This week, we had a very special visit from RISE Theatre. The theme of the day was 'God's Planet' and how we all have a part to play in looking after God's wonderful creation. The children attended several workshops during the day which concluded with an interactive whole school performance in the afternoon. Thank you to the RISE Theatre company for such a fabulous day!

It was a privilege to spend this weekend with the Years 5 and 6 children at Manor Adventure in Shropshire!  We stayed in our own cabin and we all had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of exciting outdoor activities, including the underground maze, obstacle course, abseiling, canoeing and kayaking. Our favourite was the walk up the Long Mynd. The views were incredible! Saint Wulstan’s pupils were, as always, polite, well-behaved, funny and incredibly kind and supportive of one another.  Lots of fun was had by all (including the teachers!) and we hope that lots of lifelong memories and friendships have been made.

As part of our Victorian topic, we decided to dress up for World Book Day as Victorians.

Year 6 had a wonderful trip to the Stourport library. This trip was part of our World Book Day celebration.

Year 6 thoroughly enjoyed dissecting hearts during their science lesson. They were able to see the four heart chambers and the vessels going into and out of the heart. As part of the investigation they measured the ventricles to establish which one had the largest muscle. 

Today we gathered to celebrate Our Lady's birthday. We made the most of the weather and used our outdoor classroom to pray a decade of the Rosary. Have a look at the photos so you can see how we celebrated this special day.

Today we learnt about many different women who have changed the world for the better and we also discussed how they inspire us to be better people.

As modern day technology is being used more frequently by children both at home and at school, we have been learning about the dangers of the Internet. During Anti-Bullying week, we discussed E-Safety.

We've learnt the SMART Rules:

S is for safe- Never give your personal information to people that you do not know.

M is for meet- Never arrange to meet with strangers.

A is for Accepting- Never accept emails or messages from people that you do not know as they might contain a virus.

R is for reliable- Not everything that you read on the internet is true.

T is for tell- If anything upsets you on the internet always tell a trusted adult.

During our Remembrance Week, we learnt all about the Lions of the Great War. The Sikh soldiers contributed the most volunteers of any of the British holdings that had fought in that war. In 1919, India solely produced around 1 to 1.5 million troops for combat. 

During the month of October, the year 6 children prayed a decade of the rosary to help all the sick people and those that are battling Covid-19.

We had so much fun making our Mexican masks.

Congratulations to all our House Captains! As you can see, they are all beaming with pride. They have all worked incredibly hard on their speeches. Both myself and Mrs Mound are very proud of them.

Congratulations to Bear, Harrison and Thomasin!

Both boys planned their class worship and their Bible story of choice was the calming of the storm. They ver eloquently expalined the meaning of this Bible Story.

We sometimes think that if we could see Jesus and touch him and talk to him like the disciples did, that our faith would be stronger. Yet there they were, within feet of Jesus and still they had little faith. 

You know how you can get more faith? Ask Jesus. He'll gladly increase your faith and when you face a scary situation, you'll remember the scripture in Isaiah 41:10 when God says, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not worry for I am your God. I will help and strengthen you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Thank you to Bear and Harrison for organising it.

Yesterday, the Year 6 pupils learnt about Frida Khalo and analysed some of her artwork. Paintings were placed around the classroom like a portrait gallery. All pupils walked around the gallery and the children discussed their likes and dislikes of each painting and the effect they get from the different paintings. 

Both boys have done a fantastic job and they have set the standard for the year. It was lovely to come together and have time for stillness, prayer and reflection. Many children said prayers for those who ill and those who are trying to recover from Coronavirus.

We have only been back a couple of weeks and we've already been busy! Have a look at some of the work that has taken place in the school hall when pupils were trying to practise their long jump.

Text messages, emails, blogs, websites, podacsts - there are so many ways to communicate. Learn how to set up a class blog and build a homepage on a subject of your choice. Suggest ways of improving your school website and hopefully the headteacher will listen to your ideas! Discover the movers and shakers in the world of technology - the people who have changed the modern world. Perhaps you might be a visionary for the next generation. Build robots and circuits, break codes and investigate gadgets galore. Why not write a thriller narrative in  the style of Anthony Horowitz. Then, on request from MI99, build a website for a new Spy School. What pages will it need?  One for gadgets? A secret lunch menu? You decide! Let's start today on Tomorrow's World!

Welcome to the planet's coldest lands. Vast wilds and hostile territories- incredibly beautiful, yet often deadly. Take shelter from the elements or fall prey to icy winds and the deepest chill. Trek bravely and valiantly across treacherous terrain to the ends of the Earth, treading deep in snow or be pulled by a team of mighty sled dogs. Be alert, for magnificent mammals roam these lands, sometimes hungry or fresh for a fight. Perhaps a hungry polar bear or an Arctic fox is hunting rodents, as swift as the wind. Research facts and figures of climate, temperature, habitats and ecosystems. Become part of an Antarctic rescue team, braving the elements to rescue terrified passengers from a ship struck by a deadly berg that hides deep beneath the Southern Ocean. So wrap up well everyone and settle by the fire. I'm just going outside and may be some time.

To launch our new topic: Frozen Kingdom, Year 6 went to visit Vickie Pullin at Arctic Quest. They learnt all about huskies and even got to stroke one or two! Vickie is the British Champion in Dog Sled Racing and is an incredibly inspirational person. All children came away with the motto: Dream big and make it happen, ringing in their ears!

Our topic for the second half of the Autumn term is called Blood Heart and the Year 6 children are already extremely excited and here's why . . . 

Crimson, scarlet, burgundy, cherry - blood flows through our bodies in all its vibrant shades of red. Let's explore our circulation system! Now surgeons, don't be squeamish as we dissect an animal heart and examine the veins, arteries, and chambers up close. They all work hard to move blood around our bodies. William Harvey was fascinated with anatomy and made groundbreaking discoveries and valves. I wonder what we might uncover? Why do people give blood? Find out how to keep your hear thappy with cardiovascular exercise and healthy food. Kick-start a campaign to spread the word about the damage caused by smoking to the lungs and the heart.

Year 6 have been learning about blood and the vital role it plays in keeping us alive. They examined the different elements of blood - plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets - and the job the do. Then they had a go at making their own blood samples using oil, milk and golden syrup! 

Year 6 were thrilled to have a visit from Mr Crummey, who brought in some equipment to measure the heart. He showed the class how this machine measures heart rates, oxygen levels and blood pressure. Then explain what these were and why they were important. After this all the children had a go at mesauring their hear rates, oxygen levels and blood pressure!

For part of our topic on the heart, we have been looking at how our blood flows around our bodies. We discussed what might affect this flow of blood and  then planned, carried out and evaluated an investigation into whether the diameter of blood vessels could affect the way blood flows. We used straws of different diameters and then timed how long it took for the 'blood' to drain out of the cup. 

The finale to our ILP was to dissect a pig's heart. We were able to apply all of our skills and knowledge to identify all four chambers of the heart as well as the aorta and pulmonary vein, not to mention the valves! Below are some pictures . . . 

The start of this year saw Year 6 heading off for their retreat at Alton Castle. The theme was discipleship and throughout the retreat the children took part in prayer services, reflections, meditations and Mass to help them understand the meaning of discipleship and how to be a good disciple. This is the start of their journey of faith leading to Confirmation. 

Bienvenido a Mexico! We’re going to explore this unique country, from its towering temples to its fun-packed festivals.
During this half term, we’ll watch a traditional Mexican performance and join in with percussion instruments. To cool down afterwards, we’ll have a refreshing drink of sangrita or limeade. We’ll use non-fiction books to find out about the
importance of music in Mexican culture and have a go at folk dancing. Using our literacy skills, we’ll write about festivals and create an invitation to a Mexican food tasting session. In preparation, we’ll make delicious drinks and savoury dishes. We’ll learn about the ‘Day of the Dead’ and create 3-D skulls. With the Chihuahuan Desert as our imagined location, we’ll write postcards and clear instructions for a game. We’ll read Maya myths and legends, and write our own. Using maps, we’ll locate Mexico and explore its natural features. We’ll discover what daily life is like and how it has changed over time.   

To launch our new topic, David from Ola Samba came into school to teach us how to play a variety of drums and percussion instruments. We spent time learning how to play each instrument and the different rhythms to put it all together with movements and performed it in front of the school.

We have been learning about how the ancient Maya made chocolate or ka'kau' and then we tasted a chocolate drink flavoured with chilli and cinnamon - just as the ancient Maya would have drank it!

We then designed, created and evaluated our own ancient Maya inspired drink for the gods!

We have discovered that our Year 6 children are budding Masterchefs! They researched and created their own salsa recipes and then chopped, peeled and diced their ingredients to produce delicious salsas. Have a look at the pictures below . . .

Aguas frescas is a fruit drink popular in Mexico. It is made from crushed fruit mixed with water and mint leaves. Each region of Mexico has its own recipe and now Year 6 have created their own versions too!

Our finale to our Hola Mexico ILP was our Mexican Festival! This was an opportunity for our Year 6 children to apply all of the skills and knowledge that have developed over this half term. The children invited their parents into school for the afternoon. The parents tasted and judged the salsa and Aguas Frescas the children had made. The children also planned and delivered a short learning activity for their parents based on an element of learning this half term. This meant that the parents left knowing something they did not know before!