This week, the Nursery children have been experimenting with colour mixing in the most hands-on way possible! Each child painted one hand in one colour and the other hand in a different colour before pressing and rubbing them together to see what new shade they could create.

There was a wonderful sense of curiosity and excitement as pupils made predictions, tested their ideas, and watched the colours transform right before their eyes. What began as a simple activity quickly became an opportunity for exploration, discovery, and plenty of joyful mess.

The classroom was filled with laughter, vibrant artwork, and enthusiastic chatter as the children experienced the magic of colour mixing for themselves — a truly creative and memorable learning moment!

Year 10 have been deepening their understanding of the reactivity series of metals as part of their current Chemistry unit. Through a series of practical investigations, pupils explored how different metals behave and why some are more reactive than others.

To begin, they observed the dramatic reactions of Group 1 metals with water, noting the differences in speed, energy release, and the distinctive characteristics shown by each metal. These real-time observations helped pupils link theory to practice, reinforcing concepts such as trends within the periodic table and the formation of alkaline solutions.

They then carried out a combustion reaction between magnesium and oxygen, witnessing the bright white flame and learning how this forms magnesium oxide. This provided an excellent opportunity to discuss oxidation, energy changes, and the role of oxygen in chemical reactions.

The combination of demonstration and hands-on investigation gave pupils a clear and memorable insight into why metals behave the way they do — and how these reactions shape our understanding of chemistry in the real world.

In Geography this week, Year 5 and 6 have been building their understanding of scale and ratio through practical map work. To introduce the concept, pupils began with a hands-on activity using blocks to represent ratios in a clear and visual way. This helped them see how real distances can be scaled down accurately on a map.

With this foundation in place, the children moved on to applying their new knowledge to a variety of maps. They practised calculating distances between different locations, using map scales to convert measured lengths into real-world distances. This gave pupils a brilliant opportunity to connect mathematical skills directly to geographical thinking.

One of the highlights of the lesson was exploring Mr Barnett’s old hiking maps, filled with routes, contours and handwritten notes. The children enjoyed working out how far he walked each day, sparking lots of discussion about landscapes, stamina, and real navigation challenges.

The topic has been a fantastic blend of maths, geography and practical problem-solving — and Year 5 and 6 have tackled it with impressive curiosity and enthusiasm.

This half term, Year 5 and 6 have been diving deep into the writing process as they planned, drafted, and edited their own short stories. The focus has been on crafting effective dialogue — not just what characters say, but how they say it.

Pupils explored how emotion, body language, and action can be woven around speech to shape a scene and influence how the reader feels. From tense whispers to excited exclamations, they learned how carefully chosen details can bring characters to life and add impact to their writing.

After producing and refining their drafts, pupils then took their work a step further by using technology and AI tools to enhance their stories. These digital tools supported them in improving grammar, punctuation, and spelling, while also helping them reflect on how to strengthen their narrative voice.

The result? Thoughtful, imaginative stories that showcase not only their technical skills but also their creativity and growing confidence as writers.

The festive season is fast approaching, and with it comes one of our most cherished Pattison traditions — the PTA Christmas Hamper Raffle. This much-loved annual event raises valuable funds that go directly towards enriching the experiences of all pupils across the school.

Thanks to the incredible support of our community, last year the PTA invested over £4,500 in new resources, including laptops, Smart Pads and contributions towards school trips. This year, the team is once again offering an exciting selection of themed hampers, including:

Luxury Christmas Hamper (worth over £75)
Arts and Crafts Hamper
Pamper Hamper
Movie Night Hamper
Sweet Treats Hamper
Luxury Chocolate and Biscuits Hamper

Each child has received 20 raffle tickets to sell to family and friends. Simply complete the details on each ticket stub, place the stub and cash into the plastic pocket provided, and return it to school. (Please note that the PTA can only accept cash payments.)

To add a little extra excitement, pupils who sell more than £30 of tickets will be entered into a special draw for a £20 voucher.

Tickets are always popular, so please return any unsold tickets promptly so they can be made available to other families. All ticket stubs and money must be returned by Wednesday 3rd December, ahead of the live draw at the Christmas Fair on Friday 5th December.

Thank you, as always, for your wonderful support. Every ticket sold helps to make a real difference to our school community.