Latest News

In addition to our Newsletter section, here you will find selected news from St. Nich's.

• Abbeyfield Science

  Fri 29 Jan 2016

  Last week the Y5s and 6s had an exciting time at Abbeyfield learning about the properties of materials. 

   

  This was connected to our science topic on space. 

   

  The children had to test different materials to see what could be used to make a space suit.  They quickly worked out that a combination of warm and waterproof materials worked best.

   

  We used the Bunsen burners to see how different metals react to heat - this will help the children think about what materials to use when they design their own rockets over the next few weeks.

   

  The highlight of the day for many of the children was learning about hydrogel and how it is used when astronauts need to go to the loo if they're wearing a space suit.

   

  

• Willow's Woodland Wanderers

  Tue 19 Jan 2016

  This week was the second session of woodland wanderers for Willow Class and Mrs Warren - it was a very chilly day and the children wrapped up warm for their session.

   

  This week the learning was all about "What if the Gingerbread Man had got away?" we looked at what materials were best for floating and how we could make a raft for our gingerbread men to sail away, Lots of the children thought about tying sticks together and some even made a mast and sails. Some of the boats were really good and kept afloat. We then had homemade Gingerbread and hot choc to warm us up. 

   

  The other group were looking at Natural art and enjoyed making their own, next week we will swop over.

   

  It was also brilliant fun looking and feeling the ice from the puddles and working out how the little air bubbles got in their and how we could keep the pieces of ice from melting in our warm hands!

  

• Pirates Ahoy!

  Mon 04 Jan 2016 Abi and Emily

  We ARRRRRRR ready for school!

  To launch our topic for the term “Arrr Pirates!” Cap’n Jim and Rascal’s Revenge have been in school today. Cap’n Jim told the classes historical tales about Pirates and where our ideas of what pirates are come from.  They heard stories about  Queen Elizabeth I and King Phillip of Spain and how much they hated each other and that Queen Elizabeth’s men stole from Spanish boats. They looked at the features of a pirate ship using the Rascal’s Revenge to get ideas and  learnt how  the Mary Rose sank as water flooded in through the open cannon flaps.  They learnt about King Charles II who had the long wigs, big collars and boots that is the style that we think of when we picture pirates.  That only Captains would wear such fancy clothes, to show how successful they were.

   

  The children all learnt sword fighting moves and how long pirates would have had to practice each day to be the best swordsmen they could be. They learnt that Captains had longer swords that the crew because crew men’s swords would get caught up in the rigging if they had long ones like the captains. They learnt about Blackbeard – who was only captain for 2 years but we all remember him.  His motto not to  kill people if you don’t have to, he used smoke and intimidation to scare people into giving up their cargo.

   

  We are all really looking forward to an exciting term learning about Pirates.  – Abi and Emily.