WELCOME TO THE YEAR 5 AND 6 BLOG FOR THE AUTUMN TERM!  

Week beginning 18th December

We have reached the end of an AWESOME term in UKS2. Please see below just a couple of the lovely activities we have enjoyed to wrap up (pun intended!) the festive countdown in school, and do feel free to check out the Music Blog to see our super music workshop from Monday.

Thank you so much to all of the children in Year 5 and 6 for making our school environment such a wonderful place to be. Your teachers, families and even Ofsted have been absolutely wowed by your incredible learning and ability to share your ideas. Although we are now bidding a sad farewell to Mrs Zerny, we wish her the best of luck in her new school and welcome Miss Shaw to the UKS2 team next term!

I hope that you all have a wonderful break and look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Friday 5th January. 

Miss Kropman x

Week beginning 11th December

In the final full week of the term, UKS2 have been extremely busy completing their units of learning. Year 6 have also made pizzas (with Year 5's turn being next week) and we have also all really enjoyed the EYFS and KS1 Xmas shows! Please check out the music blog to see the musical performances from this week (including choir's amazing performance at Potters Bar Farmers' Market) and also the sports blog to hear how incredible our cross-country team were last Friday after school!

Year 6 had a fantastic day of Design and Technology on Monday, as our unit of work culminated in making a pizza based on our knowledge of the Eatwell Plate. In the morning, we created a dough base (with our knowledge of the role of yeast from our science lessons proving useful!). After this had risen, we spent the afternoon decorating our pizza with our own choices of toppings. Please see below some of our finished pizzas - including some after they had been cooked!

In our latest whole-school House competition, UKS2 competed against each other this morning in a tightly contested Speed Stacking challenge! Each of the houses had been trained magnificently by their house captains, meaning that they entered the competition thoroughly prepared and eager to win! Well done to all of Year 5 and 6 for displaying excellent sporting behaviour and superb stacking skills. The results of our phase were as follows: 4th place - Fire, 3rd place - Earth, 2nd place - Air, 1st place - Water. We are keen to hear the overall results in our next Celebration Assembly!

In their art lesson last week, Miss Shaw set Topaz a brief to design a 3D Christmas tree, using whichever materials they so fancied! They had two sessions to complete this project, with guest judges Miss Kropman and Mrs Davies invited at the end of the afternoon to pick a winner. Well done to all of the children for displaying incredible creativity and festivity and congratulations to the winners: Atoor, Chloe and Max (selected by Miss Kropman) and Lyla and Olivia (selected by Mrs Davies). 

Week beginning 4th December

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas as we have had numerous end of term music assemblies (please see Music Blog) and now prepare to watch EYFS and KS1 plays next week! We have also been planning our pizzas in Design and Technology and working hard in core subjects, too. 

'The Last Wild' narrative in English - Wednesday 6th December

Today, Year 6 explored how Kester might be feeling following the realisation that Sidney had died at the point that we have reached in 'The Last Wild'. Here is Olivia T's FABULOUS extract:

'The cat...You lost the cat.' The wolf-cub's words echoed deep into my soul (that was now also shivering). Heart-broken, I looked over the water's edge; it was all calm and slow. How could this happen? It was like the sky felt empathy for me as he started to cry his dreadful tears. I was depressed. Sidney was gone. I glared at my wild, feeling guilty and in the wrong about what I had caused. I could not seek the strength to be confident and positive for them. Once the pack had disappeared, the wind and leaves blew into my face, leaving all nature behind.

Week beginning 27th November

Despite this being a four day week due to Friday's Occasional Day, we have still managed to fit in a great deal of learning! 

Year 6 have been using a wide range of sources this week to research helpful and harmful micro-organisms and their use in food production. This links to our exciting Design and Technology food unit, which we are starting next week. Please see the photograph examples of their excellent double page spreads! 

Week beginning 20th November

This has been another busy week of interactive learning in UKS2! Please see below to see some of what we have been doing and don't forget to check out the Sports Blog to hear about our amazing Boys Football A Team! 

Year 6 combined forces today to further their understanding of yeast as a micro-organism. We began the day by planning an investigation which will look at the rate of mould over the next two weeks. Taking 2 or 3 slices of bread, the children worked in pairs to decide upon a variable to test - such as temperature, location, being in a sealed/unsealed bag, toasted/untoasted. They then made predictions to suggest which condition would speed up the rate of mould developing. Finally, we all set up the investigations and began to officially record using photographs taken on the Chromebooks. This afternoon, we carried out an investigation where we made two doughs - one with yeast, and one without yeast. Using our knowledge from our last lesson, we made a prediction about which would rise based on how we thought yeast might react with flour. We then measured the height of the dough every 15 minutes throughout the afternoon, before writing a conclusion to explain our findings. In tomorrow's maths lessons, we will be learning how to accurately convert our results table to a line graph! 

Well done, Year 6. Mr Neiman and Miss Kropman were, as always, very impressed with your scientific enquiry skills and understanding today! 

UKS2 had a lovely additional PE lesson this afternoon with a visit from Nicky, owner of Zero Bounds Roundnet. Nicky introduced us to the sport of roundnet, which is a ball game created in 1989 based loosely on concepts from volleyball. The sport is played between two teams who usually have two players each. The players set themselves up in a compass point formation around a small trampoline-like net at the start of each point and then start by serving from one team to another. The aim is to hit the ball back off the net, making it too hard for your opponent to return the ball and thus gain a point! As you can see, UKS2 were clearly naturals at this! Thank you to Mr Nicholson for arranging this (and also for ordering us the equipment so we can continue to play this at school) and to Nicky for such a fast-paced, engaging and fun way to end our week! 

Week beginning 13th November

Please see photographs below to see what we have been learning about in UKS2 this week!

Topaz learnt about the festival of Diwali in an RE lesson today. Diwali, which started last night (Sunday 12th November) is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, although it marks different historical events and stories. For each of these religions, however, they recognise the same symbolic victory of light over darkness and good over evil. After exploring the different customs observed during the festival, Topaz focused on rangoli patterns, which are thought to bring good luck. During Diwali, many people place these at the entrance to their home. In order to represent this, Topaz have made some beautiful rangolis representing LIGHT and GOODNESS, which you will be able to see surrounding the inner classroom door this week!

UKS2 have been thinking about ways to raise awareness around bullying this week, in line with the national anti-bullying week campaign. After class assemblies on Wednesday where we discussed the idea of speaking up and not being bystanders if/when we witness an incident of bullying, we took that one step further today in our PSHE lessons. We talked about the difference between bullying and banter before considering different ways in which we can 'make a noise' about this across our school. Today, we dressed in clothes which we feel represent ourselves, donating money to Children In Need to do so. We ended the lesson by watching a report about the charity event and doing some mindfulness colouring whilst listening to the official song for this year. Well done, Years 5 and 6. The GIVING and TAKING NOTICE elements of our Ways to Wellbeing have been shown in full force today! 

Week beginning 6th November

An exciting week in UKS2 including creating poppies to commemorate Remembrance Day! There has also been INCREDIBLE success in cross-country and a SUPERB performance on the basketball court - please see the Sports Blog for details of these events! 

Year 6 enjoyed an afternoon of investigation today as they further their understanding of micro-organisms. Working together to plan and set up their experiments, both classes discussed their knowledge of respiration (from their previous lesson) and also any experiences with what yeast is used for within food production. We then decided to see what would happen to the rate of respiration if we increased the amount of sugar which was added to yeast and water. After completing their predictions, each class took 3 bottles and added a sachet of yeast and 150ml of hot water to each. One bottle then had no sugar put in it, whilst a second bottle had 1 tablespoon of sugar and the third bottle had three tablespoons of sugar added to it. Finally, we placed an identical balloon over each of the bottles and then carried out observations every 15 minutes. We were delighted to see that the greater the amount of sugar, the greater the yeast reacted. This led to an increase in the respiration rate and more carbon dioxide being released into the balloons. Take a look at the photographs below to see the bottle with 5 tablespoons of sugar having the most inflated balloon, proving our theory! Also pictured is Violet's excellent write-up of her afternoon's work. Well done, Year 6; Miss Kropman and Mr Neiman are so impressed to have such talented scientists within the year group!

Week beginning 30th October

A lovely start back for the second half of the term this week!

Year 6 continued with their ukulele lessons today, perfecting their C, Am and F chords. After rehearsing chord progressions, they learnt two further songs - Senorita and Sunflower - which they were able to perform very impressively within just a few minutes! To end their lessons, both classes appraised a piece of music from the soul tradition ('Love Will Save The Day') before finishing with a performance of Pharrell Wiliams' 'Happy'. This was a fantastic afternoon of musicmaking across the year group, which was very fitting as we celebrated achieving the national Music Mark yesterday! Well done, Year 6. Miss Kropman was very impressed today! 

Year 6's English based on 'The Last Wild' - Friday 3rd November

Year 6 have enjoyed the opening to our new English text - The Last Wild by Piers Torday. After reading the opening chapter, we have written short narratives in role as Kester Jaynes. Here are two of Miss Kropman's favourite examples:

I gaze slowly around my sad, dark, gloomy room at Spectrum Hall for Challenging Children, where I have been for the six years since my mum died. I gradually stretch my skinny, limp body out of bed. As I start to move a little more, I turn my head towards the moth in the corner of the room. Varmints. The only animals left. I try speaking to the moth, even though I haven't uttered a single word since I was bundled up and taken here. When I was told that my dad wanted to forget me. I'm twelve now (basically thirteen) and am still trapped in this prison, with a fat warden watching my every move. I still don't know why I'm here, being asked to 'modify' my behaviour. It's finally time to get up, so I begrudgingly slip on my trainers and trackies then wait for the wooden door to open...

By Frankie

 I wake up in my claustrophobic, mechanical room to the sounds of deafening silence in this place they call Spectrum Hall for Challenging Children. I call it 'prison', considering I can't leave this wretched place. I've got used to it by now though, as I've been here six years. Wow. Six years since I was taken from my own home in the middle of the night, just after Mum died. I stand up and stretch my thin, lean legs. As I put on my oversized trackies, I remember how everyone says how surprisingly tall I am for my age (which is twelve, by the way).

I look at my watch. The time is 08:32. This was the last present Mum gave me. I don't speak anymore. Not since then. I've been on mute. They say my dad doesn't want me anymore, but I don't believe that. My name is Jaynes, by the way.

By Christian

Week beginning 16th October

A busy final week of this half-term, with the first set of SATS practice tests in Year 6 and the miserably wet weather not putting a dampener on our other fun activities in UKS2! 

Thank you to all of our families for supporting the children so well during the first half of the Autumn Term. Years 5 and 6 have worked incredibly hard and have truly been a credit to you. 

Wishing you a lovely half term break and looking forward to welcoming you back to school on Monday 30th October,

Miss Kropman x

Year 6 began their ukulele lessons today, led by Hertfordshire Music Service and supported by Miss Kropman. They were incredibly fast learners and demonstrated real musicality to play in time with each other in only their first session. Impressively, they learnt how to strum the strings (both down and up strokes) and progressed to playing the chords of C, A minor and F in just an hour. We hope you enjoy watching the videos below of their first class performances - Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Ho Hey! 

How 'Great' was King Alfred?: Topaz's history lesson - Friday 20th October

Topaz spent today's history lesson using a range of sources to identify who King Alfred was. After learning that he became King of England in AD821 and that he fought with the Vikings and then made peace with him, we explored how he encouraged people to learn whilst also governing fairly and well. Following this, we worked in groups to use our inference skills (rehearsed effectively in our reading lessons!) to find out further information about the sort of leader that King Alfred was. Finally, we assessed just how great he really was. 

Here is Veronika's super examples:

King Alfred had many qualities that made people think he was great. The first thing that he did was to defeat the Vikings in the sea (leading to him founding the Navy). This suggests that he was a risk taker. Another thing King Alfred did was to lose a battle but not give up, instead gathering together a large army to fight them once more. This tells us that he was resilient. In addition, King Alfred wanted everyone to learn and to live in peace. This suggests that he cared for other people and wanted to build a successful country. 

Week beginning 9th October

Another superb week of UKS2 action, as detailed below!

To celebrate World Mental Health Day, Year 6 explored what we mean by 'mental health' and took part in mature discussions about the ups and downs that we all experience. We then revised the 5 Ways to Wellbeing to ensure we had some strategies to help us support our mental health. To begin with, we CONNECTED with our partners and our classmates, discussing various things that we enjoy doing. Following this, we were ACTIVE in completing shuttle runs in our House teams. Back in the classroom, we took NOTICE by taking part in a guided meditation before continuing our LEARNING with Year 6 pupils taking the lead! We were treated to being taught some basic Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Spanish and Ukrainian by children who speak these languages at home, whilst Turquoise members also shared new jokes and a thumb magic trick! Finally, it was time to GIVE compliments as we made each other (and ourselves) feel good by circulating the room and adding one positive attribute about each class member to their named piece of paper. 

Miss Kropman was very impressed with Year 6's enthusiasm and engagement this afternoon and hopes that this lesson contributed to the positive mental health of both classes! 

Year 6 Narrative Writing - Friday 13th October

As we draw to the end of our Varmints unit, Year 6 have been working hard to include a range of narrative writing techniques in role as the main character. Please have a read of Lias' super example from today!

Then the others came and the sounds of the bees was lost. I felt controlled. As I attempted to make my way through the wilderness, smoke filled my lungs. I felt my life was being taken away.

I was trapped in the long, wiry grass and felt meddled in fear. I had to be rapid to check that my friends hadn't been destroyed. Rushing through the storm, thunder and lightning, I saw houses getting destroyed. Shattering, broken glass. I felt disheartened.

''There's something in the distance!'' I trembled...

By Lias

Week beginning 2nd October

This has been a superb week in UKS2, with musical and sporting pursuits at the core! 

Year 5 got to experience their first ever trombone lesson this morning, led by Mr Connor Gingell from Hertfordshire Music Service. Excitingly, each class will be having a weekly thirty minute lesson throughout the year, where they will be learning how to play the instrument in addition to various musical elements such as rhythm and dynamics. We can't wait to share how they get on! Next up, Year 6 and the ukuleles! 

Topaz had an engaging history lesson this morning as they further explored reasons why the Saxons came to Briton. After revising our learning about the slow demise of the Roman Empire and Briton having no army due to their soldiers having left to defend Rome, we also looked at the attractive features such as the riches left behind by the Romans and the perfect weather conditions for growing crops. Under great pressure from the Picts and the Scots, the King of Briton, Vortigern, was left with no option other than to ask for help in 410AD! After hot-seating the King, we then penned letters to the mighty Saxon warriors Hengist and Horst, asking them to come and help Vortigern (in return for a small piece of land off the coast of Kent). The letters were so successful that the Saxon brothers did come to Briton...but took slightly more land than Vortigern had offered!

Despite a nationwide supply issue delaying the arrival of our 45 ukuleles, Year 6 still got their chance to start lessons today with Kathryn McGuinness from Hertfordshire Music Service. As with our Year 5s and their trombones, both Year 6 classes will be having a weekly thirty minute ukulele lesson throughout the year. Today, we spent our lessons exploring pulse and rhythm, and even progressed to using some notation! 

Our school House Cross Country was a huge success this afternoon, with all of the children running brilliantly and earning points! Thank you, firstly, to Year 6, who were excellent role models in supporting Nursery with their race at the start of the event. Congratulations to our top finishers: Ellie, Savannah and Amelia D for the girls and Johnny, Archie and Jack B for the boys, and a special well done to Water for winning overall! 

Selected poets:

Ruby Class - Ella (read by Lily), Ida, James

Sapphire Class - Molly, Elina, Hadleigh

Topaz Class - Evie, Johnny, Pantelis

Turquoise Class - Demi, Ella, Olivia T

Week beginning 25th September

Another super week of learning in UKS2 this week!

Topaz demonstrated impressive maturity and reflective thinking in today's RE lesson in Mrs Johnson. After taking part in a guided meditation, they creatively expressed their responses to this using art work in order to answer the question: why do you think Buddhists meditate? They then explored nine possible reasons given by Buddhists, which they organised into a diamond 9 formation to express those that they ranked more highly. 

UKS2 have begun their new English unit this week, exploring the beautiful text 'Varmints' by Helen Ward. Have a look at these beautifully presented character descriptions written by Ida, James, Daniel and Ella from Ruby Class! 

Week beginning 18th September

Please have a look below to see some of the excellent learning that has been happening in UKS2 this week!

International Day of Peace - Thursday 21st September

To celebrate the International Day of Peace, Topaz took part in an interesting lesson about identity and diversity in the United Kingdom. We were fascinated to learn that, amongst the UK's 61.4 million population, 87.1% have white skin and 20% live below the poverty line. Topaz took part in a discussion about what this means for them as young people growing up in the UK, and how diversity can be far more visible in different places. At the end of the lesson, we made a list about the benefits of living in a multicultural society. These were some of our ideas:

• You can learn different languages and communicate with more people
• Diversity makes life more interesting
• You grow up respecting different religions
• It teaches you that being unique is special
• We have so many styles of clothing
• We are introduced many types of food from all around the world 
• It encourages us to try new things
• You have a better understanding of other people and their cultures

Miss Kropman was very impressed with Topaz's maturity within this lesson and is looking forward to reading some excellent poems about diversity completed for homework! 

Year 6 Metaphorical Poems - Friday 22nd September

Year 6 have worked extremely hard in their English lessons with Miss Kropman this week in order to complete their poetry unit. After reading and evaluating a number of poems with figurative language, they were suitably inspired to write some INCREDIBLE final pieces! Here are two brilliant examples:

The Wind

As the village sleeps,

the wolf awakes.

Blowing windows, scraping doors.

He trots through the village,

howling and prowling.

Scratching the trees,

the wolf rampages and raids.

But when the sun rises,

then he will moan and yawn.

And then he will wait,

and wait,

and wait,

until he can do it again.

By Max

The Sun

The sun is a flaming lion,

bright and warm.

He blazes in the sky all day.

With his flaming eyes and shaggy jaws,

hour upon hour he roars.

The banging, crackling flames,

and roar, roar, roar, roar.

The giant sun-lion moans,

and when the night wind blows,

a shining smiles looks at us all.

So quiet, so quiet, he softly snores.

By Hannah 

The Darkness

The night is a ravenous panther,

bleak and black.

He consumes everything and only light can push him back.

With his slashing fangs and shaggy paws,

hour by hour he snores.

In the rumbling, stumbling stones,

on bones, bones, bones, bones!

The grumbling panther groans,

licking his greasy jaws.

And when the night wind roars,

and the moon rocks,

he bounds to his feet and then claws.

Scratch, scratch, hiss as he hunts and sniffs,

destroying everything only leaving an eclipse.

Then he'll howl and hollow, long and proud.

But on quiet days of May or June,

play no reedy lines on the hills of old,

and grass and trees have given up.

With his paws creeping you'll have the last sound from his jaw.

He'll lie on the sleek bones of the past,

so quiet, so quiet, he scarcely snores.

By August

Week beginning 11th September

A fun week this week including two key events - our Anglo-Saxon workshop and the election of House Captains!

Report by Olivia T, Turquoise Class

Yesterday, Years 5 and 6 had an amazing Anglo-Saxon workshop! The purpose of our day was to be transported back in time to live like the Saxons, our first history topic of the year. We had to wear Saxon clothes to help us feel more in character, which was very funny!

Once we had all made our way to the hall, we met Saxon Sue. She told us about how she lived in her settlement and the sort of things that she made. When she had finished talking, we looked around the room to see nine tables with adults next to them. Each adult led a different activity. First, I went to Mrs Oakley's table, where I did some sewing and made a bag. We also did tasks such as rune-making, pottery, candle making, ink making and visited the medicine wise woman! 

In the afternoon, we became awesome archaeologists! We used a small brush to dig through a tray of soil. My group found a necklace and a spear, amongst other things. Some were from the modern day; others were from the Dark Ages. 

Finally, Saxon Sue showed us how Anglo-Saxons would melt iron and steel. This seemed to be very dangerous so, instead, she used pewter. Sue created moulds and poured the melted pewter into water, making a huge amount of steam! She then let us keep a pewter Saxon game piece.

I really enjoyed our Anglo-Saxon day!

Year 6 House Captains for 2023/24 - Friday 15th September 

Congratulations to our new House Captains, who were elected by their fellow house members after giving very impressive presentations this morning! 
Air - Ellie and Johnny

Earth - Chloe S and Owen

Fire - Evie and Hunter

Water - Demi and Olivia T

Week beginning 4th September

Welcome back to school! Please scroll up to see some of the lovely things we have been doing this week. 

First Day Back - Tuesday 5th September

Welcome back to school! We have had a great first day getting back into the swing of things! Please see below pictures of Topaz playing some fun games (snowball; ultimate rock, paper, scissors; air hockey and hungry hippos!). Also featured is Turquoise's e-safety lesson, Ruby making their Golden Time labels and Sapphire having the opportunity to ask their teacher anything! 

Year 6's fantastic start to their poetry unit - Friday 8th September

Year 6 worked incredibly hard this morning to creatively tell Miss Kropman what they DIDN'T do during the summer holidays! After discussing features of poetry that they were already familiar with, they were tasked with creating paired comparisons of something extraordinary and something a little more mundane. They were then tasked with arranging their ideas in verses as a fun start to their poetry writing this half-term. Please have a read of these excellent examples!

I didn’t ride an elephant in Thailand,

But I did get to stroke my cousin’s dog.

I didn’t go on safari in Africa,

But I did visit a beautiful beach in Greece.

I didn’t score the winning goal for England,

But I did score a goal for my football team on Saturday.

I didn’t see Taylor Swift sing to screaming fans in a stadium,

But I did hear my brother singing in the shower!

I didn’t see paintings worth millions,

But I did draw a picture for school.

I didn’t see the Seven Wonders of the World,

But I did see the wonder in everything around me.

By Pantelis

I didn’t fly on a private jet around the world,

But my mum did drive me to the Co-op down the road.

I didn’t visit the freezing depths of the Arctic Circle,

But the new air conditioning at my nan’s house was pretty cool.

I didn’t jump out of a moving aeroplane,

But I bounced around on a trampoline for a couple of hours.

I didn’t fight a cage full of tigers with razor-sharp claws,

But I did break up a fight between my cats over a piece of ham.

I didn’t meet kings and queens this summer,

But spending time with my family made me feel like I had.

By Demi