Passionate about learning
Maple
Children in Year R are welcomed into class each morning to a variety of fun activities. They settle quickly and use their fine motor skills to explore the tasks at the tables. They have also been learning about winter and this week, about hibernation. The children made clay hedgehogs in Forest School and then in the classroom, created shelters for them to hibernate in.
Children in Year 1 have continued with their art topic of Rain and Sunrays. This week, they have been exploring texture in art which they will be using next week to create printing blocks.
Rowan
This week Rowan class have continued with their wonderful flower art. They had their first experience of printing using rollers. They created their design inspired by flowers that they have been studying and pressed it into their polystyrene tile. They rolled the paint onto the tile and then pressed it onto paper to create their design. They were so pleased with their outcomes. Well done Rowan class.
Birch
Birch class are really enjoying their new dance unit inspired by Matilda. The children have been thinking carefully about how each character might move and how this can be portrayed through different dance moves.
Sycamore
This week sycamore class have been learning lots of new words for our new topic ‘Misty Mountain, Winding River’. The know what a meander is, and they know what happens at the upper, middle and lower course of a river.
Aspen
This week in Aspen class the children thoroughly enjoyed the start of their Forest School sessions. The children took part in blindfolded team building activities which included children being guided to trees, returned to their starting point and then guessing which tree they had felt. The mud kitchen was a huge success with gingerbread men brownies being served as well as 'wild stew' also available, some budding chefs in the making and everyone getting 'stuck' in!
Elm
This week year 6 have been exploring the relationships between fractions, decimals and percentages and how they are all related to a whole. They started by looking at each aspect individually and then how they relate to each other and how you can compare them.
Year 6 also wrote very persuasive letters to Hampshire County council to try and stop the closure of Stubbington Study Centre. They were full of passion and showed excellent writing skills. Lets hope they listen.
New Year, New Experiences
Maple
Year R Maple Class children have ben enjoying a range of activities when they arrive in the morning, focused on developing their fine motor skills. They love the threading cards!
Children in Maple Class (Y1) have been learning about different types of landmarks in Geography. They sorted them into categories and explored landmarks that the may have seen in Winchester.
Rowan
This week Rowan class have begun their multiplication journey in maths. They have been doing fantastically and are making great links between equal grouping, repeated addition and multiplication. They have been using cubes to make equal groups and then creating repeated addition sentences and multiplication sentences based on what they've made. Well done Rowan class.
Birch
This week Birch have been investigating different types of rocks. The children had lots of fun using different methods to determine whether the rocks were sedimentary, igneous or metamorphic. They also worked really hard in maths to multiply and divide a 2-digit number by a one-digit number
Sycamore
This week, Sycamore las have been preparing snacks for our DT unit called ‘Fresh Food, Good Food’. They made hummus with vegetable sticks and fruit pots. We practised the skills of chopping and peeling, as well as considering why these were healthy snacks.
Aspen
This week in Aspen class the children took part in an exciting new sport - JagTag. All the children got stuck in, practice holding the ball correctly, passing between teammates and dodging attackers!
Elm
This week the children in Elm class have had two new fantastic experiences. Firstly they took part in a new sport - Jag Tag, which they enjoyed thoroughly. Later int he week they learnt all about hazard safety in a virtual cycling session. The children used ipads to navigate different environments and were able to spot hazards and discuss how to avoid them.
New beginnings
My Happy Mind
We have introduced a program to all year groups at school called myHappymind. myHappymind is all based around helping children to understand how their brain works and to support them in developing positive skills and habits to be their very best selves. myHappymind is delivered in schools by class teachers through a series of interactive lessons and then the children apply their learning throughout the day.
To further embed this learning, myHappymind has developed a Parent App. These resources can be accessed online on your computer, or through an app on your phone. The Parent App will support you as a parent in understanding what your child is learning, activities for you to do together at home and also a Kids Zone featuring myHappymind Games. To access these materials just go to https://myhappymind.org/parent-resources to create your free account. You will need to enter your name, email, and the following authentication code 115962.
For more information about myHappymind, please follow the following link to an introductory video. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to speak to your child's class teacher or Mrs Fenton.
R2L
Happy New year from everyone in R2L!
This week, as well as joining our classes for some inspiring learning, we have been thinking about the effect that our words can have. We now understand that although our tongues are small, they can be very powerful when saying words! We created a poster about some of the kind words, or cotton wool words, that we can say to each other. We all agreed that it is so much nicer to say and to hear kind words that build us up and make us feel happy rather than unkind, or sandpaper, words which are spiky, harsh and make us feel sad.
We practised putting our words into action when we made squirrel houses in Forest School. We hope that you like them as much as we enjoyed making them!
Maple
Children in Maple Class have quickly settled back into the spring term. We have started exploring collaging in art, specifically transient art. The children have used a variety of materials to create images of weather symbols.
Rowan
This week Rowan class have started their new art unit, 'Flower Head' and began the unit by completing some beautiful observational drawings of different flowers. They have been closely observing a variety of flowers and drew detailed pencil sketches of these. They then coloured them in so they looked as real as possible. They loved doing this and were so focussed on making the art the best it could be. Well done Rowan class.
Birch
Birch have had a really busy week this week! We started our new topic "Rocks, Relics and Rumbles" where the children learnt about the different layers of the earth. In English, the children used dictionaries to find the definitions of words they didn't know the meaning of to make their writing as exciting as possible.
Sycamore
Sycamore class have been thinking deeply about their times tables this week, learning all about factors. Great collaborative and active learning demonstrated their understanding of this new vocabulary and tested their improving times tables knowledge.
Aspen
This week in year 5 we have been looking at our new art unit - Light, Line and Shadow. The children had a go at drawing using one continuous line, making sure they didn't take their pencil off the page until they had finished. They produce some lovely drawings and were able to use lines effectively to add detail to their drawings!
Elm
In Elm class, the children have been busy starting their new topics on Electrical circuits and components and also looking at variable in games. They were able to label all the different elements of a circuit as well as being able to identify and alter variables used in scratch
Our busy Christmas week
Christmas lunch
Thank you to all the wonderful kitchen staff for our fantastic Christmas lunch this week. The children loved the Christmas music, decorations and crackers as well as the food and being served by staff members!
Christchurch Carol Service
The children all took part in the annual Christchurch Carol service this week. The choir wowed us with their magnificent singing and all the reader were clear and spoke beautifully. Well done to everyone who came and joined in so enthusiastically. We were very proud.
Our Fantastic Football team
Last week the school football team took part in their first ever tournament. They managed to go past the group stages with some fabulous solo and team performances and made it to the semi finals where we were beaten in penalties. The sportsmanship of the whole team was amazing and not only did they cheer each other on but were supportive of every team. Well done everyone.
Beyond the beat
Children in Year 3 performed in their first ever Beyond the Beat Concert! They were accompanied by the continuing musicians from years 4, 5 and 6.
Birch class
This week Birch Class have been cooking! The children worked really hard to chop all of the vegetables to make tacos and rataouille. Even though some of them were a little nervous to try new vegetables for the first time, everyone tried both dishes and thought they were yummy!
Sycamore
This week, Sycamore took part in our Christingle tradition. Children were respectful and sang beautifully.
Elm
Elm class have been very busy this week. They explored the difference between whole foods and processed foods and then made their own non-cook pasta sauce. Although some children were a little dubious at the start, most of them enjoyed the final products. Elm class also completed their art unit this week. Their task was to create a piece of art using a medium of their choice, that represented everything they have learnt through our Maafa topic. We were so impressed by the thought and care that went into their ideas and the results were beautiful and thought provoking.
Making Memories
Rowan
This week Rowan class have been looking at animal adaptations in their habitats project. They had a look at how different prey animals adapt to survive being eaten, including their use of speed, armour, weapons and camouflage. They then coloured in four moths, two that were camouflaged and two that were not camouflaged. They hid them around the new forest school area and then some Year 3 'Moth hunters' tried to find as many as they could. They managed to find 12 camouflaged ones and 16 non-camouflaged ones, showing the importance of camouflage.
Birch
This week Birch Class have been using clay to make their own Beaker Bell pots. The children looked closely at the patterns on Beaker Bell pottery from the Bronze Age and had a lot of fun trying to recreate these patterns in their own designs.
Sycamore
Sycamore class have had a brilliant time in Minstead, earning beads linked to the Keys to Success. The weather was perfect for the long walk and exploring the great outdoors in The New Forest. We really value the experience that Minstead provides, not only is it a magical place, it helps to prepare our children for being more independent and looking forward to other trips and experiences such as Stubbington.
Aspen
This week in Aspen class the children have been working hard on their hockey skills, they have remembered the basics of passing and shooting. We even had a short match at the end!
Elm
This week Elm class have been exploring the differences between processed and homemade bread. We looked at the long list of ingredients in a normal processed loaf and then made our own bread using much less ingredients! Most of us decided that the home made bread tasted better (particularly with some honey). In Computing the children have been creating their own webpages. They will use this skill in English next week to publish their finished outcomes.
A Christmassy Musical Week
Our Choir
Our amazing choir represented the school beautifully this week at Winchester Cathedral. They sang amazingly and looked very smart. Well done everyone.
Christmas Fair
Thanks to everyone who attended the Christmas Fair this Friday and to the fabulous Friends of Stanmore for all their hard work. We had a great performance from Integrate and it was lovely to see everyone enjoying themselves.
R2L
This week, R2L have been thinking about the impact of having kinds hands and feet.
We all agreed that having kind hands and feet meant that other children were more likely to want to play with us and that adults are more likely to trust us with precious things.
We demonstrated how marvellous our hands and fabulous our feet are by playing co-operative games such as football. We also had lots of fun making creative festive crafts in preparation for decorating our beautiful Christmas tree.
Maple
Children in Maple Class (Y1) have been practicing their number bonds to 10. To help them remember, they made some 'handy hands' which they can use at home to practice them quickly and speedily!
Rowan
This week Rowan class had their Listen 2 Me concert to parents. Over the past term they have been learning to play different songs on the ukulele by plucking and strumming. They achieved an excellent performance and impressed everyone in the audience. They showed their keys to success over the term in their resilience and persistence to learn to play to such a high standard. We are very proud of them.
Well done Rowan class.
Sycamore
Sycamore class were invited to attend a fantastic school trip earlier this week at Winchester College. First, they saw some genuine Anglo-Saxon coins that were over 1,000 years old at the Treasury and then they were treated to a live music concert of ‘Peter and the Wolf’.
This week in Apsen's music lesson we have been working on our own pentatonic scales and mirror music. The children then performed their pieces to the class.
Elm
This week Elm class have been finishing their Maafa topic and explored how Africa was colonised after the abolishment of the slave trade. The children thought really carefully about the topic and were able to express their views through discussion and questioning. In RE the children explored two different versions of the nativity and compared the versions written by Luke and by Matthew.
Moovers and Shakers
Be Bright, Be Seen
Last week the children took part in our Be Bright, Be Seen day to promote keeping safe on the roads. Our fantastic Junior Road Safety Officers held an informative assembly highlighting the importance of reflective clothing and thinking carefully about road safety. I don’t think anyone will our children in these clothes.
Book Awards
This term, children in Year 5 took part in the Hampshire Illustrated Book Award. They read and discussed a 6 shortlisted picture books for older readers, before submitting their vote for their favourite text. The books are now available in our school library for everyone to enjoy.
Maple
Children in Year R Maple Class have been enjoying the snow that we had recently. They loved finding the ice in our outside area and trying to catch the snowflakes in their mouths!
Children in Year 1 Maple Class have been developing their IT skills including using the mouse and keyboard. They have been using these skills to play jigsaw games and a painting app.
Rowan and Aspen
This week Year 5 and Year 2 went to Goodwood Home Farm in preparation for their upcoming topics. The children had a tour of the dairy farm and process as well as looking at the machinery used throughout. Both classes got to try some organic milk, grind flour and churn their own butter.
Birch
This week, Birch Class have been investigating forces using force meters. The children all had different objects that they pulled across different surfaces to compare how objects move across different materials. They saw how friction makes objects move slower and that smooth surfaces (like the tables) generated less friction than the rougher surfaces (like the carpet).
Sycamore
Sycamore class have been making junk modelling musical instruments and performed them in a short performance to their peers. Some created twinkly lullabies, others created a tune as if they were preparing for a battle!
Elm
This week in Elm, the children have been exploring what it means to be an archaeologist and what discovered artefacts can tell us about the past. This will link with our new book 'Tales of Ancient Worlds', which looks at civilisations throughout history and is written using information texts and factual narratives. The children were able to find some replica ancient Roman artefacts, as well as a few modern day items!
Learning in different ways
Children In Need update
The children raised £136 for Children In Need this week and they all looked amazing in their pudsy outfits.
Birch
This week, Birch Class have been learning about UK cities and counties. Each group had a different city or county to research before sharing what they had learnt with the rest of the class.
Sycamore
Sycamore class have been learning about weaving in our new art topic. We had to research different types of fabric and yarn to see what we would like to include in our wall hanging. We used high quality vocabulary such as glossy, muted, drab and vibrant.
In addition to this, in our music unit called “Use it, Make it, Play it” we have been making musical instruments from junk modelling. Check back next week to see our musical orchestra with a difference!
Aspen
This week Aspen class have started their new science unit - Earth and Space. The class enjoyed learning about the nine different planets in our universe coming up with different mnemonics to help remember them. We also looked at who orbits the Sun and who orbits Earth.
Elm
Year 6 have been working hard on their final outcomes for English this week based on their text 'Pig Heart Boy'. They have written newspaper reported about the ground-breaking scientific advancement and have tried to incorporate formal and informal writing in their work. Next week they become archaeologists!
R2L
This week, R2L have been learning about the purpose of rules, both at school, at home and in the community.
We agreed that rules are in place to keep us safe, to ensure that things are fair and to help us to get along with each other.
We learnt that human brains are a little similar to chimp's brains - both have thinking brains and emotional brains! However, a chimp's emotional brain is much bigger than it's thinking brain so we had to decide which was the best part of our brain to use to follow the rules. Chimp choices or My choices.
Definitely My choices!
A colourful week at Stanmore Primary School
Children in Need
This week the children combined Children in Need with Maths by wearing Pudsey related clothes on Friday and taking part in daily Pudsey Maths Challenges. The children used this as an opportunity to collect donations for Children in Need and improve their problem solving skills!
R2L
Ready to Learn have been very creative and co-operative this week whilst thinking about how our behaviours can affect other people.
Using the theme of anti-bullying week, we considered how it is important to celebrate our uniqueness!
We each decorated a jigsaw puzzle to show that although we are different, we make a perfect team when we work together.
Co-operation was also demonstrated when team R2L made a beautiful Rangoli pattern together to celebrate Diwali. First, we dyed the rice and then we worked together to make a beautiful picture.
Teamwork definitely makes the dream work.
Maple
This week, children in Maple Class have been starting to learn about 'Our Wonderful World'. They used Google earth to spot land and sea, zooming in to find Stanmore Primary School! They located the continents on a map and used this knowledge to label them on a globe.
Rowan
Habitat hunting
This week Rowan class went on a habitat hunt around our beautiful school grounds. They were thinking carefully about what animal and plant life could be living in our local environment and found a wide selection of invertebrates. The highlight was hunting down a centipede's family and seeing some squirrels scurry across the trees.
Sycamore
What a busy week it has been in Sycamore Class! We’ve been to Forest School, we’ve watched a choir performance, we’ve carried out the next part of our longitudinal study about the school grounds and we have written persuasive speeches in role as Erik the Viking, convincing his friends to join him on one final quest! We also wore odd socks for Anti-Bullying Week!
Aspen
This week the children in Aspen class have been researching important people in history and have created their own information text based on what they found. We have also started our new Geography topic 'Investigating our World'. The class enjoyed using Digimaps to explore the local area, particularly looking at the contour lines of St Catherine's Hill and comparing the height to Ben Nevis.
Elm
Year 6 have been working hard this week on their Topic and Science, learning all about the abolishment of the slave trade and researching famous cardiac scientists. They have explored the ways that enslaved people managed to revolt whilst working in the plantations and we discovered about communities called Maroons which consisted of enslaved people who had escaped and live in freedom.
