Week Ending 13th December 2013

It's been a busy week for us, with the Christmas Fayre on Sunday, Hamsters Sing-Along, and three performances of our Main School Christmas Concert!  Here is a selection of photos of our festive celebrations.

The Choir singing at the Christmas Fayre

Rabbits Class's lovely Robin stall at the Fayre - raising money for the Heart Foundation

Otters rehearsing for the Christmas Concert

Hamsters Sing-Along

Super Soloists!

Main School Concert

Badgers and Foxes Performance

Rabbits, Squirrels and Otters singing

Hedgehog Musicians

We hope everyone that came to see us enjoyed the performances!

Next week we are all looking forward to parties, Christmas dinner, a Talent Show and of course, non-uniform and Games Day on the last day of term.  By then I think we will all be ready for the start of the Christmas holidays...  

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, 

and a Happy New Year.

Week Ending 6th December 2013

On Wednesday, children from the Main School walked to St Mary's Church after lunch, for a Christingle Service. In the morning, each child had made their own Christingle, and learned about the significance of the orange (that represents the world), the candle (that represents Jesus, the light of the world) and the dried fruit sticks (that represent the fruits of the Earth and the four seasons).

The children enjoyed an entertaining talk from the vicar about the meaning of Christmas, and sang some Christmas carols.  They were praised by the vicar for their very good behaviour whilst visiting the church. Each of the Christingle candles were lit, and the Church glowed with bright light.

Thursday was the day for a full Christmas concert run through. The children sang and spoke clearly, and are word perfect. Please remember to get your tickets for the performance of your choice, as a ticket is required for entry.

Friday is EBA Enterprise Fair, from 3-4pm, in the Hall.  The Year 4 and 5 children are very excited, so please come along and do some Christmas shopping, and enjoy some refreshments.

Week Ending 29th November 2013

EBA Enterprise are finalising their products for their Christmas Fair, and Foxes Classroom looks like an Aladdin's Treasure Box full of wonderful goodies that you will soon be able to buy...  There will also be games, crafts and refreshments, so something for everyone!

EBA Enterprise Fair

Friday 6th December

3.00 - 4.00pm in the School Hall

The children in Main School will also have an opportunity to browse and buy before school finishes, so if you are unable to make it, but would still like to support our Year 4 and 5's enterprise efforts, don't forget to send some money in with your child next Friday. We suggest around £2-£3, in a named envelope please!

Hedgehogs Class had a wonderfully exciting visitor earlier this week - a London bus driver, who told them all about his adventures in the big city!  All the children were given a toy bus each - which then went on some very interesting adventures... through streets of baked beans, avenues full of shaving foam... a fun and messy time was had by all!

The School is now nearly completely decorated for Christmas... so if you have not been in to visit recently, here is a photographic update.

Practicing is well underway for our Christmas Concert, so remember to get you tickets in plenty of time.
Concert dates:
Wednesday 11th December - 2.30pm,
Thursday 12th December - 6.00pm,
Friday 13th December - 7.00pm

Other dates to remember:
HSA Christmas Fayre - Sunday 8th December 12.00 - 3.00pm
Hamsters Sing Along - Wednesday 11th December 9.15am
Otters and Squirrels Party - Monday 16th December
Hedgehogs and Hamsters Party - Tuesday 17th December
EBA Talent Show - Wednesday 18th December
Christmas Dinner - Thursday 19th December
Rabbits, Badgers and Foxes Party - Thursday 19th December
Games and Non-uniform Day - Friday 20th December

Week Ending 22nd November 2013

The high point of this week must surely have been the "Movie Night" in the School Hall on Thursday.  The scene was set, with a big projector screen, speakers, fairy lights and twinkling decorations, and tickets sold out very quickly.  The children watched the film "Arthur Christmas", and enjoyed a tasty drink and snack in the interval.  A magical evening enjoyed by all!

On Wednesday, there was a Sharing Assembly, when children shared their achievements over the past few weeks.  There was a wide variety of work, from posters, to models, to a demonstration of golfing skills.

Thursday was "Choices" afternoon when children enjoyed golf, African drumming, Advent Calendar making, Winter Wonderland modelling, science show time, newspaper publishing and cross country.  Our special visitor for "Jobs People Do" was a drama teacher, who gave the children a fun-filled hour of drama instruction.  A truly wonderful range of activities to chose from!

Badgers and Foxes have been learning about the digestive system this week, as part of the science curriculum.  But in true EBA style, the learning has not been confined to just books and diagrams... instead, they have been making models of the digestive system from household items - a yogurt pot to represent the liver, an old stocking to represent the large intestine...  Our Year Four and Five children will surely remember that lesson for years to come!

Some of our older pupils also enjoyed more Forest School activities this week, and collected natural objects to make into lovely Christmas decorations.

The children are working hard on items for our Christmas Concert, in December.  Revised dates for the concert are now:
Wednesday 11th December - 2.30pm
Thursday 12th December - 6.00pm
Friday 13th December - 7.00pm
Hamsters Sing-Along: Wednesday 11th December - 9.15am

Also, don't forget the Christmas Fayre: Sunday 8th December - 12.00-3.00pm
and the EBA Enterprise Fayre: Friday 6th December - 3.00-4.00pm

Week Ending 15th November 2013

Monday was Remembrance Day, an important event for us all, and one in which our children participate, by selling, buying and wearing poppies and wristbands, and by observing the two minutes' silence at 11.00am.  All the children and adults in Main School gathered in the Hall, and stood quietly, along with the rest of the country, and others around the world.  We were, as always, very proud of the children's sensible behaviour.  Pre-School children, meanwhile, commemorated the day by making their own poppies.

Key Stage One children enjoyed a visit from the Fire Service, and were given a very important talk about fire safety.  Some of the children were given the opportunity to try on a fire fighter's uniform, and then they all went outside to have a good look at a fire engine, and listen to the siren!  It was a rather damp and drizzly day, but that didn't stop the children from taking their turns to hold the fire hose and spray a jet of water into the air... such great fun!

Wednesday evening was our Primary Open Evening, which was a useful and informative event for the parents who attended.  The focus of the evening was English, Maths and Science, with details given of the new National Curriculum (which will be in place in September 2014), and how we plan to implement this throughout the school, with particular emphasis on our provision for Years 5 and 6.  There was also a presentation about the Forest School, and the benefits to children of enjoying an outdoor education.  Parents then had an opportunity to have a look around the school and ask any questions.  Refreshments were also available, with delicious cakes cooked on the premises by our wonderful kitchen staff!

We are in full swing with preparations for our Christmas activities!  Beautiful carol singing has been heard coming from the Hall during music sessions, and the delicious aroma of mince pies baking has been detected coming from Foxes Classroom!  The HSA are very busy organising the Christmas Fair and other festive fun, kindly giving their time to raise money for our school.  Don't forget, you can help their efforts when doing your Christmas shopping online, by going to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ebahsa and following the instructions on the page!

Week Ending 8th November 2013

The first week back after a wet and windy half term, and we are happily back into the swing of things!

Fireworks has been one of the themes for this week, with both Guy Fawkes Night and Diwali being celebrated.  Hedgehogs Class made diva lamps, and painted elephants for Divali, whilst the older children in Rabbits, Badgers and Foxes wrote poems and created colourful firework pictures using black paint over wax crayon.

The children have also been following up on their Duxford trip, by designing and making models of various modes of transport.  Badgers have finished their hot air balloons which are now on display brightening up the corridor.  Otters have built a variety of aircraft, and Squirrels have made cars, discovering how to make wheels turn on an axle.  Rabbits have learnt all about steam engines, and the impact that steam had on the Industrial Revolution.  They also tried their hands at weaving - a job performed by steam power back in the nineteenth century.

Foxes and Badgers have been working hard to get things ready for the EBA Enterprise Christmas Fayre, which takes place on Friday 6th December from 3.00 - 4.00pm.  Just before half term, they took part in their very own "Dragons' Den".  This took place in front of an audience of parents, and a panel of "Dragons", who granted funds to our budding business boys and girls, with which they hope to turn their enterprise ideas into profits!  Do come along on Friday 6th, to help them achieve their goals... and don't forget also, our HSA Christmas Fayre takes place on Sunday 8th December, with plenty of opportunity for a bit of Christmas shopping as well as festive fun and games.

On Friday our very first Forest School session took place.  This is something we have been working towards for a while, so we are delighted to be able to offer this to Eaton Bray children.  Forest School provides learning opportunities through practical activities in an outdoor environment, and we are lucky enough to have a large wooded area within our School grounds where children can enjoy the freedom to explore and experience the natural world in all seasons and all weathers!  The children that took part this week enjoyed collecting natural objects to make bookmarks and Christmas decorations - they felt like they were taking part in Autumn Watch!  Future forest activities will involve making homes for insects, creating jewellery from natural objects, and ultimately... learning how to build a fire and make hot chocolate in the forest!