A Friday Night Round Up from Mr Schumm

Good afternoon,

I keep checking the forecast for next week and at the moment it’s looking clear – famous last words. I have attached the production letter just in case anyone missed it, but its next week! The children are doing amazingly in rehearsals!

Thank you to everyone who attended the Summer Fair or ran a stall. What a superb day. The weather did not dampen our spirits! Miss Whiting put on a show to bring the sun out and the school choir chased away the rain with their singing. Thank you to our organisers for their time and commitment into making sure our Fair was such a great success!

Our Heritage Museum took shape this afternoon and I think we can well and truly say this will become part of the St Stephen’s Calendar! The artefacts/ objects on display were packed with memories! And oh what amazing memories! From a door knocker commemorating William Wilberforce, exhibited by Alex (Year 1), who is William Wilberforce’s great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandson, pictures, photos, war heroes, jewellery, ornaments, clothing and so much more! Thank you to everyone who brought something in. It was a true learning experience for our school community and told us about lives that have been lived, memories that have been shared and what makes us all unique in the bustling world of Shepherd’s Bush!

We had the most wonderful Sports Dinner on Thursday where we celebrated the sporting achievements of over 150 children. The hall was filled parents and children supporting the sporting endeavours of the children. A massive thank you to Clare and Mr S for organising the evening.

Reception and Year 6 have headed off to Holland Park this morning for their Buddy Trip. Everyone was incredibly excited, just picture all the Year 6 children loaded down carrying the Reception children’s packed lunches and coats, but they will still be smiling!

Let’s Build a New Playground!

Yesterday, Year 5 and 6 welcomed a team of architects from JTP Architecture to take part in a workshop focused around the development of our school playground. The children completed two different sessions: photography and 3D modelling. In the photography session, the children had to use a disposable camera to take pictures of different parts of the playground – areas they loved, places they didn’t like as much, spaces where they felt the safest etc. After taking photographs, they had to detail their thoughts about the chosen areas. The children then had the opportunity to share their own ideas for developing the playground. They were given play-doh and had to create a 3D model of a change to the playground. They then placed it on a map of our school, complying everyone’s ideas. The children loved this opportunity and have definitely given JTP a helping hand in redesigning our playground. This is part of a process which has seen the architects work with parents, governors and staff on the design to ensure we get the best possible outcome for our children. We hope to have plans drawn up by September/ October that we can share with the whole school community. Super exciting!

The Walk!

I’m dusting off my walking shoes and getting ready for the 18km walk along the Jurassic Coast to support FOSS next weekend. This is going to be an amazing weekend filled with sun, banter, an amazing party and so much more! Can’t wait to see you all there and if you would like to give us a cheeky sponsor here is the link – https://www.justgiving.com/page/teamteachers

Year 3 at Gunnersbury Park

Year 3 enjoyed a lovely day out at Gunnersbury Park Museum this week where they participated in a workshop about the Romans. They had the opportunity to wear the costumes of Boudica and Julius Caesar. They also had a chance to handle Roman artefacts (primary and secondary sources). They role played the lives of various different Romans and Roman soldiers. They ended the day with a trip to the playground and had some fun in the sun!

The Mayor’s Cup

Well done to our girls and boys football team who played a sterling game of football at the Mayor’s Cup, which saw the boys knocked out in the semi-finals on penalties and the girls knocked out in the semi-finals by one goal!

Journalists in the Making for Newsround!

Just in case you missed this Newsround special here is our very own Dom and Alina, from Year 5, interviewing Steve Carroll no less, from Despicable Me 4!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/videos/c9x8pn7dpreo

Year 6 – heart dissection

This week the Year 6 classes joined our Scientist in Residence, Linda, for a Science class on the heart. The class started with discussing the heart and the circulatory system, going over its functions and anatomy. They focused on the anatomy of the heart, including the four chambers, heart valves and heart chords, and discussing the size of the muscles. This led to the heart dissection part. First, Linda showed an ox heart, indicating on the outside which parts are the muscles and blood vessels, and how to see the fat which is on the heart. They also discussed how to see what is up and down. Then, Linda opened the ox heart and showed the four chambers of the heart, the valves and the heart chords. By looking at the muscles, we could see what was the left and the right side of the heart. Next, the pupils went over the same steps with a lamb’s heart, which they studied and dissected in groups.

Year 1 – Fair testing

This week the Year 1 classes joined our Scientist in Residence, Linda, for a Science class on fair testing. After discussing what Science is and what is a Science test, the pupils learned about fair testing through three experiments. In the first, the pupils were testing who could stand longest on one leg, though some could hold the table, while others had to move their upper body or clap. Discussing why this is not a fair test, they repeated the test in a fairer way where only one condition was changed.

In the next experiment, they studied if an effervescent tablet would dissolve quicker if we stir the water. They discussed how to make this a fair test: having two cups with the same amount of water and dropping the tablet in at the same time. The only condition to change was stirring in one cup.

For the third experiment they studied which colours are in a felt tip pen. Using water and coffee filter paper, the students learned that some are made of multiple colours, especially brown and black giving colourful results. They discussed fair testing, including the size of the dots and the height above the water.

And finally

Now, I know there is a very important football match on Sunday evening and I know the children may be staying up late to watch the game, so we will have a soft start on Monday for those who want it. The children need to be in school for 10am please, as we need to rehearse! Let’s hope it’s a happy soft start and something well and truly does come home! Don’t forget those costumes!

If anyone would like to make a donation to Clare and Mrs Connor’s leaving present the link is here – https://pay.collctiv.com/clare-and-mrs-conners-leaving-present-61587

Have a wonderful and hopefully winning weekend!

Mr Schumm