Science Week
The whole of Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy have been fortunate enough to spent time in Saltash Library participating in various science based talks and activities as part of national Science Week.
Year 6 listened to a talk based on nanotechnology and how this area of science is aiming to help diagnose cancers before they have a detrimental impact on the person’s health. We were able to look at synthetic skin and various data chips that were made via a nanomicroscope and nanolaser in a lab. We also leanrt about various Nobel Prize winner for thier work in science and nanotechnology imparticular. It has really got us all thinking about the tiny things in life and how they can have a huge impact!
We’ve finished
out week in style by celebrating World Book Day. Well done to Year 6 who came
to school in a range of costumes depicting some of their favourite book
characters.
Over the past
term, we have enjoyed sharing our love of reading via our Seaton Reading Scrap Book.
There have been some stunning entries which have encouraged us to read a wider
range of books based on the recommendations shared.
When your child
brings it home for their turn to create a page, feel free to have a good look through
and be inspired by the enthusiasm and variety on display. We hope it encourages
everyone to pick up a good book :)
We have been immersing
ourselves in all things water and weather related this week; this is due to our
current topic - What’s so special about clouds?
Our English lessons have centred around writing persuasive letters to the Rt Hon Steve Barclay MP (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). The focus of our letters has been the poor levels of water quality in our rivers and along our coastline. Living so close to both the Tamar and the sea, we are passionate to see our water quality improve. We completed our letters this week, and they have been copied and sent off to the Palace of Westminster for Mr Barclay to read.
In our geography
lessons, we have been studying the water cycle in greater detail and how water
is literally all around us – on the ground, below it and in the atmosphere.
We have also been
looking into the formation of clouds and what the different types mean for our
weather. We then had a go at analysing the clouds outside our classroom to
predict if it would rain or not. Due to an abundance of nimbostratus clouds, we
predicted it would rain and it did!
Key information
·
The
children are now coming home with alternative maths homework to help support
their learning in the run up to SATs. Please encourage them and help where you
can. Class teachers will be available for support during lunchtimes if there
are any questions that you are finding tricky.
·
Please
continue to listen to your child read on a regular basis and support them to
discuss what they have read – what do you think will happen next? Why? Why do
you think the character did that? Can you summarise what you’ve just read.
We can’t believe how quickly this half term has flown by. Despite the grey winter weather, it has been bright and cheery in Seaton Class.
The main thing lighting up our week has been the completion of our science / DT projects. All of the children have worked superbly in their groups to create a light-up scoreboard linked to their maths knowledge and their understanding of electricity.
By creating circuits on the back of their score board, Seaton pupils have been able to quiz themselves on their multiplication skills by connecting a crocodile clip to the connection they believe has the right answer. If they are correct, the circuit will be complete, and the bulb will light-up. Included in the blog are a few photos of some of the groups.
We also want to say a huge congratulations to all of the Year 6 pupils who participated in the local Youth Speaks competition. There were a total of 9 teams who all had to speak for a set amount of time on a topic of their choosing. The for and against arguments had to be presented before answering questions from the judging panel. All of the children put in a huge amount of time and effort to represent the school in this competition, and we are very proud of them.
Key information
·
All of
Year 6 have been given a maths practice paper to complete over the holidays
instead of their usual maths workbook.
· They have also been given a sheet detailing how to make a rain gauge. There is a table on the reverse for recording their results. These will be used in future geography lessons, so completing the activity will be really useful.
Wishing you all
a lovely half term holiday.
Seaton have been busy this week getting to grips with our new topic What’s so special about clouds? Over the coming weeks, we will be discovering how the water cycle plays a part in cloud formation including living near the coast and rivers, the various types of clouds and how Saltash and the surrounding are compares to other areas of the UK, Europe and further afield.
We have been putting our electricity skills to the test this week. We are in the process of creating simple electronic games that test our maths skills. We are combining our DT knowledge with our science to make light-up boards that will show the correct answer to a given multiplication calculation. Watch this space for photos of our final work.
In our RE lessons, we have started to learn about the religion of Islam and how its core values unpin the lives of millions of believers around the world. We have been focussing on some of the key terminology round Islam and the importance of Mohammad. These lessons are also making us think about our own beliefs and what is important to us.
Another lesson
that is challenging us to consider our opinions and views is PSHE. We have been
fortunate to have had one visit already from Barnardo’s – the children’s
charity – to discuss online safety, social media, peer interactions and mental
health. We are looking forward to a second visit from them this coming week.
Key dates:
v Here are a few reminders of events that are
happening next week:
v Tuesday 6th February - Safer Internet Day
v Tuesday 6th February - Y6 to Saltash
Comprehensive School to watch Oliver. All Y6 children will require a packed
lunch. Please change your ParentPay selections ASAP. The kitchen will need to
prepare packed lunches in advance.
v Thursday 8th February - Chinese New Year
lunch menu - please check selections on ParentPay.
v Thursday 8th February - BFA 'Love Yourself
Day' wear mufti and donate via ParentPay
v Friday 9th February - Staff training day -
School Closed to Children
v Monday 12th February to Friday16th February
- Half-term holiday
v Monday 19th February - Back to school
We have been
sparking with energy over the past two weeks as we have developed our
scientific knowledge of electricity. During our lessons we have conducted
several experiments including exploring if the length of a wire has an impact
on the amount of electricity that passes along it. We have had great fun
creating and testing circuits with various components. In the weeks to come, we
are look forward to using our knowledge in a practical application as part of
our DT lessons. Stay tuned to find out more.
We have come to
the end of our diary entries in English. Everyone has excelled themselves in
their use of vocabulary, sentence structure and higher-level punctuation. This
piece of work has been copied up into a ‘best version’ and included in each
child’s independent writing folder. Already, they are feeling justifiably proud
of the work that is complied in these folders and the children are starting to
recognise that this is something to treasure in years to come.
As we head towards
our new topic – What’s so special about clouds? our art lessons have taken on a
dreamy, airy quality as the children get to grips with watercolour paint and
attempt to recreate clouds in their sketch books. As you can imagine, this is quite
a tricky task, but they are applying themselves and working hard to carefully
analyse what clouds actually look like (and not just balls of cotton wool).
Please continue to
encourage your child / children to read every day and to complete their reading
record for you to sign. Don’t forget, maths homework is due:
·
Pendower
class every Wednesday
·
Seaton
class every Thursday.
Please find the new spelling booklet below. The first set of words will be tested at the end of next week (26.1.2024).
Children will bring home a new booklet with them this Friday.
Image Gallery
Documents
We have
had a great start to 2024.
Everyone has returned with exciting tales of their Christmas holidays and time spent with family and friends. Now the exciting work of school commences once more.
We have kicked off the new calendar year with a unit of English based on the classic novel by C.S Lewis – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The children had an immersive experience in our Year 6 breakout room which had been magically transformed into the gateway to Narnia. This experience has fired our imaginations for our new block of writing, which is diary entries. Currently, we are getting to grips with parentheses, formal and informal language and tenses.
Our maths focus has been ratio, and the unit has gone really well for both groups. It has also been a pleasant change from fractions. There is a unit on decimals, percentages and fractions on the horizon, so please, please learn this half terms KIRFS as they are vital to this forthcoming unit.
We are getting to grips with all things electrical in science. This week’s lesson saw us perfecting our understanding of drawing circuits using the appropriate symbols for the various components. We are looking forward to experimenting with various circuits in future lessons. Watch this space.
Our RE focal point for this term is Islam. We have begun by discovering what we already know or think we night know about this major world religion. We have also discussed what we would like to find out and we will be comparing it to other faiths to see how it is similar and also very different.
Between
17th and 31st January, Barnardo’s will be visiting our two Year 6 classes
focussing on the topic - Safer Futures - as part of our Healthy Relationships Programme (HRP). This
programme is delivered by a facilitator who provides age appropriate, healthy
relationship messages to the children and young people within schools. The
programme covers topics such as:
v
Gender
and stereotypes
v
Healthy
Relationships
v
Power
and control
v
Dealing
with conflict
v
Online
safety
v
Keeping
our bodies safe
v Safe and unsafe secrets
Please see the attached letter to
parents and guardians for more information about these workshops. If you haver
any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with a member of the Year
6 teaching team.
Key Information
Image Gallery
Documents
Seaton enjoyed a rainy but wonderful trip to the Christmas Tree Festival at St. Nicholas and St. Faith Church. The trees were so pretty and imaginatively decorated. Most of the children were able to spot all of the items on the treasure hunt and enjoyed seeing the tree that was decorated by their very own school. We are all feeling festive now.
Creative
We are bold and innovative in our approach to find new solutions to the challenges we face.
Curious
We are inspired by the awe and wonder of the world.
Responsible
We take responsibility for our actions in an environment of mutual respect.
Enthusiastic
We are passionate about learning.
Excellent
We are the best we can be.
Determined
We overcome all barriers to reach our potential, developing a capacity to improve further.
Brunel is an Ofsted graded 'GOOD' school with 'OUTSTANDING' Personal Development and Early Years Provision - click here to see the full report
© 2024 Bridge Schools trust is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Registration number 7736425. It is an exempt charity.