Celebrating Success
Jeevan, in Year 5, is going for his black belt in taekondo. As part of the grading he has written an essay that he would like to share with the Scholes community:
Why I want to be a Black Belt in Taekwondo
As a ten year old boy who loves martial arts, earning a black belt is my biggest dream! It’s not just a cool belt, it’s about what it represents. To me, a black belt means I’ve worked hard, learned a lot, and become stronger, both inside and outside.
Having a black belt shows that I’ve practiced a lot. Every punch, kick, and block takes a lot of practice to get right. Sometimes I make mistakes, but that’s okay because it helps me learn. I imagine wearing a black belt and feeling proud of all the effort and time I’ve put into training. It’s like a trophy, but even better because I can wear it!
Also, a black belt means I’ve learned to be disciplined. In Taekwondo, I need to listen carefully, follow instructions, and respect my teachers and classmates. This has helped me become more focused in school and at home too. I’ve learned that to achieve something great, like a black belt, I need to stay dedicated and work hard, even when it’s tough.
Being brave is another reason I want a black belt. Sometimes learning new moves can be scary, and sparring with partners can be intimidating. But Taekwondo has taught me to face my fears. Earning a black belt would show that I’ve overcome many challenges and become braver. It’s not just about fighting, it’s about having the courage to keep trying, even when I’m afraid.
A black belt also means I can help others. In class, I see people with black belts teaching and helping younger students. I want to be like them. It feels good to share what I’ve learned and to encourage others to keep going, even when it’s hard. Being a black belt is like being a leader, and I want to inspire others by showing them what they can achieve if they don’t give up.
Lastly, I believe having a black belt will make me a better person. It’s not just about being strong in fighting, it’s about being kind, respectful, and patient. Martial arts teach important values, like how to be a good friend and how to stand up for what’s right. I think being a black belt means carrying these values everywhere, not just in the dojang.
A black belt is more than just a belt. It represents hard work, discipline, bravery, the joy of helping others, and becoming a better person. I can’t wait for the day I earn my black belt, but I also know that the journey doesn’t end there. It’s just the beginning of continuing to learn, grow, and maybe one day helping others achieve their dream.
DT – Cooking 3,4C
This week, we created some delicious pitta pizzas, using a selection of toppings. They tasted amazing!
We discussed the importance of hygiene and how to stay safe when cooking, including using sharp knives safely.
Today, we evaluated our pizzas, discussing the skills we used to make them and what we could change next time.
Help at home by encouraging your child to help you prepare and cook food.
Eggs, chicks and rabbits!
Towards the end of the week, children were very egg-cited to find lots of Easter themed enhancements to our Nursery provision.
We’ve been counting rabbits, carefully picking eggs out of a nest using tongs and decorating egg shapes in the creative area.
Next week, we’ll continue with some Easter themed fun and will find out about how some Christians celebrate Easter.
In our group times this week, we learnt about the number 4. We looked at 4 candles on a cake and put 4 counters into a 5 frame. We could see that there was only one space left.
Help at home: As you play with your child or during snack time, have a go at including some of these things into your play and conversation.
- Can you count 4 objects? Remember to line them up and touch/point to each one carefully as you say one number for each item.
- Can you count to 4 and show 4 on your fingers?
- Can you spot the number four on house doors or car number plates?
- Count 4 objects from a pile and remember to STOP when you get to 4.
Some children have shown an interest in ‘spinning’ objects and have loved exploring spinning and spirals.
Next week’s learning:
Sound of the week – F for flamingo
Nursery rhyme of the week – Humpty Dumpty
Computing: making our own version of Times Tables Rock Stars.
Children in year 5/6 have been learning how to use Scratch to create their own Times Tables Rock Stars game. Children have learned how to use repetition to simplify their algorithm and create variables such as timers or number generators.
Help at home: have a go at exploring scratch with your child. Are there any other games that you want to make? It might be a maze game or a playform game. Discuss the skills needed to code your own game.
A Tiny Seed
This week, we’ve been reading The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.
Some of the children recognised the illustrations, knowing that the author also wrote The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The story follows the journey of a tiny seed, tracking its journey through the four seasons.
We decided to go on a season walk to find signs of spring. The children spotted buds, leaves, blossom, bees and even the sun.
Miniscule is our ‘word of the week’. We’ve been learning that miniscule is even smaller than tiny!
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been doubling! Ask your child explain how we find doubles.
Phonics
Spring 2 week 5 has been a review of phase 3 sounds. We’ve been reading longer words, words with s in the middle /z/ (like ‘visit’), words ending –s and words with –es at end /z/ (like ‘foxes’)
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is called Hungry Birdies.
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
click here to watch us recite this week’s poem!
Road safety
A visitor came to talk to us about how to keep safe around roads. We discussed what should be on the roads and what/who should be on the pavement. We talked about how seatbelts, helmets, zebra crossings and holding our grown-up’s hand keep us safe. We even sung a seatbelt song to help us remember to always wear a seatbelt in the car.
Science
This week, we have explored seeds and stones that are found in fruits. We looked inside a kiwi, melon, pepper and nectarine. The children were able to describe what they discovered and drew their observations.
Loads of seeds. Myla
It’s a nectarine! Sienna
It’s a tiny seed. Albie
Teeny tiny kiwi seed! Frankie
Reminders and Dates
Learning Journey Drop in Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 8.45-9.15 or 3.15-3.45
Every child in Reception has a Learning Journey book that celebrates their learning – this might be with photos, our observations, and your updates from home. Come in and share with your child their Learning Journey so far.
Computing!
In Year 5/6, our topic this half term is Comptuing.
We’ve been using Scratch programming software to create our own algorithms to instruct sprites (2d characters in computer games) to execute certain instructions.
Repetition
Firstly, we designed a program which instructed a sprite to climb up some stairs, say hello to another sprite before then returning down the stairs.
Selection
Next, we designed a chat bot game where sprites asked us questions and depending on if our answer was correct or not, a message displaying ‘Well done’ or ‘Unlucky’ was shown as well as a sound being made.
Variables
After that, we added variables to our chat bot game. These included the number of points for a correct answer or lives decreasing for a wrong answer.
Help at home:
Have a look at this computing display from one of the 5/6 classes.
Help at home by asking your child to explain the what you can see in the picture to consolidate their learning!
Living and Learning – I can talk about how I am feeling
Our Living Learning statement this week is ‘I can talk about how I am feeling.’
During this session, KS1 identified and discussed different emotions. We discussed vocabulary linking to these emotions and how to recognise such feelings in ourselves and in others.
The children recognised that everybody experiences a range of different feelings and this is completely normal and okay. We can experience and recognise these through thoughts, facial expression and body language.
We talked about how we can deal with our emotions and manage them effectively.
In class, children watched a pixar animation where they were asked to spot different emotions and explain why they thought each character was feeling a certain way.
Help at home: by discussing feelings often with your children and find techniques that help children to understand and regulate these emotions.
Road safety
This afternoon, the Year 2’s had a very important visitor in school. The visitor was from Leeds City council and spoke to the children about road safety.
First, the children spoke about different parts of a typical road: a road, kerb and pavement. The children then spoke about what type of traffic they might see on the road and path, and added images to a map.
They were given scenarios both within a car and whilst walking or riding on the pavement, and discussed how to stay safe.
We know that we must wear a seatbelt whenever we are in a moving vehicle. We must never distract our driver to ensure the journey is safe.
We also know when we are crossing the road, we have to follow the rules: stop, look and listen.
Help at home: by talking to your child about road safety at home.
Year 5 Theatre Visit
We were very lucky to take year 5 to John Smeaton today to watch their version of Beauty and the Beast. This was a fantastic opportunity for the children to see what facilities there are at a local high school but also to experience what it would be like if they were to study drama at secondary school. The students were absolutely fantastic and the performance was very memorable. The acting was great and the singing was super, with a lot of the children performing solos. It definitely taught our children the importance of self-confidence, hard work and teamwork. Our children behaved so well and even helped to tidy up before we left. They represented our school brilliantly.
Living and learning : solving problems
We have been discussing ways to solve problems. It is important we learn how to work and play with other people. Problems will always arise in life and we have been talking how we can approach and solve problems.
Help at home by talking through problems and possible solutions.
