Linmere Weekly Blog - 16th Jan 2026

This week, we’ve moved onto division in Maths. Children who have secure multiplication facts are doing really well with this new topic. To support your child at home, please encourage them to practise their times tables regularly. Using Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) at least three times a week will make a big difference!

 

In English, the children have been writing their own stories, focusing on adding expanded noun phrases and fronted adverbials to make their writing more descriptive and engaging. Some fantastic examples from the class include:

We are so impressed with the creativity and effort the children have shown!

 

In Art, we explored a fascinating art technique inspired by artist Gillian Adair McFarland called Surface Impact Drawings.  This was a wonderful way to enjoy art without worrying about making a “perfect picture.” Instead of focusing on what the drawing should look like, the children concentrated on the process: gentle, repetitive movements that gradually built into beautiful, textured designs. This method is calming, creative, and completely mess-free, perfect for our classroom! We used paper placed over bubble wrap and explored how different pressures created different effects. We all enjoyed popping the bubble wrap afterwards! This activity helped the children slow down, reflect, and enjoy the simple pleasure of mark-making. It’s a great reminder that art is about expression and experience, not just the end result! Please see attached picture.

 

This week we have continued to learn all about The Moon and Space in Science by asking the question “Is the Earth flat or straight?” It was great to hear the children’s ideas and how they choose to get their ideas across to their classmates. I have been so impressed with their knowledge in Space so early on in are new topic. We will continue to develop our knowledge and understanding next week and will be able to answer the following question: How does the length of shadows change throughout the course of the day?

 

In RE, we focused on the second Pillar of Islam, Salah. We learnt all about how Salah is the second pillar of Islam and it is the prayer which all Muslims are expected to follow 5 times a day. We learnt that in Mosques, there is a niche in one wall to show the direction of the Ka’aba. Muslims pray and that an important prayer is far them to face the Ka’aba in Mecca.  Did you know that apps on phones help Muslims know which direction to face when praying? Next week, we will continue our learning while learning about the 3rd Pillar ‘Sawm’.

 

In Computing this week, we continued our work on 'Systems and Searching'.  The children explored how search engines help us find information online. They learned why search engines are essential, discovered how web crawlers create an index of the internet, and discussed why some searches return more results than others. To bring this to life, the class worked to create their own “classroom index,” just like a search engine does. They also experimented with narrowing search terms to make results more precise. 

 

This week in our No Outsiders assembly, the school explored the importance of spreading kindness, especially through the words we choose. We talked about how what we say can have a big impact on others. Kind words can lift someone’s spirits, help them feel included, and even brighten their whole day. Our class reflected on how we can be more thoughtful about what we say to each other, whether it’s offering a compliment, showing encouragement, or simply using polite and respectful language.

 

Thank you for your continued support at home. Please keep practising times tables and encouraging your child to read at home as often as possible. Four times a week is ideal but every little helps!

 

Have a good weekend.

 

Mrs. Skelley and Mrs. Andrews