Recently, we have been doing our independent writing based on a persuasive speech and picking something we are passionate about as our focus. For example, a persuasive speech about why we should be getting more sleep in the mornings, why Golden Time should be re-introduced and why school holidays should be longer. We also went to the library to help us focus on our learning as we were typing our speeches on the computers. In maths, we have moved on to our new unit which is ratio. We have been learning to compare numbers using ratio, dividing and multiplying ratio and converting ratio numbers into percentages and decimals. In music, we finished our unit with ukuleles so we tried playing some new songs using the chords we had learnt. To celebrate Storytelling Week, we created a storyboard around the book Journey by Aaron Becker. We then wrote our own setting description based on one of the images in the book. These we shared with some of the Year 3 as part of a storyboard around sharing session.

In Year 6,we have been writing our last plot points for David Attenborough and planning our own independent writing based on feminism. There are 3 people we could choose from: Emmeline Pankhurst, Malala Yousafzai and Anne Frank. In maths, we are on a new unit, which is fractions. During this unit, we convert fractions to add and subtract them. In PE, we have been finalising our archery skills and counting up all our points as it’s our last week doing archery. In history, we have been learning about feminism and what the rules were for women a long time ago. In our music lessons, we have been learning how to play the ukulele, what strings to play and sing the song we have been learning ready to share with parents.

In Year 6 we have been learning about black history - in particular the lives of NASA figures and how they changed the world for many people. The people who we have been focusing on are Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson. They were American mathematicians who faced many barriers but didn’t give up . In DT lessons, we have been preparing to make our  own waistcoats but in the style of WW2 and our unit is called Make do and Mend. We have been writing stories in literacy and have been starting to write our independent write to share to our parents at Fright Night! We have also been doing a new unit in maths which is about common multiples and have just finished our division unit. On a Friday afternoon, we do Science and we have been learning about evolution. Charles Darwin explained that over hundreds of years birds have developed to be able to eat different types of seeds to survive longer. This is called natural selection. We did a little investigation in class to understand this more.

All the groups travelled down to Portland to take part in raft building. A change from the scheduled activity due to the high winds. With all the groups managing to build a raft that would float, they then played a variety of games in the water. With survivor,  Giant swing and zip wire in the afternoon, there is lots to look forward to.

The children enjoyed a trip to Portland sailing centre after lunch. Whilst there, two groups enjoyed Keel boating. Having not experienced this before, the teachers were amazed to see the children get into the Keel boats and disappear into the distance. While they enjoyed roaming the waves, the other two Roebuck groups got wet whilst enjoying an energetic kayak session in the harbour.

Year 6 arrived safely at PGL in Osmington Bay after a good coach journey. The children settled into their rooms and then went on a site tour before eating an evening meal of either fish fingers, meatballs or vegetarian chow mien. They were then entertained by the evening tournament before going to bed.