Welcome to the UKS2 Blog for Autumn 2025 

Week beginning 29th September

Welcome to another busy week in UKS2! We enjoyed celebrating Harvest Festival on Monday and have also completed excellent work in the classroom.

UKS2 took part in our whole school Harvest Festival this morning, kindly donating multiple food items to the Hatfield Food Bank during our registration period. In assembly, we shared some lovely examples of poems that we have been studying or writing in our English lessons this half-term. Well done to everyone who was brave enough to read these aloud today! 

This afternoon, Topaz learnt about the importance of using primary sources in order to identify the most likely owner of a burial grave discovered by archaeologists at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk. Firstly, we discussed the benefits of using primary and secondary sources in history and then shared images of items found in the burial chamber. Topaz were incredibly good at suggesting what the items were and what they could infer about a possible owner. Following this, we watched a clip to explain what each of the items were used for in Saxon times, before being told about four possible owners. Using the secondary source information about each of these kings, Topaz had to piece together their understanding from the primary source photographs to make their final predication. Some of them were then delighted to find out that they had successfully suggested Raedwald the Bretwalda (a superior king), based upon his wealth and societal importance. 

Week beginning 22nd September

UKS2 have had their creative juices flowing this week as they have completed some fabulous observational art. The children have also enjoyed exploring how to work well as a team in PSHE to build a bridge that was strong enough to support the weight of a number of toy cards...using only newspaper and tape!

Week beginning 15th September

We have been enjoying a wide variety of core and foundation subjects this week in the classroom, whilst also experiencing some fun additional PE opportunities. 

Year 6 have been working exceptionally hard in their poetry unit in English this week. On Tuesday, Mrs Carson tasked them with using figurative language to write poems about the change of season that we are starting to witness. Here are some brilliant examples:

Autumn Calling,

Like a crisp cloud crawling in the breeze.

As she floats to the ground, she flexes her fingers,

Dancing with the wind like a ballerina.

Grasping the trees as she blows,

Branches crack.

Emerald green stolen from within,

Brightness gone,

Light gone,

Colour gone,

Autumn is calling.

By Seraphine

It starts its journey,

Swiftly through the soft wind,

Dancing and prancing,

Like a figure skater on ice.

Small acorns start to grow,

Begging a fresh start.

Leaves rustle like a party is about to commence,

As trees watch over the blanket of grass. 

The leaves burnt and crisp,

Hoping they'll be blessed with rain,

Then, when time comes, they softly fall onto the grass.

And there she is, free from her home,

Gliding gracefully to adventure.

Autumn is calling.

By Juliette 

Like a soldier ready for battle,

Shiny and reflective like a mirror.

The green hue is an emerald,

A thousand eyes peaking out from the helmet.

Rough wind smashing its face at it blows,

Far, far away,

Tumbling into its new home.

Welcomed and invited,

He finally has somewhere to proudly call home.

As he opens a new chapter,

Autumn has come.

By Alfie

The vast God calls his mighty chant,

And there she falls to bow to him.

Her wrinkled fingers press and crunch,

Letting the young go to the stage.

The emerald light glistens in the wind,

She stands her pride.

But little does she know,

A baby is there,

Ready to grow,

Because Autumn is coming.

By Darcy

In our history lesson today, Topaz explored reasons why the Anglo-Saxons came to Britain. We discussed the importance of the four Fs - flooding (in Germany and Scandinavia), fighting (in Briton), farming and friendship. The last of these was our main focus, with King Vortigern being hot-seated to discover why he formed an allegiance with Saxon brothers Hengist and Horsa when inviting them to Briton. Have a look at Christian C's super example of the letter he may well have written! 

Dear almighty Hengist and Horsa,

The wind has called to me, saying how well you two can fight. I would love for you to join my army to defend Briton from the Picts and Scots. If you are to accept this offer, I will give you a beautiful island just off the edge of Kent. It is called Thanet and it has amazing soil and agriculture. 

Hengist and Horsa, I am really looking forward to seeing you in my army.

Kind regards,

King Vortigern

BREAKING NEWS - THURSDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER - WELL DONE TO THE SEVEN YEAR 6 CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS WHO HAVE JUST QUALIFIED TO REPRESENT WELWYN AND HATFIELD DISTRICT! Boys: Alfie, Harry, Leo and Max  Girls: Bethany, Emily and Florence

Week beginning 8th September

This has been our first full week back in school, with a history workshop and Year 6 Tag Rugby sessions the main headliners! 

Today was an exciting day for UKS2 as we kick-started our history unit with a Life In Saxon Britain workshop. Dressed as Saxons to help us feel more in character, we walked down to the hall to meet our Saxon guides for the day. They told us about their settlement and their work. We then had the opportunity to visit ten tables around the room, each full of Saxon activities! These included sewing, rune-making, pottery, candle making, ink making and visiting the medicine wise woman. Each of these activities was great fun and the children will be able to show you what they made later at home! At the end of the morning, each class had the opportunity to experience a Saxon battle, as they fiercely defended their settlement from Viking invasion on the playground.

In the afternoon, we became archaeologists! We used a small brush to dig through a tray of soil. We excavated artefacts such as horns, pots, cups, beads, shells and jugs. Next, we had to use a catalogue to work out exactly what the items were and who might have used them, before deciding on a location in the Saxon settlement that they might have been found.

We all really enjoyed our Saxon day and would like to thank Jonathan, Hugh and Nina from History Off The Page for providing such an engaging start to our topic.

Topaz spent today's reading session discussing their favourite books from early childhood to the current day. They found images of the covers and then painted a river to demonstrate the journey from their most treasured books read to them to the book which they are currently enjoying. This promoted great discussion around reading for pleasure and has produced a lovely visual for our classroom! 

Year 6 Poetry - Thursday 11th September

Year 6 began their poetry unit in English today, with an initial challenge to create poems about what they DIDN'T do during the summer holidays! Here are two of Mrs Carson's favourites:

I didn’t by Raya

I didn’t play football with the amazing England Lionesses,

But I did kick a football with my cousins in my nana’s garden.

I didn’t ride a unicorn,

But I did ride a camel in the desert.

I didn’t swim in the channel like Trudy Ederle,

But I did swim in the swimming pool on holiday.

I didn’t stroke a great big lion,

But I did stroke my nana’s dog.

I didn’t see a volcano erupt,

But I did see a garden hose spew with water.

I didn’t walk on the moon,

But I did walk round the block in Welham Green.

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

But I did hear my dad scream songs in the car.

I didn’t fly to Mars in a big rocket ship,

But I did fly to Morocco in an aeroplane.

I didn’t see the wonders of the entire world,

But I did see many things that made me happy!

I didn’t by Joel

I didn’t ride to Disneyland in a Rolls Royce,

But I did do an ollie on my skateboard.

I didn’t defeat a tiger,

But I did beat my brother in Mariokart.

I didn’t score a goal for England,

But I did land a paper aeroplane in the goal.

I didn’t build a new Golden Gate Bridge,

But I did step on a studded Lego brick.

I didn’t go to see Harry Styles,

But I did, however, have my eardrums burst by my wannabe popstar dad (ouch!).

I didn’t fly to the Amazon as a spy,

But I did get drenched by the log flume.

But…

I did write this poem to be carefully observed by the Lady of Poetry – Mrs Carson!

And that’s the end.

Week beginning 1st September

We welcomed the children back to school on Thursday 4th September and have been delighted with how well they have settled into their new classes. During our first day, we all enjoyed making chatterboxes with positive affirmations as their final messages. Year 6 also completed their next Star reading assessments and greatly impressed Mr Fossey and Mrs Carson with their historical knowledge in creating image timelines of different periods they have studied so far!