Nursery to Year Six Highlights

Before half term, the girls in RG were busy learning all about People Who Help Us and the important roles people play in our community. We explored a range of occupations, including doctors, dentists, firefighters and police officers, discussing the different jobs they do and how they help us in our everyday lives. The girls enjoyed putting their ideas into writing, using their growing phonics knowledge to write sentences explaining how different people help us. We also learnt about the important role of postal workers and had great fun writing our very own letters! The girls carefully placed their letters into envelopes, added stamps and posted them in our classroom postbox. There was lots of excitement as they experienced the process of sending a letter! Our learning also took us out to sea as we discovered the important work of the RNLI and how lifeboat crews help keep people safe on the water. The girls enjoyed completing RNLI-themed colouring activities to support their learning. What a busy and enjoyable topic, full of opportunities to develop our knowledge, vocabulary and writing skills! 

Year Two have been buzzing with excitement as they begin a new Computing topic exploring floor robotics using the wonderful Bee-Bots! The girls were eager to get started and enjoyed discovering how these little robots can be programmed to move around the classroom. The girls have been developing their early coding skills, thinking carefully about the instructions they need to give their Bee-Bots to make them move in the correct direction. They quickly discovered that successful programming requires careful planning, precise inputting and a little bit of problem-solving along the way! There was great excitement as the girls put their codes to the test, watched their Bee-Bots whizz into action and made adjustments when their robots didn't quite travel as expected. It has been wonderful to see the girls working with such enthusiasm, concentration and determination as they develop their computational thinking and learn the importance of giving clear, sequenced instructions. This is just the beginning of our robotic adventures and the girls are already looking forward to taking on more challenging coding activities over the coming weeks. Well done, Year Two — you are certainly coding your way to success! 

Year Four enjoyed an unforgettable day when Jonathan’s Jungle Roadshow brought the wonders of the rainforest into school! The girls came face to face with an incredible collection of creatures, including snakes, geckos, giant leaf-like insects, tarantulas, scorpions and millipedes. They discovered how these fascinating animals survive in their natural habitats, exploring camouflage, adaptations and the importance of protecting rainforest ecosystems. The workshop provided a fantastic opportunity for cross-curricular learning, bringing together our Geography studies of tropical rainforests and our work in English. Seeing these remarkable creatures up close gave the girls a wealth of first-hand knowledge to enrich their writing. Most impressively, the girls demonstrated our Fearlessly Female spirit! From carefully handling snakes to overcoming their nerves around creepy-crawlies, they showed curiosity, courage and enthusiasm throughout.  A truly memorable day that brought classroom learning to life and inspired our budding conservationists! 

This week, Year Five have been putting their mathematical skills to the test as they explored the world of mass and measurement. From converting between different units to investigating weighing scales, the girls have enjoyed discovering how Maths can be applied to everyday situations. The girls began by developing their understanding of grams and kilograms, learning how to convert confidently between the two units. They explored the relationship between grams and kilograms, recognising that 1 kilogram is equivalent to 1,000 grams. They then applied this knowledge to a range of calculations, reasoning activities and problem-solving challenges, explaining their methods and developing their mathematical confidence. We also took a step back in time to explore imperial measurements, discovering units such as ounces, pounds and stones. The girls discussed where these measurements might still be used today and compared them with the metric system that we use more commonly in school. Another important focus was reading weighing scales accurately. The girls investigated scales with different intervals, learning to interpret the markings carefully and recognise that not every scale increases in the same amounts. This required plenty of concentration, careful observation and mathematical reasoning! To bring their learning to life, the girls took part in a practical weighing activity, using scales to measure the mass of different objects. This provided a fantastic opportunity to apply their knowledge, check their estimates and work collaboratively to solve problems. It has been wonderful to see Year Five approaching their Maths learning with such enthusiasm and determination. The girls have demonstrated excellent teamwork, perseverance and a growing confidence in applying their skills to real-life situations. Another fantastic week of learning in Year Five – and we certainly think their efforts have been worth their weight in gold! 

Year Six have been developing their persuasive writing skills by tackling two thought-provoking questions: Should mobile phones be banned in schools? and Is social media harmful or helpful? The girls enthusiastically explored both sides of each argument, using compound and complex sentences to express their opinions clearly and persuasively. They considered different viewpoints, supported their ideas with thoughtful reasoning and used persuasive language to strengthen their arguments. A particular focus was on creating balanced discussions, acknowledging opposing opinions before drawing together their ideas in detailed, well-reasoned conclusions. The debates sparked some fantastic classroom discussions, with the girls demonstrating maturity, confidence and increasingly sophisticated vocabulary. It was wonderful to see Year 6 developing their ability to think critically, communicate effectively and appreciate that even the most convincing arguments should consider more than one point of view!