Whole School Worship- Earth Day 2026: Our Power, Our Planet
Today, Mrs Ham led an inspiring whole-school worship focused on Earth Day 2026, which is tomorrow, and our theme, 'Our Power, Our Planet. We explored essential ways to care for our environment, from the importance of recycling and saving water to the impact of planting trees. During the session, the children demonstrated fantastic oral speaking and oracy skills as they discussed their personal pledges with their peers, articulating how they plan to help the environment, not just on Earth Day, but every day! We heard some wonderful stories: Luna spoke about her time picking up litter on holiday in Greece, while Alfie shared that it is an act of kindness to pick up rubbish even if it isn't your own. Jonas also reminded our budding Planet Protectors to wear green for the land and blue for the sea tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day. From planting trees at home to helping grandparents with local litter picks, the children’s ideas were truly inspiring. We also reflected on our efforts as a school family in protecting our planet over the last few months such as planting a microforest at Jacks Key, planting two orchards on our school grounds, our WOW group's pick up dog poo campaign, our Rotakids recycling teddies and winter coats for those in need and focusing on switching off lights and devices. We concluded by singing, 'We Can Make a Difference', and offering a prayer of thanks for our wonderful world, reflecting on how we can all work together to protect our precious planet.
Year 2 - English - Story Sequencing
Year 2 sequenced the story of 'The Koala Who Could' and retold the story in their own words.
Year 6 - Smart School Council
Today during our Smart School Council session, the meeting was led by our Year 6 representatives. The children confidently presented a debate to the class on whether TikTok should be banned, encouraging everyone to think critically about both the positive and negative aspects of social media. The children explored issues such as online safety, screen time and the impact social media can have on wellbeing, as well as recognising how it can be used positively for creativity and communication. The class engaged in a structured discussion, sharing their opinions respectfully, listening carefully to others and responding thoughtfully to different viewpoints. They also took part in a vote at the end of the session, justifying their decisions with clear reasoning. It was fantastic to see such mature, balanced and articulate contributions from all children. A brilliant example of pupil voice in action, helping to develop confidence, oracy skills and an understanding of democracy and modern life.
Year 3- R.E- Exploring Sadness and Joy with Rev Ben
This afternoon, we welcomed Rev Ben to our class to investigate the emotional journey of Holy Week through a deep discussion. We used our oracy skills to recap the Easter story and explore how church services transform from sadness to joy. Rev Ben explained that on Good Friday, the service is solemn and quiet to reflect the sadness of the cross. However, we also talked about how everything changes on Easter Sunday, when the church bursts into a joyful celebration with loud bells and happy songs to show that Jesus is alive. By talking and listening to Rev Ben, we learned that churches use different moods, sounds, and symbols to help people feel the big emotions of the Easter story.
Year 5 Smart School Council Big Debate
Today we took part in our Smart School Council Big Debate. We were asked if Tik Tok should be banned for everyone in the UK. We had six groups, four voted no and two groups voted yes. The main reasons discussed were that it should be banned as it’s a Temu version of YouTube and it’s full of inappropriate content and toxic people. On the other hand some thought it shouldn’t be banned as they think it allows people to connect to others, have fun and interact, it can also be really useful to find out relevant information. Most of the children did highlight though that it should have an age restriction of 16 years old and above. We had some wonderful points that were shared that showcased our oracy skills in Year 5.
Year 3- Class Meeting: Oracy in Action: The Big Bake 2026
During today's class meeting, Eddie and Roman led a powerful session on joining The Big Bake 2026 to support the brain tumour community. This initiative provided a fantastic opportunity for the students to develop their oracy skills, as they engaged in a thoughtful debate about how their collective efforts could help save lives. By practising active listening and articulating their ideas clearly, the students moved from initial deliberation to a unanimous, enthusiastic "Yes" vote. This Smart School Council action not only serves a vital cause but also showcases the students' growing confidence in using their voices to drive change and collaborate on a plan to bake and sell goods together.
Year 6 - World Trade
This week in Geography, Year 6 explored the import and export balances of countries around the world. The children developed their understanding of how goods and services move between nations and how this trade impacts a country’s economy. The children learned about the concept of trade balance, discussing the differences between imports and exports and what it means for a country to have a surplus or a deficit. The children also explored how debt can have a significant impact on a country’s development and how increased income through trade can lead to improvements in infrastructure, education and quality of life. Through discussion and enquiry, the children considered how global trade links countries together and how economic decisions can affect people’s everyday lives.
World Down Syndrome Day in Year 4
Today we Rocked Our Socks for World Down Syndrome Day in Year 4. We started with a special class worship, followed by a quiz to see who could remember the most Makaton songs that we have looked at in school over several weeks. Next we designed our own socks and talked about with the right support most people with a disability can lead independent lives. It was lovely to see the children developing their oracy skills through group discussion and using their talk tokens to share their ideas.
Year 3- English- Speaking and Listening: The Iron Man
In English today, the class read Chapter 3 of The Iron Man together, focusing on the moment the Iron Man is lured into the scrap metal pit. Instead of writing in their books, the children spent the session developing their oral skills by describing the Iron Man's massive feast. They practised retrieving specific details from the text to build descriptive sentences out loud. It was a great opportunity for them to use talk tactics, such as building on each other's ideas and instigating new points of view, to bring the scene to life through high-quality discussion.
Year 4 - Class Worship: Joy
In our class worship we looked at the Picture News story for the week about Pokémon turning 30 years old. The subject of the worship was: Finding Joy in the Journey. After discussing the story, the children worked in pairs to discuss their experiences of having fun. They used the social and emotional skill of oracy to really listen to their partner’s response, ready to share it with the rest of the class. They then listened to the Bible passage taken from Ecclesiastes explaining that God wants us all to experience and seek out joy, with the following caveats: don’t sacrifice your kindness and respect towards others in the pursuit of joy, and enjoy the journey rather than solely focussing on the destination.
Year 3- Science- Weathering: How Rocks Break!
This week, the Year 3 scientists recapped on the previous lesson learning all about rocks. They started by talking with their peers about different rock groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The main part of the lesson was about weathering, which is how rocks get broken or worn away over time. They looked at physical weathering (like freezing water), chemical weathering (like acid rain), and biological weathering (like tree roots growing through cracks). There was lots of "talk time" for the children to use their oracy skills, especially when discussing which rocks make the strongest walls. By the end, they could explain how weathering changes rocks and pick the best ones for different jobs.
English - Using Inverted Commas in Year 4
Using our class novel, Year 4 wrote a piece of dialogue between two characters for their innovated piece of writing. They also remembered that ‘said’ is dead and had to use a variety of synonyms to improve their final pieces.