Archives for 2020

It has been very fishy up here on Piam Brown this term, and that was before those naughty elves started causing havoc on the ward (so far they have already been found face down on the photocopier and suspended on a drip stand, hiding inside the saline bags!)

This term we have been following our new Journeys curriculum, with a focus on all things related to the sea. Our KS2 pupils have been marvelling at the exploits of Shackleton and his crew whilst our younger children have been studying, amongst other sea inspired stories, the Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfizer. There has been lots of cutting and pasting to create our own beautiful rainbow fish. We have also counted sea creatures, fished for Phonics, sang along to the animated version of the story and used the playdough to make our own sea creatures.

Meanwhile, the KS3 and 4 students have been successfully using the resources and facilities of our classroom along with new technologies to link with their home schools. This new 2020 world of blended learning has helped to ensure that any adverse impact of their ongoing treatments on their education, has been greatly reduced.

Rewind. March 18th 2020: lockdown imminent, schools and libraries forced to close their doors, self-isolation, support bubbles and social distancing fast becoming the new normal. With Covid-19 set to disrupt the education of thousands of pupils of all ages, GCSE exams and career aspirations too are hanging in the balance. The race for effective and engaging new ways of teaching and learning is on.

In practical terms, this meant the potential of new technology not only needed to be harnessed but mastered quickly by teachers and students alike. Once vetted for its suitability, a plethora of internet-based learning platforms and video resources provided a wealth of opportunities. There were challenges to overcome too e.g. regarding the use of equipment, managing Zoom calls, screen-sharing or working collaboratively in Google Classroom – all of which felt quite exciting yet somewhat daunting at times. And clearly, what helped ensure lessons could be delivered successfully was the gritty determination of our students themselves and of their parents.

Well done everyone!

This term, pupils in Bursledon House have been treated to a weekly drumming master-class with our very own Mr Tait. This might be the only lesson where pupils are encouraged to drum loudly on the tables!

This term the pupils in the Bursledon House secondary classroom have learnt all about waves. To demonstrate just how amazing the movement of a wave is they were treated to Mrs Kempsey’s homemade wave machine! The pupils were able to see not only how a wave travels but how changing the type of sound or colour of light would affect the movement of the wave. They are now experts in explaining wave motion in terms of frequency, wavelength and amplitude! Well done secondary pupils!

By Chloe.