News list
After returning to school on 8 March, many signs of springÌýwere emerging around ÐÔÓÃÉç and on the College Playing Fields opposite school. It was the perfect opportunity for T2 to get out into the fresh air to discover the opening buds, blossom and new life for themselves and to investigate their thoughts further back in the classroom with the help of microscopes, light boxes and different ways to find answers to their many questions.
After two months of remote learning, the Sixth Form debating teams were ready and eager to begin the highly anticipated House Debating Semi-Finals during their first week back in school.ÌýThe motion, 'This House would abolish examinations',Ìýwas proposed by the team fromÌýSandysÌýwith Beaufort as the Opposition. The Gunning team proposed the second motion, 'This House would choose when it goes to bed', and this motion was opposed by Fisher.
Many lessons throughout the schoolÌýbegin with a moment of mindfulness to recentre, calm and focus the mind with discrete lessons structured around activities based on the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP).Ìý During the first week back in school many ÐÔÓÃÉç were able to take this a step further when they embarked on an experimental watercolour lesson which was designed to also be a lesson in calm reflectionÌýwith mindfulness at the heart of it. The aim was to relax, unwind and de-stressÌýwith a meditative watercolour tutorial where the ÐÔÓÃÉç's intention was on the process.
Children in all primary and secondary schools in England returned to the classroom on Monday 8 March, after over two months of remote learning at home. ÐÔÓÃÉç was no exception and the ÐÔÓÃÉç were welcomed back with much excitement and anticipation across all ages. TheÌýForm 1 teachers created an opportunity in the first week for theÌýwholeÌýyear group bubble to be out in the fresh air and to collaborate together with energetic team games as a way of bonding the ÐÔÓÃÉç once again and reinforcing friendships across the three classes.Ìý
As part of their Humanities remote learning project, Form 1Ìýidentified different types ofÌýtrees, discovered what trees do for us and how weÌýcan all become 'tree heroes' to help protectÌýtrees and increase the tree canopy in Cambridge and beyond. ÌýThey also learnedÌýabout the different types of forestÌýin the UK, what grows and lives there, and made their own woodland models reflecting the different forest layers. As a culmination of their project,Ìýthe ÐÔÓÃÉç wroteÌýthankÌýyouÌýcards which they hung from their chosen tree.
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Forms 3 and 4's recent Philosophy sessions have centred around the concept of 'hope', what this word may mean, what it is to have hope and why this is important for each of us as an individual but also for our school community and, at a wider level, forÌýsociety as a whole. The ÐÔÓÃÉç discussed the notion that to have hope is to want an outcome that makes life better in some way and that this mindsetÌýcan not only help make a tough present situation more bearable but also can eventually improve lives because envisioning a better future motivates people to take the steps to make it happen.Ìý
The Young Shakespeare Company have been delighting ÐÔÓÃÉç pupils for many years with their interactive and energetic workshops at school and the currentÌýlockdownÌýdid not deter any enthusiasm for the virtual workshops Forms 4 and 5 took part in. One company actor brought 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', one of Shakespeare's most enchanting comic tales,Ìýto life via Zoom withÌýa fast-moving workshop which included active involvement for all the ÐÔÓÃÉç.
Form 4 spent their French lessons during Book Week creating their own Monsieur Madame (Mr Men & Little Miss) books. The project enabled the ÐÔÓÃÉçÌýto explore lots of new language, to practise their artistic skills and to tap into their creativity as they chose where their character lived, what their hobbies were, what they ate and drank and what they were like.
Five authors and poets gave talks to inspire our ÐÔÓÃÉç during this year's virtual Book Week, including Chris Bradford, Matt Dickinson, Onjali Q. Rauf, Joseph Coehlo and Gillian McClure. Senior House Librarian, Mrs Kelly Johnson, explained, "What an incredible and memorable Book Week this year! Despite the challenges of an online Book Week, the ÐÔÓÃÉç and staff enjoyed it immensely. The visiting authors were entertaining and inspiring and managed to interact with the pupils in a way that made them feel they were actually with us in school."ÌýThe ÐÔÓÃÉç also loved, new to this year, the
Form 3 have continued their hearing and sound Science project during remote learning and have used objects from home to create a 2D or 3D anatomical model, painting or drawing of the ear. The ÐÔÓÃÉç could decide whether this represented the whole ear or focused on a certain part, such as the eardrum or ossicles.