This week, they practised applying some familiar sounds to key phrases, which they can now use to greet their friends and family! 

Your dedication, teamwork, and courage in stepping onto the stage have been truly inspiring. From learning new skills to blending your talents, you’ve shown what passion and perseverance can achieve. We are so proud of how far you’ve come and excited for where your musical journey will take you next!

For the main part of the lesson, Year 2 focused on music and how it makes them feel. They learnt facts about Gustav Holst and listened to a few of his pieces of music.

For our main activity, Year 2 used key vocabulary words to describe two pieces of music: Venus and Mars.

• developing our sight reading and glockenspiel playing skills. 

• developing our ability to read and perform stave notation,

• incorporating the use of dynamics and articulation. 

• performing songs and listening to a variety of live and recorded music to develop a deeper understanding about different note names and their durations.

In Lesson 1, we learned to sing "Tongo", a beautiful call-and-response song from the Polynesian Islands. Year 6 used the score to incorporate the rhythm pattern Syncopa ti-ti ta as they sang.

• focusing on exploring staff notation, 

• developing our understanding and ability to read higher and lower pitches. 

• developing our glockenspiel playing skills and learning new keywords each week.

• taking part in live and recorded listening activities and continuing to develop our singing skills.

Here you can see year 3 preparing to play this piece on the glockenspiel by singing "Cobbler Cobbler" in singing names. They worked in pairs to use the score and staff notation to find the correct letter names on the glockenspiel or keyboard and played the piece as an ensemble.

• developing our pitch reading skills using staff notation. 

• ‘following the score’ and performing songs on the glockenspiel. 

• listening to a variety of live and recorded music 

• building on our understanding of pitch and developing our ensemble skills. 

• performing songs in two or more parts, 

• developing our own compositions on the glockenspiel.

Here you can see year 4 using the score and their singing names to learn "Cobbler Cobbler" on the glockenspiel. We later added in an Ostinato (repeating pattern) to accompany the main song and performed in two groups as an ensemble. The children will be developing this activity in the next few weeks.

• learning to use our voices in many different ways. 

• focusing on carefully matching the sound that we hear and singing it back. 

• experimenting with various actions, body percussion and instruments. 

• telling stories through nursery rhymes. 

Here you can see the children in Nursery listening to Leroy Anderson's "The Syncopated Clock" and copying different rhythms using a variety of percussion instruments.

• learning to use our voices in many different ways. 

• focussing on matching our voices together and singing confidently.  

• using our voices, actions and instruments to express ourselves. 

• experimenting with various actions, body percussion and instruments. 

• telling stories through nursery rhymes. 

The children are learning to use their voices in a variety of ways to help tell a story through song.

The children began by revisiting some prior learning on days of the week and the different types of weather. They listened carefully to a story about a hedgehog called Enrique, who is desperate to go outside. Each day he wakes up and his mum says no because: it was snowing (esta nevando), it was raining (esta lloviendo), it was windy (hace viento) and it was freezing (esta helando). But eventually, Saturday came and the weather improved. The children used their generative learning skills to summarise the story in a storyboard.

We had to think carefully about which instructions to put together and in what order, predicting how each command would affect the characters on the screen. We tested our codes, fixed mistakes and improved them when things did not work as planned. This helped us develop our problem-solving skills and understand how coding controls what happens in a game.

The children had a range of opinions but were able to use their oracy skills to articulate them well.

The children then when on to to learn new translations given to some verb phrases, including:

• nadar - to swim

• cantar - to sing

• bailar - to dance

• saltar - to jump

They combined this with their prior knowledge on expressing opinions to create short conversations with their partners.

During the lesson we discussed TAG - Tell A Grown up, the children were given a situation where they had to decide if they should or should not tell an adult. This became an interesting discussion on internet safety.

The lesson began with the children reviewing their prior learning and rehearsing a short conversation with their partner by asking and answering the question: ¿Cuantos anos tienes?

The children then went on to recap their knowledge of numbers to 10, before learning the translation of numbers to 20 and then applying this to songs, rhymes and a game of bingo.

They began their new unit, La Cucaracha, by listening to samples of music with a range of Spanish origins, and then applied familiar knowledge of expressing opinions to share their own thoughts about the songs. Of course, Macarena and Despacito were among the common favourites as the children have heard them translated into English pop songs!

Next week, they will learn all about 'la cucaracha' - a popular Spanish folk song, about a cockroach who cannot walk!

The children used the Spanish alphabet to answer the question ¿Cómo se escribe tu nombre? (Can you spell your name?)

They also love joining Basho & friends in performing the alphabet song, which can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LT9ltzFJTQ

They then continued to consolidate their counting sequence by extending their number knowledge to 31. Along the way, the children used their critical thinking skills to help them identify features of the written and spoken translations that would help them to secure the new language in their long term memory. They discussed the similarities and differences between the numbers in English and in Spanish, and also thought about what changes occurred throughout the counting cycle, for example, numbers in the twenties are immediately followed by their ones amount (i.e. twenty-one translates to veintiuno), whilst numbers 30 and beyond are connected by the conjunction 'y' (i.e. thirty two translates to treinta y dos).

Firstly, we listened to music and drew shapes to represent the sounds in the music. Then, we used Chrome Music Lab to create our own sounds by drawing lines and shapes.

They then experimented with a range of camera angles and shot types, such as close-up shots, long shots, mid-range shots and capturing moving images. They considered how different angles can create different effects and help to tell a story more clearly. We also analysed a variety of video examples and made thoughtful decisions about which camera shots would work best in different situations.

Year 5 are now working towards writing their own scripts and putting a plan together to film a video of their choice. They are showing great creativity and teamwork as they develop their ideas.

Check out the examples of the children experimenting with different camera angles.

• la música pop

• la música clásica

• la música reggae

• la música jazz

The children then applied their knowledge of expressions to write simple sentences to share their likes/dislikes with regards to the genres. Some children were also able to use a word bank to extend their expressions by giving reasons.

They also explored the similarities and differences between the English and Spanish words; identifying key features to help them remember and store their new language in their long-term memory. For example, the children recognised that Saturday and sabado both begin with the same letter, so it might be easier to remember than Monday and lunes, which are completely different. The children also noticed that the grammar rule for days of the week in Spanish is different to that of English, as they are not written with capital letters.

The children took part in a previous athletics competition in-borough; they showcased incredible talents and great sportsmanship! Winning the Hackney round secured them at place at the London Youth Games, which took place at Redbridge Sports Centre.

The children all worked incredibly hard and tried their best in every event; they should be incredibly proud of themselves!

Our challenge for today was to continue to apply those skills and get better at changing back and forth between the different features. We then learned about the way that the font can be changed either by adjusting the colour or choosing a different font. Children explored the many different ways they could write the word 'lost' to make our digital writing more dramatic.

• jugar - to play

• escuchar - to listen

• mirar - to watch

The children worked in pairs to use vocabulary banks to translate sentences between English and Spanish. They also then wrote and rehearsed a short conversation about their preferred hobbies.

• learning to use our voices in many different ways. 

• focusing on carefully matching the sound that we hear and singing it back. 

• experimenting with various actions, body percussion and instruments. 

• telling stories through nursery rhymes. 

In this video you can see the children in Nursery moving to the music and responding to and creating their own scatting sounds.

• learning how to create our own music using ‘musical conversations’. 

• singing songs with different parts in them and using our rhythm and singing names to create short question and answer musical phrases as a class and in small groups. 

listening to live and recorded music to help us think about the tempo, mood and theme of music.

Here you can see partner 1s in Year 2 playing their compositions based on the sea. They used four different rhythmic phrases and put musical notes to them. They created their own call and response song in their partners.

• learning how to create our own music using ‘musical conversations’. 

• singing songs with different parts in them and using our rhythm and singing names to create short question and answer musical phrases as a class and in small groups. 

listening to live and recorded music to help us think about the tempo, mood and theme of music.

Here Ellis and Amaya show us their call and response composition based on the sea. Ellis chose the phrase "I like swimming" and Amaya chose "oh no the waves are choppy". They chose the notes from A G E (la, so, mi).

• la guitarra - a guitar

• el piano - a piano

• el clarinete - a clarinet

The children then went on to use some of their new knowledge to rehearse and perform a short conversation with their peers, based on the question: ¿Tocas un instrumento musical? (Do you play a musical instrument?)

To help us understand what the difference is between meat and vegetarian pizzas, we categorised pizzas and discussed what toppings we noticed on the different pizzas.

We also discussed key ingredients for our pizzas (cheese and tomato), and researched how cheese is made and where tomatoes come from.

By the end of the lesson, we had a secure understanding of our brief for our project and how we could successfully make a meat and vegetarian pitta pizza.

• Pulse and tempo, and learning to feel the beat. 

• Following a leader’s instructions through call and response songs, listening tracks and feeling the pulse of the music. 

• We are also developing our singing skills and pitch-matching.

In Spring 1, children in year 1 are developing their singing skills and using songs and games to feel the pulse. Here the children are playing "Doggy Doggy" where the child in the centre has to identify the "thief" who has stolen the dogs bone. This game helps children to feel the beat as they pat the pulse, develop solo singing skills, listening skills and singing in call and response.

After that, we explored Turtle Academy for the first time and began writing real code. We learned that FD means move forwards and BK means move backwards.

We then added numbers to our commands, such as FD 20, to tell the turtle exactly how many steps to move. We enjoyed experimenting with different codes and testing our ideas to see what shapes and patterns we could create. It was exciting to see our instructions come to life on the screen!

The children have been really focusing on their pronunciation and have used 'el alfabeto' to help them. They are getting super confident with recalling the letters of the alphabet in Spanish, so this week the class were set a challenge - to use their prior knowledge to help them ask and answer the question: ¿Cómo se escribe tu nombre? (Can you spell your name?)

First, we used research to create flashcards about why yeast is important in bread making. We learned that yeast is a living organism that helps bread rise by producing carbon dioxide, which makes the dough expand.

Next, we discussed carbohydrates and how they give our bodies energy. We talked about the difference between healthier carbohydrates, like wholegrains, and less healthy ones with lots of added sugar, and why it is important to have a balanced diet.

We are looking forward to using our new knowledge when we make our focaccia!

La cucaracha is a Mexican folk song, about a cockroach who can no longer because it has lost it's main leg.

Next week, the children will translate their chorus and have a go at performing it to the beat of the song.

You can find an animated version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ncXpR1cX7s

We began the lesson by reviewing our brief and our design criteria. We then thought about our two pitta pizzas and what toppings would be appropriate to include on our meat and vegetarian pizzas. We decided we didn't want lots of toppings on each pizza, as we prefer two or three toppings on each to make it more tasty.

We used pizza templates to design our pizzas, and annotated them with the ingredients we want to use.

We also discussed what equipment we will need and how we will make our pizzas successfully.

Then, for the main part of the lesson, we used Hour of Code programme. Using the programme, we learnt how to drag and drop code and why this is important. We had lots of practice doing this on the computers.

At the end of the lesson, we reflected on what we had learnt.

After our discussion, we continued our work on Turtle Academy, building on the coding we explored last week. Previously, we experimented with different commands, and this week we challenged ourselves to create letters using a range of codes such as FD (forward) and BK (back). We enjoyed testing different instructions, adjusting our codes and seeing how small changes could help us create clearer letter shapes on the screen.

We started by looking at four different types of bread. We then, used our sense to sample a variety of sandwiches to help us decide what makes a good filling; we thought carefully about the taste, smell and textures of each sample an discussed what we liked and dislike about them.

For science, we recapped our prior learning of different food groups and why we need these food groups. We used actions to represent the food groups and worked with our partners to place foods into the correct groups.

For maths, we conducted a survey and used a tally chart to record our results. We identified different pizza toppings that were our class favourites, and voted for our favourite topping. We then explained our findings, based on the tally chart.

• listening to, singing and performing different songs, rhymes and poems all together. 

• using instruments to play in time to the music, and to copy and remember different patterns. 

• listening and moving to songs from different time periods - both old and new.

• Preparing songs for our Easter performance!

In the last two lessons the children have been performing the poem “the morning rush!” all about rushing to get ready in the morning before school. In the first week the children came up with actions and sound effects for the poem and this week they chose instruments to represent each part of the story!

• exploring rhythm by playing and copying

• reinforcing our knowledge of pulse and tempo 

• learning about pitch

• call and response activities

• using our listening skills to copy back rhythms and pitches

• Preparing for our Easter performance!

The children worked out the rhythm for Engine Engine in rhythm names ti-ti’s and ta’s (paired quavers and crochets). They practised playing and copying different rhythms and successfully identified different rhythm names.

• focusing on our understanding of pitch - high and low, up and down, in music. 

• using dot notation, which is simple musical notation made up of dots to show us the shape of the melody - where it goes up and where it goes down. 

• continue to learn more about rhythm and rhythm names

• listening to and moving to a range of different music.

• Preparing for our Easter performance

Year 2 practised identifying dot notation and the way this show’s pitch. They learned the song we can sing high and used keywords like pitch, higher and lower to describe the dot notation on the board. They reinforced their knowledge of pitch by listening to live guitar and identifying when the guitar was playing high and when it was being played low by copying the rhythm with their hands, for high, and with their feet, for low.

• We will be learning all about Musical Theatre – what it involves, the jobs of different people who make musicals, and learning songs from different musicals. 

• We will be learning more about dynamics, and using dynamics to add emotion and meaning to our musical performance.

• Preparing for our Easter performance!

The children have been learning to perform “Flash, Bang, Wallop” using their knowledge of dynamics, loud and soft, to create tension and excitement. They have also been learning about the different roles in musical theatre such as the director, musical director and choreographer. They are listening to songs from a range of different musicals such as The Wiz, Wicked and Stomp.

One of the most exciting discussions was about yeast. Even though it looks like a solid, we learned that yeast produces a gas that makes bread rise and become light and fluffy! The children were fascinated to discover how something so small can create bubbles of gas that help the dough grow. We also talked about how we would carefully measure our ingredients, thinking about when we would need to measure using spoons, cups or scales. The children showed fantastic curiosity and are becoming real scientists and bakers.

Before tasting, we spoke about how we can describe food using different vocabulary, focusing on both taste and smell. The children practised using words such as salty, sweet, strong, mild, and herby, and discussed how certain ingredients smelled before trying them. This helped them think carefully about the flavours and aromas they might enjoy in their focaccia.

The children were fantastic during the activity. Many of them bravely tried ingredients they were initially hesitant about, showing great curiosity and open-mindedness. It was wonderful to see them sharing their thoughts and discussing their favourite flavours with one another. They are now very excited for the next step—making and designing their very own focaccia bread!

Next, we learnt about what code is and looked at all the ways it can be used and potential careers within coding. Year 5 then had a chance to use code in a variety of ways, including adding instructions which would impact a character.

We then discussed what a bug is - a part of our code that doesn't work - and how we can analyse our code and debug our code. The children were given several scenarios where the code isn't working and were able to work through the code, step by step and debug.

The children looked at different features of text, such as font style, size and colour, and discussed how these can change the meaning and purpose of signs and messages.

To practise this, the children were given a plain invitation and worked on paper to redesign it so that it looked more appealing and easier to read.

They carefully thought about how the size of the letters, style of writing and use of colour could help attract attention and make the invitation clearer for the reader.

The children then went on to create birthday fact cards and we used them to play a game at the end of the lesson, to see who could guess the child by the information given on the fact card.

To practise this, the children designed their own magazine covers. They then cut the different sections apart and rearranged them to experiment with the layout, thinking about where titles, pictures and text look most effective on the page. This helped them understand how placeholders and layout choices can improve the overall design.

The children were given a range of challenges and worked collaboratively to build the correct code needed to achieve specific results. For example, they learned how to use events and simple conditions in their programs, such as instructing the program that if two sprites touch, a “crunch” sound should play.

It was wonderful to see the children sharing ideas, problem-solving together, and testing their code to see how small changes could affect the outcome of their games. They showed great teamwork and creativity while developing their coding skills.

Before creating our pizzas, we spoke about food safety and hygiene, and made sure we all washed our hands before touching food.

We then discussed chopping techniques, as we would need these to chop our mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. We made sure we reflected on our STEAM brief to create two pizzas with a variety of toppings and one vegetarian.

We had lots of fun making the pizzas, and even got to taste them afterwards!

• looking at orchestral pieces which were written in a style of classical music 

• learning about musical elements used in classical music and singing songs which use different musical elements

• accompanying a section of classical music using untuned percussion and glockenspiels. 

• exploring the terms legato and staccato by understanding the meaning of these words and learning how we can apply them in our music making.

• Preparing for our Easter Performance

Year 4 have been learning about a new rhythm name ta-i (dotted crotchet). They have been identifying this rhythm name in different songs and learning to clap and say it accurately. They have been applying their knowledge of this new rhythm name by identifying it in classical pieces, such as Radetzsky March by Johann Strauss.

• focusing on performance within the realm of classical music. 

• We will experience collaborative music-making. 

• We will build on our ensemble skills by understanding the intricacies of performing as a group. 

• We will use staff notation in the scores and parts which we will sing, play and learn.

• Preparing for our Easter Performance

Year 5 have been focusing on the Rhythm name tiki-tiki (4 Semiquavers) and identifying it in songs and games. Here Year 5 are practising their coordination and ensemble skills singing the American folk song “Circle to the left”. They later applied their knowledge of the tiki-tiki by playing the theme tune from “The Good the bad and the Ugly”  by Ennio Morricone as a rhythm ensemble.

In this lesson, the children put their sandwich designs into practice by making their own healthy sandwiches. They began by learning about the importance of good hygiene and food safety, discussing what they needed to do before preparing food, such as washing their hands thoroughly, tying back hair, and ensuring their workspace was clean.

The children were introduced to safe knife skills, including the bridge hold and the claw grip, which helped them to cut ingredients carefully and confidently. They also developed a range of food preparation techniques, such as grating cheese and spreading butter evenly across the bread. Throughout the lesson, they were encouraged to think about how to prepare their ingredients safely and effectively.

Using their previous designs, the children chose the sandwich they would most like to eat and created it, considering both taste and nutrition. They reflected on their choices and whether their sandwich met the criteria for being healthy, using their knowledge of different nutrients to support their thinking.

We used this knowledge to work our way through lesson 12,13 and 14 of hour of code. In this lessons, we used the music lab to add different parts of a song together, add a function to our code to change the outcomes and to make our codes more efficient. We used these same skills in a different setting - Minecraft.

• developing our vocal and musicianship skills.

• singing more complex songs, including 3 or 4 part rounds, 

• thinking about different genres of music 

• using our sight-reading and notation skills to help us think about different musical elements whilst we sing

• performing songs with dynamics, articulation and expression. 

• Preparing for our Easter Performance

  
  

Year 6 are learning to sing Amani Utupe by Patsy Ford Sims in two part harmony. The star musicians are accompanying the rest of the class with a bass line on the Glockenspiel. The song is written in Swahili and and English inspired by the composer's Kenyan friends. It has a message of peace and courage, to keep going even when you are unsure of yourself.

• listening to, singing and performing different songs, rhymes and poems all together. 

• using instruments to play in time to the music, and to copy and remember different patterns. 

• listening and moving to songs from different time periods - both old and new.

• Preparing songs for our Easter performance!

Here the children are playing the game of 5 little ducks and performing the story of the song!

• exploring rhythm by playing and copying

• reinforcing our knowledge of pulse and tempo 

• learning about pitch

• call and response activities

• using our listening skills to copy back rhythms and pitches

• Preparing for our Easter performance!

Here the children are practising their knowledge of rhythm names and identifying rhythm names using stick notation.

Before getting started, we spoke about the importance of food safety and hygiene, making sure we all washed our hands carefully before handling any ingredients. We also discussed how we would measure out the ingredients accurately, using scales and measuring tools to ensure the right quantities were used.

The children had a fantastic time mixing, kneading and shaping their dough, showing great teamwork throughout. They then explored a range of toppings, choosing and arranging them creatively on their focaccia before baking.

We had lots of fun making the bread, and of course, the best part was tasting our delicious focaccia at the end!

Next, we turned our attention to the vibrant area of Notting Hill. Using Google Maps, we explored the local area and discovered exciting places to visit, building a vivid picture of where the carnival takes place. The children loved navigating the map and discussing all the things people can see and do in this lively part of London.

Finally, we learnt about the inspiring Claudia Jones, who played a key role in starting the carnival. We watched videos to immerse ourselves in the celebration, thinking carefully about our senses—what we might see, hear and smell in such a colourful and energetic environment. Inspired by this, we wrote heartfelt letters to Claudia Jones to thank her and share our ideas, before designing and creating our own vibrant carnival masks. It was a truly creative and exciting lesson that brought learning to life!

We then used the story of Coming to England, by Floella Benjamin to help us understand how it might feel to arrive in a new country and how immigrants can sometimes be treated in different ways. We talked about the importance of kindness, respect, and making others feel welcome.

In lesson 2, we explored Ridley Road Market and learned how to use maps to help us understand our local area. We identified key landmarks around the market and used a map key to recognise different symbols. We practised using simple compass directions, such as north, south, east, and west, to follow and describe routes. We also compared different types of maps and talked about how they can help us find our way in different situations.

In our final lesson, we explored the meaning of immigration and revisited what it means to move from one country to another. We discussed why people choose to move, both in the past and today, including for work, family, and safety. We also learned about the positive impact immigration has on Britain, such as sharing different cultures, foods, languages, and skills.

This term in Diverse Britain, Year 6 have been exploring the history and impact of immigration and migration in the United Kingdom since 1948.

The children developed a strong understanding of how migration has shaped modern Britain, discussing how communities have grown and changed over time. They explored key push and pull factors, helping them to understand why people move between countries and the challenges and opportunities this can bring.

A particular focus was the Empire Windrush generation, where children learned about the important contributions they made to British society. They also explored the experiences many faced when arriving in the UK, including both opportunities and the discrimination and challenges they encountered.

As part of their learning, the children studied the Notting Hill area, exploring its rich and diverse culture. They learned about the significance of Notting Hill Carnival as a celebration of Caribbean culture and community, and how it has become an important part of British cultural life.

The children also explored the history of the Mangrove Restaurant, understanding its importance as a safe and welcoming space for the Black community. They then examined the racism and police discrimination it faced, leading to the events involving the Mangrove Nine. Through this, children discussed the power of activism and how individuals and communities can stand up for justice and equality.

Year 6 have shown great maturity, respect and thoughtfulness throughout this unit. They engaged in meaningful discussions, asked important questions and reflected deeply on the impact of these historical events on society today.

We are incredibly proud of their learning and the way they have approached these important topics with empathy and curiosity.

• learning to tell stories through music. 

• using our imaginations whilst we perform songs, rhymes and instruments to create the sounds and feelings we need to tell these stories.

• Preparing songs for our Easter performance!

Here the children are telling the story of driving a tractor by making animal sounds and using instruments to represent them.

For our first lesson, we explored the meaning of immigration and why people might immigrate. We then looked at Floella Benjamin's story and her experience of moving to Britain. We created postcards, pretending to be Floella, informing our family and friends back home of what Britain is like.

For the second lesson, we focused on Hackney and used maps and compass points to locate key areas in Hackney. Firstly, we looked at the number of train stations, parks and key places in Hackney. Then, we explored key symbols on a map and what they represent. Lastly, we used compass points to locate areas around Hackney, including overground stations, town halls and churches.

In the final lesson, we celebrated the diversity within Hackney. We explored restaurants, hairdressers, festivals and many more aspects of Hackney that make it diverse and a celebration of culture. We designed festival outfits, market stalls and shops that we'd love to have in Hackney.

• focusing on our understanding of pitch - high and low, up and down, in music. 

• using dot notation, which is simple musical notation made up of dots to show us the shape of the melody - where it goes up and where it goes down. 

• continue to learn more about rhythm and rhythm names

• listening to and moving to a range of different music.

• Preparing for our Easter performance

Here the children are reading dot notation whilst singing Peas Pudding Hot. They have been learning about how dot notation helps us to see the pitch and helps us to decide which singing names to use.

• We will be learning all about Musical Theatre – what it involves, the jobs of different people who make musicals, and learning songs from different musicals. 

• We will be learning more about dynamics, and using dynamics to add emotion and meaning to our musical performance.

• Preparing for our Easter performance!

Here the children are using dynamics (loud and soft) to perform Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. They chose where to put the Crescendo (gradually getting louder) and the Decrecendo (gradually getting softer) to help to express the emotion and story of the song.

• developing our vocal and musicianship skills.

• singing more complex songs, including 3 or 4 part rounds, 

• thinking about different genres of music 

• using our sight-reading and notation skills to help us think about different musical elements whilst we sing

• performing songs with dynamics, articulation and expression. 

• Preparing for our Easter Performance

Here children are practicing their knowledge of rhythm names and dynamics. The children chose the dynamics of each rhythmic phrase and performed it as a class using instruments.

Next, we were looking at where Whitechapel is in relation to London. We then used our map skills to identify symbols and things to do in Whitechapel.

Finally, we used primary and secondary sources to research the history of immigration into Whitechapel, including the Victorian era, which saw an influx of Irish immigrations escaping the potato famine and Jewish people from Russia who came to Whitechapel to escape discrimination.

We then discovered that in the early 1900’s many socialist and communist revolutionaries and activists immigrated to the area, including George Bernard Shaw and Vladimir Lenin. Finally, we looked at 1950’s to modern day, where we have seen a rise Bangladeshi immigration to Whitechapel.

Lastly, we learned about Manzila Mala Uddin, a Bangladeshi woman, who moved to Whitechapel and became a politician and rallies for women’s right and empowerment of women. In pair, we took turns asking open ended questions to Manzila and recorded the answers given.

In order to measure and weigh our ingredients we had to ensure we knew how to calculate mass. We learnt that there are 1000 grams in 1kg and practiced converting between grams and kilograms. After this, we were ready to measure out our ingredients using scales and measuring jugs.

Before beginning, we discussed the importance of safety in the kitchen, we discussed the potential hazard of each station and the importance of concentrating at all times. We also discussed the importance of hygiene and ensured all hands were washed prior to our food preparation.

The children were able to practice lots of different culinary skills. We grated courgette and squeezed out the moisture. We had a chopping station, where we chopped spring onions and roasted red pepper. We measured out and sieved flour. Cracked and beat eggs, among other techniques. The class worked incredibly hard and were very excited about their creation and their final product.

They activated their prior knowledge regarding the Windrush Generation, by discussing:

- Who the Windrush Generation are

- Why they came to Britain

- The important contributions they made to society

The children also reflected on the experiences and emotions of those who migrated, building empathy and a deeper appreciation of diversity among our nation.

In lesson 2, the children learnt about Brixton Market and its role within the local community in South London. They explored what a market is and how Brixton Market has changed over time. They looked at maps and used their geography skills to recognise symbols and give simple directions.

In lesson 3,the class explored the impact of migration on Brixton Market, developing an understanding of diversity and how it shapes communities. The children learnt that Brixton Market is home to a wide range of cultures, and they took part in lots of rich discussions about how diversity has influenced the food, goods and experiences that all contribute to the make up of Brixton Market.

As always, we started with a recap of are SMART rules, which help keep us safe online. The children were able to explain the definition of online bullying and give examples, as well as informing of us of the dangers. They also identified some of the things we could do if we face online bullying.

Lesson 1 was built around the concept of conditions and selection in an algorithms. We defined a condition as a statement that can be true or false. We learnt how we can apply condition to our code e.g. if up arrow is pressed. We then had to select an action that would occur if the condition was met e,g, if up arrow pressed, sprite moves forward ten spaces.

By the end of the lesson, the children were able to recall how conditions can be met in selection, identify conditions in a programme and modify and debug a condition in a programme.

We then continued our learning on 'selection in quizzes'. This week children had to identify conditions and selections within code. We were then given some examples of code to build, and through discussion debug any errors. The children also had an opportunity to predict what the outcome to certain conditions would be. Lastly, children had a chance to build some of their own code and explain the conditions and selection.

• Focussing on on creating music with various sound and sound effects. 

• Exploring the possibilities of story telling through this creative work and improvisation.

Here the children are performing sound effects that imitate the sounds they might hear before they come to school. They are using different instruments and their voices to create sound effects.

• learning to feel the music through using instruments, singing, and moving in ways that match how we feel when we perform each song. 

• We will discuss our moods and how we think the characters feel in each song.

• developing our composition skills: learning to create music ourselves using singing names and rhythm names that we have already learnt about 

• discovering a new composer every week by learning key facts about them, along with listening to one of their famous compositions. 

• learning two new rhythm patterns: ti-tiki and tiki-ti

understanding the Pentatonic scale

• developing our composition skills

• learning to create music ourselves and to use music to paint a sound picture.

• focusing on the key words: pitch, rhythm and structure.

For the main lesson, we looked at different eBooks and discussed which ones we liked and why, looking at the features of each eBook.

We then discussed different media that we could insert into our own eBooks. We also used the 'My Books' app to practice inserting different types of media.

They began today by recalling their prior learning on los meses del ano (the months of the year) and using this to rehearse and perform short conversations around the topic of birthdays. The children worked in pairs to ask and answer: ¿Cuándo es tu cumpleaños? (When is your birthday?).

The children were introduced to some key vocabulary, including:

• el pan - bread

• la ensalada - salad

• el pescado - fish

• la carne - meat

Through key vocabulary, the class were also exposed the use of articles in highlighting whether words in Spanish are written in masculine or feminine form, for example:

• la ensalada - feminine (a)

• el pescado - masculine (o)

The children then applied some of the new vocabulary to ask and answer a question:

¿Que te gusta comer? (What do you like to eat?).

• finding out about the different music used for TV and film, and discussing why it is effective at creating atmosphere and environment, or portraying character. 

• creating our own jingles and TV theme tunes. 

• learning about foley and composing our own foley and film music.

Throughout the session, we remained focused and enthusiastic, supporting one another and sharing ideas. We showed good problem-solving skills when deciding which parts of the image to adjust and how best to position them. By the end of the lesson, all children had produced thoughtful and imaginative edits, reflecting both their technical understanding and their ability to make creative choices.

•  Continuing to work on our composition skills this half term. 

•  Developing last half term’s composition project, now focusing on notation, expression and performance. 

•  Using a well known piece of classical music to help us create our own music, developing this into different parts in a musical ensemble 

• Using different musical elements to perform with expression.

• Listening to recorded music to see examples of orchestras and musical ensembles, to help us with our performance skills.

Here you can see how the children have been writing their own composition and everyone has been having a go at notating using staff notation.

The children began by reviewing their prior learning through short conversations with their peers. They took it in turns to ask and answer the following questions:

• ¿Cómo te llamas? (What is your name?)

• ¿Cómo se escribe? (How do you spell it?)

They started by using a song to help them name and locate the 21 Spanish-speaking countries in the world (https://rockalingua.com/videos/spanish-speaking-countries).

The children then went on to carry out some research with their peers to find out some interesting facts about Spanish-speaking countries, including:

• Chile is the southernmost country in the world - Nagawa.

• Panama was founded on August 15th, 1519 - Matthew & Kenzo.

• Argentina is the 8th largest country in the world - Anoushka & Umut.

• Venezuela is home to a range of animals, like capybaras, pink dolphins and jaguars - Maya.

• Preparing for Hackney Music and Dance festival.

• Learning a variety of songs in languages from around the world and using Makaton actions.

• learning to feel the music through using instruments, singing, and moving in ways that match how we feel when we perform each song. 

• We will discuss our moods and how we think the characters feel in each song.

• Focussing on on creating music with various sound and sound effects. 

• Exploring the possibilities of story telling through this creative work and improvisation.

Here the children were listening to different sound effects and using graphic notation to to show what they sound like.

We started by recapping our SMART rules, which help keep us safe online. We held a whole class discussion based around the question, 'Is everything you see online fact?'

This prompted some deep discussion around primary and and secondary sources, linking back to our history topics and around how people use social media.

We then learnt how to set selections in our algorithms. These selections will occur after a condition is met. The children were tasked with debugging an algorithm and discussing what they could change to run the program. We then looked at branching our selections e.g. If answer yes, say well done, however we also entered a branch which would react differently to an incorrect answer.

Children were then tasked with creating their own program with their own quiz questions and responses.

They were able to recognise and name a range of colours, and use their new knowledge to join in with a song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiNFXntWOJw&list=RDZiNFXntWOJw&start_radio=1

For the main part of our lesson, we planned our eBooks. The aim of the lesson was to create a front page for an eBook all about ourselves. To do this, we had to think carefully about facts we wanted to include about ourselves and how our front covers would be a great hook to entice people to read our eBook biographies. Based on our prior learning, we planned to use a range of media tools to create eye-catching covers and information eBooks.

•  Continuing to work on our composition skills this half term. 

•  Developing last half term’s composition project, now focusing on notation, expression and performance. 

•  Using a well known piece of classical music to help us create our own music, developing this into different parts in a musical ensemble 

• Using different musical elements to perform with expression.

• Listening to recorded music to see examples of orchestras and musical ensembles, to help us with our performance skills.

In this unit we are continuing to work on our composition skills this half term by developing last half term’s composition project, now focusing on notation, expression and performance. We are using a well known piece of classical music to help us create our own music, developing this into different parts in a musical ensemble, using different musical elements to perform with expression and listening to recorded music to see examples of orchestras and musical ensembles, to help us with our performance skills.

They used secondary sources of information to conduct research about one Spanish-speaking country or place, and then used a desktop publishing software to create a presentation of their facts.

The class were provided with the following sentence stems and used them to share the food and drink items that they liked and disliked:

• Me gusta comer/beber... (I like to eat/drink)

• No me gusta comer/beber... (I don't like to eat/drink)

• Me encanta comer/beber... (I love to eat/drink)

  
  

Children were now introduced to different 'Sprites' that needed to accomplish challenges. They had to complete a command and organise the 'events' afterwards in the correct order. In earlier lessons children could only command Left, Right, Forward and Backwards. This lesson added other directions and actions like diagonals and leaving tracks.

We discussed what different moving vehicles we know and how they move. We then looked at a range of moving vehicles we were familiar with and annotated them with their properties and functions. We discussed what parts of the vehicle helped the vehicle to move.

Next, we took a deeper look at a variety of electronic games, analysing what made them appealing and identifying their target audiences. We thought carefully about the different designs, themes and game mechanics before creating bubble maps to compare and contrast a selection of games. This helped us recognise similarities and differences between products while developing our skills as thoughtful designers and researchers.

For the main part of the lesson, we learnt about the importance of organising and recording data to help us understand data. We learnt that a tally chart is a great way to record and count data.

For our main activity, we had data about different animals, and used a table and tally chart to record the information.

We started the lesson by discussing E-Safety, posing the scenario, You are gaming and it asks you to download a link before playing, what should you do? Children discussed their option as pairs and as a class we decided it would be best to ask an adult to see if it is safe.

We then clarified some key vocabulary we will be using this half term, including, data, databases, record and field. In pair we created our very own database. The children wrote an animal on each card. They were then asked to tick the fields that applied to that animal. Afterwards we experimented with way to organise our database, by field, alphabetically and times how quickly we could organise it. The children then practiced asking and answering questions based on their database.

We worked independently to design our moving vehicles. We drew our design, annotated with the key components and checked our criteria to ensure we had everything we needed. We also thought about what materials would be best to create our moving vehicles. We also discussed how we can make our vehicles sustainable.

We then took on the challenge of working with a budget of £4 and investigated which materials we could afford to buy. We compared prices, added amounts together and thought carefully about the best value for money. It was wonderful to see us using our maths skills in a real-life context while developing our problem-solving and decision-making skills.

We worked brilliantly together to explore our own data logging table, sharing creative ideas and coming up with questions we could answer from the information collected. It was fantastic to see our curiosity and problem-solving skills shine as we began to understand how data can help us discover new information and make sense of the world around us.

In their new unit, the children have been exploring vocabulary on the topic of hobbies, from playing football to making cupcakes. They were able to identify familiar parts of the sentence (i.e. Me gusta, No me gusta) and then use their knowledge of root words to make sensible guesses about the rest of the sentence. They then used a Spanish glossary to check and edit their translations.

At the end of the lesson, the class took part in a matching game, assessing their reading skills and key vocabulary.

Throughout the unit of work, the children will be exploring the artistic creations of Spanish artists, inlcuding Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Joaquin Sorolla and Wilfred Lam.

In today's lesson, the children explored some samples of artwork and discussed what they liked and dislikes about them.

In this video we are using shaking instruments such as Maracas, Egg shakers and shakers!

We explored how we will be using circuits to create our very own electrical games and began thinking like real engineers by planning our designs. We practised drawing a simple circuit diagram before putting our ideas into action and creating our own circuits. It was wonderful to see our curiosity, creativity and problem-solving skills shine as we began bringing our electrical game ideas to life.

We explored how pneumatic systems use air pressure to create movement and make things work. We identified everyday objects that use pneumatics, learned about the different components, and constructed our own simple pneumatic systems.

We consolidated our prior learning about forces by revisiting different types of contact and non-contact forces and discussing how they are used in everyday life. We then explored how forces are used in pneumatic systems and created a simple pneumatic system of our own.

The children also developed their critical thinking and problem-solving skills when faced with objects that were longer than the measuring equipment they were using. They discussed different strategies, such as measuring in sections and combining measurements, to ensure their results were as accurate as possible. Throughout the lesson, the children demonstrated excellent teamwork, mathematical reasoning and attention to detail as they compared measurements and reflected on the most effective tools for each task.

The class then applied this knowledge by using closed questions to investigate the attributes of different dinosaurs. They carefully examined features such as size and physical characteristics to help distinguish between them. Following this, the children used a branching tree to categorise the dinosaurs further, making decisions based on their answers to each question. This activity helped develop their logical thinking and understanding of how databases use attributes and categories to organise information effectively.

We then examined a data logger and analysed its different features. We explored how sensors, such as temperature and light sensors, can automatically collect and input data. We discussed how people can record information manually, but how data loggers make this process much more efficient and accurate. It was fantastic to see everyone making connections between everyday experiences and the technology used to gather data.

To put our learning into practice, we used iPads to explore a data logging app. We investigated the different types of data that could be collected, including movement and sound, and considered who might use this information and why. We also shared creative ideas about how data logging could be used around our school, helping us to understand the many real-world applications of this technology. We were impressed by the thoughtful discussions and enthusiasm shown throughout the lesson.

We started our lesson with our E-safety question discussing the dangers of file sharing websites. We defined the term malware and found out how malware can be inadvertently downloaded from these site. The children suggested asking an adult before downloading anything.

The children were given physical data cards and asked to write an animal on each card. We then checked the boxes that were applicable to said animal, e.g. pigeon, we would tick, can fly. We then stacked our data and I asked some questions, such as, how many of your animals can fly? We discussed how we could group and sort our data to make it easier to find.

We then looked at an online database. The children were asked several questions about countries and had to use the database to find the answer. Children quickly spotted that it was helpful to group the countries together using the search bar, then selecting one of the fields to organise their data.

We started by looking at our design brief and selecting three design criteria that MUST be included in our final product. This will be used to assess our final pieces.

We then looked at some example of existing playground shelters and assessed them against our design criteria, as well as discussing properties of materials and their suitability. The children worked in pairs to write, beside each shelter picture, ways in which it does meet our design criteria and ways in which it does not meet our criteria.

In the first lesson, we discussed what activism was, why someone might become an activist and different forms of activism. We also learnt about the story of Olive Morris and her significance in Brixton. We discussed qualities activists possess and constructed a map to demonstrate key features of an activist.

In the second lesson, we learnt about the Bristol Bus Boycott. We discussed the key events which led to the Bristol Bus Boycott and the power it had. We constructed a story map to show key events of the boycott and the changes in society as a result of it.

For our final lesson, we thought about ourselves as activists and what we'd like to change in Hackney. Given the recent extreme weather, lots of us decided we needed more spaces to cool down, such as swimming pools and water features. We also thought more green spaces would be great to promote healthy lifestyles and exercising!

As well as developing their scientific understanding of electricity, the children demonstrated excellent teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills. Together, they designed and constructed the base for their game, discussing ideas and making thoughtful decisions about how challenging they wanted their buzz wire course to be. They supported one another, celebrated successes and persevered when things did not work first time. We are incredibly proud of the resilience, collaboration and creativity they showed, and the finished games were a fantastic reflection of all their hard work.

In our second lesson, we learned about the life of Malala Yousafzai, a young activist from Pakistan. We discovered how she bravely spoke out against the Taliban and campaigned for equal rights for women and girls, particularly the right to education. At the time, many girls in her region were not allowed to attend school. Through further research, the children were shocked to learn that Malala received death threats because of her activism. Despite these threats, she continued to speak out. This eventually led to her being shot by the Taliban. Miraculously, she survived the attack and was brought to Birmingham to receive specialist medical treatment. There, she continued her education and has gone on to campaign around the world for every girl's right to a free, safe and quality education. The children used their research to create informative posters, which can be seen in the photos above.

In our third lesson, the children discussed how they could become activists within their own local communities. They shared ideas about issues they care about and explored positive ways they could make a difference, demonstrating that everyone has the power to create change, no matter their age.

In our second lesson, we learned about Marcus Rashford and how he uses his online platform to campaign against food poverty. The children were inspired by how Marcus has used his voice to create real change and discussed the importance of using the internet in a positive and responsible way. Together, we explored how social media can be a powerful tool for spreading kindness, raising awareness and encouraging others to take action, while also recognising the importance of staying safe and respectful online.

To finish the lesson, the children became online activists themselves by writing their own tweets about causes they feel passionate about. It was wonderful to see the wide range of topics they chose, from caring for the environment and protecting animals to ensuring everyone is treated fairly. We were incredibly proud of the thoughtful discussions, empathy and enthusiasm shown throughout these lessons as the children discovered that every voice, no matter how small, has the power to make a difference.

The children reflected on issues that are important to them and thought about causes they would like to support in their own communities or around the world.

In our 2nd lesson the children learnt about the artist and activist Ai Weiwei and explored how he has used his artwork to express his beliefs and stand up for equality and human rights.

They explored how art can be a powerful way to communicate ideas, raise awareness and inspire change, recognising that creative expression can encourage people to think differently about important issues.

In our last lesson, we considered issues within their local community that they would like to improve. We discussed how activists use creativity to inspire change before choosing a cause that was meaningful to them.

The children created their own persuasive piece of artwork to promote positive change, carefully selecting colours, symbols and messages to communicate their ideas. They then explained the significance of their artwork, justifying how it could encourage others to think, act or support the cause they had chosen.

In lesson 1, the class were introduced to British-born Nigerian actor, John Boyega. They learned all about his role as an activist during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. The children discussed the importance of raising social awareness of issues, like racism, and came to the conclusion that John Boyega was brave for standing up for what he believes in. The children then used what they learned about activism to create placards to promote a positive change.

In lesson 2, the class learned about the works and life of Olive Morris. She travelled to the UK shortly after WW2 with her family, and went on to spend 27 years fighting back against racism. Inspired by her legacy, the children wrote letters to Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, urging that he uses some of Olive's ideas to make a change.

In our final Diverse Britain lesson, the children reflected on everything that they had learned about activism, and planned to become an activist themselves! They discussed ideas about a change that they would like to see in Hackney, some of which included:

• No littering

• Being kind

• Loving your neighbour

• Respecting differences

• Less driving, more cycling

In partners, the children worked together to brainstorm their ideas about the change they wanted to make and how they would go about enforcing it, and then created posters to begin their campaign journey!