Thank you for all of your kind words and gifts you have sent in with the children, not needed but very much appreciated!

After Christmas we will be continuing with our “Awe and Wonder” unit entitled, “Who lives in Antarctica?”. The children will explore the continent (remotely!) and engage with a variety of aspects of the most untouched of continents. Please see the knowledge organiser sent home for further details.

Our class novel study is Shackleton’s Journey by William Gill. As well as being intrinsically linked to our topic, it also reflects all of the core values and character muscles we celebrate and encourage at Robert Bakewell. In RHSE, we will be learning about the how we can be the best that we can through determination and perseverance. Our science lessons will focus on the twin aspects of animal and plant reproduction. In Art we will review our work on portraits and see how we can create pictures in media other than pencil.

PE this half term will be hockey and we will be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so please ensure children have their outdoor PE kit in school each week. This includes black joggers, white t-shirt and outside trainers. I black jumper will also come in handy on the more icy of days! Please ensure your kit is named.

We love reading at Robert Bakewell, so please try to encourage your child to read every day at home and record it in their reading records. Lots of prizes have already been awarded and dojo points are also awarded for consistent effort at home. The simple fact is that good readers achieve more at school and can access more of their learning. It is the most important thing to be doing at home to support your child’s learning in school.

In addition, children now have access to an online times table program called Times Table Rockstars. This is a fabulous way of children practising and ultimately learning an integral part of their mathematics. Those who know their times tables are much more comfortable with maths as a whole. Ten minutes three times a week is all that is needed.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on our webpage as we will upload photographs regularly to showcase the fabulous learning happening in class and our Stars of the Week. Now the website has been updated, there will be more images in the coming months.

Your children have worked very hard in the first term and i hope they enjoy a well-earned break.

Mr Cronin and the team