Category: Class

Pumpkins

Scott Grason-Taylor

This week the Pioneers have been reading Pumpkin Soup and discussing the feelings of the characters. We found out that the cat, the duck and the squirrel had different points of view and that this can be difficult.

We have been painting and adding detail to our illustrations. The Pioneers are starting to write some words now to label things. Some Pioneers were spotted writing independently and overheard saying,”I love writing and phonics” Many are realising that they can now put their phonics into action which is totally wonderful.

Pumpkins of different sizes are in the kitchen and have been added to pretend soups. They have been part of story telling. They have been used for subitising and counting and the big pumpkins have been washed and covered in stickers and drawing pins to make designs inspired by Rangoli patterns.

The pumpkins will stay around next week to let us investigate what is inside and to save the seeds for next year.

What a fantastic week!

Scott Grason-Taylor

It has been a very busy but great week in the Adventurers this week!

We reflected on the service personnel that lost their lives and the war and the local heroes who are remembered on the War Memorial within the village. We carried out some research and discussed their lives which led to each Adventurer producing a symbol of remembrance. This included a visit from Mr Hann a retired Royal Air Force Wing Commander. Mr Hann worked with children with the Adventurers to share some of his own stories and reflections on his time serving. Mr Hann brought some of his equipment and uniform into school. The children were really interested to see Mr Hann’s photographs and medals from his service.

We enjoyed the visits of the Adventurers’ families on Wednesday to celebrate and learn about the festival of Diwali and participate in activities such as creating lanterns! Great fun was had by everybody!

The Adventurers finished the week with a visit from The Yorkshire Rotters. The Rotters came into school to teach the children about food waste and composting. The children then were able to create their own wormeries and make smoothie using a BMX powered blender!

The Adventurers look forward to next week!

Sleights Remembers Them

Scott Grason-Taylor

This week, the whole school have reflected on the service personnel who lost their lives and are remembered on our village’s War Memorial Monument. These local heroes have been discussed and their lives researched during the week. The children have each created a symbol of remembrance, including artwork and writing about the local lost soldiers. Today, we came together as a full school and heard the names of these soldiers read out by our children, before beginning our two minutes silence. The hall was still.

The photographs show the work created by the children celebrated around the village. Please do visit the school, community centre, Spar shop, St John’s and the War Memorial to see the work in person. It really is beautiful.

A huge thank you to families who have shared personal memories too. These included finding out about a family connection to one of the individuals on the War Memorial, as well as some very special items from fallen family members.

Friday 10th November 2023

Scott Grason-Taylor

What a great first week back!

This week, to mark Remembrance Day, Leaders have been exploring Sleights war memorial and the people commemorated on it. They have created thoughtful pieces of work around this, which will be displayed around the memorial and village this weekend. We were also joined by Mr Hann, a former Royal Air Force Wing Commander (Retired). Mr Hann worked with Leaders to explore some of his own stories and reflections on his time serving. Mr Hann shared with the children some of his first-hand experiences and brought some of his equipment and uniform into school. The children were really engaged to also see photographs and medals from Mr Hann’s service. The children had so many questions and made some excellent contributions.

The children have also been busy in DT this week. This half term, the children will be designing and making their own re-usable bag. To start this unit, Leaders explored a range of existing bag designs with a focus on their appearance, durability and functionality. 

In English, we have began to explore poetry. The children identified features within a free verse poem and are looking forward to creating their own next week. We have also continued to read our class text, ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’. This week, we learned more about Ahmet’s journey to the UK before completing reading activities linked to this chapter.

 

 

Learning about the past

Scott Grason-Taylor

To support our children’s learning about Rememberence, we were really fortunate to be joined in school by Kevin Hann, Royal Air Force Wing Commander (Retired). Mr Hann worked with children in Adventurers, Discoverers and Leaders to explore some of his own stories and reflections on his time serving. Mr Hann shared with the children some of his first-hand experiences and brought some of his equipment and uniform into school. The children were really engaged to also see photographs and medals from Mr Hann’s service. The children had so many questions and made some excellent contributions. A huge thank you to Mr Hann for giving his time up. His impact across school was significant.

Harvest Festival 2023

Scott Grason-Taylor

The land has yielded its harvest: God, our God, has blessed us, Psalm 67:6

It was so brilliant to be able to welcome so many families to our service on Wednesday. St John’s was full! A huge thank you for supporting us with your very kind donations too. All donated items will now be shared with the Whitby Food Bank to share around our community.

Learners love to learn!

Scott Grason-Taylor

Learners are always busy and this week has been no exception.

In English we have been busy adding interesting adjectives to some of the wonderful places in Sleights, ready to add these to our letter to the Linda Community School in Zambia.

In Maths we are launching into addition and subtraction and are already showing such confidence around number bonds and part-whole models.

In History, we have delighted in learning about artefacts and LOVED exploring some of the artefacts we have in school. We were particularly mesmerised by the old telephone and astonished that originally it used to attached to a wall.

In Geography, we took our learning outside to explore our playground and school grounds, using our map skills we created maps of the playground using keys to help us.

We are really looking forward to performing our Harvest song in Church and have been busy practising for this. We are sounding truly awesome!

We have enjoyed stories as always and are always keen to read whenever possible.

So much learning in just one week!

Learners just love to learn! 

Harvest Apple Crumble

Scott Grason-Taylor

There is so much learning which takes place while we make an apple crumble. We looked at the tree and the stalk and the leaves and the seeds. We made a list of the ingredients we needed and the equipment required. We discussed safety measures and why we needed a chopping board and the need to wash out hands.

The Pioneers read together the key words-cut,rub,mix,pat,tap and hot. They mixed and they stirred and they rubbed and the sifted. They talk about the job of the sieve and looked at how the apple peeler worked. It was fascinating to watch the peel fall off in ribbons and leave the apple in slices.

The Pioneers assembled the crumble and await to eat it after swimming.

They can all identify the ingredients,the equipment and are able to talk through the process.

And there really was not too much mess.

A week in the life of an Adventurer.

Scott Grason-Taylor

The Adventurers have had a great week this week! They started their week off with the super cricket sessions hosted by Owen, they then continued in their new topic of ‘Addition and Subtraction’ in maths. They loved their French session where they have continued learning about shapes! Furthermore, the Adventurers have completed drafting their letters in English, which they have been writing to pupils at Linda Community Primary School in Zambia. They have done this to find out more about where they live and school life in Zambia, whilst also explaining what life in Sleights is like. They have explored tone in art, and have also began creating something for the Harvest Festival church service next week! We have also seen some great times tables results from their weekly 2- minute test. Finally, they have finished the week off with a fantastic session of tag rugby. We all look forward to the final week of the half term next week!