Nursery to Year Six Highlights

Last week, the Reception girls were learning about Bonfire Night and sharing their experiences of watching fireworks. They enjoyed watching a colourful firework display on the class smart board before creating their own fantastic firework pictures. Using cardboard tubes, bright paints and glitter, the girls had great fun making colourful explosions against the night sky! The firework fun continued in our continuous provision, where the girls used buttons and colourful blocks in the tuff tray to create their own firework patterns and designs. 

Year One have continued to enjoy Forest School this week with Mrs Cornelius. The girls are loving the great outdoors and this week the focus was on knots. The girls were challenged to decorate one of the Forest School trees using natural materials. They collected leaves that had fallen from the trees, feathers, sticks and pine cones. Using the knots they had learnt, they tied all their treasures together before hanging their creations on the tree. 

Once they had completed the task, the girls were able to enjoy some time in the mud kitchen and continue digging for worms, which seems to be a particular favourite activity! The girls really are at their happiest when enjoying the fresh air at Forest School. It is an absolute joy to see! 

Year Two have been enjoying reading The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson. The story follows Plop, a young barn owl who is afraid of the dark. In each chapter, Plop meets a different character who shares what they do at night and explains why they enjoy the dark. 

Over the past few weeks, the girls have explored how to punctuate sentences correctly, write questions, use the past tense and include ambitious vocabulary in their writing. They have enjoyed applying these skills through a range of activities inspired by the book. 

Next week, the girls will be writing their own chapter in which Plop meets a pupil from Edgbaston High School. We wonder what questions Plop will ask and what she will tell him about the dark. We look forward to reading the children's imaginative stories and discovering how they help Plop overcome his fears! 

Year Four have been putting their brains to the test in Verbal Reasoning this week! Our focus has been on synonyms, with plenty of lively team challenges, word-matching games and independent practice to stretch our vocabulary and sharpen our thinking skills. Our 11+ preparation journey begins in Year Three and, having already tackled a range of Non-Verbal Reasoning challenges this year, the girls are now developing their Verbal Reasoning skills too. These activities are about much more than preparing for future entrance examinations. They encourage vocabulary development, logical thinking, problem-solving and the ability to make connections between words and ideas. With plenty of teamwork, discussion and a little friendly competition, Year Four have certainly risen to the challenge! 

This week, Year Five were delighted to welcome two special visitors, Antony and Ruth, from NFU Farmers for Schools, who joined us for a fascinating assembly all about life on a working farm. The visit provided a wonderful opportunity for the girls to bring their Geography learning to life, as they have been exploring the important topic of sustainable farming. Antony and Ruth shared their experiences of working on a farm, giving the girls a valuable insight into what a typical day might involve. They discovered more about the responsibilities of farmers, the challenges they face and the hard work that goes into producing the food we eat every day. 

The assembly linked brilliantly to our recent classroom discussions about different approaches to farming, including intensive and organic farming. The girls were encouraged to think carefully about how farmers balance the need to produce enough food with the responsibility of protecting the natural environment. A particularly important focus was sustainability and the ways in which farming practices can affect the land, wildlife and wider environment. The girls considered why it is so important for farmers to look after their resources, ensuring that farms can continue to thrive and produce food for generations to come. 

Throughout the assembly, Year Five demonstrated their enthusiasm and curiosity by asking some excellent questions. It was wonderful to see them drawing upon their existing knowledge, making connections with their Geography lessons and showing a genuine interest in learning more about the world of farming. We would like to say a huge thank you to Antony and Ruth for taking the time to share their knowledge and experiences with us. Their visit has certainly given the girls plenty of inspiration as they continue to develop their understanding of sustainable farming and begin designing their own sustainable farms! 

This week Year Six experienced a live performance of Shakespeare's play Macbeth, which was presented by the fabulous actors and actresses from the Young Shakespeare Company. The girls learnt the story of Macbeth and asked some brilliant questions. They jumped in with lots of enthusiasm and they took part in many scenes during the workshop, some girls even got roles within the performance. Year Six thought Lady Macbeth was a fearless female and they thought she was amazing. They all enjoyed the workshop, the performance and they hope to see another play from the spectacular Young Shakespeare Company again: Isha and Jashvita (Junior Journalists)