The school was a very busy place over the weekend, with fun, games and activities, as families gathered on the field to enjoy the PTA "Camp Out."
Lots of fun was had by all with a barbecue, Wild Woodlander adventures, tug of war, movie and popcorn fun, and roasting marshmallows on the fire. Some families just came for the evening, but several camped overnight and enjoyed the experience of sleeping in a tent on the school field!
The rain held off until everyone was tucked up in their tents and although there were a few showers in the morning, everyone went home tired but happy. By all accounts it was a great success!
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The first activity was in the hall and involved large scale board games like Twister, Snakes and Ladders, Top Trumps and Bingo, with water based questions allowing the children to progress through the board. The children loved these activities and showed great team work.
After break the class made pledges about what they will do to save water and shared them with the whole school in the afternoon.
The next activity was a real challenge. Then children were given huge maps with lots of different resources to use, and they were tasked with designing a system that would get water to four different places from the main water source without breaking any of the rules. Once the course had been completed REAL water was fed into the system to see if it worked. This was particularly thought-provoking as they had to ensure there were no leaks and that the water was evenly distributed!
After lunch the children went into the hall to complete a water cycle challenge. They got to dress up so that they were in character and had to try and solve the "problems" of climate change and water stresses. The children all got a free water bottle to encourage them not to use plastic disposable ones.
The children had a fantastic day, learning a lot of water related facts, while also being encouraged to consider matters of conscience with regard to how we use and conserve water.
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Hamster children have been enjoying autumn activities this week with the help of the Gruffalo and his friends. They also had a visit from Dasher the school pet hamster!
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Otters children also had fun exploring all things autumnal. They went on a walk around the village to find autumn leaves and other evidence that autumn is here.
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Thursday of this week was World Mental Health Day, so on Thursday and Friday the children all took part in activities relating to this.
Key Stage One children have been thinking about self-esteem, creating posters about what makes them happy and identifying positive things about themselves and their classmates. The older children in Key Stage Two have been discussing anxiety, and exploring strategies to deal with negative emotions.
For the youngest children in Hedgehogs, World Mental Health Day was "Elmer Day". The children have been sharing the story of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, discussing his colourful patchwork patterns and thinking about how it feels to be different. They have been working in small groups to make their own large Elmer (everyone had a turn) and have created their own "Elmer Day" designs.
On Thursday afternoon a special assembly was held, where the children shared their thoughts and ideas with the rest of the school. The children all recognise that looking after their mental health and well-being are as important as taking care of their physical health.
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