This week in Year 5 (26th -30June)

We finally completed our people in action sculptures – here was a photo from our display at the open evening. And also us investigating the power of levers in science

This week in Year 5 (19th -23rd June)

We have had a very busy day with lots of art, learning about Degas and how to use body proportions for people in action.

Many of year 5 were involved in the didtrict sports and there was also wheel chair basketball as well for everyone. ( More details on the sports page)

We took part in St Adrian’s got Talent with two groups of girls

Well done Maya , Lucy Rukksika, Abbie, Katie, Jess , Lara and thanks to Beth for helping to organise the competition.

This week in Year 5 (9th -14th June)

This week in English we were learning about the Mars Rover for our new Book, Curiosity. And Finally, we completed our fans in DT.

In Science we have been investigating air resistnce with paper helicopters and of course on Friday we sang our hearts out for our dads.

This week in Year 5 (5th -9th June)

Well we have been very busy again- with the hot weather we have been making desk fans to help cool us down as part of our DT project. The art display on Wednesday was a great way toshow case our artistic talents. And, of course, on Thursday, we all went to Mountfitchet Castle and the House on the Hill Toy Museum

SPEC 2023

(Subsequent posts will be added to the bottom of the SPEC post so that it will read chronologically)

SPEC 2023 (Wednesday morning until lunch time)

Well we’ve never been away on a school trip but don’t we look excited as we wait for the coach to arrive.

We’ve arrived safely and time for a bit of orientation and warm up games before lunch

Time for lunch – everyone was happy with the food…

Now for a bit of exploration and play after lunch in the beautiful grounds:

SPEC 2023 (Wednesday afternoon and night)

So then , after running off our lunch it was time for some games and a treasure hunt then drama in the chapel.

Then a bit more exploring…

A great way to work up an appetite- ready for tea

and a play…

Before finishing off some earlier work with hamma beads…

Then , after this, it was back to the chapel for exposition

Then to round off the evening, singing around the campfire with hot chocolate, marsh mallows, biscuits and a drama about St Joan of Arc.

9: 15 pm. Now it is bed time . The children have brushed their teeth, showered and completed their skin care regimes and settled down for the night.

10:30pm … All quiet on the western front !

Thursday Morning

All the children made it through the night and , unusually, there were no tears or children wanting to go home at 2 am. However, suffice to say, they will all probably want an early night when they get back home.

Its 7:30 am – the children are up and ready for play before breakfast. They head off to do some more exploring in the woods or climbing up steep muddy hills on this beautiful summer’s morning ; a tear springs to my eye as I’m magically transported back to my carefree childhood in the halcyon epoch that was the mid 1970s.

With appetites suitable whetted, its time for breakfast – a selection of croisant, pain au chocolat, toast, preserves, fruit, yoghurt and cereal- just like they have at home.

Thursday mid -morning

details to follow…

After breakfast was ‘Stations of Light’ where, in the serenity of the grounds, we read readings whilst walking the Stations of the Cross.

Check out the Year 5 (St Paul) page for subsequent updates.

Then time for break…

Afterwards it was off to the cinema and then preparation for Mass.

Mass in the Chapel.

Our final meal at Spec- bangers and mash

What a wonderful couple of days – Thank you to all the saff at SPEC and to our own Mrs Porter and Miss Cartwright.

And to Oli for additional photagraphy.

Lent and Easter at St Adrian’s

As part of our journey through Lent, this week, we have had our own Holy Week and Easter liturgies. The week started with a very thoughtful Stations of the Cross service led by our inspiring Year Six Chaplaincy Team. They created a tableau and reflection for each Station of the Cross and the children sang beautifully as part of this service.

In contrast, our joyful Easter Parade celebrated the children’s amazing creativity. Children from Foundation Stage made some superb Easter bonnets, Key Stage One children created brilliant Easter Gardens and the Key Stage Two children displayed their immense talents with a wonderful mix of liturgical art. The Chaplaincy Team had the unenviable task of choosing two winners for each class, but we were very pleased to celebrate everyone’s wonderful artwork. Well done to you all!

We wish you all a very happy and holy Easter.

Safer Internet Day – 8th February 2022

Safer Internet Day takes place every February. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate all the amazing things we all do online; and also to find a different way, each year, for everyone to safe online. This year the theme is being respectful and maintaining good relationships when playing games online.

As a show of hands in the morning’s “kick-off” assembly showed, nearly everyone in the school loves playing online games: there was palpable excitement as the children thought of it! And every device is used to play games on. All the more reason to make sure we can all enjoy a favourite hobby while keeping ourselves and everyone else safe!

We want gaming to be a fun, respectful way of spending some time, according to each family’s rules. What we do online should make our online friends post emojis like these

We discussed the questions “Should you behave as well towards your friends online as well as you do offline? Why?“, “If you’re online and no-one knows your identity, can you behave how you like?” and, perhaps the most difficult one, “If someone else makes the wrong choice and doesn’t show respect, what can -or should – you do in response?”

Following are some photos of children completing activities in their classrooms and a few photos of the sharing assembly at the end of the day. As well as developing understanding of online safety, the activities provided opportunities for collaborative learning and creative writing.

There are lots more resources from the organisers on the website – https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2022.

We hope you enjoy finding out about what the children have learnt about the essential topic of internet safety.

At the end of the day the children shared what they had learnt with the rest of the school.

Reception learnt the Smartie the penguin song which tells us, “Before you click, click, click, make sure you think, think, think – and tell someone.”

Year 1 learnt about what it’s OK to share online and what not to. You can share non-personal things, such as the colour of your socks, or your favourite fast food, but not your full name or where you go to school.

Year 2 wrote “spells for internet kindness”. They learnt that whenever we play online games, we need to be prepared to show respect even if other people make wrong choices.

Year 3 wrote “gaming guides”. Some advice about what you can do online is the same as what you can offline – for example, don’t give out personal information like your address to someone you’ve never spoken to before or met.

Year 4 played “roll a story”, where they acted out given scenarios – such as your friends have fallen out during an online game – and then found ways to resolve the problem.

Year 5 discussed good and bad decisions in online behaviour, including how hard it can be to make the right choices. 

Year 6 also considered the different scenarios in “roll a story” and made posters informing people how to resolve situations, based on these predicaments.

All the activities provided the children with opportunities to discuss the issues, focusing on solutions and remembering that online games are a source of fun and communication for nearly everyone.

Year 4
Year 2

Year 2 wrote some spells for a kinder internet.

We all stirred up the spells in our cauldrons and recorded them. Here are some of our spells. Can you think of any other ingredients we should add?

Year 2 spells for a kinder internet
Year 6 presenting at the end of the day.
Year 4 presenting at the end of the day.