A Fantastic End to the Year

The Autumn term finished on a high note at Hacton Primary as the Christmas concerts drew to a close. Over 1000 parents, friends and relatives attended performances from the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, Years 3/4 and finally Years 5/6. Each production gave its own unique version of the traditional Christmas story which included many highlights: amazing solo performances, moving traditional carols, upbeat Calypso tunes and even a song called the Willy Wiggle! Congratulations to all the pupils and staff for their hard work and dedication which resulted in fantastic performances. Our pupils displayed such wonderful talents for singing, dancing and acting. Thank you also to our audiences; a total of £750 was collected during the concerts for charities chosen by our school council - SENSE, Little Havens Children's Hospice and The Cats Protection League. Each will receive a cheque for £250.

Without a doubt 2011 has been another very successful year for our school. The Primary Key Stage 2 results were published last week by the DfE and our results were exceptional, placing us comfortably in the top 5% of schools in the country. This could not have been achieved without the continued support and dedication of our staff and parents. Thank you.

Throughout the year, pupils have enjoyed a range of fascinating and enriching educational experiences. We hope you are looking forward to all the exciting activities that 2012 has to offer; it promises to be another fantastic year for Hacton Primary School.

We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Cake Competition

Tasty Christmas treats were on display last week as pupils in Key Stage 2 brought in their entries for The Christmas Cake decorating competition. Festive Christmas trees, sparkling stars and dancing snowmen adorned the cakes, demonstrating the children's creative abilities. Governors and members of the cooking club, who had the difficult task of judging the entries, finally decided upon a delightful Christmas scene from Evie in Year 5 as the winner. Congratulations to all who took part.

Christmas Lights Switch On with Hacton Choir

On Friday 2nd December, Hacton School Choir performed in Ongar High Street. They sang just before the Christmas lights were switched on by local celebrities. Crowds of people watched the event, which the children thoroughly enjoyed. This was the choir’s first outdoor performance and they coped really well with the cold, the stage and the extremely large audience! Well done to all the members of choir and thank you to all the parents who supported us.

 
Find more photographs of the event here >>

Junior Cross Country

Defying the wet and windy weather conditions on Thursday, Hacton's year 6 children rose to the challenge of the Campion day junior cross country race. Having been training in all conditions for the last 6 weeks, the athletes welcomed the opportunity to show off their abilities. All the boys ran their socks off with Aaron being the first of the Hacton boys past the post in a respective 60th place from 160 boys. Whilst in the girl's race Isabella romped home, narrowly missing 7th place from a field of 155 competitors! An excellent performance and effort by all who took part and a special thank you to all the parents for their support providing transport.

Hacton 0 – 1 Parsonage Farm

The Hacton boys were unlucky to lose their match against Parsonage Farm after they dominated the game and had the majority of chances. In the first half Hacton created a few chances but didn’t get the luck they deserved and couldn’t find the net. The second half followed a similar pattern as Hacton created most of the opportunities but it was the away team that scored with a counter attack. The opposition goal led a charmed life throughout the game and Hacton were again unlucky not to at least find an equaliser. 

In the Romford Recorder

Very well done to Kumari (Year 5) who won the Brewery shopping centre's Search for a Star competition. Kumari performed ‘I Have a Dream’ at the switch on of the Romford Christmas lights on Thursday 17th November. She sang fantastically and with lots of confidence in front of hundreds of people who had gathered for the ceremony. The Romford Recorder featured a large photograph and a quote from the talented singer.

Local journalists were also interested to hear about our World War II day. Read their report below:

All hail Macbeth, who shall be king!

Love, betrayal, friendship, witchcraft and ambition: These were the themes for the day when Year 6 visited Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on Tuesday. As the fog hovered over the Thames like the dense mist on a Scottish heath, Hacton's budding thespians enjoyed drama workshops and a tour of the famous theatre.

Hacton 1 – 2 La Salette

In a hard fought match the Hacton boys were unlucky to suffer their first defeat of the season. At half time they went in 2 goals down but rallied for the second half and came out battling. Even after suffering injuries to 2 players, they worked hard and it paid off when Jack turned sharply in the box before placing the ball into the bottom right corner of the net. Sadly the team couldn’t get the equaliser but they finished with their heads held high.

Victorian Day

Year 5 pupils and teachers stepped back in time to experience a day at school in the Victorian era. Dressed for the occasion and wielding canes, Mrs Sanderson and Mrs Deane ensured that strict discipline was maintained at all times. Any child who broke the rules had to stand in the corner and wear the dunce hat or worse still receive the cane! Victorian school rules that had to be followed included:

1. Pupils must stand up to answer questions and wait for permission to speak.
2. Students must call teachers “Sir” or “Ma'am”.
3. Children must stand when an adult enters the room.
4. Pupils must use the right hand for writing at all times.
5. Students must not ask questions.
6. Talking and fidgeting will be punished.
7. Children who do poor work or behave badly will be caned.

Despite the harsh rules and even harsher punishments, pupils enjoyed dressing up and learning about Victorian times. However, they were very relieved to remove their caps and bonnets and return to the present day!

Show Your Spots, Let’s Raise Lots!

Staff and pupils entered the fundraising spirit today and wore something spotty to raise money for this year’s Children in Need campaign. In addition to non uniform day, School Council representatives worked hard all week selling raffle tickets to win Build-A-Bear Pudsey and Blush teddies. The winning ticket was picked in assembly and the teddies now have a new home with the delighted Tibbi (Year 3). Through the two charity events organised by the School Council and fundraising events in the Nursery, over £650 was raised for this worthy children’s charity. Thank you to parents and pupils for your donations and support.

World War II Day

Gas masks, rollers, flat caps and headscarves: these were just some of the accessories sported by children and staff as they entered into the spirit of the Blitz for World War II day. Excited Year 6 children welcomed a special visitor, Winston Churchill, who was accompanied by his assistant Wren Robertson. The local historians (David and Pauline Scott) entertained the children throughout the morning with stories of life during the War and fascinating memorabilia from that time. After devouring a non-rationed lunch, the happy historians enjoyed an energetic session learning to dance the Jitterbug. To regain their strength, the children used a wartime recipe to bake delicious carrot cookies. The day was a great success, enabling all the children to develop an understanding of life as a child during World War II.

St Albans 0 – 2 Hacton

The Hacton boys put in another hard working performance and received their reward with two first half goals. The first goal came from a counter attack with Aaron breaking away and coolly slotting the ball past the opposition goalkeeper. Five minutes before half time Morgan, who had pushed up into midfield, broke forward and powered the ball into the opposition goal. The defence remained solid, William made some excellent saves and the team worked hard to protect their well deserved lead. Well done boys!

Year 6 Visit Chatham Docks

Year 6 stepped back in time on Wednesday when they visited Chatham Dockyard for a World War II experience. Excitement overwhelmed the Hacton historians as they eagerly participated in a range of activities which included exploring HMS Cavalier, dancing the jitterbug and spending time in an air raid shelter. Without a doubt the most popular activity was food tasting. Comparing modern food to WWII recipes helped the children appreciate the choices they have today...particularly where fish paste is concerned. No one can deny the trip was a resounding success with the only problem being the M25!

5MD - Teachers for the Afternoon

On Tuesday 5MD were teachers for the afternoon. They had been researching and writing recipes in Literacy lessons and on Tuesday afternoon, in groups, they went into Year 4 classes to show them how to make and decorate biscuits. Year 5 decided to teach how to make biscuits in the shape of scarab beetles, as Year 4 are learning about Ancient Egypt and the scarab beetle is an Egyptian good luck charm. They helped them to weigh out ingredients and prepare the biscuit mix. Soon a mouth-watering smell of baking biscuits was wafting down the corridor and by the end of the afternoon the biscuits were beautifully decorated. 5MD excelled in their teaching role and Year 4 showed that they were Master Chefs in the making!

Year 2 Vist the London Transport Museum

On Thursday 3rd November, Year 2 visited the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. We travelled on the District Line then saw some of the first underground trains that were used on the same line over 100 years ago! As we walked round the Museum we collected stamps that showed different types of transport through the ages, from a horse and cart to The Mayor’s New Bus for London. The trip gave us plenty of ideas for our latest DT project: to design a vehicle.

Hacton 0 – 0 Elm Park

The first match of the season for the school football team, against Elm Park, was a battling encounter where the defences came out on top. Fighting against the wind and rain the Hacton boys covered every blade of grass and put in some crunching tackles but neither team could find the net. The team produced a solid defensive performance to start the season that they can be proud of.

Year 3 Visit the Golden Hinde

On Wednesday Year 3 travelled back in time to experience life as cabin boys on the Golden Hinde. Guided by one of  Sir Francis Drake's officers, we learnt about the duties of those sailing on the ship, the many gory punishments that were suffered and the rewards that could be had. With a cry of ‘heave ho’ we practised firing the cannons and with a round of ‘What shall we do with the drunken sailor’ we lifted the anchor. Even with the threat of being sent up the rigging to be the ship's lookout, all the children bravely volunteered for the next voyage of the Golden Hinde.

Year 6 Visit HMS Belfast

Year 6 pupils visited HMS Belfast on Wednesday. Moored on the River Thames by Tower Bridge, the Belfast is a Second World War ship with a fascinating history. Year 6 attended a workshop where they learnt many interesting facts: did you know that the sailors had to work in temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius as they travelled in convoys through the Arctic Ocean? Pupils were allowed to explore the ship and they had great fun climbing up and down the ladders.

“I couldn’t believe the amount of weaponry. It was a gigantic boat with four decks!” said Charlie.

“We liked the gun turret where there was an interactive video of what it would have been like in the war – it was quite scary” exclaimed Sasha and Megan.

Design a New School Sign Competition

Emily from 5MD has won the 'Design a New School Sign for Hacton Primary' competition. Her detailed drawing has been used to create a striking new sign above the school entrance. Emily was given her prize of Lakeside vouchers in assembly to great applause from the rest of the school. Well done and happy shopping Emily!

Cake Sale Today - 20th October

Please visit the Nursery today (via the main school entrance) where you will find a selection of delicious, reasonably priced home made cakes. The cake sale will run from 3.00-5.30 so that parents will have the opportunity to grab a tasty treat after Parents' Evening. Everyone is welcome.

Open Morning for Prospective Parents - 3rd November

We are holding an open morning on Thursday the 3rd November for parents of children who may wish to join Reception classes in September 2012. The guided tour will begin at 11.15. If you would like to visit us, please contact the school office on 01708 443991 or email us at office@hacton.havering.sch.uk

Cheerleading

A great time was had by years 5 and 6 this week when they all became cheerleaders. Funded by the Sainsburys Active Kids campaign, they all enjoyed an hour of shaking, leaping and twirling. Staff members all joined in (nice pom poms Mr Ferns!) and many children were amazed at the flexibility of their teachers: legs were kicked high, cartwheels spun and leaps sprung. Everyone learnt a routine to JLS's song, She Makes me Wanna. The children had so much fun with many describing the experience of cheerleading as "brilliant!".

A Visit to Eastbury Manor by Year 3

We went to Eastbury Manor to learn about the Tudors. We went by train and then we walked the rest of the way to the house. When we turned a corner suddenly we saw the house and it looked huge. Two ladies came out and introduced themselves as Pat and Barbara. They were dressed in Tudor clothes. We looked for herbs in the back garden. One of the herbs was mint. We rubbed the leaves and smelt our fingers, if they smelt of something then that plant was a herb. In the other garden we sketched a picture of the house. We walked around the outside of the house looking for chimneys, there were 16 but 1 was fake. Two children got dressed in Tudor clothes and we found out that girls didn't wear any pants! We also found out that the servants were mostly boys and they got paid 4 pennies a day. We had a great time at Eastbury Manor and learn a lot about the Tudors.

By 3AW and Mrs Wiggins

Walk To School Celebration

On Tuesday 4th October, five lucky Year 4 pupils travelled by bus with Mrs Hammond and a parent helper to Havering's annual Walk To School celebration at Westlands playing fields. They had a special police escort on the bus and were very pleased that the rain held off for the event. The children enjoyed taking part in a dance workshop, a sports activity and a quiz, coming a very close second in their group by only one point! The day had an Olympic theme, and the children brought along their design of an Olympic running vest to be entered into a borough competition taking place next month - fingers crossed. All in all, it was a great day out.

Egyptian Workshop

On Tuesday 4th October, Year 4 were entertained by Tutankhamun, Anubis, Nefertari, Daphne Witherspoon the explorer and an Egyptian Countess. In an interactive workshop, the children created the River Nile with visual aids, completed a washing line time line, showing the main historical periods from 3000BC to today and they met ancient Egyptian people in the inner chamber of a tomb. Despite warning, the children left the workshop with a terrible dancing curse, which meant when they heard Egyptian music they started dancing. Let's hope it wears off soon!

Kidspace Visit by Year 2

Year 2 visited Kidspace last Thursday. We went on the 193 bus, it was very bumpy and noisy. We were very polite and let other passengers have the seats. Racing on the go-carts, whizzing down the slides and firing sponge balls at our friends were some of the exciting things that we did. We were allowed to play for two hours. It was great fun. On the way home we were tired so we had a sleep. Miss Lawson was happy to have some peace and quiet.

By Year 2 and Miss Lawson

All About Cake Event

On Friday 23rd September the year six cooking club attended the All About Cake event. Edd Kimber, who won the Great British Bake off competition, was there to tell people how his career took off. The founder of Choccywoccydoodah also spoke to us about her business and passion for cooking. During the speeches they handed out bags of Belgian chocolate. Unfortunately, we didn’t receive any of it! Due to the generosity of the kind people, we were able to have a little taste of the chocolate. After this there was an opportunity to view all the cakes for sale, we took home some delicious treats. Mrs Deane also purchased Edd Kimber’s new cooking book, which he signed on behalf of the school. We are looking forward to trying out one of his recipes. All of us thoroughly enjoyed the event. We would recommend that you watch the new series of Choccywoccydoodah on the television. What is more, we might appear on the program, see if you can spot us in the audience.

We went to Upminster Windmill on the train. The weather was rainy to start with and then it was a bit sunny. When we got there we split up into 2 groups. The first group went inside the windmill while the rest of the class walked around the outside of the windmill. The stairs were very steep and we had to come down them backwards! Mr G Grant taught us how to draw the windmill very quickly. Then we went to the library to see Mrs Grant. She showed us the picture on the wall of the library and she talked about it. Then she read us a story. After that we went to the church hall and had our lunch. When we had finished our lunch we went into St Laurence Church. In the church we looked for the 13 mice (not real ones!) and different objects. Then Deborah showed us the things people wear when they are helping in church and she allowed some of us to try them on. We had lots of fun and we also learnt lots of interesting facts.

By 3AW and Mrs Wiggins

Cooking With a Master Chef

In the summer holidays pupils from Year 4 and 6 Cooking Club met with Mrs Perry at Barleylands for a cooking demonstration with master chef Paul Gayler from the Lanesborough hotel. The children made delicious healthy pasta salad and decorated cup cakes with icing, sprinkles and fancy sugar work. They did a fantastic job and were very grateful for the opportunity to improve their culinary skills with the help of a top chef. A big thank you to Mr Gayler and his helpers for a very enjoyable masterclass.

An Exciting Year Ahead

No one can deny that the beginning of a new school year can be an anxious time. However, with the first few days under their belts all the pupils (and staff) at Hacton Primary School have settled into their new classes and have become acquainted with their new year groups. With exciting activities and trips planned, the year ahead beckons and we now look forward to welcoming the new children in Reception classes from Monday.