Week beginning 5th May

After a lovely long weekend, our last week before the SAT's has flown by!
Busily revising, we have been using various methods to help us remember all that we have studied. As different people learn in different ways, it's been a mixture of methods, from treasure hunts and games, to teaching each other and personal, quiet study.




















At the end of a hard, but productive 4 day week, we were lucky enough to welcome Steve Backshall for an extremely informative afternoon. Following his brilliant presentation, HJS students asked lots of questions. HJS TV crew were able to interview him; see it in HJSTV!








Finally, best of luck to class one, our maths group and all of year 6, for their upcoming SAT's! Go for it!!!



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Happy bank holiday weekend!

After a hard week, which also contained lots of fun too, have a great bank holiday weekend!
Last week we focused on reading, speaking and grammar skills in preparation for the upcoming SAT's (starting 12/05/14). In maths we enjoyed revising as a class, in small groups, and in a discussion carousel.








On Tuesday we were delighted to welcome author Jeremy Strong to HJS. It's was followed in the evening by our reading evening, where he also presented to parents.




On Thursday, year 6 were lucky enough to enjoy a brilliant trip to SS Great Britain. Guides gave us a very informative tour, with amazing insights into the ship itself and the lives of those who travelled in her. Following this we had time to look around the museum and dry docks, where pupils were able to find facts to create a quiz and use the interactive exhibits, including dressing up!
















Finally, a huge congratulations to Alec Bury, Seth Robinson and Katie Norris from class 1, and Leah from class 2, for being cast in the 4 main roles in the year 6 production. They are discussing the roles this weekend with family, to see if they want to accept! All other roles will be given on the Friday of SAT's week.
Have a great weekend...see you next Tuesday!
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The beginning of the end!!!

Welcome back, after a great and sunny Easter break. I hope you all had a great time.

We are already working very hard, across the year group, in the run up to SAT's (12th-16th May). The are many lunchtime booster sessions running, so please reiterate that it is important your child puts in this extra effort if they are invited to attend.

In Science this week, we are working collaboratively to investigate forces. Following this work, we will be going outside to test our own forces experiments.



Fortunately, this links really well to the visiting Bloodhound team that we worked with pre-Easter.














As we are approaching the SATs, expectations are that your child is revising their targeted areas. These are personalised, and they should all be aware of them. If they have been misplaced(!), or you feel they are unsure of these, please ensure they come and speak to me now rather than later.

Auditions for the production have already started (singing), and were extremely impressive. Acting auditions will take place on Friday, but announcements will not be made for at least another week, so please be patient!

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Week beginning 23rd February 2014

Wow! What a week! Just when I thought it couldn't get any busier...
Firstly, we have been taking advantage of the (albeit sporadic) sunshine!
In P.E. on Monday, we began our tennis lessons and I must say I was very impressed with the skills and aptitude of class one!








We also enjoyed some sunshine during maths! As part of our space and measure unit, pupils worked collaboratively to measure the school grounds. We then input our results into a table and are now making nets to build a scale model of the school. Maths homework this week is a revision sheet on proportion, to be handed in next Friday. Please attend Maths Surgery if you are having problems.











During Literacy, we have been working on evacuation diaries, which links neatly to our current World War 2 topic. Pupils have until next Friday to complete these.

Class One are also excited to be designing our own Apps during our coding unit. Winners will get their App actually made and published onto the App Store!




Finally, well done to the Eco Ambassadors for raising £32 from our cake sale. Monies have gone towards some bee and butterfly attracting plants to start our mini nursery and allotment. Thanks to Henleaze Garden Shop for the discounted price! The pupils are all is pro-active and enthusiastic that we also stopped off at Chandos Deli for a lunchtime treat! Thanks also to Miss Cutler for coming along and helping.







I look forward to seeing you all at parents' evening next week.
Mrs Tabley


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Last week of term....already?!

Wow! That certainly went quickly! It's been a fantastic end to the term this week.
Firstly, in literacy, our movie making team 'The Mafia', led our literacy topic, with a script writing challenge. The winners will have their script ideas made into a film! Well done to Will and Seth, for being excellent teachers!












A huge thank you to George Raven-Dodd, his lovely mum, and Mary Murphy for their brilliant presentation and Q&A session on Autism and Aspergers Syndrome. George has been working on his presentation, to help us all understand more about the condition.
Our maths group has had a brilliant week, designing and making their own maths games. They were really creative and the class enjoyed playing them this Friday. No formal homework has been set for the half term holiday, but our group knows websites and practice questions, if the mood takes them!
This Thursday, year 6 enjoyed a great trip to the MShed. Here, we enjoyed the Wildlife Photographer of the year exhibition, alongside the WWII exhibition and all the other amazing exhibitions.




A huge week done goes to the following members of class one, who have had their poetry (My Favourite Thing), entered into The Threshold Prize. This is a national competition, and the entrants have a chance to get their work published!! We will keep you updated!

Finally, there is no homework set this half term! Instead, pupils can revise section 1 for the science quiz, do some, practise SATs questions, or write their 500 word challenge.....all optional though!
Let's hope we get some dry weather this holiday, and have a well earned rest. I am looking forward to seeing you all again, fresh and ready for another great half term.
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Week beginning 27th January

Another week of hard work and fun for class one!

We have been really working on our individual targets, in preparation for the latest levelled write, which Mrs Tabley is marking as we speak!
Comma use has also been a focus of ours, as we are trying to be more accurate with our use of punctuation.

As promised, when Ciaran finished the book Holes, we watched the film. Ciaran had been having difficulty in finding a book he enjoyed, and Holes was that book! Well done Ciaran, we will now find you another!!




Our research for World War Two is going really well, and all the class are fully engaged in researching for their specialist group. Homework this week is to continue collecting information and ideas. Some people have been enjoying playing simulation games during their lunch break.





In maths we have just finished looking at fractions, percentages and decimals. Homework this week is to complete the percentages booklet for Friday's lesson.



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Week beginning 20th January 2014

Truly back in the swing of things, class one have had a packed week (once again!).

More practical experiments in science, this time using glitter gel to represent a sneeze, has helped us to understand how easy it is for germs to spread. As there have been quite a few children falling ill lately, we thought it rather pertinent to be studying this!








This week, as part of PHSE, we have been creating short drama sketches about peer pressure. Focussing on a certain scenario (a friend trying to persuade you to leave out another friend, whom you like), each group came up with some amazing sketches, and learnt a lot along the way!














Literacy sessions have been focussing on speech punctuation, with a particularly fun and effective session using clips from BBC's Animal Kingdom. I must say that the class were particularly good in role as mice, monitor lizards and shrews!
Literacy homework will be set next week, and be child specific and relating to their individual writing targets. In the meantime, they can be working on their Topic work.

In maths, I have been very impressed with students' knowledge of fractions and percentages. Homework is differentiated and must be handed in next Friday. Students have been advised to have a look at it over the weekend, and to attend Tuesday's 'Maths Surgery' at lunchtime, if they need assistance.





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Happy New Year

Firstly, may I wish everyone a very happy, healthy and successful 2014! Secondly, a huge thank you for all the lovely Christmas gifts.
In true HJS style, we have started the new year, and new term, with gusto! Both class 2 and ourselves have enjoyed a brilliant trip on our first day back, to the Lifeskills Centre. Learning in real life scenarios, the centre allows children to experience dangers and hazards in a safe environment. Providing our young people with the opportunity to learn what to do and how to react in these situations means they are well equipped to stay safe themselves and also help others.












A huge thank you to Jake's grandfather, who has kindly lent us some real artefacts from the Second World War. Class One thoroughly enjoyed looking at them, discussing them and asking questions about them.












Finally, another huge thank you to Mrs Torbey, who prepared us a delicious traditional cake that is eaten to celebrate epiphany. Ironically, Jacques found the miniature king, and was crowned our leader! His Royal Highness chose a short debate on 'Are soldiers good or bad?' before treating his subjects to an extended Golden Time!








Topic homework this week, to be handed in next Friday is to choose three options for our upcoming WW2 open morning which will be happening next half term. Dates and info to be confirmed!
Maths homework, for Monday 13/01/14. I have given a short weekend homework of practicing times tables. We have discussed various techniques and as they really underpin the fraction work we are doing, I think this will be of benefit. Times Tables Blast on Monday!