Today in Computing, our Year Four pupils coded their very own Rock, Paper, Scissors game using the BBC Micro:Bit – and it was brilliant fun!
This meant that simply shaking the Micro:Bit would kick off a random selection – rock, paper or scissors – using clever logic, variables and random number generation.
Our pupils were so excited to test their creations and challenge each other – it was wonderful to see them debugging, improving and sharing ideas like real programmers!
👉 Don’t forget:
Please return your child’s Micro:Bit pack every Monday, ready for our next Computing lesson.
We’d also love to hear how your child is getting on with their Micro:Bit at home!
Any success stories or photos?
Please email them to:
headteacher@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk
We’re incredibly proud of our young coders – keep it up, Year 4!
Hello everyone,
We hope you and your child are enjoying this final term in Year 4 at the Prince of Wales School. It has certainly been a busy time, and there are still many exciting Inspired to Learn activities ahead. Upcoming dates are listed below.
Mrs Ray from DMS and Mrs Hudson from St Osmund’s have now completed their visits to POW, and they are looking forward to welcoming your child on the transfer day next Tuesday. You should have already received information from your child’s new middle school about what to expect on the day. As a quick reminder, children should wear their Prince of Wales uniforms, but should be dropped off and collected from their new schools on Tuesday.
Home learning
With lots happening over the coming week, including transfer day, we would like this week’s home learning to focus on supporting the children’s emotional wellbeing. As we discussed earlier in the year, it is important to help children develop strategies to regulate their emotions, especially during times of change. To support this, I have shared some helpful videos and suggestions below which you may find useful to explore together at home.
Suggested activities and resources to support emotional regulation:
Square breathing – Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, breathe out for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts. You might like to follow along with a square-breathing video such as this one
Taking a pencil for a walk – Give your child a pencil and a blank page and let them draw a continuous wiggly line without taking the pencil off the page. Afterwards, they can colour in the shapes created, which is a calming and creative activity.
5-4-3-2-1 grounding – Encourage your child to notice:
5 things they can see
4 things they can touch
3 things they can hear
2 things they can smell
1 thing they can taste
This is a simple but powerful grounding technique to calm busy minds.
Colouring – Using mindful colouring sheets or free drawing can help children focus and relax. There are many printable designs available online, or you could create your own.
Body scan – Encourage your child to lie down, close their eyes, and focus on each part of their body, noticing any tension and gently relaxing. Here’s a guided body scan for children you might find helpful.
GoNoodle – If you’d like something more active, GoNoodle offers short, movement-based mindfulness activities, which many children enjoy.
Gratitude journaling – Take a moment together each day to write down or draw something they feel grateful for. This can help children shift focus to positive thoughts.
Using the BBC Micro:Bit built-in light sensor, the children learned how to code a light that automatically switches on when it gets dark – just like a real control system. This hands-on project helped them explore how inputs (like sensors), outputs (like the LED light), and computer code work together in smart devices.
We also introduced a key new concept: conditional logic (IF/ELSE statements). Pupils discovered how computers use logic to make decisions, depending on whether something is true or false – for example, “IF it’s dark, THEN turn on the light!”
Alongside this, we explored how infinite loops (REPEAT FOREVER) are used in programming to make systems respond continually to their environment – a great way to deepen our understanding of how computers interact with the real world.
Today’s success criteria:
I can code a Micro:Bit to make a light that switches on when it gets dark using sensors and logic.
I can explain that sensors are inputs that sense things in the real world.
I can explain how computers make decisions using true/false logic.
Our pupils are doing brilliantly with their coding adventures and showing real curiosity about how technology shapes the world around us.
👉 Don’t forget: please return your child’s full Micro:Bit Home Learning Pack every Monday, so we can continue building on this fantastic progress in class.
For any questions about the project or to find out more, feel free to contact Mr. Spracklen at:
📧 headteacher@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk
Keep coding, Year Four! 🚀
This half-term, our Year Four pupils are diving into the world of coding and digital technology as we launch our brand-new Computing unit using the BBC Micro:Bit!
Each child has now received their very own BBC Micro:Bit Home Learning Pack, which includes:
🧠 BBC Micro:Bit (Version 2)
🔋 Battery Pack and 2 x AAA Batteries
🔌 USB Cable
📘 Safety Guide
📗 Getting Started Guide
We’re thrilled to be able to offer pupils the opportunity to explore them both in school and at home.
This is a great chance for children to share what they’ve learned and get creative beyond the classroom!
If you have any questions about the Micro:Bit project or your child’s learning, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Spracklen directly via email at: headteacher@princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk
Let the coding adventures begin! 💻✨
AIM - To assess whether an information source is true and reliable.
In an age where we can find answers at the click of a button, it's more important than ever to teach our pupils how to search the internet effectively—and how to judge whether what they find is accurate, appropriate, and trustworthy.
What We’ve Been Up To:
Throughout the unit, pupils explored different search engines and practised using key words and refined phrases to help them locate accurate information quickly. They discussed and evaluated various websites, looking for clues that signal trustworthiness, such as:
Author credentials
Domain endings (.org, .gov, etc.)
Date of publication
Grammar and spelling
Presence of advertisements or clickbait
We also explored how misinformation spreads online and the importance of checking facts using multiple sources.
Digital Citizens of the Future
By the end of the unit, Year Four pupils had a stronger understanding of how to approach online research with a critical eye - an essential skill for life in a digital-first world. They’ve learned that just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s true and that responsible searching is part of being a good digital citizen.
Well done, Year Four—your online sleuthing skills are seriously impressive!
