University of Broadford - Puzzle Book Makers

 

Puzzle Book Makers 2026

Ambitious Aims

Each week children will learn how to create their own puzzle books filled with spot the difference, crosswords, sudoku, word searches, rebus puzzles, codebreakers and mazes. Through designing and solving puzzles, they will build literacy skills such as spelling, vocabulary and reading comprehension. Logic-based puzzles support numeracy, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Children will also develop creativity, focus and perseverance as they plan and refine their work. Each child will finish the term with a completed puzzle book they can be proud of. 🧩

Amazing Activities

• Week 1 - Introduction - What sorts of puzzles can we create and what are they?

• Week 2 - Spot the Difference

• Week 3 - Crossword Puzzles

• Week 4 - Sudoku

• Week 5 -Word Search

• Week 6 - Rebus Puzzles

• Week 7 - Codebreaker

• Week 8 - Mazes

• Week 9 - Refining our puzzles, preparing books and quizzing our Puzzle Book Maker friends

• Week 10-  Preparation for our Fantastic Finale

Fantastic Finale

At the end of the course, the children will present their puzzle books to friends and family. They will also be sharing the experiences they have had during the term. 

Course Tutor: Mrs Spoor

Broadford Celebrates Black History Month 2025

What a joyous month it has been celebrating the impact of Black pioneers, creatives and world changers. This year's theme was 'Standing firm in power and pride' which was a powerful tribute to the resilience, strength and unwavering commitment to progress that defines the Black community across the globe.

The children experienced a guest speaker, Dr Grace Bello, who shared her journey to becoming a doctor and stirring up ambition in our children. She spoke about barriers and hammers to achieving your goals and had a session with some children who aspired to work in the field of science and medicine.

 "I could listen to Dr. Grace speak all day!" - Emmalee, Larch

During the month, there was a research and art project that allowed each year group to explore a Black Briton who had made significant impact in their field. These pieces were collated into a growing whole school History book filled with fantastic pieces of work.

This year, we also spent time discussing the power of voice and wrote poetry to convey this message.

Our third, seemingly annual, music video is out now!

Lines tailored to the hope for the future of each Broadford child were learnt and rapped to an instrumental called ' I Can' followed by dancing with Soul Train inspiration to 'Aint no stopping us now' by McFadden and Whitehead.

The children and class videographers (the teachers) have outdone themselves. Enjoy!

Remarkable Readers Theatre in Year 6

 

Today we read a persuasive letter linked to our class novel Holes.We explored the key features of persuasive language, focusing on:

• Short, impactful sentences

• Rhetorical questions

• Repetition for emphasis (not always exact, but reinforcing the same idea)

We also practised reading aloud with expression, considering:

• Tone and emotion – showing Stanley’s fear, frustration, and hope

• Pacing – using pauses after questions and short sentences for dramatic effect

• Volume – raising our voices for emphasis, softening them in moments of fear or loneliness

The children then practised and performed their persuasive readings to their classmates, using all of these techniques. They were amazing!

Almond

Oak

Lime

Sharp Shoe Designers in Year 6

Sharp Shoes Designers

Year 6 were engaged in an exciting project with "Nike". They took on a designer and advertiser role to create and promote their own trainers. As part of their advertising efforts, they used persuasive features in their writing to entice a potential buyer. 

"I loved being able to design my own trainer; fashion is everything!" - Isla Birch Class 

"I never knew that I was so good at coming up with slogans. Some people used the slogans that I came up with!"- Zuriel, Larch class

"It was so much fun writing about trainers because I love them want to be a designer when I am older" -Aliza, Redwood Class 

Wonderful Writing in Year 5

 Wonderful Writing in Year 5 

Year 5 have immersed themselves in their new class book 'The Explorer' (by Katherine Rundell). The book follows the journey of four children who find themselves lost in the Amazon Rainforest.

This week, Year 5 have reflected on the incredible vocabulary that the author uses to describe the setting and have used this to inspire their own descriptive writing. We have been resourceful by using word banks to help articulate our phrases and sentences. 

We have loved reading Year 5's first pieces of writing and cannot wait to see what they produce next!

“In the Amazon, I could smell the juicy aroma of fresh fruit.” - Harvey, Oak

“The persuading sound filled up my ears, luring me to the river.” - Karimah, Lime 

“I could hear an atrocious noice; it ws monkeys screaming and giggling whilst swinging from vine to vine. .” - Ipsa, Almond 

Year 6 Role Play

This week, in Year 6, our pupils have had to work collaboratively to consider what happened next in our Robin Hood text. The children had fun portraying their ideas using role play.

When their role play was complete, they had to become investigative reporters by interviewing witnesses to the horrific battle between Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne.

The children had to work hard when deciding what questions would reveal the most information.

Excellent Editors in Year 6 - 20.05.22

 

This week, year 6 have been writing persuasive letters to The National Childcare Agency to urge them to reconsider their questionable decision in not allowing Charles to remain as the legal guardian of Sophie in our book, 'Rooftoppers'.

The children have had to ensure they use formal language and to structure their paragraphs using PEE (point, evidence, explain) in order to get their points across as best they can.

They then had to edit and evaluate their writing to make sure it is of the highest standard possible, they worked in partners using the 'pen of power' to make uplevelled changes.

"I really hope they don't take Sophie away from Charles just because he is a man, that's discrimination" - Blake, Oak

"I'm going to use furthermore as a paragraph opener to show that there are many reasons why the childcare agency have made the wrong decision" - Zara, Lime

Fact Finding in Year Five!

 

Year 5 Literacy Today

This week, we have started looking at Non-Chronological reports in Literacy. Today, Year 5 enjoyed hunting for all the features in a range of Non-Chronological reports and colour coding them once they had been found. 

We will now be planning our own non-chronological reports on the Amazon Rainforest before we begin writing them next week. 

As a reflection at the end of the class we discussed 'which do you think is the most important feature and why?'

"I think that having a text that teaches the reader something is most important otherwise why would someone bother reading it?" - Madalina

"I think the clear title is the most important because how will you know what you are reading about or about to read about if you don't have a title?" - Caden

Year 5 Pandora's box

In Literacy, we have been studying Pandora’s box and working towards completing a story extract from the perspective of Pandora. 

 

This week the children participated in a “senses exploration” of the myth to further understand Pandora’s experience. Around the classroom, the children used props to complete a mind map on what they would see, hear, touch, smell and taste if they were Pandora opening the box.

 

This work has been useful as the children prepare their final write and seek to utilise show not tell and emotive language. 

 

Year 5

Year 5 Literacy-Pandora and Prometheus debate

This week Year 5 have been studying the Greek myth, "Pandora and Prometheus" in Literacy.

 

As part of this focus, the students have been exploring the different characters in the myth and analysing their importance in the story.

 

Today, the pupils participated in a debate considering the question, "Who is the most important character in the myth; Zeus or Prometheus?"

 

The class was split into two halves and the groups had time to decide their argument. They then presented their opinions and the other team rebutted their ideas.

 

We practised saying, "This house believes..." in the style of a traditional debate.

 

The pupils thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the debate and communicated effectively with their teammates and peers.

 

 

Year 5

Creating poems - Year 5

This week we have studying a series of poetic devices and exploring the poem Last night, I saw the city breathing.

The children have been creating their own examples of metaphors, similes and personification and have been using various images and sound clips to inspire their writing.

Today culminated in the children working in small groups to produce one stanza of their own poem, entitled This morning. Pupils showed excellent reciprocity skills and worked as a team to incorporate the poetic devices they had studied over the week.

Here is our class poem:

This morning:

This morning, I saw the city waking up.

As the golden sun yawned and dawn levitated out of the horizon,

The city skyline devoured the night sky.

The street lamps flickered back to sleep, cars do their morning stretches,

and the clock does it’s tick tock song.

Hotel doors revolve like tornadoes.

This morning, I heard the city chortling.

Car beepers beeping,

Police sirens going wild.

Trains screeching along the metal tracks.

This morning, I heard the city giggling,

The trains were scuttling along the tracks,

The city crying of their loss,

Workers fighting with their boss.

Voices coming from the speakers,

were like megaphones.

This morning, I smelt the city cooking.

The aromas of the breakfast,

Wafted through the streets.

Sweet Starbucks coffee was as warm as pastry.

Year 5- Writing Stay and Learn

Year 5 will be opening our classroom doors to all parents and carers on the following date this term:

Tuesday 12th February from  9- 9.30 am - With a focus on Writing.

 

 

This will be an opportunity for you to come into your child's class, have a look at how writing is taught and the type of activities the children complete during their literacy lessons. There will be an array of activities for you to complete with your children.

 

If you have any questions please contact Miss Daly via the school office.

 

We look forward to seeing you at the Writing Stay & Learn session!

Year 5- China day!

Today in year 5 we dedicated the whole day to exploring 'Chinese New Year' for our Literacy topic. During this Literacy and language unit the children have just written their very own adventure stories based in China and next they will be writing a non-chronological report about their own dragon/ mythical creature.

In order to inspire them and spark their imaginations, year 5 participated in a Chinese dragon dance. Throughout the dance they utilized their reciprocity skills to work as a team and follow the 'head' of the dragon. After a few rehearsals, the performed to their year 5 peers.

Summer Rose, "I think it's interesting how the dragon has to follow a golden ball."

Tyler, "I thought the dance was amazing."

We also had the opportunity to make our very own 'Chinese snowflake cakes' which are often used to celebrate Chinese New Year and we had a scrumptious pancake banana roll as a treat.

This afternoon, we took part in a variety of Chinese themed craft activities; jack in the box dragons, chatterbox origami and we even made our own paper fortune cookies.

All of the year 5 staff were incredibly impressed with the children's behaviour and cooperation throughout the activities today. Keep up the great work year 5!

新年快乐

Year 5-Non-chronological reports

In Literacy we have started a new unit on non-chronological reports. Yesterday, we discussed the relevant literary features of this style of writing and the children examined a range of non-chronological reports to identify the features. They used their reciprocity skills to work in partners to read and annotate two different pieces. As an extension, some partners discussed the importance of these features and the impact they have on the reader.

We will be continuing our work on this unit with the final aim of the children producing their own non-chronological report on a mythical creature of their choice.

In Maple class, some of the children were so blown away from the facts that they also received a Fact Hunter certificate.

Charlie M and Ethan H, "Polar Bears use their back legs to steer and they are excellent swimmers."

Molly-May and Samuel, "Polar Bears are the largest carnivores that live on land."

Charlie I and Ketty, "Polar Bears have black skin underneath their white fur."

Year 5 - Ogre Museum!

Today, Year 5 received a letter to support us with our narrative writing. We had a fantastic day feeling all the different body parts and have written fantastic sentences using our reflectiveness skills.
Miss Daly and Miss Mullan were incredibly impressed with the writing that was produced.
Keep up the great work Maple and Elm :)


Dear Broadford Year 5,

Thank you for contacting us about our ogre collection. Ogres are truly fascinating (but highly dangerous) creatures, known for their vicious temper and their voracious appetite for human and animal flesh. Children are their favourite delicacy!

We are happy to lend you some of our ogre collection but it is absolutely imperative that you follow the rules below.

Due to the fragile nature of the body parts, they cannot be exposed to light of any kind. This is very important, as too much light will cause the ogre parts to disintegrate. You are welcome to gently touch the body parts, but please do not squash them or squeeze them too hard.

Finally, it is essential that you do not reveal the secrets of the ogre to anybody outside of your classroom. Mythical creatures will conceal themselves for evermore if they believe they are in danger.

We hope you find our collection useful for describing these captivating creatures in your writing.

Kind regards,
Sir Daniel Raptus & Magnus Krane

Year 5- Live with the news!

Today in Literacy, Year 5 were shown the Cadbury’s video from 2013. In the short video, it is dawn in a street. All the houses and cars have all been covered in purple wrapping paper and bows. A young boy rips the paper covering his bedroom window. The other children run out of the houses, running around, tearing paper as they go. Two children crash in to a snowman shaped parcel and Cadbury chocolate bars rain down to the delight of everyone.

Year 5 have been applying their knowledge of newspaper reports and identified their own 5W’s in relation to this advert. They then rehearsed and filmed their own news report about the ‘incident’.
Miss Daly and Miss Breen were very impressed with the partner work. Throughout the rehearsals we saw lots of partners using their reciprocity skills and supporting each other.

Keep up the great 5W’s work Year 5!

Year 5/6 Readers Become Entomologists!

This week during Reading Comprehension year 5 and 6 have been learning about insects. They have been researching different species of insects, their habitats and behaviours - working extremely hard to find out interesting pieces of information. 

Lenny discovered that a spider is not a member of the insect family as it has eight legs. In fact it is a member of the Arachnid family.

Lewis found out that ants have two stomachs, one for digesting its own food and the other for feeding its family.

Georgina researched snails and their natural habitats. Did you know they like to come out when it has been raining and the ground is wet?

One of the insects Albie studied was bees, he discovered that when a bee stings a human they leave their stinger behind along with part of their nervous system and abdomen, resulting in the bee dying!

Russell found out that a praying mantis is the only insect that can look over its shoulder for predators.

Everyone contributed well to this weeks topic and shared lots of information - well done!