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Dear Families and Friends,
We are thrilled to welcome you to the new look School Blog - your refreshed, vibrant window into the life of our school community!
This is the place where you’ll be able to discover all the exciting learning taking place across the school. From creative classroom projects to hands-on exploration, you’ll get a front-row seat to the wonderful experiences our children are enjoying every day.
Our blog will also shine a spotlight on how our pupils are growing in their personal development, citizenship, and spirituality. We are incredibly proud of the thoughtful, compassionate young people they are becoming, and this platform gives us the perfect opportunity to share their journeys with you.
We hope you’ll visit often, celebrate the children’s achievements with us, and feel even more connected to the life of our school.
As a school, we continue to learn from and enjoy our Monday afternoon Bell Plate session with Mrs Richmond – the children take great care to stay in time and ring their notes perfectly! Our collective worship continues to bring us together as a school. Whether it is listening to a bible story or discussing ways to improve our mental health, we enjoy our time together.
Thank you for joining us on this new chapter - there’s so much to look forward to!
Welcome back to the new school year of 2026/2027. It was wonderful to see the children come back a little taller and just as eager to learn!
28.09.26
Our KS2 learning:
It has been another busy and enjoyable week in KS2, and the children have worked incredibly hard across all areas of their learning.
In English, we have been writing non-chronological reports about the mythical spotted whale. The children have thoroughly enjoyed making up facts about this fascinating creature and have impressed us with the effort they have put into their writing. They have used a range of technical vocabulary and descriptive language to make their reports both informative and interesting for the reader. We have also focused on organising our writing carefully using subheadings, and paragraphs. The children have shown great determination and creativity throughout the process and are very proud of their work so far. Next week, we will spend some time editing and improving our reports.
In Maths, we have been learning how to compare, order, and round numbers. The children have used number lines to support their understanding and help them visualise where numbers sit in relation to one another. It has been wonderful to see their confidence growing as they explain their thinking and tackle increasingly challenging questions. The children have worked hard to apply their learning and have shown great resilience when faced with problem solving.
In Science, we have been learning about the human body. The children were fascinated to learn about the important job our skeleton does in supporting our body, protecting vital organs, and helping us move. We had lots of fun learning the names of some key bones and discussing where they are located in our bodies. The children were eager to share their own knowledge as we talked about organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain and how the skeleton helps keep them safe. There were some excellent questions and discussions, and the children's enthusiasm for learning really shone through.
Our learning in KS1:
What a fantastic week of learning we have had across the classroom!
Our Year 2 children have been busy developing their instructional writing. After carefully planning their work and making thoughtful edits to improve it, they have now started publishing their final pieces. We are incredibly proud of the effort they are putting into their presentation, taking great care with their handwriting and layout to produce work of the highest standard. Their determination and pride in their learning have really shone through this week.
The rest of the class have had a fabulous time in Drawing Club, where it was Animation Week. The children thoroughly enjoyed exploring different characters and stories, with Bananaman, a definite favourite! Their creativity, imagination and enthusiasm have been wonderful to see as they developed their drawing and storytelling skills.
In Science, we took our learning outdoors to experience the weather first-hand. The children investigated how windy it was by throwing freshly mown grass into the air and observing where it travelled. They were fascinated to discover the direction of the wind and enjoyed sharing their predictions and observations. We also learnt about the four seasons and went on a seasonal walk around the school grounds, looking carefully for signs of change in the environment.
Reception have also enjoyed a range of exciting hands-on activities this week. They had great fun collecting leaves to create beautiful leaf prints, experimenting with making foam using a mixer, and exploring all the opportunities available in our outdoor area. These activities encouraged curiosity, creativity and lots of discussion as the children explored and discovered new things together. They have been working hard with their phonics and their letter formation. Well done!
It has been a wonderful week of hard work, creativity and outdoor learning. We are looking forward to seeing what next week brings!
21.09.26
Our learning in KS2:
KS2 have worked incredibly hard once again this week, showing enthusiasm, curiosity and a positive attitude towards their learning.
In Science, we have been learning about nutrition and the importance of maintaining a balanced diet. We have explored the different components of food that our bodies need, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals. The children have discussed the important role each of these nutrients plays in helping us to grow, develop and remain healthy. We have also considered why it is important to eat a wide variety of foods and how different foods provide our bodies with the energy and nutrients they need. We have extended our learning by investigating the diets of a range of animals. The children have been learning how to classify animals according to what they eat. We identified herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. The children enjoyed sharing examples of different animals and using their scientific knowledge to decide which group they belong to.
In English, we have been planning a non-chronological report about a mythical ‘spotted whale’, inspired by the text we are currently reading in class. To help us prepare, we carried out independent research about real whales and discovered fascinating facts about their habitats, diets, physical features and lifestyles. We also examined a variety of non-chronological reports, identifying the key features that make them informative and engaging for the reader. These included headings, subheadings, factual information, topic-specific vocabulary and interesting details. The children have used their research and their understanding of report writing to begin planning their own pieces, carefully considering how to organise their ideas and present information clearly.
Next week, we will use our plans to write our very own non-chronological reports about the mythical spotted whale. We are excited to see the imaginative ideas and carefully researched details the children include in their finished work!
Our learning in KS1
We have had another busy and exciting week of learning in KS1!
Our Year 2 children have been writing instructions explaining how to make gingerbread men. They have worked incredibly hard to make their writing clear and easy to follow, while also concentrating on their handwriting and presentation. We are so proud of the care they are taking with their work.
In Drawing Club, our Reception and Year 1 children were inspired by the beautiful story, Owl Babies. They used their imaginations to create fantastic drawings and stories, bringing the characters and setting to life through their writing.
Across the class, we have been working hard to develop our gross and fine motor skills. Through a range of fun activities, the children are building the strength and control needed to support their handwriting development.
In PE, we have enjoyed practising balancing and travelling in different ways. The children have shown excellent determination as they develop their coordination and movement skills.
Our science learning has focused on the weather. We have been observing and describing different types of weather and discussing how it changes from day to day. It has been wonderful to hear the children enthusiastically sharing what the weather was like on their journey to school each morning.
The children have also been thoroughly enjoying the new resources in our home corner. They have loved exploring and role-playing with the beautiful, china plates and bowls and have shown great responsibility by taking such good care of them.
14.09.26
Our KS2 learning:
In Maths, we have been learning about the place value of digits in numbers and have been partitioning numbers in different ways. The children have worked hard to develop their understanding of how numbers can be represented and broken down.
In Geography, we have started our exciting topic on earthquakes. The children learned about the layers of the Earth and plate tectonics, exploring how the movement of tectonic plates can cause earthquakes. They were fascinated by the powerful natural processes that shape our planet and are looking forward to learning more.
Our KS1 learning:
We are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm and curiosity the children have shown this week and look forward to another exciting week of learning ahead! 😊
07.09.26
Our KS2 learning:
We have had a fabulous first week back! We have been spending lots of time getting to know one another, and the children wrote some brilliant letters introducing themselves. They took great care and pride in presenting their work beautifully.
It was a pleasure to watch the children work together in teams during PE, where they devised tactics and strategies to solve problems and complete challenges. They showed fantastic teamwork, communication and determination.
Year 5 and 6 went to London to visit the Houses of Parliament, the British Museum, a walking tour of the sites and also they went to watch 'Matilda'! They had a fabulous time and they were extremely good Ruby role models the entire trip. Well done!
We have also begun our new Science unit on organisms, starting by exploring the nutrition that humans need to stay healthy. The children have made a fantastic start to their learning, and we are looking forward to seeing what the coming weeks bring!
What a fantastic first week we have had!
We would like to say a huge welcome to all of our new Reception children. They have absolutely astonished us with how quickly they have settled into school life and become an important part of our family. We are so proud of the confidence, enthusiasm and resilience they have shown during their first few days at school.
It has been a wonderful start to the school year, and we are incredibly proud of all the children for their hard work, enthusiasm and positive attitudes.
26/06/26
Our learning in KS1
We’ve had another exciting and busy week in class, filled with wonderful learning, creativity, and lots of smiles, even in the hot weather!
In Maths, our main focus has been on unit fractions. The children have been learning that a unit fraction represents one equal part of a whole, such as ½, ⅓, and ¼. Using practical resources and visual models, they explored how shapes and objects can be divided into equal parts. It has been lovely to see their confidence grow as they begin to recognise and talk about fractions.
In Drawing Club, we have been inspired by the book Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon. The children have used this as a starting point to create their own ideas and drawings, and have been writing sentences to match. We have been focusing on using capital letters and full stops, and it’s been wonderful to see their confidence in writing develop.
We also enjoyed a fun (and very wet!) session in Forest School, which helped us cool down in the heat! The children had a fantastic time exploring and getting stuck into outdoor learning.
Everyone has loved using our new outdoor resources, and our polytunnel is really beginning to flourish-we are excited to see how it continues to grow!
Despite the hot weather, the children have been absolute superstars all week. We are very lucky to have air-conditioned classrooms to keep us comfortable while we learn.
Well done to everyone for such a brilliant week!
Our learning in KS2
This week, we are especially thankful for... an air-conditioned classroom! 🌞❄️
English
The children are all exploring The Seed of Doubt and have been engaging thoughtfully with the themes and ideas in the text. Some children have been writing their own motivational speeches, using powerful language and persuasive techniques to inspire their audience. Others have been analysing the extended metaphor within the story, discussing how it represents deeper meanings and emotions. Building on this understanding, the children have begun to create their own allegorical narratives, developing characters and storylines that convey important messages. It has been wonderful to see their creativity, confidence and depth of thinking grow throughout the week.
Maths
In Maths, both groups have been developing their understanding through practical activities and problem-solving opportunities.
The Blue Group have been focusing on statistics. They have been learning how to collect, organise and interpret data using a range of methods, including tables, bar charts and line graphs. The children have practised reading and analysing different types of graphs, discussing trends and making comparisons. They have also created their own charts, carefully considering how to present information clearly and accurately.
Science
In Science, we have been learning about the water cycle. The children explored this through a hands-on approach by creating their own models using natural materials during our Forest School sessions. They demonstrated great teamwork and creativity in representing processes such as evaporation, condensation and precipitation. There were also plenty of opportunities for water-based play, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. We finished by cooling down with the hose – a big thank you to Miss Tilley for planning such engaging and fun activities for us!
Design Technology
Our sandwiches unit has been a real highlight this week. The children began by learning about different sources of protein and discussing the importance of a balanced diet. Then they tested a range of sandwiches and analysed their appearance, smell and taste - this was a very popular activity!
19/06/26
Our learning in KS1
We have had a fantastic week full of learning, exploration and exciting experiences!
In English, we have started a brand-new book called Billy and the Beast. The children began by making predictions about the story, using clues from the title and illustrations. They came up with some fantastic ideas about what might happen! To bring the story to life, we also designed our own “Wanted” posters to search for the mysterious beast-there were some very creative descriptions and drawings.
In Maths, we have continued building our knowledge of fractions. The children have been working hard to understand how to find and recognise different fractions, showing great perseverance and growing confidence.
We also enjoyed a wonderful session at Forest School, where everyone had the opportunity to make wormeries. It was a fantastic hands-on experience, and the children loved observing how worms help our environment.
To finish the week, we had a very special visit on Friday from author Anne Parsons. She shared her book Archie Go! with the class. The children were fully engaged, really enjoying the story, and asked some thoughtful questions about being an author and the inspiration behind her book.
What an amazing week it has been, we are so proud of all the children and can’t wait for more learning adventures next week!
Our learning in KS2
In English, we have been focusing on developing our writing skills by exploring a range of sentence styles. The children have worked hard to include grammatical features such as adverbials and relative clauses to add detail and depth when describing characters in our shared story. It has been wonderful to see the whole class engaged in the same theme, while producing their own unique and creative outcomes.
In Maths, we have been working on statistics, where they have been drawing, reading and interpreting line graphs. We have seen fantastic progress and growing confidence across these areas.
In History, we have been learning about the decline of the British Empire, with a particular focus on how India gained independence. The children have explored how events surrounding the First and Second World Wars contributed to these changes and have shown thoughtful engagement with this important topic.
In DT, we have been looking at nutrition and learning how to make bread rolls. The children thoroughly enjoyed the whole process, from mixing the ingredients to kneading the dough, allowing it to prove, shaping and baking it. Of course, the highlight was tasting their delicious bread rolls at the end!
12/06/26
Our learning in KS1
In maths, Year 1 and 2 have continued developing their understanding of fractions. You could support this at home by asking your child to find and make halves and quarters using everyday items like sandwiches, fruit, or even sharing toys equally.
The children thoroughly enjoyed Forest School again this week. It’s been lovely to see them learning outdoors, developing their understanding of fire safety and engaging so positively with the natural environment.
We also had an incredible drama workshop with Roberta, where the children learnt and performed, I Just Can’t Wait to Be King from The Lion King. They performed it brilliantly for the school-I was so impressed with how quickly they learnt it and the confidence and expression they showed!
We finished the week by celebrating the children’s many achievements. Well done everyone, we are very proud of you!
Our learning in KS2
English
Some children have been writing amazing sentences and a letter, using conjunctions and adverbial phrases to make their writing more detailed and engaging.
Others have been drafting and revising their explanations on either the Mars Rovers or the Water Cycle. They have worked hard to improve their writing and have created precise, clearly labelled diagrams.
Maths
In maths we have been working on translations and reflections.
Science & Forest School
In Science, we have been learning about the particle model, exploring solids, liquids, and gases. We brought this learning to life during Forest School where the children took part in a solids, liquids, and gases relay, observed particles in action while making hot chocolate using the Kelly kettle, and practised their fire lighting skills safely and responsibly.
Highlight of the Week
The highlight of our week was a fantastic theatre workshop led by Roberta. The children worked together to create a musical ensemble based on 'Revolting Children' from Matilda. The smiles on their faces said it all-they had an amazing time! We hope they have been sharing their experiences with you at home.
Thank you for your continued support.
05/06/26 - Welcome Back!
Our learning in KS1
It has been a fantastic return to school this week, with the children coming back refreshed, enthusiastic and ready to learn after a wonderful week enjoying the sunshine.
In maths, Year 1 and 2 have begun exploring fractions, showing great curiosity and determination.
Outdoors, at Highampton, exciting changes continue in our learning environments. We have added a large rock to our tadpole observation area, giving the emerging froglets a place to rest as they prepare to leave the water. In the polytunnel, we have planted tomato plants-many thanks to Lucy for her very generous donation.
We were also delighted to launch our Weekly Wild Tribe sessions, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. They had a brilliant time exploring outside and discovering snails in their natural habitats.
It has also been lovely to welcome our new Reception children back for another transition visit in preparation for September. They are already settling in beautifully and enjoying being part of the school community.
To make the most of the lovely weather, the children created and flew their own kites outdoors-such a joyful and memorable experience!
Our learning in KS2
English:
We introduced a new text called "A Seed of Doubt." The children reflected on their hopes and dreams, much like the character in the book. They created a beautiful "tree of dreams" to display in the classroom. Another group focused on the features of an explanation text. They have planned their own explanation texts based on other curriculum topics like the Mars Rover, which we explored in computing, and the water cycle from our geography lessons.
Science Adventures:
We had a fantastic time in forest school learning about solids, liquids, and gases by creating models from natural materials. The children did a wonderful job visualising how particles behave in each state of matter.
History: This week, we delved into the concept of democracy and the UN Convention on Human Rights. We had thoughtful discussions and even chose what they believed is the most essential human right.
22.05.26
Our learning in KS1
We have had a lovely and very busy week! The children thoroughly enjoyed exploring the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and were able to confidently retell it using props, showing great engagement and growing storytelling skills.
In our science learning, we have been observing the changes in our tadpoles. The children have been very excited to notice their legs beginning to appear, and this has sparked lots of curiosity and discussion. Our plants in the polytunnel are also growing well, and the children have taken great interest in caring for them and watching their progress. We are also becoming excellent weather watchers. We are keeping a weather diary to see how the weather changes over the weeks, we are also noticing the weather that is coming over the hills to see if we can predict how the weather will change.
We had a wonderful afternoon welcoming parents into school to share activities on Friday. Thank you to everyone who came in. We wish you a very happy half term, and we look forward to seeing you in a week!
Our learning in KS2
English
The class have been working incredibly hard on producing their published narrative writing. They have shown real dedication to editing and improving their work, carefully considering vocabulary choices, sentence structure and presentation. It has been wonderful to see their perseverance pay off, and I am confident you will notice a significant improvement in both the quality and presentation of their writing. The pupils should feel very proud of their efforts.
Mathematics
The Blue Group have been focusing on algebra, learning how to use and apply formulae and solve equations with increasing confidence.
Geography
In Geography, we have been exploring North America. The children have been learning to recognise a range of physical features on maps, including mountains, rivers and plains. They have also been developing their understanding of how land is used in different regions, comparing urban and rural areas and considering how geography influences human activity.
Science
Our Science learning has culminated in some fascinating research projects about the planets in our solar system. The children have thoroughly enjoyed finding out facts and presenting their findings. In addition, we have explored what it is like to be an astronaut, learning about the challenges of space travel and the skills required for this exciting role.
HAPPY HALF TERM - We look forward to seeing you when we return for the final half term of the year.
15/05/26
Our Key Stage 2 learning this week:
English
In English, the children have been working on drafting and editing their final write based on The Firebird. They used a clear editing checklist to improve vocabulary choices, sentence structure and punctuation, and referred to their personal spelling logs to correct and refine their work. It has been brilliant to see how thoughtfully they reviewed their writing, making careful changes to strengthen description, clarity and flow. Their growing independence as writers has been a real highlight this week.
Maths
In Maths, the children have been working on a range of key skills that build their confidence and deepen their understanding of number. Our pupils have begun to explore algebra, using symbols and letters to represent unknown values and solving simple equations with growing confidence.
Science – Phases of the Moon
In Science, the children have been exploring the phases of the Moon, discovering how the Moon appears to change shape as it orbits the Earth. Through models, diagrams and hands‑on demonstrations, they investigated why we see new moon, crescent, quarter, gibbous and full moon at different times. Their curiosity and thoughtful questioning made for some brilliant discussions.
Geography – Features of Rivers
In Geography, we have been learning about the features of rivers, tracing their journey from source to mouth. The children explored key vocabulary such as tributary, meander, floodplain, estuary and delta, and used maps to identify major rivers around the world. They particularly enjoyed seeing how rivers shape landscapes over time through erosion and deposition.
Our Key Stage 1 learning this week:
We have been consolidating our knowledge of the weather. We spent time outside observing what was happening around us- and there was certainly lots to see! We experienced a mixture of rain, wind, sunshine, and clouds all in one session.
Over the next few weeks, we will be keeping a weather chart to help us track and understand these changes. This is something you might also enjoy doing at home to support your child’s learning. It’s a great way to encourage observation skills and conversations about the world around us!
We have also been observing how our tadpoles are changing. They are starting to grow little legs, which has caused great excitement in the classroom!
In Religion and World Views, we have been learning to retell the story of Creation. In Drawing Club, we read The Night Pirates and enjoyed creating fantastic sentences and imaginative stories inspired by the book.
Well done everyone it has been another fantastic week!
08/05/26
Our KS1 learning this week:
We’ve had a wonderfully busy week full of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration! In our learning about trees, we consolidated our knowledge by becoming science detectives, carefully identifying different leaves and matching them to the trees they come from.
We also marked the birthday of the inspirational Sir David Attenborough, learning about his incredible work and love for the natural world in assembly.
Creativity was in full swing too. Drawing Club celebrated Animation Week, where children loved writing and illustrating exciting new adventures for Bananaman.
In maths, we used our manipulatives to deepen our understanding of multiplication and division, exploring ideas practically and confidently. We’ve also been really focussing on our phonics, practising sounds and blending to support our reading and writing.
Alongside all this learning, we’ve taken pride in keeping our classroom clean and tidy, showing respect for our shared space.
Well done everyone for another fantastic week of learning! 🌟
Our KS2 learning this week:
✏️ English
In English, the class has been developing their writing skills by using adverbial phrases to add extra detail and interest to their sentences. Carefully and thoughtfully, the children have also been exploring how to choose the most effective adjectives to describe characters in their stories. Using a simple “bare bones” plan, they have begun to organise their ideas clearly before writing. Recently, with growing confidence, the pupils have just started drafting their final pieces, and it has been wonderful to see their creativity and imagination shining through.
🔬 Science
In Science, the class explored the fascinating concepts of day and night and how light travels. Through discussion and investigation, the children developed a clearer understanding of how light moves in straight lines and how this links to what we see in the world around us.
🌍 Geography
In Geography, pupils have been learning about the journey of a river, from its source to its mouth. They then expanded their knowledge by studying rivers in North America. It was particularly exciting to see the children eagerly exploring atlases, using their mapping skills to locate rivers and discover new places.
01/05/26
Our KS1 learning
This week has been full of fantastic learning across the school, and we are incredibly proud of all the children. Mr Bridge commented on how impressed he has been with the focus and determination shown in lessons - a real reflection of the positive attitudes to learning we are building every day.
In our wider curriculum, we have been taking our learning outdoors to consolidate our knowledge of plants. The children explored how plants grow and identified their different parts, bringing their classroom learning to life in a hands-on way. In history, we have been making thoughtful comparisons between Sacagawea and Michael Collins, linking this to our previous learning about the history of transport and using timelines to deepen our understanding.
In maths, the children have been using manipulatives effectively to support their understanding of multiplication, helping them to visualise and solve problems with confidence.
In English, Year 1 have created some wonderful writing inspired by The Tadpole’s Promise, showing great imagination and creativity.
Well done to everyone for such a focused and productive week!
Our KS2 learning
In English, the children have continued exploring our new text, The Firebird. They have been retelling key moments from the story, focusing on using rich vocabulary and powerful verbs to bring the scenes to life. We have also been learning how to use the subjunctive mood to show wishes, hopes and possibilities within their writing. The children enjoyed finding synonyms for verbs from the text and have begun developing their own ideas inspired by the features of the story.
In Maths, the children have been working in four focused groups, each targeting the specific skills they need to move forward confidently. One group has been developing their reasoning skills through SATs‑style questions, strengthening their ability to tackle multi‑step problems with increasing independence. Another group has been exploring ratio and proportion, using practical and visual methods to deepen their understanding of how quantities can be compared and scaled. A third group has been consolidating their knowledge of fractions, particularly converting mixed numbers to improper fractions and back again. Our fourth group has been securing their understanding of halves, using concrete resources and visual models to recognise and find one half in a range of contexts. Across all groups, the children have shown excellent focus and a real determination to improve.
In Science, we continued our learning about Earth and Space, exploring the heliocentric model and how the Sun sits at the centre of our solar system. The children investigated why each planet takes a different length of time to orbit the Sun, comparing the quick orbit of Mercury with the long journey of Neptune. Their curiosity and thoughtful questions have been a real highlight.
It has been a brilliant week of learning, and we are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm and effort the children continue to show.
27.04.26
We had an exciting visit from The Sunday Times last week! We loved showing off our small school and all that it offers to the local community. Click here for the full article: https://www.thetimes.com/article/12fb8a74-5ac8-453f-b496-1961a2e0156a?shareToken=b043b56e75752bf87874bfd41b69e766&ver=article
27.03.26
Our learning in Key Stage 1 this week:
What a busy and exciting week we’ve had in school!
Miss Holland brought the chicks back to Highampton for the children to see, and there was a real buzz of excitement around the classrooms. We were amazed at how much they had grown. We watched them eat their chick crumb and even got the chance to hold them gently. The children loved observing their colours, size, and movements, and it sparked lots of brilliant questions and conversations.
We have also been working hard on our singing as we get ready for our upcoming celebration assembly. The children have shown great enthusiasm and teamwork, and their voices are sounding fantastic. We can’t wait to share their hard work with families next week!
It has been a week full of curiosity, creativity, and progress-and we are so proud of everything the children have achieved. They continue to wow us each and every day.
Our learning in Key Stage 2 this week:
In English this week, we continue with The Unforgotten Coat, where we have been exploring the experiences of a character living in Mongolia. The children have been thinking carefully about the character’s emotions and using inference to understand how they might have been feeling at different points in the story.
In science, we investigated friction, discussing when it can be helpful and when it can be a disadvantage. The children enjoyed experimenting with different surfaces and the force needed to push objects across them.
We are also having great fun practising for our Celebration Assembly. The children have been reflecting on their favourite moments of the term, and we are very excited to share these with you next week.
20/03/26
Our Key Stage 1 learning this week:
Our RWI development day and assessments highlighted just how much effort the children are putting into their reading. We love seeing how often they read at home-it makes such a difference. Thank you for your continued support.
🐣 Exciting News from the Incubator!
This week at Highampton, three fluffy chicks hatched-two black and white ones and one bright yellow chick! The children have been absolutely fascinated watching them settle into their new world. We will see them once more before they start their next adventure on a farm.
🌱 Science Adventures
We planted seeds after discussing what plants need to grow, including some speedy cress. We have put some in the fridge and some in a tin, as well as on the windowsill, predicting what will happen. Now we’re eagerly watching and waiting to see which sprouts first!
🌞 Outdoor Learning Fun
The sunshine has made our amazing outdoor area even more exciting. The children enjoyed lots of outdoor learning opportunities, from exploring nature to taking part in practical activities.
➕➖📏 Maths Moments
- Years 1 have been working on addition and subtraction.
✝️ R.W.
We learned the story of Easter and explored its meaning in a child‑friendly way.
Our Key Stage 2 learning this week:
This week, we have been delving into a new text, The Unforgotten Coat - we are completely captivated as we uncover more about the characters’ lives. This book link beautifully with our Geography unit on migration, helping the children make strong connections between literature and real‑world themes.
On Thursday, we enjoyed an exciting trip to the RAMM Museum in Exeter. A big thank‑you to Mrs Gillard, Miss Angus, Miss Hamilton‑Cox, Mrs Winter and Mr Bridge for making this visit possible. It was a wonderful adventure as we explored the museum in small groups, following the children’s own interests.
We highly recommend a visit if you haven’t been already-it is truly stunning!
In PE, we continue to have great fun in our swimming lessons-huge thanks to the Ruby Oak swimming teachers for their support. Mr Meagan is also very impressed with the class’s developing tennis skills, especially as they learn how to take part in a rally.
13/03/26
Our learning in Key Stage 1:
Year 1: Super Star Readers
Year 1 completed their NFER reading assessments this week, they were complete superstars! The concentration, positivity, and brilliant achievements are a testament to how hard they’ve been working. Well done, Year 1!
Forest School Adventures
Forest School was a highlight for everyone. Children helped to build a fire and then used fire strikers to practise creating sparks-it was really quite tricky but they stuck with it and were able to do it! They also made fire sticks and enjoyed melting marshmallows over the flames. Well done for being so resilient in the sudden chill!
In science we explored germination and what that means. We watched a fascinating film about how seeds grow. After lots of discussion, the children have decided they want to plant a blueberry, banana, tomato and avocado next week as a special experiment to see which will grow. We can’t wait to observe what happens!
Our learning in Key Stage 2:
What a week it has been! The children have absolutely wowed us with their attitude, effort, and determination across every area of learning but especially in their assessments. Their enthusiasm has shone through, and we couldn’t be prouder of the way they support one another and rise to each new challenge.
🧪 Science: Forces in Action
In Science, we explored how forces can change the shape, size, and direction of an object. We used our bodies to change the direction of moving objects and considered how gravity plays a part in the movements. The curiosity on display was amazing!
🔥 Wild Tribe Adventures
Thursday afternoon was the highlight of our week as we welcomed Michelle from Wild Tribe. The children had a magical time learning how to safely light fires, followed by cooking marshmallows and making popcorn over the flames. The excitement was infectious, and the sense of achievement was huge.
Do ask the children how we got the popcorn to pop!
06/03/26
Our Key Stage 2 learning this week:
🌱 English
We have been bringing our Incredible Edibles unit to a close by crafting our final instructional writes. The children have worked hard to include clear features such as numbered steps, precise verbs, helpful diagrams and layout choices that guide the reader. Next week, we begin a brand-new text focus linked to our Geography unit on Migration, exploring stories of movement, journeys and change.
➗ Maths
The children have been consolidating previous learning as well as moving on to their next steps. We have had a strong arithmetic focus this week. It has been brilliant to see the children challenging themselves to work both quickly and carefully through a wide range of number problems.
🧲 Science
Our new topic on Forces has begun with a pre-learning quiz to spark curiosity and uncover what the children already know. We have explored pushes, pulls, and the force of gravity, using practical examples to help the children make sense of how forces act in the world around them.
Our Key Stage 1 learning this week:
We are very lucky to have an incubator in our class over at Highampton. We are making sure we keep the humidity at the right level and we are counting down the days until the eggs hatch by crossing off the days on the calendar.
We have pretended to be beekeepers this week, wearing the beekeepers veil to protect our heads and pretending to use the smoker to make the bees sleepy. We also looked at the frames from the bee hives. It created some great discussion and learning from the children.
World Book Day was amazing! The children's outfits were so good, they all really enjoyed the activities, reading and writing. It was lovely to hear how enthusiastic everyone was.
We have been dissecting bean seeds to understand the different parts and have created scientific illustrations. We will be planting over the next few weeks as well!
Year 1 have been creating their own stories of The Odd Egg. The quality of their writing and handwriting has wowed us this week!
"I chose to dress up as Spiderman from my book because I Iike the song in it."
"I chose to dress up as the fox from the book Fox on a Box because the book is so funny. I like the bit when the fox runs away from the bees!"
"I chose to dress up as Bellatrix from Harry Potter because I love her character - she is slightly crazy and gothic!"