In Maths, Year One have been working on learning how to tell the time to the nearest half hour. The children have been engaging with both analogue and digital clocks, and they’ve made excellent progress in identifying key times like “half past” and “o’clock.” By using a range of hands-on activities, including clock face games and interactive worksheets, they have developed a strong understanding of time and how it fits into their daily routine. It’s fantastic to see their confidence grow when they can now tell the time to the half hour independently!
Meanwhile, Year Two have been exploring telling the time to the nearest five minutes. This skill has involved learning how to read both analogue and digital clocks with more precision, and it has been a rewarding challenge for the children. They have practiced converting between different ways of representing time and have become more comfortable with the minute hand’s movement. Their progress has been supported by regular practice through time-telling exercises, both on paper and using interactive tools. This is helping them understand not just how to read the time, but also how time management plays a role in their daily lives.
In English, Year One children have been reading the beautiful book Grandad’s Island by Benji Davies. The focus has been on describing Grandad, both in terms of his physical appearance and his personality. The children have been using adjectives to paint vivid pictures of Grandad, and they’ve enjoyed sharing their thoughts on his kind nature and gentle character. The task then extended to thinking about their own special people their family members, friends, or pets. They’ve worked on crafting descriptions of these loved ones, reflecting on both how they look and what makes them unique. It’s been a lovely way for the children to express their feelings and appreciate the people around them.
Year Two have been looking at the beautifully illustrated book Hair Love, which has inspired a lot of rich discussions. In particular, the focus has been on punctuation, especially commas within lists. The children have been practicing using commas to separate items in a list, and this skill has been applied both in writing tasks and in their reading of the book. Hair Love also sparked conversations about family, love, and self-acceptance, and the children have used these themes as a springboard to improve their writing clarity. The use of commas within lists has given them a new tool for enhancing their writing and ensuring it is clear and structured.
In Geography, both Year One and Year Two children have been studying the fascinating world of the London transport system. They’ve learned about the famous red buses, the iconic black cabs, and, of course, the Underground trains that weave through the city. The children have been amazed at how complex and busy the transport system is, and they’ve enjoyed comparing it to other transport networks around the world. Some of the children have even begun to map out their own journeys through London, using bus and Tube routes. This has helped them understand not only the geography of the city, but also how different modes of transport work together to keep the city moving. They are beginning to grasp the idea of how transportation systems help people travel and connect with different parts of a city.
In Music, the children have been using body percussion as part of their preparations for singing sea shanties. The rhythmic claps, stamps, and beats they’ve been practicing are not just fun, but they are also a great way for the children to develop their sense of rhythm and coordination. This work with body percussion is an important step as they prepare to sing traditional sea shanties. Sea shanties, with their catchy rhythms and repetitive choruses, are not only enjoyable to sing but also help to bring a sense of history alive for the children. They are learning how music has been used in the past by sailors to pass the time and coordinate their work. We can’t wait to see them perform some of these sea chanties with confidence and energy!
It’s been a busy and exciting week for Beech Class, with lots of hands-on activities and engaging lessons across a range of subjects. The children are making fantastic progress, and it’s wonderful to see their enthusiasm for learning grow every day!