What a week!

Where do I honestly start with everything that has happened this week? It really has been so exciting in school and the children have had such wonderful learning experiences.

At the start of the week I was back in the Roman Empire discussing gladiators because some of the children were informing me that they were playing gladiators at lunchtime. It soon came to pass that it was of course the TV programme Gladiators and we discussed the costumes, muscles and favourite events! One wise little girl was explaining very eloquently that the ‘bad’ gladiator is just like the baddies in pantomimes and that they are probably lovely in real life. Another lovely mum told me how surreal it was that she used to snuggle down on a Saturday night with her family to watch the show and now she is doing the same with her own little gladiators. Contestants ready? Gladiators ready? I’ll see you on the couch this Saturday.

Year R had a delivery of eggs which have now hatched into 10 little chicks. People of course have different opinions regarding animals and we completely respect these opinions. The chicks have been very well cared for and the children have learnt so much from the experience. I came into school on Wednesday evening and stayed guarding the eggs until 8.30pm. I had never seen an egg hatch and it happened right in front of my eyes. It truly was an amazing experience and I know that some of the children experienced this too. My brother in Spain even sent us some photographs of his 30 roosting hens in the sunshine which you might see on Tapestry if they will upload.

The excitement goes on because KS1 had an amazing VR experience which was moving from the real world of the chicks to the virtual world of dinosaurs. I have used this technology in a museum in Berlin and it was amazing, so to see the children’s excitement was a sight to behold! Not only could they use the VR things far easier than I could, they again learnt so much which they were sharing with anyone who would listen. Some children said they were lucky enough to have VR things at home so please do invite me for a play date and I will pop round to have another go.

It is now Friday and we are yet again navigating floods. We sang our weather song in assembly reminding us that no matter what the weather is we should make the most of our day. I had a bit of a sense of humour failure as I swam round the school site this morning until a lovely dad from Year R offered to come back in his speedos to be the lifeguard near the EY pool. I won’t name Mr Loch, oops I have done!

What on earth will next week bring that can possibly top this week? The blending of technological and ‘old fashioned’ ways of learning about, and experiencing our world, are out there for us to grab hold of. Enjoy your weekend what ever you do and never forget to look at the world through your children’s eyes because they might be seeing or doing something for the first time ever.

P.S. Sorry if a lot of children come home with bags of wet socks/clothes but we are trying to get outside if we can and the temptation of jumping in a big puddle can be too much for some of your little treasures to resist.