Thank You from Mr Emes

Dear Parents and Pupils,

Thank you all so much for the wonderful gifts, touching cards and good wishes that you gave me on my retirement at the end of the summer term. The song the children sang to me at the end of the Year 6 leavers' assembly will stay in my memory for the rest of my life.

I feel very privileged to have had a career that I have thoroughly enjoyed and the last 16 years at Hacton has been very special. The school has made huge strides forward in this time in terms of numbers on roll and demand for places, the quality of teaching and learning, the achievement and attainment of pupils and, of course, its Ofsted status.

A brand new school has been built, which will ensure that Hacton pupils have outstanding facilities and resources to match the excellent teaching and learning for decades to come.

It is, however, the people who make Hacton such a special place; incredibly passionate and high calibre staff, a supportive Governing Body, fantastic parents and quite amazing children who are motivated to learn and achieve the very best they can in whatever they do.

Hacton Primary School will always have a very special place in my heart. I thank you for your unwavering support over many years and I wish each and every one of you a very happy, healthy and successful future.

Kindest regards,

E for Effort

Every week, teachers recognise pupils in their class who have made an extra effort. These pupils are presented with the E for Effort cup during our whole school assembly.

This time, alongside individual winners, the whole of Year 6 were awarded the cup for rising to the challenges of Sealyham and Activity Week.

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

Sealyham 2019: Day 5

With the early mornings getting tougher, our sleepy students dragged themselves from their slumber ready for another busy day.

Group 1 stayed on target with a morning session of archery.  In the afternoon, they proved their skill at both building and sailing during their rafting activity.  Group 2 also enjoyed picking up a bow and arrow in the morning before balancing on the low ropes later in the day. After applying sun cream, having a drink of water and triple checking their safety equipment, Groups 3 and 4 enjoyed the stunning views as they climbed and abseiled down the rocks of the rugged Welsh coastline.

Activity Week: Day 3

Year 6 pupils were bowled over by day 3 of activity week. Venturing into sunny Romford, the fun began at Namco Bowling where the children encouraged each other to topple as many pins as possible. The main focus was fun, rather than high scores, but there were still lots of 'spares' and even a 'strike'. After bowling, it was time for another treat: lunch at McDonald's.

"The bowling was amazing!"
"We won loads of tickets and did really well."
"It didn't matter when we missed because we had lots of fun."

Sealyham 2019: Day 4

Another exciting day dawned for our Sealyham adventurers with plenty of challenges still to face.

Group 1 had a cold wake up call with Coasteering. They clambered over rocks, jumped the cliffs and enjoyed a swim. In the afternoon, teamwork skills were tested in a range of activities including the Trim Trail.

Group 2 also found themselves caked in mud as they took part in their own Trim Trail. Coasteering in the afternoon also saw the group face the rugged coastline.

Group 3 absolutely aced raft building. They learnt how to make a compression raft, row in time (mostly) and battle windy conditions. The group's raft stayed together and only had a couple of rowers fell in; who then became very handy outboard motors. During bushcraft, Group 3 learnt how to build a shelter, start a fire, filter water and make nettle tea. They are now prepared for anything!

Group 4 joined in the muddy fun with their own experience of the notorious Trim Trail.

The day was rounded off beautifully with a get together on the glorious Broadhaven beach. Sun, sand, beach games and large ice creams made for a perfect evening, as everyone basked in the glow of an amazing sunset. 

Year 5: Greek Day

Year 5 enjoyed travelling back in time to learn more about the Ancient Greeks. Dressed in authentic outfits, they began the day by creating their own Greek pots. They then made regal wreaths to wear on their heads before learning the Greek alphabet. During the afternoon, the children went outside to indulge in a Greek feast featuring homemade hummus, pitta bread, salad and feta. For dessert, they devoured traditional honey biscuits that they had baked earlier in the day. Year 5 also learnt to dance to 'Zorba', with much success!

Sealyham 2019: Day 3

Waking from their well-deserved sleep, our Hacton thrill-seekers prepared for another action-packed day of activities.

Group 1 began the day with a lesson in bushcraft, learning the skills needed to survive in the wild. These included building a den and lighting a fire. In the afternoon, the young adventurers kayaked in the beautiful, natural environment.

Group 2 also took to the water but they didn't have the luxury of a boat made for them... they had to build it themselves. Thank goodness for wet suits!

Group 3 started their day riding the waves. The sun shone and the sea was perfect for surfing. Many members of the group even managed to stand up on their board. After lunch, it was time for challenging team games and the infamous Trim Trail. Let's just say that everyone enjoyed a natural mud spa for free! Even after a dip in a river, a hose down and a nice long, hot shower we are still finding mud everywhere.

Group 4 had their share of challenges as they braved the high ropes before building and sailing their own rafts in the idyllic surroundings of a sunny Pembrokeshire.

Activity Week: Day 2

Our Activity Week pupils had a brilliant day of activities in Romford. After a straight-forward journey on the bus, the children arrived at KidScape for a very active morning. Year 6 were presented with a number of challenges designed to test their mettle and build a sense of personal pride. Some children bravely faced their fears by conquering the sky course and indoor rock climbing wall.

Other activities were more focussed on pure fun: go-karting, an indoor adventure playground, a rocket ball launching area and a computer dance zone. The accompanying adults couldn't resist joining in. Mrs Norford, Mrs Boyle and Mr Bell whizzing down the slides was a sight to behold!

After such a busy morning, lunch was very welcome and the children devoured pizza, chips, chicken nuggets, fish fingers, crisps and grapes. By the time the group returned to school they were exhausted.

It's wonderful to witness how, through shared experiences, the children are developing closer friendships with each other.

"It was really fun and the food was delectable!"

"I enjoyed going on the sky obstacle course."

"I feel proud of myself for facing my fears and finishing the sky course."

"I enjoyed going through the slides and the delicious pizza."

Sealyham 2019: Day 2

Our eager pupils were up bright and early ready for the first of many hearty Sealyham breakfasts. Fuelled for the day ahead, the thrill-seeking children set off for their activities:

Group 1 had an energetic start to the day with a trip to the beach for surfing. Luckily, the warm winds provided great conditions and everyone thoroughly enjoyed riding the waves. After a few tumbles into the sea, most of the group were able to stand up on their surfboards; not an easy thing to do. The afternoon ended on a high as the children tackled the high ropes through the trees, crossing the wobbly bridge, balancing on the ropes and confronting fears.

Groups 3 and 4 had their fair share of challenges: they braved the Pembrokeshire coastline as they jumped, climbed and swam against the open waves (coasteering is not for the faint-hearted!); they took to the range to test their archery skills; they worked hard on the low ropes, using clear instructions, spotting each other and working as a team to get everyone from start to end without touching the floor. In the evening, groups 3 and 4 displayed their expertise... at throwing wellies!

Activity Week 2019: Day 1

Activity Week began with a fantastic trip to Adventure Island. A group of Year 6 pupils took the fast train to Southend on a glorious Monday morning. When they had arrived, the children sat on the beach for a little while before the main attraction: the rides.

Favourites included: the Claw - which spun our young thrill-seekers upside down, sideways and all over the place; Axis - a huge pendulum that swung, spun and twisted upside-down over 100ft in the air; Vortex - a ride that spun around; Pharoah's Fury - that twisted and turned around and around. After waiting for their tummies to stop churning, our Year 6 pupils relaxed in the sun with a delicious ice cream. As they headed home, the children talked happily about their brilliant day filled with fun.

Sealyham 2019: Day 1

As they waved goodbye to their families, our Year 6 pupils set off on the adventure of a lifetime: Sealyham 2019! The journey seemed to fly by and before they knew it the waiting was over -  they had arrived. The children had a lovely meal and quickly organised their rooms (some better than others) before the real challenges began.

Groups 3 and 4 took part in their assault course. Good clean fun quickly turned into a muddy mess as each group worked so well as a team to get every member across the finish line. Groups 1 and 2 ventured into the woods. After hunting for logs and playing games, they enjoyed tucking into hot dogs cooked on their crackling campfire.

The children returned to the grandeur of the Sealyham mansion and eventually settled down for what we hope was a great first night's sleep.