Week Ending 17th May 2019

It's been SATs week this week, and there has been a calm and quiet atmosphere throughout the school as the Year Six and Year Two children have been taking their tests.  All the other children have been very considerate in keeping the noise down, as have parents and other visitors, so thank you to everyone for your support and help.

It's been a beautiful week weatherwise, which means there has been plenty of opportunity to enjoy playtime and fresh air in the lovely sunshine between SATs papers!

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Badgers Class were lucky enough to have had a visit to Whipsnade Zoo on Tuesday.  The weather was perfect, and so was the behaviour of the children!  They saw lots of different animals, including the new baby giraffe and the elephants, watched the birds of prey display, and witnessed the lions and chimpanzees being fed.

Everyone had a fantastic day, and learnt lots about animal adaptation and behaviour.

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Wednesday was another very exciting day.  This year marks the 800th Anniversary of St Mary's Church in Eaton Bray, and to celebrate this, our school choir was invited to take part in a special service, where a very distinguished guest would be present, HRH The Duke of Gloucester.

Twenty-one smartly dressed Eaton Bray Academy children walked down to the church just after lunch on Wednesday, and joined children from Edlesborough and Dagnall Schools, to sing the two songs that they have been  learning: "Look at the World" by John Rutter, and "What a Wonderful World", made famous by Louis Armstrong.

Their voices filled the church and sounded wonderful.  The Duke looked very impressed by their lovely singing, as did the other members of the congregation, which included local dignitaries, villagers and parents.  Following the service, the children waved flags and cheered as the Duke planted a commemorative tree and unveiled a plaque.

We were delighted with the behaviour of the children, not only at the service, but also at the rehearsals at church over the last few weeks, where they represented EBA beautifully.  Special thanks are due to Janet Stone, who comes in weekly on a voluntary basis to take the choir, and has worked so hard to teach the children the songs.

Photo Credit: Eileen Bennett

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 On Thursday, once their final test was over, Deer Class children had an afternoon of food and fun in the sun to celebrate the end of SATs week.  They all changed out of their school uniform to enjoy a picnic in the park, with KFC, and Domino's pizza, then had a long play on the school field - a welcome opportunity to let off steam after all their hard work!

 

 

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Week Ending 10th May 2019

With Monday being Bank Holiday, it's been a short week this week, but plenty going on as usual!

Year Six and Year Two children have been very busy preparing for their SATs, which take place next week.  We're pleased to report that the children are remaining positive, cheerful and confident as they approach these tests, and we are sure that they will do their very best and make us proud... 

Good luck children - have a lovely relaxing weekend, but don't forget the importance of a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast every day next week to help your brain work well!

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On Wednesday, Key Stage Two children were visited by a team from Google, who came in to deliver a fantastic "Be Internet Legends" assembly.  The children were given lots of information about how to use the internet safely - to be an "Internaut" and not an "Internaughty" - and all took a pledge agreeing to spread the word about online safety using the online safety code:

• Think Before You Share
• Check It's For Real
• Protect Your Stuff
• Respect Each Other
• When In Doubt, Discuss

At the end of the assembly, the children were presented with a certificate proclaiming that they are all "Internet Legends".

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Badgers Class had an interesting Science lesson this week.  They were investigating tooth decay, by looking at the effect that different substances may have on the shell of an egg.  Hard boiled eggs were placed into beakers containing water, cola, orange juice, apple juice and milk, and the children had to predict how they thought each liquid would react with the calcium of the eggshell.  They will observe the eggs over the next week to see what happens - what a great eggsperiment!

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The School Kitchen has produced a new menu for the summer term, with some new dishes and some old favourites.  Everyone, including the very youngest children in Hamsters, enjoys a delicious Wednesday roast!

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On Thursday it was Otters Class assembly which they shared with parents and the rest of the school.  They spoke about the work that the have been doing this year, with photos and videos of their chick rearing, and of the class trip to Luton Town FC.  The children also entertained with a catwalk fashion show, where they showed off their Easter bonnets.  They then shared all that they had learnt about plants in their Garden Centre themed activity corner, and finished off with a lovely songs about chickens!

The activity corner has now been transformed into a wonderful Castle themed area for this term.

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The EBA PTA have been busy organising lots of fun and exciting events for children and adults to take place over the summer term - have a look at the website for details of all that's taking place www.eatonbrayacademy.co.uk/eba-pta.  The first event is the "Spring Fizz Night" which takes place next Friday, 17th May.  This is an evening for Mums and Dads to get together with friends, learn a bit about wine, and enjoy a bit of wine tasting!  Tickets are £15 each, available from the School Office, so if you fancy a night out, then please do come along!

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Week Ending 3rd May 2019

It's been a busy week at Eaton Bray Academy, as all the classes have settled down to their summer term timetables and have begun work on their class topics. 

Hedgehogs - The Environment
Otters and Squirrels - Castles
Rabbits and Badgers - The Mayans
Foxes and Deer - The Remarkable Romans

We have lots of exciting plans for this term, with trips and activities to look forward to, including a whole school Shakespeare Day, Badgers Class trip to Whipsnade Zoo, Otters and Squirrels Class trip to Windsor Castle and much more!

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This week the School Library has undergone a bit of  a "facelift" and looks marvellous.  There is a wonderful welcoming new red wall, and some lovely bright display boards.  New student librarians have been selected, and they are taking their new duties very seriously and responsibly.

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On Monday, a special delivery arrived for Hedgehogs, Otters and Squirrels children - three boxes of caterpillars!  The children have placed them into special observation jars, and will be able to watch them grow and develop, and turn into butterflies. 

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It was cake week this week in Enterprise!  The Year Five children researched different recipes and worked in groups to decide what they would like to make.  During their Masterchef class on Thursday afternoon, the classroom was full of delicious smells as the children whisked and stirred, cracked eggs, grated oranges and lemons and melted chocolate!  There was a lovely variety of cakes from carrot cake and lemon drizzle to rocky road and chocolate fudge, and they all tasted wonderful. 

The Year Five children are planning a "Foxes Market" later in the term, and the best of their bakes will be available to buy along with other home-made produce, so watch this space for more information!

The Masterchef judges enjoying their task!

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Week Ending 26th April 2019

Welcome to the Summer term at Eaton Bray Academy!  We hope that everyone had a lovely holiday, and enjoyed the fabulous weather over the Easter weekend.

We returned to school on Tuesday 23rd April, which is, of course, St George's Day, so our first day back was a celebration of the patron saint of England.  Everyone wore red and white, or, if they wished, the children wore their Brownie or Cub Scout uniform. 

At lunchtime, we all enjoyed a traditional Engish picnic on the school field, and tucked into sausage rolls, pork pies and sandwiches provided by the School kitchen.  Parents were invited to join us, and there was a lovely friendly atmosphere as the sun shone, children played and adults chatted.

After lunch, the children had an afternoon of team games and sports, which they thoroughly enjoyed.  It was a really good day and a happy return to school for all!

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On Wednesday morning, Hedgehogs children went for a lovely walk around the village.  They saw lots of interesting sights including buildings, blossom on the trees and a beautiful butterfly.

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On Wednesday afternoon, everyone in school was surprised when the White Rabbit and Queen of Hearts turned up!  They were characters from the Grove Theatre's production of "Alice in Wonderland", who came in to give the children a fifteen minute taster of the performance.  The children were very entertained, so we do hope that this will inspire them to want to visit the theatre in the future.

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Choices and Enrichment have started again on a Friday afternoon, with activities including Outdoor Pursuits, Gardening, Spanish and Golf.  

Last term, one of the Enrichment groups constructed bird boxes, which have been put up in the trees around the School grounds.  We were delighted to find, on our return to school this week, that a family of blue tits have made their home in the bird box right outside the School Office window!  Upon investigation, we have discovered that there are five eggs in the box.  It has been lovely to be able to watch Mummy and Daddy blue tit flitting to and from the nest this week.

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