Welcome to Owl Class

Welcome to Owl Class, where Mrs Vipond is our teacher. Our class page will be updated regularly to share our learning with you; we hope you enjoy it.

Our class topic web plus English and maths medium term plans are located on the class learning page along with a yearly overview; please use the Owl Class Learning page link below. Homework spellings and grammar focus can now be found in your child's book and is due in every Thursday. In addition, please continue to access Professor Assessor for times table and weekly assignments. Homework club will start back up during Thursday lunch time for those unable to access Prof at home.

Term 5 Outdoor PE will be on a Friday. PE kit to be worn to school on Friday unless advised otherwise.  Outdoor PE for Owl Class will commence on Friday 21st April 2023. Please have your indoor PE kit ready for Monday 17th April 2023.

Week 6

What a busy term this has been but there is plenty more to come in Term 6!  We ended the term with Aspiration Day (photos below) and our Year 6 residential (photos on the gallery).  A very special mention to each and every member of Year 6 who pushed themselves a little bit further than they thought possible and to everyone who supported and encouraged - your camaraderie was great to see and I was very proud to be your teacher; well done.

Week 5

We had a great trip to Southampton and put all of our knowledge to the test and even learnt some more facts.  In our workshop we explored some items that would have been used on board the ship, practised our Morse code, worked to decide who we would save on a lifeboat and even sank the Titanic.  We also learnt a little bit more about Captain Smith, a First Class passenger, Mrs Straus and her very fetching maid, Ellen! Thank you to all the helpers who enabled the visit to take place.

Week 4

Well done Year 6's for trying your absolute best.  I hope you enjoyed the breakfasts each morning and the Badger Bug Party! Also, a huge thank you to our Year 5's for putting up with the disruption to your mornings and for working with the changes to the classroom - back to normal next week!

Week 3

To celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III, Owl Class have been learning about some of the history of previous coronations and the role of the king.  The children listened to the poem 'If I were a king' by A.A. Milne and created some artwork with some thoughtful answers to the question - lots of striving for peace, giving money to charities and ensuring all children can access education.  We ended the day spending time with visitors from the local community and our Badger Buddies.

Week 1

The week began with sunshine, so to link in with our science learning we have started to grow some sunflowers - hopefully it won't be too long until they have germinated and are ready to be planted outside.  We're also going to be dissecting some flowers to study plant reproduction and hopefully try some propagation! We started our history learning with a 'ticket' for RMS Titanic's maiden voyage and then spent some time exploring some historical and more recent sources of information - we are very fortunate to have some wonderful books on loan to us for our use.

Term 5

Welcome back to a new term with summer and warmer weather not too far away!  All of the information about this term can be found above or through the link to Owl Class learning page; the topic web gives a learning overview for all subjects - including our fantastic history topic: RMS Titanic. Outdoor PE remains on a Friday for this term. We have a very busy term with lots going on, so look out for lots of notices and letters; a summary can be found below from the end of last term 

Term 4

As we end Term 4, I wanted to give you some advance notice about trips and activities happening in Term 5 (and first week of Term 6):

Term 5

9th-12th May - Y6 SATs week (to include breakfast!)

18th May - Owl Class trip to SeaCity (Titanic), Southampton

22nd May - Aspirational Day

24th-26th May - Y6 Residential

Term 6

6th June - Y5 Science trip to South Wilts

Further details about these activities will be coming in the first week of Term 5 but I have re-posted the slides from the residential meeting in January below, and early next term you will be receiving the paperwork associated with medical and dietary requirements and kit list. Please do get in touch with me via the office if you have any queries.

We had a fantastic day embracing our creativity - Year 6 designed and created their own pencil (or glass) cases while Year 5 worked with Mrs Trowern and Mrs Dyer to carefully use hot wax and create some batik pieces. A really fun day 

Week 5

It was lovely to see so many parents on Friday; I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the learning from this term. This week, as well as designing our own comic strip to depict the Easter Story, we learnt about the deforestation that has taken place in the UK yet how we rely on wood for so many items, the explanations for why we have day and night and how we can show respect in our PE lessons.  In addition to this we recognised International Happiness Day and World Down Syndrome Day - a busy week 

Week 4

We've had a very busy week, with Year 6 practising for their SATs ahead of next term and Year 5 spending their morning lessons in the annex classroom.  Our afternoons this week have included dodgeball, adding detail to our 3-D sketch-up houses in computing and making cards for Mothering Sunday.  We also replied to the postcard we 'received' at the start of term - have a look at some of our amazing Spanish postcards - ¡Muy buen!

Week 3

This week was Mars Week and we joined in with some of the talks hosted by the UK Space Agency Education Office.  Unfortunately we weren't able to join the session with Tim Peake but we did take part in some activities, including navigating our rover on Mars, and we went 'to the moon and back' in a virtual simulation.

Week 2

Week 1

This term children are exploring Earth and space and it was great to hear how many children look at the stars and planets, either with their own eyes or through binoculars.  We'll be joining in with a UK and European Space Agency-funded 'Mars Day' in a couple of weeks, so lots of exciting learning to come.  We also started our geography learning - natural resources - and discussed what some of the vocabulary meant in terms of an abundant supply.  Friday's are now our outdoor PE and single year group PSHE lessons.  This term it is all about 'Healthy Me' and taking responsibility for our own physical and mental health.  If there are any questions about PSHE please do contact me. Finally, I was surprised to see Mrs Waddington had left her suitcase in the classroom but it turns out the Year 5's were in for a visual treat with their English learning.  Year 6's had a slightly different experience in their English lessons and one with a very strong smell...

Term 4

Welcome back to a new term with spring upon us.  All of the information about this term can be found above or through the link to Owl Class learning page; the topic web gives a learning overview for all subjects.  Outdoor PE has moved to Friday for this term. Home learning will continue to be set on a Friday and due in the following Thursday - Year 6 holiday maths is due Thursday 23rd (Professor Assessor SATs practice); well done to those that have completed it 

Term 3

Week 6

What a fantastic end to the the term as we worked with Fox Class to hold our charity cake sale event.  This was part of our PSHE unit (thinking of others less fortunate than ourselves) and our RE learning (The third pillar of Islam, Zakat; giving to others).  Thank you to all of the children (and adults) that baked, bought, set up, sold and cleared up - you raised an incredible £197 for Save the Children.  Well done.  Please see the gallery for photos.

Week 5

We ended the week with a celebration of our third Big Idea 'Resourcefulness'.  Children participated in a mixture of indoor activities, mini golf, outdoor team challenges and concluded with the 'escape room' - unlock all 12 compartments before the time is up!  It was a fantastic day and lovely to see children working in different groups trying out new skills - well done everyone 😊

Week 4

On Monday we learnt a little about Chinese New Year and how it is the year of the rabbit. We also had a go at making origami rabbits and with some perseverance (and help from home) a colony of rabbits were formed!

Despite the weather being incredibly cold during our netball, there was some excellent play with great passing, intercepting and goal shooting. We ended the week thinking and planning like scientists; getting ready for our investigation into absorbency. Look out to see how successful we are next week!

Week 3

Despite the icy weather we still managed to get outside for netball and play some quick games, using the full court and trying to remember our positions. Next week we will be really focusing on our pivots and not running with the ball!  Our indoor PE lessons are all about fitness, asking the question 'how can we beat our personal best?' Children work as groups to perform the activities at each station for a continuous amount of time, aiming to improve it during the second round - there were some tired children as they challenged themselves!

Week 2

In Spanish we're building up to write our own Winter poem, so this week we collected our own bank of English 'Winter' words and found the Spanish equivalent.  We also made a start to our science learning - Viking Science - and made an early form of butter, although we did have the luxury of starting with cream!  

Week 1

We've made a great start to the term, already starting our RE, music, PSHE, history and netball lessons in the afternoon - Spanish and science to start next week! We have a further change to our PE days from Monday 9th January. We will have outdoor PE on Monday and indoor PE on Friday.

Term 3

Happy New Year and a warm welcome back to Term 3. All of the information about this term can be found above or through the link to Owl Class learning page; the topic web gives a learning overview for all subjects.  Outdoor PE has moved to Friday and hopefully we'll stay cleaner this term as we hone our netball skills on the playground.

Term 2

Week 6

We turned the classroom into mini food-prep stations, where we chopped, thinly sliced, seasoned and mixed our vegetables before parcelling and baking, ready to eat.  Everyone put their DT skills into action and I was very impressed with some of the slicing.  There were a few requests for a repeat at home so I have added a picture of the ingredients below!  Well done everyone.

Week 5

What a busy week we've all had with lots of assessments in reading, writing and maths; well done everyone 😊

This week we managed to do some yoga in the classroom (so KS1 could practise for the Nativity), learn more about 'What Jesus would do' in a visit from the Bridge and celebrate some new prefects.  We also started our tourist attraction guide for an attraction in China and will round off our topic with some vegetable spring rolls next week!

Week 4

In our science lessons we have been exploring the fact that light travels in a straight line and how we can alter the direction of travel through the use of mirrors.  We set up some objects and tried to carefully direct the light source to the objects using mirrors.

Week 3

In PE children have been practising their shapes and balance, moving on to cartwheels this week; from squat cartwheels on the mat to practising over the bench. Our outdoor PE this term is tag rugby; learning the skills to mark and defend the tag as well as throwing and passing the ball.  

Week 2

Children spent some time creating a lovely Remembrance display with Mrs Trowern and the Year 6's helped lead the service with Mrs Smith on Friday. We also congratulated five new prefects - well done all of you.

Week 1

We had a great start to tag-rugby on Tuesday, apologies for the muddy clothes, and we'll continue to get outside as much as possible unless the rain is torrential. We also managed some outdoor time on Friday afternoon as a 'well done' for a great start to the week; especially our writing. Year 6's got to spend some time with their Badgers, and Year 5's got to enjoy the freh air and a bit of basketball.  Keep up the great learning Owl Class.

In RE, children tried to mimic making a house out of matchsticks before using the foundations available to them! We then listened to the Parable of the Wise and Foolish builders and discussed its meaning; understanding how important it is to listen to and follow advice so that we too have strong foundations - unfortunately there were a few sand storms in the classroom! 

Term 2

Welcome back to Term 2 where our topic is China, with a geography focus. We will be exploring the country in detail and looking at some of the population dynamics, its economic status and the impact of tourism, whilst virtually visiting some of the great attractions.  In science we'll hopefully make use of the autumnal weather to create our own human sundial whilst exploring how light travels.  PE days have changed and will now be on a Monday (indoor kit) and Tuesday (outdoors), commencing from the 31st October. Have a look at the topic web (link to Owl page above) to see what we'll be learning in the other subjects.

There are a selection of fiction and non-fiction books in school about China but if you would like to find out any more facts or read some related books, these are selected for you:

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

You Wouldn't Want to Work on The Great Wall of China! by Jacqueline Morley

All About China by Allison Branscombe

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (Class Book)

Term 1

Week 6

We had a lovely visit from The Bridge earlier in the week to help us explore Genesis with an understanding as to why many Christians find science and faith go together. In English we finished our independent pieces of suspense writing before moving on to re-cap the features of different letter types.  Many skills were learnt and shared during Skilful Day and additional photos from the day will be uploaded to the Global Explorer page - lots of fun was had by all.

Week 5

What a busy week we have all had.  We continued our Shang Dynasty learning this week to learn all about royal burials and then came forward in time to approx 200BC to learn about the Terracotta Warriors.  The Dorchester Museum (Dorchester Museum) has lots of information on-line if you want to continue the learning - I was fortunate to see them in Edinburgh when they were first exhibited; a truly memorable experience.  We had some disappointment earlier in the week when the football tournament was cancelled but our cheerleaders stepped up to provide some uplifting in-school support to our team! Year 6 were able to spend some time on Thursday with their Badger Buddies and their friendships are beautiful to see. We ended the week with a visit to our Year 6 maths from Mrs Smith and I think it's safe to say we made her brain work very hard - great maths everybody!

Week 4

This week we have been using the new iPads, the laptops and the new glockenspiels! We are building up to composing our own simple melody so started by learning Frere Jacques which has some lovely repetition.   We've also been making our own parachutes and exploring gravity and air resistance to see if our predictions were correct!  

Week 3

It's been a very busy and exciting week, especially for the Year 6 children who spent some time with the Badger children and formed new 'Badger Buddy' friendships.  What lovely role models we have in Owl Class and over the year the children will spend time in lots of different learning environments to support and encourage the younger children - have a look on the Badger Class page (Week 3 slide show).

Owl Class have been thoroughly embodying all that is friendship and skillfulness; from leading our indoor PE warm-up, sharing Harvest prayers and working together to plan and investigate a comparison of weight and mass. 

Week 2

We've been asking the question 'how do we know about The Shang Dynasty?' by thinking about history books and archaeological evidence.  As a precursor to our clay sculpture work, children designed their own oracle 'bones' using Chinese characters and then made them from clay.  I think they look very effective!

Week 1

It has been lovely welcoming the children back to our brand new classroom and we are gradually getting used to our new routines and back into the swing of learning.   Owl Class come together as a whole in the afternoons and on Tuesday we have a professional dance teacher who is teaching us some moves to help create our own 'Stomp' dance. 

Our afternoon history lessons are all about the Shang Dynasty. There are a selection of fiction and non-fiction books in school but if you would like to find out any more facts or read some related books, these are picked for you:

* Children's encyclopedia of Ancient World by John Haywood et al

* Ancient China by Dale Anderson

* Legacies from Ancient China by Anita Ganeri

Why did the Shang write on turtles? Tim Cooke

The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean

Dragon Mountain by Katie and Kevin Tsang (Class Book)

* available for loan in Wiltshire libraries