Mulberry Class Forest School - 11.5.26

 Mulberry Class Forest School - 11.5.26

Mulberry class had lots of fun in their final session of forest school this morning. We were hoping for some sunny weather but we still enjoyed welcoming in the summer with some maypole dancing. The children had the opportunity to make their own mini maypoles as well. 

We had our fire and the children remembered that we needed the balance of heat, fuel and oxygen to get our fire started. The children toasted marshmallows and squashed them into brioche. There was the opportunity to crush some ice to add to our drinks and the children enjoyed crushing this using mallets. We finished off with the next chapter of our story ‘Through the eyes of a tree’.

Year 1: What We Are Learning

 

Year 1: What We Are Learning 

In year one this week, we have been learning about germs and why handwashing is our best defence against getting sick. 

To see germs in action, we conducted a ‘Pepper and Soap’ experiment. We used black pepper to represent germs floating on water. The children were amazed to see that when they touched the water with their fingers, the “germs” stuck to them! However, once we added soap to our fingers, the pepper instantly moved away from our fingers to the edge of the bowl!

In KS1 each week, our pupils have been taking part in the University of Broadford Sports, which is designed to develop and strengthen new skills. Every Thursday from 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm, classes will rotate through a variety of exciting physical activities. From the high-energy Interactive Squash and Athletics to the mindful movements of Yoga and Dance, there is something for everyone. Pupils develop skills such as mastering skipping and and participate in Fun Fitness challenges.Each session is underpinned by our 4Rs of Resilience, Reflectiveness, Resourcefulness, or Reciprocity, helping pupils grow both physically and mentally.

In science this week, Year 1 learned about deciduous trees. The children explored what makes a tree deciduous and talked about how these trees lose their leaves in autumn. They learned that as the weather becomes colder and there is less sunlight, trees stop making as much food. The leaves change colour, dry out and eventually fall off helping the tree to conserve energy through the winter months. The children enjoyed sharing their ideas, describing what they noticed about different trees and explaining how seasonal changes affect the natural world around them. 

Well done Year 1 for an amazing week - keep up all your brilliant work! 

Year 1; Certificates: Friday 8th May 2026

 

Well done to all the children that have received certificates this week!

Walnut

E for Excellence: Daniel

Star Writer: Milan

Resilience: Eva 

Beech

E for Excellence: Uma

Star Writer: Dakshika

Teacher Happy: Abdul Mateen

 

Apricot

E for Excellence: Patrick

Star Writer: Jazelle

Resilience: Zayna

Resilience - These children have demonstrated perseverance, managed distractions, noticed patterns and been absorbed in their tasks.

 

Reciprocity - These children have shown interdependence, collaborated effectively, listened to others, displayed empathy and have imitated effective ideas and methods from others. 

Reflectiveness - These pupils have planned carefully, revised ideas, identified key features and can talk about their learning. 

Resourcefulness - These pupils have been curious about their learning, made links between ideas, shown imagination, reasoned methodically and capitalised on resources. 

Year 2 Forest School 8.5.26

 Year 2 Forest School 8.5.26

Mulberry class enjoyed thinking about the water cycle this morning and doing some water activities. They learnt how to tie a half hitch knot and used this to make mini rafts. They found items in nature that float and sink and made nature pictures with spray bottles. The children also enjoyed watching a caterpillar explore the hedge. 

Year 2 Certificates - 8.5.26

 

Well done to all the children that have received certificates this week!

Mulberry 

 E for Excellence:Riya

Star Writer: Zara

Reflectiveness: Kailan

Resourcefulness: Robert

Resilience: Abdullah

Reciprocity:Ellie 

Pine

E for Excellence: Neveah

Star Writer: Jack

Resilience: Leandro

Resourcefulness: Prakhyati

Reciprocity: Amelia

Reflectiveness: Keon

Rowan

E for Excellence: Eliza

Star Writer: Zayba

Resilience: Surabhi

Reciprocity: Romil 

.

Resilience - These children have demonstrated perseverance, managed distractions, noticed patterns and been absorbed in their tasks.

 

Reciprocity - These children have shown interdependence, collaborated effectively, listened to others, displayed empathy and have imitated effective ideas and methods from others. 

Reflectiveness - These pupils have planned carefully, revised ideas, identified key features and can talk about their learning. 

Resourcefulness - These pupils have been curious about their learning, made links between ideas, shown imagination, reasoned methodically and capitalised on resources. 

Year 2 - Learning Blog

 

This week, the children have been completing a song called Friendship. They have loved learning the words and are often caught singing this very catchy tune in the classroom or the playground.

The children are learning to keep in time with the tempo and to count in to the rhythm of the songs.

As we begin to approach the Havering Music Festival, the children will be learning new songs, which I am sure they will be singing to you at home.

Here is a copy of the song if you would like to practise with your child. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k8cpUkKK4c

Year 2 Havering Music Festival - Friday 5th June 2026

 Year 2 Havering Music Festival - Friday 5th June 2026

Dear Parents/ Carers, 

Havering Music Festival: Friday 5th June 2026

On Friday 5th June 2026, Year 2 pupils will be visiting Hilldene Primary School. The pupils will have the chance to participate in the Havering Music festival where they will perform songs alongside other local primary schools. On the day of the trip, children need to arrive in the morning at normal school time (8.30am) and we will be leaving promptly at 9.30am and returning to school before lunch. 

Children should wear normal school uniform and comfortable shoes and will need to bring with them/ wear on the day the following: 

• A waterproof coat.  

• A hat and suncream (if we are fortunate enough to have hot weather). 

If you are able to volunteer and join us on that day, please speak to your child’s class teacher.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Miss Wyatt                   
Year Group Lead    

Year 1 Barleylands Trip - Wednesday 3rd June 2026

 Year 1 - Barleylands Visit

Barleylands Trip

On Wednesday, 3rd June, Year 1 children will be visiting Barleylands. The children will have the chance to walk around the farm and participate in an educational demonstration. On the day of the trip, children need to arrive in the morning at normal school time (8.30am) and we will be leaving promptly at 9.00am and returning to school at approximately 3pm. 

The cost of the travel and entrance fee must be paid for and we must ask that you make a voluntary contribution of £20 per child to cover these costs. This must be paid via ParentPay. In accordance with the New Education Reform Bill there is no obligation for parents to pay the voluntary contribution and no pupil will be omitted from the visit because their parents are unwilling or unable to pay. However, in practice, educational visits can only take place if sufficient contributions are received. If sufficient donations are not received, we may need to cancel the visit. 

Children should wear normal school uniform and comfortable shoes and will need to bring with them/ wear on the day the following:

• A waterproof coat.  

• Packed lunch in a named, plastic (disposable) bag.  

• A hat and suncream (if we are fortunate enough to have hot weather). 

Please click here to pay via ParentPay.

Please complete the following permission and lunch request form by Wednesday 20th May 2026.

https://forms.gle/z3W2CspjQZU3eU1V6 

Many thanks for your continued support.

The Year 1 Team 

Beech Class Forest School

Beech Class Forest School

This week at Forest School, the children explored nature using their senses. We discussed the five main senses, focusing on touch and sight.

The children enjoyed a “feely bag” activity, using their hands to describe and guess natural objects such as conkers and feathers, using words like smooth, bumpy, hard, and soft. They also used binoculars to look for birds and made simple bird feeders by threading cereal onto pipe cleaners.

To further explore touch, the children took part in a barefoot trail, walking on materials like sand, leaves, sticks, and water. They described the sensations using words such as soft, cold, itchy, and sharp. Many children really enjoyed this sensory experience.

Year 1; Certificates: Friday 1st May 2026

 

 

Well done to all the children that have received certificates this week!

Walnut

E for Excellence: Layla

Star Writer: Damir

Reflectiveness: Mia

Beech

E for Excellence: Leon

Star Writer: Ziyon

Trackers: Prisha, Leonor

Teacher Happy: Chynna

Apricot

E for Excellence: Nirgun

Star Writer: Nathan

Reflectiveness: Leighton

Year 1: What We Are Learning

 

Year 1: What We Are Learning 

In Art this week, we have been diving into the fluid and

experimental world of watercolour. The children have been

exploring how paint behaves when it meets water,

discovering that art can sometimes be a series of

"happy accidents".The children experimented with

several professional techniques:

Wet on Dry: Painting onto dry paper

for sharp, controlled marks.Wet on Wet: Dropping paint onto damp paper

to watch the colours bleed and bloom.

We have looked at the work of professional artists

Paul Klee and Emma Burleigh. By discussing

their styles, the children learned how artists use watercolour to

express feelings and tell stories, which they then applied

to their own explorations.

This week in maths we have been focusing on halves and quarters through engaging and practical activities! We started with some paper folding and cutting to master the art of making two equal halves. Next we used playdough to introduce quarters to the children, as they found different ways to cut the playdough shapes into 4 equal parts. This allowed the children to investigate various methods of partitioning. Next we will move onto finding a half and a quarter of a quantity! 

In History this week, we learned about why the World Wide Web is important and how it helps us find information quickly. We tried different ways to find answers like using books, iPads and asking an adult or a friend. We talked about what was easy or tricky and discovered that iPads can be the quickest way to find information while books and asking others can also be helpful but be more challenging and time consuming.

Well done Year 1 for an amazing week - keep up all your brilliant work!

Year 2 - Learning Blog

                                                        

A very creative week for Year 2, as the children have been completing performances while reciting poetry. They have been learning about the different features of a poem, and this week the focus was on repeated phrases. The children also followed the rhythm of the poem by clapping and speaking in time with one another.

We experienced some fantastic performances, and the children came up with some fabulous movements to accompany their poems. A wonderful lesson enjoyed by all.

Here are some examples of repeated phases poems. Enjoy!

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly:

OH Dear:

Year 2 Certificates - 1.5.26

 

Well done to all the children that have received certificates this week!

Mulberry 

 E for Excellence: Darcy-Leigh

Star Writer: Ethan

Reflectiveness: Arya

Resourcefulness: Montana

Resilience: Zara

Reciprocity:Alice 

Pine

E for Excellence: Kotryna

Star Writer: Mason H

Resilience: Tayo

Resourcefulness: Teodor

Reciprocity: Sienna-Rae

Reflectiveness: Medina

Rowan

E for Excellence: Sadhana

Star Writer: Sriyan

Resilience: Andrei

Reflective: Zach and Romil

Teacher Happy: Zenaya

.

Resilience - These children have demonstrated perseverance, managed distractions, noticed patterns and been absorbed in their tasks.

 

Reciprocity - These children have shown interdependence, collaborated effectively, listened to others, displayed empathy and have imitated effective ideas and methods from others. 

Reflectiveness - These pupils have planned carefully, revised ideas, identified key features and can talk about their learning. 

Resourcefulness - These pupils have been curious about their learning, made links between ideas, shown imagination, reasoned methodically and capitalised on resources. 

Year 2 - 1666 Day - Wednesday 3rd June 2026

 Year 2 - 1666 Day - Wednesday 3rd June 2026

We are excited to share that on Wednesday 3rd June, Year 2 will be stepping back in time for a special “1666 Day” at Broadford Primary School!

This day is designed to bring our recent topic to life, helping the children to deepen their understanding through a range of fun, hands-on experiences. Throughout the day, pupils will take part in a variety of activities linked to The Great Fire of London, including drama, writing, DT and art. These activities will encourage creativity, teamwork and imagination, while reinforcing key learning from our recent topic.

To make the day even more immersive, we would love the children to come to school dressed in clothing inspired by the time period. Please don’t feel any pressure to buy anything new-simple, homemade outfits work perfectly well. Here are a few easy and affordable ideas:

A plain shirt or blouse with dark trousers or a skirt

A long skirt with an apron

A waistcoat or oversized shirt (belted at the waist)

Neutral or earthy colours (brown, cream, grey, black)

A tea towel or scarf worn as a head covering

Simple accessories like a belt or fabric sash

The aim is to give a general impression of the period rather than an exact historical costume, so creativity is very welcome!

We are really looking forward to an engaging and memorable day and we hope the children are just as excited as we are.

Thank you for your continued support.

The Year 2 Team

Mulberry Class Forest School - Monday 27th April 2026

 Mulberry Class Forest School - Monday 27th April 2026

Mulberry class had a lovely morning learning how to light their own fires. They had a metal tray to contain their fire, fluffed up the cotton wool (fuel) so the oxygen could flow through it and used a flint and steel to make the spark (heat). They thought about safety and made sure they were in the respect position (kneeling on one knee and one knee up).

Everyone had fun playing foxes and rabbits. There was time to look at the tadpoles, go on minibeast hunts and make a forest person if they chose to. Lots of resilience was shown throughout the fire lighting. Well done everyone.

Beech Class Forest School session 24/04/2026

 It was great to have Beech Class back for their second block of Forest School sessions. Today’s session was based on the traditional tale Little Red Riding Hood.

We began by reading the story together before setting off on our own forest adventure, following a trail from Red Riding Hood’s house to Grandma’s cottage. The children carefully stayed on the path to avoid the Big Bad Wolf, using their balance and coordination to navigate obstacles along the way.

To sharpen our listening skills—“Oh, what big ears you have!”—the children wore blindfolds and tuned into the sounds of nature. We then focused on our looking skills—“Oh, what big eyes you have!”—with a nature scavenger hunt. Using binoculars and magnifying glasses, the children explored enthusiastically, and one child discovered a tiny caterpillar inside an acorn cup.

We also visited the school pond, where the children confidently explained the tadpole life cycle and spotted a water snail.

Finally, we explored “Oh, what big teeth you have!” by enjoying a healthy fruit snack, just like the treats Red Riding Hood carried for her Grandma.

Year 1: What We Are Learning

 

Year 1: What We Are Learning 

This week Year 1 had a fantastic time visiting St. George’s Church! One highlight from our trip was the scavenger hunt where the children had to scour the church to find significant items such as the font, holy water and the holding cross. We were really impressed by the fantastic and curious questions the children asked such as “How many times a week do Christians visit the church?”. The classes listened intently to Reverend Nathan, who shared wonderful insights into the church and Christianity. 

In Literacy this week, we have been learning about compound words. Our children "word engineers" as we explored the wonder of compound words. We’ve been learning what happens during a "word-collision",taking two small, familiar words and putting them together to create something brand new! From turning sun and light into sunlight, to watching rain and drops transform into raindrops, the children have loved discovering these hidden combinations. Our children have been using the conjunction "and" to link their big ideas into longer, flowing sentences.

To wrap up the week, we explored the poem "squirting rainbows". The children drafted their own poems capturing the sights and sounds of the world around them. We are incredibly proud of their growing vocabulary and the confidence they are showing in their independent writing!

Year 1 ALSO… 

Our Year 1 children took part in a fantastic Mini Marathon, completing 26 minutes of physical activity. Whether walking, jogging or running around the playground or trail, every child showed great enthusiasm and determination. Activities were thoughtfully adapted so that everyone could take part and succeed. We are so proud of their effort, resilience and positive attitude!

Well done Year 1 for an amazing week - keep up all your brilliant work!