During Black History Month, Year 1 and 2 learned about the importance of celebrating Black people’s contributions to history, culture, and our communities.

This year, we explored the life and work of Malorie Blackman, a famous British author. We found out that she has written many exciting books for children and young adults, and that she was the first Black person to be named the Children’s Laureate in the UK.

We read some of her stories, talked about the characters she created, and learned how stories can help us understand other people’s lives and experiences.

The children really enjoyed learning about Malorie Blackman and thinking about how everyone’s voice matters. We celebrated with reading, creative writing, and some fantastic artwork inspired by her stories.

As part of our seasonal learning some children have been busy designing and building their very own bug hotels! Linking science, design, and our learning about autumn habitats, children explored the types of animals that might need a safe place to shelter as the weather gets colder.

Using natural materials collected at home and in school – such as sticks, leaves, pinecones and bark – the children created inviting spaces for bugs to rest and hide.

This week, our Year 1 and Year 2 children went on a lovely autumn walk to explore the changing season. The children collected a variety of natural objects such as colourful leaves, conkers, acorns, and twigs. They used their senses to observe the sights, sounds, and smells of autumn and talked about what they discovered. It was a fantastic way to learn about nature, practise sorting and describing objects, and enjoy the fresh air together!

This week, the children explored how animals get ready for the colder months, how they spend time gathering food and shelter building. The children used natural materials and clay to create their own woodland creatures, and really got stuck in with lots of enthusiasm and creativity.

We shared the story of Jack and His Magical Leaves and played our favourite game — Sleeping Hedgehog — which had everyone laughing as they tried to stay still and quiet!

The children loved searching for insects, big and small, and were full of excitement with every new discovery.

To finish off the session, we enjoyed toasted pancakes with strawberries, blueberries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce — the perfect treat after a busy day outdoors.