As always, we came dressed up as book characters and each year group had a 'Battle of the Books'. We wanted to try and share as many stories as possible, so as well as hearing a story in our morning assembly, over the course of the day, each class shared 3 picture books. By the end of the day, the children had to decide which book they had liked best. Over the coming weeks, in our Tuesday Oracy Assembly, each class will give the rest of the school a taster of their favourite book. We hope that by the end of the year, everyone will feel inspired to try out some new books, as recommended by their peers in the federation. 

The battling books were selected from picture books that have been shortlisted or have won awards: 

Year R

Going to the Volcano 

This Bear, That Bear 

I am Bear

Year 1 

Goldilocs 

Pooems: A Book of Pooey Poetry 

The Smart Cookie 

Year 2

The Dreamies 

Who Ate Steve?

Troll

Year 3 

Penguin Huddle 

Our Tree 

Where The Bugaboo Lives 

Year 4 

The Search for The Giant Arctic Jellyfish 

The Mushroom of Doom 

Leon and the Place Between

Year 5 

The Remarkables 

Wolves 

Black Dog

Year 6 

Don't Trust Fish 

The Lost Thing 

The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods 

Throughout the day, we were introduced to the concept of AI and learnt about what it is. We discussed how it can be used safely and positively, and we talked about strategies to use if we felt unsafe using AI. We now know there are positives and negatives to using AI. Some of us didn't realise that smart speakers are programmed by AI, or that AI can recommend new films or TV shows based on what we have watched - how cool!

Some examples of completed activities included designing a new smart speaker, going on a technology hunt, and creating a chatbot in Scratch. 

Overall, Safer Internet Day reminded us that the internet is a great place to learn and have fun, but we all have a responsibility to use it safely and carefully. We all agreed that we need to tell an adult if we do not like something that we see online. 

Here are some of the features that we found whilst out on our walk. 

When we got back into the classroom, we talked about the importance of these features that we found throughout the community. We talked about different human features used and why some physical features are so important.

This year, the children were transported to the mysterious Island of 6–7, where they had to complete a series of mathematical challenges in order to escape. Each year group faced tasks suited to their age and ability, ensuring that everyone could take part and be challenged appropriately. Activities included solving missing number problems, exploring shape and space, tackling number calculations and spotting patterns. These tasks encouraged children to use their reasoning skills, work collaboratively and apply their mathematical knowledge in different ways.

Throughout the day, pupils rotated around a range of station activities, with each completed challenge earning them a special code. These codes were needed to unlock the final stage of the adventure. Some children tested their speed and accuracy by battling against classmates on Times Tables Rock Stars, while others completed loop challenges that required careful thinking and teamwork to solve. The atmosphere around school was full of excitement, problem-solving and determination as children worked their way through the activities.

The day concluded with a whole-school assembly, where classes that had successfully cracked their codes were rewarded for their efforts. Each class was invited to choose an envelope from the treasure chest as they escaped the island. The prizes inside ranged from dojo points to extra break time, which were met with cheers and huge smiles from the children.

Number Day was a fantastic opportunity for pupils to see maths as something enjoyable, creative and rewarding. It was wonderful to watch them rise to the challenges and support one another throughout the day. A fun time was truly had by all, and we are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm and effort shown by every class.

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We are delighted to announce that the school raised a total of £377.75 for the Christmas Jumper appeal.

At the beginning of the week, in assemblies, the children learnt how to cross roads safely using the 'Green Cross Code' and the importance of being seen when out and about. 

The children explored different parts of the forest to understand the importance of looking after it, both for humans and the animals. 

They completed different activities, such as a mini-beast hunt, colour matching, and looking for different habitats, and at the end, we even got to do the Gruffalo trail! 

There were spotty socks, headbands, t-shirts, tights and even face-painted spots! Thank you to everyone who took part! Thanks to your efforts, we raised over £500!

The children have also created mini-art installations of poppies in the classroom windows. 

It was a fantastic evening and the children did us all proud! Well done to everyone who took part and gave up their evening to join in. 

Workshop:

We had the opportunity to complete a 'Roman daily life' workshop where the children had a go at a range of activities, including writing using wax tablets, exploring a Roman kitchen and making flour from wheat seeds, weaving, building a Roman bridge, completing logical puzzles and playing a range of Roman games:

Film - the development of Fishbourne Palace:

During the day, each group had the opportunity to sit in the auditorium to watch a film that showed them how Fishbourne Palace was built. We witnessed the change in the Palace from Roman times to today and understood more about how it burned down and what remained. 

Museum:

For the remainder of the day, the children explored the museum to learn more about the palace and how it came to be. We were able to view the Roman mosaics left over on the floors below and hunted particular shapes and pictures. We also visited the Roman gardens to learn more about what plants and food was grown in the gardens.

A great day was had by all!

The children across the federation were given one small square, and each year group was given a colour - this allowed Miss Ferguson to create a beautiful rainbow to commemorate this special day.

During lesson time, we reviewed what mental health is and why it is important, as well as revisited the self-regulating techniques we learnt during our SEMH and PSHE lessons. 

The children were asked to bring in £1 for dressing down, and altogether we raised £432.50.

After lunch, we opened our classroom doors to parents and carers so that they could join us for a bit of poetry writing. Everyone created acrostic poems inspired by the word ‘Victory’, which opened up lots of opportunities for discussion about what happened during the war. We are so thrilled to hear that these conversations have continued at home, too, as lots of the children have been really keen to find out more about their family history and have been asking their grandparents and great-grandparents lots of questions. 

Here are some of the wonderful poems created on the day:

After we had done our poems, everyone went out onto the school grounds to enjoy tea, cake, and games. We encouraged everyone to bring in some traditional games to play, such as pick-up sticks, tiddly-winks, or hoopla. 

Our sports coaches organised some traditional games on the Astro, too. Thank you, Coach, for bringing in your bean bag toss game—it was very popular and lots of fun! 

It was brilliant to see everyone enjoying being together in the sunshine, surrounded by the beautiful poppies the children had made and ‘planted’ as a symbol of remembrance and inspired by the stunning installation at the Tower of London. 

We would like to thank our school community for supporting this event, helping us to spread the vital message of remembrance. 

The work the children have completed is displayed in the classroom windows.

The theme this year was 'Too Good to Be True: Protecting Yourself and Others from Scams Online.’

In KS1, we focused on staying safe online and who we could tell if we saw something that we knew wasn't safe.

In KS2, we explored different scenarios and discussed what a scam could look like, and what we should do if we think we see one.

We now know that we should never share any personal information or talk to strangers online. We became scam spotting experts by the end of the day!

Please remind all children about staying safe online and ensure you comply with the age restrictions for any apps they may be accessing.

The entire team were fantastic throughout, winning 13 out of the 15 games that they played. They all played with such confidence, passion and determination.

Because of this tremendous achievement, we have qualified for the County Championships, which will take place in Portsmouth at the end of February.

Across Oakridge Federation, we managed to recycle a huge 471.10kg @ 25p per kilo, raising £117.78 for our schools.

Keep an eye on your emails as we will definitely be organising another collection after Easter.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, our parents, for all of your donations. Without these, our fairs could not happen.

Thank you to all those who came to watch and listen to our beautiful choir—they were fabulous!

The children made everyone proud and loved the experience. Well done to everyone who took part - you were all amazing!