The children explored ways that imagery can be used in creative writing to spark readers’ imaginations. They identified imagery in the federation text, ‘Dear Earth’ by Isabel Otter and each class created an ‘imagery wall’ of words and phrases to inspire their own creative writing in future lessons.

“Imagery appeals to the reader’s senses and helps them feel like they’re in the scene.” Jackson SM9

“Powerful verbs, interesting nouns and expanded noun phrases are some of the ways the author used imagery in the book.” Safeeyah SM9

‘A hockey stick can’t be lifted above waist height and only the flat side is used.’ - Lewis

‘To beat a defender, I need to change speed and direction and dribble to the defender’s non stick side.’ - Isabell

‘I know that hockey is an invasion game - just like football, netball and basketball.’ - Stan

‘We use dribbling in a game to maintain possession, move towards the goal and create space to be able to shoot or pass.’ - Darcy

'Knowing the Zones of Regulation colours helps us to talk about our feelings.'

Ellie SM7

'It's good that everyone in school knows about the different zones because when we say we're in one colour or another, they understand how we're feeling and can help us.'

Hannah SM7

'Some teams took time to decide on roles but our team made the decision quickly and it worked well.'

Harrison

'It was fun to play a game we'd made up ourselves. We came up with the idea together and then tried it out. It was a good game.'

John

‘We took it in turns to be the runners which meant there were no arguments because we all knew we would get a go.’

Lilly

‘Marta had a good idea for our game, throwing and catching coits. Then we added another idea to make it more difficult - we had to throw the coits at the same time as each other and catch them at the same time. It was really fun.’

Eden

‘When you use a code on the screen of a smart locker that is the input. The output is that the locker door opens so you can get your package.’ Rosie

‘A process is following the steps to make something happen.’ Ila C

'We worked together in the crate staking to build a high tower - some climbed the crates, some held their ropes to stop them falling and some stacked the crates.' Serena

'I overcame my fear of boats.' Ava

'When I was worried during caving, Amelia and Isla encouraged me.' Eden

'The whole day was packed full of fun. I loved it!' Mysha

‘You start with the hundred thousand column and check the value. The highest value is the larger number.’ Daniel SM9

‘If two digits are the same in a place value column, move to the next column and check those. If they’re also the same, keep moving columns until there is a difference that will tell you which is the greater number.’ Monty SM9

In a previous lesson, children developed their mastery of oil pastel techniques such as:

• Blending – smoothly mixing colours

• Layering – adding depth and richness

• Scumbling – scribbly marks for texture

• Sgraffito – scratching to reveal colour underneath

After practising these, they created their own detailed artworks of chosen endangered animals, focusing on realism, texture, and contrast, inspired by Sophie Green’s conservation message.

Georgina - “I really liked Sophie Green’s art because she makes animals look so real. I tried blending lots of colours to make my tiger’s fur look soft, just like hers.”

Theia - “The sgraffito technique was my favourite. I used it on the turtle’s shell and it made the patterns stand out. Sophie Green shows every tiny detail, so I wanted mine to be detailed too.”

Tom - 'I found layering tricky at first, but then I saw how it made the colours richer. I think Sophie Green inspires people to care for animals.'

The session was not only about building skills but also about developing teamwork, confidence, and resilience. The children showed great determination and plenty of smiles as they paddled their way through the canal!

Tommy - 'I felt nervous at first, but once I learned how to hold the paddle properly, it was so much fun. I didn’t want it to end!'

Joey - 'My favourite part was learning how to steer. It was tricky, but when our canoe went in the right direction, we all cheered.”

Theo: 'I liked working with my team. We had to paddle in time together, and it felt amazing when the canoe glided across the water, we also saw a Kingfisher!'

Children faced exciting challenges high above the ground. From balancing in the crate stacking challenge to taking the leap from the Powerfan, the children showed incredible courage and determination.

Many of the group overcame their fear of heights, supported by friends who encouraged them every step of the way.

The sound of cheering and clapping filled the air as children celebrated each other’s successes. It was a true display of teamwork, bravery, and resilience.

Darcey - 'I was shaking on the high ropes, but my friends kept shouting ‘you can do it!’ and I felt really proud when I finished.'

Penny - 'The Powerfan was so scary, but once I jumped, it felt amazing – like I was flying!'

Ted - “Crate stacking was fun because we worked as a team. Everyone was laughing and cheering when the tower wobbled.'

Along the journey, the children made some surprising discoveries – from teddy bears hidden in the caves, to huge ball pits and facts about caves in the UK. They also listened carefully to the sounds inside the cave, noticing how voices echoed in the darkness.

Kayaliny - 'I couldn’t believe it when I spotted a teddy bear hiding in the cave – it made me laugh and forget I was nervous.'

Isaac - 'I learned that most of caves in the UK are made from limestone.'

Lewis - 'My favourite part was jumping into the ball pit in the cave, I encouraged my friend throughout the caving experience and supported her along the way!'

It was fantastic to see everyone concentrating hard, improving with each shot, and celebrating when the arrows landed close to the target. The session helped develop not only accuracy and coordination but also patience and perseverance.

Joey - 'I felt like Robin Hood when I hit the target – it made me want to keep trying until I got even closer to the middle.'

Stan- 'At first I kept missing, but then I remembered to hold the bow steady, and I finally got it on the board!'

Harveen - 'Learning the rules was really important because it made me feel safe and confident while shooting.'

Harveen: I liked using the ink most because you could make interesting patterns. Orange and green looked really pretty together.

Hiyansh: Using charcoal was my favourite because it was similar to sketching and I love sketching.

Arya: I enjoyed using ink for the first time because you could use different brushes to make strokes and outline shapes using the nib pens. You could make a ‘tie-dye’ effect by putting one colour on top of another while it was still wet.

Overall, SM8 enjoyed experimenting with the inks as it was a new experience!

“I was able to channel Luka towards the sideline which meant I could force the ball out play to win possession” Dhiarn

“I found it easier to use an open-stick tackle once I had closed down her space” Alina

In SM8 we investigated the best footwear to wear on the playground. To make the test fair we used the same surface which was the playground. The dependent variable (what we measured) was the amount of force in Newtons. The independent variable (what we will change) was the shoe sole. The control variables (what we will keep the same) was the playground. We all enjoyed using the newton metres to measure the amount of force to move the shoes. We knew it was a comparative investigation as we could not make everything fair.

Jasmine, “Friction helps cars from sliding on roads.”

Hiyansh, “Friction is a force between two sliding surfaces.”

Theia, “The bumpier sole of the shoes, the more friction so the shoe moves slower.”

Arha, “Friction works in opposite directions.”

"I didn’t realise there were so many different types of bullying. The drama made it really clear and easy to understand what to do if I ever saw it happening." - Theia

"The Loud Mouth team delivered such an important message in a way that really connected with our children. The mix of performance and discussion was powerful and thought-provoking." - Mrs Dhinsa

"We loved working with the children at St Margaret’s. They were so engaged, and it was fantastic to see them exploring ways to look after themselves and support others." - Sean and Kavita (Loud Mouth)

We also talked about online safety, focusing on how apps collect personal information and why it’s important to protect our details when using the internet. The children are becoming more confident in recognising the benefits of digital systems while learning how to use them responsibly.

“I learned that systems like traffic lights use sensors to keep people safe when crossing the road.” - Penny

“In a catalogue store, computers organise the orders, but people still do some of the jobs too.” - Gurvir

“I know now that I should never share personal information on apps because companies can pass it on.” - Lara

The children also practised using the correct French articles (un, une, des) with each word, helping them to describe what they have and do not have in their pencil cases.

Through fun activities such as vocabulary games, children became more confident in recalling and using French words in simple sentences. They especially enjoyed spotting the differences between singular and plural items.

“I can now say what is in my pencil case in French – I’ve got un crayon and une gomme.” - Arha

“I learned that some words use un, some use une, and some are plural, like des stylos.” - Jacob

“It was fun translating French words into English – it helped me remember them more quickly.” - Lewis

“Some Christians read the story as literal and believe that it gives the facts about how the world was made. Other Christians think it is a myth but use some of the messages as a guide to live a good life” Amelia SM9

“If you don’t have a faith you can still read the bible as a book of entertaining stories” Juliet SM9

The session ended with a fun 60-second reading challenge and a spelling practice activity, where children shared their favourite strategies for learning tricky words. It was wonderful to see pupils and parents working side by side to develop confident, curious readers and spellers!

'I enjoyed the session. It was well-structured to be useful for the children and some interactive activities with grown -ups. There were some good ideas for spelling practice.' - SM9 Parent

'It was good to see how comprehension is taught, especially undertaking short text questions and the comprehension from watching a video clip. It was also nice to see the classroom environment where children spend most of there day.' - SM7 Parent

'It was really useful, hearing the terminology you use in lessons so that I can incorporate it at home when reading helps it stay consistent - which helps them with their learning.' SM8 Parent

Afterwards, they created their own hieroglyphs and sounds to perform original “Egyptian” compositions using just their voices and bodies.

“It was fun making sounds from pictures—we were like music detectives!” – Theia - SM8

“My favourite bit was making my own hieroglyph that sounded like a drum!” – Darcey SM8

“When we swapped our sheets, it was really fun trying to guess what each other’s music meant!” – Joey SM8

Everyone enjoyed discovering how pictures can become music—just like ancient symbols became stories!

They practised taking turns as leaders, giving clear commands and guiding their group safely around the course. Children then worked together to design their own maps using PE equipment to represent real-world objects and landmarks—putting their navigation skills to the test!

Through teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, children developed not only their physical skills but also their confidence and cooperation.

“I used good spatial awareness to find the quickest route to the tree.” - Simi - SM7

“Our team showed great coordination when we followed the map together.” - Eden - SM9

“We kept our control while skipping and didn’t bump into anyone.” - Theo - SM8

“I liked being the leader because I could give clear commands to my team.” - Tommy - SM8

“We used teamwork to agree which symbols to use on our map.” - Ethan - SM7

“I made sure to orientate the map before we started moving.” - Serena - SM9

“We had to navigate carefully and keep our balance while stepping over the ropes.” - Isabell - SM8

The class began the day with spelling activities that combined learning with mindfulness, using drawing and colouring to make their words come to life in a calm and creative way.

Later, everyone enjoyed a mindful walk around the school field, taking time to notice the sights, sounds, and feelings of being in nature.

Children shared what made them feel calm and grateful, showing great awareness of how small moments can make a big difference to wellbeing.

It was a lovely, reflective day where children practised caring for their minds and emotions as well as their learning and looked wonderful in green!

"I really enjoy colouring to help me feel calm" - Theo

"Gymnastics makes me feel for happy because I am doing something I enjoy" - Harveen

"I love making Origami to help me feel calm and happy, I enjoy being creative and sharing my creations with my family and friends" - Joey

"Football in the garden by myself helps me feel calm and relaxed" - Lewis

‘A riddle doesn’t tell you what it is about. It gives you clues and the last line is What am I?’ Omar SM9

‘We clapped out the syllables to check the poem followed the cinquain rules.’ Reuben SM9

‘I’m going to write a rhyming couplet poem because I like finding and using rhyming words.’ Serena SM9

‘Going outside and moving my body helps me de-stress.’ Mysha

‘I squeeze something tight in my hand to keep me calm.’ Leo

‘Watching the bubbles gives me quiet.’ Ollie

‘If someone wants to pick a note, I hope they get mine. It’ll make them feel better.’ Barbara

‘

Children then took part in an “Egyptian-inspired” activity, using both voices and tuned percussion instruments. They learned to identify and play the notes A, G, E, and D, copying musical patterns and rhythms from an Egyptian instrumental track.

These activities helped develop their listening, coordination, and performance skills, while deepening their understanding of rhythm and melody.

“I can tell when a note is long or short — it changes how the rhythm feels!” - Lara

“We used the notes A, G, E, and D to make our music sound like it was from Egypt.” - Lewis

“Our class worked together to keep in time and make our parts balance with everyone else’s.” - Stan

Children also considered how faith and science can work together by looking at William Buckland, a Christian geologist who reinterpreted the biblical flood to align with scientific discoveries.

Children reflected on big questions such as:

Can scientific thinkers still have faith?

Does it matter if parts of a story seem unrealistic?

What can the story of Noah teach us about trust, faith and responsibility?

The class created a shared poster showing the many ways one story can be understood, as history, as myth, and as a moral lesson about hope and faith.

“I think the story shows that faith means trusting even when it’s hard to believe.” – Susannah

“William Buckland showed that you can change your ideas without losing your faith.” Lewis

“Perhaps the flood did not happen in the way it was written in Noah's Ark but the promise from God is the important part.” – Hiyansh

This year, SM7 has chosen to support MHA Homewood Care Home as their Courageous Advocacy project.

Homewood is a warm and friendly care home in Leamington Spa, offering personalised residential care, dementia care, and flexible short stay respite care for up to 50 residents.

SM8

SM8 children recently heard an inspiring presentation from Susannah about the work of Sea Life Trust, choosing this charity as the focus of their Courageous Advocacy Project.

Through their project, SM8 will be raising awareness in school and the wider community—sharing facts, organising actions and fundraising to support the Trust’s sanctuaries. This is not just learning about environmental issues—it’s about stepping up to advocate for change and giving voice to the oceans.

SM9

SM9’s Courageous Advocacy project is to campaign for and raise money for the charity WaterAid. Ollie first heard about WaterAid through an initiative on YouTube.

MrBeast and another YouTuber, Mark Rober, started hashtag TeamWater to raise money so people around the world get clean and safe water.

They worked with WaterAid to make it happen. Their goal was to raise 40 million dollars (that’s nearly 30 million pounds) — that’s a lot of money! Lots of people from around the world joined in, and by the end of August 2025, they reached their goal!

However, even though TeamWater has now finished, WaterAid need keep raising money as many, many more places still need clean, safe water.

The money will help build wells, pipes, and other ways to bring water to places like Kenya, Bangladesh, Colombia, India and Nepal.

‘For Diwali Day my family dress up, eat delicious food and pray.’ Thea SM8

‘Diwali Day celebrates light winning over darkness. The Diva lamps and fireworks show this.’ Arjan SM9

‘We’re really looking forward to hearing about the children’s 2025 Diwali celebrations, in Shine Worship next week. First hand accounts are always special and a super way to learn about each other's worldviews.’ Mrs Christie-Brown

‘The Ancient Greeks didn’t have the knowledge we have today so they tried to explain things like the weather using myths about gods and goddesses controlling life on Earth.’ Kaan SM9

‘The myths were used to teach the Greek people lessons. The story of Persephone is teaching that nature and the seasons come in cycles.’ Juliet SM9

They discovered how algorithms and search engine optimisation (SEO) help make web content easier to find.

Working in pairs, children created webpages about our school, chose which others to link to, and then 'ranked' the pages using a scoring system — just like a real search engine!

“I didn’t know that links from other sites could make your page go higher!” – Gurvir

“We put St Margaret's and Year 5 in the heading and the URL to get more points.” – Theo

"I know how search engines follow rules to rank results and that improving the quality and structure of a page can help the website reach the top of the list." - Jacob

LI: To describe the movements of the planets

Today was our first lesson starting our new topic, Space. We learnt about what is in our solar system, and how each planet orbits the Sun. This image shows how we recreated our own solar system using 3D planets. It was tricky for Harrison (the Moon) to orbit Poppy (the Earth) as she tried to orbit Emily! (The Sun)

‘I’m surprised that we wouldn’t survive a whole ‘year’ on Neptune, it’s so long! Hannah SM7

‘I didn’t know that Mercury doesn’t have any moons.’ Harrison SM7

‘Planets, comets, moons and asteroids are all part of our solar system.’ Simi SM7

Today in Year 5 we applied the skills and knowledge we have learnt from our multiplication and division topic to a variety of problems. We had to use the key vocabulary never, sometimes or always to answer some of the questions and prove why we had chosen never, sometimes or always. We were given a challenge called Three Digits where we had to add three consecutive numbers and spot the pattern. This was tricky but we persevered and solved the pattern.

“Inverse means opposite and we can use inverse operations to check answers. Addition is the inverse of subtraction.” Isabell

“When problem solving using two step word problems, take each step one at a time and check your answers.” Theia

“Estimation is like rounding up or down and it can help you to solve an answer more .quickly.” Darcey

“When subtracting and there are many ones in the top number, you need to exchange across the zeros. You need to go to the non-zero column, exchange a value and then work your way back to the right, column by column exchanging if you need to.” Harveen and Arha

The live assembly strengthened this learning by showing us that people around the world, including teachers and leaders, are working together to protect the Earth for future generations.

The COP30 Live Assembly, broadcast from Brazil, brought together educators including Jenny Cooper, Sarah Fishwick, and Dr Sifiso Ndlovu to help us understand the importance of climate action.

The assembly explained that COP30 is the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, a global meeting where world leaders work together to reduce pollution, protect the planet, and support people affected by climate change. This year’s conference was taking place in the Amazon rainforest, highlighting the vital role forests play in providing clean air and supporting wildlife.

'The Amazon keeps the whole world breathing. We need to protect it before it’s too late.' - Shaan

'If leaders at COP30 listen to children and Kier Starmer reads our letters, they will understand how worried we are about our future.' - Tom

'We wrote to the Prime Minister because everyone has to help, especially the people in charge.' - Theia

'I loved the live assembly because it felt like we were really part of COP30, and it helped me understand what’s happening around the world and why our voices matter.' - Jacob

They also explored how different forms of online communication, such as emojis, memes and voice notes, can be helpful or misunderstood depending on context. The children were excited to discover how algorithms work in games.

'I learned that algorithms are just step-by-step instructions, and in Scratch we build them using blocks. It made coding feel easier!' - Gurvir

'My favourite part was designing the maze and making my sprite move with the arrow keys. I felt like a real game designer.' - Isaac

'I didn’t know that different messages or emojis can be understood in different ways. Today helped me think more carefully about how I communicate online.' - Jaslin

This week in science we have found out about the different phases of the moon. We used Oreo’s to create the different phases to find out what happens in a four week period of time. We learnt the moon orbits the Earth just like the Earth orbits the sun. We discovered we can usually see the moon because it reflects light from the sun. Waxing means the moon gets bigger whilst waning means the moon becomes smaller.

Hiyansh - “Whenever there is waxing, the moon gets bigger”

Theia- “The moon doesn’t actually change shape, it reflects light in different positions”

Tom- “ A full moon is when we can see all of the moon”

Theo - “ Orbit means circling around an object of thing”

LI: To explain the phases of the Moon

Today, we have been learning out the movement of the Moon. We talked about why the Moon appears to change shape and how its position changes throughout the month.

‘I had no idea we only ever saw one side of the Moon.’ Hannah SM7

‘It’s interesting that it takes the Moon a month to do a revolution of Earth.’ Emily SM7

‘A full moon means we see one whole side of the Moon’ Dhiarn SM7

‘Waxing means we can see more of the Moon’ John SM7

After we created the phases of the Moon, we ate the Oreos!

This was an excellent opportunity for the whole school to sit back and listen to Eva’s amazing voice and be inspired to follow dreams and challenge themselves.

‘After listening to the signing, I definitely want to think about being a singer myself.’ Nancy Year 4

‘I loved how her singing tone changed in each song!’ Ilona Year 4

‘Eva’s voice filled the room with calming sounds of her voice. We hope we can listen to her again!’ Darcey Year 5

They revised key vocabulary (conductors/insulators) and components of circuits, and made and tested their own switches.

Leo SM8: A component is part of a circuit, such as a bulb, motor or buzzer. The component will only work if the circuit is complete.

Logan SM8: A switch its important as it stops the flow of electricity, for example when turning a light on and off.

“I learned that if I don’t get the ball, I should move again to find a better space.” - Tom SM8

“It was fun trying to decide how hard to throw depending on where my partner was.” - Shaan SM8

“I liked practising the footwork rule because it made the game feel more real.” - Austin - SM7

“We had to talk to each other so we knew where to pass, teamwork helped us a lot!” - Harrison SM7

“My favourite pass was using the chest pass because it felt powerful and accurate.” - Kaan SM9

“I used verbal and non-verbal communication to show I could receive the ball.” - Lilly SM9

Everyone worked co-operatively and showed great determination as they improved their serving technique.

“I didn’t know the ready position mattered so much, it really helped me serve better.” - Harvey SM8

“I learnt that moving my feet quickly makes it easier to get under the ball.” - Hannah SM7

“My favourite part was trying to hit the ball into a space where no one was standing.” - Kayaliny - SM8

'We had to work together to cover the court, it felt like real teamwork.' - Isiah SM7

'I found serving tricky at first, but I kept trying and it got easier.' - Reuben SM9

'Now I understand that attacking is about thinking ahead, not just hitting the ball.' - Milan SM9

They focused on creating a triangle shape with their thumbs and index fingers, moving from a strong ready position, and getting their feet underneath the ball to control it effectively. Children completed activities such as fast-catch volleys and 2-v-2 rallies. They practised working co-operatively, communicating to cover space, and persevering as their accuracy and confidence improved.

Children discovered how setting the ball high helps teammates prepare an attacking return and how good positioning and teamwork support success in over-the-net games.

'I didn’t realise how important the triangle shape is, it helped me control the ball better.' - Luca SM7

'When I got underneath the ball, my set went much higher and my partner had more time.' - Emily SM7

'My favourite part was the 2-v-2 game because we had to talk to each other to cover the court.' - Jack SM9

'I found the volley tricky at first, but I kept trying and it got easier every time.' - Lucas - SM9

'Setting the ball high made it much easier for my teammate to hit it over the net.' - Lewis SM8

'I learned that the ready position helps you move quickly when the ball comes your way.' - Lara SM8

“I know that bullying is when something happens over and over again and when someone is deliberately trying to hurt another person physically or emotionally. It is important to tell a trusted adult.” Ellie SM7

“Racism is discrimination or a negative judgement about someone due to the colour of their skin, race, beliefs or religion. Today we discussed that all forms of racism are unacceptable and that being different to others is amazing because we can all learn from each other.” Sasha SM7

Once the chassis was complete, the children explored how to make their moon buggies move by adding a motor, battery pack and simple electrical circuit. They learned how components connect, how a circuit works, and how power from a battery can drive movement.

Children tested their designs, identified problems and made improvements to ensure their moon buggies worked effectively.

Throughout the project, children developed skills in measuring, construction, problem-solving and evaluation.

“I designed my chassis first so it would be the right shape and size.” – Rosie SM9

“We measured the axles carefully so the wheels could rotate smoothly.” – Eden SM9

“The cardboard is the main structure that supports my moon buggy.” – Leo SM9

“I used hot glue to join the parts and make the chassis stronger.” – Luca – SM7

“The motor is connected to the axle so it can turn the wheels.” – Kaveka – SM7

“We added a battery pack to power the motor, a real Lunar Rover is also battery powered.” – Isiah – SM7

“I made a circuit by connecting the wires to the battery and motor.” – Oran – SM8

“When the circuit was complete, the motor started to move.” – Harvey – SM8

“I tested my moon buggy and changed the design to make it work better, we switched our motor box around so that it would not interfere with the motor. I know that a real Lunar Rover has a flat base and not many extra features.” – Theia SM8

This project gave children valuable experience in designing, building and powering a working model, while developing confidence with tools, materials and electrical components. The finished moon buggies demonstrate creativity, resilience and a growing understanding of how real Lunar Rovers work.

In pairs, they looked for evidence in a bible extract, that led people to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. They then role played the parts of an interviewer interviewing a person at the time of Jesus’ arrival, to find out how they felt about it and what they thought it meant.

‘Messiah means saviour or king.’ Dhiarn SM8

‘Incarnation means God in human flesh. People wanted the Messiah to be a warrior to secure their lands for them. Jesus didn’t act like an important leader because he wanted to serve others not have them serve him.’ Thea SM8

‘Because there were lots of signs, even in the Old Testament, that Jesus was the Messiah, Herod was worried he would take over as king.’ Ethan SM7

‘The bible gives lots of clues for Christians that Jesus is the Messiah. The angel that told Mary she was pregnant and the one that told Joseph to marry Mary gave clues.’ Rosie SM9

It allowed the children to consider what the meaning of Christmas is for Christians and to reflect on the feelings of nativity characters and on wider issues. For example, they thought about how Mary may have felt when given the momentous news that she was to give birth to the son of God but also how it may feel to be in need of warmth and shelter and how they feel when they receive good news.

‘I’d never really thought about how the characters might be feeling during the events of the nativity story. If you reflect on how you would feel if these things happened to you, you can understand how they might feel.’ Mysha SM9

‘Mary and Joseph must have been nervous having to travel when they were about to have a baby. It makes me sad that they had nowhere to stay.’ Susannah SM8

‘I liked the trail lights. Christians use light to show Jesus bringing good to the world.’ Penny SM8

‘It was beautiful and an interesting way to revise the nativity story.’ Marta SM9

Today in Computing, we looked at concept maps. We discussed that a concept map helps us to visually organise our ideas and represent the information we wanted to share. To do this, we got into a circle and started with our concept, ‘Why should we care for the environment?’ Firstly, Dhiarn held the wool and gave us an initial response to the concept. After, he passed it on to the next person, who wanted to add their idea. This continued until we had a ‘web’ of ideas, then we tracked back to remember what each person had contributed.

‘A concept is an idea in the form of a question.’ Sasha SM7

‘Using images would help us create a good concept map.’ Simi SM7

‘A concept map helps us to organise our ideas.’ Dhiarn SM7

‘Concept maps are a good way to explore ideas and to think about the different parts of an idea. They help you organise your thoughts.’ Alex

‘When you’ve finished the map you can see the whole idea but you can also look at specific bits of the idea.’ Monty

‘I’m looking forward to using the programme to make a concept map on the computer.’ Aya

There were six stations around the room, allowing pupils to practise multiplying up to 4-digit numbers and dividing with and without remainders.

Children reflected on which methods they found tricky and chose activities that would challenge and support their learning.

They used long multiplication and short division strategies, checking their answers carefully before moving on.

“I chose the 3-digit by 2-digit questions because I needed more practice with long multiplication and lining up my place value correctly.” - Jacob SM8

“Dividing with remainders was tricky, but I used the bus stop method and checked my answer.” - Eden SM9

“I liked choosing my own questions because I could challenge myself with 4-digit by 2-digit multiplication.” - Harrison SM7

“I checked my calculation by estimating first to see if my answer was reasonable.” - Theia - SM8

“When I got stuck, I solved the problem by breaking the number into smaller parts.” - Mysha SM9

“I used inverse operations to check my answer and make sure my multiplication and division were correct.” - Emily SM7

Children listened carefully to a range of musical pieces and selected colours they felt matched the mood, dynamics and texture of the music, understanding that there were no right or wrong answers.

Working in pairs, the children listened to Movement 4 (Saltarello/Tarantella) from Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony and discussed key musical features such as tempo, dynamics, instruments and sections. They then created a graphic score, using colours and shapes to visually represent the music.

The activity encouraged careful listening, discussion and creative decision-making.

“The fast tempo made me choose bright colours because the music felt energetic.” - Logan SM8

“I justified my colour choice by explaining that the loud dynamics sounded bold and strong.” - Alex - SM9

“We noticed the music had different sections, so we changed colours when the music changed.” - Daya SM7

“The strings sounded light and playful, so I picked yellow to match the mood.” - Tommy SM8

“When the music got quieter, we used softer colours to show the change in dynamics.” - Mysha SM9

“Our graphic score uses shapes and colour to represent the rhythm and texture.” - Dhiarn SM7

“Listening without talking helped us focus on the instruments we could hear.” - Marta SM9

“We solved problems by agreeing as a pair which colours best represented the music.” Aneha SM7

“A graphic score is a visual way to show music using colours and shapes.” - Jaslin SM8

“I learned that strong body tension helps me stay balanced for longer.” - Harveen SM8

“Symmetrical balances look the same on both sides, and asymmetrical ones are different.” Lillie SM8

“Stretching helped my body feel ready and stopped me getting hurt.” - Joey SM8

"Travelling moves like jumps and skips helped connect my balances smoothly.” - Rosie SM9

“I felt confident sharing my balance ideas with my partner.” - Reuben SM9

“Working safely together made our partner balances stronger.” Daniel SM9

“Using different levels made our sequence more interesting.” - Emily SM7

“Watching others helped me think about how to improve my own performance.” Jaejun - SM7

“Holding each balance for five seconds showed control and focus.” - Lakshmi SM7

“A forehand is when I hit the ball on my dominant side.” - Layken SM7

“A groundstroke means I let the ball bounce once before I hit it.” - Dhiarn SM7

“The ready position helps me react quickly and move to the ball.” - Poppy SM7

“Turning into a sideways stance helps me control my forehand.” - Lewis SM8

“The baseline is the back line where we started our rallies.” - Tommy SM8

“A rally is when we keep the ball going between both players.” - Lara SM8

“Brushing over the ball helps it go up and then land in the court.” - Monty SM9

“An underarm feed helped my partner practise their shot.” - Amelia SM9

“Dynamic stretching gets my body ready to move fast in games.” - Ila SM9

Today we have started our new topic ‘Life Cycles’. We learnt what a life cycle is, the five stages of a life cycle, life cycles of a mammal and what a mammal is. We learnt about the life cycle of a kangaroo.

Tommy- A life cycle is about how living things go through stages during their life.

Joey - The five stages of a life cycle are birth, growth, reproduction, aging and death.

Jessie - Gestation period is the time a living thing grows in the womb before birth.

Theo- Mammals are warm bloodied.

Georgina - Mammals produce milk, have hair and four limbs. Babies feed on their mother’s milk.

In Year 5 we learnt about the life cycle of a plant and the different parts of a plant. We learnt that in flowering plants, male and female reproductive parts can be found in the same plant.

With partners, we had to pull a part a tulip and identify the male and female reproductive parts of the flower.

This is what we learnt from our lesson and we were able to use some of our previous knowledge from Year 3 to consolidate our learning.

Tom - “ Germination is when the seed starts to grow when the conditions are suitable”

Joey- “ Warmth and water are needed for the seed to germinate”

Hiyansh - “Roots start to grow underground and transport water to the seed”

Jaslin- “Roots help anchor the plant to the ground”

Susannah - “Leaves start to grow on the stem and plants make food using photosynthesis”

Arha- “ Pollen is used to make seeds”

Tommy and Theia - “ Seed dispersal is when seeds are spread by the wind and by small animals who eat the seed and then the seed comes out of the other end!”

Lewis- “ The anther helps produce pollen”

Lillie-Rae - “The stigma is wet so pollen will stick to it”

Theia - “The filament which is t the bottom of the stem holds the anther up so that is can produce pollen”

LI: To send and receive under pressure

Today, we focussed on communicating to help our team mates stay calm to make quick decisions. To do this, we played numerous games, where the attackers needed to pass effectively and accurately to each other and the defenders needed to try and take possession of the ball.

Jackson SM9- ‘when there’s more defenders, it becomes harder to keep hold of the ball.’

Marta SM9- ‘Only shoot when you are near the goal so you have more chance of scoring.’

Serena SM9- ‘You can call to let your team members know you are there to help them’

Lewis SM8- ‘You need to move quickly so the defenders don’t have time to react’

Theia SM8- ‘You need to shoot when there’s a clear path between the attacker and the goal’

Jacob SM8- ‘To intercept a pass, you need to stay on your toes to react quickly.’

Alina SM7- ‘Use the inside and outside of your foot to control the ball effectively.’

Emily SM7- ‘change your speed to help move away from the defenders.’

Harrison SM7- ‘Make sure you can see the ball and the player you are defending to help you intercept a pass.

During the experience, the children explored the rainforest environment and discovered many amazing facts about one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. They learned how the Amazon produces a huge amount of the world’s oxygen, how the dense canopy creates different layers of habitat, and why the rainforest is home to such an incredible variety of plants and animals.

The VR experience helped bring their learning to life and gave them a new appreciation for the importance of protecting rainforests and the animals that live there.

"It felt like I was actually in the Amazon rainforest and I learned that it produces lots of the oxygen we breathe.” - Leo SM8

“I didn’t know leaf-cutter ants can carry leaves bigger than their own bodies and use them to grow food.” - Penny SM8

“The jaguar looked so real and I learned it is one of the top predators in the rainforest.” - Gurvir SM8

“I learned and saw that sloths move very slowly so predators don’t notice them in the trees.” - Aneha SM7

“The rainforest has different layers and lots of animals live high up in the canopy.” - Jackson SM7

“The gorilla looked like it was right in front of me and I learned they are very strong herbivores.” - Elliot SM7

“I learned that the Amazon Rainforest is one of the biggest rainforests in the world.” - Christiana SM9

“The VR made it feel like we were exploring a real jungle and I learned that many animals use camouflage to hide.” - Ollie SM9

“It was the best lesson ever and I learned that rainforests are really important to protect.” - Eden SM9

The children thoroughly enjoyed this experience and it helped deepen their understanding of the Amazon Rainforest and the incredible wildlife that calls it home.

As part of the ‘If I Were an Engineer’ project, the children learned about different ways to improve the world around us. They identified a real-world problem and designed their own invention to help solve it. After creating their designs the pupils wrote persuasive letters to a Primary Engineer, explaining their ideas.

It has been a fantastic week of creativity, problem solving and innovation, with pupils thinking like an engineer and imagining how they could make the world a better place

Ethan SM7 “I was inspired to make something that can collect a dispose of waste from the ocean”

Hannah SM7 “My invention support the environment by helping to plant different types of plants and look after them as they grow. I wanted to design something that would help tackle global warming”

We discussed key ideas such as sacrifice, forgiveness, and love, and explored how these are remembered through practices like communion and Easter celebrations. We also asked big questions about why symbols like the cross matter and how Christians show their beliefs through worship and actions.

The main focus of the lesson was creativity: in pairs, we designed new and meaningful ways to celebrate salvation.

We thought about:

Symbols (e.g. light, hearts, crosses, open doors)

Actions (e.g. sharing, forgiving others, helping people)

Words (e.g. prayers, thankfulness, promises)

Activities (e.g. celebrations, acts of kindness, storytelling)

We presented our ideas on sugar paper, showing how salvation can be remembered not just through traditional practices, but through everyday actions and creative expression.

“I learnt that salvation is about Jesus saving people and giving them a second chance.” - Jesse

“The cross is a symbol because it reminds Christians of sacrifice and love.” - Theia

“I think celebrating salvation can be helping others, not just going to church.” - Tommy

“We created a celebration where people light candles to show hope and forgiveness.” - Isaac

“Salvation means being forgiven, so we thought about writing sorry notes and forgiving people.” Lara

“I didn’t know bread and wine represented Jesus’ body and blood before this lesson.” Gurvir

Every child played their part brilliantly, whether acting, singing, dancing, or supporting behind the scenes. Their hard work, teamwork, and dedication truly shone through on stage. It was wonderful to see how much they had grown in confidence and how they supported one another throughout the performance.

The costumes, expressions, and enthusiasm brought the jungle to life, and it was clear how much effort had gone into learning lines, songs, and movements.

Most importantly, the children performed with joy and pride, making it a truly memorable experience for everyone who watched.

“I loved being Mowgli because I felt brave and adventurous!” - Ethan SM7

“I liked being Baloo because I could be funny and relaxed.” - Tom SM8

“Even when I was nervous, my friends helped me and we did it together.” - Rosie - SM9

"It was an incredible effort to bring the actual story to life as a stage performance. The students delivered a brilliant performance with great support and a hard work from the staff." - Y5 Parent

"We loved the performance all the children were superstars, the backdrop was amazing, the costumes were brilliant, absolutely loved the songs and dances, the little programs they designed were lovely and all the children looked like they were having a great time and super proud of themselves." - Y5 Parent

"Watching our daughter enjoying the role that she was playing and seeing how much the pupils have come out of themselves since starting St Margaret’s in year 3." - Year 5 Parent

"You always put on a great show, and give our children these amazing opportunities to shine." - Y5 Parent

The children explored key ideas such as sacrifice, love and forgiveness and discussed how Christian’s remember these today by taking part in Holy Communion and Easter celebrations.

Children worked in pairs to design new ways to remember salvation. They discussed the importance of symbols, sharing meals and re-enacting the stations of the cross and how these can also be remembered through simple, everyday actions.

“I agree that coming together at meal times allows us to remember that we are united. Christian’s believe that Jesus’ sacrifice brought everybody together as ‘one’” - Emily

“I learnt that before Christian’s can take Holy Communion, they first have to attend lessons as it is a very important tradition in the Christian religion” - Christiana

“Christian’s pray and sing in church about forgiving others, like in the Lord’s Prayer for example, it talks about forgiving those that have trespassed against us. I think that is following in the footsteps of Jesus” - Jaejun

“I used a database to search for specific information and it felt like real research.” - Jackson - SM7

“Using a bar chart helped me compare the data more clearly.” - Theia - SM8

“I learned that pie charts are good for showing percentages.” Mysha - SM9

“The census data was interesting because it shows real population changes.” - Eden - SM9

“I found it easier to analyse data when it was in a chart instead of a table.” - Jacob SM7

“I can now use Excel to create charts and present my findings.” - Harvey - SM8

“An algorithm is like step-by-step instructions for my program.” - Lewis SM8

“Iteration helps my light pattern repeat without writing the code again.” - Gurvir SM8

“My input is the code I write and the output is the lights on the micro.” - Kaveka SM7

“I had to do some debugging when my pattern didn’t repeat properly.” - Ocean SM7

“I used a sequence to make sure my lights came on in the right order.” - Millen SM9

“My program worked better when I used iteration because it was more efficient.” - Alex SM9

Jackson: I would like to be an author and I would need to demonstrate patience, focus and time-keeping to meet writing deadlines.

Isaiah: As a professional basketball player, I would show agility, strength and teamwork. If I wanted to coach others, I would show patience and encouragement too.

Ocean: I aim to be a VR content creator. For this, I would need good interaction skills, a good memory and organisation to decide what content needs to be made when.

To deepen their understanding, the children watched a dramatised performance of Macbeth by Mr Green and Mr Williams. This brought the story to life and helped them to better understand the emotions and actions of the characters.

Following this, the children created their own family coat of arms, carefully choosing symbols and colours to represent their identity, values and interests.

“I think Shakespeare was very clever because he wrote stories that are still interesting even though they are really old, and I liked how his plays have powerful characters like Macbeth who change throughout the story.” - Oran SM8

“At first I found Macbeth a bit confusing, but when I watched the acting, I understood how Macbeth was persuaded by the witches and Lady Macbeth, and it made me realise how his ambition led him to make bad choices.” - Jesse SM8

“I learned that Macbeth wasn’t always evil at the start, but he became more dangerous because he wanted to be king so badly, which shows how ambition can sometimes take over your mind.” - Daniel SM9

“When I designed my coat of arms, I included symbols that represent my family, like animals and colours that show our personality, and I tried to make it meaningful like the ones knights used to have.” - Simi SM7

“I really enjoyed making my coat of arms because it felt creative, and I liked explaining why I chose each symbol, as it helped me think about what is important to me and my family.” Hannah SM7

In Year 5 this week, we have been learning what dissolve, soluable, insoluable, solution and a solute all mean. We conducted an investigation to find out what happened to materials when we added them to water. We kept the test fair by measuring the same amount of water, adding the same amount of each material and stirring the solution with the same amount of stirs. The independent variable was the materials we added. The control variable was the water as it stayed the same. We learnt transparent means see through as when some materials are mixed with a liquid, the liquid is transparent where as when other materials are mixed with a liquid, the water is cloudy.

Tom- “ When a material disappears into a liquid it is solvable and it dissolves”

Gurvir - “ A solution is when two materials are mixed into a liquid. This could be sugar which we often add to a liquid”

Logan- “ Soluable is when a material dissolves in a liquid”

Jaslin - “ When a material does not dissolve in a liquid it is insoluable. Sand does not dissolve in water.

“When I ground my hands and feet firmly into the mat and spread my weight evenly, it helps me stay balanced and feel more stable in challenging poses.” - Lillie SM8

“Using slow, controlled breathing helps me move more smoothly between poses and allows me to stretch deeper without losing control.” - Logan SM8

“Focusing my eyes on one still point (a drishti) really improves my balance, especially in poses like half moon.” - Darcey - SM8

“Each time I exhale, I can gently push a little further into a stretch, which helps improve my flexibility over time.” Nirvair SM7

“Keeping control during transitions between poses is just as important as holding the pose itself.” - Hannah SM7

“Working with a partner helped me build confidence and share creative ideas when designing our own yoga flow.” - Ethan SM7

“Linking poses together in a continuous flow makes the movements feel more natural and improves coordination.” - Safeeyah SM9

“Repeating the flow multiple times helped me refine my technique and feel more controlled and balanced.” - Daniel SM9

“Good posture, alignment, and controlled breathing all work together to improve both balance and flexibility.” - Mysha SM9

Inspired by the work of Chila Kumari Singh Burman and Njideka Akunyili Crosby, the children considered how artists use colour, composition and atmosphere to communicate ideas and emotions.

Children cut, rearranged, painted over and collaged onto their images while developing their understanding of mixed media and artistic expression.

“I used mixed media by combining paint, collage and my photograph together." - Leo SM8

“Changing the composition of my portrait made it look more dramatic.” - Lucas SM9

“I cut and rearranged my photo to create a different effect and atmosphere.” Ocean SM7

“Warm colours made my self-portrait feel happier and more energetic.” Theia SM8

“I learned that facial expression can communicate emotion in artwork.” Daniel SM9

“Adding materials around the photograph helped show my personality.” - Christiana SM7

“I experimented with layering materials to make my portrait more interesting.” - Joey SM8

“The background and framing changed the mood of my composition.” - Isla SM9

“I learned that mixed media means using different materials together in one piece of art.” Simi SM7

“I was inspired by Chila Kumari Singh Burman because she uses bright colours and lots of layers in her artwork.” - Jacob SM8

“Looking at Njideka Akunyili Crosby helped me think about how photographs and drawing can work together.” Nirvair SM7

“I liked how the artists used composition to tell a story, so I tried to do that in my self-portrait.” - Monty SM9

The children practised using momentum, balance and coordination to improve their performance and worked in pairs to give feedback using key vocabulary such as “drive,” “dominant foot,” and “momentum.”

Children explored how a run-up can help build power and distance and challenged themselves to beat parts of the world record distance set by Jonathan Edwards.

The children showed resilience, teamwork and determination while practising the sequence of same foot, opposite foot and two-feet landing with increasing confidence and control.

“I learned that momentum helps you jump further because your speed builds power.” - Harvey SM8

“You have to drive your knee upwards and forwards during the hop to keep your balance and distance.” Darcey SM8

“My partner helped me improve my landing by reminding me to swing my arms forward.” Lewis SM8

“The run-up helped me build speed and power for the jump and made my technique smoother.” Kaan SM9

“I remembered the pattern: same foot, other foot, both feet.” Marta SM9

“I was surprised that Jonathan Edwards jumped 18.29m because when we measured it out it looked so far.” Mysha SM9

“Using the tape measure helped me understand how difficult the world record is to achieve.” Ellie SM7

“Our pair worked together to see how many combined jumps it would take to beat the world record distance.” Alina SM7

“I improved my triple jump by using one continuous movement instead of stopping between each part.” Jackson SM7

In Year 5 we have been learning how we can separate different solids. We had to separate sand, salt, marbles and lentils. We used sieves and filter paper to separate each of the different materials. We learnt what evaporation is and how sieving and filtration are used to separate mixtures. We recapped on our previous learning so we could use the scientific language in our diagrams and writing.

“Dissolving can be speeded up by stirring liquids, using very hot water or less water,” Jacob and Harvey.

“Insoluable means an object will not dissolve in a solute,” Theo

“Dissolve means broken down into minute pieces which can no longer be seen,” Harvey

“ A solute is material that does not dissolve,” Theia

“Filtration is a process used to separate solids from liquids and gases,” Shaan

“Evaporation is when water changes from a liquid to a gas,” Jacob

“ Salty water can be separated by boiling water. The water evaporates leaving the salt,” Arha

“Viking sagas often include a brave hero who overcomes challenges.” - Shaan SM8

“A quest or important journey is a key feature of a Viking saga.” - Tommy SM8

“Many Viking sagas include battles, conflict and acts of bravery.” Leo SM8

“Viking sagas are usually set in historical Viking times.” Elliot SM7

“Heroes in sagas often fight monsters, dragons or powerful enemies.” Alina SM7

“Adventure and danger are common throughout Viking sagas.” Jackson SM7

“Sagas were originally passed down through storytelling before being written down.” Safeeyah SM9

“Warriors, voyages and exploration are important features of Viking sagas.” Mysha SM9

“Authors use descriptive language to create atmosphere and excitement.” Daniel SM9

“Before this lesson, I didn’t realise that microphones are input devices because they capture and send sound into a computer.” - Tom SM8

“I learned that speakers and headphones are output devices because they allow us to hear recorded sounds and audio playback.” Kayaliny SM8

“I can now use Audacity to record my voice, listen back to it and improve it by re-recording sections if I make mistakes." Logan SM8

“I discovered that recording software can do much more than just record sound – it can also edit and change audio.” Layken SM7

“I learned that Audacity has different tools, such as record, play, pause and stop, which all help create audio recordings.” Jas SM7

“I found out that sound recording on a computer requires both input devices, like microphones, and output devices, like speakers or headphones.” Raman SM7

“I learned that changing the volume, speed or pitch of a recording can create different effects and make audio more interesting.” Aya SM9

“The copyright activity taught me that it is important to respect other people’s work and not copy it without permission.” - Monty SM9

“I understand that fair dealing only allows the use of someone else’s work in certain situations and does not mean you can use anything you find online.” Alex SM9

“I learned that partitioning decimals into ones and decimal parts can make calculations easier to solve mentally.” - Lillie-Rey SM8

“When adding decimals, I can start with the whole number and then add the decimal part separately.” Oran SM8

“I used a number line to show my thinking and check that my answer made sense.” Raghav SM8

“Understanding place value helped me add and subtract decimals more accurately.” Nirvair SM7

“I can explain why different methods work and choose the one that is most efficient.” Emily SM7

“I learned that decimals can be split into tenths, hundredths and thousandths to make calculations simpler.” Simi SM7

“Talking with my partner helped me compare strategies and find the quickest method.” Marta SM9

“I can now decide whether to use a mental method, an informal jotting or a written method depending on the calculation.” - Reuben SM9

“I know that finding the difference between two decimal numbers can be easier when I use my knowledge of number bonds and place value.” - Ollie SM9

Installation art aims to transform a specific space and is often made on a large scale. It is mainly constructed in mixed media or made out of everyday objects and can include interactive elements that you hear or touch.

“I think Geo-Qiang used gunpowder to create a dramatic effect, because it is exciting and it covers large areas” - Elliott SM7

“I found splattering paint by running my thumb over the bristles created an explosion effect well, especially when the colour stood out against other colours we had used” - Ellie SM7

“We mixed paint colours to create different tones - we tried to link ours to the ocean and so we used white, blues and greens. To create texture we drizzled pva glue in different areas and covered with sand. It made random patterns and also linked in with our coastal theme.” - Emily SM7

"Building the longhouse was my favourite activity because everyone had a different job to do. We had to think carefully about which branches would make the strongest walls and roof. It made me realise that Vikings had to build their own homes using the materials they could find around them." Simi SM7

"Making the bread over the fire was really exciting. I had never seen food cooked like that before, and it made me think about how much time Viking families must have spent preparing meals every day." Shaan SM8

"Writing my name in runes was amazing because it felt like I was writing a real Viking message, and it made me wonder how people learned to read and write back then." Safeeyah SM9

"Weaving the wattle fence was much harder than it looked. We had to work together and help each other thread the branches through properly. It showed me that teamwork was really important if a Viking village was going to stay safe." - Luca SM7

"Handling the Viking artefacts made history feel real. Instead of just reading about them in a book, I could imagine using them every day. It helped me understand that even ordinary objects were really important for survival." Ted SM8

"Learning outside made the whole experience much more realistic. Walking through the woods, collecting natural materials and getting muddy helped me imagine what life might actually have been like for Viking children over a thousand years ago." Mysha SM9

"Before today, I thought Vikings were only fierce warriors. Now I know they were also builders, farmers, cooks and craftspeople. They had to work hard every day just to survive, and everyone in the village had an important role." Tom SM8

"The best part of the day was working with my friends to solve problems together. If one idea didn't work, we had to try something different. It made me realise that Vikings had to be resilient and never give up." Harrison SM7