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!

The last week of term, 2013

Well, in true HJS style, the last week before Christmas has been as busy and creative as ever!
Well done to Will Rich, who took his own time to create a brilliant (and may I say, very high-brow!) quiz for the class, with prizes.




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Year 6 have had a great week with DT. Firstly, they helped year 3 with their 'Moving Monsters' project.
Secondly, we had a great time making Christmas decorations, using recycled materials to link in with our 'One World' topic.



























Surprisingly, (or perhaps not, knowing Class 1!) a group of extremely talented and creative people, made a 15 minute film entirely on their own. Premiering today, The Mafia (consisting of Seth, Will, Jack, Luke, Jake, Jacques, Jacob, Alec and a few extras), was an epic comedy! They have inspired a new literacy unit, and we look forward to making mo movies in the new year.

Thanks to Miss Lee who has been working with us for the last 5 weeks.

Finally, the homework issue;
1) Have fun!
2) Do some,thing lovely for someone else, without expecting anything back in return.
3) Literacy.....either write a short story (400-500 words), about Christmas, New Year or our new topic (World War 2). Please remember all the things you have learnt in your streamed literacy groups AND apply it!!
4) We will be starting photography after the holiday, so please bring in any photo that you think is amazing....this can be one you took yourself, from a paper or magazine, or from the Internet.
5) Maths......do some practice questions from www.satspapers.org.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

The run up to Christmas....busier than ever!

It's good to be back after a horrible illness and well done to Class One for working hard in my absence!
It's been a really busy time, with our 'Dragon's Den' challenge for persuasion, (well done to Jake, Katie Norris and Will for winning us over with their brilliant pen!).






We are now in different groups for Literacy, giving each group the opportunity to focus on specific targets. This is NOT setting, but a great opportunity to work on different technical aspects of our literacy, with a different group of people.


Class one have also been busy doing their animations about e-safety. They are using the animation software that year 6 used last year for the Festival of Literacy and are having great fun in the process!

Welcome back for autumn half term.

Despite the bad weather,  we are happy to be back in school..........yes we are! We have had a busy week in literacy doing lots of work on persuasion. The class were particularly good at repetition (or whinging as we have noted!).
Using our imaginations and our bodies we have also been looking at adverbs and have learnt some great new vocabulary and made a new display. Here are a few examples!

Falling clumsily, by Seth!













Hurriedly pouring, by Jack Thompson!











Lazily stretching, by the class!