It was a busy Monday in school which saw some children venture out of the site whilst others welcomed visitors in!

The morning started with KS1 taking part in an assembly based on unacceptable behaviour in the playground and strategies to support friends when they are being treated unfairly. Mr B chose some volunteers to help him act out a scenario where some children were picking on another child. The children had to identify what was wrong with the scenario which saw two of then children alienating the lone child and being mean to them. They then had to identify what the fourth child in the set up could do to support the lone child, mainly including them in their game but also to inform an adult of the other children’s unacceptable actions. The children then all agreed that if they ever saw this happening on the playground that they knew what to do to help each other.

The KS2 assembly also saw some of the children acting out scenarios. This time Mr B gave two of the children two envelopes, each stating something they needed to whisper about. One of the envelopes told the children to whisper something kind whilst the other instructed them to whisper something unkind. The children playing nearby were asked to identify how they felt when other children whispered near them and it was agreed that it made them feel awkward and uncomfortable regardless of what may be being whispered. The audience decided that it was impossible to distinguish whether the whispering was the kind or unkind instruction but then agreed as a school that if it was something kind the children had no reason to keep it to themselves where as if it was unkind it shouldn’t be being said at all. The whole hall decided that whispering about other people was an action we don’t like at Earls Hall as regardless as to what the whispering is about it makes other people feel uncomfortable. They decided that if they were to see someone whispering they would gently remind them of this message.

Meanwhile, in Year One, the children ventured out of school. They donned their high visibility jackets to undertake a walk of the local area. Accompanied by staff and parent helpers they identified local landmarks, took photographs and tracked their route. The information was taken back to the classroom to inform future learning.

Later in the afternoon 6B were treated to the arrival of a very special visitor. Miss Brooker’s Nan, Ena McBain, came into class to talk to the children all about her memories of the second world war. Her first hand account of the war enthralled the class as she recounted her memories of rationing, evacuation and sheltering during air raid warnings. Mrs McBain answered a series of questions to the entranced children, bringing the days of the war to life as she discussed her memories of the past. Thank you so much Mrs McBain for giving us your valuable time.