Forest School
Year 4 have been really enjoying forest school with Chris. This week’s focus has been:
- using tools to fix equipment
- making clay mushrooms
- fire lighting
Living and Learning: Me and My Community week
We had a busy end to our Me and My Community themed week.
First of all, we had an online meeting with Year 4 at St James’ where we learnt about their identity and community. The children thought of some interesting questions to find this out. There were some similarities but also some differences. 
Baz Green from Moortown Community Group came to visit to share what the group do and how we can help to make Moortown an even better place.
Finally, we had chance to share what makes us all special as part of our identity day.
Help at home: ask your child about this learning and how they will ensure they respect their communities and other communities too.
Living and Learning – Me and My Community Week
During this Living and Leaning themed week, the children have had the opportunity to explore and celebrate the communities they belong to. Respect has been a key theme throughout the week; children have also reflected on self-respect.
Some highlights of our week so far have been:
- Our visit to the Marjorie and Arnold Ziff Community Centre to learn about how this centre supports the surrounding community. The children took part in a movement class with some of the people who regularly visit the centre.
- Becky and Chloe (with Dezzie the guide dog), from the RNIB, talked to us about what life is like for people who are visually impaired or blind. The children tried on different glasses to give them an idea of how sight can be affected. To find out more information, please visit RNIB.
- Picture News have delivered webinars on the British Values and the Protected Characteristics.
Well done, Year 4. You’ve participated in some excellent discussions this week.
Saturday morning cross country races
The Leeds Schools Sports Association Saturday morning KS2 cross country races will start next month at Cardinal Heenan.
These races are competitive and the distances are approximately 900m for Year 3 and 4 and approximately 1500m for Year 5 and 6. Races start at 10am.
There are four races across the year.
Race 1 7th November – Cardinal Heenan
Race 2 28th November – The Clearings (Middleton)
Race 3 27th February – Woodhouse Grove
Race 4 13th March – Prince Henry’s Grammar School
You can sign up via Arbor and you don’t need to enter all four races. Due to a new registration system, only register your child if you are sure you can attend.
Well done!
Year 4 – well done for completing a fabulous first half term.
You’ve demonstrated excellent learning attitudes and we’ve had great fun learning!
Have a wonderful rest over half term and we look forward to seeing you all soon.
Mrs Wadsworth, Miss Akhtar and Mrs Taylor
Living and Learning – I can take part in democratic decisions.
I can take part in democratic decisions.
Today, the children had the opportunity to take part in the Junior Leadership Team elections. They were given time to prepare and deliver a speech. After the speeches, the children took part in a vote using ballot papers and the ballot box.
Well done to everyone who stood up and delivered their speech – you were all amazing.
Well done to our new class Junior Leadership Team representatives!
History debate
This week, the children took part in a History debate to discuss the question ‘Should The Elgin Marbles be returned to Greece?’. The children really engaged in the discussion and provided strong arguments to argue both sides. They spoke clearly and took turns.
Help at home by asking your child about their point of view.
Half term football opportunity
Here’s a new football venture starting locally during half term.
Living & Learning: Me and my community week 2 November
Our next whole school themed week, based around identity, diversity and community, will be taking place from Monday 2nd November. This is the first of two themed weeks in the year. In our ‘Me and My Community’ week, children will learn about what it means to belong to a community, from family to national or even international communities. Importantly, our children will also learn to respect and celebrate different communities.
Active travel in the community
We encourage children to get out in the community in an active way on their way to and from school. By walking/scooting/biking to school, families will be keeping our community safer and healthier by reducing congestion at the school gate. Maybe even pick up a piece of litter on the way. Even by parking further away from school your child could then travel the final part of their journey by foot, bike or scooter.
Email us ([email protected]) a picture of your active travel, maybe by a landmark in our community on your route to school, for the chance to win one of three vouchers. Entries to be submitted by 4pm on Thursday 5th November.
New school charity
At the end of the themed week, classes will have the chance to discuss our charity shortlist and the Junior Leadership Team will have the final vote for which charity they would like our school to support, replacing our current charity, Martin House Hospice.
Identity day
Friday 6th November will be a non-uniform Identity Day. Children are invited to dress in clothing that represents part of their identity, for example uniform from a club they attend, a team they are part of or support or traditional dress to represent their heritage. There is no donation or contribution required for this day.
SAVE THE DATE PTA coffee morning Friday 6th November 9-10am
As part of the week, we welcome all parents and carers to an informal coffee morning to meet other members of our school community including representatives from the PTA. A whole school community Wake up Shake up will follow at 9:50am in the main playground.
Can you help?
Maybe you speak another language and you would be happy to speak to children about this or you would like to share about your own family culture and heritage. If so, please contact the office to pass on your details. Also, do you have any local community links that may support our week?
Science
This half-term in Science, Year 4 are biologists and we are learning all about living things and their habitats.
Biology is the study of living things.
We’ve been grouping and classifying animals and have used classification keys to help us do so.
All animals can be classified as either vertebrates (animals with a spine) or invertebrates (animals without a spine).
There are five types of vertebrates that we’ve explored:
- mammals
- birds
- fish
- reptiles
- amphibians
A classification key helps scientists identify things using closed questions (‘yes’ or ‘no’). We’ve been using classification keys to classify a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates and writing our own yes/no questions.
Then, we used this scientific enquiry question to explore The Green.
What living things do we have in our local area and how does this change over the year?
We used a tally chart to record our findings.
How might these observations change at a different time of year?
Help at home: look at this classification key with your child. Can they complete it and explain their reasoning?
