Nursery to Year Six Highlights

Firework patterns

Nursery have been exploring the patterns and displays created by fireworks that many of us will have witnessed this week. The girls worked to develop their fine motor skills as they bent and moulded pipe cleaners to create their own representations of what a firework could look like. Their concentration was impressive, and they demonstrated great determination in manipulating their resources to fit through the holes. They were so proud of their accomplishments! 

Nocturnal investigations!

It' has been 'n' week in Kindergarten this week so the pupils have been investigating 'night' and how this differs from day.  They have considered what activities they do during the day and night and what they might be able to see in the sky.  The pupils learned the term 'nocturnal' and studied fiction and non-fiction books featuring nocturnal animals.  After expanding their knowledge, the pupils completing a sorting activity to show how much they had learned.  Well done, Kindergarten! 

Secret hideouts!

Reception had a wonderful time this week exploring the great outdoors building their very own dens! Armed with tarpaulins, branches, leaves and plenty of imagination, the children worked together to create cosy shelters in the school’s outdoor area. This encouraged teamwork, problem-solving and creativity, as the girls discussed their ideas and experimented with different ways to make their dens strong and comfortable. There were castles, caves as well as secret hideouts! A great activity to encourage working together, showing cooperation and perseverance. 

This term, as part of their History work, the girls in Year One have travelled way back in time to discover what life was like when people lived in caves. The girls gathered sticks to build a campfire and learned just how important fire was. It kept people warm, cooked their food, and lit up those dark caves!  The girls had so much fun pretending to be hunters and gatherers, finding out how people had to hunt animals for food, and use their skins to make clothes, bedding and even tents! They even found out that animal bones were turned into tools for hunting, One of their favourite parts was learning how early humans decorated their cave walls with paintings and colourful handprints. It has been a fantastic journey into the past and the girls loved discovering just how different life was back then when visiting their very own cave with Mrs Mohamed and Mrs Goodman! 

 

Outdoor Creative Adventures

Year Two stepped out of the classroom and into the great outdoors for an exciting creative adventure! The girls took full advantage of the crisp autumn weather to explore the school grounds, gathering an array of natural treasures — from colourful leaves and shiny conkers to acorns, pine cones, twigs and sticks. Armed with their collections, the girls set about transforming these autumnal finds into imaginative works of art. Their creations were as unique as they were inspiring, featuring everything from jungles bursting with life to delicate flowers, sleepy hedgehogs ready to hibernate, reindeers with cosy homes and even a miniature version of the Botanical Gardens! It was a joy to see their ideas come to life and their creativity flourish outside the classroom. The activity not only celebrated the beauty of nature but also reminded everyone how wonderful it can be to combine learning with a little fresh air and hands-on exploration. A big well done to all our Year Two artists — your natural masterpieces have truly brightened up our Autumn days! 

 

Pumpkins galore!

Just before the half term break, Year Three enjoyed a delightful trip to our school allotment. During their walk, they kept a lookout for signs of Autumn and appreciated the changing colours of the season. At the allotment, the girls created their own colour palettes by collecting natural items and transferring the colours onto paper through gentle rubbing. They also produced some beautiful leaf rubbings using wax crayons, showcasing their creativity and attention to detail. The highlight of the visit was the pumpkin weight guessing game.  Congratulations to Meva, whose guess of 2.5kg was the closest! 

 

Applying logical thinking to solve visual problems

This week, Year Four were introduced to Non-Verbal Reasoning as part of their preparation for the 11+ examinations. The pupils explored how to identify patterns, recognise differences and apply logical thinking to solve visual problems. They began by learning a new acronym, SNAPSS, to help them remember key strategies for finding the odd one out. To put their understanding into practice, the class took part in engaging activities, including selecting the perfect pet for the Chang family, who did not want pets like the others, and choosing the right seeds for a particularly fussy parrot. Through these problem-solving challenges, the pupils discovered that it can often be helpful to identify all the similarities before deciding which item does not belong. Year Four greatly enjoyed their first Non-Verbal Reasoning lesson and are looking forward to developing their skills further next week. 

 

Year Five Girls Get on Board with Friendship Skills! 

On Monday, Year Five girls had a fantastic session with Mrs Campbell, from Senior School, who introduced them to Girls on Board – a programme all about helping girls handle friendship challenges and solve problems on their own. The girls took part in discussions, learning how to deal with disagreements, communicate better and support each other in tricky situations. Hopefully helping the girls to feel more confident about managing friendship ups and downs after the session. The Year Five team were pleased with the visit and said the girls were buzzing with ideas about kindness, teamwork and problem-solving – skills they will use every day at school. 

 

Resilience and fair play

This term, our Autumn sports programme has been in full swing! The Year Six girls have been taking part in hockey and netball during their Games lessons, developing their teamwork, coordination and confidence. Through these activities, the girls are not only improving their physical fitness but also learning the importance of resilience and fair play – qualities that extend far beyond the sports field. One of the many advantages of attending an independent school is the wealth of sporting opportunities available. Our girls benefit from specialist coaching, excellent facilities and the chance to represent their school and house teams in friendly, yet competitive, events.