The children might not have been completely aware in year 1, but this week was assessment week. The children have done some challenging work and I was really proud of how well they managed with the changes in our learning. They really showed how much they have improved in certain areas, especially Maths. Well done Beech Class! 

I am really sorry to say, due to the assessments and COVID striking it has been a week where I haven't taken enough pictures. I did manage to snap this one and it was too good not to share. During continuous provision, the children set up their own classroom, they took it in turns to be the teacher and share stories with the children (including some toys to make up the numbers!). 

Next week, we will be continuing our humanities topic of London, as well as testing materials in Science, our usual PE and other subjects too. If you would like to do some work with your children here are some ideas:
- Think about what materials you might use to build a house. Can you think of what properties these materials might need to have?
- Have you ever heard of the Great Fire of London? Can you find out more about where it started? How did they put it out? How long did it burn for?
- In Maths, we are going to be starting our new topic, volume and capacity. Can you notice what liquids are measured in? Have a look at the side of drinks bottles, milk bottles etc. 

Have a lovely weekend, 
Miss Coleman

What a wonderful welcome back it has been. Thank you so much to all the parents and children who have been so lovely and welcoming. Beech class have been AMAZING this week and have been showing me how much progress they have made in their learning. 
We had a lovely session with Paul on Tuesday, we were looking at food chains and how all the vegetation and animals link together. We played an excellent running game where we all had different roles. We had herbivores, carnivores and plant as well as a sun which released people who had been eaten!

We had time to share two more wonderful Mary Anning models which had been made by Rosa and Lottie. I am so impressed by the children's engagement with this topic and how much information they can recall. 

On Thursday, we started our new Maths topic of measuring weight and mass. The children did some excellent comparison work today, measuring objects from our classroom and deciding which was heavier and which was lighter. 

Things you can do to help your child next week:

• Talk about ‘mass’ in terms of ‘heavier than’ and ‘lighter than’
• Read and share their favourite story at home, it would be lovely if they could bring it in and talk about it in class too!
• Choose a favourite London landmark and research some facts about it
• Think about what food webs might be happening in and around where we live in time to tell Paul on Tuesday

Have a delightful weekend, it is Run4Rosie and the sun is supposed to be shining!
Best wishes, 
​Miss Coleman

It has been lovely to welcome Miss Coleman back into Beech Class this week, as she prepares for her return on Monday.  This will ensure a smooth transition, so the children can continue with their learning without disruption. 
A huge thank you for sending in photos of your children reading in unusual places!  I have loved receiving these images by email, and we have a vibrant display in our classroom in celebration of World Book Day.  As I write, it is Thursday evening (my day off), but I can’t wait to find out from Miss Barton how the day went.  I’m sure the children had fun and hopefully have ideas of new books and authors to explore.
Cross curricular links help to cement learning, and a fine example of this was in our outdoor learning session on Tuesday.  Paul from Devon Wildlife had organised for the children to do a wildlife habitat survey in the school grounds.  One task to be done was to measure a hedge using strides.  This linked perfectly with our Maths topic of Length and Height: the children have been exploring non-standard units of measurement.  They have been measuring items in the classroom using cubes, lollipop sticks, and their hands.  So, to have the very practical application of measuring a hedge using strides was a lightbulb moment: people do this in real life!
‘Artis Everywhere’ is a project funded by the Arts Council, that we’ll be using in order to provide weekly creative sessions to enhance our Science topic of ‘Building Materials’.  On Wednesday, Beech Class explored the material of glass through mime, music and movement.  Toward the end of the session, children practised mirroring each other and were pretty good at it!  This is a great example of kinaesthetic learning where children learn through doing and having a ‘hands on’ experience.
Things you can do to help your child next week:

• Talk about ‘mass’ in terms of ‘heavier than’ and ‘lighter than’
• Make some cakes and measure out ingredients together
• Research The Underground in London
• Notice the changes in the season in time to tell Paul on Tuesday

As always, thank you for your kindness, support and patience.
Very best wishes,
Audra Fitzgerald

The newly formed Beech Class are enjoying their more spacious learning environment and have settled in well. It’s great to be able to focus on the Year 1 curriculum and plan lessons that specifically meet their needs. I’ve already noticed a difference in engagement: the children have more opportunity to speak and be listened to for a start.
So, what’s in store for this half-term? Our Maths topics are Length and Height, followed by Weight and Volume, giving plenty of opportunity for practical Maths activities with a ‘real life’ application. Your child may want to help with measuring out ingredients or want to know how tall everyone is in the family.
Many of our English objectives will be covered through Read, Write Inc., although we are hoping to do some extra handwriting practice in class and develop writing through Science, Geography and RE.
Our Science topic is ‘Building Things’, which links with the work we did before Christmas on ‘Materials’. The children will learn to investigate, using scientific methods, the effects of water and wind on different (unconventional) building materials. They will design a structure and test its suitability using the skills of prediction and observation.
London is the focus for our Geography topic. Beech Class will consider what a city is like to live in and how people get around using public transport. They will identify London landmarks and find out what job the Mayor of London does. We will learn about The Great Fire of London and Guy Fawkes.
In RE the children will think about what it means to belong to a faith community. We will learn about welcoming traditions (for example, Baptism) and the promises adults make to each other at a wedding. We will look at symbolism relating to these events in different faiths.
Mrs Edwards will continue to teach PE skills on a Monday. I know she’s hoping to use the outdoor space, so please make sure your child has leggings or joggers in their PE bags. We’ll be exploring our new scheme, ‘Real PE’, on a Tuesday which to date, is proving to be very popular with Chagford children!
Outdoor learning with Paul from Devon Wildlife will take place on Tuesday afternoons. Paul will explore nature and habitats within the school grounds, by encouraging the children to wonder, imagine and notice; vital characteristics for pioneering scientists. Not only will this be great Science work, but will also contribute to positive well-being.
Things you can do to help your child next week:
• Take a photo of your child reading in an unusual place and send to me via email
• Practise skip counting in 2s and 5s (2,4,6,8 etc.)
• Use the language ‘shorter’ and ‘taller’ in everyday contexts
• Look at a map and identify roads, towns, cities etc. Perhaps explore ‘Google Maps’
Enjoy the sunshine this weekend.
Audra Fitzgerald

Our friends at the #MaryAnningRocks campaign were so impressed with this brilliant model of Mary Anning, the trailblazing fossil hunter and palaeontologist from Lyme Regis, that they have promised to send us stickers for all the children who learned all about her in Beech Class last term. Great model making and what great Chagford Champions..

Did you have a great Pancake Day? We did! Look at this lovely confident writing - well done Beech Class.