Welcome to the UKS2 Blog for Spring 2026  

Week beginning 19th January

Please see below for details of what we have been up to this week in Years 5 and 6!

In today's PSHE session, we continued our exploration of celebrity images. We discussed some of the 'perfect' features that we had seen and then watched a clip about how this can impact our self-esteem. At the end of the lesson, Mrs Carson set the challenge of creating a list of 'star' qualities that make a person special, but cannot be seen from the outside. Our final list included: positivity, loyalty, politeness, honesty, being supportive, being passionate, being generous, showing happiness, being caring, having kindness, being protective, being joyful, being cheerful, being unstoppable, loving, calmness, friendly nature, charm, confidence, being helpful, making others laugh, showing understanding, being forgiving, having pride and being methodical. Well done, Topaz - you demonstrate these qualities in abundance every day! 

Topaz began practising their sewing skills today in preparation for designing and making a Viking pouch. We began by learning both running stitch and back stitch, then spent time joining together two pieces of fabric by creating a hem in our material. Topaz remained focused throughout and demonstrated great progress in their application and neatness throughout the lesson! 

Week beginning 12th January

UKS2 have really got into the swing of their topics for this term, now. We have been enjoying our history Vikings learning and focusing on using fabulous vocabulary across the curriculum! 

This afternoon, Topaz began exploring the Vikings in their history lesson. We began by mind-mapping everything that we already knew (from previous history learning in school and other curriculum lessons) and then annotated an image of a Viking raid using our English word-class terms (nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs). After this, we used resourceful skills to complete true or false statements about the Vikings. Mrs Carson then introduced us to the Viking attack on Lindisfarne in 793AD. We explored a number of sources to determine why the Vikings have such a bad reputation, and then reflected on whether or not this is a fair reflection. This lesson certainly seemed to whet our appetites for learning more about the Vikings this term!

In the first of two PSHE lessons exploring 'star qualities', Year 6 were tasked with finding a range of images of celebrities across different media platforms. They then grouped them according to what they perceived to be similar features. Next lesson, we move onto discussing whether their appearances are genuine or AI modified, before exploring whether appearance has any impact on celebrities' personal worth. 

Week beginning 5th January

Welcome back to school for the Spring Term! We have greatly enjoyed being back together in school throughout this snowy week and hope you enjoy seeing what we have been doing.

Year 6 devoted their first English lesson of the term to thinking about resolutions. We watched the Kindness Club video to inspire the concept of resolutions being like seeds that are planted and then allowed to grow after letting go of anything that could have been holding us back. After this, we spent time considering how we can be kind to ourselves, others and the planet. Mrs Carson was very impressed with Year 6's mature ideas and self-reflections and is excited to see these seeds grow throughout the term! 

Year 6 English - Thursday 8th January

We have kickstarted our new narrative unit in English based on Marcus Sedgwick's 'Floodland'. This morning, Mrs Carson tasked Year 6 with the challenge of innovating the opening paragraph to create further suspense and a dangerous atmosphere. Here are just four super examples!

Zoe barrelled through the deserted street of derelict buildings and barren alleyways. Her feet pounded the ground ferociously, while her heart raced against her chest. The gang were closing in. The rowing boat was so close, yet so far. With every step, her lungs screamed for air. She had been planning to leave the island for an eternity, although she knew it couldn't be. Something stood there, between her and the boat. But now, there was no choice. She had to go.

By Joel

Zoe bolted down through deserted streets, her feet pounding. The tall, derelict buildings towered over her. Somewhere, just a few metres away, she could hear the shouts of the gang coming after her. Zoe felt as if her heart would burst, but she didn't stop. Not now, when she was so close. She'd been wanting to leave this island for some time, but couldn't get herself to do it. Until today. Now, she had no choice...

By Ruby

Zoe bolted. Stumbling harder than she ever had before, her feet trod through abandoned streets and derelict structures, realised that somewhere behind, a gang was hunting her.  If felt like her body was giving up. But she wasn't. She'd been planning and preparing to leave the horrible, uncared for island for ages, but there had always been something stopping her. It was a bold and brave decision to set sail in a tiny rowing boat. But now, she didn't even have a choice.

By Christian C

Zoe bolted through the deserted streets, the derelict buildings glaring down as she pounded her burning feet into the ground. The gang. She heard the gang and they weren't far behind. It felt like her heart was racing up to her throat. No matter how hard it was, she never stopped. There was a fire in her heart, edging her to go on. She'd been planning to leave the island for a long time but had been putting it off. Unitl now. Now, she knew she had no choice...

By Seraphine

This half-term, Year 6 have the opportunity to have gymnastics for their indoor PE sessions, taught be experienced coach Mark Westley. We have been trying to secure Mark's services at our school for a number of years, and are very lucky that he now has space to accommodate not only two clubs on a Friday, but curriculum lessons for our year group, too! This afternoon, the children were introduced to the importance of core strength for all sports, with the gymnastic shapes then taught being the basis of growing this. Topaz and Turquoise are now able to demonstrate shapes of straight, tuck, pike, straddle, dish and arch. Mrs Carson loved the tightly contested shape competition in Topaz, with Christian L declared the winner and Bethany a very close second!