Read below to find out more about some of the different activities we have been getting up to; from sporting and musical activities, to visitors and 'wow' days. We are looking forward to helping our children 'explore and grow' further in 2023-24.

• Easter in a Day

  Fri 31 Mar 2023 M Davis

  It was a wet start to our Easter in a Day this year! However, that did not stop us enjoying our Easter Celebrations. 

   

  We started by walking up together to the church in Exton, carrying our school cross with us. When we arrived at the church, the older children led us through the story of Easter week, using the alphabet, interspersed with some of our favourite Easter songs. Thank you to Mrs Davis' son for coming to help play the organ and playing a voluntary at the end.

   

  The weather was kinder on our return to school and we walked back in glorious sunshine!

   

  There was just time to decorate our eggs before lunch ready for egg rolling in the afternoon. 

   

  Egg rolling was, as ever, a noisy, but fun activity! We soon got quick at moving out of the way of the eggs as they rolled somewhat unpredictably down the hall! Egg rolling was a closely fought contest in lots of year groups - and we couldn't separate the first two eggs in EYFS, so we had joint winners. Well done to: EFYS- Charlotte and Archie, Year 1 - Poppy, Year 2 - Victoria,Year 3 - Sophia, Year 4- Harrison, Year 5 - Harry M, Year 6 - Cherry, and for the staff - Miss Barker!

   

  The rain had returned by the afternoon and so we finished the afternoon with an easter egg hunt in our classrooms. 

   

  We enjoyed sharing our Easter Celebrations with Peter Cantley, Director of Education for the Diocese, this year. He came to visit the school for the first time since he was appointed, and enjoyed spending the morning and some of the afternoon with us. He shared the following message on his return home:

   

  "It was a joy to visit your school today and to join with the whole school for the Easter service.  It was tremendous to see how your affirming, nurturing, compassionate and creative approach is benefitting all the children enormously.  You and your staff deserve great credit for providing such an excellent education for all the children in your care."

• High Sheriff's Declaration

  Tue 28 Mar 2023 M Davis

  We were honoured to be invited to sing at the Declaration of the new High Sheriff of Rutland on 28th March 2023. We think we may well be the first school choir to be invited to such an event.

   

  The new High Sheriff for 2023-24 is Geraldine Feehally, who is also one of our school foundation governors, and she was very keen to have children at her declaration ceremony, asking the children to provide twenty minutes of music. 

   

  We have been practising hard, and the children did an amazing job, performing five songs to the assembled dignitaries. We started with 'Where on earth is Rutland?', a song written by Richard Stilgoe which explores all the counties in England in the search to find 'tiny Rutland'. We then sang 'Children of the World' - a song we learnt when the war broke out in Ukraine -  about children coming together to believe that they can make a difference. Our third song is a firm favourite at school - 'Build it High'. We then sang the moving, but contemplative 'Believe' before finishing with 'Power in me'. 

   

  The children's singing was fantastic, and we received many compliments from those assembled to listen. Not only that, but their behaviour through the more adult parts of the ceremony was exemplary. The children were very proud to have been invited and to be there for Geraldine, as she is so often in school supporting us. 

   

   

• Year 5 Science 'Wow' Day at Uppingham School

  Mon 27 Mar 2023 M Davis

  It was a pleasure to take our Year 4 children to Uppingham School on Monday for a day of science. Uppingham had offered to host some of the Rutland Learning Trust schools for a 'wow science day', and we were lucky enough to be selected.

   

  Our group started in biology, dissecting some owl pellets. It was amazing to pull the pellets apart and find the skeletons within. Some pellets had as many as four animal skills inside!

   

  After a quick break, we moved to the physics lab and explored circuits. We were able to put our learning from our own science lessons into practice, as well as develop our understanding of series and parallel circuits. 

   

  After lunch we looked at animals through a zoology lens, exploring diet and looking at some larger animal skulls. 

   

  The day finished with an amazing chemistry show, with many 'bangs' and explosions!

   

  A huge thank you to Uppingham School for hosting us and for sharing their expertise. It was an amazing day!

• Comic Relief 2023

  Fri 17 Mar 2023 M Davis

  Our chosen charity to support for the spring term was Comic Relief.

   

  The children all made donations in return for coming in something red/ home clothes.

   

  The school council, and some willing parents, had made cakes to sell at break time in aid of Comic Relief - they were all delicious!

   

  The children had also been challenged to bring in a joke to make Mrs Davis laugh - with a prize for the winner from each class. It was a very difficult choice and there was much giggling from the headteacher!

   

  Our running total is currently at £130. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed - that is an amazing total for a small school!

• RMH Recorder Jamboree

  Fri 17 Mar 2023 M Davis

  On Friday morning all of Teal Class (year 2/3) went to Rutland Rugby Club to join with other schools from across Rutland in the Rutland Music Hub Recorder Jamboree. This was an opportunity for all the children who have been learning recorder this term across the county to join together to play some of the pieces they have learned with the composer, Sarah Watts.

   

  The children had a marvellous, if noisy, time playing their recorders with over 100 other children. 

   

  Thank you to the staff who accompanied them, and to Rutland Music Hub for organising the event.

• Exton Governors meet our School Council

  Thu 16 Mar 2023 M Davis

  On 16th March we we were very pleased to welcome all of our Governors into school to come and see what we get up to on a normal school day.

   

  The governors joined us for lunch and chatted with the children, before visiting break time outside and then lessons around the school in the afternoon.

   

  Towards the end of the afternoon the governors met with our school council so that the governors could find out more about what the school council do, and the school council could find out more about the role of the governors. The children made a presentation to the governors about what they wanted to achieve in making the school more eco-friendly. 

   

  The afternoon finished with an impromptu performance by the top two classes of some of the songs we have been learning for the High Sheriff Declaration next week. 

   

  Thank you to all the governors who were able to attend, and particularly to Derek for providing delicious doughnuts for the school council and staff!

• Artsmark and Developing the Arts

  Mon 13 Mar 2023 M Davis

  This term we embarked on our Artsmark journey. We have signed up to the Artsmark to develop our work in the arts and ensure that there is equity in provision across all the arts in school.

  We know that there is much to celebrate about the arts at Exton & Greetham CE Primary School - particularly linked with our music and our productions at Christmas. Indeed, we take the lead for music across the RLT and share our expertise in this area with other local schools. However, there is always more that we can do, and we are taking this opportunity to focus on developing our art provision to match our music provision.

  The Artsmark is seen as a journey. So far we have submitted a statement of intent. This tells the professionals at Artsmark what we do well, and what we are intending to work on over the next 18 months to improve arts provision in the school further. At the end of the process, we submit another statement to explain what we have achieved so far in our journey, and we will hopefully be awarded the Artsmark at either silver, gold or platinum level.

  Not only will the Artsmark look at our curriculum in arts subjects, but it will also look at the extra- curricular opportunities that is offered to our pupils. Since COVID trips out and visits in have, by necessity, been more limited. However, we are now in a position to review what we offer our children as part of our cultural capital, and ensure that they get wide and varied opportunities. As part of this, there will be a questionnaire for parents, asking for opinions around school trips and visits. Since COVID, the cost of coaches has shot up, and this has led to us having to think more creatively to ensure that the experiences we give the children are good value for money. We know that the cost of school trips could become prohibitive for some parents, so the questionnaire will look at ways to help make this more manageable for our families, and to help us prioritise the right sort of experiences.

  Watch this space for further information!

• World Book Day

  Fri 03 Mar 2023 M Davis

  World Book Day came to Exton & Greetham CE Primary School a day later than most of the rest of the country. We wanted to make sure that all the fantastic effort on costumes was not wasted and washed off in the swimming pool in our swimming lessons yesterday!

   

  The children were all tasked with dressing up as their favourite book character, and there were lots of very inventive costumes. Staff shared favourite stories and the children completed lots of book-related activities during the day. 

   

  A huge thank you to Mrs Gould for all her organisation.