Kestrel Class - for Year 5 and 6

Children in Kestrel Class are expected to complete the following each week:

• 1 Doodle Maths activity
• 1 Doodle English activity
• 10 minutes of reading each day (or this can be done in longer sessions over the weekend)
• Weekly spellings, handed out on Fridays, to be practised in preparation for a test on Tuesdays

Kestrel Class has made a brilliant start to the term, settling confidently into new routines and responsibilities. Pupils have embraced their class jobs and are showing great teamwork and independence. In English, we’ve been honing our skills in handwriting, spelling, and punctuation, with a strong focus on building fluency and accuracy. Our Math lessons have centered around developing a solid understanding of place value, laying the foundations for future learning.

Guided reading has been a real highlight, as we’ve delved into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The magical world of Narnia has sparked lively discussions—especially around the snowy scenes, which have us all looking forward to the festive season! In art, we’ve explored self-expression through self-portraits, celebrating individuality and creativity. Weekly swimming sessions and Forest School have been standout moments, offering opportunities for physical development, outdoor learning, and lots of fun.

It’s been a fantastic start for Kestrel Class, full of enthusiasm, curiosity, and growth. We’re excited to see what the rest of the term brings!

Last week, Kestrel Class explored water resistance in their Science lesson and investigated whether the surface area of an object affects water resistance. They tested this by shaping Blu Tack into different shapes and timing how long each shape took to sink in water. After collecting the data, the class learnt how to calculate the mean average to compare results. It was a fun and practical session that combined science and math skills. As summarised by a Year 6 girl "It was a really fun lesson because we got to use water, blu tack, ipads and I got to work with my friends. "

Kestrel Class has had a wonderfully busy term! In writing, we’ve been diving into character descriptions, bringing Miss Trunchbull to life through vivid details about her actions, speech, and personality. Maths has kept us on our toes with our daily Tough 10 arithmetic challenges.  We’ve honed our multiplication and division skills and applied them to problem-solving challenges. Science has been hands-on and exciting as we explored forces through practical experiments on gravity, air resistance, and water resistance. Guided reading has introduced us to a range of texts, and our magical daily story time under the fairy lights has been a highlight, with everyone taking turns to relax in the cosy calm corner while listening to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

 In PSHE, we have reflected on celebrating differences, focusing on kindness, anti-bullying, racism and the impact of rumours. Singing practice is in full swing for our upcoming carol concert and in Topic lessons we’ve been investigating why population has changed over time.  In RE, we have started learning about Islam and its beliefs and practices. Kestrel children have enjoyed playtimes, muddy mornings in Forest School, Kahoot quizzes and so much more! Overall, it’s been a brilliant term  so far filled with learning, laughter and countless moments of curiosity and joy!

It was wonderful to be able to showcase the great learning completed by Kestrel Class during our open evening event. We're so proud of them.