Kestrels Class

Years 5 and 6

Upper KS2 - For children aged 9 to 11 years
Class Teacher: Gemma Walker and Sue Levy
Teaching Assistants: Val Carter and Pedro Carreira for PE and Spanish 

Life in Kestrels Class

In Kestrels class, we try to develop a strong culture of high achievement through independent and group learning. The class are able to take on leadership responsibilities such as; play leaders, peer mediators and office support. Year 6 also have National Curriculum Tests in May (SATs).

We have National Curriculum objectives that need to be covered but the journey we take to cover these objectives is developed through dialogic conversations with the class. With a strong emphasis on choice and independence, the children are able to deeply engage in the process of finding answers to their own questions.

For example, recently, we discussed the importance of humans and wondered what our purpose was on Earth. This led to a child explaining what Christians believe. We wondered if all religions had the same thought. The class decided to break off into smaller groups and research into different religions creation stories.

We looked at an artist, Emma Yarlett’s, ‘The Big Frieze’ from Understanding Christianity and looked at the way Emma interpreted the Christian’s Creation story through a picture. The class decided that they too would like to create their own picture to show their interpretation of a chosen religion’s creation story.

Meet the Class Teachers:

I am Sue Levy and I teach the Kestrels class for 2 days each week.

I have been teaching Year 5/6 at Danehill since September 2021, following over 10 years teaching Year 5/6 at another East Sussex village school.

Before I worked here I often passed Danehill School whilst cycling towards Lewes and thought what a lovely setting for a village school it was.  When I discovered Danehill’s principles of Enlivened Learning and the way this helps to build curiosity, collaboration, persistence, imagination and discipline, I was very keen to apply to work here.

I am Gemma Walker and I teach the Kestrels class for 3 days each week. 

I have been teaching at Danehill for six years. I started out in a mixed Year 1/2 class and have worked my way up through the year groups to a mixed Year 5/6 class.

Danehill is a fantastic school which has allowed me to develop an Enlivened approach to teaching – an approach that I love.  There is a strong sense of communication and connection at the school, it feels like a family which supports everyone. Strong relationships are formed with all the children across the ages and amongst the staff.

Meet the Teaching Assistants:

In Kestrels class, we have two fantastic teaching assistants: Val Carter who supports in class three mornings a week and Pedro Carreira who teaches PE and Spanish.

I am Val Carter and I’ve been involved with the school since 2006. Initially, I helped out in the nursery which was based where Hedgehogs class is now. I trained as a nursery assistant and qualified in 2010. I’ve worked with children ever since and have been a teaching assistant for over 8 years at the school. I’ve worked mainly with the younger children in Hedgehogs and Foxes.

It’s a great place to work with the enlivened approach to teaching. The children learn through real experiences and are encouraged to be curious, ask questions and work together. The staff and the children support each other and the school feels like a very large family.

I am Pedro Carreira and I am a TA who also teaches the class PE and Spanish lessons. I also run all the very popular After-School Clubs, for more information, click on this After-School Clubs link.

Here are some of our current Kestrel pupils showing off their amazing artwork.