To Ancient Greece, Neverland and Africa…

As I sit down and take a few moments away from all the hustle and bustle of the surrounding corridors I can reflect on what has been a very busy, but fulfilling, term.

Way back in September we welcomed you all in on a balmy late summer evening to enjoy a meet and greet with your children’s new teachers. For many it will be known as an historic moment of ‘where were you when the Queen passed away’. How quickly time flies and it seems more than three months ago.

As we always say, it is such a huge jump from Year 2 to 3 and even bigger from Year 3 to 4, but I am pleased to report that they have grasped the new challenges and have all settled into their new routines.

It has been a slight change for us too, not only as Mrs Sara Morriss has joined us, but we are now known as Middle School, and as we are on ‘the landing’ we do seem to have established our own department within Copthill. As teachers, it’s especially great to see our children from last year mature and gain more confidence. But they aren’t too cool not to say hello to us!

New topics have been introduced and the Year 3 and 4 children are now Adventurers. Never a truer word said! The Year 3’s were whisked back to ancient Greece for the first half term and we were thrilled to welcome History off the Page for a day. The children were lucky enough to get a real feel for how life was like for the ancient Greeks and they even performed some myths including Pandora’s Box and Cyclops!

The Year 4 children, by contrast, have been asked to ‘come fly with me’ and they have embraced the new topic of Africa, and with the cold snap we are experiencing at the moment, a school trip there would be fabulous!

Of course, the after-school clubs continue to keep the children engaged and what a fabulous opportunity they have, ranging from getting out the metal detectors in the Archaeology Club to learning how to polish their own shoes and clean windows - a definite life lesson!

Christmas is literally round the corner and we could not have been more proud of our Year 3 children as they performed ‘Peter Pan saves Christmas’. The plot revolved around Captain Hook capturing Father Christmas and wanting to ruin Christmas for all the children, but luckily Peter Pan, ably assisted by his sidekick Tinkerbell, saved the day! With amazing singing and dancing, fantastic props created by Mr Campbell and Mrs Foster, and of course great actors, the show was a runaway success.

Hopefully the weather will warm up by a couple of degrees for Year 4’s candlelit ‘Carols in the Woods’ and, even if it’s a little cold underfoot, I am sure the mulled wine will help keep the chill at bay! A huge thank-you to Mrs Over for holding this event and for all her expertise this term.

So as we hurtle towards the end of term may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year on behalf of the Year 3 and 4 team, and we will see you on your return in 2023!