Each class is working on a different theme this term - themes include ”The Titanic”, the Second World War, The Victorians, Superheroes and “Food, Glorious Food”. Trips are planned to the museum in Swindon (to experience life as an evacuee) and a trip to Salisbury to do some cooking and food tasting.
We have links with Wiltshire College Chippenham through their media department – and we are working on developing a project to present images and soundscapes along the Ridgeway which will be accessed through an app on smart phones.
Last term we all worked through the theme of Carnival and ended up with a great street carnival through our village.The procession ended at the church where we held a short service of thanksgiving for the diversity of our country. Other themes that developed from this overarching theme included Pilgrimage, Light and Dark, Slavery and Christmas.
Our youngest children have had a field trip to a local vineyard to pick apples, and other classes went to the Cotswold wildlife park (as part of their work on Carnival of the Animals). Other trips that took place last term include a visit to the Cathedral to learn more about Pilgrimage, and a trip to Salisbury to buy food from various cultures and to cook this at Waitrose.
We had a visit from a person who is disabled recently, and the children learnt a bit more about what life is like for those who live with disability.
Last academic year:
All the children in the younger three classes went to the seaside in June, to fly the kites that they had made, to paddle, eat ice creams, do some beach combing and sketching, have a ferry ride and many other things. Although the weather was rainy by the end, they had a wonderful time.
The Year 6 children went to Salisbury Cathedral in June — they had been asked to do a dramatic reading of the Gospel in front of the Bishop, the two archdeacons, many clergy, teachers and 500 children! This was for the Leavers’ service. They did a tremendous job and had many compliments and commendations.
All the children in Key Stage 2 went on residential trips at the end of the Spring term – some to Oxenwood and others to the Forest of Dean.
Our youngest children went apple picking in the vineyard at a’Beckett’s this term, and then came back and made apple pie, apple cake and apple juice. This work support their theme of the “Enchanted Forest”. They have also visited the forest at Lackham College.
Lots of our children went to Chepstow castle to support our topic on the medieval times, and we will also visit the Ashmolean Museum to see the painting that we are using as our stimulus for learning this term.
We have had Chinese visitors in school lately who have shown us a bit about Chinese culture, music and dance.
We invited an Indian musician in school to do some work on composition and performance of Indian music.
Our link school in India sent some of their teachers and pupils to visit us and they taught our children Indian dance as well as telling us about their lives in their school in India.