School News Bear Grylls – Park Lane Style! During the Autumn Term, Year Six children at Park Lane Primary School have been studying ‘Frozen Kingdom’ – a topic covering the tragedy of the Titanic; animal adaptations in the Arctic and Antarctic; polar exploration and survival in extreme conditions. To launch their topic, children took part in a survival day where they could test their abilities in fire lighting, tent pitching, signalling and shelter building. On a brisk autumn day in November, this was no easy challenge! Mr Adam Pallister, class teacher, said "The whole day was a fantastic experience – the children were able to develop a wide range of skills, which they could explain confidently when they returned to the classroom the next day. The Year Six team is incredibly proud of all of the children for their perseverance and determination. It was a delight to see how the children were so engaged and inspired during this unique experience." One highlight of the day was fire-lighting using materials the children had gathered from the local area. Following a demonstration of how to work safely with fire and matches, children worked in small groups to create a well-organised stack of cotton wool, small twigs and kindling ready to light; the ultimate goal was to create a fire on which they could cook their food rations, so the (bacon) stakes were high! With the fires burning brightly, children quickly learned the importance of teamwork to ensure there was a constant supply of fuel, and careful planning so that the fire didn’t burn out. The pupils demonstrated an impeccable level of knowledge and understanding, working maturely and sensibly in a potentially dangerous environment, with great respect for the risks of working with fire.
Anti-Bullying Week at Coates School During the week of November 13th-17th, Coates Primary School celebrated Anti-Bullying Week by thinking of lots of fabulous ideas on how to keep each other safe and happy. To help raise awareness, each class released a balloon carrying their important anti-bullying message. We are very proud of our school and the children are all proud to be themselves: all different, and all special!
Minister of State Visits AJS Alderman Jacobs School was pleased to be asked to host a visit by Robert Goodwill MP, the Minister of State in the Department for Education this week. The school was chosen to showcase the wide range of sporting and healthy lifestyle activities they have provided for children since the introduction of the PE & Sports premium. After a healthy and nutritious lunch, and a bowl of our homemade natural yoghurt with fruit and seed toppings from the Yoghurt Station, the Minister met with children who were keen to share their learning. They spent time talking to him about their healthy lifestyle activities, including Zumba, badminton and skipping workshops. They were also eager to tell him about the range of clubs that happen every week, from the Early Bird fitness sessions in which children do indoor cycling, speed stacking and circuits, to their competitive tournaments in tag rugby, football and netball. Having seen sport, PE and active learning in action across the school, Mr Goodwill left with lots of ideas for sharing with other schools across the country.
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D I S C O V E R I N G
Whittlesea
JANUARY 2018