Half-termly topics

This half term, our learning has been centred around the theme: exploring others through colours. The children enjoyed reading a range of books about empathy, kindness, and understanding differences, including The Colours of Us by Karen Katz, The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld, and Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller. These stories helped us open discussions about emotions, friendship, and celebrating what makes each person unique.

 

In literacy, we focused on recognising how others feel and expressing ourselves with care. The children took part in listening games, created their own family trees, and wrote thoughtful thank-you notes. They also explored how to identify emotions in different situations, building their confidence in speaking and understanding one another.

 

Our maths lessons included lots of practical investigations. We compared personal features and created simple graphs—for example, counting how many children have blue eyes. The children conducted shoe-size surveys, counted steps to reach destinations like the park, and took part in class polls to find favourite books, movies, or fictional characters. In measurement, we estimated and compared the height of our friends, teachers, and even historical figures!

 

Science this half term took us around the world as we compared vegetables and products from different countries and explored the climates they need to grow. We learned about healthy habits such as balanced diets and regular exercise, and we observed seasonal changes across the globe. The children also investigated how sound travels in different environments and compared the length of the day in various countries.

 

In PSHE, the children engaged in role-play activities to explore relationships and emotions. They used scenario cards and mirrors to identify and imitate different feelings. We celebrated diversity and discussed why being different is something to be proud of. Through a variety of group games, the children practised turn-taking, sharing, and accepting both winning and losing with kindness.

 

Art lessons were filled with creativity as we made community fingerprint trees, friendship bracelets, and photo collages. The children also drew portraits of their friends and well-known figures, thinking carefully about the features that make each person special.
History allowed us to explore the lives of famous people and to look back at past eras, including the stone age. As Christmas approached, we investigated how traditions have changed over the years and created a “Then and Now” museum-style display by sorting pictures from different time periods.

 

In religious education, we learned about places of worship in the local community, including temples and churches. The children enjoyed listening to and discussing religious stories from a range of faiths.

 

In computing, we created digital self-portraits, listened to audiobooks about friendship, and programmed toys such as robot friends.

This half term, we have celebrated a wonderfully wide range of events from our DEI calendar, giving the children rich opportunities to explore diversity, empathy, and community. 

 

For Bonfire Night, we explored colours through fireworks art and learned about the important role that people in our community—such as firefighters—play in keeping us safe. 

 

During Anti-Bullying Week, the children used scenario cards to discuss how different characters might feel, practised small acts of kindness, and came to school wearing odd socks to celebrate individuality and remind everyone that being different is something to be proud of.

 

For Remembrance Day, the children created beautiful poppy wreaths and visited the local World War II graves, where they said thank you to the soldiers who helped keep our country safe and free. 

 

As part of Road Safety Week, we took part in community walks and practised the “Stop, Look, Listen, Think” sequence to understand how to stay safe near roads.

 

During celebrating Tree Day, we explored different types of leaves, learned why some trees lose their leaves in certain seasons, and discovered which animals make their homes in trees. 

 

In December, we recognised the International Day of People with Disabilities, which linked seamlessly with our half-term topic about understanding and valuing differences. We also enjoyed Tree Dressing Day, creating festive crafts to decorate our Holiday Village and bring the school community together.

 

To mark Human Rights Day, the children learned about the rights all people share—such as the right to feel safe, to learn, and to be treated with respect. This sparked meaningful understanding about fairness, kindness, and how we can care for one another.

 

We wrapped up the half term with a fantastic event: the CHS Holiday Village. The children worked incredibly hard preparing for the day, making crafts to sell, creating delicious recipes for the bakery, and decorating the rooms to make them festive and welcoming. Each child took their roles in the kiosks seriously, demonstrating responsibility, teamwork, and creativity. It was wonderful to see them engaging so enthusiastically, and we were delighted to welcome everyone to share in their achievements. We truly appreciate your presence and support, which made the day even more special. 

This half term, we have enjoyed a wide range of trips, community walks, and workshops, all carefully linked to our half-termly topic and the DEI calendar activities. These experiences have allowed the children to explore, learn, and engage with the world around them in exciting and meaningful ways.

 

On Tuesdays, the students loved visiting Lady Allen playground, where they played together, developed their social skills, and explored different areas. They spent time building in the construction area, gardening, and enjoying the equipment, including the climbing frame, slide, and soft play area. These sessions encouraged teamwork, physical development, and imaginative play, allowing the children to learn while having fun outdoors.

 

This half term, Terracotta class enjoyed swimming lessons as part of their physical education. The children had a fantastic time developing water confidence, practicing their swimming techniques, and learning important water safety skills.

 

We also visited the Merlin’s Mechanical Creatures exhibition, which captivated the children with its incredible animals and human figures made from recycled materials. They explored how these creations moved, using levers, and learned the basic principles of mechanics in a hands-on, interactive way.

 

As part of our focus on safety and wellbeing, the children participated in a Transport for London (TfL) workshop, where they learned important ways to stay safe while travelling. The interactive presentation made the session engaging, and the children practised key safety strategies in a fun and memorable way.

 

In addition, we took part in an anti-bullying workshop, where a story was presented using puppets. The students actively engaged with the performance, taking turns, dancing, and responding to the story. Through this interactive session, they explored the value of kindness, celebrating differences, and how small actions can make a big difference in creating a caring community.