Beech Class has been buzzing with excitement and purposeful learning over the past week. The children have shown fantastic enthusiasm across the curriculum, and it has been wonderful to see their confidence continuing to grow.
In English, our Year 2 pupils have been exploring the magical story The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis. They were captivated by the mysterious little creature and enjoyed discussing the important message about caring for living things. Inspired by the story, the children worked hard to improve their descriptive writing by using expanded noun phrases to add detail, such as describing the tiny, shimmering blue bog baby hiding in the dark, muddy pond. They also practised using irregular verbs accurately in the past tense, strengthening sentences with words like found, went, saw and caught. As their confidence has grown, they have begun preparing to plan and write their own imaginative stories next week, and we are very excited to see their creativity shine.
Meanwhile, Year 1 have been immersed in the atmospheric tale of The Deep Dark Wood by Algy Craig Hall. The mysterious forest setting inspired some fantastic descriptive writing. The children thought carefully about their senses, imagining what they might see, hear, smell and feel as they stepped into the deep, dark wood. Their vocabulary choices have become increasingly adventurous, and they particularly enjoyed inventing and describing their own monster best friend. From fluffy, friendly giants to tiny, glowing forest creatures, their imaginations have truly impressed us.
In Maths, both year groups have been developing their understanding of division, building carefully on prior knowledge. Year 1 have been focusing on sharing objects into equal groups, using practical resources such as counters and cubes to physically share amounts fairly. This hands-on approach has helped them understand what it means to divide by sharing equally. Year 2 have taken this learning further by exploring grouping and repeated subtraction. They have been writing division number sentences and making links between multiplication and division, deepening their understanding of how these operations are connected. It has been wonderful to see the children explaining their mathematical thinking with increasing clarity.
In Science, we have been investigating our Big Question: Does exercise affect heart rate? The children approached this like real scientists. They conducted a fair test to find out how exercise affected their pulse rate, carefully considering what needed to stay the same to ensure accurate results. Using stopwatches, they measured and recorded their heart rate in beats per minute and presented their findings in results tables. They learned to identify the independent, dependent and controlled variables within their investigation and used this understanding to ensure their test was fair.
After collecting their data, the children analysed their results and drew thoughtful conclusions. They were able to explain clearly that exercise increases heart rate because the body needs to pump more oxygen around the body during physical activity. We were especially impressed by their confident use of scientific vocabulary such as pulse, heart rate, recovery rate, variable, prediction and conclusion in both discussions and written work.
Our outdoor area has played a key role in bringing this learning to life. Through continuous provision, the children independently measured their pulse after different activities, noticing patterns and reflecting on their findings. Obstacle courses allowed them to experience changes in heart rate first-hand, making the science meaningful and memorable. In our Healthy Café role-play area, conversations about balanced diets and nutrition helped children understand how food supports heart health, while the Reading Shed offered non-fiction texts to further develop their scientific knowledge.
We are incredibly proud of the curiosity, determination and teamwork shown by everyone in Beech Class. It has been a joy to watch them grow as writers, mathematicians and scientists, and we are looking forward to another exciting week of learning ahead