Week Ending 15th May 2009

"Ooh là là!" This week has been French week in Hamsters and Hedgehogs Classes.

Hamsters have enjoyed French food, French stories and songs, and with the help of a parent, have painted a wonderful Eiffel Tower on the playground.

Hedgehogs have had a French Café in their classroom, selling such delights as croissants, baguettes, gateaux and brioches! They have also played "boules" and learned to say their names and their teachers' names in French.

On Thursday, the playground was turned into the map of France, all ready for the "Tour de France!" Hedgehog children brought in bikes and scooters, and had a lovely time pedalling and scooting through the Channel Tunnel, around Paris, down to the Alps, along the Mediterranean coast, across the Pyranees, then back up the Atlantic coast! All in record time of course! C'était fantastique!

Week Ending 8th May 2009

The highlight of our week was a visit from the Fire Brigade on Thursday. Year Two children had a wonderful time using the hose on the fire engine, to "wash down" our parking area. Now, lots of them want to join the fire service!

On Tuesday, our younger children put on fluorescent coats, and practised crossing safely, in the School grounds.

Our older children went to visit a mosque on Tuesday, and returned with a fund of knowledge, and with answers to their question booklets. This was the culmination of their Religious Education topic.

This week Squirrels have been investigating light and dark. They made peep-boxes, for their Squirrel models, and discovered which of the torches gave the brightest light. At the end of the topic, they made shadow puppets, and had a puppet show, using the white board. Rabbits investigated materials, and made a technicolour dream-coat, for Joseph. Badgers have enjoyed a week of planting and growing, and their room is full of "greenery" already - some edible! Hedgehogs have been making French food from salt dough - ready for their French week, next week - and mixing powder paint to make different colours.

Our bird hide has already been used by many children, and our binoculars have been in constant use. The birds seem to be getting braver, and are eating our bird cakes at a great rate. Watch this space for our next project, already in planning stage...

Week Ending 1st May 2009

Another week has gone by, and the highlight was certainly our Cookery Evening on Wednesday. The event was well attended by staff and some parents. Food ranged from wraps and curry to tiramisu and banana cake, all of which was simply delicious. Everyone went home with simple tips on how to enhance food, whilst keeping to a low budget.

Our bird hide is now in full operation, and staff are just getting used to seeing binoculars peer at them, across the playground. The allotment continues to flourish, and there is always a stream of children wanting to weed and water. School's main entrance now has a pair of lovely hanging baskets, which have already been admired by visitors.

Foundation topic this week has been Religious Education. Hedgehogs and Squirrels have been thinking of Special Places, and enjoyed looking at whiteboard photos of areas in our village that are considered to be of particular interest. Rabbits have studied Creation Stories from around the World, and thought about how they could protect the planet. Badgers have been looking in depth at aspects of Muslim life. On Tuesday, they are visiting a mosque in Luton, to round off the topic.

Next week, our younger children are going to be "Stepping Out Safely", so look out for lots of fluorescent jackets on Tuesday.

Week Ending 24th April 2009

During the Easter break, our School grounds have been improved even more, and outside Badgers Class, there is now a wonderful "Lollipop" Sculpture Garden, based on Kandinsky. The Library Garden now has a rainbow coloured "hoop" edging, with a gravel garden. Our School cook has already had some rhubarb from the allotment, to pop in a crumble. Inside, in our Nursery, there is now a wonderful sound proofed glass partition upstairs. Downstairs, our Nursery entrance has a magnificent garden mural, based on Hamsters hand prints. The area is also enhanced by a bright blue patio set, where visitors can rest their weary feet!

Rabbits have a new class teacher this term. They have been "Travelling the World" already, as our foundation subject this week has been geography.

Squirrels have been investigating maps and plans, and even designed their "idyllic classroom", which included an ice cream parlour and an aquarium!! "Bee-Bop" (the robot bee) now has a new grid to travel around, designed on the layout of our School, by some year two pupils. They have already shared it with younger children, who have had an exciting time, taking it from one part of our School to another.

Badgers have been studying village settlements, and had to consider the physical and human features of their ideal village.

Hedgehogs have been on safari to Tanzania, and have found out about the different animals and culture.

Next week there is a Cookery Evening in the Hall, hosted by our talented cook. The theme is "Budget Meals" - so come along for a tasty fun evening.

Week Ending 3rd 2009

Woburn Safari Park - whole School trip, Thursday 2nd April

Week Ending 27th March 2009

This week Rabbits met their new class teacher, who will be joining us in the summer term. Both parties were very excited!

We now have a bird hide in our grounds. the children will finish it off by adorning it with camouflage leaves and twigs. Thank you to our Year 4 pupil who thought of the brilliant idea! So you see, wishes do come true. we try hard to accommodate the children's ideas and hence we get enthusiasm and commitment from them.

Year Four children are busy sketching ideas for their copper sculpture, and have already thought of some wonderful original ideas. Watch this space to see which design is chosen.

Another amazing change occurred in our School on Wednesday - the P.E. cupboard was transformed into an Egyptian tomb! This explains why our head teacher shrieked in fright, as she went to set up some equipment, only to be faced by a mummified body!!

The School is full of Easter bunnies and chicks... not the fluffy varieties; just wonderful Easter card designs. On Thursday, key stage one children had an "Easter Parade" - it was like being on the set of "My Fair Lady", as the wonderful hat creations strolled by!! There is even a wonderful Easter tree in Hamster. They also now have their very own "Mud Pie Menagerie", outdoors, and indoors, they have a magnificent mural, in the entrance. It depicts a garden scene, and if you look closely, you will see that the flowers are little hand prints. well done Hamsters! We are hoping to have a patio set to complete the entrance area.

Next week, lots of news about our Woburn Safari visit...

Week Ending 20th March 2009

If you are a Mum, please do not read this first paragraph! On Friday, the children could purchase a gift for their Mum, to give on Mother's day. The children found it hard to choose, as there was a lovely variety of gifts - edible, jewellery, toiletries, plants - all gift-wrapped. This week, everybody has been busily making Mother's Day cards, ranging in shapes from daffodils, tea-pots, hearts and dangling beads.

Yes Mums, you may start reading from here!

Our pond is looking wonderful again. We had forgotten how large it is! Lots of the children have already visited it, and some Badgers even rescued "Brian the Frog!" The next stage is painting the fence and shelter.

Our allotment is now planted with potatoes, leeks and carrots. The children have also planted nasturtiums, as a decoy from the vegetables, for all the munching, crunching predators out there! Rhubarb and strawberries are also flourishing, and our cook is looking forward to using them in her splendid desserts. How many of you out there saw our cook on television? Yes, once again, first prize for her delicious Italian turkey main dish. Well done! Next year, she is hoping to use mostly School-grown produce, so keep up the gardening children!

And now, a warning for all the animals at Woburn Safari Park! We are all visiting at the end of term, and looking forward to producing art work related to our visit next term.