Willow Class Blog Spring 1 Week 2
Date: 16th Jan 2026 @ 12:57pm
Our Busy Week of Learning!
This week has been full of exciting activities across all subjects, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been up to!
In Year 1, we’ve been learning all about making 10 using our fingers, rekenreks, and tens frames. We practiced subitising and found lots of different ways to make 10, like 6 and 4 or 7 and 3. In Year 2, we explored 3D shapes and looked at the 2D faces that make them up. We loved discovering that cubes are made of squares and cylinders have circles and rectangles!
In English, Group 1 focused on writing sentences using and and but, explaining how the boy tried to catch the star in How to Catch a Star. Group 2 explored expanded noun phrases, repetition, and sequenced the story. We’re becoming brilliant storytellers!
In Phonics, Year 1 learned the sound ue for /oo/ and /yoo/, and we listened to Kit and Sam’s wedding story to spot the sounds. Year 2 worked on adding the suffixes -ed and -er to root words ending in e, like hope → hoped and bake → baker.
In Art, we listened to music and responded through art by creating lines to show movement and emotion. Smooth lines for calm music, jagged lines for lively tunes—it was amazing to see how music inspired our creativity!
In Computing, we became programmers by giving instructions to Beebots and even directed ourselves around the classroom using the same commands. It was tricky but so much fun!
In Science, we tested which materials make the strongest houses when the wind blows—just like in The Three Little Pigs! We built houses from straw, sticks, and bricks, predicted what would happen, and then tested them with a hairdryer. The brick houses were the strongest!
In PSHE we talked about who can help us when we need support and explored the emotion anxiety. We shared strategies like deep breathing, talking to someone, or doing something calming when we feel worried.
On Monday, we had our Oracy Competition, and the children were incredible! From tigers to Pokémon, we spoke passionately about our topics. A huge well done to Sophie for making it through to the other school round!
Our play project this week has been a fun one! We’ve been preparing for the Big School Birdwatch by exploring birds, making nests, bird models, and bird houses. Some Eco Committee children even helped Miss Jackson make bird feeders to hang around the school grounds.
In Dance, we pretended to be astronauts exploring space and merged this with dance movements inspired by fireworks. We thought about how astronauts float and move slowly, then added quick, explosive actions like fireworks bursting in the sky. It was so much fun combining two themes into one creative performance!
We have enjoyed:
- Writing some space facts - Grey and Roberta.
- Making a submarine using lego with my friends - Alfie.
- Making a jet with my friends - Toby.
- Making a rocket with lego - George.
- Writing my story about a little chick - Bea.
- Making my bird house - Gracie.
- Writing instructions for making arachini balls - Leo.
- Looking at numbers to 20 in maths fluency - Alicja.
- Learning about 3D shapes - Edie.
- Sharing my love of pokemon with the class - Woody.
- Using the telephones and calling the astronaut - Archie.
- Singing in worship - Daisy-Mai.
- Beginning to learn guitar - Sophie.
- Space dancing - Alice.
- Playing small world - schools and animal villages - Sophie.
What a fantastic week of learning and creativity! We are so proud of everyone’s hard work and enthusiasm.
Have a lovely weekend!
Miss Jackson, Mrs Gardener, Julia and Willow Class
