Columba and Aquila - Reflect and Review

Dear Parents and Carers,

We had a fantastic week of learning across the school. While Aquila enjoyed a memorable visit to Paris, Columba and those that stayed at home, engaged in a wide range of exciting activities. 

As journalists in English, we began our North Hinksey Press newspaper project. We studied key features of newspaper articles, including alliteration, direct speech, and reported speech. We conducted interviews with Mrs Burson, who spoke about the school’s history and her enthusiasm for the upcoming Christmas events, and with Mrs Dallimore, who has been part of our school for the past 20 years—and we cannot wait for her wonderful Christmas dinner next week! Using the information gathered, we planned and wrote our own newspaper articles with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and journalistic style.

As mathematicians, we worked on improper fractions and mixed numbers, developing confidence in converting between them and applying these skills to a range of problems.

As Designers in DT, we completed two practical projects. We designed, constructed, tested, evaluated, and decorated our own thrones, demonstrating creativity, resilience, and problem-solving. We also investigated the mechanism of a kaleidoscope, then designed and made our own using reflective materials.

During Cookery, we enjoyed baking delicious scones while practising accurate measuring skills.

Next Week

In English, we will focus on seasonal poetry, exploring imagery, descriptive language, and poetic structure.

As geographers, we will begin our study of the United States of America, naming and locating key places, examining human and physical features, and analysing geographical patterns.

In Maths, we will learn how to compare and order fractions, and how to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator.

Home Learning

• Maths Practice Journals should be completed and returned on Monday.
• We encourage daily reading at home and regular practice of spellings from the pupils’ logbooks.

Key Dates

• 3rd December – Christmas Dinner and Jumper Day
• 11th December – Columba University College Visit (after school)
• 12th December – Christmas Service at St Peter and St Paul’s (Years 2–6) Children in Columba and Aquila can come dressed as wise men for the Christmas Service if they would like to. Please don’t buy anything for it specifically, each phase will be a different part of the nativity, but think low-key, cardboard crowns and capes would be perfectly sufficient – Be excited for the staff’s important dressing up role too! Starts at 10am, please be at school for 9.15am if you wish to walk with us.
• 12th December – HSA Christmas Bazaar, After School
• 15th December – Reading Passports returned to school
• 18th December – BFG Visit
• 19th December – End of Term (1:00pm Finish)