Find out what has been happening in school this week.

• Outdoor learning week 7

  Wed 18 Oct 2023

  Seasonal senses

  This week we went back to where we started and got the blindfolds out again.

  There were two tables prepared with three each of things to taste, smell and touch. With the sense of sight being removed, the children had to listen to their unblindfolded partner, who guided them to what they were experiencing. 
  Lots of chatter and fun, the children made some good guesses of what they were feeling, smelling and tasting. Some things confused them, they were unsure of what Thyme was, a few guessed correctly. The Rosemary fronds were thought to be evergreen leaves until I suggested squeezing and smelling them. The cranberries, plum jam, blackberries and pear were enjoyed, the ground cinnamon not so much! A lot of children really liked the smell of the burnt wood and the raspberries.

  Lots of children tried foods that they said they wouldn’t have tried usually, and they liked it! 
  A lot of fun on a wild windy Wednesday.

  

• Forest school Y5

  Thu 12 Oct 2023

  Our last week together in the woods, today we used saws and knives to create mushrooms. We have observed lots of mushrooms in the woods over the last few weeks and so we got to make our own.

  The children learnt how to use saws safely and we revisited the knife safety rules. The group had remembered most of the rules and so we got on. The children did really well and were proud of what they had made.

  After dinner, we did fire in a short session but once again the children did a really good job.

  Matthew and Maria commented on what a great group they have been over this four weeks and we can’t argue with that!

  

• Outdoor learning week 6

  Wed 11 Oct 2023

  Wednesday of Week 6 was a very wet day, so outdoor learning turned into indoor learning. We learnt how to turn newspaper or packaging paper into plant pots using folding only. After a bit of confusion(caused mainly when Mrs Nicholls missed an entire step and had to retrace the steps), we all made some really great pots. They were planted up with either conkers or wildflowers. Hopefully we will get some trees and wildflowers to enhance our home space.

  

• Outdoor learning c4

  Wed 11 Oct 2023
  

• Outdoor learning c3

  Wed 11 Oct 2023
  

• Outdoor learning c2

  Wed 11 Oct 2023
  

• Outdoor Learning

  Tue 10 Oct 2023

  The Class 1 children all enjoyed our outdoor learning session today! 

  

• Outdoor learning week 5

  Wed 04 Oct 2023

  Bug hotels

  We spent some time discussing which insects, arachnids and other invertebrates hibernate and which do not. The children had some prior knowledge of this but were surprised at some of what we discovered too.

  We made tin can bug hotels using what we could find on the field. Some children used hammer and nails to make ventilation holes in the end, some didn’t. Some chose to leave theirs on the field and some went home with them.

  

• Forest school with Y5

  Thu 28 Sep 2023

  Flint work with our Y5s today and we started with using flint to butcher a Roe deer. The children stepped up to the mark and took a lot of time and effort to do a really good job. Matthew was pleased with the result and how much meat they got off. A very sensible approach to this task made us very proud. We sampled a bit of the meat which was cooked on the lid of the Dutch oven. 
  After dinner, the complex task of flint napping. We are making flint knives and today the children began to make the blades from flint. This needs patience and careful handling and once again this super group achieved what they set out to do. They even tidied their own things away without being asked! Well done. 

   

  

• Outdoor learning Wk 3

  Wed 20 Sep 2023

  Returned with thanks this borrowed earth…

   

  Rain stopped play outside this afternoon. We made plaques to decorate our outdoor areas, using clay and a nice variety of collected items like grass heads, acorns, seed heads, pine cones etc. The children shaped the clay and either made indentations or placed items into the clay. 

  Once dry we will hang them outside, eventually they will break up and be left to disperse back into the ground.