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 afternoon assembly.

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

P-HIC: Hearing Impaired Community Day

Recently, children from our school made their way to Warren Primary School for a Hearing Impaired Community Day. Two trains and a short walk later, our excited pupils arrived at Warren Primary where they met Hearing impaired children from across the region, all ready to make friends and have fun!

The children were split into three groups and got stuck into various activities. One of our lucky pupils was chosen by ‘Magic Frostie’ to be his trusted magician’s assistant. Lots of magic and laughter followed, including Mrs Norford having a shocking trick played on her! ‘Fun Sports’ brought out everyone’s competitive spirit as the children ran, jumped and hurdled their way to the finish line. Luckily, they were all winners in the end and were each awarded a winner’s medal. Finally, ‘Mad Science’ involved careful preparations as ingredients and compounds were measured and added to ensure a tubful of top grade slime ready for use!

At the end of the fun packed day, our pupils made their way back to Hacton tired but happy.

Sealyham 2017: Mrs Leslie Reflects on a Wonderful Week

With my clothes washed, sleep caught up on and normality resumed, it is the perfect opportunity to reflect upon the week which has just passed. We were privileged to take away 35 excited children, ready to take on new challenges and push themselves to the limits and they certainly did not let anyone down. As the coach pulled up outside the Queen's Theatre, I looked down the aisle and saw 35 brave, increasingly independent young people (albeit tired and muddy ones!) who had conquered their fears and had made memories which I know will stay with them forever. As always, they made our school incredibly proud: beautiful manners, teamwork and determination to do what we do best at Hacton, achieving personal excellence.

Thank you for a great week Year 6; Sealyham 2017 was certainly full of #hactonadventures!

Mrs Leslie

Sealyham 2017: Day 6

As the morning wake up call got harder, our sleepy students arose from their beds for a final jam-packed day of activities.

For Group 1, the morning began with a raft building challenge where they had to design and build a boat to transport them across open water. Both rafts floated well across the lake; however, the children were less successful at staying on their boats - capsizing was too much fun! In the afternoon, Group 1 were mini Mowglis as they glided through the trees on the adrenaline pumping high ropes course! Despite the fear that gripped many children, our brave adventurers soldiered on and did not let anxieties win the battle: fears were conquered and everybody completed the whole circuit.

Group 2 gained a fascinating insight into survival in the unruly wilderness... bushcraft! Amazingly, our future survivalists were so impressive at building shelters and starting fires that we considered setting up camp for the rest of the trip - the teachers, though, were too drawn to the idea of a proper bed! In the afternoon, Group 2 headed to the water to traverse the coastal path and battle against the choppy waves.

Group 3 encountered the challenge of the wetsuit for their morning activity as they rode the waves at Newgale Beach, even having the opportunity to hold a number of jellyfish. In true Robin Hood styles, Group 3 spent the afternoon taking on a series of tasks at the archery range.

With hair washed and styled, party clothes donned and cologne dabbed, the evening was spent celebrating the children's achievements and throwing some shapes at the disco. The party ended with a giant conga... to bed!

Year 1: A Visit from Elizabeth I

Year 1 stepped back in time with a visit from Elizabeth I. The children had been writing and rehearsing questions that we wanted to ask her. 

Airlie asked "Can you remember the night before you were taken to the tower?"
Jake asked "Can you describe your favourite dress?"

Our pupils knew that if they made Elizabeth cross that she would throw her shoes at them!

Sealyham 2017: Day 5

Our normal morning sunshine was hidden behind the clouds today; however, our Hacton adventurers were raring to go.

Group 1 cruised around the lake for a kayaking session enjoying the challenges of balancing their boats - most children ended up very wet! Group 2 were on the other side of the lake, building rafts.  Despite their carefully designed sailing vessels, manoeuvring around the water was surprisingly challenging! Group 3 had their turn at St David's Head today, abseiling, rock climbing and even spotting porpoises! Every child conquered their fears and successfully scrambled both up and down the rocks.

In the afternoon, Group 1 grabbed their bows and arrows to become master archers at the Sealyham range whilst Group 2 headed back to the water for an afternoon of kayaking.

In the evening, all the groups gathered around the campfire to toast marshmallows, barbeque sausages and share jokes. The children had a wonderful time. As darkness began to consume the light, they returned to the comfort of the Sealyham Mansion.

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 afternoon assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort last week.

Quad Kids

32 of our Junior pupils descended on Hornchurch Stadium to represent Hacton in Quad Kids, Havering's primary school athletics championship. First up was the turn of our Year 5 and 6 squad. Some of our successful athletes from previous years joined new members in four events; a sprint, long distance run, vortex throw and standing long jump. Team Hacton did a great job, with stand-out performances including a 32m throw, sprints ranked top 10 (in a field of 132 Year 6 girls), and even a spectacular 4th placed run.

A week later was the turn of our Lower Junior pupils. With 11 new athletes joining 5 experienced squad members, the team came armed with ice-cold drinks and plenty of sun block to withstand the extremely hot day. After getting off to a brilliant start in the sprints, the team worked hard in the field events before finishing the competition with some blisteringly quick 400m runs. Our excited crowd of supporters were treated to some nail-biting endings in which Hacton pupils produced many first place finishes. There were numerous impressive performances including sprints that ranked top 20 (in a field of 148 Year 3 boys).

Following a third place finish in the borough Indoor Championships last year, our Year 4 team were raring to go. They soon delivered the goods, achieving many top 20 ranked performances; in the sprint, in the jump, in the throw and in the 400m, with many of our pupils also finishing highly in the overall scores. A special well done to one Hacton pupil (you know who you are!), who was the fastest Year 4 girl in Havering and our highest ranking individual performer. The team finished a fantastic third, behind Ardleigh Green and St. Edwards.

A big thank you to all the supporters who cheered the team on, and a huge well done to all of our talented children who took part.

Sealyham 2017: Day 4

As the sun shone through the windows marking the beginning of a glorious day, our Hacton thrill seekers devoured yet another delicious breakfast to fuel them for fun and adventures.

Group 1 attempted to catch the waves as they took to their surf boards in a surprisingly calm sea. Group 2 showed Robin Hood exactly how it should be done and displayed some impressive archery skills as they battled to win the right to cutlery at dinner time. Some, however, found this incredibly difficult resulting in hand fed food! Group 3 put their team work to the test, using rope, wood and barrels to fashion rafts in an attempt to travel across a lake with great success.

In the afternoon, all 3 groups headed to Broad Haven beach where they played in the water, hunted for buried for treasure, dug for fossils and indulged in well-deserved ice creams.

To finish the day, the challenge of the assault course was faced by all resulting in our young adventurers being transformed into an army of swamp monsters!

Year 1: Visit to Barnards Farm

Year 1 spent a fabulous day at Barnards Farm discovering sculptures on a lovely dry, warm day. Over 100 different sculptures around the grounds fascinated the children and led to much discussion. Year 1 enjoyed mooching through the gardens and finding new and exciting objects. They were able to describe them and identify the materials used to make them. After lunch al fresco, both classes took time to watch the frogs in the pond. The unique environment of Barnards Farm covers so many curriculum areas - including literacy, design and technology and science - leading to a very rewarding education trip for our pupils.

Sealyham 2017: Day 3

Today's picturesque location for Group 1 and 2 activities was St David's Head. They scrambled, abseiled and climbed up and down the rocky terrain, displaying trust and bravery. As they admired the view out to sea, they even managed to spot a seal in the Channel.

Group 3 put their survival skills to the test in the morning as they took part in a bushcraft session, creating fire and building shelters. In the afternoon they experienced an invigorating coasteering session of jumping and swimming against some magnificent waves.

In the evening, all groups competed against each other for a games session. As tiredness kicked in, the children sipped their hot chocolate before settling down for a well earned nights sleep.

Year 5: Visit to Stubbers Activity Centre

Year 5 recently visited Stubbers Activity Centre in Upminster. The children enjoyed wonderful weather and some fantastic challenging activities. They needed to work together to solve tricky problems during the team challenges. The rock climbing wall proved a daunting prospect, but everybody tackled it with great vigour and determination. Year 5 also had the chance to channel their inner soldiers during the laser quest team event. Lastly, children managed to cool off in the lake during the Kata Kanu sailing task, with a number taking the opportunity to have a quick swim.

It was a tiring, but incredibly enjoyable day for Year 5 that was full of exciting challenges. We would like to thank all of the adult helpers that made the day possible and the children for their excellent behaviour and attitude from start to finish.

Activity Week: Day 2

Day 2 of Year 6 Activity Week and the morning was spent in Hornchurch (The Pink Parachute for a spot of pottery painting and McDonalds for lunch). 

At The Pink Parachute, children chose a piece of pottery each which they then had to paint in their chosen colours. They had lions, crocodiles, owls and dogs in an array of colours, as well as sharks, teddy bears and aeroplanes! Once glazed in the kiln, the pieces will be finished. They should look amazing as a lot of effort was put into every one of them.​

And then it was to McDonalds for lunch! With their £5 budget, children debated whether to buy meal deals or sharing buckets. How could they get the most for their money? With their own dedicated till opened, orders were soon placed and cooked, and food was eaten very quickly! Another great day.

Sealyham 2017: Day 2

After a hearty breakfast, our excited Hacton adventurers were delighted to see another beautiful, sunny morning. Group 1 faced their first challenge of the day: the pre water wetsuit challenge! They scrambled over rocks, made some impressive jumps and swam through the blue lagoon for a thrilling coasteering session. Taking to the waves, Group 2 mounted their surf boards and battled against the elements with many of them being able to stand on their boards like true professionals. Swinging through the trees, Group 3 took on the challenging high ropes course and did themselves proud with their positive attitude and determination to succeed.

Skimming stones, lighting fires, building shelters and filtering water were just a few of the life skills rehearsed in their afternoon session by Group 1 during bushcraft. From the ground to the tree tops, children in Group 2 climbed through the canopy taking on their fears. Heading to the water, Group 3 took to the boats to manoeuvre around the refreshing waters of the kayaking lake; a much needed cool down!

In the evening, all groups enjoyed a mud bath and successfully covered each other from head to toe in a thick, brown layer of dirt! After long showers and a good ear clean, children settled down a well deserved hot chocolate.

Activity Week: Day 1

On Monday, seventeen eager Year 6 children, and three excited members of staff, met at Stubbers Adventure Centre for the first day of their Activity Week. After a quick briefing, all set off for the first activity of the morning: Quad Biking! Once helmets were secured, gloves fitted and ankles covered, children took it turns to practise controlling the bike before being allowed to drive off on their own. Some children found it a little scary to be in control of such a powerful machine, whilst others raced off around the track as if they had held a driving licence for years! ​

After spending an hour and a half on the quads, it was time for Laser Tag. Children were equipped with camouflage hats, laser guns and a headpiece and had to work in teams to try to win different strategic games. The first game was a basic Reds vs Blues in order to get to know the territory and master controlling the gun. The second game was a more difficult challenge where each team had a president that had to protected whilst also trying to take out the other team and their president. The final games were about taking control of the fortress in as quick a time as possible. After an hour and a half, the scores were tied and children were hot, sweaty and in need of their lunch!

The rest of the day was spent at Upminster Park where children played in the playground and much-needed ice lollies and ice creams were devoured.

Sealyham 2017: Day 1

As the scorching sun arose from its slumber, our Hacton adventures eagerly gathered to embark on the trip of a lifetime... Sealyham 2017! After a long coach journey (with the most wonderful air conditioning) we finally arrived at the Sealyham mansion and following a quick tour of the site, the children settled into their rooms. A delicious dinner provided the energy needed for the first activity, 'The Nightline': an opportunity to test our Year 6 teamwork. We were delighted to discover that all 3 groups would be together for our evening activities.

Our first evening ended with a well earned hot chocolate and the children settled down straight away for bed.... well, almost straight away!

Year 6: App Developers

Year 6 began learning how to create their very own Apps. Using the Appshed development tool, our budding designers embarked on their very own journey to create an App on a topic of their choice. Children worked collaboratively and creatively to ensure that their Apps stood out from the crowd and were pleasing to use. Our pupils were very focussed on their App development and were rightly proud of what they achieved. Appy days!

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 afternoon assembly.

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

Our New School: Phase 2

As you can see when you come to school, progress with Phase 2 of the new build - the demolition of the old building, levelling of the site, installation of the Junior playground, the new field, main entrance footpath from Chepstow Avenue and landscaping - is all going very well.

The new Junior playground was completed during the half term break; pupils have been excited to use it over the last two weeks. Demolition of the old school was completed at the beginning of this week and construction works are levelling the site prior to commencing landscaping, installation of footpaths, the school field etc. It is anticipated that all works will be completed around October 2017.

We hope, therefore, that by very early in the 2017/18 academic year our brand new £10.5 million school will be complete.

Sports Days

The hot weather arrived just in time for our annual Sports Days, supported, as always, by a large number of spectators (thank you parents!). First up were the Infants, who circulated around eight events to compete for either Ascot (green), Chepstow (yellow), Goodwood (blue) or Kempton (red) house. After a closely-fought competition, Chepstow were the victors, beating Ascot by just one point.

Next, was the turn of our older pupils. After an afternoon of running, throwing, chasing, jumping, aiming and dribbling, there were only a few points separating the four teams. Pupils nominated by their houses then took to the track for our mixed-year relay races. After some superb baton passing and sprinting, the results were in. Ascot were our runners-up with 180 points, and, by an 8-point margin, Chepstow were the 2017 champions. A big well done to all of our children for their enthusiasm and sportsmanship.

Year 2 Visit St Andrew's Church

Year 2 enjoyed a fascinating visit to St Andrew's Church. The children participated in a range of activities including bell ringing. Our pupils watched attentively as Reverend Wylie performed a Baptism ceremony using a doll. We would like to thank St Andrew's for their hospitality and for making this educational visit so much fun.

Year 3: Roman Day

The young Romans in Year 3 began their day with a deafening invasion of the school. With children and teachers from Year 2 to 6 startled by the cries of "We are the Romans" and “LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, RIGHT”, children cowered in fear under their desks (a very successful morning in Year 3's opinion)!

Following this, the Romans sat down at a long rectangular table for a scrumptious banquet consisting of wine (white grape juice), hummus and pitta, juicy grapes and olives. They then completed a taste test information sheet offering their opinions on the taste, texture, appearance and rated the foods out of 10.

Soon after, the children were led outside to discuss and form the ‘tortoise formation’ in order to protect themselves from piercing, sharp arrows that may fly towards them in battle.

In the afternoon, the Roman Army sat down for a little rest and put their hands to good use by creating their very own mosaic tiles and used their remaining energy to take part in Roman dance.

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 afternoon assembly.

Congratulations to all the wonderful children who made an extra effort last week.

Girls' Football Team

Well done to our girls' football team who played brilliantly at the annual Linda Galloway Girls Football Tournament at Wykeham Primary on Saturday 10th June. Although Clockhouse went on to win the cup, our terrific team had a wonderful sporting attitude which helped them finish 3rd overall. They won 2 games, both with a score of 1-0. They only conceded 1 goal all day which unfortunately saw them knocked out by St. Mary's in the semi-final. Great work girls!