Netherfield CE Primary School

A reminder that we have joined the Purple Mash community for teaching and learning computing and digital literacy. The children all have their own logins to access the games , activites and programs on the website, and they will be able to explain to you how it all works. If they have forgotten their login, we have a record of them and will be able to provide them to you! Click the picture to go to the login page.

This year Maths Home Learning will be due in on a Friday. Spellings will be due in on Wednesday, as spelling tests will be on this day. Times Table tests will be on Thursdays, therefore Times Table homework will be due in on Thursdays as well. The children will also have an Arithmetic Test and a Grammar Test to help prepare them for similar tests at the end of Key Stage Two, but will be tested solely on knowledge and skills learnt within the classroom.

Those children who forget to bring in their homework, or fail to complete it to the deadline, will have to complete a portion of the homework during their lunch time.

Here are some useful websites for Home Learning or extra research! As always, the websites have been checked and are all age-appropriate. However, do feel free to check yourselves or choose your own websites.

Anglo-Saxons – BBC Bitesize - This site includes some great information, images and videos to provide a comprehensive overview of the Anglo-Saxons. The videos include information about Saxon life, why the Anglo-Saxons came to Britain and Alfred the Great.

Anglo-Saxons: a brief history – The Historical Association -  A brief overview of Saxon invasions, suitable for teachers.

Sutton Hoo and Europe, AD 300-1100 – The British Museum -  A great resource featuring images of objects found during the Sutton Hoo excavation. Includes images of weaponry, such as a sword, shield and the famous helmet.

Vikings – BBC Bitesize - This site is full of facts, images and videos and provides a brilliant overview of the Vikings. The videos cover a vast array of topics including where Vikings came from, everyday life, longboats and gods. 

Vikings: a brief history – The Historical Association - A brief overview of Viking invasions, suitable for teachers.

History Cookbook – Cookit! - Information about how food was produced, preserved and cooked.

Anglo-Saxon house – a reconstruction – YouTube - This six-minute video explains techniques used to build a Saxon house.

Viking Food – BBC History - Text with pictures describing what food Vikings used to eat on typical days and feast nights, suitable for teachers.

Viking Sagas – BBC School Radio -  A set of animated mini Viking sagas about the gods Odin, Freya and Thor, lasting approximately five minutes each.

Fun Facts on Viking Gods – Kids Fun Facts -  Fifteen facts about legendary Viking gods. 

Did You Know?

Anglo-Saxons liked playing board games. The dice were mostly made from deer antlers, although examples of bone, walrus ivory and jet are also known.

The Anglo-Saxons are believed to have eaten a lot of bread which was served with almost every meal. Bread was made from wheat, rye or mixtures of rye and barley. In bad harvests, acorns and beans would be added to the grains to make coarse bread.

The fruits of an ash tree fungus are called 'cramp balls' or 'King Alfred's Cakes' because they are black and cinkly and look burnt!

Early Anglo-Saxons lived in tribes with a leader who was selected for his strength. The leader remained in place until defeated by a challenger.

Alfred the Great started the Royal Navy in the 9th Century.

'Grim' was a popular boy's name in the Viking Age! Viking children didn't have surnames. Instead, their second name was their father's name with son or daughter joined on to it.

The work 'Viking' means 'a pirate raid' in Old Norse.

Viking people often had nicknames that described their appearance or personality. Names of some real Viking kings are: Harald Fair Hair, Olaf the Quiet, Hakon Broad Shoulder and Harald Black-tooth. One famous Viking woman was known as Aud the Deep-Minded!

How did the Vikings communicate with each other? By Norse Code!

Viking warriors didn't wear horned helmets! The only authentic Viking helmet ever discovered is completely horn-free. Artists seem to have made up the horned helmet idea during the 19th century.

Ever wondered where the word 'beserk' comes from? Beserkers was the name given to some terrifying Viking warriors who wore bear or wolf skins and howled in battle, like wild animals!

Norsemen regarded skiing as an efficient way to get around and a popular form of recreation. They even worshipped a god of skiing, Ullr.

Viking explorer, Eric the Red (also called Erik Thorvaldsson), found islands west of Iceland. He called this new land Greenland (even though it was covered with ice) to make it sound more pleasant and to encourage settlement!

Leg, sky, window, kid, skill and ugly are all words that came into English through the Viking language, Old Norse.