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 2025-26.

• Christmas Community Lunch

  Thu 10 Dec 2015 M Davis

  We had another successful Christmas Community Lunch on 10th December. With 30 visitors to the school, who tucked into another of Lizzie's fantastic lunches, it was a busy meal. The community enjoyed a traditional Christmas Dinner with turkey and all the trimmings, followed by Christmas Pudding and coffee.

  The children came in to entertain, sharing songs from their nativity and pantomime. It was a good opportunity for the children to practise performing in front of an audience.

  Thank you to all who lent a hand serving and clearing away.

   

  

• Christmas Fayre

  Wed 09 Dec 2015 M Davis

  Wednesday 9th December saw the first Christmas Fayre in the school for a long time. There were games a-plenty and very well stocked Tombola and Second hand toy and game stalls, as well as face painting and tea and coffee.

  Thank you to all those who made cakes, donated prizes, searched for second hand toys, games and books. Thank you also to all those who gave up their time to run a stall, face paint, set up or tidy up afterwards. A particular thank you to Annie Allison for all of her hard work behind the scenes.

  The Fayre was a great success, and something we will repeat next year. Over £200 was raised for FOEGS.

   

  

• Carols Around the Tree

  Fri 04 Dec 2015 M Davis
  It was lovely to join with the local community to lead the singing at Carols Around the Tree on 4th December 2015. The lights looked beautiful when they were turned on, and a good crowd joined to sing carols lustily. Thank you to all who came to support, and especially to Jo Downton for organising the lights on the tree. Christmas has really begun!

• Casterton Primary Arts Day

  Wed 02 Dec 2015 M Davis

  Casterton College, Rutland invited all of our Year 5 and 6 children across to the secondary school to take part in a Primary Arts Day.

   

  Along with children from four other primary schools, our children worked together with students from Casterton and staff from the music, art and drama departments to put together a showcase for parents by the end of the day. Our children had opted into either the art or the music sessions (perhaps we are doing too much drama at school at the moment with our pantomime rehearsals!)

   

  The children who chose art worked together to create some beautiful hanging paper creations, including stars and baubles. Two children (and the headteacher!) took up the challenge of learning the ukulele in just one hour, in order to be able to play as part of a band. It was tricky at first, but we soon managed it! Olly worked with other children who already played instruments, to create a wind group. His 'oompah' on the tuba was very impressive! Most of us also got the opportunity to create a samba band as well.

   

  At the end of the day we took part in performances of samba and 'Jingle Bell Rock' as well as displaying art work. We also had the opportunity to watch the drama group perform their work.

   

  It was great to have the opportunity to visit Casterton and share some of their staff expertise, as well as having the opportunity to meet and work alongside other year 5 and 6 children.

   

  Thank you to Casterton for inviting us - we look forward to another opportunity soon.

• Christingle Service

  Sun 29 Nov 2015 M Davis
  On Sunday we formed a joint choir for the Christingle Service at Greetham Church. Working together with children from St Nicholas Primary School was a new venture, and we very much enjoyed joining forces to create a choir to sing a carol for the Christingle. We all learnt about the meaning of the different parts of the Christingle before singing 'In the Bleak Midwinter' together. There were a total of 22 children from the two schools, and they made a beautiful sound singing together. We hope this will be the beginning of some future joint ventures. Thank you to all the parents and children who gave up their Sunday afternoon to come and sing and support.

• Year 5/6 Basketball

  Thu 26 Nov 2015 M Davis

  Our intrepid Year 5 and 6 children set off full of enthusiasm for the County Basketball competition. With six children in year 5/6, and needing 5 on a team, it was a busy competition for all the children, with little time to rest! Mrs Ranson and Mrs Wingrove were very proud of all the children, who focussed well and developed skills throughout the competition. Although they did not win any games, they pulled together as a team and showed excellent sportsmanship, improving on last year's goal total by one!

   

  A huge thank you to Mrs Ranson and Mrs Wingrove for taking the team, and congratulations to all the children from taking part.

• Friday Afternoons Concert

  Sun 22 Nov 2015 M Davis

  On Friday 20th November 2015, KS2 went to Oakham School Chapel to take part in a 'Friday Afternoons Concert' to celebrate the work of the British composer, Benjamin Britten. They joined together with children from other schools to sing songs composed as part of a song cycle by American composer Nico Muhley.

   

  We enjoyed learning the Benjamin Britten folksong arrangement of 'Down By the Salley Gardens' which we performed alongside children from other schools. We also performed a tricky piece called 'Rain', in which the primary school children had to keep an ostinato going while the Secondary School children from Casterton College sang a melody over the top. Perhaps our proudest moment was when we sang our own school contribution, a piece called 'Birds'. It was lovely to have the opportunity to sing in a larger building and join our voices with other children in the county.

   

  Concerts were going on simultaneously across the UK and in other parts of the world, where everyone was singing the same songs. These can be seen (and hopefully clips from ours too) on www.fridayafternoonsmusic.co.uk.

   

  A huge thank you to the Rutland Music Hub for organising the event.

   

  

• Children In Need 2015

  Fri 13 Nov 2015 M Davis

  This year our Children's Council were put in charge of Children In Need. They decided that they wanted everyone to come dressed as their favourite book character in return for a £1 donation. The children all looked marvellous, from the smallest pirate, through a number of Elsa's and some Harry Potter characters, to a rather frightening character from Skullduggery in year 6!

   

  The children also bought in their coppers to make a Penny Pudsey. The nursery joined us to help fill our Pudsey shape with copper coins. Mrs Almond is looking forward to counting them up!

   

  A huge thank you should go to Isobel for bringing in some prizes for the raffle, which raised £20. I am sure the winners have all enjoyed their chocolate this weekend!

   

  Thank you all for your generosity to this worthy charity.

  

• Operation Christmas Child

  Fri 13 Nov 2015 M Davis

  Yet again, our children, their families and our staff have sent a large number of shoeboxes as presents as part of Operation Christmas Child, run by Samaritan's Purse.

   

  In 2014, the total collected was 11; so the children were challenged this year to help create at least 12. They did not let us down, and this year managed a huge 19, which for a small school is tremendous.

   

  These boxes will join together with others collected in the Cottesmore Benefice and be sent to the charity. They will then wing their way to children who are not lucky enough to receive presents at Christmas time. These shoeboxes really put a smile on children's faces. It is such a small thing for each of us, but huge for each child who receives a box.

   

  Thank you. And well done.

• Act of Remembrance

  Wed 11 Nov 2015 M Davis

  We joined the local people in Exton Village for their Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial next to the village hall. The KS2 children walked down beautifully, and we were all very proud of how well they stood and listened during both the two minute silence and the reading of the names on the memorial. Three children read poems written in response to hearing a poem written by a Canadian Soldier, whilst another laid a small posy at the memorial from the school.