End of Term Newsletter Michaelmas Term 2022: Trips

Year 4 Earth Trust Visit

Our Earth Trust visit was a new trip for Year 4.

90% of the day was outside and we were blessed with glorious blue skies after a damp start. The children learnt lots, in situ, about Rivers and the Romans and answered some challenging questions, as well as posing their own. The two Earth Trust Education staff were lovely and the children enjoyed their time together, especially marching as Roman soldiers!

Year 5 Visit to Huntley & Palmer

Year 5 children had a fantastic trip this term to the Reading Museum, Blakes Lock and Huntley & Palmers building, learning all about one of the B’s that Reading is famous for….. Biscuits!

J Huntley & Son first opened their biscuit bakery on London Street in 1822 and supplied not only the town, but the country, until it was sold in 1989. The children learnt about the transport links on the A4 to Bath, the train links to the north, and the river routes to London. They were intrigued to know how the biscuits were made and also how Huntley & Palmers helped supply the troops with biscuits in artillery shell cases throughout WW1, which was fascinating as we visited on Remembrance Day.

All the groups enjoyed sorting the biscuits, exploring the Reading map and timeline and explored all the types of tins that were made throughout the years. Some of which were also used as toys after the biscuits had been eaten! The children are now looking forward to starting their unit of work in the new year where they will become biscuit company owners during their Computing lessons, designing their company, shop, tins and sorting the finances using Google Sheets. They may also get to bake their own biscuits to the delights of their parents!

Many thanks to Mr Wilson, Miss Scollo and Mr Scholl for assisting on the trip.

8 things you may not know…

1. Boys could be 12 years old to start working in the factory and were paid 5 Shillings a week (25p a week)
2. You would only be given 6 days off a year, without pay! You would only be paid for Christmas Day!
3. The average working week was 58 and ½ hours a week which included Saturdays!
4. Reading Football Club were known as ‘The Biscuitmen’ before being known as the Royals. That club nickname now belong to Reading United FC!
5. The biscuit shapes were originally cut by hand by the female workers
6. The Ben George Tin was the first printed biscuit tin in circulation
7. Huntley and Palmers also supplied all the biscuits in WW2
8. The biscuit factory was also used for the film ‘Bugsy Malone’

Year 6 Trip to Mary Arden’s Farm
Though they be but little, they be fierce! 

In October, Year 6 visited Mary Arden’s Farm in the quaint village of Wilmcote. Wilmcote is roughly 3 miles from the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Pupils spent the day exploring Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ through a series of drama activities in the beautiful five-hundred-year-old farm site.

Throughout the day, the children put their acting skills to the test by performing in a variety of roles from the bold ‘Queen of the Fairies’ to a graceful woodland tree. It was a fantastic opportunity for all of the pupils to get involved and develop their skills in English and Drama.

It was an absolute pleasure to take such a fabulous group of children on this trip and they really did themselves and the school proud.

Year 7 Kilve Court Trip

In November, our Year 7 enjoyed an action-packed trip to Kilve Court, participating in a variety of team building exercises.