Hawthorn Class News
6th June 2025
This week in maths, Year 4 have been looking at money. They were challenged to try and complete a money puzzle which was much harder than it appeared at first sight. Well done all for showing the value of resilience.
23rd May 2025
This week we welcomed one of our families to Collective Worship to talk to the school about allergies. The children learnt all about anaphylaxis and what to do if a friend was in trouble. They also learnt how to administer an epi-pen.
16th May 2025
9th May 2025
2nd May 2025
We also took our guided reading outside and performed a text.
4th April 2025
The children made mosaics, bullas, frescoes, oil for lamps and wax tablets in the Roman fort whilst the soldiers marched to explore why there was unrest near. They also visited the Roman baths, made a game called Rota (noughts & crosses) and a decorative brooch.
In the afternoon, the children took part in a feast celebrating the defeat of Boudicca.
28th March 2025
14th March 2025
Paul Blunt from the Sports Partnership came in this week to teach the children Boccia. This sport is related to bowls and is a sport that was introduced at the Paralympics in 1984. From a seated or lying down position, the players propel balls to land as close to a jack as possible.
7th March 2025
28th February 2025
The school hall is open! The children were delighted to escape the weather and have their PE lesson in our new facility. They definitely enjoyed it.
14th February 2025
7th February 2025
The children in Hawthorn Class have been looking at expressionism in art. They have been looking particularly at the work of Henri Matisse and Edvard Munch. Here you can see some of the artwork created of The Scream where the children have recreated the original painting mimicking the original colours.
31st January 2025
Hawthorn Class have been exploring when and how to be assertive. We discussed when people act impulsively and how at times, they may need to be assertive to stop them. Here you see them role playing different scenarios where they might need to use this skill.
10th January 2025
The new year has got off to an exciting start! On Wednesday, the children visited our own archaeological dig. They were treated to a talk, followed by a visit to the fifteenth century kiln. This area used to be well known for its pottery production. It certainly engaged the children’s imagination.
20th December 2024
At last, we have all made it to the end of term! The children have worked incredibly hard and are now ready for a rest. The final week has been filled with fun activities and also our Christmas production with Oak Class. I’m sure you will agree that the children gave a fantastic performance on Thursday afternoon. It was especially nice as the children had taken ownership of what they wanted to perform, read and sing. Well done to everybody – you were GREAT!
Also, congratulations to Willow I who won the Santa Challenge. She was presented with the scooter in Golden Collective Worship and was thrilled.
Mrs Pinn, Mrs Lewis and the rest of the Hawthorn Class team would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas!
13th December 2024
The children have had a very exciting week full of treats again! Last Friday saw the class perform their iPad music creations to the whole school. These music sessions have been delivered by Inspiring Music. The children had created electronic sounds and had a wide variety of groovy tunes to share.
On Tuesday, the children enjoyed a fencing class. They had the opportunity to experience a taster session. Well done to Neriah & Reagan who were given certificates as they worked hard and lived the values throughout.
On Wednesday the whole school was in the festive spirit (and Christmas jumpers) enjoying Christmas lunch.
A tired but happy class!
6th December 2024
29th November 2024
Hawthorn Class took part in a live Lyfta session this week with other schools from across the country. The children made an excellent impression with four of their chat comments being shared with everyone. Congratulations to Rosie & Cherry who were brave enough to speak live to everyone to share their views on the discussion topic. Very well done everyone!
22nd November 2024
15th November 2024
8th November 2024
Hawthorn Class have had an exciting week. On Monday they completed a problem-solving maths workshop and had a wonderful time. In history, the children re-enacted famous tales about the Greek gods, and in geography the children began their topic of classification. They learnt how there would be so many different categories of classification if scientists had not developed some rules.
25th October 2024
A group of children from Hawthorn Class attended the dodgeball competition at Stratton School this week. They enjoyed playing against other schools and had fun at the same time! Well done all!
18th October 2024
In Art this half term, the children have been learning how to create 3D artwork using shadow and tones. They have created an acrylic still life of fruit and vegetables. You can see from Matilda’s finished piece of art that they have made some incredibly effective works of art.
11th October 2024
Hawthorn Class are continuing with their map work. Here you see them walking through Sutton, comparing the symbols on Ordnance Survey maps with physical features. A discussion was had as to the advantages & disadvantages of using a map.
The children also travelled to St Albans Abbey on Wednesday to take part in the Harvest Service. It was a lovely opportunity for the children to be involved in a church service with other children from the Diocese. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the service and a special well done to Felicity & Reagan who were admirable banner holders processing with the Bishop.
4th October 2024
Hawthorn Class are continuing with their map work. Here you see them walking through Sutton, comparing the symbols on Ordnance Survey maps with physical features. A discussion was had as to the advantages & disadvantages of using a map.
27th September 2024
In geography this week, the children have been exploring how to estimate a journey length using an ordnance survey map. There was some discussion over whether Sandy or Biggleswade is nearer to school!
In maths, the children have been using their place value knowledge to help plot numbers on a number line. Year 3 are exploring numbers to 1,000 while Year 4 numbers all the way to 10,000.
20th September 2024
Hawthorn Class are exploring the question of ‘How & Why do People try to Make the World a Better Place?’ in RE this half term. They have been looking at the rules that we all have to live by and what these are based on. Here you see the children enacting some of the sinful acts that appear in the Bible that caused Moses to be given the Ten Commandments. The children have looked at how different religions encourage all to look after each other and the world.
13th September 2024
Hawthorn Class has welcomed a new cohort of Year 3’s and they are all settling well. The children have been very busy in their first days of the new school year. They have some interesting topics to study along with extra curricula treats along the way.
19th July 2024
Wow! What a week! The children have really enjoyed a variety of treats. From ice cream (THANK YOU FoSS!); rock concerts where the children performed magnificently; giant inflatables where they ran wild, to a little bit of sewing and some fabulous pencil cases.
Have a very lovely summer break Hawthorn – we could all do with a rest! We can’t wait to see you back again in September.
12th July 2024
The children are now beginning to come to the end of this half term’s topics. This week in science, the children had to test the strength of different magnets to see which was the strongest. They did this by placing a paperclip and a magnet alongside a ruler. They moved the magnet closer to the paperclip until it ‘jumped’ to meet it, and recorded the measurement it was at.
In art, the class looked at the construction of the Millau Viaduct in France. They had to consider how it was constructed as it spans a valley deeper that the Eiffel Tower. The next task was to try and construct their own bridges using only 2 plastic cups and a sheet of paper. The bridge had to able to support a load, in this case, coins. After some trial and error, the children realised that a concertina effect fold was the strongest for this.
5th July 2024
The children have had a very exciting week full of treats. Sean Rose, a Paralympian, came to visit the school to help the children complete their sponsored athletics exercises. The children absolutely loved earning their sponsorship money and afterwards were treated to an inspirational talk from Sean.
On Tuesday, the whole school travelled to the RSPB for a picnic. Hawthorn class also had a talk from Nigel at the RSPB who works in bird tracking. They were able to see some of the devices that are attached to birds to track them and some of the tricks used to encourage birds to re-nest in previously abandoned spots.
Back in the classroom, the class completed their building 3D models of buildings they have designed themselves. There was a little bit of trial and error as the children grappled with matchsticks & blu-tac but they managed it in the end.
21st June 2024
Eight children from the class travelled to Bedford Athletics Stadium last week, to take part in an athletics competition against other local schools. The team represented the school well and between showers, really enjoyed the experience. Well done team!
The children also completed an experiment exploring friction this week in science. They timed how long it took a car to travel down a ramp when it had different textured surfaces covering it. Why not ask a class member to share their results?
7th June 2024
A big thank you, not only to Laura, but also to FOSS who arranged the visit. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
24th May 2024
For National Outdoor Learning Day, the children had a go at writing their own Nature Vision Statement for the school. They had some very definite ideas as to what they would like to preserve and why.
Ethan & Tom wrote:
We would like to keep the football pitch so we have lots of space to run around. We would also like to keep the living trees because they provide us with oxygen. We would also like to keep the bushes but maybe give them a trim. Finally, we would want to preserve the forest and sensory garden and the vegetable patch for playing and for fun.
10th May 2024
This week a team of 10 children attending the Kwik Cricket tournament run by the Schools Sports Partnership. Our team made the most of the lovely sunshine and had a great time playing against other schools. Well done to all that took part.
In literacy this week, the children role-played different emotions mimicking that of the Iron Man, our current text. Can you guess what these emotions are?
3rd May 2024
Within science, the children are looking at rocks and how they are formed. They have also been investigating the properties of rocks. This week, the class conducted experiments to see which rocks were permeable and which impermeable.
26th April 2024
Hawthorn Class have now completed their look at Anglo-Saxon art. Their final challenge was to create their own illuminated letters mimicking the beautifully decorated scripts of the time. As you can see, they have created so wonderful examples.
19th April 2024
Hawthorn Class finished their DT projects at the end of term. It has to be said that they did extremely well. Most children chose to make the mouth move on their models and built their own mechanisms using an axle and handle. Here are a selection of the finished animals.
22nd March 2024
Hawthorn class have begun to transform the cardboard boxes that they have brought into school from home. The children are creating animals that have a moving part. We have a wide variety in the room, from tigers that roar, to dogs that move their tongues. Hopefully, they will be completed by the end of term.
A big well done to our football team this week, who took part in a football tournament at Robert Peel Primary. They all did extremely well and it would appear that we had a couple of future Premier League stars on the team!
15th March 2024
The highlight of the children’s week has to be our school trip to St Albans Cathedral. The children followed the Monk’s Trail, learning about the cathedral and monastery in the Saxon times. They also used their orienteering skills to navigate around the cathedral to find artwork & objects associated with life in the monastery.
8th March 2024
The children thoroughly enjoyed their time on World Book Day. Some chose to dress up as their favourite book characters. We saw some splendid costumes (thank you grown-ups!) The class also made potato characters to mark the day – as you can see there were some fabulous creations. Then they wrote stories starring their potato characters. It was a lovely day.
1st March 2024
This half term the children in Hawthorn Class are turning their attention to hockey with Mr Passman. The children will be learning all the basics of this sport. Here you can see them learning how to hold their hockey sticks..... and it has stopped raining!
16th February 2024
Hawthorn class have been finishing off their projects for this half term. In art, the children finished making papyrus paper which they then decorated with drawings of a god, mimicking the Book of the Dead scrolls which were so important to the Egyptian culture.
They have also completed Egyptian collars which would have been worn by the 'more important' members of society.
9th February 2024
This week, the children have been taking part in Safer Internet Day and Children’s’ Mental Health Week.
This year the Safer Internet campaign focused on change online and how technology is developing at a rapid rate; not necessarily with safety measures attached. The children discussed the measures that they could apply to keep themselves safe.
My Voice Matters was the theme for Mental Health Week. As you can see, the children produced some great artwork showing the ways in which they can ask for help and what they could do to support others.
Children also welcomed their grown-ups to school for our book share. It was lovely to see so many proud children & grown-ups alike!
2nd February 2024
Hawthorn children are looking at Festivals for their RE topic this term. Here you see them retelling the story of Rama & Sita and why light is associated with Diwali. The children created their own shadow puppets to help with this.
Some children this week attended the Sportshall Athletics at Edward Peake. The team did very well, enjoying a range of activities against other local schools. Thank you to Paul Blunt at the School Sports Partnership for arranging this.
26th January 2024
We have had an exciting week in Hawthorn Class. On Tuesday we welcomed Caroline from Anglian Water who ran a water sustainability workshop for the children. They learnt how to minimise the use of water when it comes to cleaning things. They also carried out a survey within the school to see how much water each tap on each wash basin uses, with some interesting results. The children also learnt what is included in sewage & what not to flush. Prepare yourselves for home instruction!
19th January 2024
Last week in art, the children focused on the Ancient Egyptian Sphinx. They studied the characteristics of this imposing statue and then made their own from clay. There were some very impressive results.
Despite the cold weather, Hawthorn have been having fun in the sun during PE. This week they were completing running races around the track improving their fitness and ensuring that they were staying warm.
12th January 2024
This half term, Hawthorn Class are looking at Egyptian art. The children are learning that the tombs of the Pharaohs and other important people were full of highly decorated objects. This included a ‘Book of the Dead’ detailing how the person would travel to the afterlife. Here you see the children completing puzzles from extracts of a ‘Book of the Dead.’
15th December 2023
Hawthorn Class have had an extremely busy Autumn Term, culminating this week with a fantastic school production of Countries Around the World. The older children excelled themselves as role models and made the whole staff incredibly proud of them for the wonderful show. A huge well done to everyone especially those with the main speaking parts, and those who sang solos. This is an incredibly brave thing to do and you all did it exceptionally well.
Myself & Mrs Lewis would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! We look forward to seeing you back in the New Year ready to work.
8th December 2023
It has been a very busy week for Hawthorn Class. On Thursday the children took part in a live lesson on Hanukkah. The children learnt about the traditions that have evolved around this festive in America. A very big well done to Cherry who addressed everyone on line and told them about some of the traditions in Sri Lanka.
The children also prepared Christingles with Mr Brooker this week before the Christingle service on Thursday. Thank you Mr Brooker for giving up your time to do this. It is always a favourite with the children.
The highlight of the week has to be the wonderful J-Sax performance that the children gave to parents. After just a term of teaching, the children put together a full half hour of music for the adults to enjoy. There were some very proud grown-ups at the end.
1st December 2023
This week Hawthorn Class were treated to yet another visit last Friday. Mrs McKinnell very kindly gave up her time to deliver a drumming workshop to the children. The children had a fabulous time and at the end of the hour long session had made a recording showing off their new found skills.
24th November 2023
This week Hawthorn Class have been enjoying some extra curricula visitors. On Monday Chris from Discovery Magazines came to talk to the children about the free Children’s Bible that they were about to receive. The children were fascinated by the Bible facts that he knew including the size of the largest and smallest ever Bibles produced.
Thursday saw the children complete a First Aid course with Mr Blunt. We did not have a medical emergency as the photo might suggest, instead Austin bravely agreed to be placed in the recovery position to demonstrate to others how it is done.
17th November 2023
This week in school, the children have been looking at Courageous Advocacy. The week began with a Whole School Collective Worship where the idea of what courageous advocacy is was introduced. The children have learnt throughout the week about people who have made a huge impact on others through using their voices when they feel that there is an injustice.
Hawthorn began by looking at people who we can call courageous advocates such as Marcus Rashford and Greta Thunberg. They explored what attributes these people must have and completed a mixing deck, visually demonstrating this with a partner. They also explored what their own core values are and how others have an influence on them. The children went on to produce collages of what their ideal world would look like and shared what they would like to see happen.
Hawthorn also took part in a live lesson by the Picture News Team. Over 1000 schools across the country joined in with this. They explored British Values and celebrated differences.
The final activity of the week linked with the Anti – Bullying week theme of ‘Make a Noise’. They explored whom they could ‘make a noise’ to if they felt troubled or witnessed a form of discrimination.
The children have really engaged with this topic during the week and have produced some lovely pieces of work. They are energized to help make a change.
10th November 2023
Hawthorn Class have begun their new RE topic looking at God, Trinity & Incarnation. In the first lesson, the children explored their thoughts on water. They recorded words that they felt were appropriate and then had to rate the importance of the different uses of water. Obviously, we had a variety of different opinions.
On Thursday, a team of children attended a Tag Rugby tournament at Biggleswade Academy. The children played against other local schools. They played well, enjoying the autumnal sunshine. Well done to all participants.
3rd November 2023
Hawthorn Class are beginning new topics following the half term break. In science this week, the children have explored how the seasons come in cycles and what happens to the earth so that we have them. The children then drew posters explaining what they had learnt.
18th October 2023
This Tuesday, Hawthorn Class journeyed to Wandlebury Park, just south of Cambridge. The children enjoyed an action packed day, exploring what life might have been like during the Iron Age.
The day began with grinding their own flour to make bread after the wheat had been winnowed and the wheat separated from the chaff. The children had a go at grinding the flour for themselves using a modern day version of quern stones. They then baked their bread dough on the end of a stick in an open fire, and obviously ate it when it was cooked!
The children also explored the Iron Age fort, finding burial sites and post holes which have given archeologists clues as to how people lived. The children were surprised to learn how good the defenses were, with a double ditch at this particular site.
After some lunch, the children went on to wattle their own souvenir wall panel, and have a go at defending the fort with sling – shots. It wasn’t as easy as they thought launching their tennis balls.
13th October 2023
Last Thursday saw National Poetry Day. To mark the occasion, the children looked at a poem by Michael Rosen called On the Move Again. This year the theme was Refuge and the children explored how it might make them feel if they had to abandon their own lives at a moment’s notice. They then wrote their own poems in a similar style. Here is Jessica’s for you to enjoy.
On Monday we welcomed the Potton Baptist Church to school. Hawthorn class were able to see the tale of Pilgrim’s Progress reenacted outside on the playground. The children thoroughly enjoyed this. Many thanks to all of those involved.
5th October 2023
Hawthorn Class took part in a resilience workshop this week hosted by Making Me. They explored situations where they may have to show resilience and what they could do to spur themselves on during difficult times. They had some fantastic ideas which they shared with others.
The workshop linked beautifully with our focus on Dyslexia Awareness week. The children explored what it might be like to have dyslexia and how showing that resilience would be important. They focused on the positives, that everyone is unique in how they learn & their abilities and looked at famous celebrities who have dyslexia but have not let this hold them back.
Dyslexia Awareness Week
Making Me
29th September 2023
Hawthorn class are working hard in art. They are looking at how important lines are within art. Over the last few weeks, they have explored how lines can be adapted to show shading and texture and how using different pencil types produce different lines.
15th September 2023
Hawthorn Class have had fun this week in their Science lesson. We are looking at the human body and this week’s lesson was on the function of bones. The children drew around one member of their group and then had a go at labelling as many human bones that they could. They did very well!
8th September 2023
This week we have welcomed a new Year 3 cohort to the class. They have settled really well and are quickly adapting to their new look classroom. We are starting the term by looking at Aesop’s Fables in literacy. Here you can see the children making the most of the glorious weather and re-enacting a fable of their choice. As it turns out, they have incredible acting skills.
21st July 2023
As a special end of year treat the children enjoyed the arrival of an ice cream van, especially arranged by FOSS. A huge thank you to them for this delicious treat. Happy holidays everyone and good luck to the Year 4 children in your new schools.
14th July 2023
Hawthorn Class have had a lovely week! On Tuesday the children spent the day looking at India and its culture. They examined how different cultures have affected all of our lives with the traditions being exported to others as people travel more. They also completed rangoli artwork using coloured rice. This led nicely into the Bollywood workshop on Wednesday. The children had a go at some dance moves under the tuition of Chloe Weaver.
On Thursday the children began Art Week. The whole school is constructing a collaborative piece of artwork. Children across the school have been creating different scenes based on where they would like to travel to if money were no object.
And on Friday it was Sports Day……
7th July 2023
In RE this week the children have been looking at Multi-Faith rooms for our diverse population. They discussed where you might find these and why they were important. As you can see, the children have some lovely ideas as to what should be included to make all feel welcome.
30th June 2023
Hawthorn Class took to the great outdoors this week to record their knowledge on how a variety of instruments make sound and how we hear. The children produced videos using scientific language to explain this to others. I think we may have some budding T.V. presenters in the class!
23rd June 2023
This week the children have completed their DT project for this term. Each child has created a container in which to keep ‘treasure’ in that is important to them. Lara decided to create a window in hers so that she could see her treasure at all times. Other designs included a pyramid shape and boxes containing trays inside. Some children were even brave enough to create their own templates.
16th June 2023
This week the children have started to look at our ‘Extreme Earth.’ They constructed the structure of the earth with the help of soft dough to help understand the different layers below their feet.
In maths, the children have begun a unit on shape and took to outside to explore this further. They were set the challenge of creating as many shapes as possible within a rectangle, but they were only allowed to draw 6 lines. Jacob managed an impressive 19!
9th June 2023
The children have returned from their half term break to an action packed half term. This week 8 children travelled to Bedford Athletics Stadium to take part in the Quadkids Athletics against other local schools. They had a fun packed morning despite it not being that warm. The children took part in various track events. Here you see them ‘in action’ completing the long jump. Well down to all those who took part.
26th May 2023
This week saw a team of children represent the school at a cross-country event at Edward Peake Middle School. They had a great time completing this fun running event. As you can see from the photographs, they also had certain obstacles and challenges to complete along the way. Unfortunately, there aren’t any photos of the disco zone when they had to ‘throw a few shapes!’ All those months of running a mile each day at school have obviously had a positive effect. Well done all!
19th May 2023
Hawthorn class have been living the value of patience waiting for the sun to shine. As it did on Thursday, the class took their science experiment out into it. The children were investigating the difference between solids and liquids and how adding energy can change the state of something.
12th May 2023
Hawthorn Class are practicing their cricket and tennis skills this term in PE. The children have been making good progress with bowling and batting improving their aim and technique as the term goes on. In tennis they are becoming more adept at hitting and returning the ball. They are all ready to join Wimbledon and the next Ashes tour!
5th May 2023
Amongst other activities this week, the class have taken part in a sports event, a science workshop & outdoor maths.
On Wednesday a team of 8 children travelled to Blunham Cricket Ground to take part in an inter-schools Kwik Cricket tournament. The children enjoyed the event and were blessed by the sun shining.
On Thursday, Mrs Knight from Edward Peake Middle School led a science workshop with the children. She had brought microscopes for them to use and some slides to look at. The slides had such interesting things as locust legs and rabbit fur on them for the children to see magnified. After that, the children then made up some magic potions – very apt as it turns out as we are looking at George’s Marvellous Medicine in literacy. They mixed acid with alkaline and made different shades of rainbow colours.
In maths, the children recapped on their fractions with some outdoor learning. Children completed fraction walls and found quantities of amounts.
28th April 2023
Hawthorn class have had a busy few days with various activities:
The class have now planted out their potatoes into the class raised bed. Fingers crossed and weather prevailing, we will hopefully have a bumper crop in a few months.
Four children received their first communion this week in church. They had all previously completed their confirmation classes with Rev. Alex. The children were excited following the service but they think the communion wine will take a little getting used to! Congratulations to you all.
Mr Blunt from the Schools Sports Partnership came and instructed the Year 4 children in how to be play leaders. They put their new found knowledge into immediate effect, and led some whole school activities on the school field at lunchtime.
21st April 2023
Hawthorn class are back in the swing of school life after the Easter holidays. Our topic focus for this half term is the Amazon rainforest. Here you see the children using their artistic prowess to create the background to a new display in the classroom. For this the children had to shade to create different colours and textures. The final display will be revealed in a few weeks.
31st March 2023
Hawthorn class children have now completed their work with magnets. The children spent the final lesson constructing magnets of their own. Children were able to magnetise scissors as well as turn humble paperclips in to magnets by patiently stroking them in one direction with a magnet. Once magnetised, they saw how other magnets reacted to it by floating it in water and watching how the magnets moved.
Practically the whole class also took part in the termly Rock Steady performance for parents. They were all amazing. Standing in front of an audience at any age can be daunting, but these guys rocked it! Well done to all those involved.
24th March 2023
Hawthorn class children joined Rev. Alex in church this week to revisit the Easter story. This was very timely, as last week the children attended the Last Supper in school. The children were keen to know what happened to Judas following his betrayal of Jesus. The visit certainly provoked some deep questions. Thank you Rev. Alex.
17th March 2023
The children in Hawthorn Class are looking at magnets as part of their topic work. Here you can see them exploring magnetic fields with the help of a bar magnet (under the piece of paper) and some iron filings.
10th March 2023
Hawthorn class would like to say a very big THANK YOU to FoSS this week. The children have received some new games to have fun with as they practice those all-important times tables. They can’t wait to try them out!
The children had great fun on World Book Day. They enjoyed a fabulous reading workshop, escape room style. They were locked inside Storm Castle and had to solve puzzles against the clock to escape. Once they had collected the answers to their puzzles they then had to solve a clue to finally escape the Wicked Queen’s evil clutches. Thankfully, all children made it out in one piece.
3rd March 2023
Look what the children have created! The 3D illuminated letter shapes have been completed, and I’m sure you will agree, they look stunning. Each child personalized their decoration. Some choose to use paint whilst others decided to apply a textured finish.
24th February 2023
Hawthorn Class have been making great in-roads in the quest to make 3D light up letters. The children have taken cereal boxes and are now busy making their letter shapes. Once this is complete, they will then decorate their letters and include a circuit with lights. We are all looking forward to seeing the results.
10th February 2023
Eight children from Hawthorn Class represented the school at Edward Peake Middle School when they took part in an inter-school athletics competition. The children competed in a round robin of events including speed bounce, vertical jump, chest push and standing long jump. The children had a fantastic time and were wonderful ambassadors for the school.
This Tuesday saw Safer Internet Day. This year’s theme was ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online.’ The children in Hawthorn Class had a very productive discussion about many different aspects of life online. Among the topics discussed were cyberbullying, how to keep personal information safe and digital footprints.
3rd February 2023
This week the class were treated to a workshop by Making Me. The children focused on ways that they could strengthen their resilience. They each produced a poster that would remind them of people they could to turn to in and out of school, and what they could say to themselves when things get tough.
27th January 2023
Hawthorn Class having been looking at Greek myths over the last few weeks. Here you see them acting the story of Persephone and the Pomegranate Seeds. The children were tasked with using both the 1st and 3rd person in their performances. They also had a narrator who added descriptive language to their presentations.
20th January 2023
Hawthorn Class have been investigating electrical circuits this week. The children were shown pictures on the whiteboard of circuits. They had to turn these pictures into a scientific drawings and predict if it would work or not. They then had to replicate the circuit to find out which they did with great enthusiasm.
13th January 2023
Hawthorn Class had an unexpected treat this week. Mr Blunt from the Sports Schools Partnership taught the children dodgeball for the afternoon, which they thoroughly enjoyed. You can tell by the action shots that they had plenty of exercise and were moving at quite a pace!
Back in the classroom the children have begun to look at Electricity in science this term. This week they explored the structure of atoms and how ‘free’ electrons can be persuaded to move in the same direction.
6th January 2023
Hawthorn Class have a new class member this year- meet Mitten! Mitten has been adopted by the class. The children have researched facts about tigers this week and are busy producing information texts. Mitten will be travelling to different homes each weekend as he explores his new homeland of England.
16th December 2022
The hardy souls that made it to school in the snow this week, made the most of the conditions. Nathan & Arabella joined forces to complete some snow art. The children were given diluted food colouring and were then challenged to make Christmas pictures in the snow. Here is their mighty fine Christmas tree.
Hawthorn class have had their last J-Sax lesson this week where they recorded a performance for you all to enjoy. They have made really good progress throughout the term as I’m sure you can see for yourselves.
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9th December 2022
The whole school were treated in Collective Worship this week. As part of our celebration assembly, we were treated to some Christmas music by Oscar & Nolwenn.
2nd December 2022
Hawthorn class are busy preparing for their performance to parents of what they have learnt during the term. We are confident that parents are going to be impressed. The class performance is on the 12th December at 9am. Please come and join us!
25th November 2022
Hawthorn Class have started a new text in Literacy this week. They are exploring the Native American tale of The Rabbit that Stole the Fire. This unit involves quite a bit of drama and obviously you need a few props. Here you see them proudly displaying their newly made fire sticks which will help with their re-enactment of the tale.
18th November 2022
The members of Nature Club made a very unexpected discovery this week during their lunch time session with Mrs Ream. Eagle-eyed Elliott managed to spot a huge puff ball mushroom which was growing in the school grounds. When it was in situ it looked like a football that might have gone astray. Club members shared their find and took it home to cook. They reported the next day that it was delicious. It was certainly the largest mushroom that they had ever seen!
11th November 2022
Hawthorn Class had a fabulous trip to Bedford this week enjoying the Queen’s Park Faith Tour. The children visited 3 different places of worship – a gurdwara, a mosque and a church. The children were able to explore the many connections between the different religions and ask plenty of questions along the way.
4th November 2022
Hawthorn Class have started the new half term with a bang! In our new topic in RE, the children scoured the school grounds to create rainbows of colour from natural materials. This half term we will be exploring the creation story and the fall of Adam & Eve.
Sixteen members of the class were able to attend a dodgeball tournament hosted by Edward Peake this week. The children had a wonderful time and our teams came a very respectable 3rd & 4th in their groups.
21st October 2022
Hawthorn Class have been finishing off this half term in style. Over the course of the half term, the children have thought about being healthy. They designed sandwiches which included different elements of the ‘Eat Well’ plate and this week they made them. Obviously a taste test followed, and then the children evaluated their work. All decided their sandwiches were delicious.
The children also constructed fruit faces this week in the style of the artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The results were very good indeed - almost good enough to eat!
14th October 2022
This week Hawthorn Class have been enjoying a new text by local author Andy Shepherd. The Boy Who Grew Dragons is proving a huge hit with the children. So far in our writing, the children have created some rhyming poems about Flicker the dragon’s week. They have also looked at an information text and sorted out the errors in it!
7th October 2022
The children have been very busy exploring how the digestive system works. They had made a visual reconstruction of the processes involved using squished banana and biscuits. Brave volunteers mixed 'acid' in the stomach and helped the food along the intestines extracting water and minerals on the way.
Mr Blunt from the Schools Partnership completed a workshop with the children on Healthy Lifestyles and the dangers of hidden sugars in some foods. The aim was to encourage the children to check food packaging and think about the all important benefits of eating healthily, keeping hydrated and having plenty of sleep. Did you know that a child between the ages of 7 - 10 should have between 10 -12 hours of sleep a night?
On Thursday, the children visited St Albans Cathedral to attend a Harvest Celebration Service. This was the first time that the service had been able to go ahead in 4 years and the children really enjoyed the event along with other Diocesan schools.
This week has seen a whole school focus on Values and in particular, diversity & inclusion. The children have completed activities throughout the week exploring family units. In maths, the children completed a bar chart reflecting a survey of an imaginary class ad its diversity. In literacy, the children have looked at various stories reflecting today's society. In a Global Learning focus day, the children have seen how our society has been enriched by many different influences from around the world.
28th September 2022
Having had a bumper harvest of potatoes from our class vegetable bed, the children made some delicious warming soup - just right for the change in temperature. The children prepared carrots, leeks and potatoes. These were then boiled in stock and seasoning. Reports back were that it tasted as good as it smelled!
In our D&T work this week, the children examined sandwich packaging ahead of a taste test. They learnt about the traffic light system and compared the contents of the sandwich with the healthy eating plate. They also looked at how the product is designed to entice you to buy it.
23rd September 2022
For our topic this half term, Hawthorn Class are investigating our teeth and the digestive system. Here you can see some brave volunteers decanting our egg experiment. Eggs had been left in a selection of liquids for a week to see what effect that liquid had on the shell of the eggs. The children drew their conclusions as to what had happened to the eggs and why.
14th September 2022
Hawthorn Class have been outside enjoying the autumn sunshine. In guided reading we are looking at Tilly and the Time Machine. The children reenacted what they have read so far and showed some wonderful acting skills as well as a good understanding of the story so far.
Year 3 had a J-Sax booster lesson this week to get them up to speed. We are delighted that the children will all be learning this instrument again this year. They all did exceptionally at their first attempt.
9th September 2022
The new Hawthorn Class are settling well and are hard at work already. We have chosen our monitors, explained our reward system and given out the pencil pots! The children have produced some wonderful poems this week about what they DIDN’T do on holiday which were full of imaginative ideas & description. They are putting together our new class prayer book and have made an excellent start in maths.
22nd July 2022
The whole school gathered together this week to examine the contents of a moth trap. Local volunteers set this up in the school gazebo overnight and the children were delighted to see what had been enticed in. The children of Nature Club were in charge of releasing the moths after the children had looked at them. Fascinating!
As this is the last entry of the school year, have a happy and safe summer holiday. Good luck in your new schools Year 4’s. We will miss you.
The whole school gathered together this week to examine the contents of a moth trap. Local volunteers set this up in the school gazebo overnight and the children were delighted to see what had been enticed in. The children of Nature Club were in charge of releasing the moths after the children had looked at them. Fascinating!
As this is the last entry of the school year, have a happy and safe summer holiday. Good luck in your new schools Year 4’s. We will miss you.
15th July 2022
What a busy week we have had! The children are enjoying Art Week. We have been looking at mark making and the history of it way back to Stone Age times. We have also been discovering modern mark making of our own. The children so far have investigated how to draw characters for illustrations and how to show emotions based on the characters from Tom Gates books. They have produced their own 3D sculptures using malleable materials and sketched these. The children loved the clay workshop with Victoria Houghton and have produced some amazing Indian elephants as you can see from the photos.
In Design Technology, the children have been finishing off their pencil cases. A colourful array of different designs have been produced. The children have learnt how to adapt their designs as they have gone along and have definitely improved their sewing skills. Well done all!
7th July 2022
This week the children have been brushing up on their coding skills and making some fantastic shapes. They have been practising how to draw using commands such as pen up and pen down and repeat commands. They were very proud of their creations.
1st July 2022
Hawthorn class have been developing their ‘green fingers’ this week. They have been looking at what life processes plants have and what they need to survive. The children placed plants around the school and deprived some of light, water and carbon dioxide and then monitored the progress of the plants via a class blog. As you can see from the results, some plants fared better than others!
The class also harvested our first crop of the season. The children took great delight in pulling radishes and then preparing them to eat. The few adventurous souls who tasted them agreed they were the tastiest radishes ever!
24th June 2022
This week the children had an additional trip to church. Rev. Alex helped the children to understand the link between the Holy Spirit and baptism. He explained why Holy water was used, the significance of the oil and why a candle is so important. Our baby Barry, (named by the children) was very well behaved and didn’t cry. An interesting fact learnt by all was that Holy water has to be allowed to drain directly into soil. The drain in the ancient font in All Saints is connected in such a way to allow this to happen.
17th June 2022
Hawthorn class have been outside enjoying the sunshine this week. A big well done to our Quadkids Athletics teams who competed against other schools at Bedford Athletics Stadium. All had a wonderful time and tried their hardest. We couldn’t ask for more.
The children also completed a maths challenge. How many shapes can you make inside a rectangle using a maximum of 10 strips of masking tape? Try it at home! Our highest score was 46.
10th June 2022
Both year groups in Hawthorn Class have been looking at time over the past few weeks. Here you can see some of the Year 3 children matching analogue descriptions to digital times.
The children have also been practicing their stitches in DT this week. This is all in preparation for the pencil cases that they will shortly be making. Watch this space for progress reports!
27th May 2022
Hawthorn class have been preparing for the Queen’s Jubilee. Here you see them proudly displaying their portraits of Her Majesty that they have carefully created using watercolours. They look magnificent – I think Her Majesty would be very proud.
The children were also invited to decorate plant pots with suitable Royal pictures. They have created these in acrylic paints. The pots will be decorating Sutton Village Hall for the Jubilee celebrations, so if you are passing, pop in and take a look.
20th May 2022
This week, eight children from the class travelled to Blunham Cricket Club to take part in an Inter-schools Kwik Cricket competition. Although our team did not win the competition overall, the children did the school proud and gave it their all. Well done everyone!
Back in school, the children completed an investigation to see how the shadow of an object is affected when a light source is moved and placed at different distances from the object. Here you can see them very much in action.
12th May 2022
Hawthorn Class have been making the most of the Spring sunshine this week as they investigated Light & Shadows. The children first explored what a shadow was and how it was created. They also created sundials and explored how shadows ‘move’ throughout the course of the day and why this is not a reliable method of telling the time.
6th May 2022
Spring has definitely sprung. The Year 3 & 4 Nature Club members helped set up a small pond with tadpoles in this week. Mrs Ream kindly guided the children through the process of how to create a suitable habit for our visitors and how to care for them whilst they are with us. We will keep you updated as to how they are getting on.
Hawthorn Class thoroughly enjoyed their two music workshops this week which had a bit of a difference. In the first session the children created music coding in Scratch. Each child had 3 different sprites who became their band members. The band members performed a gig at the end!
Our second session saw the children use their knowledge of conduction to create music using a makey makey. Electrical circuits were used to create music. The children used their own conductivity to create these circuits. As you can tell from the photos they all thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
29th April 2022
Hawthorn class have started a new topic this half term and are asking, What is it like to follow God? The children this week looked at the construction of the Bible and what books make up this holy text. Did you know that there are 66 books in total containing a variety of texts including poems, songs and letters?
22nd April 2022
Hawthorn Class are back in the swing of being at school after the Easter break. This half term we will be looking at Light & Shadow in our topic work.
The children made the most of the sunshine this week and have been learning how to play French cricket. There were definitely some naturals in the class as you can see!
1st April 2022
We have had an incredibly busy week in Hawthorn class, blowing away the myth that nothing happens in the final week of term!
The children have now completed their DT projects and each have created an animal with a moving mouth. As you can see from the photographs, the project has been a great success. The children managed to problem solve as they created their mechanisms and then added the finishing touches including a lick of paint.
As Spring is now here and the clocks have changed, we celebrated by planting some of our seeds, courtesy of Mrs Hollyman. Each child has taken home some snap dragon seeds to grow at home. Hopefully, the Sutton area will be full with very contented bees this summer.
We need to give FOSS a big ‘thank you’ for providing us with some large garden pebbles. In the photograph you can see the children busily decorating them. They are creating story stones to take home. Each of their pebbles has an important scene from the Easter story on it which the children will use to retell the Easter story to family members and friends this Easter.
As if all of this wasn’t enough, we have also been treated to the end of term Rock Steady concert. Our two bands were amazing as they performed to a packed house. Well done to all of you who were involved!
25th March 2022
We have been making the most of the glorious spring sunshine this week. Year 3 have been working on perimeter in maths. They were able to take their knowledge from the classroom to the playground where they calculated the perimeter in metres.
As part of our work on the Romans, we investigated what foods the Romans had introduced to the country. Here you can see the children enjoying a Roman Banquet where they tried the new tastes and flavours of olive oil & vinegar, grapes, dates and olives.
18th March 2022
As part as our whole school focus on Ukraine, the children have produced this piece of artwork. The children looked at a photo mosaic that we have in of the school. They then recreated the colours of the Ukrainian flag with miniature drawings in blue and yellow of people and things that they love or enjoy. Then the children made sunflowers. Each one has a special wish about the war in its centre.
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We are coming to the end of our work on festivals. This week the children looked at Sikh festivals. They looked at Vaisakhi which marks the Punjab New Year and when Sikhism was founded. This is a relatively modern festival as the religion is only about 320 years old. Here you see them dramatizing the story of Guru Gobind Singh.
11th March 2022
This week the children have been focusing a little more on their DT projects. We have started to look at the mechanisms to make the mouths on the models move. The children are starting to design the mechanism that will suit their models best, depending on what movement they wish to create.
4th March 2022
This week Hawthorn class have been composing music. They were shown the trailer to a James Bond film without the sound and they had to compose music to match the pictures & emotions of the film. There was some fantastic music making that afternoon.
The children also enjoyed the World Book Day activities. Here they all are kitted out for the day!
25th February 2022
Hawthorn class have returned to school after the break with plenty of energy. In the photo you can see them working hard on their Design & Technology project. The pets are coming on a treat. The next part of the project will be to construct the head and think about how they are going to make the mouth of their pet move.
We have also completed some fantastic kennings this week which have been typed up and are being prepared for a classroom display.
11th February 2022
Hawthorn class have looked at various ways to help cope with difficult situations this week as it is Children’s Mental Health week. They have refreshed their learning of ‘THINK before you speak’ as well as thought about who they can talk to if they have a problem.
On Safer Internet Day, the children helped Bob the alien to navigate gaming. They then made videos of what they had learnt to share with the class.
4th February 2022
This week the children have been working hard in RE and science. They continued their work on Diwali and retold the story of Rama & Sita using puppets. In science, we have looked at the structure of soil and whether it is permeable or not. We have also recreated the rock cycle with the help of chocolate. Yummy!
28th January 2022
The week began with a lovely treat for the children courtesy of FOSS. The Theatre of Widdershins performed The Elves and the Shoemaker for the them. They really enjoyed this and there was plenty of audience participation too.
In Design & Technology this week, the children began the first stage of their models. A theme of pets has been chosen by the class. The challenge is to create a realistic looking animal which has a mouth that moves. We will keep you updated!
In RE the children have started to explore the importance of light in religion. This week we began looking at the story of Rama & Sita and Diwali, the Festival of Light. The children created Diwali lamps from clay.
21st January 2022
We have had a very busy time in Hawthorn Class this week. In maths, the children have been brushing up on their multiplication and division skills. This has including some outdoor maths activities applying what they have learnt. In PE, the children are working hard in their gym lessons with Mr Passman. As you can see, they are showing great flexibility!
14th January 2022
This week the children have completed their training as story seekers. They have spent some time retelling stories and adding in details and descriptions both with drama and by retelling stories aloud. They have really made their favourite stories come alive. Here they are practicing their stories ready to perform to the class.
17th December 2021
Hawthorn class have had a very busy week, full of fun, achievements and treats.
The children proudly showed off their lovely Christmas cards that they have made for loved ones. Everyone chose their own colour scheme and the results are stunning.
This week has seen the end of the Sutton Challenge with medals being awarded. For completing at least 4 of the 12 challenges a big well done to Lara, Ella J, Tommy and Hope. For achieving at least 8 of the 12 challenges, silver medals were awarded to Maela, Robyn, Luka, Jacob, Nathan, Mevin and Lillie. Huge congratulations to Oscar F, Isla, Charlotte, Ella B, Oliver, Lilian and Joel on achieving gold and completing all of the challenges. Some very well deserved medals.
The children have also enjoyed a COVID safe Christmas dinner. Crackers were pulled and jokes exchanged as roast turkey with all the trimmings was consumed.
Christingles were made on Wednesday in time for the Christingle service on Thursday. The children all enjoyed this special activity. A big thank you to Mrs Kerridge for helping us.
And the week didn’t end there! On Thursday the children enjoyed a bikeability session. They completed level one of this training which helps the children on their way to riding bikes safely on the road.
Happy Christmas everyone!
10th December 2021
Hawthorn class have spent this week sharing their achievements in the Sutton Challenge. The response has been amazing and has totally blown us away. The children have presented their achievements in various ways including some excellent PowerPoints, photos taken at home, scrap books and diaries – they have been a joy to behold.
3rd December 2021
On Tuesday morning Hawthorn class were lucky to take part in a coding workshop. In first half of the workshop the children designed and built robots from scratch. After playtime the children programmed the robots using coding, which they then downloaded onto their robots. The class then had great fun playing with their robots. The workshop leader was very impressed with the children’s knowledge and said they worked at level he normally sees in Year 5 children! Well done Hawthorn!
On Thursday afternoon in History we braved the cold and headed over into the forest area. The children had great fun building miniature huts like the ones they have been learning about from Star Carr and Skara Brae. They worked in small groups using natural materials to build them. As you can see from the photos there was some very creative designs.
26th November 2021
This week Hawthorn Class have begun their Story Seekers mission. The children are collecting stories and re-enacting them, thinking about the common features of stories belonging to a certain genre. They are using drama to help them become the characters in a story. They have also created posters of the common elements in stories that they have read.
The children also had fun refreshing themselves on how to use the ‘Flash & Bash’ boards at school. They took part in a very competitive workshop where a great deal of agility was shown by all.
19th November 2021
Introducing Hawthorn Classes Kipsy caterpillar.
Kipsy lives under an oak tree in the corner of our classroom and pops out on a regular basis to discuss emotions with the children. We have explored many different emotions with Kipsy including shyness, being embarrassed, feeling accepted and resilience.
Odd Socks Day was on Monday this week. Children and teachers alike, wore odd socks to school for the day. This was to celebrate the differences between people and led us nicely in to this week’s anti-bullying focus of ‘One Kind Word.’
The children have explored various issues throughout the week. They have revisited what bullying might look like and what they should do if they think they are being bullied or they know of someone who is being bullied.
The children created a display with reminders of kind phrases that they could use to help make someone’s day a positive experience.
12th November 2021
This week in RE the children started a new topic – God, trinity & Incarnation. The children started by looking at a cup of water outside and then scribing words that they associate with water including its uses. On returning to the classroom, they then linked this with the many appearances that water makes in both the Old & the New Testaments.
In dance this week, the children created some impressive routines with Mr Passman. Here you can see them in action.
5th November 2021
The Year 4 children have this week being learning how to become play leaders. Mr Blunt came from the Schools Partnership to instruct the children. Now they are trained, the children will lead activities for the whole school at lunch times.
22nd October 2021
After a full and exciting week, the children are looking forward to half term. On Tuesday, 10 children travelled to St Andrew’s School in Biggleswade to take part in the first intra-schools team challenge since COVID began. As you can imagine, there was great excitement! The children took part in a variety of games honing their tag rugby skills.
On Thursday, we welcomed Mr Blunt from the Schools Partnership to school. The whole class got slightly muddy competing in ball scoring games but had a wonderful time.
In science this week, the children have been measuring their own lung capacity. Don’t forget to ask your child how they did this and what it was.
Happy Half Term everyone!
15th October 2021
Science
8th October 2021
COP26
Hawthorn Class have been looking at some of the issues that will be discussed at the COP26 conference in Glasgow this year.
The children will next week meet the local MP Ricard Fuller to explain the issues that they would like action on the most.
During the course of the week, the children have looked at the effects on climate change from what we eat. Did you know that 1/3rd of the world’s CO2 emissions come from food production? Hawthorn Class also learnt that the most CO2 emissions come from people wanting to eat meat, and particularly from beef and lamb production. We had a full discussion on what we could do to help this. We talked about the word ‘flexitarian’ – this means you eat a varied diet but eat meat less often.
We looked at the use of plastic in the world today. Did you know that every year 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced? And every year over 8 million tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans?!
They also looked at the food miles that our food travels before we eat it. They were shocked at some of the distances that were travelled. If you eat a banana grown in Indonesia, it has travelled 7261 miles to get to you. To travel, it will have caused emissions.
We discussed what seasonal means, and how we can help to reduce CO2 emissions by buying food that has been grown in this country or locally.
1st October 2021
Hawthorn Class have had a busy week. In art, the children have been looking at how to include movement in their artwork. They have drawn a variety of objects that move, traced them and then reproduced this several times over their original drawings to create the illusion of movement. They looked at pieces of art by Giacomo Balla & Natalia Sergeevna Goncharova amongst others, to help them.
17th September 2021
Hawthorn Class have been brushing up on their ball skills with Mr Passman this week. He was very impressed with their listening skills and technique. Well done all!
The highlight of the week (other than Ofsted) had to be the first J-sax lesson. The pictures speak for themselves as the children opened their instrument cases for the first time. The children were fantastic, even managing to play a tune at the end of their 1st lesson – watch this space!
10th September 2021
Hawthorn Class have had a very successful first week of term! The new members of the class have settled well and are getting used to the new ways in their new class. Amongst the week’s activities, the children have made some fabulous birthday cards to give to one another when the day is right. They have also worked hard at created our class prayer book testing their ICT skills.
