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Head Teacher's Update
This term, Years 4, 5 and 6 had an incredible time taking part in the recent Medical Mavericks workshops which brought science and medicine to life in an exciting, practical, and inspiring way. Throughout the sessions, pupils had the opportunity to explore real medical equipment; learn more about how the human body works; and discover what it might be like to work in healthca re.
The workshops sparked a huge amount of curiosity and enthusiasm with pupils asking thoughtful questions and working together to solve problems. It was wonderful to see how engaged and motivated they were, and how confidently they embraced new challenges. Experiences like this help children to develop important skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and resilience while also building their confidence and love of learning.
Opportunities such as these highlight the vital role that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) plays in our school curriculum. STEM subjects help prepare children for the future by encouraging creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. By giving pupils real-life contexts and exciting learning experiences, we are helping them to understand how their classroom learning connects to the wider world and to potential future careers. Workshops like Medical Mavericks show just how powerful and inspiring STEM education can be when it is brought to life.
We would like to say a huge thank you to our fantastic PTA, whose continued support made this experience possible. The PTA work tirelessly throughout the year to organise events, raise funds, and provide valuable resources that enrich school life for all our pupils. Thanks to their efforts, we are able to offer memorable opportunities such as this workshop, as well as invest in new equipment, learning resources, and enrichment activities.
The PTA plays an essential role in strengthening our school community, bringing together parents, carers, staff, and pupils for the benefit of everyone. They are always keen to welcome new members and even small amounts of time or support can make a big difference. Getting involved is a wonderful way to meet other families, contribute to school life, and help create even more opportunities for our children.
We are extremely grateful for the dedication and generosity of our PTA and look forward to continuing to work together to provide inspiring and enriching experiences for our children. The Medical Mavericks workshop was a perfect example of what can be achieved when our school community works together and we are excited to see what future opportunities lie ahead.
Miss Renshaw
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We are so proud of the fantastic progress the children have continued to make this Spring term. They have settled confidently into routines and have shown growing independence and enthusiasm for learning. It has been a joy to see their confidence flourish as they continue to build strong friendships and develop a love of learning.
This term, our topic Once Upon a Time has truly captured the children’s imaginat ions. We began with an exciting crime scene linked to Goldilocks and the Three Bears, where the children became detectives, searching for clues and making predictions about what had happened. This engaging start helped the children to immerse themselves in the story, leading to thoughtful discussions, story retelling, sentence writing, and detailed drawings to bring their ideas to life.
The children have also enjoyed developing their vocabulary through the character of Grandma Fantastic, learning and using new words in their speaking and writing. It has been wonderful to see them growing in confidence as they experiment with adventurous language and apply it within their storytelling and role play.
Muddy Mondays have continued to be a highlight of our week. This term, the children have been learning all about the season of winter, making careful observations about changes in the weather and environment. They have explored winter conditions, talked about how people and animals stay warm, and enjoyed experiencing the outdoors in all weathers, building resilience and curiosity about the natural world.
In Design and Technology, the children have been learning about joins and how to connect materials in different ways. Linked to our story work, they designed and created their own bears, as well as chairs for Baby Bear after discovering his chair had been broken! The children explored a range of joining techniques and showed fantastic perseverance as they tested, adapted, and improved their designs.
Our history learning has focused on what school was like for children in the past. A particularly special moment was welcoming a member of staff who s hared their own memories of attending school here in Little Harrowden. The children were fascinated to hear first-hand experiences and made thoughtful comparisons between school life then and now. They also enjoyed exploring toys children play ed with from the past, with the spinning top proving to be a firm favourite!
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. The children’s enthusiasm, curiosity, and hard work have made the start of this Spring term a pleasure.
Miss Forestiero
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This term has been full of lots of positive learning experiences across the curriculum.
In English, a key highlight has been learning how to write poetry, which was new for many of the children. They worked hard to learn how poems can include rhyme and enjoyed practising this in lessons. The children particularly liked coming up with silly food combinations for their crazy poems, which created lots of excitement and laughter. They then wrote their own independent poems about strange outfit combinations such as ice cream on a hat or ketchup on a shoe. It was lovely to see their creativity and confidence grow.
In Geography, we have been learning about the United Kingdom. The children enjoyed sharing what they already knew about the four countries and learning more about them. We explored what a capital city is, identified our own capital city, and looked at capital cities in other countries. We also studied our local area and especially enjoyed a walk around the village to spot different features. The children learnt about human and physical features and sorted the features of our village into the correct groups.
In Art, the children have been learning how to draw landscapes. They were taught how to draw a horizon line and a vanishing point to help objects appear smaller in the distance. They worked carefully and produced some lovely drawings.
I am very p roud of the effort and enthusiasm the children have shown this term.
Miss Harries
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Primrose have had another exciting and successful term; they have worked incredibly hard and shown great enthusiasm across all their subjects.
In English, the children produced some excellent persuasive writing. They created holiday brochures about Skara Brae, using persuasive language to encourage reade rs to visit. We were also thrilled with the amazing progress shown in their independent writing, where they wrote their own holiday brochures about Italy. The children demonstrated growing confidence in structure, vocabulary and punctuation.
In Maths this term, we completed our addition and subtraction unit. The children have widened their range of strategies and are becoming increasingly confident in choosing and using appropriate methods and are now growing in confidence when using formal written methods. We have now started our multiplication and division unit. It would be very helpful if all children could continue practising their 2s, 5s, and 10s times tables at home. For Year 3 children, practising the 3s, 4s, and 8s will also be very beneficial as we move further into this unit.
Our History topic this term has been Ancient Egyptians. The children have been extremely inquisitive about this topic and have asked lots of inquisitive questions. They particularly enjoyed learning about Ancient Egyptian mummification, including taking part in role play to “mummify” their classmates! They were also fantastic at investigating artefacts and debating what they may have been used for, showing great curiosity and teamwork.
In Science we have explored different types of rocks and learned how to classify them, investigated fossils and discovered how they are formed, and compared natural and man-made rocks. The children have shown great curiosity and enthusiasm throughout—who knows, we might have some geologists in the making!
In PE, the children have shown great strength and confidence dur ing our gymnastics unit. They have been excellent at holding a range of shapes and balances, as well as combining these with movement across equipment and jumps. It has been wonderful to see their confidence and strength grow throughout the unit.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are very proud of everything the children have achieved this term and look forward to all the exciting learning ahead.
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Year 4 have had a busy and exciting term filled with learning across the curriculum! In Maths, pupils have been developing their understanding of multiplication and division. They have explored different strategies to solve problems, including using times tables, arrays, number lines and written methods, while also applying their skills to real-life word problems. The children have shown great perseverance and confidence when tackling more challenging calculations. I have also been so impressed with the children’s efforts with TT Rockstars, in preparation for our times table check in June.
In English, Year 4 have been studying Float, a beautiful wordless pictu re book. This has inspired thoughtful discussions and creative writing, as pupils used their inference skills and the illustrations to decipher characters’ feelings, settings and events. They produced imaginative narratives and descriptive writing, demonstrating how powerful images can be in storytelling.
Our Science lessons focused on st ates of matter. The class investigated solids, liquids and gases, learning how materials can change state through heating and cooling. Pupils enjoyed hands-on activities, such as exploring the different states of water and melting chocolate to show the change from solid to liquid, all whilst using scientific vocabulary to explain their observations.
In History, Year 4 stepped back in time to learn about The Ancient Greeks. So far, they have explored daily life in Ancient Greece and the gods and goddesses. The children were fascinated by the Greek gods and goddesses and their different responsibilities.
Finally, in French, pupils practised numbers, the calendar and birthdays, learning how to say dates and ask and answer simple questions. Their enthusiasm for speaking French has been wonderful to see and Mrs Austin is so impressed with their efforts!
Well done, Year 4, for your hard work and enthusiasm across all subjects!
Mrs Presland
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Orchid Class have thrown themselves into Spring Term with energy, enthusiasm and lots of creativity. In English, we began with poetry about the cutest animals in the world, where pupils chose their own adorable animals to inspire vivid and playful poems. We then travelled back in time to Pompeii, writing dramatic diary entries inspired by Escape from Pompeii. The children brought hist ory to life through drama too, creating freeze frames and taking on the roles of reporters and survivors to deepen their understanding of this powerful event.
Maths has continued to challenge and excite us as we built on our knowledge of fractions, learning how to multiply mixed numbers by integers. We were also introduced to a very special helper when tackling 4-digit by 2-digit multiplication—BOB! (who the class unanimously agree is brilliant). In Science, we explored the order of the planets, creating memorable mnemonics, before investigating day and night using torches and oranges. Geography lessons shook things up as we explored earthquakes and volcanoes, learning about magnitude and real-life case studies—complete with our very own (simulated!) classroom earthquake.
Across  the wider curriculum, the creativity has really shone. In Computing, pupils enjoyed programming Crumble microchips, while in Art they used wire and continuous drawing to create striking self-portrait sculptures inspired by Alexander Calder. PE lessons focused on gymnastics, multi-skills and hockey, developing teamwork, problem-solving and ball control. In French, we’ve been learning about fruit and vegetables, asking prices at the market and playing lots of games to secure new vocabulary— 'Monsieur Mangetout' was a particular favourite! In RE, we explored Sikh stories and discussed the lessons they teach both Sikhs and us today, while PSHE focused on hopes and dreams alongside our school value of respect. It’s been another busy, exciting and rewarding half term for Orchid Class.
Mrs Hindwood
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Spring 1 has been a busy and engaging half-term, with plenty of opportunities for creativity and learning.
In History, we explored the evolution of British laws and punishments  beyond 1066. The children were particularly gripped by the gory and strange punishments of the Tudor and Anglo-Saxon periods, including the scold’s bridle, the stocks, public whippings, and even trials by hot iron or boiling water. They were fascinated by how justice was carried out in the past and how ideas of crime and punishment have changed so dramatically over time.
In Science, we explored the human body with a focus on the circulatory system. Pupils lea rnt how nutrients, oxygen and water move through both humans and animals, and why choices around diet, sleep, hydration and exercise really matter. They created some fantastic scientific diagrams and models to support their understanding, showing increasing accuracy and confidence when explaining complex processes.
Art this term focused on sculpture, with pupils exploring form, texture and shape using wire, inspired by the work of sculptor Henry Moore. Watching them experiment with wire as an artistic medium was fantastic to see, and pupils are developing real confidence when talking about artistic intent and evaluating their own work.
In PE, we focused on gymnastics, developing strength, balance and control through creating and linking a range of gymnastic shapes. Pupils practised holding balances with control and worked on smooth transitions between movements, as well as performing jumps using shapes such as straddle, tuck, pike and star. Clear progress was evident in both technique and confidence as the lessons progressed.
In PSHE, pupils explored dreams and goals, learning how to set realistic targets, break long-term ambitions into manageable steps, and reflect on persev erance and motivation. These discussions helped pupils develop a positive mindset and a clear understanding of how planning and effort support success.
Next term, we will continue to build on this learning as pupils further develop their knowledge and skills across the curriculum.
Miss York
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Wellbeing Wishes
Following on from Children’s mental health week, it is a good time to notice that we are moving out of the long, dark mornings and early nights of winter. There’s a quiet shift happening around us. The light is returning—slowly at first, then all at once—and with it comes a sense of renewal. This can be a moment to pause, breathe, and let the growing brightness remind us that change is always possible, even when it arrives gently. As the days stretch forward, we can allow ourselves to stretch with them.
Below is the link to
Actions for happiness
Engaging in specific actions and practices can significantly enhance your happiness and wellbeing. The Action for Happiness movement promotes practical steps to create a happier life through its 10 Keys to Happier Living.
Happier Kinder Together | Action for Happiness
Below is the link for MHST (mental health support service).
We are lucky to have this service at Little Harrowden primary school. Should you wish to discuss any wellbeing/mental health need for your child please contact me in school. clare.tibbs@lhps.inmat.org.uk
Mental Health Support Teams | NHFT
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Inclusion Corner
As we bring this term to a close, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our wonderful school community. Every day, we see children showing kindness, celebrating one another’s strengths, and learning to understand the world through each other’s eyes. It’s this spirit of togetherness that makes our school such a welcoming and inclusive place for all.
We also understand that every family’s journey is unique, and there may be times when a little extra support or guidance can make a real difference. If you ever feel that your child may benefit from specialist advice or additional help, the SEND Support Service offers a wide range of information, resources, and prof essional support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
You can find out more about the support available here:
https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/specialist-send-support-services/send-support-service
We hope this signposting is helpful and reassuring, and please remember that we are always here to work in partnership with you.
Thank you for helping us nurture an inclusive, caring environment where every child feels supported, valued, and able to flourish.
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Tesco Stronger Starts Programme
We are still collecting for the Tesco Stronger Starts grant! Until the end of March, you can post your tokens in the box to vote for our new science resources.
Thank you for your support, as always.
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Pacesetter Games
Last week, pupils from Orchid and Lavender took part in The Pacesetter Games: The Cube. Mrs Tibbs accompanied them, and was very proud of their resilience, commitment and perseverance. Well done Team Little Harrowden on your amazing win!
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