Out Trip to the Countryside Education Trust - Adders.

What a fantastic day we all had at the Countryside Education Trust in Beaulieu! The children were extremely well behaved and represented themselves and the school really well. We were able to spend all day learning about what it would be like to be a woodland creature living in the New Forest.

Our first activity was Pond Dipping. The children loved getting stuck in with nets, spoons and magnifying pots. The best discoveries included a newt, a water nymph, pond skaters and water boatmen.

In the classroom we were shown some stuffed animals that had lived in the nearby woods. We were able to discuss their natural adaptations and how they make them suited to life in the forest. The children were fascinated being able to see a real badger so close up. 

Then it was time for lunch and the children's most burning question was answered.

Once we had eaten we headed back into the forest to pretend to be some of the animals we had been learning about. First of all we were transformed into moles and navigated through the trees as if we couldn't see.

Another skill we trialed was balancing along a branch like a squirrel. We tried out best but it was a good job that the branch wasn't high up in the trees! 

Then we became rabbits running from predators such as foxes. We had to crawl into our burrows and hide.

Next we worked in groups to create temporary pieces of natural art using things that we could find in a small clearing. Take a look at our great creations.

The children were a little tired on the way home and some decided the coach journey was the perfect opportunity to take a little nap!

All of the children and adults had a great day learning about the woodland animals. Thank you to all of the volunteers who came along to help the children with their learning, we couldn't have had such a great day without you. Also, thank you to the staff at the Countryside Education Trust for delivering such a wonderful day trip for us.

SATs

A massive well done to all of the children who have been working through the Year 2 SATs during the last two weeks. We have all been EXTREMELY impressed with the resilience and determination that the children have displayed during the tests and they should all be very proud of themselves. The SATs have certainly taken their toll on the children and they are all rather tired, having given their absolute best while working through some challenging booklets.

On Monday we will be out and about in the woodlands at Beaulieu Countryside Education Trust learning about what it would be like to be a New Forest animal. It should be a really interesting day, with a lot of fun activities planned to help the children unwind a little from the SATs and to reset their minds to working on our topic all about Wildlife.

Keep an eye on the blog for some photos from our day.

The Hodgeheg

In English we have started a unit of work all about The Hodgeheg. Max is a curious little hedgehog who is desperately searching for a way to safely cross the road so that his family can visit the park (where there are lots of worms and snails...) Today we had to help Max sort out what he was trying to say. See if your child can explain why his speech was all muddled up...

Cricket Workshop

What an exciting introduction to cricket!

We learnt a lot of the skills cricketers need to play well as part of a team. Take a look at the photos of us getting stuck in.

Launching our Africa topic

Today we launched out new topic all about Africa. We were really lucky to be joined by Kwame from African Activities, and what a day we have had! The children have spent the whole day getting a real experience of African life.

During our busy day we:

- learnt African dancing

- listened to traditional African stories

- worked together to create a rhythm with African drums

- Recycled milk bottles to make masks

- Created Adinkra printed artwork

Below are some photos to give a flavour of our day with Kwame.

Chinese New Year

This afternoon we celebrated Chinese New Year at school. The children loved being able to taste various Chinese food and felt like they were in a real Chinese restaurant. They also loved creating crafts including Chinese fans, animal masks and writing their own name in Chinese!