Lostock Gralam C of E Primary School
Our blogs
Toucans W.B. 17.04.23, by Mr Corkill
Date: 30th Mar 2023 @ 8:05am
Welcome Back to Toucans’ Weekly Blog 🙂
Toucans have been revising all things fractions this week, enjoyed completing a range of reading comprehensions, and began learning all about the geography of South America. The children have really impressed me throughout the term and each of them has worked hard to make excellent progress.
To see what’s coming up next term, please look at our class homepage: http://www.lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk/class/toucans
Praise: Brooke
Top Table: Jai and Riley
Next Week (W.B. 17.04.23)
Reminders:
- School will reopen for the summer term on Monday 17th April.
- PE will continue to take place on both a Monday and a Friday each week, so please send your child into school wearing their PE kit on these days. PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/navy.
Curriculum:
In English, we will be start a new short unit on writing a diary entry in role as Charles Darwin when he first arrived in the Galápagos Islands in 1835. We shall be looking at the features of a diary, writing descriptively using expanded noun phrases, and explore a range of cohesive devices and effective adverbial phrases. In shared reading, we will begin to read Great Adventures by Alastair Humphreys.
In maths, we will start a new short unit exploring geometry - position and direction. We will look at co-ordinates, translations and reflections. We will continue with our 4-a-day arithmetic questions each morning to further practice our four operations.
In science, we will begin our unit on living things and their habitats. This week’s lesson will look at classification and its importance to taxonomists. We shall create an informative poster on the 5 key vertebrate animal classes.
In our history/geography lesson, we will look at the eight different compass points and compare the human and physical geography of Chester, England and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In RE, we will complete a reading comprehension to revise our comprehension skills and recap the Easter Story and its significance to Christians.
In PE, the children will continue their lessons with Mr Ault and compete in atheltics and outdoor activities.
Homework:
There will be no official homework during the Easter break, but I have listed some useful suggestions below that might be good to keep up and revise key skills needed for the upcoming SATs assessments.
Maths
Progress Test 1 (p.30-33), Progress Test 2 (p.52-55), Progress Test 3 (p.78-81) - As many of the questions as you can attempt from the third test.
Reading
Any of the Set C reading tests (p.42-60) from the children’s usual reading homework book.
SPaG
https://www.cgpbooks.co.uk/resources/ks2-sats-online-10-minute-tests
Arithmetic
4 arithmetic practice exercises have been provided to the children, along with the answers.
Spelling
Please also encourage your child to read for 15-20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings and times tables. Children need to record their reading in their homework diaries/planners. This really will help them with their reading speed and stamina. Try to talk to your child about what they have read in their book (the character, the plot, their opinion). Try to vary choices to include classic texts, non-fiction texts, and poems.
The following website is great for times tables practice: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact!
Have a lovely Easter!
Mr Corkill 😊
Starlings WB 27.3.23, by Mrs Esling
Date: 27th Mar 2023 @ 10:12pm
Welcome to this weeks Starlings class Blog. What another fantastic week we have enjoyed, we can't believe this is the last week of the Spring Term.
It was so lovely to see you all at parents evening last week. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Friday Superstar: Heidi
Top Table: Evelyn and Katie
Diary Dates:
29th March - cake sale.Cake will be on sale at the end of the day 30p each or 4 for £1.
School Disco
INSET Friday 31st March
This week we have:
dramatised the Easter story. Please do look on Twitter as the children fully immersed themselves in their roles.
…
HOME- Our new whole school topic
We have begun our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
RWI
Read Write Inc
Our RWI lessons start promptly at 9am. If you are able to drop your child off as near to 8.45 as possible it would be very beneficial.
The children will continue to bring home a Read Write Inc book, a book bag book and a bedtime story each week. This provides them with a variety of familiar, new and challenging texts to read. Bedtime storybooks are to be enjoyed with an adult. Reading TO the children ensures that they experience the magic of a story coming to life and have a purpose and love of reading.
Please check your child’s diary to find out which group they are in, which sounds they have learnt that week and which books they have in their book bag. Each time they move to a new group they will receive a RWI book mark. On this book mark are the ‘red’ words that are practised in that group. These words inform our spelling quizzes and regular practise supports fluency and confidence in writing.
On the class page I have uploaded three new files named Set 1, Set 2 and Set 3. These contain the QR codes for all the sounds. Each video is about ten minutes long and can be viewed by your child independently. Please check your child's bookbag on a Friday to see which new sounds they have learnt that week and use the videos to support their learning.
There are no spellings for the week beginning the 27th february and will also be no spellings quiz on the first week back after the holidays.
MATHS
In maths we continue to explore the numbers from 11 to 20. we have been using money to explore word problems and will also be looking at using non -s standard units of measure to measure the length and height of objects around the classroom and in the school grounds.
HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY
We have explored the invention of the bike and how its design has changed over the years. We have also learned abour George Stephenson and how his invention of 'The Rocket' influenced the trains we travel on today. We will now investigate the invention of the motor car and how designs have chanegd over the years and the reasons behind those changes. This links with our geography where we will explore how people could travel further following these inventions.
SCIENCE
In Science this week we have snhared our opinions on what a scientist looks like. many believed scientitsts would have mad, curly hair, would wear a white coat and carry potions around! we then reserached different scientists and found many women who did not have crazy hair and n one were wearing a white coat. we realised that we may hold stereotypical views and this has made us change our opinions.
RELIGION
In religion we conmtinue to learn about the Easter story and what happens in church at Easter
PE
Our PE days are Wednesdays and Fridays. Please come to school wearing appropriate PE kit- White t-shirt, black/blue plain hoodie and tracksuit bottoms or shorts, hair tied back and earrings removed or covered with own plasters.
Snack
Children in KS1 receive free fruit. Children do not have to bring a snack from home but if you wish to do so we ask that it is a healthy option and just one item, please. Please also rembember we are a NUT FREE SCHOOL. Please can you also make sure that your child only has water in their water bottle; juice, however, is fine at lunchtimes if your child brings a packed lunch.
Birthdays
We love celebrating the children's birthdays and hearing about all the exciting things they are doing. We appreciate that it is not always possible to invite the whole class and we would ask therefore that in these instances that invites are given out before or after school. Thank you.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via a note in your child’s diary or through the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606 668270
Many thanks Mrs Esling and Mrs Westland
Toucans W.B. 27.03.23, by Mr Corkill
Date: 24th Mar 2023 @ 6:36am
Welcome Back to Toucans’ Weekly Blog 🙂
Toucans have been busy completing some practice assessments to identify areas of revision focus for the next few weeks. They have all worked so hard and can see their own progress; they should be proud of their achievements. It was so lovely to speak to families this week during parents' evenings, so thank you to you if you came along to discuss your child's progress, achievements, and current areas of development.
Praise: William
Top Table: Fran and Georgia
Next Week (W.B. 27.03.23)
Reminders:
- Cake sale on Wednesday 29th March. KS2 will be holding a cake sale after school on Wednesday 29th March. The children are encouraged to bake or donate cakes on this day for the cake sale. Cakes will be 30p each or 4 for £1. You can be as creative as you like and maybe even think of an Easter theme for your cakes!
- KS2 Disco on Thursday 30th March between 17:30 and 18:30.
- School closes on Thursday 30th March as Friday 31st March is a school INSET day. School will reopen following a two week Easter break on Monday 17th April.
- PE will continue to take place on both a Monday and a Friday each week, so please send your child into school wearing their PE kit on these days. PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/navy.
Curriculum:
In English, we will be focusing on practising our reading comprehension skills by reading and analysing a range of different text types, including a text on South America. We shall also be revising some of our SPaG skills through a range of activities.
In maths, we will review our recent assessment papers to try and understand some of the areas of difficulty and how to improve. We will also focus on revising all things fractions: changing from a mixed number into an improper fraction, adding and subtracting fractions, multiplying fractions together or by a whole number, and dividing a fraction by an integer. We will continue with our 4-a-day arithmetic questions each morning to further practice our four operations.
In our history/geography lesson, we will be looking at the story of Paddington Bear and how that links to our current ‘home’ topic. We will discuss whether Paddington was a refugee, asylum seeker, migrant or immigrant using our recently acquired knowledge and explore some of the human and physical geography features of his native home in South America.
In art, we will create pop-up Easter theme cards that the children can decorate using their creativity and knowledge.
In PE, the children will continue with practising their tennis and basketball skills with Mr Ault.
Homework:
Children in Year 6 will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers provided in the back of their homework book. If your child is finding the homework challenging, I will ensure that supervision is provided one lunchtime each week where your child can ask any questions or receive the support they need to complete the homework.
Children should complete pages 60 and 61 of their maths homework book this week and return it to school by Thursday 30th March. The homework consolidates our learning on calculating area and perimeter and the volume of a cube and cuboid from our recent lessons. Children should also complete pages 28-30 (Set B: Test 3) of their reading homework book.
Please also encourage your child to read for 15-20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings and times tables. Children need to record their reading in their homework diaries/planners. This really will help them with their reading speed and stamina. Try to talk to your child about what they have read in their book (the character, the plot, their opinion). Try to vary choices to include classic texts, non-fiction texts, and poems.
The following website is great for times tables practice: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Thursday 30th March will concentrate on the next set of Y5/6 statutory spelling words and will be: muscle, necessary, neighbour, nuisance, occupy, occur, opportunity, parliament, persuade, physical.
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact!
Mr Corkill 😊
Goldfinches WB 27.3.23, by Mrs Evans
Date: 23rd Mar 2023 @ 7:46pm
Welcome to Goldfinches’ Weekly Blog
Brilliant participation in Forest Schools.
Friday Superstar: Bella
Top Table: Daisy and Hattie
Coming soon:
Cake Sale: It is Goldfinches’ turn to bake/supply cakes for the cake sale on Wednesday 29th March. Cake will be on sale at the end of the day 30p each or 4 for £1.
Disco: Thursday 30th March
INSET: Friday 31st March
DT: Next week we will make torches in DT. Please send in any clean plastic yoghurt/fruit pots, cardboard tubes/small cardboard boxes into school.
Llandudno presentation: for those who were unable to attend, the presentation is attached to this blog. All children were given a kit list today.
This week we have:
Worked so safely and sensibly in Forest schools with bow saws and hand drills to begin work on ‘Bugstock’ our Bug Hotel.
Prepared a class worship to report on the litter survey we did as part of our Science topic on Human Impact. We will share this with the rest of school on Tuesday.
Next week we will:
Writing: Write our own story based on ‘When the Giant Stirred’ which will be our best piece of writing so far in Year 4!
Spellings: words with the sound s spelt sc
Words to learn: scissors, ascend, descend, science, scientist, scene, muscle, fascinate, crescent, scent
Reading: We will further develop our understanding of the characters and plot in Ariki and the island of wonders.
Reading homework: I am really impressed with how the children are choosing such a wide range of books to read in quiet reading time. One of my favourite times of the day is chatting about which books the children have enjoyed and having a 1:1 read. Please help to support this developing love of books and reading at home by listening to and chatting about your child’s reading books daily and signing their diary.
Maths: We will complete our unit on finding the perimeter of rectangles and rectilinear shapes.
Times tables: We are continuing to work on our times tables every day by using games, online games, worksheets and tests in class. At the moment we are learning the 9x table. Your child will come home with a paper activity on Friday 24th to try at home. Please continue to support your child to learn their tables fluently in order, out of order and know the division facts.
Please ensure your child uses the below Maths Frame game at least a couple of times a week to get used to speed and time limits and prepare them for the online check.
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check
If this link doesn’t work on a tablet, try googling Maths Frame Y4 Multiplication check.
Other fun games to try:
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/7/multiplication-and-division
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/times-tables/coconut-multiples
PE: Mondays and Fridays.
Items from home reminder: there have been some items from home being brought in to school. Please ensure these are kept at home so they don’t end up being lost/taken in school and causing distractions and fall outs. Thank you for your support in this.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606668270
Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Evans, Miss Wilkinson, Mrs Simmonds and Miss Nelson.
Robins week beg. 27th March, by Mrs Whittingham
Date: 23rd Mar 2023 @ 5:12pm
Thank you to everyone who came to our Parents' Meetings this week. It was lovely to share books and celebrate the progress that your wonderful children have made so far this year.
Please remember to read with your child for 10 - 15 mins daily and record in diary if possible. Also take a look at their reading target which is on a sticker in their diary, some children may have the same target for a few weeks to work on.
We will continue to revise some of the spelling rules that we have already covered in Year 3 so far this year. Spellings for next week will focus on words ending in -tion temptation, preparation, information, sensation, adoration, admiration, explanation, exclamation
Please note that the spelling quiz next week will be on Thursday 30th March
Remember to encourage your child to have a go at the spelling and multiplication games suggested below.
https://ictgames.com/littleBirdSpelling/
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
https://www.multiplication.com/games/all-games
The children should have a x8 sheet for homework this week. We have also introduced this website below which they can use at home to self check any of their times tables.
https://www.timestables.co.uk/
Tuesday 28th March - Robins Forest Schools Afternoon
- Please wear in old clothes and bring wellies as we will have Maths and English lessons as normal in the morning and will have our Forest Schools session in the afternoon.
Wednesday 29th March - KS2 Cake Sale after school
Thursday 30th March - School Disco
PE days for this half term will remain as Monday and Friday. After Easter we will have an extra PE session on a Tuesday as we will have a coach from Cheshire Cricket Board.
RE - we are exploring different religions and focusing in particular on places of worship. This is part of an oracy project and we will be presenting our findings to Year 4 after the Easter holidays.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
This week in our Home topic we have been exploring different types of homes and learning about MIGRATION.
Please feel free to get in touch if there is anything we can help you with,
Mrs Whittingham, Miss Wilkinson (Friday) & Mrs Taylor
Skylarks WB 27.3.23, by Miss Beattie
Date: 23rd Mar 2023 @ 4:38pm
Hello everyone and welcome back to Skylarks weekly blog! 😊
Thank you for your time during Parents Evening this week. It was lovely to see you all and celebrate the successes of the children. They have continued to work super hard this week!
Next week (W.B. 27.03.23)
In our English lessons next week, we will continue to explore our new book ‘Malala’s Magic Pencil’ by Malala Yousafzai. We will be thinking about the type of person Malala is, justifying our opinions with evidence from the text. We will then use this to help us write a character description of the young girl.
In shared reading we will continue to read our text ‘Exploring Space’. We will be focussing on how language and structure contribute to meaning.
In maths we will be moving on to learn how find a fraction of an amount. We will also consolidate our understanding of the four operations through daily 4-a-day activities.
In History and Geography, we will be thinking whether your home can move. We will recap our learning on various civilisations to explore how migration has always existed.
In Science we will conclude our learning on life cycles by completing a scientist study on a well-known botanist.
Our PE day for the Spring Term will be a Wednesday so your child should come to school in their PE kit on this day. Please remember PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/blue.
Homework
In year 5 the children will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers in the back of the homework book.
If your child is finding the homework tricky, please do let Mr Beswick or myself know so that we can offer them support in school.
The children should complete page 36 of their maths homework book to be returned by Thursday 30th March 2023. This homework is looking at multiplying fractions by an integer.
Please also encourage your child to read for 20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings/times tables. The following websites are both great for times tables practice:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Thursday 30th March will focus on words containing the -ence suffix:
Absence, evidence, independence, intelligence, silence, confidence, competence, magnificence
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact 😊
Miss Beattie x
Goldfinches WB 20.3.23, by Mrs Evans
Date: 16th Mar 2023 @ 7:29pm
Welcome to Goldfinches’ Weekly Blog
We have been super litter pickers helping improve our school grounds.
Friday Superstar: Elliot
Top Table: Archie and Callum
This week we have:
…worked so hard in our assessments and developed our speech sandwich writing in When the Giant Stirred.
We loved meeting our special guest in worship Aoife Mannion a professional footballer who plays for Man United and Ireland and who lives locally. She talked about the girls’ football team she coaches and invited the girls to come along and try it out. 6-7pm Fridays at Sir John Deanne’s College. Speak to Mrs Evans for further details.
We have enjoyed the theme of connections in science week and were very confident in presenting our Volcano posters to the children in Robins.
Parents’ evenings: From 1.30pm -6pmTues 21st and 3.30pm-6pm Wed 22nd.
Forest Schools session: Thursday 23rd March. Please send your child to school in OLD, WARM clothes with a warm coat and wellies/old trainers they can change into. Hat and gloves recommended if particularly chilly.
Llandudno parents’ meeting: after school on Thurs 23rd March. Children can go to a crèche while parents attend. If you can’t make it, the power point presentation will be attached to the Class Web page and blog. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you want me to chat with you further.
Next week we will:
Writing: We will practise writing direct speech using the correct punctuation. We will infer the characters’ thoughts and emotions to write a recount and use modified adjectives (sad- saddest, happy – happiest)
Spellings: Spellings with the suffix ious
Words for the test on Friday 24th March: vicious, suspicious, curious, serious, obvious, anxious, tedious, furious, oblivious, devious
Reading: We will infer details and refer to the text to find evidence to back up our answers and identify key vocabulary in our Ariki and the Island of Wonders text.
Reading homework: Reading is getting better and better in Year 4 with the children showing they are becoming more and more independent in their reading and more confident in their shared reading. Keep up the great work everybody!
Maths: We will choose and use appropriate methods of multiplication, learn to present our Science data in a bar chart, measure in m and KM and find the perimeter of a grid.
Times tables: We are continuing to work on our times tables every day by using games, online games, worksheets and tests in class. We are currently working on the 9x as a class in addition to our personal times tables.
Please continue to support your child to learn their tables fluently in order, out of order and know the division facts for the 2, 5, 10, 4, 8, 3, 6 and 9 times tables.
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check
Please ensure your child uses this game at least a couple of times a week to get used to speed and time limits and prepare them for the online check.
Other fun games to try:
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/7/multiplication-and-division
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/times-tables/coconut-multiples
Science: As it is Science week we will enjoy some activities with the theme of Connections.
PE: Mondays and Fridays.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606668270
Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Evans, Miss Wilkinson, Miss Nelson and Mrs Simmonds.
Starlings WB 20th March, by Mrs Esling
Date: 16th Mar 2023 @ 7:25pm
Welcome to this weeks Starlings class Blog. What another fantastic week we have enjoyed.
Friday Superstar: Charlotte
Top Table: Isla and Jayden H
Diary Dates:
21st to 22nd March - Parent's Evening
29th March - School Disco
This week we have:
…
thoroughly enjoyed Science week. We have learnt about Isambard Kingdom Brunel and how he designed bridges, tunnels, boats and stations to help connect people nationally and internationally. We looked at Brunels design of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and we then designed and built our own using spaghettii and marshmallows!
HOME- Our new whole school topic
We have begun our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
RWI
Read Write Inc
Our RWI lessons start promptly at 9am. If you are able to drop your child off as near to 8.45 as possible it would be very beneficial.
The children will continue to bring home a Read Write Inc book, a book bag book and a bedtime story each week. This provides them with a variety of familiar, new and challenging texts to read. Bedtime storybooks are to be enjoyed with an adult. Reading TO the children ensures that they experience the magic of a story coming to life and have a purpose and love of reading.
Please check your child’s diary to find out which group they are in, which sounds they have learnt that week and which books they have in their book bag. Each time they move to a new group they will receive a RWI book mark. On this book mark are the ‘red’ words that are practised in that group. These words inform our spelling quizzes and regular practise supports fluency and confidence in writing.
On the class page I have uploaded three new files named Set 1, Set 2 and Set 3. These contain the QR codes for all the sounds. Each video is about ten minutes long and can be viewed by your child independently. Please check your child's bookbag on a Friday to see which new sounds they have learnt that week and use the videos to support their learning.
Spellings for the quiz on Friday 24th March
jumped crashed bumped landed floated
MATHS
In maths we continue to explore the numbers from 11 to 20. we are mpw adding and subtracting numbers to 20
HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY
We have explored the invention of the bike and how its design has changed over the years. We have also learned abour George Stephenson and how his invention of 'The Rocket' influenced the trains we travel on today. We will now investigate the invention of the motor car and how designs have chanegd over the years and the reasons behind those changes. This links with our geography where we will explore how people could travel further following these inventions.
SCIENCE
In Science this week we have snhared our opinions on what a scientist looks like. many believed scientitsts would have mad, curly hair, would wear a white coat and carry potions around! we then reserached different scientists and found many women who did not have crazy hair and n one were wearing a white coat. we realised that we may hold stereotypical views and this has made us change our opinions.
RELIGION
In religion we conmtinue to learn about the Easter story and what happens in church at Easter
PE
Our PE days are Wednesdays and Fridays. Please come to school wearing appropriate PE kit- White t-shirt, black/blue plain hoodie and tracksuit bottoms or shorts, hair tied back and earrings removed or covered with own plasters.
Snack
Children in KS1 receive free fruit. Children do not have to bring a snack from home but if you wish to do so we ask that it is a healthy option and just one item, please. Please also rembember we are a NUT FREE SCHOOL. Please can you also make sure that your child only has water in their water bottle; juice, however, is fine at lunchtimes if your child brings a packed lunch.
Birthdays
We love celebrating the children's birthdays and hearing about all the exciting things they are doing. We appreciate that it is not always possible to invite the whole class and we would ask therefore that in these instances that invites are given out before or after school. Thank you.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via a note in your child’s diary or through the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606 668270
Many thanks Mrs Esling and Mrs Westland
Robins week beg. 20th March, by Mrs Whittingham
Date: 16th Mar 2023 @ 5:36pm
Robins have worked so hard to complete all their mid-year assessments this week. They have enjoyed the longer breaks and fun activities that we have done in the afternoons to make up for our busy mornings! I will be able to share their results and progress with you at Parents Evening next week.
We have also completed lots of extra Science lessons to mark British Science Week. They have discussed the concept of connections, made some excellent home structures using spaghetti and marshmallows, researched the scientist Thomas Edison and made food chains that could be found on a farm.
The children from Year 4 visited our classroom this week to present their posters and work that they have learnt about volcanoes. An excellent oracy experience for all involved. We will present our findings from our RE topic - different places of worships - to Year 4 after the Easter break when we have found out some more information.
Please remember to read with your child for 10 - 15 mins daily and record in diary if possible. Also take a look at their reading target which is on a sticker in their diary, some children may have the same target for a few weeks to work on.
We will continue to revise some of the spelling rules that we have already covered in Year 3 so far this year. Spellings for next week will focus on words ending in -ture adventure, mixture, future, picture, creature, capture, furniture, nature
In class this week the children have been shown how to access the following games on their devices and I was delighted to hear today that so many of them have already had a go at home! They are such superstars!
https://ictgames.com/littleBirdSpelling/
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
https://www.multiplication.com/games/all-games
The children should have a x4 sheet for homework this week. If they find this too difficult please stick with learning x3. Use the online games suggested above, ask them to write out the multiples and to tell you some key facts.
On Monday 20th March we will visit church for worship alongside other KS2 classes.
I am sure you are all aware that Parents Evening takes place next Tuesday and Wednesday. I am looking forward to sharing your children's wornderful work and letting you know how they are getting on,
Tuesday 28th March - Robins Forest Schools
Wednesday 29th March - KS2 Cake Sale after school
Thursday 30th March - School Disco
PE days for this half term will remain as Monday and Friday.
RE - we are exploring different religions and focusing in particular on places of worship.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
We have completed our work on the Stone Age by comparing and contrasting homes from the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. This has led nicely into the launch of our Home topic. The children have been drawing their home(s) and discussing who keeps them safe.
Please feel free to get in touch if there is anything we can help you with,
Mrs Whittingham, Miss Wilkinson (Friday) & Mrs Taylor
Skylarks WB 20.3.23, by Miss Beattie
Date: 16th Mar 2023 @ 5:23pm
Hello everyone and welcome back to Skylarks weekly blog! 😊
This week we have been super busy in Skylarks Class. The children have been working very hard on their end of term assessments, they have enjoyed celebrating British Science Week and had a fantastic afternoon in Forest Schools on Tuesday. Some of our classmates, along with other children in KS2, have also represented our school in football and cross country competitions this week. Well done to everybody who took part.
Next week (W.B. 20.03.23)
Tomorrow, Years 5 and 6 will attend Wincham Primary School for an online safety workshop. Children may come to school in their own clothes for Comic Relief, however Skylarks Class must wear a school jumper for our trip out.
In our English lessons next week, we will begin to explore our new book ‘Malala’s Magic Pencil’ by Malala Yousafzai. We will explore what Human Rights are and discuss the specific rights that children have. We will then begin to read the book, discussing the themes and conventions along the way.
In shared reading we will begin to read our new text ‘Exploring Space’. We will be focussing on ‘Drawing Inferences’. We will use our visualising techniques to infer characters’ thoughts, feelings and emotions.
In maths we will be moving on to learn how to multiply fractions and mixed numbers by an integer. We will also consolidate our understanding of the four operations through daily 4-a-day activities.
In History and Geography, we will begin our new whole school topic on ‘Home’. We will discuss what makes a home special and the different types of homes in which people live in around the world.
In RE we will be exploring the difference between forgiveness and justice, before holding a class debate around the question ‘Can forgiveness and justice go hand in hand?’
In Science we will be comparing the life cycles of two different plants; one which lives in our local area and one which lives in the desert. We will use a variety of sources to answer questions about how the reproduce and what climate they thrive in.
In Art we will continue to explore the Viking ‘Jelling’ style to create a final piece of art using intricate and interlocking patterns. We will then evaluate our work.
Our PE day for the Spring Term will be a Wednesday so your child should come to school in their PE kit on this day. Please remember PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/blue.
Homework
In year 5 the children will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers in the back of the homework book.
If your child is finding the homework tricky, please do let Mr Beswick or myself know so that we can offer them support in school.
The children should complete page 26 of their maths homework book to be returned by Friday 24th March 2023. This homework is looking at written methods of multiplication and division.
Please also encourage your child to read for 20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings/times tables. The following websites are both great for times tables practice:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 24th March will be the next 10 words in the Year 5/6 statutory word list:
Identity, immediately, individual, interfere, interrupt, language, leisure, lightning, marvellous, mischievous
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact 😊
Miss Beattie x
Toucans W.B. 20.03.23, by Mr Corkill
Date: 16th Mar 2023 @ 3:47pm
Welcome Back to Toucans’ Weekly Blog 🙂
Toucans have had another busy week in the classroom, particularly focusing on writing a letter to a fellow Y6 pupil informing them about the plight of refugees, based on our current text, ‘The Day War Came.’
Praise: Grace
Top Table: William and Savannah
Next Week (W.B. 20.03.23)
Reminders:
- Parents’ Evening appointments will take place over two days: Tuesday 21st March (13:10-18:00) and Wednesday 22nd March (15:30-18:00). Please note appointments are 10 minutes each, and times will be stuck to as closely as possible. I look forward to discussing your child’s work and progress with you next week.
- PE will continue to take place on both a Monday and a Friday each week, so please send your child into school wearing their PE kit on these days. PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/navy.
Curriculum:
In English, we will edit and improve our letters to fellow Y6 pupils raising awareness of the plight of refugees to see whether we can add any further writing features or enhance the content. In shared reading, we will continue with The Explorer by Katherine Rundell with a focus on identifying how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning and evaluating the author’s language choice.
In maths, we will begin to revise and recap essential areas of learning in preparation for the upcoming SATs assessments in early May. Additionally, we will be completing some assessments to identify individual areas of learning and development. We will continue with our 4-a-day arithmetic questions each morning to further practice our four operations.
In science, we will conclude our unit on evolution by analysing giraffe photos and writing about how these animals have evolved using the key scientific terms: inherited, genes, adaptation, characteristic, evolved, and offspring.
In our history/geography lesson, we shall be focusing on researching the current Russia-Ukraine War and trying to understand the impact on the lives of innocent citizens and refugees.
In PE, the children will continue with practising their tennis and basketball skills with Mr Ault.
We will also be completing a further round of practice SATs assessments throughout the week to identify specific areas of revision focus for the next half term.
Homework:
Children in Year 6 will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers provided in the back of their homework book. If your child is finding the homework challenging, I will ensure that supervision is provided one lunchtime each week where your child can ask any questions or receive the support they need to complete the homework.
Children should complete pages 58 and 59 of their maths homework book this week and return it to school by Thursday 23rd March. The homework consolidates our learning on calculating the area of a triangle and parallelogram from this week’s lessons. Children should also complete pages 25-27 (Set B: Test 2) of their reading homework book.
Please also encourage your child to read for 15-20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings and times tables. Children need to record their reading in their homework diaries/planners. This really will help them with their reading speed and stamina. Try to talk to your child about what they have read in their book (the character, the plot, their opinion). Try to vary choices to include classic texts, non-fiction texts, and poems.
The following website is great for times tables practice: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 24th March will begin to concentrate of the next set of Y5/6 statutory spelling words and will be:identity, immediately, individual, interfere, interrupt, language, leisure, lightning, marvellous, mischievous.
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact!
Mr Corkill 😊
WB 20.3.23, by Miss Dalby
Date: 16th Mar 2023 @ 12:06pm
Owls Weekly Blog WC 20.3.23
This week we have…
This Week's Theme: We are coming to the end of our mini beasts topic, the children have really enjoyed exploring the different insects that live in our woodland. We have been talking about what is needed for an insect to survive and during busy time the children have created their own bug dens!
We will be finishing off this topic with a visit from some creepy crawly friends on Friday 17th! This will be a fantastic opportunity for the children to explore common and unfamiliar insects with this hands on experience.
Literacy: We have been reading a well-loved classic ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle. The children have been using their knowledge of this story to sequence the life cycle of a butterfly. We have been using amazing vocabulary such as ‘life-cycle’, ‘cocoon ‘and ‘searching’ in their literacy task and play.
Numeracy: we have been applying our partitioning skills into number sentences using fruit from ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ story. The children have been finding out the total of two numbers when they are added together. We have also been strengthening our understanding of 1-10, testing our sticky knowledge by filling in the gaps to make a complete number line.
Next week we will…
We will be exploring how we can protect our world, looking after animals and our environment by reducing, reusing and recycling. We will be exploring biologist and nature historian David Attenborough and his fantastic work on protecting our planet. We will be spreading awareness of how we can help our environment by creating posters with information on how to reduce, reuse and recycle.
This Half Term Events:
17th March – Red Nose Day (Non-uniform day)
22nd March – Parents Evening
30th March – School Disco!
We hope you have a fantastic weekend!
From,
Miss Dalby and Mrs Rathbone
Goldfinches WB 13.3.23, by Mrs Evans
Date: 9th Mar 2023 @ 8:59pm
Welcome to Goldfinches’ Weekly Blog
We have been marvellous mathematicians this week.
Friday Superstar: Jacob C
Top Table: Ella and Molly
This week we have:
…worked so methodically in our maths lessons learning methods of division. We are already absorbed in ‘When the Giant Stirred’ and ‘Ariki and the island of wonders’ in our English lessons and are using these texts to support some beautiful descriptive writing. We are learning about the human impact on the environment in Science and thoroughly enjoyed the Science assembly too.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
This half term we have begun our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
Cake Sale – thank you for buying lots of delicious cakes. We raised an impressive £174.04. It is Goldfinches’ turn to bake/donate cakes for our next sale on 29th March.
Friday 17th March- Non uniform day. £1 which will be donated to COMIC RELIEF. Please ensure clothes and footwear are suitable for PE.
Next week we will:
Writing: We will apply our understanding of fronted adverbials to writing a diary extract and recap using direct speech within a speech sandwich.
Spellings: Spellings with the suffix ous
Words for the test on Friday 17th March: famous, fabulous, joyous, tremendous, jealous, enormous, glamourous, disastrous, adventurous, nervous
Reading: We will infer details and refer to the text to find evidence to back up our answers within our Spring assessment texts.
Reading homework: Reading is getting better and better in Year 4 with the children showing they are becoming more and more independent in their reading and more confident in their shared reading. Keep up the great work everybody.
Maths: We will choose and use appropriate methods of multiplication. We will complete our Spring Maths assessments.
Times tables: We are continuing to work on our times tables every day by using games, online games, worksheets and tests in class. We have introduced the 9x table this week.
Please continue to support your child to learn their tables fluently in order, out of order and know the division facts for the 2, 5, 10, 4, 8, 3, 6 and 9 times tables.
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check
Please ensure your child uses this game at least a couple of times a week to get used to speed and time limits and prepare them for the online check.
Other fun games to try:
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/7/multiplication-and-division
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/times-tables/coconut-multiples
Science: As it is Science week we will enjoy some activities with the theme of Connections.
PE: Mondays and Fridays.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606668270
Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Evans, Miss Wilkinson, Miss Nelson and Mrs Simmonds.
Robins week beg. 13th March, by Mrs Whittingham
Date: 9th Mar 2023 @ 5:34pm
Robins had a lovely visit to church on Monday to learn about Lent. Vicar Andrew led the worship and told the children all about how Jesus spent time in the desert to reflect and talk to God. The children were encouraged to think about what they could do to help others during Lent. They also enjoyed an amazing Science Workshop this morning to launch National Science week, which will take place next week. We will be doing lots of exciting activites next week to mark this special occasion. I think some of the children have also noticed that we were delivered 'tests' to our class this week. I have spoken to the children that they have nothing to worry about and that next week we will do some of these in the morning. Also we do these activities so that I can check what I need to teach them next term to ensure they are achieving the best that they can in English and Maths. I will also be able to let you know at Parents Evening how your child gets on with them and how they are performing overall in Year 3. Please reassure your child that they must not worry and that these 'tests' are more about helping me!
Please remember to read with your child for 10 - 15 mins daily and record in diary if possible. Also take a look at their reading target which is on a sticker in their diary, some children may have the same target for a few weeks to work on.
We will continue to revise some of the spelling rules that we have already covered in Year 3 so far this year. Spellings for next week will focus on the suffix - ly suddenly, carefully, finally, gently, simply, merrily, humbly, horribly
Remember to have a go at this spelling game to revise spellings.
https://ictgames.com/littleBirdSpelling/
This week we have been looking at learning our 4 and 8 times tables so it would be useful to play Hit the Button focusing on these times tables facts. We have also been learning the related division facts e.g. 24 divided by 8 = 3
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Here is a good website to play some Maths games that I'm sure the children will enjoy.
https://www.multiplication.com/games/all-games
The children should have a x4 sheet for homework this week. If they find this too difficult please stick with learning x3. Use the online games suggested above, ask them to write out the multiples and to tell you some key facts.
PE days for this half term will remain as Monday and Friday.
RE - we are exploring different religions and focusing in particular on places of worship.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
We have completed our work on the Stone Age by comparing and contrasting homes from the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. This has led nicely into the launch of our Home topic. The children have been drawing their home(s) and discussing who keeps them safe.
Please feel free to get in touch if there is anything we can help you with,
Mrs Whittingham, Miss Wilkinson (Friday) & Mrs Taylor
Skylarks WB 13.3.23, by Miss Beattie
Date: 9th Mar 2023 @ 2:29pm
Hello everyone and welcome back to Skylarks weekly blog! 😊
Another hard-working week in Year 5. The children particularly enjoyed our science show this morning to kick off British Science Week.
Next week (W.B. 13.03.23)
We have a very exciting week next week to look forward to. Firstly, we will be engaging with a variety of fun science activities to celebrate British Science Week. We will also take part in Forest Schools on Tuesday afternoon. Please send your child to school in old, comfortable clothes and a waterproof coat. On Friday, Years 5 and 6 will attend Wincham Primary School for an online safety workshop.
In our English lessons next week, we will be editing our free verse poems to ensure use of all the poetic devices, including similes, metaphors, rhyme and kennings. We will then work on our performance techniques to perform to an audience.
In maths we will be continuing to develop our confidence when using formal written methods of multiplication and division. We will also consolidate our understanding of the four operations through daily 4-a-day activities.
In History and Geography, we will be recapping our learning about different civilisations from across KS2. We will use what we have learnt, to design our own ‘perfect’ civilisation including features from each different time period.
In Art we will continue to explore the Viking ‘Jelling’ style to create a final piece of art using intricate and interlocking patterns.
Our PE day for the Spring Term will be a Wednesday so your child should come to school in their PE kit on this day. Please remember PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/blue.
Homework
In year 5 the children will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers in the back of the homework book.
If your child is finding the homework tricky, please do let Mr Beswick or myself know so that we can offer them support in school.
The children should complete page 25 of their maths homework book to be returned by Friday 17th March 2023. This homework is looking at short division.
Please also encourage your child to read for 20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings/times tables. The following websites are both great for times tables practice:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 17th March will continue to focus on words ending in -ent:
urgent, dependent, obedient, violent, silent, innocent, frequent, ancient
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact 😊
Miss Beattie x
Toucans W.B. 13.03.23, by Mr Corkill
Date: 9th Mar 2023 @ 10:38am
Welcome Back to Toucans’ Weekly Blog 🙂
Toucans have had another good week of learning and particularly enjoyed their forest school session on Tuesday afternoon with Mrs Evans, along with the inspiring science assembly on Thursday morning.
Praise: Abi
Top Table: Ellie and Zach
Next Week (W.B. 13.03.23)
Reminders:
- We will be celebrating British Science Week with lots of fun and engaging activities throughout the week, with a focus on the theme of ‘connections’!
- Ten pupils from Y6 will be involved with a cross country competition on Thursday 16th March. If your child is involved, Mrs Whittingham will have sent a letter home with the full details. Please ensure your child has a packed lunch that they can eat on this day after returning from the competition.
- We will have an exciting guest visitor on Thursday 16th March in our worship to inspire the children.
- Year 5 and Year 6 will attend a special online safety workshop at Wincham Community Primary school in the morning of Friday 17th March. This will be delivered by 2Engage - an educational theatre company.
- Friday 17th March will be a non-uniform day to celebrate Red Nose Day 2023. Please ensure your child’s outfit is appropriate to complete our PE lesson in. Also, can you send your child into school with their school hoodie / jumper as this will be needed when they visit the 2Engage workshop on Friday morning.
- PE will continue to take place on both a Monday and a Friday each week, so please send your child into school wearing their PE kit on these days. PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/navy.
Curriculum:
In English, we will begin to write a letter as our final piece based upon the text, ‘The Day War Came’. We will be aiming to write a letter to raise awareness of the plight of refugees to a fellow Y6 pupil using: present perfect tense, a range of cohesive devices, colons to explain/emphasise, and layout devices (e.g. bullet points).
In maths, we shall be completing our unit on measure. This week we will be learning about: calculating the area of a triangle, finding the area of a parallelogram, and working out the volume of a cuboid. We will also continue with our 4-a-day arithmetic questions each morning to further practice our four operations.
In science, we will continue with our unit on evolution and look at how evolution works through analysing different fossils to show changes over time.
In our history/geography lesson, we shall understand the difference between the terms: refugee, asylum seeker, migrant, and immigrant through looking at different case studies.
In PE, the children will continue with practising their tennis and basketball skills with Mr Ault.
Homework:
Children in Year 6 will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers provided in the back of their homework book. If your child is finding the homework challenging, I will ensure that supervision is provided one lunchtime each week where your child can ask any questions or receive the support they need to complete the homework.
Children should complete pages 48 and 49 of their maths homework book this week and return it to school by Thursday 16th March. The homework consolidates our learning on two missing number algebra problems from this week’s lessons. Children should also complete pages 22-24 (Set B: Test 1) of their reading homework book.
Please also encourage your child to read for 15-20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings and times tables. Children need to record their reading in their homework diaries/planners. This really will help them with their reading speed and stamina.
The following website is great for times tables practice: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 17th March will begin to concentrate of the next set of Y5/6 statutory spelling words and will be: existence, explanation, familiar, foreign, frequently, government, guarantee, harass, hindrance.
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact!
Mr Corkill 😊
Starlings WB 13th March, by Mrs Esling
Date: 5th Mar 2023 @ 7:45pm
Welcome to this weeks Starlings class Blog. What another fantastic week we have enjoyed.
Friday Superstar: Corey
Top Table: Harriet and Teddy H
Diary Dates:
21st to 22nd March - Parent's Evening
29th March - School Disco
This week we have:
…had someone leave footprints in our classroom and CCTV images have been discovered showing our visitor has crash landed a spaceship!
HOME- Our new whole school topic
We have begun our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
RWI
Following assessments at the end of the term the cnhildren have been placed into new RWI groups. Your child will have had a sticker in their diary informing you of their new group and teacher. Each time your child changes groups they will be given a bookmark. This book mark has the red words listed. Please practise these with your child as it supports fluency in both their reading and writing.
Spellings for the quiz on Friday 17th March
the was all are you
MATHS
In maths we continue to explore the numbers from 11 to 20. we have looked at 'doubles' and the children craeted a robot that was 'double' in size too mine. next week we will look at near doubles, before adding and subrtacting numbers to 20.
HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY
We have explored the invention of the bike and how its design has changed over the years. We have also learned abour George Stephenson and how his invention of 'The Rocket' influenced the trains we travel on today. We will now investigate the invention of the motor car and how designs have chanegd over the years and the reasons behind those changes. This links with our geography where we will explore how people could travel further following these inventions.
SCIENCE
In Science we will be investigating objects, the material which it is made from and its uses. we have put post it notes around the classroom to label items with the material they are made of.
RELIGION
In religion we will be learning about the Easter story and what happens in church at Easter
PE
Our PE days are Wednesdays and Fridays. Please come to school wearing appropriate PE kit- White t-shirt, black/blue plain hoodie and tracksuit bottoms or shorts, hair tied back and earrings removed or covered with own plasters.
Snack
Children in KS1 receive free fruit. Children do not have to bring a snack from home but if you wish to do so we ask that it is a healthy option and just one item, please. Please also rembember we are a NUT FREE SCHOOL. Please can you also make sure that your child only has water in their water bottle; juice, however, is fine at lunchtimes if your child brings a packed lunch.
Birthdays
We love celebrating the children's birthdays and hearing about all the exciting things they are doing. We appreciate that it is not always possible to invite the whole class and we would ask therefore that in these instances that invites are given out before or after school. Thank you.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via a note in your child’s diary or through the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606 668270
Many thanks Mrs Esling and Mrs Westland
Skylarks WB 6.3.23, by Miss Beattie
Date: 2nd Mar 2023 @ 10:39pm
Hello everyone and welcome back to Skylarks weekly blog! 😊
We have had a super first week back after the half term. The children particularly enjoyed celebrating World Book Day on Wednesday and looked fantastic in their costumes!
Next week (W.B. 06.03.23)
In our English lessons next week, we will continue our work on poetry. We will be using our learning from this week to help us write our own free verse poems using similes and metaphors.
In our shared reading lessons, we will be focussing on word meaning. We will analyse the author’s language choice and discuss its effectiveness.
In maths we will be continuing to develop our confidence when using formal written methods of multiplication and division. We will solve word problems and explore open-ended questions. We will also consolidate our understanding of the four operations through daily 4-a-day activities.
In Science we will be studying four different types of asexual reproduction in plans. The children will research how different plants can reproduce through cuttings, runners, bulbs and tubers.
In History and Geography, we will continue to learn about Viking life through asking questions and research. We will use what we find out to help us answer our enquiry question, ‘Where the Vikings ruthless killers or peaceful settlers?’
In Art we will be exploring the Viking ‘Jelling’ style frequently used on their armour and weapons. We will practice out sketching techniques to create intricate and interlocking designs.
In RE we will explore our new theme of ‘forgiveness’. We will look at examples of forgiveness in the bible and reflect on how we should live our lives.
Our PE day for the Spring Term will be a Wednesday so your child should come to school in their PE kit on this day. Please remember PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/blue.
Homework
In year 5 the children will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers in the back of the homework book.
If your child is finding the homework tricky, please do let Mr Beswick or myself know so that we can offer them support in school.
The children should complete page 24 of their maths homework book to be returned by Friday 10th March 2023. This homework is looking at written methods of multiplication.
Please also encourage your child to read for 20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings/times tables. The following websites are both great for times tables practice:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 10th March will be words ending in the -ent suffix:
confident, absent, different, patient, magnificent, efficient, decent, intelligent
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact 😊
Miss Beattie x
Goldfinches WB 6.3.23, by Mrs Evans
Date: 2nd Mar 2023 @ 8:08pm
Welcome to Goldfinches’ Weekly Blog
We have settled back beautifully this week.
Friday Superstar: Chloe
Top Table: Freddie and Nathan
This week we have:
…had a wonderful start back to school. We have been launched into the tropical theme of a Pacific Island in our new books ‘When the Giant Stirred’ and ‘Ariki and the island of Wonders’. We loved World Book day and had fun creating book based artwork, having ‘Book talk’ time, reading with our friends in Y6 and learning to perform a poem. We have also wowed Mrs Evans and Miss Furnival with our knowledge of volcanoes as we created a group poster.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
This half term we have begun our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
Thurs 9th Cake Sale. This is for the children in KS1 to bake/donate cakes which will be on sale after school for all children. 30p a cake or 4 for £1
Choir have the lovely opportunity to sing at a local Care home next Friday 10th March.
Next week we will:
Writing: Develop our rich and varied language by choosing precise nouns e.g. Minnow or trout rather than just fish. Palm tree rather than just tree.
Spellings: Spellings with the prefix ir when added to words beginning with r
Words for the test on Friday 10th March: irrelevant, irresistible, irresponsible, irregular, irrational, irradiate
These are tricky words with tricky meanings so please spend some time ensuring your child understands the meaning (using google dictionary)
Reading: We will predict details from our new text and use our retrieval skills to select answers from the text about the settings and characters.
Reading homework: Please continue to support your child’s love of reading and the chance to disappear into another world whilst they do! Please sign when your child had read independently and comment when they have read aloud to you.
Maths: We will continue to develop our division methods using place value counters to help.
Times tables: We are continuing to work on our times tables every day by using games, online games, worksheets and tests in class. We are introducing the 9x table this week.
Please continue to support your child to learn their tables fluently in order, out of order and know the division facts for the 2, 5, 10, 4, 8, 3 and 6 times tables.
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check
Please ensure your child uses this game at least a couple of times a week to get used to speed and time limits and prepare them for the online check.
Other fun games to try:
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/7/multiplication-and-division
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/times-tables/coconut-multiples
Science: We will enjoy a Science assembly on Thursday in preparation for Science week the following week.
PE: This will be on Mondays and Fridays for the next half term.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606668270
Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs Evans, Miss Wilkinson, Miss Nelson and Mrs Simmonds.
Toucans W.B. 6.2.23, by Mr Corkill
Date: 2nd Mar 2023 @ 6:56pm
Welcome Back to Toucans’ Weekly Blog 🙂
Toucans have had a good first week back where we have launched our new theme on home and refugees.
Praise: Georgia
Top Table: Willow and Grace I
Next Week (W.B. 06.03.23)
Reminders:
- PE will continue to take place on both a Monday and a Friday each week, so please send your child into school wearing their PE kit on these days. PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/navy.
- Our forest schools session this term will be next Tuesday (7th March) in the afternoon - this will be led by Mrs Evans. Please send your child into school on this day in their school uniform along with old, warm clothes, old trainers/wellies and a waterproof coat to change into for the afternoon session.
Curriculum:
In English, we will continue with our new text, ‘The Day War Came’. We shall look at forming and using the present perfect form, using colons to explain or emphasise, and write a short note to a refugee to welcome them into our classroom.
In maths, we will complete our work on algebra before starting to focus on our new topic of measure. We will begin our focus with recapping how to work out area and perimeter before looking how to calculate the area of triangles. We will also continue with our 4-a-day arithmetic questions each morning to further practice our four operations.
In science, we will continue with our unit on evolution and look at how different plants and animals are adapted to survive in their environments.
In our history/geography lesson, we shall understand the difference between the terms: refugee, asylum seeker, migrant and immigrant through looking at different case studies.
In RE, we shall continue to explore The Resurrection and discuss the evidence for and against this event in a class debate.
In Art with Mrs Hulse, the children will use their sketching skills to sketch a refugee-themed image using different mark-making media to tie in with our current theme on home and refugees.
In PE, the children will continue with practising their tennis skills with Mr Ault.
Homework:
Children in Year 6 will be set a weekly maths homework that they should complete and mark at home using the answers provided in the back of their homework book. If your child is finding the homework challenging, I will ensure that supervision is provided one lunchtime each week where your child can ask any questions or receive the support they need to complete the homework.
Children should complete pages 46 and 47 of their maths homework book this week and return it to school by Thursday 9th March. The homework consolidates our learning on missing number problems using our algebra knowledge and skills from this week’s lessons. Children should also complete pages 17-19 (Set A: Test 6) of their reading homework book.
Please also encourage your child to read for 15-20 minutes each evening and practice their spellings and times tables. Children need to record their reading in their homework diaries/planners. This really will help them with their reading speed and stamina.
The following website is great for times tables practice: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 10th March will begin to concentrate of the next set of Y5/6 statutory spelling words and will be: determined, develop, dictionary, disastrous, embarrass, environment, equipment, especially, exaggerate, excellent.
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact!
Mr Corkill 😊
Robins week beg. 6th March, by Mrs Whittingham
Date: 2nd Mar 2023 @ 5:01pm
The children have all settled well back into school life after their half term break. It has been lovely hearing about how much they enjoyed the break at home with their friends and family. This week has been very exciting with World Book Day. We had great fun discussing our favourite books and authors, sharing our Stone Age stories to Year 2, learning some new poems and creating new bookmarks which will be laminated and ready to bring home next week. I love how enthusiastic all the children are about reading.
Please remember to read with your child for 10 - 15 mins daily and record in diary if possible. Also take a look at their reading target which is on a sticker in their diary, some children may have the same target for a few weeks to work on.
We will continue to revise some of the spelling rules that we have already covered in Year 3 so far this year. Spellings for next week will focus on the suffix - ous dangerous, mountainous, famous, enormous, jealous, fabulous, generous and perilous.
Remember to have a go at this spelling game to revise spellings.
https://ictgames.com/littleBirdSpelling/
This week we have been looking at learning our 4 and 8 times tables so it would be useful to play Hit the Button focusing on these times tables facts.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Here is a good website to play some Maths games that I'm sure the children will enjoy.
https://www.multiplication.com/games/all-games
The children should have a x4 sheet for homework this week. If they find this too difficult please stick with learning x3. Use the online games suggested above, ask them to write out the multiples and to tell you some key facts.
PE days for this half term will remain as Monday and Friday.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
After half term we will begin our new whole school topic - Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
Please feel free to get in touch if there is anything we can help you with,
Mrs Whittingham, Miss Wilkinson (Friday) & Mrs Taylor
Starlings WB 6th March, by Mrs Esling
Date: 26th Feb 2023 @ 2:43pm
Welcome to this weeks Starlings class Blog. What another fantastic week we have enjoyed.
Friday Superstar: Teddy G
Top Table: Martha and James K
Diary Dates:
Thurs 9th Cake Sale. This is for the children in KS1 to bake/donate cakes which will be on sale after school for all children. 30p a cake or 4 for £1
Choir have the lovely opportunity to sing at a local Care home next Friday 10th March.
21st to 22nd March - Parent's Evening - More details to follow
29th March - School Disco
This week we have:
…had our classroom sealed off due to a unidentified disaster! Mr Kettle had the yellow substance tested and it is not poisonous - thank goodness! So far we think it might be alien space cake, alien poo or it is a result of someone performing their version of a marvelloyus medicine!
HOME- Our new whole school topic
We have begun our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
RWI
Following assessments at the end of the term the cnhildren have been placed into new RWI groups. Your child will have had a sticker in their diary informing you of their new group and teacher. Each time your child changes groups they will be given a bookmark. This book mark has the red words listed. Please practise these with your child as it supports fluency in both their reading and writing.
Spellings for the quiz on Friday 10th March
once ask friend school come
MATHS
In maths we continue to explore the numbers from 11 to 20. This unit lays the essential foundations of place value, as children begin to recognise the place value of each digit in a 2-digit number. This is an important skill that children will develop when they add and subtract and begin to work with larger numbers.This week sees us exploring 'doubles' and 'near doubles'.
HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY
We have explored the invention of the bike and how its design has changed over the years. We have also learned abour George Stephenson and how his invention of 'The Rocket' influenced the trains we travel on today. We will now investigate the invention of the motor car and how designs have chanegd over the years and the reasons behind those changes. This links with our geography where we will explore how people could travel further following these inventions.
SCIENCE
In Science we will be investigating objects, the material which it is made from and its uses. we have put post it notes around the classroom to label items with the material they are made of.
RELIGION
In religion we will be learning about the Easter story and what happens in church at Easter
PE
Our PE days are Wednesdays and Fridays. Please come to school wearing appropriate PE kit- White t-shirt, black/blue plain hoodie and tracksuit bottoms or shorts, hair tied back and earrings removed or covered with own plasters.
Snack
Children in KS1 receive free fruit. Children do not have to bring a snack from home but if you wish to do so we ask that it is a healthy option and just one item, please. Please also rembember we are a NUT FREE SCHOOL. Please can you also make sure that your child only has water in their water bottle; juice, however, is fine at lunchtimes if your child brings a packed lunch.
Birthdays
We love celebrating the children's birthdays and hearing about all the exciting things they are doing. We appreciate that it is not always possible to invite the whole class and we would ask therefore that in these instances that invites are given out before or after school. Thank you.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us via a note in your child’s diary or through the office if you would like to discuss anything about your child. admin@lostockgralam.cheshire.sch.uk 01606 668270
Many thanks Mrs Esling and Mrs Westland
Swallows 16th February 2023, by Mrs Rice
Date: 16th Feb 2023 @ 11:07pm
Hi Everyone
What a busy half term we have had and a great start to 2023! I hope that you and the children have a wonderful holiday and a well-deserved rest.
Next half term begins on Monday 27th February. That week we will be celebrating World Book Day on Wednesday 1st March. The children can come to school in their own clothes or dress up as a book character. We will have a day exploring our love of reading together.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
After half term we will begin our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
In Maths, we will be solving addition and subtraction problems and exploring a variety of methods to do this. In Writing, we will continue to read our new story ‘The Dragon Machine’. We will be exploring the characters and key events using conjunctions, adverbs and adjectives to write letters to Mrs Powell telling her about the chaos that the dragons are causing in our room.
In RE we will continue our learning about Judaism, in particular the importance of the 10 Commandments and the key parts of a synagogue.
Thank you for your continued support with home reading and times tables.
We have an exciting term ahead, especially with our upcoming residential to Fox Howl.
Have a lovely holiday
Many thanks
Mrs Rice and Mrs Southern
Skylarks WB 27.02.23, by Miss Beattie
Date: 16th Feb 2023 @ 10:27pm
Hello everyone and welcome back to Skylarks weekly blog! 😊
What a super week we have had, especially on Tuesday when we visited Tatton Old Hall. The children represented in school so beautifully and learnt so much about what life was like for the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings.
I can’t believe we have reached the end of another half term already! I want to wish you all a fun-filled and restful week – hopefully the spring sunshine will make an appearance.
First week back (W.B. 27.02.23)
On Wednesday 1st March, we will celebrate Lostock’s World Book Day where we will spend the day exploring new books, poems and authors 😊 The children are invited to come to school in their own clothes, pyjamas or dressed as their favourite book character.
HOME- Our new whole school topic
After half term we will begin our new whole school topic- Home. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo/copy of your home into school after half term. Thank you.
In our English lessons after half term, we will be focusing on performance poetry. We will learn about the language devices which appear in poems such as similes and metaphors, as well as how to perform them in front of an audience.
In maths we will be moving on to look at dividing four digit numbers by 1 digit. We will also continue to consolidate our understanding of the four operations through daily 4 a day activities.
In Science, we will be learning about the reproduction of flowering plants. We will draw and label a scientific diagram, identifying the male and female reproductive organs and will complete a life cycle for a chosen plant.
In History and Geography, we will be using maps to locate where the Viking came from and we will think about the chronology of events, including the Viking raids and introduction of Danelaw.
In Art, we will begin to focus on the ‘Jelling Style’ of Viking artwork. We will spend time observing and analysing the techniques used before experimenting with these sketching techniques to create this style of artwork ourselves.
In Music, Skylarks will continue with their ukulele tuition.
In RE will be thinking about our new theme of ‘Forgiveness’.
Our PE day for the Spring Term will be a Wednesday so your child should come to school in their PE kit on this day. Please remember PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/blue.
Homework
There will be no homework or spellings set over half term. Please encourage your child to do some reading and times tables each day instead 😊
The following websites are great for times tables practice:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact 😊
Miss Beattie x
Toucans W.B. 27.02.23, by Mr Corkill
Date: 16th Feb 2023 @ 7:47pm
Welcome Back to Toucans’ Weekly Blog 🙂
Toucans have all worked so hard during this half term and have demonstrated such a conscientious and mature attitude to their learning.
N.B. Unfortunately, due to technical issues, I was unable to post a blog last week and a number of recent blogs have been lost beyond my control.
Praise: Willow
Top Table: Sophie and Jake
Next School Week (W.B. 27.02.23)
Reminders:
- Spring 1 term ends on Friday 17th February and school re-opens on Monday 27th February.
- PE will continue to take place on both a Monday and a Friday each week, so please send your child into school wearing their PE kit on these days. PE kits should either be school kits or plain black/navy.
- World Book Day will be celebrated at Lostock on Wednesday 1st March. Children will be able to wear their own clothes, pyjamas, or dress up as their favourite book character. They can bring along their favourite books to share in their classes too.
- After half term, we will begin our new whole school topic - ‘Home’. This has been planned around the theme of the importance of our homes to us and the human conflicts and natural disasters that result in homelessness for others. We are hoping to use photographs of our children’s homes as part of our displays. If you would like to, please send or e-mail a photo of your home into school after half term - thank you!
Curriculum:
In English, we will begin a new unit focussing on the text ‘The Day War Came’. We will initially recap writing in the passive voice before exploring children’s rights according to UNICEF, and the present perfect verb tense.
In maths, we will continue to work on our unit that focuses on algebra. We shall be looking at forming and solving equations. We will also continue with our 4-a-day arithmetic questions each morning to further practice our four operations.
In science, we will begin our new unit on evolution and look at why offspring look similar to their parents due to DNA inheritance. We shall also explore acquired and inherited characteristics.
In our history/geography lesson, we will begin our new unit which focuses on refugees and what home looks like and feels like to us. We shall discuss what aspects make our home feel like a safe space and look at cases where people have been unfortunate to lose their home through war / tragedies / natural disasters.
In RE, we will start to discuss The Resurrection and the importance of the Easter story to Christians.
In PSHE / No Outsiders with Mrs Hulse, the children will read the book ‘Love You Forever’ by Robert Mansch and discuss how life may change as they grow up.
In PE, the children will continue with gymnastics, paired work, and problem solving with Mr Ault on Monday and Friday.
Homework:
There will be no official homework to be completed over the half term break. It is strongly encouraged, however, that all children read (15 mins a day), practice their spellings (Y5/6 word list on the Y6 school webpage), and arithmetic skills as and when possible - everyday for a short time would be optimal and keep up their knowledge and skills.
Please remember that if you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to get in contact!
Have a nice and restful half term break!
Mr Corkill 😊