Maple class had a great first session at the swimming pool Friday and their behaviour was, as always, brilliant! Next session at the pool will be more structured now that we have the groups allocated and I know all the children will make great progress.

This week in English, we will be continuing our new unit based on the King of the Sky, a beautiful book by Nicola Davies. The children will be studying this book and using the emotional story to complement their learning. The learning this week will focus on exploring the characters in the story and researching the background details.

Guided reading this week will focus on non-fiction, with the children discovering facts about Elizabeth Coleman, the first female African American and Native American pilot ever to hold an international pilot license.

In Maths this week we will be continuing with multiplication and division. The focus this week will be using our knowledge of the 3 times table to multiply and divide. Times tables learning will continue through the week, with opportunities for the children to practise their tables and complete a times table challenge.

In art this week, the children will look at portraits created by the artist Laura Wheeler Waring, before starting their own acrylic self-portrait. We will be starting our new topic as well this week, a geography focus this term, looking at the United Kingdom.

Mrs Johnson will be continuing the Sikhism unit this term, discussing things that are important to Sikhs and looking at how this impact their lives and actions

Maple class have PE on Thursday with Mr Luckhurst and then swimming on Friday. Please do email if you have any questions about this and do remember to send your children in with everything they need for both sessions. If in doubt please do ask.

Reading Records will generally be changed on a Monday and Thursday. We would continue to ask however, that children bring their books and Reading Records in to school each day and that they aim to read daily, ideally with an adult – details of this can then be recorded in the Reading Record. Pleased do contact me if you feel your child’s book is either too easy or too difficult, or if your child’s book has not been changed. There are times when a book will be sent home more than once, either because a child is reading chapter books, or if it is felt that the book needs to be read more than once to enhance familiarity.

I am always happy to answer any questions you may have so please do contact me if you have any queries, using the class email address:

maple@st-barnabas.kent.sch.uk

Best wishes

Mrs Smallcombe and the Maple Team