Crew White Steps Up to the Spot!

10th June 2026Thomas White

Yesterday, Crew White took part in a fantastic live writing lesson with Pobble, inspired by the FIFA World Cup. The children were challenged to imagine that they were about to take the deciding penalty in a World Cup Final.

Together, we visualised the moment: the roar of the crowd, the pressure of millions watching around the world, the pounding heartbeat and the long walk from the halfway line to the penalty spot. Using these ideas, the children produced some wonderful pieces of writing.

They worked hard to capture emotions, build tension and describe the experience in vivid detail. Many pupils challenged themselves to use ambitious vocabulary, varied sentence structures and powerful figurative language to bring the moment to life.

What was particularly pleasing was the engagement shown by all learners, including some of our more reluctant writers. The lesson received a glowing endorsement from one of our more reluctant writers, stating, “It was actually really good, that.”

Comments like this remind us that writing can be enjoyable, engaging and accessible for everyone when children are given meaningful experiences to inspire them.

Writing

2nd June 2026Tracy Haddock

This term, we are starting our new writing topic based on Jack and the Beanstalk. The children discussed what Jack needed to reach the giant’s castle and learned that he used a beanstalk to climb there. To link with the story, they have started planting beans and will be observing their growth and progress over time.

We are writers in Crew White

21st May 2026Thomas White

At the same time as preparing for the rigorous SATs assessments in reading and maths, us Year 6s have been busy producing some high-quality writing. We are currently at our final stage of the writing process, which is publishing our writing. We’ve read suspense stories, planned them, written them, edited and now we are almost ready to present our beautiful work!

After taking inspiration from the short film, ‘Francis’, we wrote sequels. When complete, these will be displayed in Crew White so be sure to pop in to have a look!

Fine motor building

15th May 2026Elizabeth Frost

One day each week in Crew Frost, we spend time focusing on developing our fine motor skills through activities such as using scissors to cut along lines and around shapes. Cutting is an excellent skill to master in the Early Years, as it supports so many of the important skills children need as they begin their writing journey.

The children are learning how to separate and strengthen the muscles in their fingers and hands whilst carefully controlling the scissors. They are also developing their hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills as they work out how to move the paper and scissors together whilst trying to stay on the lines. This takes a huge amount of concentration, control, and perseverance.

Alongside this, we have been practising our “ready to write” positioning by sitting with our tummy to the table and all six chair legs on the floor. Developing core strength, balance, and posture is a very important part of early writing development, helping children to gain the stability needed for mark making and pencil control in the future.

Although cutting may look simple, it is actually a very tricky skill that requires children to coordinate many different movements at the same time. We are so proud of the resilience, determination, and focus Crew Frost have shown whilst practising these important skills. Well done, Crew Frost — it is much harder than it looks!