This week in English, we will begin the week by looking at poems, in preparation for our poetry unit next week and the following week. Later in the week, we will be continuing to write our own stories based on the featured books, Perfect and King of the Sky, both by Nicola Davies. Finally, these will be written and presented neatly. Some of the children are getting very close to earning their pen licences and I can confirm that one child has already reached this stage!

In guided reading this week, we will focus on the book, The Lighthouse Keepers lunch. The children will investigate the text and answer questions about comprehension and composition, with special focus on sequencing and summerising.

In Maths this week we will be continuing with multiplication and division, whilst also taking some time to look at angles and turns. The focus this week will on division of a 2-digit number by a 1-digit number with a remainder and scaling. Times tables learning will continue throughout the week, with opportunities for the children to practise their tables and complete a times table challenge.

In art this week, the children will continue to construct their puppets. We will also continue work on our UK topic as well this week, a geography focus, looking at the United Kingdom. This week, we will be taking another look at England.

Mrs Johnson will be continuing the Salvation unit again this week, further considering why Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good’ Friday and Mrs Hawker will be continuing the next science unit, looking at light.

Maple class have PE on Thursday with myself and Mr Luckhurst, and then swimming on Friday as usual. Please do email if you have any questions about this and remember to send your children in with everything they need for these 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