We are excited to share the wonderful learning experiences planned for Dosbarth Barafundle this term. Our topic is 'Peace, War and Security,' and we will explore it through a range of engaging activities across the curriculum. At the start of the term, children will arrive dressed as evacuees and participate in role-play tasks, including a walk along the old railway line to discover how our local area supported evacuees during WWII. We will also welcome a curator from Pontypool Museum, who will bring war artifacts such as helmets, gas masks, and ration books into school, giving the children hands-on opportunities to learn about this important period in history. Later in the term, we will visit Cardiff Castle to take part in a workshop and explore the air raid shelters, deepening our understanding of life during WWII.

In literacy, we will use The Lion and the Unicorn as the foundation for writing and performing scripts, creating diary entries, and compiling fact files. The children will also research the American GI soldiers stationed in Abersychan during WWII and write newspaper reports based on their findings. Our Welsh lessons will focus on talking about ourselves, including saying our names, where we live, who we live with, describing our appearance, and sharing likes and dislikes.

In maths, we will be working on the 3 and 4 times tables while revisiting the 2, 5, and 10 multiplication facts. We will also focus on telling the time to the nearest 5 minutes on analogue and 12-hour digital clocks. Later in the term, we will explore fractions in practical ways, learn about equivalent fractions, and use simple fractions of a complete turn to describe rotations. The children will also investigate the properties of 2D and 3D shapes.

Our science lessons will focus on forces, with children conducting experiments to investigate how the surface of a ramp affects the speed of a moving car. In ICT, pupils will create and interrogate their own databases, developing their data-handling skills.

In expressive arts, we will explore a range of mediums, including charcoal, to create images of our local area during WWII. The children will also learn about the wartime motto "Make Do and Mend" and upcycle old fabric or shirt cuffs to create their own small purses. On Mondays, Gwent Music will visit to teach the children how to play the PBuzz instrument, offering an exciting opportunity to develop musical skills.

In PE, which will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, children will focus on gymnastics and netball. Please ensure they come to school in their PE kit on these days. In PSE, we will discuss setting dreams and goals, and we will explore ways to maintain a healthy body and mind.

Finally, reading books and homework will be sent home weekly, and spelling tests will take place every Friday.

We are looking forward to a fun and enriching term ahead. If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.