Year 5 Visit Stubbers Adventure Centre

The clouds parted and the sun shone as the trip to Stubbers Adventure Centre began. Year 5 excitedly awaited the start of the challenges set by the instructors and responded enthusiastically. Paddle-boarding proved extremely popular with children and adults alike, especially as all participants ended up in the lake. After Mr Most managed to climb to the top of the high wall, many pupils pushed themselves to match his achievement - with great success! Archery also proved to be another popular activity and, as Mrs Redgewell remarked, “Who needs Robin Hood and his Merry Men when we have Hacton children!” Finally, our pupils had great fun with the ‘Team Challenge’ activities where they learned not only the value of talking (which they always enjoy) but also listening! During the team challenges, they supported each other well and were, consequently, successful in all tasks.

We would like to say a big thank you to all the parent helpers who either transported pupils or supervised groups. With our beautifully behaved children embracing challenges and displaying superb teamwork, the day was a hugely rewarding experience for all of Year 5.

Hacton Choir at the Junior Music Festival

Last Thursday, Hacton Choir's children and parents put on their glad rags for a dazzling night at the Junior Music Festival 2014. As parents found their seats in the Queen's Theatre, the children excitedly took their places on stage and warmed up their voices with the conductor. The night was full of singing and acting as talented pupils from 8 different schools performed their sections of 'Moving On', a play about two children who, whilst packing up their things to move house, enter into a virtual world of discovery where they find out the origins of everyday items.

Hacton were last to perform and it certainly was a case of saving the best 'til last as they delivered their lines superbly and sang with confidence and enthusiasm. They were also very proud to share their signing skills during our song "The Most Important Thing". Despite the show clashing with England's World Cup match, the choir were well supported by their parents (thank you!). The children performed so brilliantly - Miss Smith and Mrs Cordaro couldn't help singing and dancing along in the wings. We can't wait to take part again next year.

Quads Kids at Hornchurch Stadium - Years 3 and 4

16 children from Years 3 and 4 represented Hacton in the annual Havering Quads Kids Athletics Competition last week. The best of the best from every school in Havering competed in sprinting, throwing, jumping and running the challenging 400 metres. Crowds gathered at Hornchurch Sports Stadium on a scorching hot day to watch the fantastic spectacle and they were not left disappointed - the children really gave their all.

Hacton children produced some memorable individual performances. At least one representative from Hacton was in the top 20 of nearly every discipline. Some of the most notable individual performances included: 3 Year 3 girls coming in the top 20 for running the 400 metres, Marissa being placed 6th overall, Megan being 3rd for throwing, Maddie coming 1st for throwing, Noah coming 2nd for throwing and even more impressively 2nd overall.

The children supported each other superbly throughout the competition and this helped them achieve a fantastic overall result for Hacton with Year 4 coming 9th in Havering and Year 3 coming 3rd in Havering. Detailed results are available on the Quad Kids website».

Well done to all the children involved - you worked incredibly hard and thoroughly deserve your success.

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly. Listen to the reasons why pupils have been given the award:

listen to ‘E for Effort winners 20th June 2014’ on Audioboo

Congratulations to the wonderful children who have made an extra effort this week.

Sports Days

Today, Tuesday, 24th June we have our sports afternoon for Y1 and Y2 pupils. As normal every child will take part in every event and the afternoon commences at 1.30pm promptly. Parents are most welcome to join us and both Goodward and Plumpton gates to the school will be open from 1.10pm.

Junior Sports Day will be on Thursday, 26th June at 1.30pm (weather permitting). Our Early Years Sports afternoon and morning (Reception and Nursery) will be on: Tuesday, 8th July 2.00pm (Afternoon Nursery and Squirrel Class / Mrs Whiter); Thursday, 10th July 10.30am (Morning Nursery and Rabbit Class / Miss Dadswell). We look forward to seeing you at one or more of these events.

Could you please ensure your children have a drink, a hat and plenty of sun cream applied prior to coming in to school just in case the sun decides to shine on the day they are taking part.

Sealyham 2014 - Day 5

On this our penultimate day of activities, climbing and abseiling were on the cards for groups 1 and 2 as they headed to the picturesque St David's Head whilst Group 3 built rafts and set sail around a VERY breezy lake!

For groups 1 and 2 conquering fears, encouraging their friends and watching Mrs Golding (Spiderwoman!) descend from the cliffs were just a few of the adventures on offer. All children gave both the activities their best shot and should feel very proud of themselves.

Group 3 learnt new skills whilst sailing and even enjoyed the opportunity to observe some of the local wildlife. In the afternoon, they worked as a team to construct secure rafts and had great fun sailing and eventually capsizing them!

Following this evening's trim trail (in which Miss Morris sported the latest headgear: a mouse style shower cap) and games activities, children gathered for the England match. With flags in hand and optimistic cheers, the disappointing result left Mr Pinkham gently sobbing in the corner. The children's spirits were not dampened until Miss Morris broke the news that they needed to start thinking about packing their cases! Booooo!

Sealyham 2014 - Day 4

As the morning sun peeped through the clouds, children in 3 makeshift tents lay quietly waiting for their morning alarm... a roar of "Wake up!". Memories of the camp fire, marshmallow toasting, BBQ hotdogs and evening games were fresh in mind as the group slowly made their way back to the house for a well needed cooked breakfast.

All aboard their sailing boats, Group 1 learned to sail whilst dodging the bulrushes (some more successfully than others!). Elsewhere, Group 2 worked as a team to build rafts suitable to transport them across a blue lagoon. Group 3 perfected their body boarding skills as they took to the beach with warm sun smiling down on them.

Groups 1 and 2 reversed roles for the afternoon whilst Group 3 fired some arrows in archery. Unfortunately, Mr Pinkham's archery skills left him eating his tea with no cutlery (a forfeit for being way off target)... Miss Morris was not impressed by the lack of table etiquette!

As the evening drew in, Groups 1 and 2 played a variety of exciting games while Group 3 demonstrated great team work and skills to complete he muddy assault course.

All children are having a fantastic time and are making us proud with beautiful behaviour, impressive organisation and terrific team work. See you all soon!

Sealyham 2014 - Day 3

Beautiful sunshine woke our Sealyham pupils on the third day of their big adventure. This was a perfect day for activities involving water. Group one took to the waves with the sun smiling down on them whilst Group 2 boarded their kayaks for a morning of paddling! Skimming the rocks, jumping from new heights and swimming in the glorious sea were just the start of an exciting day of coasteering for Group 3.

For the first time this week, all three groups joined together for an afternoon of sun, sand, sea and ice cream, as we made our way to Broadhaven beach. The children enjoyed diving in the waves, playing Brazillian beach football and building sand castles.

Now the evening bivi will push all three groups to the limit as they head to the woods for a nighttime camp...

Sealyham 2014 - Day 2

Following a very bright and very early start, day 2 of the Sealyham life commenced. Under a blazing sun and cloudless sky, our three thrill seeking groups set out for their day of activities. Group 1 began their day with a mighty splash as they leapt from rocks, danced in waves and battled against the force of the mighty sea! On land however, with bows and arrows in hand, Hacton's very own Robin Hoods (Group 2) set out to demonstrate some super shooting! So precise were their skills, they even earnt the use of their cutlery by competing a precision target challenge. Up in the trees, Group 3 soared through the high ropes, demonstrating agility, balance and a head for heights. 

The afternoon saw roles reversed, as Group 1 took to the archery range whilst Groups 2 and 3 took on water based challenges. Group 2 rode the waves at Newgale beach, with a number of children even managing to stand on their boards. Elsewhere, Group 3 boarded their kayaks to paddle, play games and explore a local lake.

The day ended with Groups 1 and 2 completing the Nightline whilst Group 3 tackled an altogether more muddy challenge... the Trim Trail! Modelling a rather attractive shower cap, Mr Pinkham led his muddy brigade to swim through the delightful swamps and streams surrounding the Sealyham mansion! Great fun was had by all as another action packed day awaits us.

Sealyham 2014 - Day 1

As the sun streamed through the coach windows, tearful parents waved happy children off on the adventure of a lifetime - Sealyham 2014. The 290 mile journey whizzed by, although as we crossed the Welsh border several children reported that they had forgotten their passports! Following the 100th "Are we nearly there yet?", cheers erupted as we arrived at the Sealyham mansion. After a quick tour of the site, a tasty dinner and questionable unpacking the children completed their first evening activity: Groups 1 and 2 braved the assault course whilst Group 3 donned blindfolds and had to trust other senses on the Nightline. Muddy but in good spirits, all the children sipped hot chocolate before what was certain to be a very good night's sleep.

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly. Listen to the reasons why pupils have been given the award:

listen to ‘E for Effort winners 13th June 2014’ on Audioboo

Congratulations to the wonderful children who have made an extra effort this week.

Maths Challenge Winner

Congratulations to the winner of last week's Maths Challenge: '215-129 =. What could be the story behind this sum?'. As usual, we had some great responses. Well done to our Year 4 pupil who used creative thinking to link maths to a real world situation: 'I have 215 horses in a field. 129 go to be groomed. I now have 86 horses in a field'.

"I was amazed when I won the Maths Challenge! I won a certificate and a packed of fizzy cola bottles. I gave some to my friends, some to my sister and I ate the rest."

Reception Learn About Life Cycles

Reception have been learning about life cycles. Pupils watched caterpillars become chrysalides and eventually emerge as beautiful painted lady butterflies. Many of the children even got to hold the butterflies gently in their hands. They were thrilled to be able to observe such an exquisite thing at close quarters and delighted to feel their hands tickled by delicate insect feet. The experience inspired some beautiful butterfly artwork which now decorates the main corridor for everyone to enjoy.

Quad Kids at Hornchurch Stadium - Years 5 and 6

Recently, Year 5 and Year 6 athletes enjoyed the opportunity to represent Hacton at the Quad Kids Athletics tournament. Against a host of other schools from the borough, the Hacton athletes competed in the raucous atmosphere of a packed Hornchurch Stadium. This tournament gave our pupils the opportunity to demonstrate their sporting prowess across a range of four very different disciplines: sprinting, throwing, long distance running and jumping. All of our Year 5 and Year 6 children were ready for the challenge, displaying a strong competitive yet sportsmanlike attitude. Well done Hacton athletes!

Year 1 Fairy Tale Day

Shortly before half term, brave princes joined beautiful princesses to enjoy Year 1 Fairy Tale Day. Pupils spent the morning making glittering wands, golden crowns, gingerbread biscuits and delicious cakes in preparation for their fairy tale party. Thanks in large part to the fantastic costumes prepared by parents, the children (and staff) had a magical day.

A (Midsummer Night's) Dream Performance

Krazy Kat Theatre Company returned to our school to delight us with another engaging performance based on a classic tale. This year, we were treated to a wonderfully creative and humorous adaptation of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Elaborate costumes, puppets, music and drama brought the twists and turns of this colourful comedy to life. Children remained enthralled throughout as the three energetic performers displayed their mastery of visual storytelling.

Our hearing impaired pupils were overjoyed that the actors signed while they performed; all of our children could thoroughly enjoy the fantastic production. Thank you again to the Krazy Kat Theatre Company for another superb performance and for spending time with our pupils after the show.

Ahmed: "I liked the man in the box because he was naughty and cheeky. He was very funny. The box trick was very clever and funny."
Lewis: "I liked it when the donkey winked his eye - he had to pull the eyelashes to make it wink!"
Annerose: "I liked it when the lady and the man pulled the red ribbon and his pants popped out. I found it funny and enjoyable and I laughed and laughed. I loved the show."

Remembering D-Day in Assembly

In assembly today, we learnt about the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. We talked about why it is important to be grateful to those who risked or lost their lives serving our country and the lessons we can learn from history. An informative video on the BBC site was watched with interest by our pupils:

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are awarded the E for Effort cup in front of the whole school during our Friday morning assembly. This week, alongside conscientious individuals, we have two groups of pupils who have worked particularly hard: Year 4 boys who prepared a great cake sale and Year 6 chair monitors who set up halls for parents' meetings.

Congratulations to all of the wonderful children who have made an extra effort this week.

Year 5 Ancient Greek Day

After a wonderful day making Athena’s owl out of clay, producing soldiers’ helmets and competing in the ‘Ancient Greek Olympics’, Year 5 pupils looked forward to the highlight of Ancient Greek Day: the feast. Whilst listening to some Ancient Greek music, the children lounged on the floor in typical Grecian style. They enjoyed traditional food such as feta cheese, hummus, pita bread, and, of course, grapes. For many children, part of the fun was daring each other to eat olives - although some pupils just didn’t know what all the fuss was about!