Autumn Term 2024
We began our new school year with welcoming our five new starters in Reception who settled in very quickly as did the other children in their new year groups.
We were joined by parents and members of the community at St Cuthbert's Church, Plumbland for our annual Harvest Festival and our children sang and completed their readings brilliantly. Year six children showed how responsible they were by serving refreshments to the community after the service.
Our first themed morning of the year was Geography and we played 'Guess the country' identified flags of the world, studied mountain ranges and migration, made our own maps and found out facts about different countries.
Sporting activities for this term included a cross country competion for Key Stage 2 children at Fitz Park, Keswick and a High Five netball competition where one of our teams came joint first. Amazing! Our infant children have had multi-sports training and Juniors have had swimming lessons at Wigton Baths.
Our curriculum has been enhanced by some trips this term. Year 5 and 6 children went to Lilyhall for the REACT Science show, Year 3 and 4 children had a STEM morning alongside schools from our cluster at Bothel and children in the EYFS enjoyed a literacy based morning also at Bothel based on the story 'Stanley's Stick.' We had a whole school visit to Theatre by the Lake, Keswick to watch 'The Jungle Book' and we have had information sessions delivered by PC Parker on E-Safety and Stranger Danger.
Plumbland CE School council planned fund-raising activities for Children in Need where we raised money and participated in craft activities, puzzles, competitions and baking and we dressed up with a spotty theme.
Children in years three, four, five and six have taken part in the Forest learning programme at Torpenhow woods. Activities have included: drawing in the style of Alfred Wainwright, developing knife skills including crafting a tent peg with a whittling knife, foraging wood to build dens, making a paracord bracelet and taking part in stream walks. Games we have played include Sit Spot, Eagle Eye, Predator and Capture the Flag and we have listened for bird songs. We have participated in discussions about fire and forest safety and leaving no trace of human activity, tolerance and trust.
Our Remembrance service was held in our sensory well-being garden where we held a two-minute silence remembering casualties from wars and the work of servicemen and women throughout the world.
Festive activities in school have included a Christmas craft morning, our whole school concert 'Bah Humbug' which was performed brilliantly by our children and enjoyed by all, a Christmas lunch, a NISCU puppet performance of the Christmas story, a pj film morning, a school/ community Carol service at church and a Christmas jumper day raising money for 'The Salvation Army Homeless appeal.
Our parent fund-raising group, Fops have had a busy term raising funds for our school which we are always very grateful for. They have organised a party, Breakfast with Santa, completed Christmas cards and ran stalls at our Christmas concert. Thank you so much to all the volunteers!
Summer Term 2024
Our school council organised a non-uniform day this term where we raised £51.10 and the charity they chose to support was Christian Aid. The reasons for their choice included wanting to help people who face poverty across the world.
Our term has been enhanced by educational visits including a trip to Carlisle Castle for our Infants and a residential to York for our Juniors which included a visit to Eden Camp, the Yorvik Centre, York's Chocolate Story, York Minster, the National Railway Museum, an evening ghost walk, walks by the river Ouse and a viking long boat activity. What an amazing trip!
Other places of worship we visited this term to develop our knowledge and spirituality included a trip to the Manjushri Buddhist temple at Ulverston, Carlisle Cathedral for the leaver's service and visits to St Cuthbert's Church for our Infants and Juniors. Year 5 and 6 children led Worship time on Justice which included links to the bible, a game, sharing experiences, a song and a prayer. Before planning this session the group spent time reflecting in our mindfulness garden which helped them gather their thoughts.
Our sporting calendar has been exceptionally busy including taking part in the Orienteering League events at Richmond Hill School, St Benedict's School, Beacon Hill School, Powter Howe Woods and Marron Woods. We were pleased to find out our school had come first place this year in the small schools category. Other events include tennis and athletics competitions for our Junior pupils, multi-skills tuition for Infants, two cricket tournaments for year 5 and 6 children (one of which we came first place in), an EYFS multi-skills competition and a triathlon for Juniors as part of Keswick Mountain Festival. Our whole school Sports Day was a huge success with Year 6 children acting as sports captains who displayed very good leadership skills. Towards the end of the term we also had a whole school trip to the Sheep Mount athletics stadium where we took part in sprinting, long jump, discus, javelin and dodgeball activities. In recognition of our sporting commitment this year we have been selected to achieve the Platinum award from the School Games team, the highest award possible which is fantastic news!
Other activities this term included a Water workshop delivered by United Utilities for our Junior children, African drumming for Infants, ukulele lessons for Juniors and beach days at Allonby for our EYFS and Key Stage 1 children, a fascinating talk about East Africa from tourer Peter Nutsford and a joint schools singing event at St Bees School. Our Fops fundraising group organised a whole school sponsored walk up Binsey Fell where a huge £1200 was raised. Brilliant!
Forest school activities for 1,2,3 and 4 children have included den building, observing changes in the forest since their last visits, playing team games, meditating, cooking and working towards the skills within their forest school passports. Our Year 6 children also enjoyed a farewell forest school visit. We ended the term with our Leaver's service where we said goodbye to our Year 6 children and wished them well for their new schools.
Spring Term 2024
Year 5 and 6 children have participated well in their forest school sessions working towards their forest passports. They have been developing their fire lighting skills and have identified the types of trees which when felled make the best fire wood. They have also discovered what hangers are- loose branches as a result of the bad weather. Using our new kelly kettle they have made hot drinks and used the grill for cooking pancakes.
For the second half of the term Year 1 and 2 children enjoyed their forest sessions. They identified and named types of trees, took part in scavenger hunts and looked for signs of Spring. They have also played new team games and created nature collages.
Our sporting calendar has been busy this term with hockey and netball competitions for year 3,4,5 and 6 children and multi skills events for the Early years and years 1 and 2. We have also had the benefit of specialists in school to teach cricket skills and multi skills.
To celebrate British Science week we held a Science themed afternoon and activities were linked to the topic 'time' which even involved making a clock from a lemon. We dressed up as characters from books for World Book day and enjoyed live author workshops from Terry Deary and Raahut Kaduji.
Music lessons have continued this term with years 3,4,5 and 6 children learning to play the ukulele and our infant children enjoying African drumming sessions with ZoZo. To further develop their creative skills our Early years children went to Bothel Village hall for an Art workshop with children from our cluster schools. Our Infant class had an enjoyable trip to the Lister's farm as part of their Geography lessons on finding human and physical features on farms. All children in school were also given the opportunity to take part in a British sign language lesson.
To end the term we had our annual Easter service at St Cuthbert's church and were joined by families and members of our community. Thank you to our Year 6 children who served refreshments after the service. Our Fops fundraising group organised an Easter bingo and raised £402.50 for school funds. A huge thank you to our members of this group who give up their time to help.