Geography - Our budding geographers have been putting their mapping and compass skills to the test. These tools were essential as we researched Trinidad, Tobago, and Jamaica in preparation for International Week. We can’t wait to showcase what we’ve learnt during our Mini-World activities!

Literacy - In Literacy, we’ve dived into a brilliant trio of texts: Holes, A Monster Calls, and The Final Year. Each story offers something unique, and it’s been wonderful to see the children tackle these more mature themes while sharpening their advanced reading and analytical skills.

Maths - It’s been all about precision in Maths. From mastering protractors to navigating the four quadrants of a coordinate grid, the children have been busy calculating area, perimeter, and volume. By applying these skills to complex reasoning tasks, we’re not just solving problems—we’re building the confidence needed for our upcoming SATs.

Beyond the adrenaline, the trip was a masterclass in teamwork. Students relied on clear
communication to solve complex problems—a skill that has translated perfectly back
into the classroom.

Mastering the Logic of Maths
The "can-do" attitude from our trip has sparked a surge of success in our Algebra
units. As we move into the more intricate mathematical demands of the Year 6
curriculum, the children are proving that they can tackle tough equations with the same
grit they used to climb those high ropes!

The Power of the Pen: War Poetry
In Literacy, we have been exploring the evocative world of WWII poetry. After
analyzing how figurative language can capture the gravity of history, our students
crafted their own original verses centered on the theme of hope.

The quality of the writing has been exceptional, making the judging process for our
poetry competition very difficult! Stay tuned for the winner announcement coming soon.

Collaborative Art: Reimagining Guernica

Artistic expression took a somber yet powerful turn as we studied Picasso’s Guernica.
To understand the scale and emotion of the masterpiece, the students worked in teams
to produce a massive "composite" recreation. This required precision, steady hands,
and—above all—the same collaborative spirit that defined their time in Essex.

This term, our class has been on a fascinating journey of learning across all subjects.

Literacy and Reading

At the beginning of the term, we took an exciting trip to the Southbank in London to gather information for our non-chronological reports. This trip gave us real-world context as we analysed persuasive leaflets and learned how to make our own writing more convincing.

Throughout the term, we have honed essential reading skills, including skimming, scanning, identifying fact and opinion, sequencing, and inferring meaning. We have also deepened our comprehension and analytical skills by exploring the themes and characters of various literary works.

Geography and Fieldwork

Our geography work this term has been very hands-on, focusing on map work and fieldwork. We started by developing our skills in reading and interpreting different types of maps.

Mathematics

In mathematics, we have focused intently on the properties of numbers. We explored concepts like factors, multiples, prime numbers, prime factors, and square numbers. We also strengthened our understanding and fluency with the four main operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Through consistent group and partner work, we developed essential skills such as communication, teamwork, resilience, and reflection.

History

In history this term, we have embarked on a serious and important study of the beginning of World War II. We investigated the main causes, including the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles after WWI and the aggressive expansionist aims of Adolf Hitler's Germany. We learned about the policy of appeasement, where Britain and France initially tried to give Hitler what he wanted to avoid war, such as allowing him to take parts of Czechoslovakia. However, the policy failed, and the war officially began on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. Two days later, having promised to defend Poland's independence, Britain and France declared war on Germany. This marked the start of the conflict, which saw the Germans use a new, fast-moving attack called Blitzkrieg, or 'lightning war.'

In PSHE, we have been exploring some very important themes around personal safety, including discussions about gangs, peer pressure, and how to make positive, informed choices. The children approached these sessions with maturity and thoughtfulness, engaging well in group discussions. In RE, we have been learning how religion influences art and the ways in which artistic expression holds meaning for different faiths. The class enjoyed exploring a range of artistic styles and reflecting on how these help to express religious beliefs and values.

Literacy

This term, our Literacy lessons have focused heavily on preparation for the SATs. We revised key grammar and punctuation concepts, consolidated our understanding of word classes, and tackled a variety of comprehension exercises. The children approached the reading paper with confidence, drawing on their ability to interpret texts, make inferences, and justify their opinions with evidence. Through structured activities and targeted revision, they developed their skills and showed real progress. We were particularly impressed with their focus, determination, and positive attitude throughout.

Maths

In Maths, some children have been working on measurements and conversions, while all pupils have been revising key areas in preparation for SATs. This included work on arithmetic, reasoning, and applying mathematical knowledge in problem-solving situations. The children demonstrated excellent perseverance and resilience during assessment week, and we are incredibly proud of the effort each pupil put in to showcase all they have learned during their time at primary school.

As a well-deserved reward for their hard work, the class enjoyed an exciting and memorable trip to Chessington World of Adventures—a fantastic way to celebrate their achievements and spend time together outside the classroom.

Look out for the full gallery of Chessington pictures!

Geography lessons have focused on the practical application of previously learned skills, including mapping, compass direction, and map interpretation. These skills were utilized in research projects on Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica for our International Week Mini-World activities, where students presented their findings to peers.

Literacy work has centered on developing balanced arguments based on the class text, 'Windrush Child.' Students have refined their writing techniques, focusing on descriptive settings, character development, and suspense.  They have also been encouraged to enhance their independent editing and revision skills.

In Mathematics, students have been developing their understanding of geometry, including the use of protractors to measure angles and draw shapes, the interpretation and plotting of coordinates in four quadrants, and the calculation of area, perimeter, and volume. These concepts have been reinforced through reasoning and problem-solving activities, which are also designed to prepare students for their upcoming SATs.

See if you can spot what we have been working on from the images below. 

We started the term with a trip to the Southbank as research for our non-chronological reports about this renowned area of London. We studied persuasive leaflets and thought about how we could make our reports persuasive. We have used a range of reading skills this term, including skimming and scanning, identifying fact and opinion and sequencing, and using inference skills in order to improve our comprehension. We have also studied three Shakespeare plays and made links between the themes and characters.

This term we have focussed on ‘properties of number’. This has included work on factors, multiples, prime numbers, prime factors and square numbers. We have also refined our knowledge of the 4 main operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We have demonstrated core skills such as communication, team work, resilience and reflection through our group and partner work.

As part of our Science topic, we visited the Natural History Museum to take part in a workshop on evolution. We took part in some practical activities exploring what evolution is, and why and how it happens. We had a chance to find evidence of evolution within the galleries and also explored the Volcanoes and Earthquakes section, which links to our learning in Geography.

As a reward for our hard work, the children have enjoyed a number of trips to Chessington, Stratford Picturehouse, Nando’s and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis centre to watch the Great Britain vs Germany hockey match. They also participated in two weeks of swimming lessons and made immense progress. We have further developed our performing arts skills when preparing for our performance Shakespeare Rocks, which was extremely successful! The Year 6 Prom was a brilliant celebration of the end of their Curwen journey.

In Geography we enjoyed learning about tectonic plates and mountain formations. We learnt about different types of tectonic plate movement and how they can result in volcanoes and earthquakes. We also developed our map reading skills using 6 figure grid references. 

Our RE topic is Arts and Religion this term and we have been exploring how people use art to express and communicate their faith. We visited a local church to look at the symbolism in the stained glass windows. This inspired us to produce our own stained glass style artwork expressing our ideas and beliefs.

Literacy

In Literacy we have been developing our editing skills, revisiting a range of texts we produced earlier in the school year. We have been striving for success to ensure our writing portfolios are as outstanding as they can possibly be. We have been using reflection and communication skills when peer assessing each other’s work.

Maths

In Maths the children have worked extremely hard in the lead up to SATs in order to demonstrate all that we have learnt during our time at Primary School. The children showed amazing resilience in all of their papers and we are very proud of them all.

In Science the children have been learning about microorganisms, including identifying the main types and common examples of each. The children came up with their own questions for an investigation exploring which kind of environment mould thrives in. Here is an extract of one pupils’ writing which demonstrates understanding of how to ensure a fair test. 

In Geography our learning has been focussed on map skills, including using directional language, identifying and comparing types of maps and using 6-figure grid references. International Week was a fantastic way to share what we had learnt about our countries Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. We used Design and Technology skills to plan, make and evaluate our costumes for carnival, assisted by some very helpful parents who came to our costume making afternoon.

In Literacy, the children have written narratives from the perspective of a child in World War II. This has enabled them to develop their empathy skills-one of our core skills at Curwen! They have also learned how to describe characters and settings effectively. We also explored a range of non-fiction texts relating to our Geography topic on Caribbean countries, focussing on summarising, fact retrieval, and understanding how layout and features help us to locate information. 

Year 6 pupils have worked very hard once again this term in Maths. They have learned how to read and plot coordinates in all four quadrants and applied this knowledge to work out the missing point of a shape. We have also covered Statistics and Angles.

Our topic this term has been ‘Rebuilding Britain after World War 2’. We have been exploring the history of the British Empire and the Commonwealth and discussing its impact on the world. We also learnt about the experiences and impact of the Windrush generation. 

During literacy lessons, the children have explored war poetry. The children have developed their reading skills, analysing the impact of figurative language techniques. This understanding then influenced their own thought-provoking poems about WWII.

In Maths lessons pupils have developed their understanding of Algebra. This includes simplifying expressions, and balancing and solving equations. We have also developed our resilience when completing exploratory learning tasks.