School & Class News

Our First Class boys transformed into little scientists this week as we rolled up our sleeves and stepped into the world of exciting science experiments!

There was great excitement in the classroom as we explored, investigated and experimented — all while having lots of fun.

🌈 Making Our Own Lava Lamps
The boys created their very own lava lamps, carefully layering liquids and observing what happened when different substances mixed together. The real excitement began when we added a small piece of a vitamin C tablet to our mixtures…

Suddenly, we watched in amazement as bubbles formed, foam began to rise through the test tubes, and our mini “eruptions” came to life! It was like having our own colourful volcanic reaction right in the classroom.

The room was filled with gasps, cheers and lots of curious questions!

🔬 Using Real Scientific Equipment
Our First Class boys got the chance to act as real scientists by using proper scientific equipment such as:

• Test tubes
• Droppers
• Measuring tools
• Recording sheets
  They handled the equipment carefully and responsibly, showing fantastic maturity and focus.

🧠 The Skills We Used
Throughout the experiment, the boys were developing important scientific skills. They had to:

• Measure ingredients carefully
• Predict what they thought might happen
• Investigate how the reaction worked
• Examine the changes taking place
• Record their results
  They discussed their observations, compared results with their classmates and thought about why the reaction occurred.

🌟 The Benefits of Hands-On Science
Engaging in practical science experiments like this helps children to:

• Develop curiosity and critical thinking
• Build problem-solving skills
• Strengthen measuring and observation skills
• Improve fine motor control
• Grow in confidence when sharing ideas
• Learn how to follow steps and procedures carefully
  Most importantly, it shows them that learning can be exciting, active and full of discovery.

The boys absolutely loved being scientists for the day — and who knows? We may have some future chemists in our classroom! 🧪✨

Well done to our fantastic First Class Lava Lab Legends!

Our First Class boys have been busy balancing, stretching and moving their way through an exciting block of gymnastics — and what a fantastic experience it has been!

From the very first session, there was a real buzz of energy and enthusiasm in the hall. The boys showed brilliant effort, courage and determination as they learned new skills and challenged themselves in fun and active ways.

🤸 What We’ve Been Learning
Throughout our gymnastics lessons, the boys explored:

• Different types of balances
• Safe and controlled rolls
• Creative shapes using their bodies
• Travelling movements such as jumping, hopping and sliding
• Simple sequences, linking movements together
  They worked both individually and alongside their classmates, supporting and encouraging one another every step of the way.

💪 The Benefits of Gymnastics
Gymnastics is not just about movement — it supports so many areas of development:

• Strength and flexibility
• Balance and coordination
• Body awareness and control
• Confidence and resilience
• Listening and concentration skills
• Teamwork and respect for others
  The boys learned how to move safely, take turns, and challenge themselves to improve each week. We saw huge growth in their confidence — especially when they mastered a new skill they had been practising!

🌟 Fun, Fitness & Big Smiles
Most importantly, the boys had great fun and truly enjoyed every session. There were big smiles, lots of laughter, and a wonderful sense of achievement throughout.

It has been fantastic to watch their confidence grow as they realised what their bodies are capable of. Our First Class boys are becoming stronger, braver and more coordinated with every lesson!

We are so proud of their effort and positive attitude — they really are gymnastics superstars in the making! 🏅✨

Our First Class boys have been busy engineers lately as we dived into Active Maths, making learning and exploring mathematical concepts fun, hands-on, and exciting!

This month, our focus was on 3D shapes — and we didn’t just look at them… we built them!

🍝 Building 3D Shapes with Spaghetti & Marshmallows
Using spaghetti, toothpicks, and mini marshmallows, the boys worked as real-life shape designers to construct their very own 3D models. This creative approach turned our classroom into a mini construction site!

We explored and built:

• Cubes
• Cuboids
• Square-based pyramids
• Triangular-based pyramids
• And many more amazing structures!
  The spaghetti and toothpicks became the edges, while the marshmallows acted as the corners (vertices) — a tasty (but not for eating! 😉) way to understand how 3D shapes are formed.

🔍 Exploring Shape Characteristics
As they built, the boys discussed the properties of each shape, including:

• How many faces does it have?
• How many edges?
• How many corners (vertices)?
• Are the faces squares, rectangles, or triangles?
  By physically creating the shapes, they could clearly see and count each feature, helping them to truly understand the structure of 3D shapes rather than just memorising facts.

🤝 Independent & Partner Work
The boys worked both independently and with partners, developing:

• Problem-solving skills
• Teamwork and communication
• Mathematical vocabulary
• Persistence and resilience
• Fine motor skills
  Working with partners encouraged discussion, collaboration, and sharing ideas — especially when a shape didn’t quite stand up the first time! 😊

🌟 The Benefits of Active Maths
Exploring 3D shapes in this hands-on way helped the boys:

Deepen their understanding through practical experience
Visualise abstract mathematical concepts
Strengthen spatial awareness
Build confidence in explaining their thinking
Stay engaged and motivated
Most importantly, it showed them that maths is not just something we write in copies — it’s something we can build, explore, and experience.

Our First Class boys have been busy becoming Money Masters over the past few weeks as we explored the topic of money using Active Maths — and what a fantastic learning journey it has been!

Through hands-on, practical activities, the boys developed a wide range of important maths skills while having lots of fun along the way.

💵 Learning with Real & Replica Money
We used a mixture of real coins and replica money materials, giving the children the opportunity to explore money in a meaningful and safe way. Handling real coins helped them to:

Recognise different coins and their values
Identify numbers, symbols, and markings
Understand the concept of value
Develop fine motor skills through hands-on exploration
Using replica money allowed them to experiment freely — sorting, grouping, and counting without worry. The boys loved comparing the look, size, colour, and weight of the different coins.

🤝 Working Independently & in Pairs
The boys worked both individually and with partners, building not only their maths skills but also their teamwork and communication skills.

They explored:

Different ways to make the same amount of money
How coins can be combined in multiple ways
Counting on and counting in groups
Checking and explaining their thinking
For example, they discovered that the same total could be made using different combinations of coins — a fantastic way to develop flexible thinking and problem-solving skills.

Working in pairs encouraged discussion, turn-taking, listening skills, and confidence in explaining their mathematical reasoning.

🎨 Exploring Money Through Art
We even brought creativity into our maths lessons!

The boys created money rubbings, placing different coins under an A4 sheet of white paper. Using crayons, they carefully rubbed over the paper to reveal the detailed markings and designs on each coin.

This activity helped them:

Observe and compare the unique features of each coin
Notice shapes, numbers, symbols, and patterns
Strengthen fine motor control
Make cross-curricular links between Maths and Art
The excitement on their faces as the coin designs appeared through the crayon was priceless!

🌟 Skills We Gained
Throughout this topic, the boys developed:

Number recognition
Counting skills
Understanding of value
Problem-solving abilities
Flexible thinking
Communication skills
Teamwork
Fine motor development
Observation skills
Creativity
Most importantly, they learned that maths can be active, hands-on, creative, and fun!

We are so proud of how engaged, enthusiastic, and thoughtful our First Class boys have been during this topic. They truly are Money Masters in the making! 💰✨

Our children have been fully immersed in hands-on learning through the use of our STEAM kits~and what an incredible experience it has been! STEAM kits offer so many benefits: they encourage creative thinking, develop problem-solving skills, strengthen teamwork, and give children the chance to experiment through trial and error. They also help build resilience, curiosity, and confidence as children test ideas, adapt plans, and bring their creations to life.

The children were challenged to plan, design, investigate, create, test, and problem-solve every step of the way. Working together, they used a wide range of useful materials to build all sorts of exciting structures. We saw so many imaginative creations~from powerful tridents, like the ones often linked to King Neptune, the Roman God and ruler of the sea, to impressive bridges and strong house structures.

Their enthusiasm was incredible! The classroom was filled with curious minds discovering new ways to connect pieces, experimenting with stability, and proudly sharing their designs with one another. It’s clear that they truly enjoy investigating, discovering, designing, testing, and creating with our STEAM kits.

What a fantastic display of innovation and teamwork! 🚀💡🛠️