Windrush Valley Private School Oxfordshire – this week’s news bulletin.
Foundation Unit
The Foundation Unit had the most wonderful day to ‘All Things Wild‘ on Monday. We went on a dinosaur adventure, learning all the dinosaur names and looking at the large models. We turned into Palaeontologists and dug for fossils. Then we went on the Dinosaur train which was great fun. The children wore beaming smiles all day and were an absolute joy to take out for the day. We have followed up our trip by writing sentences about our day, drawing and painting pictures.
Year 1 & Year 2
This week we have been working together as a Key Stage. The children have had normal English and Maths lessons working hard in handwriting and spellings. There has been some big achievement regarding spellings this week with both Spelling Champions being Stanley in Year 2 and Rocco in Year 1. Spelling Champions will be awarded each week from now on. Each class has been beavering away making wonderful things for their mummies for Mothering Sunday. Mummies will have a lovely surprise on Sunday. For History we ventured down to Tiddy Hall to see when the building was built and what it was used for. We learnt that Reginald Elliot Tiddy was awarded Blue Plaque status for being a benefactor and resident of Ascott under Wychwood. He served in WW1 and never came home. He died at the young age of 37.
Pupils have also been studying plants from all over the world. We saw the oldest tree in the gardens which was 364 years old. We found the tallest tree which is known as the dinosaur tree as it was around when the dinosaurs were. We then looked at plants which help make medicine. The oldest tree which is a type of yew, is used in chemotherapy medicine. We also found the Harry Potter Mandrake plant. In the glasshouses we looked at plants which provide food such as bananas, cocoa beans, coffee beans, papyaya and many others. We compared the parts of the plants from different parts of the world and how they take in their food. The children loved the Arid house with all the cactus.
Year 3
We have finished off our letters to the Queen congratulating her on her Platinum Jubilee – Year 3 asked some interesting questions, such as ‘how many corgis do you have?’, and ‘who will send YOU a card on your 100th birthday?’ We are hoping for a response from her ‘Ladies in Waiting’, but in the meantime, it was really exciting to post a letter to Buckingham Palace! We have been busy completing assessments in the classroom, which will help with planning for next term. Year 3 have worked incredibly hard with these, and I have been very proud of them. We have been singing and performing every day this week, Olivia will be a fantastic show! Year 3, although not having lines, have a big responsibility to sing beautifully, and act in the crowd scenes when they are on the stage.
Year 4
This week we have been working incredibly hard practicing for the Windrush Valley Private School Oxfordshire’s performance of Olivia and it is really taking shape. It is lovely having everyone back in the classroom after last week’s little outbreak and everyone has settled back in quickly. We have been trying very hard with our assessments this week and Mrs Maudsley is very proud of them all. In Science, our plants are growing really well (well those that are meant to be!) and the results of the experiment will be fully evident next week.
Year 5
We have been working very hard this week. First thing on Monday morning was our class assembly and everyone taking part did a fantastic job. There was great acting and important messages about being positive, setting goals and not giving up were clearly delivered. In the classroom we have been “digging deep” and persevering to complete our termly assessments in maths and English. We really enjoyed the beautiful spring sunshine on Thursday morning during our last netball PE session. Our netball skills, throwing, passing, and moving in to space have really improved over the term. A lot of our week has been spent practising the Key Stage Two musical “Olivia”. This week we introduced using props into the performance which is really starting to come alive. It has been a very busy but rewarding week!
Year 6
All pupils have worked really hard this week, we have been doing end of term assessments. We are also looking ahead at the SATs tests we will be doing after Easter which will be exactly like the assessments we have done this week. Rehearsals for the play have been going really well – what talent we have! The beautiful weather has meant we’ve been able to rehearse in the playground which has been lovely. Year 5 and Year 6 boys played football against Christchurch Cathedral School in Oxfordshire and we won all 4 games.
Extended Day Activities – Summer Term
There have been a couple of question about the clubs, specifically ‘Footsteps’ and ‘Computing Club’. Footsteps is a 2-part club firstly dealing with road safety and user awareness and then going on to developing Orienteering skills. Computing Club with cover various IT Skills using the MS Office Suite, coding, and enhancing the children’s understanding of computers.