the classroom today! Although Advent begins on Sunday, we have decorated the classroom and begun to open our advent calendars in class in the lead up to Christmas. Over the next two weeks, we will be busily preparing for the KS2 Carol Service. 

In Science, we have been investigating how changes in circuits affect the way components work. We explored how the length of wires affects the brightness of a bulb and recorded our observations. 

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete pages 58 & 59 (Area of a Triangle and Area of a Parallelogram) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Read and answer the questions on Poems about Seasons on pages 12 & 13 of your Reading Comprehension book. 

Spellings - Learn the meanings and spellings of these words which contain ei making 'ee' sound, including after c.

deceit, receive, perceive, ceiling, conceive, receipt, seize, either

Reading - You must be reading at least 5 times during the week and getting your reading record signed to show this.

Next Week: 

On Monday, we will be watching Reception's Dress Rehearsal for their nativity. 

On Wednesday, we will be watching the KS1 Dress Rehearsal for their nativity. 

Wednesday is Christmas Jumper Day and Christmas Dinner day. 

In English, we will be learning to use persuasive techniques and formal language in writing. 

In Maths, we will be learning how to write remainders when dividing. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 24th November 

This week we have been writing our own fantasy narratives which has culminated from weeks of learning about different fiction genres. The results have been wonderful to read and have had us all on the edges of our seats! In Maths, we have begun to learn how to find the area of various shapes, including triangles. 

In History, we explored the jobs that women would have had during the Second World War and were very surprised to learn that many of these jobs were voluntary! Some of the working conditions were not particularly appealing, but conscription meant that women had to do them anyway! 

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete page 10 (Written Multiplication) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Complete pages 40 & 41 (Commas in lists and Commas to avoid ambiguity) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Please learn the spellings and meanings of these words ending in -cious and -tious. 

cautious, infectious, malicious, vicious, delicious, nutritious, ferocious, fictitious 

Reading - You must read at least five times over the week and get your Reading Record signed to show this. 

Next Week: 

On Tuesday, the school nurse team will be in to carry out the Year 6 Height and Weight check. Information was sent in a letter separately by the office. 

In Maths, we will be learning to calculate the area of triangles and parallelograms. 

In English, we will be beginning a unit on persuasion based on the Second World War. We will begin to read Children of the King and study emotive language. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, 

Miss Paxton.

Friday, 17th November 

On Wednesday, Year 6 took part in a workshop delivered by the National Holocaust Centre and Museum as part of their Second World War Day. They learnt about life in Germany in the 1930s and how life would have changed for a child. They asked thoughtful and insightful questions and used artefacts and clues to find out more about this period of time. In the afternoon, the children made blackout poetry and researched the life of Lilian Bader, one of the first black women to join the British armed forces. It was a brilliant day full of questions, curiosity and fun. Year 6's outfits (and accessories) were excellent and brought the day to life. 

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete pages 24 & 25 (Multiplying or dividing by 10, 100 or 1000 and Multiplying with decimals) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Read and answer the questions on 'Journey to the City of Six Gates' on pages 14 & 15 of your Reading comprehension book. 

Spellings - Learn the spellings and meanings of the words ending with the suffix -able or -ible. We usually add -able if the root word is a complete, recognisable word. 

sensible, suitable, adorable, excitable, responsible, believable, reliable, noticeable

Reading - Make sure that you are reading at least five times during the week and getting your reading record signed to show this. 

Next Week: 

PE is on the normal days of Monday and Tuesday. 

In Maths, we will be learning to use the formal method for long multiplication. We will also begin to calculate the area of rectilinear shapes. 

In English, we will be drafting, editing and revising our own fantasy narratives. 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 10th November 

In Music this week we began to compare songs of the First and Second World War. We listened to songs by Dame Vera Lynn and thought about the mood of the country at the time of writing. In History, we have been learning about evacuees ahead of our WW2 day next week. We looked at some items that children might have taken in their suitcases, and thought of how the children must have felt when moving to the countryside or another country. In English, we have been writing in the style of action genres, focusing on the expressions and gestures of characters to show their emotions. Next week we will plan our own narratives using all of our new fiction-writing skills!

Home Learning 

Maths - Complete pages 38 & 39 (Percentages of amounts) in your Maths workbook. 

English - Please complete pages 20 & 21 (Present and Past Progressive and The Perfect Form) in your SPAG workbook. 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words ending in -cial or -tial. We normally add -cial if the root word ends in a vowel, and -tial if the root word ends with a consonant. 

artificial, official, essential, residential, confidential, financial, initial, special

Reading - Make sure that you are reading at least five times during the week and getting your reading record signed. 

Next week: 

It is Anti-Bullying week. We will be taking part in a range of activities throughout the week. 

PE days are the usual days of Monday and Tuesday. 

On Wednesday, we have our Evacuee Day. Children are invited to come dressed in the theme. We will be having a visitor lead a workshop on the Holocaust in the morning. 

In Maths, we will be continuing to learn how to calculate percentages of amounts and compare strategies. We will also begin to review the method of long multiplication. 

In English, we will be learning to build tension in our writing and how to write multi-clause sentences. We will begin to plan our own narratives. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 3rd November

Welcome back to school and to our second half term. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Imperial War Museum on Tuesday where we got to see, read about and experience some of the dangers and effects of the First and Second World War. We particularly enjoyed seeing (and trying on) some soldier's uniforms, walking through a model trench and spending some time in an air rad bunker. A big thank you to all of the parents who accompanied us and made sure we got there and back safely on the train.

We've enjoyed beginning our learning in school about the Second World War, and are looking forward to our Evacuee Day on Wednesday, 15th. 

Home Learning

Maths - Answer the questions on pages 28 and 29 (Fractions, decimals and percentages) of your Maths workbook.

English - Read and answer the questions on 'White Fang' on pages 28 and 29 of your Reading Comprehension book.

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words. When adding a suffix beginning with a vowel letter to words ending in -fer, the r is doubled if the -fer is stressed. 

referring, referral, preferred, reference, referee, transferred, transference, preference

Reading - Make sure that you read at least 5 times over the week and get your Reading Record signed. 

Next Week

PE is on the normal days of Monday and Tuesday. 

In Maths, we will be learning to convert between fractions, decimals and percentages. We will also be learning to find percentages of amounts. 

In English, we will be exploring how authors use expanded noun phrases and specific verb choices to show pace and to set scenes. This is helping us develop our Fiction writing skills as we continue to explore a range of genres. 

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 20th October 

Can you believe we are at the end of the first half term already? It feels like it has flown by but we have still done so much! We have dedicated a lot of time to our figurative sculptures in art this week and they are coming along nicely. After half term they will need painting to really bring them to life. In English, we have been writing war-themed poems which have been so beautiful. They really bring to life the dangers and devastation, and showcase the feelings of soldiers and families at home. 

Home Learning

There is no home learning set over half term. Please continue to read regularly - Reading Records will be checked and signed on the first Friday back. There is also a SPAG and Maths revision booklet below, should you want to practise any key skills. 

After Half Term (W/C 30th October) 

On Tuesday 31st October, we have our trip to the Imperial War Museum. Children need to be dropped at Rickmansworth Station in the morning. 

In Maths, we will be learning to find fraction and decimal equivalents. 

In English, we will be learning about different fiction genres and the comparing the techniques used across these. 

Have a restful half term! See you on Monday 30th October. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 13th October 

This week in Art we began to create our wire figures and have covered them with foil to show the proportions of our people. We have attached them to base boards and will begin paper macheing next week! 

In Science, we learnt that light is made up on the colours of the rainbow but appears white to our eyes. We created colour wheels and have been spinning them to show that when mixed, these colours appear white. 

Home Learning

Maths - Complete the homework sheet given on comparing and ordering fractions. A copy of the work (given to the children) is attached below. 

English - Complete pages 22 and 23 in your SPAG workbook (Subject and Object). 

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of these words with double consonants:
excellent, apparent, communicate, marvellous, sufficient, appreciate, interrupt, correspond

Reading - Read at least five times during the week and get your Reading Record signed. 

Next Week

We will be learning about our significant figure for Black History Month: Kamala Harris.

In Maths, we will be learning to add and subtract fractions with different denominators, including mixed number and improper fractions. 

In English, we will be reading some war poems and writing our own using similes and metaphors, carefully selecting word order and sentence length. 

Have a great weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 6th October 

This week in Science we explored Refraction through two investigations. We found that light rays bend when travelling through water which made some images appear to turn around and others seemed to disappear! In English, we wrote biographies about significant suffragettes. We are in the process of publishing these into a book. In our History lesson, we learned how technology and medicine advanced through the First World War and used this information to create a timeline of important developments. 

Home Learning

Maths - Complete pages 18 & 19 (Simplifying Fractions and Ordering Fractions) in your Maths workbook.

English - Read and answer the questions on 'Cider with Rosie' on pages 10 and 11 of your Reading Comprehension book. 

Spellings - Learn the meanings and spellings of the following words which have had the vowel suffix -ed added to them. 

replied, accompanied, interfered, occupied, attached, dropped, sacrificed, explained

Reading - You must make sure that you are reading at least five times over the week and getting your reading record signed. These are checked every Friday. 

Next Week:

School Photos take place on Tuesday (siblings) and Wednesday (Y6 individuals). If you have a sibling in the school in Reception - Year 5, please come into school in your school uniform on Tuesday. Bring your PE kit in a bag to change in to in the afternoon after your photo. 

On Wednesday, we will have a visitor from Watford Schools Trust to talk to us about the ExploRE workshops that will be taking place the following week, in which children will explore a range of different faiths. 

We will be completing some practice SATs papers to familiarise ourselves with the format. The completed and marked tests will be sent home before half term. 

In English, we will be learning to identify and use prepositions, and to identify main and subordinate clauses (including subordinating conjunctions). 

In Maths, we will be comparing and ordering fractions by writing them with a common denominator and using our knowledge of 1/2. 

Have a lovely weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 29th September 2023

This week we've been exploring the lives and campaigns of suffragettes such as Millicent Garrett Fawcett and Emmeline Pankhurst. We've compared their approaches to campaigning for Women's Votes and written persuasive speeches as either Suffragists or Suffragettes. In our History lesson, we have explored how the role of women has changed since war and the impact it has on women today. It has been interesting to explore how the war helped women's fight for equality. In Science, we've begun to make our own periscopes to demonstrate how light can be reflected. We're imagining we're in the trenches!

Home Learning

Maths - Complete page 15 (Multiples, Factors and Primes) in your Maths workbook.

English - Complete page 16 (Conjunctions) and page 52 (Apostrophes for Missing Letters) in your SPAG workbook.

Spellings - Learn the spellings and meanings of these words which end in the suffixes -ly, -ness, and -ment. When adding these suffixes, the root word doesn't change unless it ends in 'y' (where it changes to 'i'). 

finally, business, disagreement, harassment, embarrassment, colourless, sincerely, goverment

Reading - Reading Records are checked on Fridays. Please make sure you are reading at least five times over the week and signing your Reading Record to show this. 

Next Week:

On Wednesday, we have our Harvest Service at St. Mary's Church at 9am. Children should be dropped to the Church rather than school on this day. Please bring any donations with you to the church.

In Maths, we will be applying our knowledge of factors and multiples to help us simplify fractions and write fractions with common denominators.

In English, we will be researching one significant Suffragette and gathering information to write biographies. 

Have a restful weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 22nd September 

It was lovely to see so many of you at the Meet the Teacher meeting on Monday. Thank you for your support for the year ahead. The presentation and documents referred to in the meeting can be found below. 

In Science this week, we've been exploring the concept of Light and demonstrating how light travels in straight lines. We also discussed some thought-provoking questions, such as 'How are city skies and rural skies different' and 'How do we see in the dark?' to consider how light is all around us, even when we think it is not! 

In our History lesson this week, we learnt about the role of children during WW1 and how life changed for them when the war broke out. We made scrapbook pages to document how we might have felt at the time. 

Home Learning

Maths - Complete pages 12 & 13 (Mental Maths and Estimating and Checking) in your Maths book. 

English - Read and answer the pages on 'Born on a Blue Day' on pages 4 & 5 in your Reading Comprehension book.

Spelling - Learn the meanings and spellings of the following words ending in the suffix -ful. We will learn how the root word changes when the suffix is added.

doubtful, beautiful, spiteful, dreadful, grateful, merciful, colourful, peaceful

Reading - You must ensure that you read at least five times over the week and get your reading record signed to show this. These are checked on a Friday.

Next Week

In English, we will be learning about Suffragettes and how specific women protested for equality. We will be using research to plan biographies. 

In Maths, we will be learning about factors, multiples and primes. We will learn to identify common factors and multiples, and answer problems involving these. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 15th September 

We've officially completed our first week of Year 6 and have been busy getting stuck in our topics for this half term. 

Today we heard from potential Head Boy and Head Girl candidates in collective worship who gave their reasons why they feel they should be selected. A huge well done to everyone who put themselves forward for the role - you all have so many fantastic qualities that you're able to share with the school. 

The results will be announced on Monday and the remaining council roles given by the end of next week. 

Home Learning

Homework is given each Friday and is due in on the following Wednesday.

Maths - Complete pages 6 & 7 (Place Value in Very Large Numbers & Rounding Whole Numbers) in your Maths workbook.

English - Complete pages 36 & 37 (Capital Letters and Full Stops) in your SPAG workbook.

Spellings - Please learn the meanings and spellings of the following homophones: 

advice, advise, practise, practice, affect, effect, passed, past

Reading - You should read at least five times over the week and get your Reading Record signed to show this. Reading Records are checked every Friday. 

Next Week

PE days are Monday and Tuesday

The Meet the Teacher meeting will be held on Monday at 9am in the school hall. All information shared will be made available on this page after the meeting. 

In Maths, we will be learning to use a range of mental strategies to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems. 

In English, we will plan and draft our own narrative based on our book 'The Wisp' using a variety of sentence lengths for effect. 

Have a fantastic weekend! 

Miss Paxton

Friday, 8th September 2023

Welcome to Year 6  We hope that you all had a brilliant summer break! 

It's been a pleasure to welcome the children back to school and watch them settle into their new roles as Year 6. We've spent some time this week creating our class rules, talking about the extra responsibilities that this final year brings, and talking about some of the topics we will learn about. 

Our 'Meet the Teacher' session is scheduled for Monday 18th September at 9am in the classroom. At this session, I will share more details about the curriculum, routines and trips coming up this year. 

Home Learning 

There is no home learning set for this first week. All children have been given a Reading Record, their Reading Passports and Reading Trackers. All children will have a school reading book by Monday. Please continue to read books of your choice if you do not have a school reading book yet. 

Homework books will be given out next Friday. 

Next Week

Our PE days will be Monday and Tuesday, beginning next Monday 11th September. Please send your child into school in their PE kit on these days. 

Applications for Head Boy and Head Girl need to be in by Monday 11th September. All applications for other councils should be in by Friday 15th September. The children have been given details about all of these roles and what they involve. 

In Maths, we will continue to learn about place value. We will compare and order numbers with decimal places, calculate with negative numbers and convert units of measure. 

In English, we will be reading 'Wisp' by Zana Fraillon and learning to write with atmosphere. We will learn to vary sentence lengths for effect and use metaphors. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. 

Miss Paxton