by calderlodgeschool

Oakenclough Summer Newsletter
Logo, company nameDescription automatically generated OAKENCLOUGH  NEWSLETTER
SUMMER TERM (1) 2026		 sunshine-sun-clip-art-with-transparent-background-free-free-clipart-sun-2361_2358-2 - Norfolk Public Library

THIS HALF TERM AT SCHOOL

Mrs Farnworth: Welcome back to Calder Lodge for our exciting summer term. I trust you have had a lovely Easter break. We have much to look forward to this term, with all the wonderful opportunities that will be on offer to the pupils, including trips to Waddecar Scout Camp, the beach and our local community.

Mrs Taylor-Heath – Class Teacher
Mr Manning & Miss Hill – Keyworkers

Welcome back! We hope you have had a fantastic break and are looking forward to the Summer term. We have lots of exciting things planned and look forward to the warmer and brighter days.

DON’T FORGET……I
f your child has any medical appointments please inform school in advance where possible – you MUST send a copy (either hard copy or a picture by email) of the appointment letter/card//text to school for our register.If your child is absent due to illness please telephone school before 8.00 am and leave a message. Your child will not be collected for school until you inform us that they are well enough to return. 

IMPORTANT DATESEarth Day  – 20th April 2026.  St Georges Day 23rd April 2026.  Vesak 1st May 2026. Fairtrade Day 9th May 2026.  Ascension Day 14th May 2026.  Shavuot 21st May 2026.

Cultural Capital Dates: Wednesday 15th April 2026 – Morecambe Prom (Human and Physical Features)Wednesday 13th May 2026 – Garstang Fire Station (TBC)

Monday 4th May – May Day 
Summer Term (1) 2026 Ends: Friday 22nd May 2026Summer Term (2) 2026 Begins: Monday 1st June 2026

PARENT REMINDER
Please can sun cream be applied to children during the summer months. It would also be useful to bring a sun hat in for playtimes and trips. During the summer months children can wear shorts, but they MUST be plain black/grey or school shorts – no sports motifs. 

CURRICULUM
This term, Oakenclough Class will be exploring our exciting topic Bright Lights, Big City! The children will begin with a special Royal Afternoon Tea, where they will ‘meet the King’ and ask lots of questions and engage in discussions all about the Royal family.They will learn all about London, including its famous landmarks, transport and what makes it a busy capital city. In History, they will explore the Great Fire of London, finding out how it started and how it was stopped, and even recreate it through a model. In English, the children will use their Royal tea experience to write a simple recount. They will practise sequencing events using time words such as first, next, then and last, and write short captions to match photographs. They will also focus on using capital letters, full stops, finger spaces and saying sentences out loud before writing. Later on in the term, we will write a short adventure story about an imaginary day out in London. The children will also plan a London tour for Marley the Meerkat, thinking about the key places he should visit. This topic will develop their knowledge of history, geography and writing through engaging, hands-on activities.In Maths, the children will be learning about money. They will recognise and name different coins and notes, understand their value, and practise counting amounts using coins. They will also begin to solve simple problems involving money, such as finding the total and working out change, linking their learning to real-life situations like buying items.In Science, the children will be learning about seasonal changes, focusing on the transition from Spring to Summer. They will observe and discuss changes in the weather, including warmer temperatures and longer days. The children will explore how plants and trees change, noticing growth, flowers and new leaves, as well as how animals behave differently during these seasons. They will also think about how these changes affect what we wear and the activities we do. Opportunities for outdoor learning will support their understanding as they observe seasonal changes in their environment.In PSHE, the children will learn about the wider world, rules, money, digital resilience and jobs, as well as sensitive, age-appropriate lessons on consent and the menstrual cycle for those who are ready.

CULTURAL CAPITAL
Last term, the children enjoyed some exciting trips to support their learning. We visited Bamber Bridge Woods, where the children explored the environment to find everyday materials and identify their properties as part of our Science topic. We also visited Alston Observatory for our Moon Zoom topic. The children experienced a planetarium, learned about space, and had the opportunity to see real telescopes used to observe the night sky, helping to bring their learning to life.This term, our Cultural Capital trips will link to our new topic, Bright Lights, Big City. The children will visit Morecambe, where they will explore and identify human and physical features, preparing them for learning about London’s features in comparison. We will also visit Garstang Fire Station as part of our learning about the Great Fire of London. This will help the children understand how firefighting has changed and improved over time.