Reception- Geography- Our Town
This week, our Reception explorers have been diving deep into our literacy focus, ‘The London Bus’, using the story’s journey through the capital as a springboard for our own local adventures. Inspired by the famous landmarks in the book, we shifted our focus closer to home to celebrate our town of Darwen. The children enjoyed reflecting on the familiar spots they have visited with their families and sharing exciting ideas about where they’d like to go next. Using these discussions as a blueprint, our young architects took to the construction area to recreate Darwen’s iconic skyline. It was wonderful to see their creativity in action as they selected different-sized blocks to represent the unique shapes of Darwen Tower, the Library, and the bustling Town Centre. From the greenery of Bold Venture Park to the local Swimming Baths and even a very busy Asda, the children demonstrated fantastic spatial awareness and teamwork while bringing our local community to life.
Year 1 - Maths - Measuring Using Non Standard Measurements
Does your child know how many paperclips long their favorite toy is? This week in Year 1, we are diving into non standard measurement. We aren't using cm just yet—instead, we’re using cubes and paperclips to understand the concept of a unit. Try it at home: Ask your little one to measure their dinner plate using pasta pieces or Lego bricks! Just remember the golden rules: Line them up straight. No gaps. No overlapping! #Year1 #LearningAtHome #WhiteRoseMaths #EarlyMaths #Measuring
Nursery/Pre-School - Maths - Can You Place An Accurate Number Of Bugs On The Flower
This week, the children took part in a fun, bug-themed counting challenge. The activity focused on their ability to listen to a specific number and accurately represent that quantity by placing bugs onto a giant flower. When asked a question like "Can you place three bugs on the flower?", we made sure to give the children plenty of "thinking time." This allowed them to process the instruction and reflect on the number they heard before beginning the task. The children then practiced their one-to-one correspondence, carefully picking up and placing each bug one at a time until they reached the target number. To finish the task, the children were encouraged to count the bugs already on the flower to check their own work. This helped them reflect on whether the amount they had placed matched the number they were originally asked for. This hands-on approach was a fantastic way to build their confidence in counting and their understanding of how numbers relate to a physical group of objects.
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Nurser/Pre-School-Geography-Understanding The World-Little Gardeners
The children had a fabulous week in the sunshine! They truly enjoyed getting muddy as they transformed into little gardeners. After choosing a special spot in our outdoor space, the children planted a variety of blooms, seeds, and bulbs. They have since loved watering their plants and sitting quietly in their new garden, watching and waiting for them to grow.
Year 5 English - Science Fiction Independent Write
After weeks of exploring distant galaxies and futuristic colonies, Year 5 have officially wrapped up their Science Fiction unit! For their final independent writing piece, the children drew inspiration from Roy Apps’ ‘Time Spinner’. They were tasked with writing a gripping tale about a time traveller from a sterile, silent future who suddenly appears in our vibrant, noisy, modern-day playground. Building on our recent drama and ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ workshops, the children have done a brilliant job of describing the sensory shock their characters felt. From the chaotic shrieks of a football match to the strange, earthy smell of the grass, their stories are packed with atmospheric detail and high-level vocabulary. We have been so impressed by their creativity and their ability to help their travellers find a way back to the future! If a time traveller appeared in our playground today and could take you anywhere in history (past or future), where would you choose to go? Let us know in the comments!
Year 4 Science STEM Challenge
Year 4 had a great Science lesson this week, with a STEM challenge. We had to get in to a 'STEM' mindset, incorporating a wide range of analytical and cognitive thinking skills, critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and creativity. Our group task was an interesting one, but Year 4 approached it with enthusiasm and teamwork, each team managing to complete the challenge. Well done!
Year 5 Science Week - Does Toast Always Land Butter Side Down?
The Great Toast Tumble: Science or Superstition? If you spotted Year 5 dropping their breakfast on the floor this week, don’t worry—it was all in the name of British Science Week! Our budding statisticians have been investigating the age-old urban legend: Does toast always land butter-side down? To get to the bottom of this "sticky" situation, the children conducted a rigorous investigation using: Variables: We compared thick-sliced vs. thin-sliced bread. The Control: To keep things fair, we used a 'control' slice (unbuttered but marked) alongside our buttered slices. The "Jam" Factor: We even pushed the boundaries of science by adding jam to see if the extra weight or stickiness changed the outcome! The Verdict? After hundreds of drops and careful data recording, Year 5 discovered that the "butter-side down" myth is exactly that—a myth! Our results showed that toast falls completely randomly. Whether it was thick, thin, buttered, or jammed, there was no statistical evidence to suggest it prefers one side over the other. It was a fantastic way to see how statisticians use data to prove (or disprove!) the things we think we know about the world. Well done, Year 5, for some truly "crumbs-tastic" scientific thinking!
Year 6: Science - Science Week
For British Science week, Year 6 conducted an investigation into Murphy's Law (which states that if something can go wrong, it will go wrong!). We used buttered toast to see which side the toast would land on. Then we thought scientifically about why our findings happened, if they were random, or if there was a reason behind the results.
Year 5 Maths - Collaborative Learning with LBQ
Perimeter & Area: Mastering Measurement with LBQ! This week, Year 5 have been putting their geometry skills to the test as we consolidated our learning on Perimeter and Area. To sharpen our mathematical thinking, we dived into the LBQ (Learning By Questions) platform, which provided a series of tricky challenges to solve. The classroom was buzzing with mathematical talk as the children worked collaboratively in groups. It wasn’t just about finding the right answer; it was about the strategy. Groups were heard debating different methods, checking each other's calculations, and explaining their reasoning. What impressed us most was the incredible perseverance on display. When a question didn’t turn ‘green’ on the first attempt, the children didn’t get discouraged. Instead, they used the instant feedback to rethink their approach, discuss their mistakes, and try again until they succeeded. A brilliant display of teamwork and a real 'growth mindset' in action. Well done, Year 5!
Year 6: Maths - Volume
This week in maths year 6 have been looking at volume. Before learning the formula we need to use, the class experimented making different shapes with the same volume!
Year 1 - Phonics
The children in Year 1 have shown incredible dedication to their reading this week. We have been working hard during our Bug Club Phonics sessions, and the improvement in their confidence is wonderful to see. Our focus has been on: Blending with Precision: Combining individual sounds to read full words more fluently. Decoding Skills: Applying their knowledge to break down and read unfamiliar or challenging words. Spotting alien words: Using their detective skills to identify pseudo-words, which helps ensure they are truly mastering their graphemes. Learning to read is a complex journey, but the children’s persistence is paying off. It is a pleasure to watch them apply these new skills to their books and classroom activities. Home Learning Tip: When reading at home, encourage your child to point out any "alien words" they might find in their practice materials to test their decoding skills. Keep up the fantastic effort, Year 1. You are all becoming very talented readers.
Year 1 - Maths - Fluency Bee - Maths Mastery: One More, Addition, and Subtraction
Year 1 has been diving deep into the world of numbers this week as we explore one more, addition, and subtraction. Using the White Rose approach, the children have been moving beyond just finding the answer and are instead focusing on understanding the "why" behind the maths. Key areas of our learning include: Using Manipulatives: We have been using physical resources like ten-frames, counters, and part-whole models. This hands-on approach helps the children visualize how numbers can be combined or separated. Sentence Stems: To build mathematical vocabulary, we have been using specific phrases to explain our thinking, such as: "First there were 5, then 1 more was added. Now there are 6." "The parts are 3 and 2. The whole is 5." One More and One Less: The children are becoming experts at identifying the number that comes immediately before or after a given value, strengthening their understanding of the number line. It is wonderful to hear the classroom filled with such high-quality mathematical discussion. The children are not just "doing" maths; they are becoming mathematicians by proving their ideas and explaining their methods.
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