Geography

In Geography, pupils have been learning about the weather and how it shapes our world. We have explored the four seasons in the UK, identifying typical weather patterns and changes throughout the year. Children compared weather in different countries around the world and learnt how climate influences animal habitats. They also investigated how weather affects the clothes we wear, helping them make links between the environment, people, and daily life. During a recent cold spell, pupils also took part in a practical investigation to explore the effects of cold weather. They experimented with melting ice by pouring salt onto it, carefully listening to the crackling sounds and observing how the salt dissolved the ice. This hands-on experience helped children deepen their understanding of weather, temperature, and how natural processes can be observed and investigated.

                          

English

During English lessons, pupils have been exploring the beautifully illustrated book Grandad’s Camper by Harry Woodgate. The story inspired thoughtful discussions about where Grandad might travel, which led children to investigate places and landmarks around the UK that he could have visited. These ideas were further developed through storytelling and retelling in the small world area, allowing pupils to recreate and deepen their understanding of the narrative.

Alongside this, pupils explored different sentence types within the text, helping them to understand what makes a complete sentence. Through this work, children developed their knowledge of sentence structure and how sentences can be used in different ways to communicate meaning.

      

 

Outdoor provision

Within our outdoor provision, pupils have been making the most of the abundance of autumnal treasures around them. Children used a variety of beautiful leaves to explore colour and discuss how and why leaves change and fall during autumn. These leaves were then used creatively to produce autumn-themed artwork in the outdoor art area.

Pupils also explored pumpkins and, after carving them, enjoyed observing birds and squirrels as they fed on the seeds and flesh, helping children to understand how animals use natural resources. In addition, children tried their hand at hapa zome, a traditional Japanese art technique, placing flowers and leaves between fabric and carefully hammering them to transfer the natural dyes onto the material. These rich, hands-on experiences encouraged curiosity, creativity, and a deeper connection with the natural world.

 

        

RE - Judaism

During RE, pupils learnt about Judaism. Using their fingertip knowledge, they were able to identify key aspects of the religion, including the name of the religion, its followers, place of worship, holy text, and some core beliefs of the Jewish community.

As part of their learning, pupils created Star of David artwork and discussed the significance of the Star of David to Jewish people. This helped children to develop their understanding of religious symbols and the importance they hold within different faiths.

Maths

In Maths, pupils have been developing their counting skills. Year 1 children focused on counting beyond 20, while Year 2 children worked on counting beyond 50. Some pupils further challenged themselves by completing number squares up to 100. As part of this learning, children discussed and identified patterns they noticed within the number squares, helping to strengthen their understanding of number structure and place value.

    

 

Observatory Trip

We had a marvellous trip to the Observatory in Hailsham, which provided an exciting starting point for our learning about the planets and our solar system. Pupils explored the observatory and learnt how stars and planets have been observed and studied over time.

There was also an abundance of hands-on activities linked to our planet, the wider universe, the Sun, and forces. These practical experiences helped to spark curiosity and deepen pupils’ understanding of space and scientific exploration.

              

 

DT wheels and axles 

In DT, pupils explored wheels and axles and their role in helping vehicles move. They spent time investigating how wheels and axles work and the effect they have on movement. Pupils then worked in groups to design and create postal carts to transport the letters they had been sending to one another within the school.

This highly engaging topic encouraged children to work collaboratively, explore different ideas, and develop their designs from initial concepts through to finished models, bringing their ideas to life through practical problem-solving.

          

 

Maths Shape, sorting and lines of symmetry 

Within Maths, pupils have been exploring shape. They have been learning to identify and describe the properties of 2D and 3D shapes, including sides, faces, vertices, and vertical lines of symmetry. Pupils also developed their understanding by sorting and classifying shapes based on their properties, helping them to notice similarities and differences between shapes.

   

       

Outdoor provision

Within our outdoor provision, pupils took part in a range of exciting, hands-on learning experiences. Children explored ice through practical activities, including learning with ice and painting with ice, encouraging curiosity and sensory exploration as they observed changes in texture and temperature.

The mud kitchen was transformed into a very popular Costa coffee shop, enjoyed by both children and staff. This imaginative role-play supported teamwork, communication, and creativity, while allowing pupils to develop their social skills through shared play and collaboration.

           

 

Construction

 

Art and high frequency words

  

PE fundamentals

      

Attendance treat

 

 

We have been looking at comparing the differences between Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes version of Little Red Riding Hood and the traditional tale. The children had a wonderful time re-enacting their favourite parts during English time and retelling the story during child-initiated time. In Maths this week, our focus has been on doubling and revisiting part-whole models. We have been very fortunate to be visited by the incredibly talented and wonderfully inspiring Illustrator Garry Parsons. We had a draw-along with Garry where we created our own monsters. He also signed our monster book which he illustrated. Our topic this week has been Judaism in RE. The children have been learning about the importance of Shabbat within a Jewish family, Jewish symbols and traditions. We will continue this topic into next week, where we will be looking at a virtual tour of a Synagogue. 

                    

                  

                 

                

                      

                                                              

 

In English, we have been looking at Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl. This inspired us to focus on the importance of clear speaking and delivery. We did this by performing poems to the rest of the class. In Mathematics, we have been working on numbers greater than, less than or equal to. We have also been looking at storytelling in maths to give a narrative to number sentences. Our learning experience has been the continuation of animals, including humans, in Science. Our focus has been keeping our body and mind healthy through healthy eating and exercise. The importance of washing your hands and brushing your teeth. It was Mr Nourish's birthday on Thursday and to celebrate we created some beautiful birthday cards. We have also learnt how to use palm drills safely in the workshop and will continue to develop our skill with the different tools. We finished our week with the most incredible trip to Wildwood. We used the knowledge we gained in the classroom of grouping and classifying animals and applied them to the animals that we saw in person. We came away from our trip with lots of new knowledge about food chains and about different classes of animals, including omnivores, herbivores, carnivores and rodents. 

             

        

                

                

               

                          

             

 

      

      

      

      

      

                          

 

English consisted of continuing with our picture book, 'The Whale Who Wanted More.' We used this in exploring sentence structures by learning about actions and subjects and the importance of capital letters and full stops. 

       

In phonics, we focussed on the first four graphemes in chapter 4a. The children then took their learning outside whilst undertaking a grapheme hunt around our new garden. Once they found the graphemes, they used their phonics knowledge to write words related to them. 

  

During Maths we have been looking again at place value with the focus being tens and ones.  The children have been using their new-found knowledge and made wonderful use of the manipulatives in class to cement their understanding. 

    

Learning Experience – this week has been the final week of our geography topic, 'Where we live.' The children delighted (as did Mr Brooks!) in creating a tour bus. They made a bus stop and a timetable of places that they wanted to visit around Maidstone. We also learnt about physical and human features on maps and also the ones we could find around us on the school grounds. The children took great pleasure in building and creating towns and cities within the classroom, prompting lots of rich discussions. 

       

                      

During our PE lessons this term, we have the pleasure of Boogie Tots coming into school and teaching the children all about dance. The lesson this week was very energetic, and the children had lots of fun as they got to grips with the dances. They can't wait for the next session!

                  

Welcome

It was wonderful to welcome the children into Willow trees this week. There have been a lot of changes made over the summer holidays, the most prominent and exciting of which is our new garden.  The children have had the most incredible time getting to experience and explore all the wonderful different areas and equipment that will be inspiring and enhancing their learning. 

This term in English, our picture book is The Whale That Wanted More by Rachel Bright, our poetry book is Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl and our class sharing book is George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl.    

                                                

During our phonics lessons this week, we have been consolidating all of our previously learnt sounds and recapping our prior knowledge, with the help of our decodable books.

During Maths, our focus has been place value, starting with building fluency with numbers between 0 and 20.

  

Our learning experience for the first two weeks of the term will be Geography and 'Where we live.' This week our focus has been on learning about the four countries that make up the United Kingdom, their flags, their traditions, foods and their capital cities. 

Myself, Mr Brooks and the children have had a fantastic week exploring, discovering and getting to know each other. Below are images from our learning this week.