Using watercolours

Art, Class Work

Bluebirds learnt how to create a wash today to represent the cave wall before mixing and blending water colours to create some very authentic looking cave paintings. The children have really enjoyed working with different mediums to create different effects.

We like pencil best because it’s fun (Seth), it’s not too messy (Mila) and you can produce a neat picture (Ibrahim).

We preferred using the chalk pastels because you get a sharp effect whereas the watercolour is smoother (Ava) and you can blend the colours (Millie). Jessica thought the pastels are brighter but the watercolours bring the different colours out.

Black History Month – Nelson Mandela

Class Work, PSHE

Bluebirds have been busy learning all about Nelson Mandela today and finding out why he is so significant in history.

Frankie – He retired in 1999
Jacinta – Nelson was in prison for 27 years.
Millie – it wasn’t fair for people to be separated because of their skin colour.
Blessed – He stood up to the government and was sent to prison.
Ryan – He died on 5th Dec 2013 with a lung illness.
Amaya – I think it’s good he stood up for black people else this could still be happening in the world now.
Havana – He went to university to be a lawyer.
Dylan – It was brilliant because it was really unfair for black people.
Lexi – I think it’s rally unfair he went to prison because when was just standing up for the rights of black people.

Our Stone Age Experience!

Class Work, History


Bluebirds have enjoyed an amazing day travelling back to experience life in the Stone Age today.

The children completed many tasks including building their own village complete with shelters, making a campfire, cooking a vegetable stew (adult led), throwing “spears” to catch imaginary mammoths and reindeer, excavating an archaeological site for evidence of primary sources(tool heads), foraging for berries and nuts in the trees (pictures of them!), identifying tree types, dissecting Stone Age “poo”, erecting their own Stonehenge, carving tool heads (out of soap!) and making bow and arrows (using sticks).

These activities helped the children to understand and learn how Stone Age people had to move around to find food and what foods they ate, how they lit fires, how they built their shelters, consider how Stone Age people moved the stones to build Stonehenge, how persevering the people must have been as everything took so long to do! Mrs Parry asked them to imagine living with only those shelters for their home. The children made comparisons between Stone Age and their lives today. They realised archaeologists discovered lots of information about prehistoric life by looking for evidence and clues. Writing and cameras had not been invented but we can see secondary sources of evidence today using non-fiction books, photos and websites.

Our new school councillors

Class Work, PSHE

This week, Bluebirds talked about voting fairly to choose our school councillors for this academic year. The rules were:

1) Vote for one boy and one girl
2) Do not vote for yourself
3) Do not ask others to choose you / just choose your best friend.
4) Keep your votes private

We decided what qualities were needed as these children need to be responsible role models with good listening and communication skills. Before we voted, we checked who would not want to do the role as not everyone necessarily wants to do this job!

Congratulations to Lexi and Dylan!

Understanding that giving does not have to be material

Class Work, RE

Bluebirds heard the story of The Rainbow Fish today. There were lots of messages within the story which everyone discussed:

Millie: We decided that friendship is more important than owning lots of possessions like toys. You could be lonely and have no one to share your toys with.

Charlie: You can be happy without having lots of things/money.

Jessica: Sharing makes us all get along together better.

Paige: If you both share something it is fair and equal.

Blessed: I think the Rainbow Fish was very rude ignoring the other fish because he looked different and thought he was better than the others.

Bluebirds thought about what they had a lot of and whether they would be able to share it.

There was allsorts of collections including 1ps, lids, chocolate, teddies, dolls, shoes, toys, clothes and sweets!

Learning about feelings

Class Work, PSHE

Mrs Parry read the class a story about a Finnish boy called Sami who was starting a new school. Afterwards, Bluebird considered all his different feelings throughout the story. The children each had a feeling word which they held up at the relevant part of the story to show their understanding of his feelings.

Lily, Lexi and Blessed shared with the class how they felt when they joined Bells Farm. They were also excited at the start and felt a bit anxious and nervous. They were glad they were made to feel welcome by the other class members and could remember who was their special friend, assigned to look after them during their first few days, whilst they settled in.