Foundation

Apple

Students in Apple class have been working hard to improve their writing skills by composing letters and have been mastering their 2, 5, and 10 times tables, showing impressive progress. In Science, they’ve been diving into the world of materials, exploring their properties and how we use them in everyday life.  In computing, students have been using Bee-Bots to try and navigate through different paths - Jasper even created paths for his friends!

We had an unforgettable trip to Bocketts Farm, where all the Foundation students had the chance to get up close with farm animals, learn about life on a farm, and enjoy a fun day of outdoor adventure. As well as a visit from Little City, a mobile role-play group. Through hands-on, ‘real life’ scenarios, Little City helped the children build key skills like creativity, communication, and social abilities, all while sparking their imaginations.

Mother's Day was celebrated and Easter-themed activities brought joy and creativity to the classroom.

Cherry

Cherry Class have explored the theme, "How Does Your Garden Grow."  They have learnt about the life cycles of plants through stories like The Tiny Seed and Growing Vegetable Soup and they have enjoyed the traditional fairy tale, Jack and the Beanstalk. Each child planted their own seeds, wrote instructions on how to plant seeds, and closely observed their growth, learning first-hand about the stages of plant development.

During a walk around the school grounds, the class were amazed at how many different types of seeds they found. Students examined the seeds up close using magnifying glasses and matched them to the adult plants they would grow into. They also created seed flower collages, and inspired by Van Gogh’s textured strokes and Giuseppe Arcimboldo's unique fruit portraits, students created their own sunflower and vegetable portrait pictures.

The students had great fun lifting logs and rocks and hunting for minibeasts and enjoyed enhancing their learning about minibeasts through texts such as Mad about Minibeasts and Superworm.  Additionally, they explored symmetrical butterfly patterns, drawing influence from Damien Hirst's Kaleidoscope Series. 

Exploration extended beyond the classroom with Foundation's visit to Bocketts Farm and a session with Little City, where role-playing activities helped the children develop creativity and imaginative play linked to real-life.

Primary

Pine

Pine class celebrated Science week and have been doing lots of different experiments.  They also really enjoyed a sensory rocket workshop, where they made their own rockets using chemical reactions!

  

Willow

Students in Willow class have been looking at the topic of plants, specifically focusing on what plants need to survive and the role of the different parts of the plant.   They have also been exploring which parts of the plant we can eat; looking at leaves, flowers, stems and roots! They cut up some vegetables to explore them further.

To celebrate Red Nose Day, the class decorated biscuits and made their favourite characters and a Red Nose Day face!

Elm

Elm Class proudly hosted a fantastic bake sale to raise money for Red Nose Day. The children worked incredibly hard, creating posters and eye-catching labels to promote their event. They also put their creative skills to the test by decorating their fairy cakes with homemade icing. 

Thanks to their hard work and enthusiasm, the bake sale was a huge success, raising valuable funds for this important cause. A big thank you to all the parents who supported the event — your contributions helped make it a memorable day for everyone involved!

Beech

Students' learning has included taking part in Science week, enjoying making and eating pancakes in catering, learning how to play table tennis in PE and using their skills and imagination to make aliens in art!  In history, they have learnt about the Maya and have placed this ancient civilisation on a timeline.  In this picture, students are carrying out research into and creating a poster to showcase their knowledge.

Oak

Oak Class have been learning about plants and how they grow. They have looked at a variety of seed packets to understand when the best time is to plant them.  Students also planted some potato seeds and when the potatoes have grown, the class will harvest and cook them!​ ​

Taking part in the Little City activity that came to school was a real highlight of the term.  Students were able to put into practice, via role-play, the life skills that they have been learning in class.  They all had a really fun and engaging time.

Secondary

Earth

Earth Class took part in an ASDAN activity focused on learning how to lay the table. Students practised skills such as following instructions, organising table settings correctly, and working as a team. This activity helped them develop independence and life skills, which are important for everyday routines. 

To celebrate their learning, students also prepared a delicious selection of party food, including pizzas, sandwiches, and fruit salad for dessert. 

English

World Book Day was a wonderful celebration of reading.  See our World Book Day news article for more information.

Maths & Science

In maths and science, students have worked hard on a diverse range of topics and engaged in learning on everything from solving equations to dissecting plants!  Read our Maths & Science in Term 4 news article to find out more.

Computer Science

Mercury have been learning how to create animations using Adobe Animate.  They were tasked to create an animation for a sunny day with balls bouncing across colourful hills.

  

Geography 

Year 7 students have successfully completed their Summative Assessment on Africa.  Throughout this unit, they explored the continent’s location, countries, and physical features. They also learnt about colonisation, population distribution, and the climate of African hot deserts.  One of the key topics was Lagos, where students discussed why it is seen as a city of opportunity and the challenges it faces.  Well done to all our students for their hard work and effort in this assessment!

History 

Our Year 8 students are continuing their studies learning about the British Empire, building their knowledge in preparation for their assessment at the end of the term.  So far, they have explored key topics such as the East India Company, British rule in India, Gandhi, the American War of Independence, and the colonisation of Australia. They are now learning about the Scramble for Africa and how the Empire shaped different parts of the world. Keep up the great work, Year 8!

Drama 

A real highlight of the term was our Key Stage 4 trip to Pinewood Studios, where we explored career opportunities in Film and TV. We took a tour around the campus and spoke to some industry experts who talked to us about the many pathways in visual arts.  Our students got to explore the world of Pinewood, which was inspirational and exciting to be a part of, and witness the workings behind some popular films, including Star Wars and Marvel. 

Music

In music we have been having lots of fun playing musical instruments.

Apple and Cherry have been learning lots of action songs such as Wind the Bobbin Up and Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. They have also been learning how to play the glockenspiel to accompany their songs. They have learnt how to hold the beater and how to use it to make a lovely sound on the instrument. They worked hard to play the instrument in time with the music.

Willow and Pine have been learning about rhythm and blues music and have also been playing glockenspiels along with the music.  They have learnt to play a sequence of 5 or 6 notes and are getting really good at playing in time with the music.  They have also played the same riffs on a recorder, learning how to hold the recorder and to use the correct fingers to make the required notes.

The students in Elm have been lucky enough to play some of the newest instruments to arrive in school.  They have been learning the pBone which is a plastic trombone. I have been blown away by their ability to make the correct sounds on the instrument, and they can already play a piece of music with 3 different notes.

Beech have been getting technical and have been using computers to compose their own piece of music. They have created four tracks that fit together (Drum, Bass, Chords, Melody) in a Hip-Hop style. The pieces sound brilliant and the class had lots of fun learning a new skill.

Art

See our Art in Term 4 News article and photo Gallery for an insight into the inspirational activities students have been taking part in during their art lessons this term.

PE

Primary students have been completing a range of activities to help develop their skills. Key Stage 1 students have been introduced to circuit training, which has helped them to develop their coordination, balance, power, gross/fine motor skills and problem-solving.  Whilst Key Stage 2 students were introduced to a secondary favourite - Tchoukball.  We have been really impressed with their understanding of the rules (which differ hugely to the standard invasion game) and their attitude towards learning a new sport. 

We also celebrated Red Nose Day with the first ever Primary Heathermount Football Tournament.  Many students from Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 participated, and it was a huge success. The students showed exceptional attitude and sportsmanship. 

Secondary students have engaged in a number of activities, such as Volleyball, Fitness Testing, Dodgeball and a sport that is on the rise, Darts.  The students have been channelling their inner 'Luke Littler' and have enjoyed learning about Darts. A big shout-out to Isaac M, Colbie and Nathaniel who all scored over 100 points with three darts! 

Secondary also managed to sneak in a local derby football match against Fernways at our home pitch.  Both teams played exceptionally well and with over 60 minutes of football played, the score finished 1-0 to Fernways.  However, the score doesn't reflect the game with Heathermount making a number of clear-cut chances and on any other day it could have been a different score line.  Ben H was voted Players' Player of the day after another brilliant performance across the pitch. Jacob was voted Manager's player of the day for a debut start in goal, making some crucial saves throughout.  The students displayed exceptional teamwork and even when the game became slightly heated, the boys maintained their composure and class. 

PSHE

In Primary, Pine have been learning about friendship and feeling safe, whilst Elm have been learning about how to protect the environment and have been working hard on the assembly they are going to do. Beech class have shown maturity while learning about puberty. 

In Secondary, Year 7 have been doing some religious education, learning about Judaism and Buddhism. Saturn have been working on Friendship and did a great assembly, while Neptune have been learning about discrimination. Year 9 have been learning about drugs and alcohol and with Year 11 we have gone through ways to help them prepare for the upcoming exams and life after Heathermount. 

Business Admin

After two terms of dedication and hard work, our Year 9 students have successfully completed their Chocolate Fair Enterprise Project! From product design and marketing to production and sales, they embraced every stage of the business process, demonstrating incredible teamwork, customer service, and entrepreneurial skills.

We are delighted to share that this event was an overwhelming success—every chocolate product sold out! The students’ creativity and determination even had parents and staff asking for their secret recipes!

Throughout this journey, students not only learnt how to develop, brand, and sell a product, but also gained valuable interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and real-world business experience. In true enterprise fashion, they assessed their financial success by calculating their profits and losses at the end of the project.

Using high-quality ingredients, including Callebaut’s Finest Cooking Chocolate and freeze-dried fruit, students produced a diverse and delicious range of chocolates, proving that with the right planning, creativity, and teamwork, anything is possible!

A huge well done to all our Year 9 students for their hard work, and thank you to parents, staff, and the school community for your support in making this project such a success!

Catering

Willow demonstrated their cutting skills by cutting a variety of fruit and vegetables. They then grated cheese and filled their tacos.

  

Construction

Construction students have been busy testing the continuity of their ring mains and troubleshooting any faults. Assessments are now underway, and they are making excellent progress. Lively discussions have taken place on the many risks involved in installing electrical components in homes, helping them to deepen their understanding and practical skills.

Horticulture & Forest School

In Forest School we have been looking at map reading. Students have used maps of the school site to learn to orientate a map and how to find a place using a six-figure grid reference.

In Horticulture, students have been getting areas ready for planting.  The polytunnel troughs have been refilled with fresh compost, bamboo structures have been built to support beans, and covers have been erected to stop birds eating the plants.

Students have added new plants to the allotment, and hopefully they will get to pick the different berries later in the year.

On Friday 21st March, three students took part in a sponsored wheelbarrow walk to raise money for Cancer Research.  This counted towards the volunteering section of the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Rewards 

Students were finally able to cash in their well-earned rewards this term.  They had accumulated a number of points in the Autumn term and were offered a range of trips such as VR (Virtual Reality), Go-Karting, Laser Tag and Chessington. They thoroughly enjoyed the trips with their peers and are now pushing towards hitting their next targets for the Spring rewards which will take place in the Summer Term.  Thank you all for supporting your young people with these trips.