Art & DT: Boys are now starting to take their artwork/DT work home. Well done to all who have finished, but don't worry if you haven't; some still have one double lesson left to complete their work. A particular well done to Year 4 for some excellent picture frames.
Computing: The boys have been working hard to finish their Computing projects. Across the school, they have been coding in both block-based formats and traditional scripting in four different languages. If they are not coding, the boys are learning about communicating via podcasts, blogs, and desktop publishing.
English: As the holidays approach, the boys across the Upper School have been refining, consolidating, and securing their English skills in both creative writing and critical analysis. The boys have worked very hard this year, and we are incredibly proud of their work ethic, effort, and attainment in the subject.
French: In the MFL department, Year 3 and Year 4 were excited to received letters from the pupils at Robin Hood Junior School. The introductory letters are in Spanish and they have attached posters to help teach the boys the colours in Spanish as well. This week, the boys will reply in French and teach the boys down the road about colours in French, sharing their recently learnt understanding of how the spellings of adjectives can change depending on the gender of the noun. Meanwhile the other Upper School boys have spent some time revising vocabulary and their tenses by playing old classics such as Battleships, a fun way to embed new vocabulary whilst having a lot of fun at the same time!
Geography: This academic year, each of the boys has worked incredibly hard to develop their knowledge and understanding about the world around them. Year 3 has learned all about human and physical features, map reading, as well as environment and sustainability. Year 4 has focused on map reading skills, settlements, and all things tectonic! Year 5 has learned about climate zones, biomes, deforestation, global warming, development, and rivers. Year 6 has learned about industry, development, weather, climate, and all things coastal! Year 7 has been enhancing their knowledge about tectonics, population, development, rivers, and the environment. Year 8 has enjoyed their fieldwork trip and revisited various topics. Well done to everyone for another fabulous year of learning, questioning, debate, and enquiry!
History: Year 3 has been discovering interesting (and gruesome) facts about Celtic warriors, while Year 4 has explored why King Alfred was called 'The Great' when he went up against the Vikings!
In Year 5, we were excited to discover that James Kodikara-Bowles and Maximilian von Bezing's Maya death masks have been displayed on Dr. Diane's website. If you'd like to take a look, please follow this link: Maya Music and Materials. Year 6 has been investigating primary sources about the end of British rule in India.
Maths: The Upper Prep School boys have continued to deepen their understanding of position and direction, translations, calculating angles within regular polygons, and solving algebraic expressions across the transversal line. All boys have had a fantastic year and have worked exceptionally hard. They should be proud of their individual progress. Congratulations to all boys who achieved Merit in the UKMT Junior Kangaroo 2024. Well done to Arnav from 5H who achieved best in school and Zaiden in Year 7 who achieved best in year.
P.E. & Games: On Friday, 21st June, Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 competed in a festival of sport at the Lower School Sports Day. The boys enjoyed traditional sports day events mixed with athletics they will see in the Olympics this year. The Olympic spirit was all around as parents, grandparents, and guardians reveled in the sports on display. All the boys did their houses proud, and in the relay, honours were shared for the first time as Bomfords and Grays had equal points, raising the trophy dating back to 1934 together. The overall winners were Bomfords, who narrowly beat Walfords in the last round of events.
On Thursday, 20th June, the U13 first cricket team played a match against the staff. It was a wonderful event, and all the boys thoroughly enjoyed bowling at the teachers who have set them homework all year! The staff team were victorious as Mr McCaffery and Mr Hartley put on a 90-run partnership, and Mr Naismith hit the winning runs. Also in cricket, the Year 3 Red team beat Surbiton to complete an extraordinary unbeaten season, a feat not accomplished by a Year 3 cohort in ten years.
On Monday, 1st July, the Senior School boys will have their sports day, and they have been preparing in lessons to ensure their House wins the trophy. We wish all the boys a happy, healthy, and sporting summer ahead and hope they enjoy Wimbledon, the Euros, and of course, the Olympics.
Science: Year 3 are finishing their rocks and soils unit before moving on to classification. Year 4 have completed their work on food and digestion and are about to look at classification keys. Year 5 have been learning about the properties of materials or continuing with the solar system, covering day, night, seasons, and the phases of the moon. Year 6 are ending the year learning about the human reproductive systems. Year 7 completed an end-of-year exam and have been continuing with their ecology unit, learning about sampling living things in their natural habitats and the carbon cycle. Year 8 have had a post-exam treat with STEAM-focused lessons with Miss Larkin, where they have been designing and building rocket cars.
STEAM: The boys have been finishing various projects and evaluating their success. In Year 1, the polytunnels are finished, and the boys have been introduced to Marty the Robot. Year 2 have completed their Crest Awards. Year 3 have worked hard to finish their models, and Year 4 has enjoyed evaluating each other's games. Year 5 have continued their STEAM carousel, and Year 6 has finished learning about the theories of evolution. Year 8 have enjoyed making model cars from styrofoam and hope to race them next week.
TPR: In Year 1, the boys have been completing their learning about various celebrations in different faiths. They have been reflecting on the importance and value of these celebrations in believers' lives. In Year 2, the boys have been reflecting on their learning about places of worship and comparing the similarities and differences between them. Year 3 have been creating a game based on a religion of their choice to recap their learning in TPR (Theology, Philosophy, and Religion) so far. Year 4 have been debating whether animals should have rights and considering the possible consequences. Year 5 have been exploring the difference between sanctity of life and quality of life.
Year 7 have been debating the role of prisons in society.
