Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

After two weeks of incredible Christmas productions, the Autumn term draws to an end. Over 1100 parents, friends and relatives enjoyed impressive singing, dancing, acting and signing from the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, Years 3/4 and Years 5/6. Generous family members dropped coins in buckets when they left performances and raised over £1000 for the two charities chosen by our School Council: Great Ormond Street Hospital and Cancer Research. A huge well done to all the children who filled us with Christmas spirit; we are very proud.

Without a doubt 2013 has been another very successful year for our school. Primary Key Stage 2 results were recently published by the DfE and our results were exceptional, placing us comfortably in the top 2% of schools in the country. This would be considered outstanding by Ofsted. Achievements like this could not happen without the continued support and dedication of our staff and parents. Thank you.

Throughout the year, our pupils have enjoyed a wide range of engaging and enriching educational experiences. We now look forward to all that 2014 has to offer; it promises to be another fantastic year for Hacton Primary School.

May we take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you back at school on Tuesday 7th January.

Hacton's Achievements Recognised by the Minister of State for Schools

Dear Parents

I am pleased to be able to attach a letter sent to us by the Minister of State for Schools which arrived today, the last day of the autumn term.

Out of nearly 17, 000 primary schools in England we are amongst the top 250 performing schools in terms of the progress all pupils and disadvantaged pupils (Pupil Premium) make between Key Stage 1 and the end of Key Stage 2, and their attainment at the end of the Key Stage.

This is an outstanding achievement and is due to the hard work of everyone involved in the 'Hacton family team' - pupils, staff, governors and yourselves.

Regards
Mr Emes

Our First Christmas Play

Early Years pupils excelled themselves with two brilliant performances of ‘Our First Christmas Play’. They all learnt nine songs and performed them with great enthusiasm. Reindeer pranced with excitement as nursery children danced and sang beautifully. Reception children delivered their lines with skill and revealed some stars in the making. Staff are very proud of the children and can now ‘clap, dance and shout HOORAY!’ in readiness for Christmas.

listen to ‘Our First Christmas Play’ on Audioboo

KS2 Choir at the Messy Church

On Sunday 15th December, thirty-eight members of the KS2 Choir were invited to join the Messy Church at St Matthew's to sing songs for their Nativity celebrations. The children, joined by their families, Miss Smith and Mrs McDonach, had a great time singing carols and sharing songs from their own Christmas Plays, as well as joining in with Christmas arts and crafts and eating lots of delicious cakes. Some members of the choir were even asked to dress up as angels and shepherds to bring the Nativity story to life. At the end of the service, all of the children lit the Christingle candles that they had made and led a rousing rendition of Away in a Manger.

Hearing Impaired Pupils 'Shine'

Hacton's hearing impaired children were recently given an exciting opportunity to work with Essex photographer, David Shields. He was producing a exhibition about the achievements of deaf children and young adults and what or who inspires them. The exhibition was called 'Shine'.

David came to our School to work with Yr 4 and Yr 5 pupils in March. Firstly, they participated in a photography workshop and then the children took their own photos. The results were put on display at the very prestigious Photographers' Gallery in London, with pupils and their parents invited as special guests. A little while later, the exhibition was held again at the Queen’s Theatre and was open to the public, friends and family. The exhibition was featured on the BBC Two programme See Hear and included interviews with some of our pupils and their parents.

Our pupils' work included a photo of Taekwondo gear, photos about football, basketball and music. One pupil took a photo of signing hands and another a photo of her soon-to-be born sister. This was an amazing opportunity for our hearing impaired children to express themselves and communicate about some of the things that make them 'shine'.

 

Winter Wonderland at the Queen's Theatre

After a brisk walk through Hornchurch, Year 6 arrived at the Queen’s Theatre to watch an orchestral performance of ‘Winter Wonderland’. With cymbals crashing, drums beating and sleigh bells ringing, the children (and adults) were filled with Christmas spirit. Asked to recognise several songs within a Christmas medley, faces lit up as familiar tunes echoes around the theatre. One lucky pupil, Joe, was asked to join the percussion section of the orchestra on stage to provide sleigh bell backing for a festive favourite. Thank you to Havering Music School for a fantastic morning.

Banana Milkshake

Recently, Year 1 had great fun whizzing up banana milkshakes. They each made a cook book with step by step instructions for making the delicious treat. Everyone agreed it was their favourite recipe so far!

Guidance for Parents Taking Photographs During School Productions

We're all excited about the Christmas plays that are being staged soon, your children have been working really hard learning their lines and practising their songs. We know that most family members would like to have a record of these important events in their child's school life and we are happy for you to take photographs and short videos during performances. However, when taking photographs, we must abide by certain rules to ensure the safety of all children in our school:

• Parents are not permitted to take photographs or videos for anything other than their own personal use* 
• Do not post images or videos on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube etc) as these may include children who must not have their image online
• Please zoom in on your own child to minimise the number of other children who are included in your photos and videos
• Please be considerate of other people in the audience: turn off the sound on your camera or phone; only take short videos; do not use large screen devices that may distract others

As you know, most parents signed a consent form giving permission for their children to be photographed by the school so we will, as usual, be posting pictures and videos from Christmas plays on our blog. We will also be videoing the Christmas plays for family members who could not attend the performances. A copy will be available in the school office for you to borrow.

*The Information Commissioner’s Office states photographs taken by parents at nativity plays do not breach the Data Protection Act so long as they are only for personal use. Digital video and images shared on Facebook, Youtube and other social networking sites need consent from the parents of children in the photos (source: ICO)

Year 1 Local Area Walk

Recently, Year 1 went on a local area walk. Dressed in warm coats, hats and boots, the excited pupils set off from school on a surprisingly sunny day. They stopped at the post box to send postcards to their families and continued on to Hacton Parkway. The children explored the playground to find out how the equipment worked. Year 1 really enjoyed having a walk and a play in the fresh air.

Year 5 Victorian Day

Year 5 pupils experienced a Victorian school day last week. Children and staff dressed in authentic outfits and teachers even carried canes. Strict discipline was maintained throughout the day. Any child who broke the rules had to stand in the corner and wear the dunce's hat - or worse!

"Walking into the classroom, shivering in fear, I was petrified. That wasn’t the scary part, the scary part was when the cane arrived to smack me 6 times!" (Ryan)

"I was not very scared when I went into the class until Jessica got told off for forgetting her spellings. We were not allowed to talk to the boys or the other year groups at playtime. There was only one boy called Ryan who got the cane because he was talking in the line and cheating but don’t worry Mrs Golding did not really hurt him." (Ntito)

"On Friday all of Year 5 had Victorian day. I was so scared I was shaking and Mrs Wiggins checked all of our nails to see if they were clean and if they weren’t you had to go in the corner with the dunce’s hat. I got the dunce’s hat for slouching. No-one was allowed to smile or laugh. Ryan got the cane for cheating in English." (Megan)

"Mrs Wiggins was very scary and strict." (Lewis)

"I was shaking and sweating as soon as we went into school. If I was at home, I would of burst into tears! By the end of the day I had got the hang of it. I was happy to go home!" (Taylor)

"Victorian day was hard for the whole class but towards the end we started to get used to it. When someone got the cane everyone was so scared but then Mrs Wiggins told us it was fake." (Abi)

"Victorian day is extremely scary. Before you go, be prepared - trust me you don’t want to get the cane! You have to be in a separate line to the boys otherwise you get shouted at. If you don’t sit up straight you’ll get the dunce's cap and stand in the corner." (Heidi)

Year 2 and the Imaginary Worlds of Year 4

Year 4 have been writing stories set in imaginary worlds. They have looked at well known tales such as Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland and Monsters Inc to inspire their own storytelling. Pupils wrote their terrific tales in booklets complete with impressive illustrations.

Year 2 met Year 4 in the hall for a very special reading session. The younger children clearly enjoyed being transported to the fantastical worlds conjured up by the creative minds of the older pupils and Year 4 learnt more about the power of imaginative storytelling.

Scintillating Science with 5AW

5AW had a fantastic science lesson at Sanders Draper school. They learnt how to light a Bunsen burner safely, wearing very fetching safety goggles! After they had lit their Bunsen burner 3 times, they carried out an experiment with different metals. The metals were heated in the blue flame of the Bunsen burner and the children closely observed what happened. They had to heat copper, wire wool and a strip of magnesium. Ask them which one had the most spectacular effect!

Reception Learn About People Who Help Us

In their topic work Reception have been looking at people who help us. They were very lucky to have a visit from Arron the paramedic who spoke to them about his job. Arron brought in some interesting equipment and the children were able to ask lots of questions. Some willing volunteers were even lucky enough to have bandages put on them. The children really enjoyed meeting Arron and they learnt a great deal about the important work carried out by paramedics. We would like to thank Arron very much for taking the time to visit our school.

Reggie painted a lovely picture of an ambulance that we are using on our thank you card.

Hacton 1-2 Engayne

Hacton girls narrowly lost out to Engayne in a dramatic home match played in front of another bumper home crowd. Displaying all the confidence gained from their previous outing, the Hacton girls attacked Engayne from the outset. Harlie and Katie forced good saves while Rebecca (on her debut) came close to scoring. The strategy eventually paid off as the Engayne defender crashed the ball into her own net under pressure from the Hacton attack. With the wind in their sails, Hacton pressed hard for another goal which just would not come. At the other end of the pitch, Hacton's goalkeeper had to be alert to race the line and smother the ball. Ciara and Sophie played with determination in the centre of defence with Ciara enjoying the better of several feisty challenges with the Engayne attack. At half time, Hacton felt slightly disappointed with their one nil lead, they faced tough opponents who grew in confidence. The game turned in the space of 3 secondhalf minutes with Engayne notching two quick goals. Hacton searched for an equaliser and came close through Emily and Harlie but, as the final whistle sounded, the girls were understandably upset at the narrow defeat. A first away match of the season against Langtons offers the chance for a quick reversal of fortune.

In a tight game like this, the girl of the game was Ciara who displayed excellent commitment and an astute reading of the match. Well played girls.

Year 6 Second World War Day

Year 6 have been learning about the lives of children in wartime Britain and they experienced it for themselves during Second World War Day. Pupils and staff dressed in authentic costumes as evacuees, army officers, land girls and other characters from the time. The children made gas masks, used rationed ingredients to bake surprisingly delicious carrot cookies and sang uplifting wartime songs. This was interrupted by the terrifying sound of air raid sirens which sent children scurrying under their desks for safety. The day really helped pupils gain a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by children during World War II.

Year 6 Visit the Globe Theatre

By Alfie - Year 6

On Tuesday 12th November 2013, the whole of Year 6 went to the 16 year old Globe Theatre, which is positioned on the south bank of the River Thames.

We have been studying the tragic play Macbeth in our literacy lessons: writing diaries, newspaper reports, letters, writing as characters from Macbeth and using drama to help us understand how a character changes and putting ourselves in the characters' shoes. We have also been re-enacting the savage murder of King Duncan, the banquet to celebrate Macbeth's accession to the throne and the battle of Great Burnam Wood.

Strolling across the Millenium bridge, we stopped to take a photograph in front of the Globe Theatre. The old style building stood out from all the modern establishments dotted up and down the Thames. The black and white figure with a thatched roof really resembled an old fashioned theatre. When we got inside, a woman named Lori took us in. My first word inside the theatre was 'Awesome!'. We had a tour of the magnificent circular building, found out facts (the old Globe caught fire by a cannon spark landing on the thatched roof) and got to stand on the stage.

After the tour, Lori took us to the studio rehearsal rooms where we got to portray a witch and re-enact the argument between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. We also said some lines tha sprung to mind when we thought of the play.

At the end of the day I thought I had learnt a lot. All in all I'd really like to go and see Macbeth performed at Shakespeare's Globe.

Year 3 Visit the Golden Hinde

It was all aboard the Golden Hinde as Year 3 sailed back in time to the Tudor era and became crew members of the ship in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world. The children were shown the Poop Deck, the Captains Cabin, the Officers Quarters and the Gun Deck as they learnt about the nasty conditions that sailors faced in their efforts to find and explore new lands. None of the gory details were spared, especially when learning about the punishments received by thieves on board. For stealing a chicken, a man would have his hand nailed to a post on the ship for 4 hours whilst the boat tossed and turned in the waves. Needless to say, the children loved it and the adults were well and truly put off of their lunch!

Macbeth: The Final Scene

Year 6 enjoyed a fittingly dramatic end to their work on Macbeth as the curtain was brought down upon an epic tragedy. Macbeth, who had once been seen as a heroic character, faced his biggest challenge yet as his forces opposed the forces of the rightful heir to the throne of Scotland - Malcolm - supported by Macduff and Prince Donalbain. The Year 6 children lined up to face each other in battle and were given a rallying cry by Macbeth (I am your King!) and Macduff (Victory! Victory! Victory!). As rivals collided and swords clashed, all the action focused on two characters: Macbeth and Macduff. With the words of the witches ringing in his ears, Macbeth felt confident, certain even of victory. However, he was soon to learn that his confidence was misplaced as Macduff revealed that Macbeth had been tricked by the three witches. This seemed to sap the spirit of Macbeth as he saw all that he had fought for slip through his fingers. How could he have been so naive? With Macbeth slain by the sword of Macduff, Scotland had its rightful heir to the throne restored – Prince Malcolm.

Without a sequel to the drama, the Year 6s speculated as to what could happen next. Would Malcolm live long as King? Had the witches finished with their sorcery? What would happen to Macduff? So many unanswered questions! Although disappointed to have finished the play, Year 6 looked forward to their Globe Theatre trip.

Fundraising for Children in Need

You would be forgiven for thinking that pupils couldn't be bothered to get dressed today as smart Hacton uniforms were replaced with pyjamas and onesies. It was wonderful to see so many pupils enter into the fundraising spirit to support Children in Need and, much to their delight, staff dressed up too: Mr Pinkham looked particularly fetching in his Batman onesie and Mr Emes swapped his suit and tie for shorty pyjamas!

The School Council have worked hard all week selling raffle tickets to win a Build-A-Bear Pudsey teddy. The winning ticket was picked in assembly and Pudsey now has a new home with a very happy year 6 pupil. Through the charity events organised by the School Council and fundraising in the Nursery, over £560 has been raised so far for Children in Need. Thank you to parents and pupils for your donations and support. 

Year 4 Visit the British Museum

Year 4 had the opportunity to explore a wide range of artefacts from Ancient Egypt when they visited the British Museum shortly before half term. They saw the famous Rosetta Stone that provided the key to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs, many mummified Egyptian kings and queens, mummified animals and the tools used in the mummification process. The children were also fascinated by Ginger (a naturally preserved man from around 3400 BC) who they had studied in class.

Year 4 thoroughly enjoyed this educational visit and will be producing leaflets detailing all they have learnt throughout this topic.

Year 5 Visit the Royal Observatory

Shortly before half term, Year 5 visited the Royal Observatory Greenwich for a day that was out of this world. In the space workshop pupils were able to show off their knowledge of the 'Earth, Sun and Moon' science topic and learn plenty of new facts too! The highlight of the day was a visit to the Peter Harrison Planetarium. The children got to 'Meet the Neighbours' in a fascinating journey around our solar system presented by Royal Observatory astronomers. It was a huge hit with Year 5:

Rachel: "I loved the way you zoomed into space and back to Greenwich again."

Emily: "I loved learning about all the different planets. Did you know that they are not sure how Saturn got its rings? One idea is that an asteroid smashed into it, making the rings bigger."

Max: "The planetarium was amazing!"

District Football Team's Latest Player

listen to ‘Picked for the District Football Team’ on Audioboo

Congratulations to our talented Year 6 footballer who has been selected to play for the Havering district team. Here is the story of how he was chosen:

"I'm going to tell you how I got picked for the football district team. First I was put forward by Mr Grant to go and trial out for District. Every match we play we arrive wearing our school uniform to represent our school and we get changed into our football kit after that. On the first trial I got through to the second trial. So on the second trial I also got through to the third trial and the third trial was where they picked the team. On the day I played some mini football matches and I thought I'd played well. Thankfully, Roy - who was the district football manager - told me on the day that I'd got into the football team. I was absolutely stunned, I couldn't believe it!

"So far we've played two games and we've lost on 6-5 and won one 8-1. We were over the moon when we won but we still played well on the first game - the other team scored a lucky goal when it was close to the end of the game.

"Thank you for listening."

Year 6 Visit the Science Museum

On Tuesday morning, as the rain kindly paused, our excited Year 6 scientists headed to Hornchurch station. With word searches in hand, the 23 stops on the train towards the Science Museum seemed to fly by! On arrival, our first destination was the Launchpad - a collection of interactive experiments designed to fascinate and delight children. Launching rockets, creating waves and producing power through peddling were just a few of the fun activities on offer.

The day ended with a blast at the ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop’ explosions show. The children learnt that fuel, heat and oxygen are all required for an explosion to take place but were warned “Don’t try this at home!”.

Nursery Celebrate the Royal Christening

On Wednesday, Nursery celebrated the Royal Christening with a special Prince and Princesses dressing up day. We made crowns, listened to royal music - such as Pomp and Circumstance and Rule Britannia - and we also made some delicious crown shaped biscuits.

The children learnt about the newest member of the British Royal Family and enjoyed pretending to be royalty for the day. We all enjoyed the big celebration.

Year 3 Visit Eastbury Manor

Last Monday, Year 3 launched their Tudor topic with a trip to Eastbury Manor. The children were met at the manor house by costumed tour guides who spent the day teaching them about many aspects of life in Tudor times. They were able to dress up in period costumes, learn dances and play games from the time. The young historians learnt about the way in which the Tudors farmed their own food and how the area around the house had developed since the Sisley family lived there in the 16th Century. However, the most memorable part of the day was learning about Tudor toilets! Year 3 nearly came back without one member of their group - Jack was almost recruited by the head servant after he demonstrated his excellent sweeping skills.

“All hail Macbeth, King of Scotland!”

On Monday, Year 6 took on the role of crime scene investigators as they attempted to solve the mystery of King Duncan’s untimely death. So far in our literacy work on Macbeth, a battle had been won and the King’s loyal soldier Macbeth had been awarded a new title (Thane of Cawdor) at a party hosted at Glamis Castle, which is the home of Macbeth and his ambitious wife. However, as year six soon discovered, King Duncan (who had personally delivered Macbeth’s new title) did not survive the night!

With their feet covered, atmospheric music playing and a crime scene cordoned off, Hacton’s CSIs examined the evidence. After questioning potential suspects - Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Banquo, Prince Malcolm, Prince Donnalbain, the guards and three witches - the agents explored motives and decided upon a prime suspect: Lady Macbeth!

Unfortunately, they were soon to discover that the perpetrator of the murder was actually Macbeth; no longer King Duncan’s loyal subject. Lady Macbeth was not altogether innocent though. Her devious plan had come to fruition. Fearing for their security, the rightful heirs to the throne - Prince Malcolm and Prince Donnalbain - fled to England and Ireland. This left a power vacuum which could only be filled by... King and Queen Macbeth.

The morning ended with a regal coronation ceremony amidst cries of “All hail Macbeth, King of Scotland!” The witches’ prophecy had come true!

Download our Macbeth Murder Mystery presentation

Secondary School Transfer Reminder

The deadline for secondary school transfer applications is fast approaching. We have been urged to remind parents of Year 6 pupils that the closing date for secondary transfer forms is 31st October 2013. Any applications received after this date without a valid reason will be treated as late and will not be considered until after all the other applications have been processed. This will reduce the likelihood of being offered a place at your preferred school.

If you have any queries about secondary school transfer, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Emes.

Harvest Festival Assembly

Thank you to all the children and parents who kindly donated non-perishable food items for our annual harvest festival assembly. 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 those local cancer sufferers in the area who are struggling financially or are unable to leave their homes. Thanks again for your continued support of the charities chosen by the school.

listen to ‘Harvest Samba 2013’ on Audioboo

Hacton 5-1 St Mary's

The Hacton boys made a confident start to their season with a convincing 5 – 1 win away to St Mary’s. From the first whistle Hacton dominated possession and pinned the opposition into their own half, creating a good number of goal scoring opportunities. Eventually the pressure paid off as Owen fired a ball into the penalty area for JJ to guide the ball home. Surprisingly, after all the chances they had created, Hacton went into half time only 1 nil up.

The second half continued with an ambitious Hacton team looking to increase their lead. 5 minutes into the half, JJ doubled the lead as a slick passing move from Hacton left him with an easy tap in. However, out of the blue the home team caught the Hacton boys on the counter attack and clawed a goal back. Unfazed, the Hacton boys kept their composure and restored their 2 goal lead with Taylor B coolly steering the ball home. Two more goals followed in quick succession as Hacton truly found their scoring touch. Owen had a driven shot from the edge of the area that fired past the goalkeeper and Alfie completed the impressive display with another commanding finish from inside the penalty box. The final scoreline reflected the dominance of the boys’ performance and they can take confidence from the win into the rest of the season.

Where's My Teddy?

After going on bear hunt, Year 1 have continued the bear theme by reading 'Where's My Teddy?'. In the story, Eddie lost his teddy and got the surprise of his life when he discovered that his teddy bear had grown too big to cuddle. Eddie met a big bear in the woods and soon discovered that he had the wrong teddy. They both swapped bears and rushed home to bed.

The children loved the rhymes in this enchanting story - Eddy's teddy's name is Freddy - and were inspired to create some great pieces of writing. Year 1 sequenced the story, described the bear and wrote their own versions of the tale. Their work has been used to produce a fantastic display in the school corridor.

Hacton 7-0 St Mary's

Hacton girls' football team recorded their first win of the 2013-14 season with a decisive victory over St Mary's. After a difficult first game defeat to Upminster, the Hacton girls listened carefully to the advice of their coach, Mr Pinkham, during training on Tuesday. The result was a game executed to perfection in front of a bumper home crowd. Ellie gave Hacton an early lead with a determined finish. Captain Harlie struck the second before midfield enforcer Katie drilled home a third, adding a fourth just before half time to give Hacton a deserved lead.

The girls did not rest on their laurels as they started the second half with as much energy as the first. Livi capped a fine run with her first goal and, not to be outdone, sister Sian cooly despatched a sixth for the supercharged team. Harlie then notched up her second of the game; a fitting end to the match as the whistle blew with the final score seven nil to Hacton. The win was a great way to bounce back from last week's defeat and our triumphant team can look forward to their next game with renewed confidence. Outstanding performances across the pitch made choosing girl of the game difficult. However, captain Harlie took the honour for a determined and enthusiastic display. 

Congratulations to the Hacton girls for a match to be proud of!

Mrs Wiggins Runs the Bournemouth 10k

On Saturday, Mrs Wiggins and five of her running buddies completed the Bournemouth 10k to raise money for Havering Blood Bikes (a volunteer service which uses motorbikes to deliver blood, plasma, baby milk and test results). Mrs Wiggins alone has raised over £400!

While they waited with thousands of other runners for the start of the race, the nervous group enjoyed being interviewed by the local newspaper and having their photograph taken for the Bournemouth Echo! It was a hotter day than expected and, although the going was tough, they persevered and all finished in respectable times. Despite all of the ladies saying ‘never again’ as soon as they had crossed the line, they are already considering entering next year!

Well done to Mrs Wiggins and her friends; keep up the good work!

Year 6 World War II Workshop

Last Friday, Year 6 were transported back in time to 1939 for a lively and engaging World War II workshop. With evacuation labels attached to their uniforms, the children lined up outside the hall waiting for their headmistress to accompany them to the countryside. After a long, uncomfortable journey, they finally arrived and were greeted by their billeting officer. The children imagined how challenging life would have been for evacuees during the Second World War. Excitement overwhelmed the Hacton historians as they eagerly performed alongside Rainbow Theatre actors in a range of wartime scenes about the Blitz, rationing, black outs and air-raid shelters.

Emily & Ciara: “We had a great afternoon. We were in the Blitz scene and especially enjoyed screaming really loud when were heard the siren! It really helped us to understand what it would have been like during the war.”

Owen: “I loved the acting and dancing. It was so fun actually taking part in the production.”

Josh: “The acting was the best bit! But, I enjoyed looking at the artefacts, like a wireless, that they used to make it seem real.”

Alfie: “It was so much fun as we got to do the acting as well as watching the other groups perform.”

The production concluded with an energetic rendition of the ‘Lambeth Walk’, where all children enjoyed singing and dancing to celebrate the end of the war. Thank you Rainbow Theatre, for a fantastic afternoon.

Year 1 Go on a Bear Hunt

Year 1 have been reading ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’. On Tuesday, an unexpected letter  was delivered to Year 1 classes telling them that they needed to follow some clues to find a teddy bears' picnic. Mrs Burks reports:

"We followed the first clue that led us to the field to find swishy swashy grass. We all felt it. The next clue told us to find the cool water and we decided to go to the swimming pool. The clue on the swimming pool door told us about the mucky gardening club and we knew where to go because we had a map to help us. The mud was gooey and dirty. We found the next clue and it said we needed to find some trees, so we decided to go to the junior playground. We found a bear behind the trees hanging on a washing line! It was not the sort of bear we were hunting for though. We stumbled onto the next clue that said we should find some snow, we looked in the infant playground but we thought it must have melted. The final clue told us to listen for the growls that could be heard near the hall. We tip-toed to the hall listening carefully and we discovered lots of teddies waiting for us to join them for a wonderful picnic."

New School Council

With elections complete and badges presented, our School Council were keen to begin their work in school. The School Council has the important job of listening to the views and ideas of their classes along with discussing any new initiatives or problems that may have arisen.

The enthusiastic council got off to a flying start at their first meeting. After electing Council Chairman and Vice Chairman, topics of discussion included PE equipment and a 'friendship bench' in the playground for children without a playmate. We look forward to hearing more great ideas for ways in which we can all work together to make Hacton the best school it can possibly be.

Blue Peter Badge

Congratulations to our year 6 pupil who is the proud owner of a silver Blue Peter badge. Silver badges are awarded to blue badge holders who go on to make an extra effort. Our year 6 pupil sent in a picture that he had drawn and Blue Peter liked it so much that they awarded him the prestigious silver badge. Blue Peter badges are a brilliant reward for doing something great. You can apply for badge here »

Uno... Due... Tre... Pizza!

The Hacton Italian club cooked themselves a tasty snack on Tuesday whilst learning to count and greet each other in Italian. The year 5 and 6 pupils made the teachers' mouths water at the end of the day as the delicious aroma of home-cooked pizza wafted around the school! Judging by the length of the waiting list, the new club is proving to be a popular addition to Hacton's wide range of after-school clubs. If your child is in year 5 or 6 and they would like to sample the language and flavours of Italy, Mrs McDonach still has a few places on the waiting list for groups after Christmas. Buon Appetito!

Havering 'Big Issues' Consultation

The council has launched a consultation to find out the local ‘big issues’ for children and families in Havering. It’s not just for parents, all family members can take part: nieces, nephews, grandchildren etc, or residents who work with children in the borough.

The views of local families, children, teenagers and professionals are essential to planning in Havering. Without the views of residents the council can't fully understand the local picture so please take the time to complete the survey.

Parents, professionals and family members can access the survey here »

Children aged 11 and over can tell us what they think here »

TfL Visit Year 6

Transport for London visited our school today. Year 6 children participated in an enjoyable educational workshop that raised awareness of how to travel safely and responsibly on public transport. The memorable presentation included videos, role play and a lively question and answer session. William from TfL's Safety and Citizenship team also highlighted the benefits of getting a Zip Oyster photocard. Children can apply for an Oyster card one month before their 11th birthday. With an 11-15 Zip Oyster card, bus and tram travel in London is free. Visit the TfL website for more information.

New House Captains

Cheers erupted in assembly today as winners of the House Captain elections were announced. After making persuasive speeches in House Meetings, the candidates waited nervously for the results of voting by Key Stage 2 pupils. Broad smiles appeared on the faces of the successful children as their names were called out by Mr Emes in front of the whole school. Our newly appointed House Captains and Vice House Captains now have the honour of leading their Houses for the year and wearing a shiny new badge!

Welcome Back

We hope you had a enjoyable summer and that your children's batteries have been recharged ready for the jam-packed calendar of events that we have planned for the autumn term. Today has been an exciting day at school as pupils caught up with their friends and settled into their new classes.

As we begin the new school year, we would like to warmly welcome our new members of staff. These include our Deputy Headteacher, Miss Morris, who will play a central role in helping our school maintain the high standards that you have come to expect. We also have a number of new teaching staff - Miss Muskett (Year 4), Mrs Burks (Year 1), Mrs Stephenson (Foundation Stage) and Mrs Whiter (Reception) - all of whom have enjoyed their first day teaching at Hacton.

Swimming lessons commence this week, so please ensure that your children have their kits in school on the required day. Similarly, PE kits should be back in school ready for PE lessons to begin.

We hope you have an easy time settling back into the school routine and enjoy the start of another fun-filled term.

Summer Term Catch Up: Peter Pan

Despite the scorching temperature, proud parents and grandparents packed the hall on the last Wednesday of term to watch the Year 6 leavers production of Peter Pan. After only 2 weeks of rehearsals, all the children sang, acted and performed brilliantly. Pirates pranced, Lost Boys laughed and natives were naughty in the tale of Captain Hook's demise and Peter's search for a mother for his gang. Rapturous applause erupted as the encore of You Can Fly (complete with special effects!) rang throughout Hacton's hall. Congratulations to Year 6 for an amazing production.

End of the School Year

Emotions ran high on on Friday as pupils, staff and parents celebrated the last day of term with mixed feelings. Children and staff were excited to break up for the Summer Holidays but we 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 that included memorable 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.

It was not only the children bidding a fond farewell, many staff also said goodbye: Mrs Lynch, Mrs Delmonte, Miss Bragg, Miss Peoples, Mrs Hammond and Mrs Easterbrook all left for pastures new.

Mrs Delmonte commented: "On behalf of all the staff who are leaving, I would like to thank Mr Emes, the wonderful staff at Hacton and the parents for their good wishes and generosity. Everyone has been extremely supportive and kind. Undoubtedly, we will all miss 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 continues 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 2013’ on Audioboo