Merry Christmas Everyone!

Congratulations to all our pupils and staff for their incredible Christmas productions. Over 1100 parents, friends and relatives enjoyed performances from the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, Years 3/4 and Years 5/6. These ranged from traditional Nativity plays to a classic Christmas pantomime and they were all of exceptionally high quality; the children impressed us all with their amazing talents for singing, dancing and acting. Thank you for supporting the children and also for generously donating over £700 to our three chosen charities: Great Ormond Street Hospital, First Steps Nursery and The Dogs Trust.

As the Autumn term draws to a close, we hope that all our children and their families have an enjoyable and relaxing time over the Christmas holidays and would like to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!

listen to ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ on Audioboo

Hacton Delivers!

Tomorrow is the last day for children to post Christmas cards to each other in our authentic festive pillar boxes. These can be found in the Crush Hall (for KS1) and by the water cooler (for KS2).

Christmas Performances

Tinsel is hanging... lights are twinkling... children are singing. Christmas has well and truly arrived at Hacton Primary School. With rehearsals for Christmas productions well under way, the festive spirit is wafting through the corridors and classrooms along with the aroma of Christmas cakes being baked by Year 6. Performances, which promise to entertain and enthrall, begin today with the Nursery and Reception Nativity. Remember to check the calendar for all the performance dates and times and to contact the school office for your tickets.

Gymnastics Club Awards

Year 3 and 4 Gymnastics Training Club has been running weekly since the end of September. This club has been very well attended and pupils have worked hard developing elaborate routines. Last week, children had the opportunity to show off their impressive abilities with a performance in front of an elite judging panel: the teachers! Certificates and medals were presented for the most outstanding gymnastics sequences. Well done to all the gymnasts who have brought so much energy and enthusiasm to the club.

Year 6 Bamboozled by the LSO

Year 6 were very lucky to experience the wonderful sound of the London Symphony Orchestra live at the Barbican Centre last week. After an easy Tube journey, Year 6 settled in their seats alongside children from other schools in and around London. A spine-tingling version of the James Bond theme opened the performance followed by many other crowd-pleasing movie classics. Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and Wall-E proved to be very popular with the children and they were impressed by the skills of the musicians who played on the actual movie soundtracks. The highlight of the day was the stamp-clap of the audience participation piece called Bamboozled. Hacton pupils were in fine voice as the auditorium echoed to the sound of the rhythmic song/rap that the children have learnt in class. Singing along with music played live by the world class musicians was an unforgettable experience.

Please Use the Chepstow Avenue Entrance Today

School is open as usual today. However, as we have had a fair amount of snowfall, all pupils should come into the school via the main entrance in Chepstow Avenue.

Year 6 World War II Day

Year 6 have been studying the lives of children in wartime Britain and on Tuesday they experienced it for themselves during World War II Day. Pupils and staff got into character and dressed in some wonderfully authentic costumes. Gas mask boxes and gas masks were made while the uplifting music of Vera Lynn played in the background. This was interrupted by the terrifying sound of air raid sirens which sent children scurrying under their desks for safety. In the afternoon, pupils followed an authentic World War II recipe to make some delicious carrot cookies. They also tasted 1940's fruit cake and biscuits and compared them with modern day treats! The day was enjoyed by all and pupils gained a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by children during World War II.

Year 5 Victorian Day

Year 5 pupils experienced a Victorian school day last week. 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! Here are some of the children's thoughts on their day:

When I first walked into the classroom I was petrified but I got used to it after a while. (Oscar)

Everyone got their nails checked to see if they were clean. If they were dirty then you would have to wear the dunce hat. (Chloe)

We did handwriting, times tables, a whole lesson on a potato, a Victorian PE lesson and Victorian house building. Mrs Wiggins was really scary and so was Mrs Norman. (Lewis)

To answer a question you needed to stand and then the teacher said your surname and in the playground you could not talk with the girls. Did you know that the Victorian's said that boys were more important than girls! (Filipe)

The boys and girls were separated, the desks were moved around, everyone ended up in the dunce's corner. It was scary. (Jamie)

I got put in the corner because I accidentally gave out too many worksheets. It was really hard. I feel sorry for Victorian children. But at the end of the day it was alright and I enjoyed it. (Ashani)

Victorian day was very scary at first but then it got easier and we all got the hang of it after a while. Our class found it hard to imagine how difficult it would be for a real Victorian child to have to do that every day. Luckily no one got the cane so we were all very happy. (Livi)

We Raised Lots by Wearing Spots!

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 tickets were picked in assembly and the teddies now have new homes with two delighted children. As a result of these fundraising activities our school has raised over £600 for this worthy children’s charity. Thank you to parents and pupils for your support.

A Visit from the Owl Man

This week, Reception and Nursery had a visit from the Owl Man who brought some magnificent birds to our school. Children were very excited to meet the owls up close, watch them fly around the Small Hall, see them eat and learn about their habitats; they were even allowed to stroke the Eagle Owl and the Barn Owl. Their favourites were the cheekiest owls: Tito the Barn Owl and Pod the very young Burrowing Owl.

Year 6 Visit the Globe Theatre

“Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble”

Witchcraft, love, betrayal, friendship,and ambition: These were the themes for the day when Year 6 visited Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on Tuesday. Following a tour of the famous theatre, Hacton's budding thespians enjoyed drama workshops where they explored the characters in one of Shakespeare's most famous plays.

Win Pudsey and Blush!

This week, Hacton Primary's School Council are giving you the chance to win Build-a-Bear Pudsey and Blush teddies in support of BBC's Children in Need. School Council representatives will sell raffle tickets at the following times on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday:

• Nursery and Reception - Assembly time and Afternoon Registration
• Year 1 and 2 - Afternoon Registration
• Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 - Morning break time in the Small Hall

Tickets are £1 a strip and the draw will take place Friday morning at the end of Assembly. Thank you for your support.

Autumn Term Update

Despite the dark evenings and wintry weather, the second half of the autumn term looks set to be an action-packed build up to the Christmas festivities. Plenty of exciting activities have been planned including school trips, sports competitions, themed days and theatre visits. Tomorrow Year 6 will be treading the boards at the Globe Theatre whilst Year 3 will be ship shape at the Golden Hinde. On Thursday Year 5 step back in time to experience a school day in the life of a Victorian child. Spots is the theme for Friday, as we support Children in Need with Wear Something Spotty day. Please remember to check our regularly updated School Calendar for the latest details!

Inter-House Netball Competition

Despite the wintry weather conditions, pupils in KS2 took to the netball court to battle it out in the annual Inter-House Netball competition. Raucous cheers echoed around the playground as the teams (consisting of children from each year group) played valiantly for the honour of their house team. The action was end to end, with Amy, Freddie, Alfie and Louis proving to be the goal scoring heroes; however top scorer of the tournament was Yellow House Captain George. Desperate to retain the title, Yellow team battled against the formidable Green team in a tense play off. Unfortunately, neither side was able to score. Finally, the tournament result was announced... a draw!

Congratulations to the House Captains for arranging the smooth running of the event and special thanks to Mr Pinkham and Mr Grant for refereeing the matches.

Year 3 Trip to Eastbury Manor

Shortly before the half term break, Year 3 kick-started their Tudor topic with a fun-packed trip to Eastbury Manor. 54 children, teachers and mums made their way by train to Upney and walked the short distance to the Tudor Mansion that was once the home of the Sisley family. Whilst there, they learnt about Tudor food, childhood in Tudor times and the roles of people in the house. They got to dress up, play games, smell the fragrant herbs in the herb garden and look at and touch items that would have been used in the house over 500 years ago.

There was even time for a quick game of skittles for Miss Smith and Mr Grant before lunch. Mr Grant knocked down 9 and Miss Smith scored 3. Although gracious in defeat, Miss Smith is certain that she let Mr Grant win!

Harvest Festival Assembly

A big thankyou to all the children and parents who generously donated non-perishable food items for our annual harvest festival assembly on Friday. At this time of thanksgiving, it is important that we appreciate how lucky we are and also to remember those who are less fortunate. Your generous donations were collected by the Mark McCarthys Magic Moments Charity, who will distribute the items to local cancer sufferers in the area who are struggling financially or are unable to leave their homes. Thank you for your continued support of the charities chosen by our school.

listen to ‘Harvest Samba’ on Audioboo

Hacton 1 - 0 Branfill

Goal! Thursday's match against Branfill saw our first goal of the season scored by Harlie, after an impressive set up by the Hacton captain. Both teams played brilliantly, but one player stood out - Francesca. Last week's Girl of the Game was awarded the trophy again for her determination and fantastic effort on the pitch. Every team member made a valuable contribution to the match, with many chances created in both halves. As the final whistle blew, the Hacton girls were victorious with their first win of the season: Hacton 1 - 0 Branfill.

By Amy (Team Captain)

Year 2 Visits

Our Year 2 children are becoming seasoned Tube travellers after two exiting visits in as many weeks. On 8th October we saw how the vehicles we were making in DT with Mrs Ward compared to the real thing at the London Transport Museum. We experienced what it would be like to drive buses and Tube trains then looked at horse-drawn transport and trolleybuses powered by electricity. We travelled through a time tunnel into the past and took a ride on the 'padded cell' train; Gabriel and Jude even became station announcers!

The following Monday we were treated to a musical performance of Igor, The Bird Who Couldn't Sing by the London Symphony Orchestra at The Barbican. We sang two songs with other schools in the audience and were shown how many interesting and unusual sounds the instruments in the orchestra can make. The flutes sounded just like birds singing!

Bikeability by Year 5

Bikeability was taught by three men called Andrew, Trevor and John and a lady called Fiona. We also had Mrs Golding helping along the way. We learnt about safety when cycling along the road. We learnt how to do the 'M check' which is a bike safety check in the shape of an M that starts at the front wheels, moves up to the handlebars, down to the pedals up to the saddle and down to the back wheels. We then learnt the 'clothes check' to make sure that our clothes were suitable for safe cycling.

We started out intense training in the playground and then moved on to the major and minor roads. There were two groups of excited and enthusiastic children. One group went in the morning and the other went in the afternoon. It was great fun to learn how to cycle safely with our friends!

By Stevie-Ana and Lewis, Year 5

A Surprise Picnic for Year 1

Year 1 have been reading the stories ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ and ‘Where’s My Teddy?’. An unexpected letter arrived addressed to Year 1 and the children wondered excitedly who it was from. When the envelope was opened, they were surprised to find that it was from the teddy bears inviting them to a picnic. However, to get there the children had to follow a trail of clues. The clues were pictures and questions linked to the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’. The final clue told the children to go to the hall where a picnic and the teddy bears were waiting for them!

Secondary School Admission Reminder

A reminder to all Year 6 parents that the closing date for receipt of secondary school admission application forms is 31st October 2012.

Applications should be sent to:

The School Admissions Team
9th Floor Mercury House
Mercury Gardens
Romford RM1 3SL

or online at www.havering.gov.uk

Hacton 2-1 Elm Park

On a Friday afternoon in front of a packed house, Hacton boys played their first game of the season against Elm Park. Hacton started enthusiastically but were caught out by an Elm Park counter attack and went one down. The goal was against the run of play but the Hacton boys kept their heads up and fought on. Silky footed left winger, George led the fight back, running on to a ball from JJ, George slammed his shot against the bar. George could not believe his misfortune and then moments later he hit the post again after a scramble in the box. Elm Park were living a charmed life! Cameron played a precise long pass up the field where JJ attempted an audacious overhead kick which again rattled the post. Surely this couldn't continue. At the back, Owen was like a rock in the centre of defence but Hacton trailed at half time.

Into the second half and a Cameron shot was blocked by a hand in the box and the ref had no choice but to point to the spot. Louie stepped up and placed his shot past the keeper: 1-1! Moments later, Alfie drilled a low screamer into the bottom left hand corner. The crowd, including Mrs Delmonte, went wild! Elm Park had ridden their luck for too long and the win was Hacton's.

Written by George and Cameron

Hacton Girls' Football Team

Hacton girls' football team kicked off to a promising start with their match against Elm Park Primary last Thursday. Hacton created many chances in the first half but, despite their best efforts, the ball didn’t find the back of the net. During the second half an Elm Park shot hit the target and they kept coming! However at 3 : 0 down, Hacton kept their chins up and determination was shown by all players especially Mia and Lucy. Encouraged by their captain, Amy, the girls defended bravely and didn’t concede any more goals. Evie made some great saves and Girl of the Game was awarded to Francesca for her gritty, athletic performance. Despite the final score, the entire team should be proud of their debut performance and look forward to their next match. Well done girls!

Year 4 Visit the British Museum

Do you want to know all about mummification? Have you ever wondered how a mummy's brains were removed? What did Ancient Egyptians need to take with them to the afterlife? All these questions and many more can now be answered by our Year 4 pupils who visited the Egyptian galleries at the British Museum on Tuesday.

After an exciting Tube journey, 4DM and 4RW spent the day finding out about Egyptian life and death. They searched the galleries to find answers to all of their questions about life in Ancient Egypt and enjoyed looking at a whole range of Egyptian artefacts. They particularly enjoyed seeing the mummies, wrapped and unwrapped, and the preserved 3,000 year-old bodies and skeletons.

The children were most fascinated by Ginger, the shrivelled remains of an Ancient Egyptian preserved in sand. They were amazed to see that despite his age he still had hair on his head!

The Big Walk 2012

On Wednesday, ten lucky pupils from Years 6 and 3 attended The Big Walk 2012 event at Harrow Lodge Park in celebration of the Commonwealth. The day began with a dancing workshop where there was some healthy competition between the children. An excited Ella exclaimed that she loved the dancing because it was very energetic and fun. The Hacton team then settled down and put their heads together for the Commonwealth Quiz. Cameron impressed everyone with his amazing knowledge of flags - well done! More fascinating questions about the Commonwealth followed: did you know that basketball was first invented in Canada?

Other activities and dance shows celebrated both African and Indian cultures. Lloyd Scott MBE (a retired footballer) spoke about the many fascinating fundraising marathons he has run, walked, swum and even crawled – as Brian the Snail! He has travelled the world raising millions of pounds for Leukaemia research (having himself suffered from the disease) and had some inspiring tales to tell. The weather was kind all day and our pupils had a thoroughly enjoyable time developing their knowledge of the Commonwealth.

A Day Out in Upminster for Year 3

On Wednesday, Year 3 had a busy day out visiting Upminster Windmill, Upminster Library and Saint Laurence Church. The children had the chance to see the inner workings of the windmill and climbed steep stairs to the top where they experienced fantastic views of the surrounding area. In the library they listened to stories and shared some of their favourite jokes. Finally they learnt about the history of Saint Laurence Church and explored the interior, looking for mice and speaking from the pulpit.

 

Charity Sky Dive

Our new year 4 teacher, Miss White, will be taking part in a charity sky dive on 23^rd September 2012. She will be joining some friends from Dagenham Motors at Beccles, Suffolk to plunge 13,000 ft from an aeroplane with the UK Parachuting team. Together they will be raising money and awareness for a local charity P.A.C.T. who work with autistic children and their families.

Please support Miss White's charity if you can: http://www.justgiving.com/FORDRETAILFLYERS

Open Days for Prospective Hacton Parents

If your child is due to start Reception year in September 2013 and you are considering Hacton Primary School, you are welcome to visit on the following dates:

• Wednesday 26 September 2012, 1:00 pm 
• Wednesday 10 October 2012, 1:00 pm 
• Monday 22 October 2012, 9:30 am 

Please telephone 01708 443991 or email contact@hacton.havering.sch.uk if you would like to book an appointment to view the school on any of the above dates.

Shine London Marathon

On Saturday 29th September at 9pm, Hacton mums Laura, Mandy, Kirstie, Trish, Penny, and Donna will be walking 26.2 miles through the streets of London at night to raise money for Cancer Research. The intrepid marathon walkers are asking if you would like to support their fundraising for this worthy cause. Please donate if you can at www.justgiving.com/Shiningstars

Elected House Captains

Cheers erupted around the hall in assembly today as the winners of the House Captain elections were announced. Congratulations to the successful pupils, who now have the honour and responsibility of leading their Houses and wearing a new, shiny badge!

TfL Visit

Year 6 were visited by Glynis from Transport for London yesterday and discovered many interesting facts and important information about the travel services available to them. How to use public transport safely and responsibly was openly discussed, explained and demonstrated, preparing the children to play an active role as good citizens. Visit the TFL website for more information on obtaining an 11-15 Oyster card.

House Captain Elections 2012-13

Congratulations to all the children in Year 6 who ran for election for the prestigious honour of House Captain and Vice Captain of their teams. Speeches worthy of a presidential election were delivered in Tuesday's House Meetings, making voting a tough decision for the remaining KS2 children. Whilst votes are being counted and verified, the children face a nail-biting wait... the winners will be announced in Friday's assembly.

Extra-Curricular Clubs - Autumn 2012

Our school is fortunate that many staff run various clubs for pupils throughout the week. Please see the document below for the timetable of clubs running this autumn term.

Year 6 Swimming

A reminder for all parents of Year 6 children that swimming commences on Thursday 13th September at Harrow Lodge Sports Centre. Remember hats, costumes and towels please! If there are any parents willing to accompany the children on a Thursday morning, please see Mrs Delmonte.

Thank you.

Lucky Pupils Visit the Olympic Stadium

Four lucky pupils received a surprise phone call from Mr Emes last Thursday to tell them that their names had been picked at random to visit the London 2012 Paralympics. On a sunny Friday morning, bright and early, Mr Emes and the excited children took an Underground train to West Ham station for the long walk to the Olympic Park. After passing through security and having a brief look around, they entered the magnificent Olympic Stadium and settled in their seats.

The children marvelled at the abilities of Paralympians who competed in Long Jump, Javelin, Running and Wheelchair Racing events on the glorious summer's day. After about four hours in the stadium it was time to leave but not before watching more events on a huge screen in the park and cooling down with an ice cream.

"The atmosphere was amazing", said one pupil, "I loved the Mexican Wave around the stadium", said another, "and the running with blades was just brilliant". They agreed that it was a day they will never forget.

Mr Emes said: "We all had a wonderful time and this was clearly a very rewarding experience for the children. The word of the day was 'awesome!'".

Welcome Back

As the first week of school drew to a close, pupils and staff could be congratulated on the smooth transition they made into the new academic year. With pencils sharpened and new shoes nipping, a sea of green uniforms once again flooded into classrooms bringing the school back to life. We also welcomed new members of teaching staff: Mr Pinkham, Miss White, Miss Smith, Mrs Batty and Miss Youngs. Timetables and diary dates were finalised and made available on the School Calendar.

With the summer sun continuing to shine, we hope everyone has enjoyed the weekend and we look forward to our first full week back of the autumn term.

End of the School Year

The last day of term has been full of mixed emotions. Children and staff have been excited to break up for the Summer Holidays but we've also had to say farewell to Year 6 pupils leaving for secondary school and staff retiring or leaving for new jobs. An inspirational Leavers' Assembly found Year 6 reminiscing about their time at our school including memorable, often hilarious moments and moving stories about the close friendships that they have forged. It's always difficult to say goodbye but we're so proud of the progress that the children have made academically and socially in their time at Hacton.

As the school year draws to a close, we would like to take the opportunity to thank parents and carers for their continued support. Hacton has enjoyed another very successful year with all our pupils working hard to achieve 'Personal Excellence'. We sincerely hope that the sun decides to shine throughout the holidays and pupils, parents and staff enjoy a safe and relaxing summer. Whilst we wish our Year 6 children every success as they venture on to secondary school, we look forward to welcoming back our pupils in September. Enjoy the holiday!

listen to ‘Leavers' Song’ on Audioboo

Summer Term House Point Winners

Excitement hit fever pitch in the penultimate assembly on Thursday morning as pupils eagerly awaited the announcement of the summer term House Point winners. Having worked their socks off earning valuable House Points all term, the children crossed their fingers and toes in anticipation of the result. It was a close run competition but the Blues were victorious and sapphire ribbons adorn the silver cup once again. Well done Blue House!

A Visit from Frankie the Lion

Pupils had a very pleasant surprise today: a visit from Frankie the Lion. Frankie is the mascot for Saint Francis Hospice and his visit was to thank us for the £272.02 that Year 4 raised at their Enterprise Week chocolate sale. The children were very excited by the surprise guest and it helped them realise how much their fundraising efforts are appreciated. Thank you for putting a smile on our face Frankie!

First Kick Football Rescheduled

The First Kick Football three day football and olympics course due to take place on the 22-24th August has been rescheduled. Revised course dates and times are:

Football: 15th and 16th August
Olympics: 17th August
Time: 10:00am - 3:00pm

If this is not convenient for you please contact the school before the end of the week.

A Proper Charlie!

Family and friends were transported to a world of pure imagination this week as Year 6 pupils took to the stage for their production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The talented children embraced the opportunity to showcase their talents with superb singing, dancing and acting as they told the classic Roald Dahl story of the eccentric chocolate maker Willy Wonka and the tour of his factory by five lucky golden ticket winners. The 49 young actors also doubled as stage hands and controlled lighting, music and special effects throughout the performance.

After an intensive week of rehearsals it was time to tread the boards in front of around 200 proud parents, teachers and friends. Mr Emes said, “After a year of hard work the pupils threw themselves into this production and gave an outstanding performance. We are all incredibly proud of the children.”

Olympic Torch Visits Hacton

Pupils in all classes had a very special visitor this week: the Olympic Torch. Jane Shingles from the Metropolitan Police brought the torch from New Scotland Yard where it was being kept as a backup. The torch had been used in Cornwall but, because rain kept dousing the flame, its outing was cut short and it is being kept for possible future use on the Olympic Torch relay. Did you know that the torch is made of lightweight aluminium that has 8000 perforations in it to represent the 8000 runners taking part in the relay? Thank you Mrs Shingles for allowing all pupils in the school to hold the torch and get even more excited about the 2012 Olympics; not long now!

Science Roadshow

Years 4 and 5 had a treat on Tuesday when staff and pupils from Sanders Draper School visited us with their Science Roadshow. Pupils were fascinated by the model that revealed the inner workings of the human body, they were intrigued by the display of pond life and they discovered amazing facts about the alkaline levels of different liquids. Children had great fun exploring the effects of static elecricity produced by a Van de Graaff generator: it was a hair-raising experience! We would like to thank the staff and pupils from Sanders Draper for an informative and enjoyable morning.

Netball Match Postponed

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the end of term mums versus pupils netball match planned for tomorrow has been postponed until after school on Friday 13th July. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Sealyham - Day 7

Having thrown many different shapes at the Disco last night, the children were woken to the sound of clanging frying pans this morning. Cases were packed and beds were stripped by breakfast time. Following fond farewells to instructors and staff we all boarded the coach (at 8.45) and set off on our long journey home, with many happy memories and plenty of stories to share!

Sealyham - Day 6

For our final day of activities we have enjoyed coasteering, archery, sailing, surfing and high ropes. Despite the constant rain and cumulative tiredness everyone has participated with enthusiasm. It's been an amazing week full of fun, laughter, challenges and plenty of mud! We are so proud of all the children, they have excelled in attitude, participation and have supported each other all week. Finally, their remaining task is to find clean clothes for the Disco!

Activity Week by Year 6

Grace, Alice and Kristi (6JF) have written a report about the trips and events enjoyed by Year 6 during their fun-filled Activity Week:

Monday
Year 6's first exciting trip was to London Zoo where they saw every kind of animal you could imagine including gorillas, monkeys, penguins and reptiles. Some of the gorillas amazed pupils when they posed for photos. After a tiring day the children returned home happy but exhausted.

Tuesday
At Sanders Drapers School the children enjoyed putting together a short performance (they’re a talented bunch!). The whole day was focused on the story 'Where the Wild Things Are'. After putting together a performance including drama, dance and music, pupils created elaborate masks to wear. Without a doubt, the pupils loved the day and couldn’t wait for the next exciting adventure that was to come.

Wednesday
Adventure Island was the best activity by far (even if one pupil was sick after tackling all of the spinning roller coasters!). Despite the screams of terror coming from above, most of the fearless kids went on the Rage roller coaster – some a whopping seven times! The last ride of the day was the Water Ride. During a moment of adrenalin-fuelled fun, two girls soaked each other on the way down; they looked like they’d just been swimming under a waterfall! At the end of the day, the exhausted children cooled down with an ice-cold Calippo and a few fell asleep on the train.

Thursday
Eager pupils went by the 193 bus to Frances Bardsley where they had another great day jam-packed full of art. They began by drawing and painting their own dream street, then with their groups and finally as a whole class. After accomplishing their mission of creating a gigantic map, the tired pupils relaxed on a slow journey back home. 

Friday
On the final day of Activity Week Year 6 pupils hosted a barbecue for staff. Delicious smells wafted down the corridor enticing members of staff into the small hall. They were greeted by polite waters who served them barbecued burgers, refreshing drinks and delicious home-made puddings. During the tasty meal, teachers were delighted by the entertainment on offer that included singers, dancers, a comedian and a magic act. When staff had finished their meals it was Year 6's turn to tuck into the leftovers. Yummy!

Year 6 would like to thank all the helpful members of staff who have put lots of time and effort into making this week as exciting as possible. We’d also like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Jacobs who helpfully offered to cook to the barbecue food – and did a fabulous job!!

Classical Champions

Pupils from the Hearing Impaired Unit have once again been involved in a project with the London Symphony Orchestra this time focusing on the Olympic Games. The children created a rhythmic Champions March using drums and chime bars. With Paul accompanying on the trombone, children marched proudly around the imaginary arena. This was followed by a section where eight 'champions' had musical conversations with Paul and with Liz on the violin. Medals were awarded to the Highest, Lowest, Loudest, Softest, Longest, Shortest, Fastest and Slowest. Pupils performed to class 3RG who were involved in a further workshop to develop the piece of music.

All of the children involved have had a very rewarding time working with the virtuoso musicians; there has been a lot of laughter as well as a great deal of concentration. This was Hacton's fourth project with the LSO and we can’t wait for the next!

Enterprising Year 4 Raise £272

For Enterprise Week, Year 4 pupils were transformed into Apprentices, with Miss Barnecutt and Mrs McDonach taking on the role of Lord Sugar! Their challenge: To plan a sweet sale to raise as much money for charity as possible. Teams carried out market research to discover the types of sweets that would sell well, scaling up recipes to make enough sweets to sell to the whole school, making spreadsheets of projected costs and designing posters and packaging.

Delicious Rocky Road muffins, chocolate mini muffins and peppermint creams were made by the teams of budding businesspeople. With the sweets beautifully packaged and displayed with care, each team began selling with gusto. Pupils impressed potential customers with their persuasive sales techniques and soon parents and staff were parting with their pound coins. The biggest selling teams sold out of their cakes with Powerful People making a £50 profit and Super Selling Six making £50.50 (the extra 50p came from the sale of a balloon!).

In total the takings on the day were an impressive £332.02. After costs of £60 for ingredients and packaging, Year 4 raised £272.02 for St Francis Hospice. Well done Year 4; you're hired!

Sealyham - Day 5

Having spent a night under the stars, the children were feeling a little fatigued. However, after a hearty breakfast they excitedly boarded the coach to St David's Head for a day of climbing and abseiling. Once again the weather was kind and the sun smiled down on the courageous climbers. Surrounded by stunning scenery, many children faced their fears and braved abseiling the cliff face. Whilst taking in the breath-taking views over lunch, we were joined by a curious seal bobbing in the lapping water below... amazing! Sleepy heads nodded on the return coach journey as the children recharged their batteries before their evening activity called Nightline. This was an exercise in trust. Blindfolded and joined by a rope, the children tentatively explored the woodland mud and undergrowth before receiving a quick dowsing of ice cold water from a natural source (Mr Grant and Mrs Delmonte)! Beds beckoned and after a long, physical day, lights were out and children silent by 9.30pm. Another incredible twenty-four hours topped off by some good news for Mrs Golding: she's a Grandma for the first time... she really doesn't look old enough!