Nursery to Year Six Highlights

As part of our Black History Month celebrations, the Reception girls have been learning about Jean-Michel Basquiat, an American artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican heritage. We explored his distinctive artwork, looking at his bold colours, expressive faces, energetic lines and famous crowns. The girls then created their own Basquiat-inspired portraits, choosing their colours and adding their own creative touches. 

We are so proud of their fantastic artwork, which has been displayed as part of our Black History Month Showcase! 

To mark Black History Month, Year Two created beautiful artwork inspired by the artist Kimathi Donkor. The pupils learnt about Donkor's life and work, focusing particularly on paintings featured in his Curvaceous exhibition. 

Inspired by Donkor's use of graphite and watercolour in his abstract artwork, the pupils created their own pieces in a similar style. They began by carefully sketching their designs in pencil before using watercolours to bring their creations to life. The girls worked thoughtfully and creatively, taking care to paint within the lines and produce vibrant, eye-catching pieces of art. 

Year Three have been busy putting their estimating and weighing skills to the test in Maths! The girls enjoyed a range of practical challenges, including estimating how full a pan would be with 1kg of sand and discovering how many cubes were needed to weigh 1kg. They also investigated which combination of three everyday items, including pasta, beans, rice, fruit cartons and porridge, would weigh closest to 1kg. Another fun challenge involved predicting whether a cup of sand or a cup of water would be heavier, before exploring what happened when they used two cups of water. 

These hands-on activities encouraged the girls to make sensible estimates, test their predictions and develop a better understanding of mass, all whilst having lots of fun! 

This week, Year Four have been exploring the important topic of emotions and worries as part of their PSHE learning. The girls began by thinking about the many different emotions we experience and recognising that our feelings can change throughout the day. We discussed how it is perfectly normal to experience a whole range of emotions and that sometimes understanding why we feel a certain way can help us to manage those feelings. 

Our conversations then turned to worries and the different things that might cause us to feel anxious or unsettled. The girls considered some of the worries that children their age might experience, such as changes in friendships, disagreements with others, trying something new or dealing with changes in their lives and routines. Most importantly, we focused on what we can do when a worry begins to feel difficult to manage. The girls shared some fantastic ideas and explored a range of helpful strategies, including talking to a trusted adult or friend, taking time to calm down, using breathing techniques, doing something they enjoy and thinking about whether there are practical steps they can take to make the situation feel more manageable. 

Throughout the sessions, the girls listened sensitively to one another and recognised that different strategies might work for different people. They also considered the importance of noticing when a worry is becoming too big to manage alone and knowing that there are always trusted adults available to help. It has been wonderful to see Year Four approaching these conversations with such maturity and thoughtfulness. By developing their own toolkit of strategies, we hope the girls will feel increasingly confident in recognising their emotions and knowing what they can do when worries come their way. 

This week, Year Five have been letting their imaginations run wild as they explored the wonderful world of The Borrowers and used the school allotment as inspiration for their descriptive writing. The girls began by thinking about how the world might look if they were only a few inches tall, just like the tiny characters in Mary Norton's much-loved story. Everyday objects suddenly become enormous, and the simplest natural treasures can be transformed into something extraordinary! 

Armed with their imaginations, the girls visited the school allotment to explore their surroundings from a Borrower's perspective. They looked carefully at the plants, leaves, flowers and other natural objects, considering how these might be used by someone living in a miniature world. A fallen leaf could become a cosy blanket, an acorn cap might make the perfect drinking cup, while a hollow log could provide a wonderful hiding place or even a home! Back in the classroom, the girls used their observations to plan and create their own imaginative setting descriptions. They focused on choosing powerful vocabulary, expanded noun phrases and sensory details to help bring their miniature worlds to life. We encouraged them to think carefully about what their characters might see, hear, smell and feel as they explored their surroundings. 

The finished pieces were a delight to read! The girls demonstrated wonderful creativity, transforming familiar objects into imaginative features of their settings and using descriptive language to paint vivid pictures in the reader's mind. It has been fantastic to see Year Five drawing inspiration from the world around them and discovering that sometimes the smallest things can spark the biggest ideas. Their writing certainly proved that a little imagination can go a very long way! 

Year Six enjoyed a fantastic live lesson organised by the British Museum, exploring the fascinating history of the Bayeux Tapestry. What made the experience even more special was that it took place on 14th October – the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1066! The girls were transported back in time as they discovered the incredible story told through the tapestry. They had the exciting opportunity to submit questions and receive instant answers from the experts, making the session wonderfully interactive, waiting to see if our questions were selected! There were also opportunities to draw, discuss and share their ideas as they explored this remarkable piece of history. We were very grateful to Miss Deacon for organising it for us. 

It was a fabulous way to bring history to life, sparking curiosity, encouraging thoughtful questions and helping the girls appreciate the significance of one of England's most famous battles. Hopefully some families will be visiting the tapestry over half term.  A truly memorable history lesson!