Year 5 Maya Day - February 2024
We had a fantastic day learning about the Maya. We discovered more about the Maya beliefs and religions such as the Maya creation story and how the first people were made out of mud, wood and maize. Using the knowledge gained in History lessons, we examined artefacts to see if we could interpret who would have owned the object, what material it was made from and what its purpose was. One of the highlights was working collaboratively in groups to create a drama scene showcasing parts of Maya life and culture. This included everything from how to make hot chocolate to human sacrifice!
Year 3 Egyptian Day - January 2024
This week Year 3 went back in time to the 14th century BC, the 8th year of Akhenaten’s reign. The children served as workers and slaves finishing the construction of the city. They completed important tasks in ancient Egyptian culture, including: Lamp working; Embalming; Carving shabtis; Making ink and writing; Bread making; Tomb painting; Amulet making; Pottery making; Making perfume cones. In the afternoon, the children enjoyed taking part in an Egyptian ‘banquet’ where they were served by slaves and watched performances of Ancient Egyptian stories.
Year 6 Word War II Day - November 2023
As part of the Year 6 History Topic, examining the factors that led Britain to be successful in WWII, pupils explored the similarities and differences between now and then. They discovered what life was like for school children during the war, what the learning and discipline was like and how classrooms have changed. The teachers may also have been stricter!
Going back in time to October 1940, the Luftwaffe’s bombing raids have switched from military to civilian targets — the Blitz has begun. Pupils learnt how the HM Government ordered the school to evacuate last autumn, and the children travelled by train to safety in the countryside as part of Operation Pied Piper. The children lived in foster homes and will remain for an indefinite amount of time.
Due to school overcrowding, the children attend class only during the morning (local children attend in the afternoon). During class, pupils learn about war such as war precautions, old money and rationing. In the afternoon, they can visit the village shops, including a dairy, a butcher and a green grocer. How far will their ration books get them? Children tried typical foods given at the time with mixed results!
By the end of the day, pupils had a good understanding of the cause and effect of the evacuations during the Second World War War time.
Year 5 - Viking Day November 2023
On the 7th November, Year 5s became the Viking host present at the Battle of Eddington! Having forced Alfred into hiding (and they call him 'Great'!) and taken over an Anglo-Saxon Village, we were put to work using lots of differents crafts and skills. This included mixing our own paint from pigment, making coins and runes, weaving and creating our own candles. In the afternoon, we were historians and uncovered many different artefacts, and tried to interpret their purpose. We created our own mini-museum for other historians to view. Finally, we learnt how pewter was crafted into moulds and watched an amulet beign made before our eyes! Pewter was used by the monks to trick the Vikings who were after silver (a much more expensive metal) as they look so similar.
"My favourite activity was making clay coins and we had to stitch our own purse to keep them in." Lucy
"I loved the candle making because I never knew that you had to build up the layers with hot wax and you could see it take shape." David
"I learnt that swords weren't very good in battle and that a short axe is better for fighting when you are in a shield wall." Emily
"I thought the most important thing was the human poo they found as then they knew all about the Vikings diet and if they were healthy or not." Mackenzie
Year 2 Florence Nightingale Day - October 2023
Year 2 had fun and learnt lots about Florence Nightingale and her nursing. History Off the Page came into school and we completed three different sessions. Session one included making medals, a diary and candle holders. In Session two, we used inference to work out the owners of different suitcases and in session three we had a role play session, thinking about what it would have been like in Scutari hospital during the Crimean War.e Nightingale was a nurse and I found it interesting that her mum and dad didn’t want her to be a nurse. She went to the Crimea to help the soldiers.”
“Florence Nightingale was a nurse and I found it interesting that her mum and dad didn’t want her to be a nurse. She went to the Crimea to help the soldiers.”
Year 2, Boy
Year 4 Greek Day - October 2023
Year 4 pupils were very excited to take part in Greek Day. They were keen to share their knowledge of what they had learnt about Greek culture, daily life and important events.
"We dressed up as if we lived in Ancient Greek times. We learnt about how the Greeks lived and their day to day lives. We made clay pots. They had different shapes depending on what they were use for, like food or carrying water. If Greeks were poorly, they used mint and other herbs and crushed them to use as medicine." Year 4 pupil
"My favourite part was learning about how they invented a jury. A jury consisited of 500 people. If a runaway slave ran out of Athens, the jury would decide is the slave should suffocate or be set free. I really loved learning about the Persion War. The Greeks sent their fastest runner from Marathon to Athens to tell them that the Greek sidde had won. But he died when he got there." Year 4 pupil
