As always, we had a fantastic time competing in sports day on the professional track at the Leeds Beckett athletics centre. This track has been the traning ground of numerous Leeds-born Olympic athletes such as Alexandra Bell, Gordon Benson and medalists Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee. What a privilege to get to compete in their footsteps! As well as the track events, we also took part in a range of field events, from the more traditional javelin to the less traditional but extremely competivite dodgeball matches.

During our arts fortnight, we have been fortunate to have been supported by a professional artist and print maker – Adrian Sestini. He taught us how to print using Tetra Pak. This technique involves:

• Creating a design on the surface of the Tetra Pak using various tools, including etching needles, and scalpels to mark the top layer of the material. We also used stencils to make shapes as we etched.
• The Tetra Pak plate is inked and any excess ink is wiped away, leaving ink in the recessed areas.
• To print the design, damp paper is placed on the inked plate and pressure is applied by a press to transfer the ink to the paper.

You can get a glimpse of the process in the images below.

Adrian Sesitni’s website: https://sestiniartandcrafts.uk/

To celebrate the end of SATs this week as a year group, we spent the afternoon taking part in a class vs class rounders tournament. Having practised in PE the day before, the children put their skills to the test in what turned out to be a series of enjoyable and very close matches. The fielding in 6C was exceptional and there were some big hits in the mix too! After all the matches, the children enjoyed their break time with some ice lollies in the sun.

Overall, it turned out to be a draw between all three classes! We think another tournament at the end of the year could be on the cards.

We had an interactive maths lesson this week exploring how 2D nets can be used to make 3D shapes. Some of the shapes we formed included: hexagonal prisms, cones, cubes, cylinders, and octahedrons. Visualising how nets are used can be a challenge, so getting hands on with this task was not only helpful but fun! Check out these resources to have fun with nets at home!

Pull up nets: https://mr-mathematics.com/pull-up-nets/

Make your own kaleidocycle: https://www.polyhedra.net/en/model.php?name-en=hexagonal-kaleidocycle

BBC Bitesize revision: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z247tv4#zdwn8p3

What an opportunity to experience VR where we explored the UNESCO World Heritage site, Chichen Itza in Mexico. It was a major ancient Mayan city in the Yucatan Peninsula, flourishing between 550 and 1200 CE. Mayans is our topic for the summer term. You can find out more about the Mayans here.

We were very fortunate to have a celebrity visitor in school this week. Dermot O’Leary is a TV show host, radio presenter, writer and now visitor of ACE Primary! He spoke to us about his books, in particular his latest book – Spy Fox and Agent Feathers. You can check out an audio of the first chapter here read by Dermot himself.

Eden Camp is a museum in North Yorkshire. It used to be a prisoner-of-war camp but is now an exciting and immersive theme museum with 29 huts where children can learn about the history and experiences of war, especially the Second World War.

We learnt about air raids by the German Air Force – the Luftwaffe. This was where Germany bombed British towns and cities and was known as the Blitz. It was interesting but shocking to see the bombed street scene as we walked through the Blitz hut.

As well as this, we learnt about why blackouts and air raid shelters were necessary during WW2. We even got to go in some air raid shelters!

This all links with our class novel, Letters from the Lighthouse, where our main characters experience an air raid in the first chapter.

Eden Camp have a blog with lots of insightful posts where you can explore specific events in more detail. Check it out here: https://edencamp.co.uk/our-blog/

This week, a flood incident led us to take our science lesson outdoors where we became mini-explorers! We searched for minibeasts, observing and collecting a variety of creatures like worms, spiders and woodlice. Students closely examined their features and discussed ways to classify them using their knowledge of classification keys.

We also considered the habitats and conditions where we found these creatures, learning how different environments support different types of minibeasts. It was a hands-on science session that gave everyone a closer look at the fascinating world of tiny creatures around us!

In the coming weeks, we will be finding out about a man named Carl Linnaeus who is known as the father of modern taxonomy (the classification of living things). Find out more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/articles/zhnjf4j

Check out this online lesson about classification keys: https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/programmes/science-primary-ks2/units/living-things-and-the-environment/lessons/classification-keys#worksheet

This week, we had an exciting outdoor adventure to Meanwood Valley Trail! Along the way, we practiced our map skills, carefully navigating as we made our way to the Seven Arches Aqueduct. Once there, we delved into its fascinating history, gathering information to inspire our upcoming information text writing.

Our nature exploration included identifying various trees by their leaves and listening closely to the natural sounds around us. One highlight was spotting a unique monkey puzzle tree—a perfect connection to what we’d been reading about in class! We also collected leaves for an art project we’re working on. It was a memorable experience that brought together history, nature, and skill-building!

You can find out more about Seven Arches Aqueduct and see some images of the aqueduct through time by clicking this link here: https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/seven-arches-aqueduct-the-story-of-a-man-made-wonder-of-leeds-4152501

View some useful leaf identification resources here: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/03/tree-id-kids/

The Ordnance Survey website has some great map skills games and activities: https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/education/discover-mapzone