This term in Beech Class we will be continuing to read The Legends of King Arthur. The children have been building up their tracking and reading stamina, learning to apply their phonics knowledge to decode new, longer words. They are developing their ability to be expressive and add emphasis to the correct words to get the meaning across. 

The children will be using the text to write instructions for Arthur on how to be a king. This will involve demonstrating their knowledge of time adverbials and imperative verbs in order to sequence the steps Arthur took in the story. They will then retell the events of the story, exploring how to use speech and descriptive writing to keep a reader entertained. 

Throughout all our literacy lessons, whether English, Phonics, or Whole Class Reading, the children will be practising their letter formation and positioning to ensure that their work is neat, presentable and easy to read. 

In Maths, we are exploring our unit on fractions, with the children learning to recognise and find half of a shape and amount. They will understand that halves are two equal parts of a whole. We will then build on this by learning that quarters are four equal parts of a whole, which will then lead into learning about 3/4. Deepening our understanding, we will also look at how 2/4 and ½ are equivalent. We will finish off by learning about thirds. Then, our final topic of the year will be Time, looking at telling the time at o’clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to the hour. The children will then use this knowledge in order to calculate duration.

In Science this term we are looking at Materials and Magnets, finding out about different everyday materials and their properties. We will be learning why certain materials are used for particular purposes and conducting an investigation. We will also explore and learn about magnets and how they can repel and attract some materials, as well as each other. 

Our topic in History is Prime Ministers and Parliament, where we will be progressing from our knowledge of the Magna Carta, to the Bill of Rights. We will also be looking at important historical figures, such as Robert Walpole, Simon DeMontfort, and King James II. By the end of the unit, the children should have an understanding about the powers and role of the Prime Minister and how elections work in the UK. 

In Art we are studying sculpture, learning about different artists create 3D art. We will be diving in and creating our own work, inspired by artists such as Giacometti and Degas. We will be working with different media, such as plaster, clay, as well as using pipe cleaners and tin foil to create an armature. 



In RE, we will be looking at the question: Why do Jewish families say so many prayers and blessings? This will involve learning about Jewish festivals, celebrations and traditions such as Sukkot and Shabbat, finding out ways in which Jewish people demonstrate their thankfulness towards God.