Senior School Weekly News
News from Senior School this week: 29th April 2024
Mrs Séguier
Deputy Head of Senior School
It has been another busy week at Senior School.
Year 5 and 6 went to the Wilton’s Music Hall to watch the play “Moby Dick”. As always with trips like these, they had a really lovely time. Thank you to Mrs Wrottesley for organising this and thank you to Mr Hopwood, Mr Haverley and Ms Caetano for accompanying the pupils.
We discussed online safety in both our Year 3-6 and Year 7-10 assemblies this week which Mr Murphy led on. Pupils were asked about what they do online, if they had a device they are regularly using at home and which website and apps they access.
We talked about online presence, how important it is to access age appropriate content and how what we say to each other online not only always leaves a digital footprint but also shapes our in person relationships with each other.
It is our duty of care as a School, to ensure we educate and safeguard our pupils about online safety. Parts of our PSHE and Computing curricula in particular, focus on this at certain points of the year. In addition to this, our form tutors and pastoral team consistently work to have open channels of communication with the pupils in our care, and we value the positive relationships we have with our students.
It is also really important that we work together with families to ensure all students continue to be safe. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like any help and support with regards to online safety, use of devices etc…
We recognise how much of a challenge this can be for parents and carers and we are very keen to support you in any way we can.
Next week on Tuesday morning, we will be having class photos at Senior. As communicated earlier this week, please ensure your child comes into School wearing their full Summer uniform.
I wish you all the best for the Bank Holiday weekend.
Year 3
What an incredible week it's been for Year 3! We've had a blast with engaging and interactive activities that have sparked curiosity and excitement amongst the children.
Our journey began with a thrilling Forest School session at Holland Park's West Wood. Amidst the lush greenery, the children embarked on a quest to discover the tell-tale signs of summer. From vibrant blooms to the gentle hum of busy insects, nature unveiled its seasonal secrets. Following a spirited nature inspired scavenger hunt, the children showcased their creativity by constructing shelters fit for the changing weather.
In our English lessons, the adventures of the Hatcher children's Roman escapade our imaginations. Exploring chapters 4-6, the children not only delved into comprehension exercises but also honed their skills in crafting fronted adverbial sentences. Additionally, they mastered the art of infusing depth into their writing by exploring the concept of "shades of meaning" in adjectives. They learned that different adjectives, even if similar in meaning, can evoke varying degrees of emotion or intensity in a sentence. For example, they compared adjectives like "worried" and "petrified" to understand how subtle changes in language can convey stronger or weaker emotions. They visually represented these nuances using colours, with stronger colours indicating stronger meanings, to deepen their understanding of how word choice impacts the tone and impact of writing.
In the realm of Mathematics, our focus remained on fractions. Students delved deeper into the concept by identifying both unit and non-unit fractions of various quantities.
Becoming budding geologists, our young scholars delved into the fascinating worlds of Science and Geography. In Science, we continued our exploration of rocks, investigating their permeability and impermeability through engaging carousel activities. Meanwhile, Geography lessons saw students diving into the fiery depths of volcanoes, labelling their various components and discovering intriguing facts through a riveting game of Top Trumps Volcanoes.
To conclude the week on a historical note, the class embarked on a captivating journey through the Roman Invasion of Britain. Transported back in time, they learned about the dynamic clash between the Celtic tribes and the formidable Roman army, driven by a quest for Britain's abundant resources.
I would like to wish you all a delightful weekend ahead. Warm regards, Mr Ward
Year 4
Dear Year 4 Parents,
The Year 4s enjoyed their Forest School visit last week. They were placed in small groups and tasked with building shelters using nothing but tarpaulin, rope and string, and all the natural resources available to them in a woodland habitat. Overall, the children worked cooperatively, and managed to complete sturdy shelters built sufficiently well enough to keep out the rain but not so much the wind! The activity linked up very well with our history topic based on the very skilled and resourceful people of the Stone Age period. They were able to name the three most essential requirements for survival; water, food and shelter.
In Science this week, we have begun to explore how the ear functions. The students labelled a diagram of the outer and inner ear, and were tasked with sequencing the different stages involved in processing sound vibrations through matter into recognisable sounds.
In Maths, we have continued to focus on units of time, analogue clock time and the 24 hour clock. The students have demonstrated good knowledge of time unit equivalents and tackled some tricky problem solving questions.
Most of the students remembered the new homework routine this week and returned their reading books on Wednesday morning. They successfully completed their book review activity and gave their book a star rating and a short recommendation for a particular target age-range and interest group. Next week, they will complete another book review task focusing mainly on character study.
Summer uniform must be worn from Tuesday next week. On Tuesday 7th May the children will have their class photograph taken and should therefore bring their blazers to school on this day.
Best wishes for a relaxing and hopefully sunny weekend. Kind regards, The Year 4 Team
From the Art Department - Years 5-10
Year 5
Year 5 have been exploring the artist Piet Mondrian and the art movement known as De Stijl (“The Style”). Students have produced hidden letters in Mondrian's inspired artwork, creating collages of bold black lines and primary colours. Year 5 will now begin to study the artist Jen Aranyi and Utagawa Hiroshige, where they will learn about various watercolour techniques.
Year 6
This term, Year 6 will be studying Cubism, looking at the work of Pablo Picasso. Year 6 will create their own work inspired by Picasso’s ‘Musical Instruments’. Students have been completing their artworks using mixed media, where they have experimented with collage, charcoal, white pencil, and pen. Year 6 will then explore Picasso’s cubist portraits while learning oil pastel techniques.
Year 7
Year 7 has been exploring Mono Printing. Inspired by their trip to the Harry Potter studios, each student has produced a print onto a collage textured background using a Harry Potter image of their choice. Year 7 will then turn their attention to typography, experimenting with tonal pencil and 3D design inspired by the artists Alex Trochut and Jessica Hische.
Year 8
This term, Year 8 has been exploring complementary and split-complementary colours. Students have carefully selected their triad of split-complementary colours to create acrylic paintings depicting crayons. To enhance their artworks further, they have incorporated oil pastels for highlights and finer details. Next, students will progress to frame-by-frame animation and then move on to examining 3D modelling.
Year 9
Year 9 continue to work on their skill-based project, where they are exploring the topic of 'Places', focusing particularly on London. They have so far created artworks using watercolour, monoprints, tonal pencil, acrylic transfer, and biro pens. Students will next move on to learning oil pastel techniques and create a London-based scene using the skills acquired.
Year 10
The Year 10s are working on their GCSE Art mock paper. This provides students with an opportunity to practise and demonstrate their artistic skills and understanding. This includes instructions and guidelines detailing the format of the examination, alongside a selection of themes or prompts covering a variety of subjects. Our Year 10 students are challenged to apply various artistic techniques, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, or digital art, while also engaging with art history and context. Students have been analysing the work of famous artists and critically evaluating their own artwork. Through this mock examination, students develop their creativity, critical thinking abilities, and knowledge of art theory and history, preparing them for the challenges of the actual GCSE Art assessment.
