This week was our exciting Art and Design & Technology Week — a fantastic celebration of creativity, culture, and colour, all inspired by the magic of Venice! Our inspiration piece of art was the famous painting ‘A Regatta on the Grand Canal’ by Canaletto. We explored interesting facts about the artwork and delved into what life was like during a Venetian regatta. Inspired by the vibrant scenes and rich history, we used our learning to spark our imaginations and create our own beautiful pieces of art.
In English, we became travel writers! Working with our learning partners, we researched fascinating facts about Venice, including its unique landmarks, attractions and culture. We also explored exciting Venetian events like the Regatta and the Carnival and used our knowledge to write colourful and informative travel brochures encouraging people to visit Venice — especially to experience the regatta! To spark thoughtful discussion, we explored the question: “Is tourism bad?” and learned that Venice has started taxing day-trippers to help protect the city from the impact of too many visitors.
In Art, we also looked at another beautiful painting of Venice, the “San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk” by Claude Monet. Since we learned about Monet earlier this term while practising our drawing techniques for trees, it was exciting to explore his work again. Inspired by his impressionist style, we used pastels to recreate our own versions of his peaceful sunrise scene, focusing on soft colours and light effects.
We also explored the beauty and charm of Venice by creating our own Venetian landscape art. The children chose whether to use pastels or watercolours for their creations. Using pastels helped them blend colours smoothly and create bright pictures that showed how beautiful and dreamy Venice is. Those who used watercolours could paint light, see-through colours that made the water and sky look calm and peaceful. Choosing between the two helped each child show their own style and make their painting special.
In DT, inspired by ‘The Regatta on the Grand Canal’ and Canaletto’s iconic style, we used our creativity and imagination to create 3D gondolas. We used card and decorated them with simple materials to bring our Venetian boats to life. Each gondola is unique, reflecting the vibrant atmosphere of the painting and our individual artistic choices.
We also learned about the Venetian Carnival. During the carnival, personal identity, gender and social class no longer existed. Venice transformed into a magical place—unique in the world. Many people wore masks called Bauta, Volto or Larva. Interestingly, the word “larva” means ghost-like, which explains how the white masks got their name. Inspired by this tradition, the children created their own Venetian masks, expressing creativity and imagination through colour, texture and shape.
This week, the Year 4 and Year 5 children also participated in a series of thoughtful and age-appropriate PSHE lessons focused on understanding the changes that occur during puberty. The sessions were delivered with sensitivity and respect, encouraging open discussion and building confidence in managing change.
Year 5 explored what puberty is and how it affects both boys and girls. They identified the types of products that might be useful during this time and learned why they are important. The children also gained a clear understanding of menstruation—what it is, why it happens—and used the correct vocabulary for external sexual organs. They took time to discuss and challenge common myths and misconceptions about puberty, promoting factual understanding and self-respect. Year 4 learned the key facts about the menstrual cycle, discussed how periods are a normal part of growing up, and considered ways to manage them more comfortably. They also explored the physical and emotional changes that take place during puberty and the role hormones play in these changes.