Well that was quite a week in Year Five (and across the rest of the school)!

Your children rose to the various challenges posed by an Ofsted visit magnificently.  There were quite a few changes of routine as senior leaders and other colleagues were intensely quizzed by the inspector, but everyone seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation and its importance.  It really felt like every single member of our school community was pulling together.  We should include yourselves in that too – thank you so much for completing the parent survey as requested by the inspection team.  Your views, and those of your children (who also completed a survey) were important.

In Year Five our whole team pulled together and at various times Mrs Casserley, Miss Howey, Mrs Lowe, Miss Brakspear and Mr Andrews were asked to do things they would not normally do, or to cover unexpectedly.  There was not a murmur of complaint or debate.

Several children got to meet the inspector – to discuss maths or art or reading, or just to have a conversation on the playground.  Well done everyone.

The week’s work has continued with a consideration of Australian traditional tales, lots of work on place value, and topic work on key features of the Australian landscape.  Computing this term focuses on architecture – building 3D structures using Google Sketchup.  This is free Google software for 3D design and is very good.  Hockey has continued, and in PSHE the children have been discussing their rights, and the attendant responsibilities.

Next week will see more of the same, but also marks the start of some of our many clubs.  We have had basketball this afternoon.  Football starts next week – so thanks for the many applications for places.  An email will go out to all applicants for the Y5/6 girls’ group, which starts on Monday.  The Y5/6 boys’ group applicants will be spoken to on Monday.  Their first session is on Thursday.

Best wishes for a restful weekend.  Rest assured that we will be relaxing too.  It’s been an intense five days.

Y5 Team