Reception: Muddy Monday
For their Muddy Monday session, Reception walked to Whitehall park and looked for signs of spring. The children saw squirrels and heard lots of birds tweeting away which was lovely to see and hear. They saw more leaves on trees and also saw berries and blossom. The children then got to spend some time in a different section of Whitehall park. We role-played a camp fire and built a den too.
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Year 3- Year 0f Prayer-Seeds of New Beginnings
As part of our Year of Prayer across the Diocese, the children each planted cress seeds to represent new beginnings. They also wrote heartfelt prayers, giving thanks to God for the many signs of new life around us, from newborn lambs and blooming flowers to the start of a new school term and the joy of new friendships.
Reception - Bird Migration
As part of our topic on Spring this week, we have been learning about bird migration. We discussed how lots of birds migrate to warmer countries in the Winter, as it’s too cold for them to build nests and find fresh food. However, now that it is Spring and getting much warmer, the birds are returning from their migration and we are happy to welcome them back and see them in our local environment again. Today we created our own migrating birds and tomorrow we will create bird feeders to hang in our Reception yard to welcome the birds back.
Reception Dentist Visit
Reception had a visit from Darwenside Dental Practice to speak to them about their oral hygiene. They shared with us how we can look after our teeth by reducing the amount of sugary snacks and drinks we have between meals. They also spoke to us about the importance of brushing our teeth twice a day and visiting the dentist regularly for check ups. We are very lucky to have such wonderful Dentists who help us to keep our teeth healthy.
Year 5 - Plants
Today, Year 5 explored how plants grow and reproduce. They learned about the key parts of a plant, including roots, stems, leaves, and flowers and discovered how each part plays an important role in keeping the plant healthy. The class investigated how plants make their own food through photosynthesis and how pollination and seed dispersal help them reproduce. To bring their learning to life, they planted their own cuttings and will observe them closely over the next few weeks to see how they grow and develop roots.
Year 2 - Life cycle of a plant
Today, Year 2 continued their learning all about plants. Today we explored the different stages of a plants life cycle. We used technical vocabulary to describe the plant and what was happening at each stage. The stages we identified are: germination, seedling, adult plant, pollination, fertilisation and reproduction. The children were superb at remembering the stages of the cycle.
Year 4 - Science: Conductors and Insulators
In Year 4 this week, we were working scientifically by designing practical enquiries in order to test our predictions. We decided on a question to investigate, decided how we would investigate and made predictions. Once we were ready we built a series circuit with a bulb and, in place of a switch, we connected a range of different materials to see if the bulb would still light. We found out that most of the metal objects conducted electricity so the bulb lit. We also discovered that the majority of the items in our pencil cases were insulators so the bulb didn’t light whilst these items were connected.
Year 5 - Friction
Today, Year 5 explored the mechanics of gears as part of their friction unit. Using cardboard and wooden lollipop sticks, they carefully designed and assembled their own working gear systems, gaining a hands-on understanding of how gears transfer movement and change direction. The children demonstrated great problem-solving skills and creativity, experimenting with different sizes and placements to see how their gears interacted. It was a fantastic opportunity to apply their learning in a practical and engaging way!
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Whole School Science Boffin Show- A Whirlwind of Scientific Wonders
The whole school was treated to an unforgettable science show today, delivered by the amazing Science Boffin Katja. Katja started with demonstrating the incredible power of polymers with slush powder, turning liquid into gel. The highlight for many was the "Elephant Toothpaste" experiment, which created a mountain of foam in seconds! This spectacular display showcased an exothermic reaction in a way that truly captured everyone's attention. Katja also explained the essential Fire Triangle (fuel, heat, and oxygen) and demonstrated a controlled fire experiment, teaching us about the science behind combustion. The wonders of air pressure and fluid dynamics were unveiled with a mesmerising demonstration using a hairdryer, balloons, and a foam ball. By generating a powerful column of air, Katja made the objects appear to float, illustrating Bernoulli's principle and leaving students amazed. Naomi, our science Ambassador assisted Katja with this. The latex glove was used in more than one experiment, and was used to show how gases expand. Katja, with Miss Wilkinson's assistance, demonstrated the dramatic effects of gas production using a simple latex glove. As the chemical reaction progressed, the increasing carbon dioxide within the glove caused a noticeable pressure build-up, inflating it and making it firm to the touch. Latex, being inherently limited in its ability to withstand extreme pressure, would stretch beyond its elastic capacity. This continuous stretching, coupled with the weakening effects of the reaction's byproducts and moisture, would eventually lead to the glove becoming brittle and 'crumbling,' visually illustrating the material's breakdown under the stress of the expanding gas.Now, 'Henry' the glove has taken up residence in our school. Science ambassador Noah and Poppy, with a gas blower, demonstrated a captivating toilet roll trick, visually illustrating Bernoulli's principle; by directing a powerful airflow through the center of the suspended toilet roll, they created a region of low pressure, causing the surrounding higher-pressure air to stabilize the roll within the airstream, leaving the children amazed at how the roll appeared to defy gravity. The show sparked a flurry of brilliant questions from our inquisitive students, including Leonora, Elijah, Mason, and Darcy. Their thoughtful inquiries were a testament to their genuine love of learning and the power of hands-on science, truly living life in all its fullness through exploration and discovery. A huge thank you to Science Boffin Katja for bringing science to life in such an engaging and memorable way!
Mad Science After-School Club- Where's the Air?
Our last Science Club session was an exciting exploration of the invisible yet powerful world of air pressure. Our future scientists conducted fascinating experiments that revealed how air behaves in different conditions. They watched in amazement as foam imploded, demonstrating the effects of changing air pressure, and saw marshmallows expand when placed in a vacuum. One of the most exciting moments was watching balloons inflate on their own, involving chemical reactions and pressure differences. By the end of the session, the children gained a new appreciation for the air around us, something we can’t see but is constantly shaping our world in incredible ways.
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Year 4's Presentation of Learning- Electricity
This morning our Year 4 class presented their recent learning in Science about Electricity. It was great to see the children projecting their knowledge with clear voices and they gave us several safety reminders such as not overloading sockets, not leaving devices charging overnight and not putting electrical utensils into toasters. Thank you Year 4 for sharing your learning with us and it has been great to see this learning in Science being used in your design and technology unit when making designing and making torches over the last few weeks. We are looking forward to learning even more about Science tomorrow in the Science Boffin Show!
Completed Torches in our Electrical Systems Torch Design Unit
In the second part of our DT lesson, we added the circuits to the casing ( water bottles) and fixed these together securely, ensuring that the switch was still in working order. Throughout this unit the children have worked extremely hard to develop their subject knowledge about electrical systems including identifying electrical products and explaining why they are useful, making a working switch, identifying the features of a torch and creating and designing a functioning torch. Following the testing of each design, we will now move on to evaluating the success of a final product.