Mountain Lane School

Tymor yr Gwanwyn - Spring Term 2020

Please have a look at the following photographs from our recent visit to Cardiff - enjoy! 

We have enjoyed taking part in World Book Day and sharing our fantastic costumes!

Year 6 News and Events

This Term’s topic is called ‘Out of this World’.  We have asked pupils for ideas and suggestions for activities that they could complete this term and so far they have come up with some fantastic ideas from making rockets to creating fact files based upon famous astronauts to comparing the diameter of the planets in our solar system.

Our class novel this term is ‘Cosmic’ by the author Frank Cottrell-Boyce.  Through a study of this text, pupils will be encouraged to think about differences between adults and children and the changes which take place as children become adolescents.  In particular, pupils will consider the expectations that people have of them as they become young adults. 

In Geography we will be examining the National Parks in Wales and abroad and pupils will have the opportunity to ask and answer lots of geographical questions as well as develop their drama skills through Mantle of the Expert. Pupils will also have the opportunity to develop and refine their geographical skills through the use of atlases and maps.

Our Year 6 pupils will need their indoor P.E. kit in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays for gym and dance sessions this term.  Although lessons this term predominantly take place indoors, it is advisable that pupils also bring their trainers as they will be taking part in cross country running sessions after the half term break.

During this term, much of the work carried out by Year 6 pupils will be used to inform End of Key Stage Teacher Assessments. This is therefore a very important term for the pupils, as information gathered will be passed onto their chosen High Schools.

Police Liaison Officer Mark Jones will be visiting our Year 6 pupils during the term to raise their awareness of Drug and Substance Misuse; this will then be followed up with work in class. The pupils will also be focusing on the topic of ‘Growing Up’ in their Personal and Social Education lessons during the second half of the term and therefore may wish to discuss issues raised in school with you at home. Further information regarding the delivery of Sex and Relationships Education will be shared before the half term break in preparation for these lessons.

Homework – Year 6

Pupils have been provided with a copy of this term’s homework tasks; a copy can also be found on Google Classroom.  We ask that pupils complete at least 8 of the tasks this term before Friday April 3^rd.

Extra Curricular Activities

An extra-curricular bulletin has been sent out to you detailing all clubs available to pupils during the Spring Term. Once again there are a wide range of extra curricular opportunities and as ever we encourage pupils to attend the different clubs to further develop their skills in the different areas whilst also developing their personal and social skills. It is also important that all pupils are reminded that inappropriate behaviour during the school day and / or during clubs may disqualify them from taking part in extra-curricular activities.

Important Dates at a Glance

• Cardiff Awareness Evening - 5th March @ 6.00 p.m.
• Year 6 Residential visit to Cardiff – 16^th to 18^th March  
• Pandemonium Theatre Company – 20^th March 
• Year 6 Cycling Proficiency Course – week beginning 30^th March for approximately 3 days (details to be sent home closer to the time)  
• School closes for Easter Holiday – Friday 3^rd April

We have been bust making our World War Two models.  We chose which type of model we wanted to make and whether we wanted to work independently, with a partner or in a group.  We hope that you like our models which range from Anderson Shelters, grenades, lighthouses and concentration camps. 

We had lots of fun on National Poetry Day writing poems of Movement and Simile with Francesca Kay. 

We have been working hard with our Learning Partners to co-craft and edit letters that we have written about Kindertransport evacuees. We took it in turns to work on each other's book, providing feedback and suggestions for improvements.  Our letters were then typed up on Google Drive. 

We had lots of fun at Elfed High School when we took part in a music and dance workshop.  We used 'Boom Whackers' to play a tune and learnt how to dance the Samba!  Many thanks to the staff at Elfed High School for the fantastic opportunity!  We hope that you enjoy watching the videos and looking at the photographs below. 

Year 6 have enjoyed their visit to Dangerpoint in Talacre.  During the day they learned all about  how to keep themselves safe both in the home and the community.  Many thank to the staff at the centre and to the parental helpers who accompanied us on the visit. Diolch yn fawr. 

World War Two Day!

We had lots of fun learning all about life during World War Two in Britain.  We carried out lots of activities including learning about daily exercise routines, putting out bombs and finding out all about rationing.  We hope that you enjoy looking at the photographs and videos.