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Spotlight on: Year 3 & Year 4

Spotlight on: Year 3 & Year 4

Our Year 3 and Year 4 teachers on their year group's activities this term

Year 3 – Mrs Fiona McWilliam and Mrs Carolyn Johnson

We cannot believe that the end of the academic year is nearly upon us. What a fantastic bunch of girls and what fun we have had during their time with us. We are really proud of all that they have achieved both personally and as a year group and we hope that they have enjoyed the learning as much as we have enjoyed teaching them. These last few weeks have been very busy. As you already know we had a superb trip to Houghton Mill, reinforcing our work on the local environment. This gave the girls a chance to enjoy beautiful surroundings, discover a little about the working mill and its significance in providing ground flour for places as far away as London.

The girls discussed further features such as the river and a working lock and looked closely at the plants and wildlife that inhabit a riverside location. As well as the teaching of the curriculum topics, these occasions are also important for developing social responsibilities and having fun and, as ever, the girls were wonderfully behaved and had a happy day.

Later in the week we went to the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens where we were again blessed with lovely weather and were able to reinforce our work on plants in particular. The girls went on a treasure hunt and had to locate specific gardens and objects. We also had the chance to question their knowledge, and visitors who met us were very impressed with the girls’ knowledge of photosynthesis, symbiosis, what lichen is and how plants adapt to different environments. Favourite areas were the scented garden and the stepping stones!

In other areas of the curriculum it has been business as usual. We are coming to the end of the Mathematics syllabus and look forward to assessing the girls to see how much they have learnt.

Dads, you will have all had a wonderful present from your daughter for Father’s Day and we hope that you are impressed with the girls’ sewing skills! Further artwork this half term includes collage work and printing and the girls’ artwork for the Ely Cathedral Science Festival, which has been on display this month.

The focus in PE has very much been on learning the rudiments of cricket and practising for sports day next week. We were pleased with the decision to begin teaching cricket as it is such an inclusive sport. The skills are tricky and so any games over the holiday, even on the beach, would be great for the girls. We are now on to overarm bowling!

We have been learning about Holy places and more recently looking at our ‘gifts’ and talents. The girls were excited to move up to their new Year 4 classes on induction day, and had a wonderful time with their new teachers. May we take this opportunity to thank you for your support and kindness this year.

Year 4 – Mrs Samantha Duncan and Mr Daniel Taylor

What a wonderful school year it has been. The girls in Year 4 have worked very hard to improve their academic, social, and athletic skills, and the results at the end of the Summer Term demonstrate their excellent progress. We have really enjoyed our time working with each of the girls, and watching the pupils in both classes grow into strong young ladies who are more than ready for Year 5. Mr Taylor has been especially impressed during his first year at the Junior School, and the girls have made this a great final year for Mrs Duncan. Thanks to all of the girls from Year 4 for their passion and dedication in school!

Despite a busy assessment schedule this week the girls have been learning to recite some of Shakespeare’s most famous sonnets. They have learnt what they are, and how they use iambic pentameter, and with the warm weather the girls have been practising performing them with appropriate expression outside in the Junior School woodland. Pictured is Evani G. reciting Sonnet 130.

The girls have also continued their learning about The Tudors, and pictured here is Anoushka B. with her Tudor Puppet Pals animation that she created of Shakespeare reciting his favourite sonnet too. The girls have really enjoyed learning the sonnets and having the opportunity to practise their information technology skills to help them record and learn their chosen sonnets.

The Year 4 group has been very lucky this term as they were given another opportunity to enjoy a STEM project with Mrs Tessa Shercliff, STEM co-ordinator. Throughout the first half of the term, the girls learnt about how sound is created, what the difference is between pitch and volume, how we can measure volume, and what materials are best suited to muffle loud sounds. During the second half of the term, in keeping with the Tudor theme, the girls designed their own Tudor-style instruments and began creating them using various materials supplied by Mrs Shercliff. The girls explored many different skills such as sawing, drilling, and using glue guns - and we’re all very excited to see the finished instruments by the end of term!