On Thursday, we were treated to our annual Poetry Recital Competition, which this year was inspired by the theme 'The Future'. From well-known poets to impressive original pieces written by the pupils themselves, we were thoroughly wowed by the clarity, confidence and expressive delivery of every performer. Well done to all our finalists: 

Reception: Ludo and Ava 

Year 1: Ayva and Mustafa

Year 2: Anaya and Arya

Year 3: Thomas and Mary

Year 4: Francesca and Josh

Year 5: Imaan and Anna 

Year 6: Bella and Zaydan

A huge congratulations to our winners: Arya (Year 2) for Early Years and Key Stage 1, Zaydan (Y6) for Key Stage 2, and Francesca (Year 4), who was awarded the Carter Poetry Writing Cup. Many thanks go to Mrs Southerden and Mrs Velasco for generously giving their time to judge the event. You will have the opportunity to hear the winning performances on Celebration Day. 

On Tuesday our Reception class had the most magical day out at the Amersham Field Centre! Our little explorers fully embraced the great outdoors by whipping up secret recipes during potion making, listening to cosy tales during woodland story time, and collecting nature's vibrant colours for their artist palettes. They also put their teamwork skills to the test building cosy dens for woodland animals and crafting the perfect tiny homes for forest fairies. 

On Thursday the whole school participated in National Outdoor Classroom Afternoon coming together as a whole school community to take our learning outdoors. It was wonderful to see such a wide range of activities taking place across the grounds. 

Year 6 and EYFS pupils worked together to plant and explore, demonstrating fantastic collaboration and care. Year 5 took great pride in tidying, weeding and planting within our quiet garden, helping to nurture a calm and reflective space for everyone to enjoy. In other areas, Year 4 were busy creating beautiful watercolour paintings inspired by nature and performed poetry, whilst Year 1 took their maths learning outside, using natural materials to deepen their understanding in creative and practical ways. 

Outdoor learning has measurable benefits, it improves health and wellbeing, boosts engagement and focus, strengthens connection with nature and encourages teamwork, creativity, and resilience. 

On Monday morning, our Year 5 and 6 pupils set off on their long journey to Culmington Manor, full of excitement and anticipation for the adventures ahead—and they certainly were not disappointed!

The weather in general was kind but towards the end of the week there was a mixture of rain, hail and sun, however this did not stop the children from making the most of every activity on offer. From the thrill of the zipwire and the challenge of climbing and abseiling, to tunnelling, bouldering and even axe throwing and rifle shooting, there was something to push every child beyond their comfort zone. The fun didn’t stop there, grass sledging brought plenty of laughter, and the evening disco was a highlight for many!

Alongside the excitement, there were so many opportunities for personal growth. The children developed their independence by being away from home, strengthened their teamwork and collaboration skills, supported one another through challenges and tried their very hardest to keep their rooms tidy! They also took part in problem-solving activities and even showed their creativity by working together to create adverts.

We are incredibly proud of how much the children have grown during this experience. Their resilience, courage and willingness to try new things have truly shone through, and they return to school with memories that will stay with them for years to come.

We are quite sure that, after such a busy and action-packed week, many of them will be sleeping very well this weekend! A very special thank you must go to our wonderful staff—Mrs Haward, Mrs Bishop, Mrs Blencowe and Miss King, who gave up their time and energy to make this experience possible. Their care, enthusiasm and dedication ensured that every child had the best possible time. We hope they all manage to catch up on some very well-deserved beauty sleep!

This year in their ESR lessons, Year 6 participated in Young Citizen’s ‘Make a Difference Challenge’, learning how young people can take meaningful action within their communities and beyond.

The project was entirely pupil-led and collaborative. The children researched a range of causes, discussed what mattered most to them, and worked together to decide how they could make a positive difference as a team.

Supporting Restart Africa

After thoughtful discussion, the children chose to support Restart Africa, a charity based in Gilgil, Kenya. Restart Africa provides a safe home, education, healthcare, and emotional support for children who have been living on the streets or without stable care.

Our pupils were particularly moved by the stories of children who arrived at the centre with very few belongings. This inspired Year 6 to focus their efforts on collecting toys that would bring comfort, play, and joy to those rebuilding their lives.

A Magical Success

To put their plans into action, Year 6 organised a whole-school fundraising event where pupils and staff came dressed in Disney-themed outfits and donated toys. In the afternoon Year 6 also lead EYFS and KS1 on a disney themed Treasure Hunt and then became Disney quizmasters with KS2. With Disney music playing at lunchtime it was wonderful to see the school community come together in such a creative way for a vital cause.

Through the leadership of Year 6 and your generous donations, we have successfully collected a fantastic range of toys and raised awareness for the incredible work being done in Gilgil. Miss Allen will now take our donations to an Ambassador for the charity in Shrewsbury where they will arrange with the RAF to fly the donations to Kenya.

We were incredibly proud of our Year 6 pupils for taking the lead on such a thoughtful and meaningful project. Thank you to everyone who supported them in making a real difference.