Pupils and staff have enjoyed a packed term enhanced with visits, trips and a visit from Ofsted.
Quartet
At the beginning of the term the whole school was treated to an interactive music session with The Calathea Quartet”, a young professional string quartet. They also gave a public recital at the church as part of the Blockley Chamber Concerts. Thanks to the professor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music for putting this provision in place.
A fantastic opportunity for the pupils to engage with live music.
Parents Evening
Following on from the reception parents evening before half term, all other parents were able to meet with their children’s respective teachers at the beginning of March. Thank you for organising diaries to make this happen.
Year 6 School Beat talk
Our School Beat officer from the local police force came into school to speak to our year 6 pupils about speaking to people online. The internet is part of all our lives and it is important to equip our young people with the skills needed to navigate an online world. If you need further information to help your child with online safety, please visit the ThinkUKnow website https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
Year 5 Science Kingham Hill
Our year 5 pupils visited Kingham Hill School to discover more about Glorious Gases. They had lunch and then 4 sessions based around the theme of gases – biology, physics and chemistry experiments. They were able to experiment with equipment not available in a primary school.
Staff Training and CPD
Staff continue to keep up to date with First Aid training. Staff also have regular CPD, with music, maths and geography covered this term, to ensure staff are fully equipped to deliver an up to date, broad and balanced curriculum.
Dental survey
This year the national dental survey looked at the teeth of year 6 pupils. The National Dental Epidemiology Programme is run by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and our local authority. The survey provides information on the oral health of children and aims to support actions to improve oral health, reduce health inequalities and improve the provision of treatment services.
World Book Day
We celebrated World Book Day slightly early on 1st March, to ensure it didn’t clash with swimming lessons! Snuggly clothes were in abundance to enable us to celebrate a love of literature. Following a book themed assembly in the morning we were all able to snuggle down to a story under twinkly lights read by our own, master story teller – Mrs Furniss. A biscuit and the hall ambiance added to the occasion.
We hope you have all been able to use your book tokens to add to the book shelf at home.
Science week
We all enjoyed Blockley Science Week this year with a fantastic selection of science based activities throughout the week.
We started the week with a visit from Diatom Dave who wowed the pupils with his thrilling experiments, exploring how light and sound travel and making megaphones, paper cup telephones and morse code machines. Each class was treated to an age appropriate workshop.
Mid-week each teacher set up science experiments in their classroom, with different themes and activities from shadow puppets and chromatography to marshmallow slime and straw gliders. Pupils explored fruit electricity and floating writing! All pupils were able to visit each classroom and discover more about science and be inspired to learn more.
Thursday saw the whole school visit Stratford upon Avon. Split into mixed age groups, every pupil was able to participate in a visit to the MAD museum, Butterfly Farm and Shakespeare’s Schoolroom. At the Mechanical Art and Design Museum, pupils were able to interact with exhibits with buttons, handles, lights and sound effects to see how mechanical parts interact with each other. The Butterfly Farm brought biology to life with beautiful butterflies and moths alongside some (extremely large) reptiles. Pupils were glad they attend school in this century when they visited Shakespeare’s Schoolroom – no one relished the discipline that pupils in Shakespeare time had to endure!
Friday, we enjoyed looking like stereotypical scientists and visually demonstrating our love of the sciences in our themed clothing. Some great ideas! Thank you for your support with the outfits.
Finally, we have received many amazing entries for our poster competition along the theme of ‘connections’ – future scientists in the making! Really informative and inspiring. We are looking forward to the display in school. Winning entries will be announced shortly.
Youth Speaks
Once again we were able to send two pupils to the Chipping Campden Rotary competition – Junior Youth Speaks. Two, year 6 pupils had been chosen to represent the school. They spoke eloquently on the topic ‘2042’, with interesting interpretation of the title. Not in the winning entries this time but they certainly did Blockley proud.
Music
Class 3 and 4 continue to enjoy their clarinet lessons in school, with each pupil having the loan of a clarinet for the lesson. Class 5 will be able to have the same tuition later on in the school year.
In addition to clarinet music we have piano tunes drifting down the corridor on a Tuesday. Many pupils have opted to play the piano with some clearly experienced pianists in the mix.
We continue to have our brass teacher and woodwind teachers visit on a Monday and Thursday with the option of joining local bands. If your child is interested in playing a brass instrument (eg trumpet, trombone, euphonium), a woodwind instrument (Clarinet, Flute and Saxophone for year 6 only) or the piano, please contact the school office.
We have also enquired about violin lessons in school again but the violin teacher is currently at capacity for this academic year. If you are interested in this instrument, please get in touch so that we can ensure something is in place for next academic year. We haven’t been able to secure a guitar teacher but will continue to pursue this if the interest remains. Again please let the office know.
Pupils have also improved with their recorder playing and singing with clubs in school.
Corinium Museum
Class 3 have been studying the Romans so they will consolidate their learning with a visit to the Corinium Museum in Cirencester this week. The children will take part in two hands on workshops where they will learn about the everyday life of a Roman as well as what it was like to be a Roman gladiator! They will also be able to spend some time looking around the museum itself which will be led by the museum’s expert staff.
William Morris
Class 5 have been designing and producing artwork inspired from their learning on this topic. From investigating his work, collecting visual information, observing and developing designs to experimenting with repeating patterns influenced by nature – some fantastic final pieces have emerged.
Year 6
Thank you to the year 6 pupils who, during the recent whole school visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, were partnered with a reception pupil. It was noted how caring and supportive they were with their charges. This supportive ethos is demonstrated daily in the playground and is encouraged through the school.
Easter
We will celebrate Easter with a service in church led by Class 5 with the help of reception pupils. Please join us on Friday 31st March, 9.15am. At the end of the day KS1 and reception pupils will display their Easter Bonnets before the end of the school day.
Easter Bookmark Competition
The red telephone box in Station road, Blockley is now Blockley Book Box. This is a free community library/book share for children and adults. Blockley Parish Council are supporting a bookmark competition, details will be sent out separately. Please support the box by borrowing and leaving suitable books.
Church News
We have welcomed Revd Dana Delap into school this term to speak with difference class groups who are currently studying Christianity. She has been able to answer and discuss interesting questions put forward by the pupils.
The Open the Book Team continue to bring the Bible to life in their weekly assemblies, when a Bible passage is dramatized to the pupils.
Bright Sparks Club has taken place for KS1 pupils this term. Next term it will be opened up to KS2 pupils.
Easter Services will take place at Blockley Church for all ages over the holidays:
2nd April 2023 9.30am Open Door Service for Palm Sunday
Friday 7th April 9.30am Stations of the Cross at Blockley Church
Sunday 9th April 9.30am All-age Holy Communion Service followed by Easter Egg Hunt at 10.45am
Ofsted
Once we have received the final Ofsted report, this will be shared with you and published on the Ofsted website, until this point we are not permitted to share any information with you.
Have a happy and restful Easter.
Blockley School Staff