Unicef Rights Respecting Schools

March 2025

“I have the right to keep some things private”

Unicef Rights Respecting Schools Article 16

This means:

• they have the right to a private family life,
• they have the right to a private space where they can go to be alone, even if they’re in an institution, and
• they have the right to keep their phone calls and emails private.

Norway Spruce have been learning about keeping themselves safe. In PSHE we have been learning about people who can help us and people who are OK to talk to. We have been learning to identify people in our daily life who we can trust and who can help us if we are in danger or not safe. We are also learning about secrets; what is a good secret and what is a bad secret. We have been looking at examples of safe and unsafe secrets and thinking about safe people who can help if something feels wrong. Children have been practising how to say a strong “no” or “Stop” when they feel unsafe or uncomfortable things that are being asked, said or done. When we have been out on a trip and at the park we have been looking for people around us that keep us safe including teaching staff, the police and ambulance staff.

Spring Term 2025

 February 2025

We have been having a busy Spring Term in Norway Spruce across the whole curriculum.

In English we started the term exploring Myths and Legends. We explored many different stories from across the world including Greek Mythology, Robin Hood, Finn McCool and Aesop's fables. We looked at what the difference was between Myths and Legends and created some legendary creatures for ourselves. We then moved on to Drama and Plays. We learned how to take on a role in a play and focused on our expressive skills including our voices, actions and emotions, using a variety of stories including "The Hare and the Tortoise" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". We will be continuing to work hard on our reading and writing development through our daily phonics sessions.

In maths we started the term focusing on Number and Place Value. We were working on our counting skills using a wide range of manipulatives, extending to adding and taking away one and two within our known range. We then moved on to exploring patterns and sequencing. We learned to repeat, continue and create patterns using lots of different resources including coloured beads, multilink and shapes. We will also explore sequencing of events in our daily and weekly life, looking at when we do things and in what order.

In science we began by exploring living and non-living things, starting to understand what makes something a living organism. We have continued by looking at different habitats including woodlands, ocean, polar and urban habitats. We are also going to explore food chains in each of these places.

We really enjoy our Food Technology sessions! We have been learning about food hygiene and how to work safely with different utensils. We have been following instructions to prepare lots of different foods, exploring the tastes and textures as we go. We then moved on to looking at where food comes from. We will be looking at eggs, milk and meat come from and how they get from the farm to our plates. We will be using different ingredients to make food and following recipes and measuring out ingredients. 

We have also enjoyed taking part in a wide range of weekly activities including PSHE, Forest School, PE, Spanish, Music, Dancing and lots of different clubs.

We are always trying to use our new skills in as many ways as we can and building up our independence through our day, making choices and following our routines.

The Norway Spruce Team

Unicef Rights Respecting Schools

January 2025

I have the right to my own thoughts and beliefs, and to choose my own religion with my parents’ guidance.

Unicef Rights Respecting Schools Article 14

This term in Norway Spruce class we have been exploring why people pray in our weekly Religious Education lessons. We have been exploring how people pray in different religions, including where and how they pray. We have also been listening to different prayers from different religions and exploring how they differ from each other.

We have been thinking about why people pray, including to find comfort, to say sorry, to ask for help and guidance and to give thanks. We have been using the Newlands prayer to explore how we feel when we pray. We have been linking this to our Zones of regulation, helping us to develop our understanding of what we are feeling and what makes us feel this way. We are also going to be writing our own prayers.

Autumn Term

November 2024

We have been learning LOTS in Norway Spruce Class!

In Maths, we have been investigating long and short and have demonstrated this through making snakes with playdough and through connecting cubes. We have also been investigating doubles and halves and using Numicon to play games to try to help us remember these.

During Music, we have been learning to play the Glockenspiel and have learnt to play D and E notes through songs.

We have continued with our Phonics and have been learning to recognise and write a variety of sounds.

We have also enjoyed some more relaxed time on the park and have been focusing on learning how to complete jigsaws during morning activities.

English

October 2024

In Norway Spruce Class we have been concentrating on our writing skills during English lessons.

Some of us have been concentrating on pre writing skills and practicing diagonal lines, going from the left of the page to the right. Others have started to form lower case letters, in the correct direction, starting at and finishing in the right place.

Wow! There is a lot to remember when writing!