Year3TriptoStanstedAerozone

Year 3 enjoyed a fabulous trip to Stansted Aerozone to learn about the busy workings of an airport. The children completed a range of classroom activities such as dressing up in 'airport' costumes, interactive STEM activities and world globe activities.

While there, the children were lucky enough to be paid a visit by the airport firefighters who showed one of their large fire tenders including a 50ft water spray system - this was the highlight of the day for many of the children and Mrs Petrie!

Four members of the Jet2 team came to speak to the children about their jobs at the airport. As if that wasn't enough excitement for the viewing e airport.

Year 4 were given a talk by Tom Blakely our CCF support instructor. Both the staff and pupils were in awe of what he has achieved and where he has been We all felt quite boring afterwards

He told us tales of his journeys around the world as a Paratrooper and shared some amazing photos of him as a “red devil” skydiving above famous landmarks such as The Palm in Dubai

The children many thought-provoking questions and they loved him so much he is returning for another session.

Upper Prep pupils had the best tickets in town for a captivating performance of The Secret Garden, (an adaptation of the story by Frances Hodgson Burnett) performed by M&M Theatrical Productions. The Prep School Hall was magically transformed into the set, and the talented actors brought the stage to life with fun, laughter and music. There were moving scenes cleverly balanced with uplifting moments and hilarious comedic lines. Songs from ‘Matilda’, ‘Encanto’ and ‘The Greatest Showman’ had the audience singing and clapping along.

After the show, the actors spent time with Year 5 and 6 discussing stage production. The changes in scenery and costumes were amazing, there were wooden walls on wheels that twisted and turned to create different rooms and an evolving secret garden, not to mention a bed that appeared as if from nowhere.

Pupils were challenged to consider how pitch and tone of voice, facial expression and costumes were used to create ten characters of different ages and class that would transport everyone to that period of history. Some pupils tested the sound and lighting while a few budding thespians tried out some of the lines to entertain us further.

Year 6 have been inspired by the work land artist Andy Goldsworthy. Below are a watercolour painting of a whale and a tonal study of broken stones.

Year 4 have been working on body paintings. It was challenging to draw around their body but with the help of their classmates all the pupils created really interesting forms. Then they layered media, starting with inks, paints and oil pastels, before adding repeating patterns through print.

Year 5 have learnt about Northampton's shoe making history, and created these amazing drawings.

Year 3 created artwork from marble rolling, blowing ink through a straw and splatter pictures all inspired by Jackson Pollock. They have also been learning about the Japanese woodcut artist, Hokusai, and have been drawing Koi carp in preparation to create Japanese fish kites.

Year 3 have been looking at the topic of water. As an introduction they enjoyed a water tasting. They unanimous preferred the flavoured water over the sparkling. The pupils then tested the absorbency of kitchen roll by creating some chromatography rainbows.

Year 6 were given three scenarios to consider as part of their Moving People topic - all of which involved fleeing a situation such as war or a natural disaster. They had to decide what they would take, how it would be transported and what essentials they would need to stay alive.

Year 5 have been studying rivers. As part of this topic they visited the Embankment looking at the river, analysing the land use either side and discussing the historical value of river transport.

Year 4 have been enjoying a science-based topic about materials and their properties. They had a wonderfully messy time creating slime and deciding if it was a solid or a liquid, which prompted lots of useful discussion about the properties of a solid.

World Book Day was great fun, the children and adults looked amazing in their costumes. The Upper Prep theme of animals in stories was seen in the variety of costumes and activities throughout the day. We finished by reading a selection of ‘Revolting Rhymes’ as an alternative to the traditional versions of the fairy tales.