When writing about the weather in Drawing Club, we encouraged the children to aim high by using descriptive language. They discussed how the sun feels warm on their skin or how the rain sounds as it taps on the window and thought up interesting adjectives to describe the feelings or sounds. The children enjoyed drawing the different weathers and talking about them with their friends.

Natasha Jacklin, Reception Class Teacher

Throughout their music lessons in Year 1, the children have been learning about the elements of music. This half term their focus is rhythm. In the lesson this week they learnt to play a new game called Rhythm Detective where one student is the rhythm master (leading the rest of the class in changes of body percussion patterns) and another is the detective (tasked with finding out who the master is). It was a great way for the children to be creative as well a working on their leadership skills. From here we will start to learn different rhythmic notation and expand on our musical vocabulary.

Jess Harman, Assistant Director of Music

In Numeracy this week, the children learnt to calculate with money to find the total cost of given items. Aiming high on this task, the children worked carefully, taking their time and paying attention to detail so that they counted accurately. The children solved simple problems using this practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit. The children learnt that by working carefully, methodically and patiently with their partners and using equipment to support their calculations they achieved greater accuracy and success in their calculations.

Shirley Jervis, Year 2 Class Teacher

Year 3 eagerly explored friction in science when they undertook a ramp investigation to compare how things move on different surfaces. After conducting a fair test measuring the time it took an object to slide down a variety of surfaces, the children used their problem solving skills by recalling prior learning to create a bar graph with the data they had collected. In order to relate the science to everyday life, Year 3 thought about how it feels to ride their bike on different surfaces, why a ten pin bowling alley has a polished floor and what we can’t  do without friction.

Henrietta Platt, Year 3 Class Teacher

Year 5 pupils have been focusing on compass points and map symbols in their Geography lessons this week. Once familiar with the eight direction points, they were tasked with guiding each other to various places around Liphook. Each pair had an OS map of the village and took turns to use directional language to instruct their partner on how to reach places such as the playground, local school and supermarket. Having a good grasp of the compass points will stand them in good stead when it comes to orienteering practise next year.

Kelly Reed, Year 4 Class Teacher

Following on from learning present tense conjugation earlier in the term, our Year 6 linguists are taking their knowledge a step further by applying the same rules to reflexive verbs. We are using similar language across Latin and modern foreign languages, such as French and Spanish, to help pupils with these important concepts – the times tables of language learning – and they are coping well. Year 6 have shown great aptitude in understanding how reflexive verbs work, using both the verbs and sequencing words to put together interesting paragraphs about their daily routines.

Jo Longshaw, Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Year 7 are firmly settled in Pompeii this term in their Latin lessons. This week they have been drawing on their teamworking and problem solving skills to produce fluent translations of the stories of life in the Roman baths and amphitheatres. By using the language detail (grammar and vocabulary that has stood the test of time) they were asked to translate and then together tell the story from beginning to end, starting with discus throwing mayhem in the grounds of the baths and ending with a story of Christians thrown to lions and the benefits to longevity of removing a thorn from the beast’s paw!

Alex Walker,  Head of Classics

In PE this week, Year 8 took to the pool with a view to understanding passing techniques in the skilful sport of water polo. The children learnt that playing as a team was the most effective way of achieving common goals such as making ground in the pool or scoring goals, while adaptability was key in order to outmanoeuvre the opposition with unexpected plays or find unique ways to score goals. Year 8 loved learning the concept of effective passing, from unopposed to a conditioned game-play format, which created a natural progression and an increase in difficulty.