Term 2

We wish you a merry Christmas & a peaceful new year! 

Hello everyone,

Mrs Austin and I just wanted to thank you for the lovely cards and gifts. This year of all years, it’s very, very kind of you to think of us.

The end of term has been busy and eventful and, we hope, enjoyable for the children. 

The elves have been busy causing kindness and mischief and the snow caused a few learning points for all - especially maybe for children that were in lock down all that time. We have had to learn how to be around each other in the snow and we hope next term the weather will be milder! We’ve been so proud of their learning progress, this term especially.

Wishing you all a peaceful, warmer Christmas time. Best wishes.

Miss Leigh & Mrs Austin

Oak Class teaching team

Week 5

2nd December 2022

Hello everyone,

Well, it is certainly starting to feel festive! We had an assembly this week from members of the church, and the knit and natter group, about the Advent window trail that we hope you will take part in (trail competition sheet from the church, library and chemist). More information here.

This morning, the class went to the Tree Festival in the church – it is running all weekend and we can really recommend it (with their fair on Saturday afternoon). And of course we hope you buy lots from our PTA fair stall this afternoon. 

Next week:

Breakfast with Santa on Thursday & Christmas jumper day (home clothes). 

Could children try and practise the Sussex Carol (first 3 verses) and the Shepherds poem for the Carol concert on the last day of term. 

Finally, on Tuesday 13^th December we are still planning to have our red carpet event (from 2.30pm). Do you have anything in the children’s wardrobe that would pass as Tudor costumes for that day? Please don't buy any - a long girl’s party dress would do, and boy’s plain trousers and white shirts. Some ideas attached.

Fingers crossed we are over the worst of the winter bugs!

Best wishes.

Oak Class teaching team

Week 4

24th November 2022

Hello everyone 

We've started the festive cheer in Oak this week - in preparation for the Christmas fair and getting the hall decorated for the nativity performances. 

The children hopefully enjoyed their history workshop and creating their own green Factories of the future (a workshop run by STEM South East hub).

Next week, we plan to visit the Christmas tree festival at the church on Friday morning. The children will have made the tree decorations for the KS2 tree as well as made decorations to sell on the PTA fair stall.

Please do keep reading with your children. It's so important, this year especially, as they can make really good progress in their reading if done regularly. Many can reach free reader by the end of the year.

Best wishes.

Oak Class teaching team

Week 3

18th November 2022

Hello everyone

Hope you have all managed to dry off after this week's deluge of rain!

This week, we've had a busy time writing diary entries in English and progressing really well in our column method, addition and subtraction. Amazing progress - well done everyone in Oak class. We also looked at portraits of Henry VIII and found out more about all his poor wives. Images below.

Next week, is assessment (special learning) week so we've some relaxing treats planned for the afternoons.  On Monday, the children will be able to watch the first World Cup football game. 

On Tuesday, we will be enjoying an online Tudor workshop from the team at Historic Royal Palaces (owners of Henry VIII's palace Hampton Court & the infamous Tower of London). https://www.hrp.org.uk/schools/#gs.ihphkg



On Thursday, we will be finding out about factories of the future - from a Robot called NAO https://www.allaboutstem.co.uk/2022/10/online-primary-science-show-factory-of-the-future/



We are delighted that we have Mrs O'Neill joining us permanently from Monday as an additional TA. Mrs O'Neill is a very experienced education professional and we look forward to seeing how much she will be able to help and support the children. 

Thank you for the loo rolls. We are now looking for  colourful toddler odd socks - to finish off our Christmas decorations. 

We are also hoping to squeeze in a red carpet event this term on Tuesday 13^th December 2.45-3.30 to showcase our learning this term (arrive via Main reception). We will parentmail nearer the time to confirm. 

Enjoy your PTA hot chocolates & treats tomorrow/Friday.

Best wishes.

Oak Class teaching team

Week 2

11th November 2022

Hello everyone,

Short update this week. 

Congratulations to all those children who are now in the Times table rockstars' hall of fame. We currently have two Oak class children in the top 10 of the whole school leader board and many more in the top 20. An amazing achievement - well done Oak class!

We are planning the Christmas hoops that go up in the hall over the Christmas period, and Mrs Austin has come up with a lovely plan of how to decorate them this year. Please could you send in any empty kitchen rolls you have (the cardboard insides) or a couple of inside toilet rolls (ideally in a bag with your child's name on it). 

Next week, the whole class are moving onto column addition. Should be fun! In English, following on from some lovely figurative poems about the Iron man, we will be meeting Hogarth and writing a diary entry. In Science, we have learnt about the colour of light, and in History we have been creating a family tree for the Tudors. 

We will continue to practise the Sussex Carol as Oak Class will be performing it, with the year 4s, in the upcoming school Carol concert. Practise track with lyrics on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/aR_QuEIs9nk

Mrs Austin would like to recommend the Duolingo app - for supporting the children who are interested in French.

https://www.duolingo.com

Keep the home learning coming! We can't wait to see the creative tasks. 

Best wishes.

Oak Class teaching team

Week 1

4th November 2022

Hello everyone

Well, week 1 already over and it ended with a lovely hot chocolate for many, I hope! 

This week, we've re-enacted the Battle of Bosworth, found out a little about how King Richard III ended up in a car park (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-etaxcuJSyo 1:11 minutes in), learnt what light is and started 3 digit addition and subtraction in maths. 

Home learning has gone out today to those who had their home learning books in school. Please do send in the home learning books on Monday so we can send the new home learning home to you asap! There's some exciting projects this term.

Home learning resources are either printed out or online.

https://www.hadlow.kent.sch.uk/home-learning-resources-1/

Ideas for the creative projects are here: 

https://www.hadlow.kent.sch.uk/creative-1/

For comprehension reading practise go to: https://www.hadlow.kent.sch.uk/reading-11/

A reminder that Mathletics passwords are in the back of the purple home learning books. 

Spellings - most children are on Level 2 of Sir Linkalot. A list attached for this term's weekly spelling assessments. Your children can of course continue to work at their own pace at home using the app.

For those on HFW a separate list has been sent home last term (copy attached).

For those on Level 1, Key Keats spelling list attached. 

For GPS practise on Sir Linkalot - do access Verbal Verne https://app.sirlinkalot.org/contents_page/contents-48/content.html

Times table rockstars - https://ttrockstars.com 

The children are progressing well in their Times Tables - congratulations to those children have achieved TT rockstars certificates this term. Some children are already answering questions quicker than the government times table assessment test requires at the end of year 4 (6 seconds).

To gain certificates the children need to be practising in Studio. The criteria below are:

• Rock Hero - 1 second per question or less (60+ correct answers a minute)

• Rock Legend - 2 seconds per question or less (30+ correct answers a minute)

• Rock Star - 3 seconds per question or less (20+ correct answers a minute)

• Headliner - 4 seconds per question or less (15+ correct answers a minute)

• Support Act - 5 seconds per question or less (12+ correct answers a minute)

• Breakthrough Artist - 6 seconds per question or less (10+ correct answers a minute)

• Unsigned Act - 7 seconds per question or less (9 correct answers a minute)

• Gigger - 8 seconds per question or less (8 correct answers a minute)

• Busker - 9 seconds per question or less (7 correct answers a minute)

• Garage Rocker - 10 seconds per question or less (6 correct answers a minute)

• Wannabe - more than 10 seconds per question (less than 6 correct answers a minute)

• New Artist - your rock status before you've played 10 Studio games.

Please check their reading diaries for the times table they will be assessed on that week (this will go in the diaries on Monday).

Miss Cummings is now with us in Oak Class every morning, and Mrs Taluy is joining us on Friday afternoons to support some of the children with their wellbeing and learning. 

Next week, the children will meet The Iron man.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/z9ftb9q

Kind regards. 

Miss Leigh & Mrs Austin

The Tudors & 

The Classics