40 acts of kindness

Our school vision is to be "Rooted and Grounded in love" for ourselves, for God and for one another.  The CREW would like to invite everyone in our school community to mark the period of Lent in the Christian calendar by demonstrating our love for one another and participating in 40 acts of kindness.  The rationale behind this idea is to complete one small act of kindness each day throughout Lent.  The CREW will be sharing this initiative with the children today in Collective Worship.

Parent governor vacancy

There is an upcoming parent governor vacancy on the governing body of Abberley Parochial VC Primary School.  If you are interested in putting yourself forward, please download, complete and return the application form (using the link below) either to Hannah Coleman, Clerk to Governors, at hcoleman@abberley.worcs.sch.uk or to the school office by 3.30pm on Friday 14th March 2025.  If you have any queries or would like to speak to someone about the role, please do not hesitate to contact the Clerk on the above email. Thank you.

Abberley-parent-nomination-form.352289357.docx

This week seems to have flown past with a huge range of very different and very enjoyable activities.  It was lovely to meet with parents this week and share the progress your child is making.  I hope you enjoyed having the opportunity to look through their learning journeys and phonics books with your child and celebrate the wonderful work they have been doing.

In Topic this week we have been learning about Ernest Shackleton's expedition to Antarctica on board the "Endurance".  The story is an amazing example of resilience and bravery - please ask your children to share some of the key events with you.

In DT, we have been applying the knowledge about materials that we have acquired during science this term to design a boat.  Over the next few weeks, we are looking forward to turning our designs into reality.

On Tuesday we made the most of the wonderful weather to undertake a signs of spring scavenger hunt.  We found buds, shoots, spring flowers, some minibeasts and even a bird's nest.  We plan to repeat the activity in a few weeks' time to observe what has changed.

We also had a lovely time on Tuesday learning about the Christian Festival of Shrove Tuesday and making pancakes.  Please see our news article for more information and photographs.

Yesterday we enjoyed celebrating World Book Day. The children looked amazing in their costumes and we had lots of fun taking part in different magical activities around the school.

Next week we are looking forward to our trip to Bayton school on Friday to watch a performance by "Sealegs" Puppet Theatre.  If you have not already returned your slip and payment for this trip we would be very grateful if you could do so as soon as possible.  Thank you!

This week in English, the children finished identifying the features on non-chronological reports. They have found that they have subheadings, 'did you know?' facts and pictures with captions. They have also identified the key subheadings that they will have on their non-chronological reports about The Great Fire of London. In pairs, they began to collate facts that they will include for each of their subheadings.

In maths, we have continued with the unit of addition and subtraction. The children have been using Base 10, number lines and hundreds squares to support them in subtracting across a 10. They have also been adding and subtracting multiples of 10. At the end of the week, the children began to add 2-digit numbers together (not crossing a 10).

In science this week, the children learnt that living things, including humans, produce offspring. They played games where they matched the offspring to the adult animals and were able to name these correctly. We also discussed how some animals give birth to live young, whereas others lay eggs. The children were very interested in this lesson.

In art, the children continued to explore what watercolour paints could do. We looked at the work for three different watercolour artists and the children were able to discuss how the paints and colours had been used to create a feeling in the picture. They then had their own go at doing their own artwork using these artists as inspiration. Afterwards, they used watercolours to create a stormy seascape painting, thinking about the colours and techniques they have learnt.

In music this week, we explored dynamics while performing using a selection of percussion instruments.  In groups, we followed graphic notation to show a change in dynamics during the performance.

In RE, we discussed the Last Supper and why it was significant.

Timetable

Monday: Wellies and a coat suitable for the weather

Tuesday and Thursday: PE kits

In maths this week, Y3 have started a new topic of fractions. They have learned about what each part of the fraction is called (numerator, denominator and vinculum) and what those words mean. We looked at unit fractions, where the numerator is always 1 and compared and ordered these before moving on to non-unit fractions, where the numerator is greater than 1.

In Y4 maths, we have also started a new topic of fractions. We recapped the children's prior learning from Y3 before moving on to looking at adding fractions to make a whole and then looking at fractions that are greater than 1 to prepare the children for learning about mixed numbers next week.

In science, we started our new topic of 'Electricity'. We discussed how appliances can be powered by batteries or mains electricity and then looked at how we get electricity in our homes. The children then sorted different appliances into groups, depending on how they are powered.

In art, we looked again at Faith Bebbington's work to give the children inspiration for their sculpture designs. They were given the theme of our school values and created some fantastic designs. We chose our favourite one and worked together to create our final piece. The children are very excited to see it displayed in school.

All of the children looked amazing in their World Book Day costumes and they had great fun taking part in the different activities throughout the day.

This week in English, the children have delved deeper into the world of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, focusing on the thrilling Minotaur. They’ve worked hard to expand their vocabulary, crafting action-packed sentences filled with exciting metaphors and similes to describe the movement and appearance of the creature. The children have used these creative techniques to bring the scene to life, making it as dynamic and vivid as the story itself.

In maths, the children have continued on the topic of area and perimeter. This week, they’ve focused on calculating the area of rectangles and triangles, honing their skills in both exact calculations and estimation. They’ve learned how to quickly estimate the area of any given shape, allowing them to apply these skills to challenging problems.

In geography, the children have continued with their fieldwork study. This week, they’ve been busy creating data collection methods such as tally charts, questionnaires and interview questions, which they will use when exploring their local environment. These tools will help them gather valuable information as they venture into the community, giving them a real-world experience of how geography can be studied and understood.

Finally, in art, the children have continued to explore the concept of perspective. With a growing understanding of how horizon lines, vanishing points and converging lines work together, they’ve been applying these principles to their own artwork. The students have been experimenting with ways to create a sense of distance and depth, producing pieces that are full of perspective and dimension, adding a whole new layer of realism to their artistic skills.

Please see below information within the community but independent of the school