Spring Term 2025
Year 5 and 6 children enjoyed their forest school sessions at the beginning of the term. They created an ice museum and discussed 'hangers' and why these are good to use for fire wood. They were also able to spend some time self-reflecting and by playing 'sit spot' appreciated the stillness of the forest and the natural world around them. Year 1 and 2 children had their forest sessions in the second half of the term. They discussed forest safety and took part in a fox walk. They have enjoyed experimenting in the mud kitchen and have made dens and fishing rods from sticks. As part of their science learning they have discussed and identified habitats within the forest and have learnt about the parts of a plant. They have also taken part in a stream walk and have played games.
The whole school celebrated World Book Day and dressed up as characters from books. Our school council helped run a book sale and the proceeds went to a charity collaborative cluster school project that we were involved in.
Our school sporting calendar has been busy with tuition in multi-skills and kinder cricket. Year 5 and 6 children took part in a dodgeball competition, year 3 and 4 in a hockey tournament and Reception, Year 1 and 2 children in a dance festival. Some children in year 1 and 2 were also able to showcase their gymnastic sequences at Bassenthwaite School.
We have thought about safety this term with workshops led by PC Parker on Stranger Danger and keeping ourselves safe when using the internet.
We have further developed our musical skills this term. ZoZo has visited us to carry out African drumming sessions with our Infant children and years 3,4,5 and 6 have continued their ukulele lessons provided by Cumbria Music Service.
Our Year 5 and 6 children attended a career's fair alongside children from the schools within our cluster. This was led by the Bright Sparks team.
To celebrate Easter we held our annual Easter service at St Cuthbert's Church, Plumbland and children in year 6 served refreshments to members of the community at the end of the service. They also distributed posies of flowers in church and hand-delivered some to the elderly members of the parish. We also had a whole school Easter-themed orienteering event and children in the EYFS travelled to Holme st Cuthbert's School at Mawbray for an Easter activity day.
Our Fops team organised an Easter cake sale and we would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who contributed. Thanks also to year 6 children who helped out.
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.
