Year 5 have been learning to code this week!

Using Purple Mash, we’ve been learning about what coding is and how it is used in our daily life – gaming, using the internet etc. We’ve begun to learn how to write simple lines of code to create our own game.

Here are a few pictures of the code one member of the class had written and the game they were working on (based on The Great Fire of London):

In Nursery we have been learning about what happens when you mix colours together.

In Nursery we have been enjoying the book ‘Red Rockets and Rainbow Jelly’ by Sue Heap and Nick Sharratt.

This term during our History lessons, we have been learning about different types of communication. This week we learnt about Alexander Graham Bell and how he invented the Telephone. We used cups and string to help us  understand how sound travels and we had so much fun sending messages ‘down the line’ to our partners. We also looked at how phones have changed through the last few years and looked at the differences between  them.

The theme for Anti-Bullying Week 2020 is: United Against Bullying.

On Monday 16th we joined in with Odd Socks Day to mark the first day of Anti-Bullying Week. Throughout the week in school, each class looked at different kinds of bullying and what to do if we see or experience it. We also designed our own odd socks to express how different and unique we all are.

On Thursday, we also took part in the BTales Anti Bullying Week Collective Worship. At St Philip’s we are committed to being United Against Bullying in all that we do.

This week Year 4 took place in a Virtual Multi-Skills competition with other schools in Sandwell. We had to set up our own stations, record our own data and then send it off with Mr P to see how well we did! We completed various stations such as running, jumping, throwing and catching. 

In Year 4 we are creating our own Storybooks in Design & Technology. This week we made some prototypes of moving mechanisms for our books. We look at different ways to attach different parts and how we could successfully make our images move. Our flowers moved up and down in the pot to make it look like they were growing.

On Monday 16th November we wore odd socks to school to help us celebrate Anti-Bullying week. Year 4 wore some fantastic odd socks! We focused on how we can be kind to each other, what we should do if we think us or someone we know might be being bullied and how we can look after one another in our school.

Thank you to Mr Padotan who trained our new Playground Buddies who have started their new role fantastically well! They are ensuring that we’re all safe at break and lunchtimes and all have plenty of activities to be involved with. One child commented, “It is great to always be able to find a buddy if I am looking for a game to play. They help to keep us safe too.” Well done and keep up the good work, playground buddies!

On Wednesday 11th November St Philip’s took part in the two minute silence to remember all of those who have died in conflict for our freedom. We also focused our minds by taking part in craft activities led by the B Tails team.

The children remembered the sacrifice made by others and prayed the Eternal Rest.

During the month of of October, Year 1 shared their mission plan and each day they shared an opening prayer.

The children completed their mission during the month!

They spoke about how they can follow the right path.

They shared their views on what their mission is in Year 1:

Help each other.

Love one another.

Love thy neighbour.

Help each other.

Year 3 are learning about Rocks, Soils and Fossils this half term so we researched about fossil formation and the children made their own fossils at home. Have a look at some of the examples in the photograph! Well done Year 3, and remember to share your new knowledge about fossils with your families at home!

Year 5 focussed on an influential woman named Maya Angelou. We learnt about the amazing things she’s achieved throughout her life – from reading her poetry at a presidential inauguration to writing and directing movies!

We focussed mainly on her poem, The Caged Bird and the contrasting imagery of the free and the caged birds depicted.

Here is some of the artwork we created based on this:

As you will be aware, the year 2020 has been earmarked as a focus on the Bible and ‘The God Who Speaks’