Sudbourne Print Makers

Today, the Year 6 pupils enjoyed a creative day at Sudbourne Print Makers. They produced a series of prints inspired by the RSPB's work with the Little Tern during the morning, and after lunch, produced self portraits based on photographs taken in school. 

It was a lovely relaxed atmosphere and the children enjoyed letting their creative sides out. 

Thank you to Jenny and Val at Sudbourne Print Makers for an excellent day!

Alton Water

On Tuesday, Year 6 pupils from Earl Soham, Helmingham and Bedfield schools enjoyed a day of water sports at Alton Water activity centre in Ipswich. The children took part in windsurfing, sailing and kayaking. We were lucky with the weather and had glorious sunshine during the activities. The heavy rain held off until we were safely on the coach going home.

It was a great day with lots of fun had by all.

Crucial Crew

This afternoon, our year six pupils set off to Stowmarket's Museum of East Anglia, where the annual Crucial Crew event was being held. They took part in a carousel of activities related to safety. They learnt about how to respond in an emergency situation, how to reduce the risk of a house fire, basic road safety and how to avoid spreading germs by careful hand-washing.

All in all, it was an informative and enjoyable afternoon.

Goodbye and Good Luck Year Six

Goodbye to an amazing group of Year Sixes. Best wishes for the future. Have a great summer break and a super start to High School.

Keep in touch!

P.S. I have sent each of the year sixes a link to download a copy of their leavers slideshow video. Check your school email accounts.

Alton Water

On Monday, Year Six pupils from our school, met up with their friends from Bedfield and Helmingham for a fun-packed day of water sports at Alton Water.

The children were arranged into three groups and after the tricky job of putting on wetsuits, headed off to learn windsurfing, kayaking and sailing. There was a lot of time spent in the water, but the weather was glorious so it was lovely and warm. I was even persuaded to don my wetsuit to join in!

We took lots of photographs, so pour yourself a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy the slideshow.

Crucial Crew

This afternoon, Year six pupils headed out to Stowmarket for the annual Crucial Crew event, where they learnt about how to keep themselves safe in a variety of different scenarios. I won't give too much away, as I don't want to spoil it for younger pupils who will go in subsequent years, but I hope that the photographs below give you a flavour of what the event was all about.

African Adventure Day 5

Now feeling somewhat weary, but proud of our achievements so far, we had one final challenge ahead of us to make the village safe. We had to find a way of purifying the water supply to give the villagers clean drinkable water.

We used some very simple equipment to build a water filter on the beach, using different sized stones to trap the dirt. By repeatedly running our water through our filter, we were able to make it much cleaner.

However, it wasn't yet drinkable - just like the water for two-thirds of the world's population. However, a rapid water filter installed in the village, which used the same principles as our own, but using layers of sand, was able to do the job much more effectively. The water we started with, which was full of mud, leaves and goodness knows what else, was finally as clear as any we might get from a tap and safe to drink.

Our job in Karyango village was complete. We had succeeded in our task of making the village safe for people to return to. Yet this is not the end of our work. Before we left, we learnt that through our actions this week a real village in South Sudan had been supplied with one of these rapid water filters at a cost of just £40. Such a small amount that will change the lives of a family in Africa. As we left we were set one further challenge for the coming weeks: to raise money to provide more of these water filters and begin to redress the balance, so that one day we will be able to say that everyone has access to that fundamental human right: clean, safe water.

African Adventure Day 4 Continued

Last night we kept our spirits high with some entertainment. Members of the team performed songs, recitals and regaled us with stories and jokes.

We continued our entertainment around the campfire...

Then we headed into the village where we spent the night to ensure it was safe for the villagers to return.

We have just one more problem to solve tomorrow - cleaning the water supply to make it safe to drink.

African Adventure Day 4

This morning we heard the story of Wesselina Chalk, who has to walk 5km every morning to reach the nearest well, only to return with contaminated water. We took a walk along the coastal path to the beach, where we enjoyed a scavenger hunt.

We discovered just how hard it is to carry water when we had a water race.

And after lunch we solved the problem of bringing water into the village by setting up a pipeline.

African Adventure Day 3

Ah, that wonderful restorative, sleep! With everyone sleeping like babies last night, we felt refreshed and ready for anything this morning. Until, that is, the staff were struck down with Cholera, Belharzia and Amoebic Dyssentery. Thankfully, a UN vehicle was dispatched with medical supplies. However, due to a freak accident, the truck crashed and the medicine boxes were spread across the site. We had a new challenge - to find the missing boxes and get the right medicines to the staff to save them.

This morning we continued with our task of restoring access to the village by clearing the landmines from the side of the compound. This was a dangerous process which left some members of the team injured, but everyone pulled through.

After a break, we learnt about Kwesi Lawson, who lived in Ghana. He developed cataracts, and for 15 years was virtually blind. He lost his wife and children, his livelihood and self-confidence. He had to live on handouts from his friends. Fifteen years later a Mercy ship came to Ghana and his friends persuaded him to make the journey to see the doctors on board. Crossing narrow rope bridges, his friends led him to the ship, where a simple 20 minute procedure was performed to remove the cataracts and restore his sight.

We re-enacted his perilous journey on the low ropes course where we discovered just how hard it would be to cross narrow rope bridges, and teamwork and trust was paramount.

This afternoon we learnt about the life of a Massai sheep herder. Each team elected a shepherd and had to direct their sheep safely into the pen, using a range of vocal commands.

As we get closer to restoring the village, our thoughts turn to providing fuel for the fire, to keep out wild animals and cook the food we have hunted, when the villagers return.

African Adventure Day 2 Continued

What a busy day we had yesterday! With such a wide range of activities, keeping constantly on the move, we were very tired last night. But the evening was also great fun and one of the best tasks we have had yet. We wanted to learn how it would have felt for the villagers who had lost their sight to disease or from land mine explosions, so we donned blind-folds and completed a complex obstacle course.

There were a number of difficulties to overcome, including low tunnels, jungle passes, mountainous terrain and even at one point a dead badger to negotiate. I hope the pictures below give some indication of the obstacles we faced and overcame.

African Adventure Day 2

After a restful night, listening to the sound of the waves breaking on the shore, we prepared for another day of hard work and adventure. Today, we had some important tasks to complete to help the villagers make a successful and safe return.

We divided into four teams to complete our challenges: archery - to shoot food for the village...

Shelter building - where we learnt how the escaping villagers made a temporary shelter when fleeing from the attacking soldiers...

Following a hearty lunch of jacket potatoes and salad, our group divided into two teams. One team headed back into the woodland to complete a further, more complex, orienteering exercise. This was finished quickly, allowing time for some rest and relaxation. A water fight ensued and was followed by an opportunity for some of the girls to set up a hair salon. I think Mr Ngwenya came off worst!

When the salon closed, we enjoyed a time for reflection and contemplation as we learnt about life beads and the importance of beads in African culture.

We then planned and produced our own life beads: a bracelet with beads to represent key moments in our lives.

African Adventure Day 1 continued

After the hard work in the morning, the team were in need of some downtime, so we enjoyed a wide-game in the woods.

This was followed by a trip to the beach, where we had fun burying one another in the stones and seeing how high we could jump!

African Adventure: Day 1

We arrived safely here in Africa, after a long journey, at 10:00am local time. The UN team gave us our briefing; we have been brought in as an emergency relief team to provide much needed aid to Karyango village. Our first task was to get to know our fellow team mates, in a series of activities which required us to work closely together to achieve our goals.

Next we had to get the lay of the land by exploring our immediate surroundings. We set off to find out more about the situation we had been flown into. It soon became clear that there were a number of problems facing the village. Inside the village compound we discovered shell casings, indicating the presence of soldiers in the recent past. The huts were deserted, but had clearly been left in a hurry. Beside the village a minefield was roped off. We found a graveyard a few hundred yards from the compound, with graves of adults and children, the youngest just one month old.

We used maps of the area to further understand where we are.

Following our explorations we produced our own maps of the site, using natural materials.

A UN helicopter dropped an aid package, which contained a DVD produced by Abraham, a resident of the village. He told of the plight of his family and fellow villagers and asked for help to rid the area of mines, bring back water to the village and hunt for food.

Active8Plus

This afternoon, Year 5 & 6 started the first of a series of six afternoons with ITFC Community Trust Coach Mark Sharp. The children started off in the classroom looking at the importance of breakfast and the range of choices that are available to us all.

The children then went outside, regardless of the rather bleak weather and had a great time further developing their handball skills. It was nice to hear a new visitor to the school being so complimentary of our children who certainly looked like they were having fun!

Year 6 Leavers

This morning we said our formal farewells to our Year 6 children during their Leavers' Assembly.

Quite simply a marvellous group of children who have exceeded expectations in everything they've done. It's been a pleasure to see them 'grow' as individuals, whilst never forgetting the importance of teamwork - everyone is so very proud of you. 

Good to see that you've not forgotten how to have fun!

Crucial Crew

Following our success at rounders, we made a mad dash to Stowmarket for our Crucial Crew workshop, in which the children learnt some important safety lessons, including what to do in an emergency situation; how to prevent fires in the home; staying safe on the road; and how to keep their hands clean! After learning that one square inch of skin on your hand can house up to a billion bacteria, I'm sure they will all be washing very thoroughly in future!

Thorpe Woodlands Adventure Day

This morning, year six pupils set out, with their friends from Helmingham and Bedfield, to Thorpe Woodlands, where a day of team challenges and adventurous pursuits awaited them.

After some warm-up games, the children were divided into four groups and each set off to the first of their three activities, which included Team Challenge and Low Ropes, Big Swing, Caving, Climbing and Canoeing.

Highlights of the day for me consisted of:

• finding out in the team challenge that I needed two other people to balance me on the see-saw;
• getting wedged in a tunnel whilst caving;
• and nearly breaking the fan descender (twice).

I have learnt today that:

• it is important to work as a team;
• not to go in the smallest tunnels in a cave;
• it's time to go on a diet!

I consider myself very lucky though, to have spent the day with a great bunch of kids, who threw themselves into the activities (and the river) whole-heartedly. 

One important note for anyone thinking of paying a visit to Thorpe Woodlands: take your lunch in a squirrel-proof bag, as otherwise you will be mugged.

Leavers' Assembly

This morning the most emotional and tear-jerking day of the year saw us say 'goodbye' to our 12 Year 6 leavers during this morning's special assembly.
A range of poems were read, the children shared their memories and Mr Mansell produced yet another classic poem to really sum it all up!
This cohort really have been the most fantastic children who have delighted us with their efforts and achievements in every area of school life - they will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.

Year 6 - Young Cyclists' Training

This morning saw 11 Year 6 children complete the practical side of their Young Cyclists' Training.
Having spent time earlier in the week both on the playground and on the roads, today was the final assessment. Children needed to show that they could make a safe start, overtake a parked vehicle and turn left and right at a junction.