Term 4 Week 4

What an incredibly busy and action-packed week we have had in Owls Class!

This week, we continued exploring our wordless picture book Flotsam.

For those unfamiliar with the story, it follows a curious young boy who discovers a mysterious camera washed up on the beach. When the photographs are developed, it quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary camera. The images reveal a strange and fascinating underwater world.

Before starting, I knew this would be a challenge for the children. We live in a digital age where photos can be taken, deleted and edited instantly. The idea of film needing to be developed felt completely unfamiliar to them.

To bring this to life, I introduced an old-fashioned camera as a prop. This immediately captured their interest and sparked lots of questions. It was a great hook and helped the children to better understand the importance of the camera in the story.

We then looked closely at the photographs from the book. The children took their time to study each image carefully.

Using an Observe, Wonder, Infer approach, the children:

• described what they could see

• asked thoughtful questions

• made inferences using clues from the images

The discussion was brilliant. The children were curious, engaged and confident in sharing their ideas.

This lesson really supported their inference skills and showed that powerful reading does not always need words.

We also finished writing our message in a bottle this week.

This was a new concept for many of the children, so we spent time discussing what it is and how it works. We explored how messages were once sent across the sea in sealed bottles and how they could travel long distances before being found.

The children then wrote their own detailed messages to a scientist, asking for help to identify the mysterious sea creatures. It was great to see them apply their learning and write with purpose and imagination.

In Maths this week, we have been learning about finding the perimeter of rectilinear shapes.

The children found this really interesting and enjoyed the challenge. They learned how to add missing side lengths and use their understanding of shape to calculate the total perimeter.

We used practical resources and diagrams to support their learning. This helped the children to visualise the shapes and develop their reasoning.

It was great to see their confidence grow as they explained their methods and solved problems independently.

A real highlight of the week was the cross country run at Newbury Showground.

The children showed great determination and resilience throughout the event and represented the school brilliantly. We are incredibly proud of all those who took part.

A special mention must go to Elizabeth Liddiard, who achieved an impressive 17th place in the girls’ race. This is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to her effort and perseverance.

Reuben showed great determination in the Year 3/4 boys’ race, securing 99th place, while Sophie SJ worked hard to achieve 87th place in her race. Both children demonstrated resilience and commitment throughout.

Well done to everyone involved for their effort, resilience and excellent sportsmanship.

The excitement didn’t just stop there after the cross country. The very next day, the children went on a trip to Ufton Court.

The children took part in a range of Tudor activities, including yarn making and weaving, bow makiing. They also experienced a crime and punishment drama workshop, which really brought their learning to life. One of the highlights was archery, where the children showed great focus and enthusiasm.

It was a fantastic hands-on experience that deepened their understanding of Tudor life. The children were fully engaged throughout the day and represented the school beautifully.

As we move forward, please continue to support your child at home by encouraging them to practise their times tables using Times Tables Rock Stars. This will really help them in preparation for the Multiplication Times Table Check coming up soon.

I would also like to say a big thank you to all the parents who attended parents’ evening. It is always so valuable to have these conversations and share the progress the children are making, as well as celebrate the excellent learning taking place in the classroom.