A Crazy Term at Pennthorpe - by Archie
Lockdown and the return to school have been really strange for all the pupils and staff at Pennthorpe. This term we have all been happy to see children and teachers smiling and back at school. As you may know, bubbles were introduced when we first came back to school after a long lockdown because of the pandemic. Everyone has stayed calm despite this and got on really well with lessons. Seeing all the pupils play at breaktime has been wonderful; it has been great to socialise again with friends. In Year 8, prefects and seniors have been announced, which has been exciting.
On behalf of all of the pupils I would like to thank the cleaning staff for making sure everything is clean for all of us, the kitchen staff for always preparing lovely food for the pupils and staff. I also want to thank matron for making sure everyone is fit and healthy this term, and all of the teachers for making sure we are learning and staying happy and positive even in these difficult times.
Archie, Head Boy
House Point totals for the Autumn Term are as follows:
House Shield Competition
Pupils have taken part in a range of House Competitions and challenges this term. These have included: House Football, House Hockey, House Christmas Decoration Competition, House Super Hero Quiz and Design your own super hero to name but a few. The contribution to these competitions has been fantastic! The results from these competitions and the total for pluses have all been added together and we are pleased to announce that this term the House Shield goes to…
Pallinghurst and Gaskyns!
Well done.
Christmas Karaoke
Christmas lunch
Lunch was sooooo delicious that Mrs Vorster and Miss Goddard had to have a cheeky snooze after with the Year 1 class!
Honey Pot puppets
The children made wooden spoon snowmen puppets! The children painted the spoons with glittery white paint, before decorating them with googly eyes, a scarf, buttons, and a bobble hat. They also decorated a flower pot to plant a spring bulb in, so that they could watch it grow over the holidays.
Honey Pot is filled with Christmas cheer!
The Honey Pot children were very excited to visit Father Christmas in his Grotto! He came all the way from the North Pole to bring the children their presents. It was so much fun!
Honey Pot get baking
The children made chocolate rice crispie cakes and decorated them to look like Christmas puddings. They were very sticky and everyone just had to lick their fingers!
Busy in Beehive making Christmas crafts
Year 1 wrote two letters to Father Christmas
In the first letter, the children told Father Christmas something they are really good at and in the second letter the children made three wishes. One for themselves, one for someone they know and one for the world. The children really loved posting the letters, and hope to get a reply before Christmas.
More Christmas crafting and baking...
The Year 1 children used their Mathematical skills to measure the ingredients to bake some Christmas biscuits. The children decorated their biscuits and enjoyed them as a delicious snack.
The children had fun with many craft activities. They made a Reindeer, Santa, Christmas Wreath, Snow bauble and snowman.
Mischievous elves!
The Year 1 Elves were up to some more mischief this week. Snozzle wanted the children to do an experiment........ but Elfie and Belfie ate up all the Skittles. Luckily, Snozzle tied up Elfie and Belfie the next day so they couldn't eat the Skittles enabling the children to finally carry out their experiment.
Ernie then decided to run himself a relaxing bath and seems to have changed his ways. He invited his artist friend, Bernie, to draw the most amazing pictures of the Squirrels.
Elfie and Belfie messed up our calendar! So Snozzle captured them whilst playing a game so they couldn't get up to any more mischief.
Year 2 create Christmas decorations
Festive maths
The Year 2 children used their learning from the term to create their very own maths games! Some children created addition games, others created multiplication games.... we even had a Christmas themed shop with lots of different priced items!
'Lights, Camel Action 2! The Sequin - The Pre-Prep Christmas show'
We're delighted to be sharing the recording of our Pre-Prep Christmas Production, 'Lights, Camel, Action 2! The Sequin'. We had such a lot of fun putting this together, and I'm sure you'll agree the children are sensational!
Merry Christmas from Art and Design Technology
Here are a collection of some of the wonderful Christmas Card designs made back in September from pupils in Year 3 up to Year 8.
Ice Skating at school!
Our Prep school children skated away the afternoon; a wonderful wintry activity to help the children to feel the festive spirit.
More decorations!
Children in Years 3 & 4 produced some excellent designs of hanging baubles, bouncy snowmen, paper-chain Santa, Snowman and Christmas Trees, tin foil candy canes and hand-print angels.
Christmas Corridor Parties!
The children loved balloon modelling, Christmas make and do, a Let's Dance-off, festive party games including 'pass the robin', and a variety of table top board games and puzzles. All topped off with a special visit from Santa!
Pennthorpe was a winter wonderland!
Naughty Elves sent to jail!
The Year 3 elf decided to go fishing! The Year 4 elf's behaviour during the week was so bad (stealing pen licences and mint sweets from Mrs Evans, taping Santa to the whiteboard, defacing a picture of Mrs Beaven and altering the clock to only show break-time!
There was no option but to put both Elves into Elf jail for the day!
Christmas Doormat Competition
Congratulations to Rose O'Kelly in Year 6!
A big thank you to all of the entrants from Years 4-7 for the Christmas Doormat Competition, in collaboration with Berkeley Homes. The designs were carefully made and well considered ideas. The winning design will be displayed at the Sales Office at Leighwood Fields in Cranleigh, as well as at Pennthorpe and in the winners home!
Take a look at some of the other designs that were entered. It was such a tricky decision!
Year 5 make 3D shapes
Did you know an ICOSAHEDRON is a 20 sided shape?!!
Wild Woodland afternoon for Year 5!
The famous Thermite reaction
Year 5 enjoyed watching the famous Thermite reaction in which iron oxide and aluminium react to produce molten iron at a temperature of 2500*C. This reaction is used to join rail tracks together.
The award of Sports Colours
When pupils successfully demonstrate all the elements of our Sports Colours criteria in both PE and games lessons, they are awarded their colours. The criteria are focused around the Pennthorpe Core Values, but pupils must also demonstrate a high level of performance across the curriculum.
Year 6 - Poppy M, Eleanor C, Saskia D, Deon B, Freddie C, Sammy B, Toby K
Year 7 - Iris VR, Amelia M, Harriet C, Flynn M, Jem D, William W
Year 8 - Flo G, Adam C
Senior Sports Colours are only awarded to pupils in Year 8. These pupils have not only demonstrated all the core values and high performance associated with their basic colours, but have also demonstrated strong leadership qualities alongside a strong passion for independent learning. These pupils have also been excellent role models in sport on and off the field.
Lottie C, Finlay O, Emma S, Charlie C, Bella B, Rory M, Phoebe B, Amelie M
Congratulations!
Miss Annan goes Christmas Crazy!
Christmas Slime
Year 6 investigated a polymerisation reaction by making ‘Christmas Slime’ in their science lesson. Unfortunately what we thought was lime slime turned out to be snot!
More Elf madness in Year 7!
All children in Year 7 managed to gain enough pluses to qualify for the Leader Ladder treat this term. They took time off from their lessons in order to prepare, cook and eat their own pizzas.
Then they went to the Skylab to enjoy toasting marshmallows over a Bunsen flame, followed by either a fun session in the woods or in the ICT suite! Very enjoyable.
Think Tank design a school
In Think Tank this half term, our Year 7 & 8 pupils worked in teams to design a school. Each group had a budget to work within and had to consider the facilities, profile and ethos of their school. Their presentations to the panel were polished, professional and incredibly forward thinking. We had a wide range of schools and school mottos that were impressively inventive. These included: Horizon Academy – ‘The sky is not the limit’, Oakmore - ‘Green Learning’, Charter College – ‘It is the moments you think will break you that are the moments that will make you’, and Fogwats School – ‘Success does not come by magic’.
The Think Tank Champion Team created a school called St. Trees, ‘School for the Great’, that was eco-friendly, focused on personalised learning, had no gender specific uniforms and put wellbeing and happiness at the centre of its offering. Well done to all the teams who presented; the panel were very impressed!
Ingeniously the teams came up with a lego site plan, well thought out and extensive facilities, detailed and exhaustive budgets, and lots of eco credentials.
The judges were really impressed with the amount of effort that had gone into this site tour!
Year 8 investigated sound waves by using a slinky to demonstrate amplitude and pitch
They also modelled both transverse waves (the waves of the sea) and longitudinal waves (sound waves).
They the children went into the Sports Hall to measure the speed of sound by timing how long it took for an echo to be heard over a measured distance. Phoebe managed to calculate to within 5 m/s of the actual speed of sound!
...and finally Year 8 tried to demonstrate the difference in speed between light and sound by popping a balloon filled with chalk dust. The idea being that the you would see the dust before hearing the bang.
Year 8 Print Project
What is there not to love about the Year 8 children's Print Project outcomes? The children have spent each Monday's last lesson this half term designing, cutting and printing in two colours.
Year 8 having fun learning Spanish
Tengo un perro - I have a dog
Tengo un gato - I have a cat
Tengo un ratón - I have a mouse
Tengo un conejo - I have a rabbit
Charlie thinks rabbits have huge ears!!!!
Make big 3D snowflakes with this tutorial!
All you need is:
- 6 pieces of paper
- scissors
- tape
- stapler & staples
Celebrating success!
On Tuesday we recognised the great work and superb effort by the children this term, in a Celebration Chapel. The awards presented were as follows:
Year 8 Prefects: Flo G, Emma S and Charlie B
Year 8 Seniors: Rory M, George S and Charlie C
Manners Monitors (for always displaying superb manners around the school):
Y6: Toby K and Knox A
Y7: Amelia M and Sam C
Y8: Lottie C and George S
Bronze Badges (for reaching 100 house points): Gracie B, Scott C, Freddie C, Sam C, Oscar C, Jem D, Callum E, Oscar K, Amelia M, Flynn M, Finn P and Iris V -R
Times table awards:
Silver: Freddie F and Poppy M
Platinum: Scott C and Vincent J
Berkeley Homes Design a doormat winner: Rose O'Kelly
IT Computational Competition Certificates
All of Year 6, 7 and 8 participated in this competition and have received their certificates. The following children scored in the top 10% nationally and have been invited into Round 2 of the competition. Congratulations to: Vincent J, Knox A, Freddie C, Scott C, Gracie B, Jem D, Oscar C, Tom M, Adam C and Franci B.
How many Goblins does it take to dismantle the bodywork? Answer: All of them, in 5 minutes!
This was the scene last week as goblin car No.2 was set upon by the team. They are preparing the framework for the new reused woven bag panels. If you would like to donate some flimsy supermarket bags - they will be gratefully received. We have a long way to go to reach our 300 bag target and then there’s the preparation and weaving of the lengths. Sometimes being ‘green’ takes a real effort but as David Attenborough has said: “It’s absurd to suggest we can do totally without plastic but there are so many areas where we use plastic without a thought.”
Gobliners are thinking deeply about these issues and they want to make an environmental difference in 2021 (oh, and win a few racing trophies too!). Happy Christmas everyone, from all the team.
More partying
Years 7 and 8 combined for a fantastic Christmas Party in the Sports Hall. They played pass the sprout, the After Eight game, Hungry Hippos and then enjoyed a Christmas dance off competition combined with a photo booth and party bags. Then the two year groups opened their Secret Santa gifts!
More Ice Skating!
Senior Art Colours
Senior Art Colours were presented to Emma, Phoebe and Zac in Year 8 this week in recognition of their talent and their consistent commitment to developing their skills and ideas since joining the school. Their work adorns the main school corridor walls as well as acting as a focus of inspiration for other pupils.
Move over Elon Musk, Charlie's on a mission!
I’m sure you’ll agree that he’s reached creative heights with his rocket themed clock. Right from the outset Charlie had a very clear view of the target, thoroughly planning the making journey. As he progressed it was all systems go as he worked tirelessly and independently to complete this timepiece. Well done and thank you Charlie, it’s always a pleasure to see pupils so pleased with their DT achievements. - Mr Smith
More Parties!
Christmas Carol Service for 2020
We're delighted to share our virtual Christmas Carol Service for 2020. Although it is not quite the same as the magic of Carols at Christ's Hospital, we're sure you will enjoy the service from the comfort of your home with your family.
Sit back, with perhaps a hot chocolate or a mulled wine, and enjoy the show.
Pennthorpe pupils help to make Christmas magical for those in need
We were delighted with the generosity of our pupils who donated their own toys to support less fortunate families over Christmas.
Enjoy a Peter Rabbit story
Hear the story of Peter Rabbit and his friends as they go on a winter adventure, from the new book 'Peter Rabbit: Christmas is Coming'. Snuggle down in your cosy den and be taken on a magical journey with this storytelling video straight from the home of Beatrix Potter, Hill Top.
Download the third Peter Rabbit activity pack here.
The Big Green Draw: A Climate of Change 2020
In 2020 The Big Green Draw Festival #ClimateOfChange focuses on the relationship between people and our living environments and ecosystems; highlighting how we live today and the ways in which we do and do not harmonise with nature. The Big Green Draw is eager to help showcase mindsets and actions that proactively support positive symbiosis between people and the Earth. So this is a great year to bring your community together, draw, explore, get out and about, kick start a new creative you and be part of The World's Biggest community of drawing enthusiasts! Click here.
Discover where the real and wizarding worlds intertwine, and how the wonders of the natural world have inspired myths, legends and magical creatures for generations
Embark on a journey where not all is as it seems, where magical beasts and fantastic animals share abilities and behaviours that allow them to dazzle, attract and escape.
Celebrate real-world scientists who, like the character Newt Scamander™, help us to understand our planet's extraordinary creatures so we can protect them for the future. Follow the story on social media #NHMFantasticBeasts. Click here.
Dive into Greece’s first underwater museum
A national marine park protects wildlife and now offers tours of “the Parthenon of shipwrecks” off the island of Alonissos.
In 1985 a local fisherman, Dimitris Mavrikis, found the wreck off the west coast of Peristera. Seven years later, underwater excavations led by archaeologist Elpida Hatzidaki uncovered more detail. The ship was one of the biggest merchant vessels of the classical period (5th - 4th centuries B.C.) and carried an impressive cargo: 4,000 wine amphorae (large two-handled jars) originating from the ancient Greek cities of Mende and Peparethus, plus black-glazed bowls, cups, plates, and tableware - essential items for the lavish banquets, or symposia, of the time. Click here.
A gömböc
A ‘gömböc’ is a 3-d shape that will always end up settling in the same position regardless of how it was originally placed. The mathematics of these shapes has helped explain why tortoises can roll back over onto their legs when they’re placed with their shell to the ground.
What you can do to help the planet: an illustrated guide from the Natural History Museum
The natural world is in crisis. As our demand for food, materials and energy soars, forests are becoming farmland, plastic is filling our oceans and the climate is heating fast.
The future of humanity depends on the natural world. But we are facing a planetary emergency. We're losing green spaces, animals and plants to deforestation, exploitation, urbanisation and global warming.
But hope isn't lost. If we act together, we can make a positive difference. Click here to find out how to do your bit to protect nature.
How do you get a giraffe onto a boat?
Giraffes are being rescued using a specially constructed raft, after the peninsula in Kenya where they live was cut off by flooding, forming a new island.
The animals are rare Rothchild's giraffes which used to be common in the Western Rift Valley. But now there's estimated to be only 2,000 left on the African continent, and only about 800 in Kenya.
The rescue operation is being conducted by the Kenyan Wildlife Service with the charity Save Giraffes Now. Click here.
The Christie’s Books & Manuscripts department presents Quentin Blake
200 Drawings, the latest collection of works offered directly from the artist’s studio, sold to benefit House of Illustration, the UK’s only gallery and education space dedicated to illustration and graphics. Proceeds from the sale will support the charity’s ongoing projects, which include the redevelopment of New River Head in London into the renamed Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration set to open in 2022. Click here.
Word Perfect by Susie Dent
Jam-packed with the colourful histories of English words and phrases, this sprightly almanac from Countdown star and lexicographer Susan Dent offers linguistic entertainment for each day of the year.
‘Word Perfect’ at half the RRP at Waterstones from December 1st – 15th. (Use the code: LEXICON)
Charting our Solar System Workshop
Our solar system is filled with all sorts of weird and wonderful things - planets, moons, asteroids, a star! You may even know many of their names! But, do you know where they all are?
Join the Royal Observatory for a live online make-and-do activity where they'll be drawing a model of the solar system - to scale! Led by a Royal Observatory astronomer, you'll find out about the many objects in our solar system and learn about the vast distances between objects in space. You may be surprised just how empty, or not, the solar system can be. Plus get the chance to ask all your questions about space and astronomy. Click here.
Draw with Ed Vere ... Grumpy Frog
Born in 1973, award-winning author and illustrator Ed Vere published his first book for children, The Getaway, in 2007 followed by the popular 'Banana!'; a story told only with lively images and use of the one word – banana.
Vere cites Picasso as an influence and his bold, block-colour illustrations have simplicity, directness and humour that appeal to adults and children alike. He describes wanting to emulate a childlike inspiration for drawing and communicating freely and intuitively: ‘Adults learn to compromise, to worry about what others think and rein themselves in. Children just put it out there. They’re less concerned with being polite, so their drawings contain, honestly, what they feel.’
In the film he teaches us how to draw Grumpy Frog, so grab some paper and pencils and have a go! You can find lots more fun stuff here.
Northern Lights
You may or may not already be familiar with the story of Lyra Belacqua and the similar-yet-different world she lives in - an alternative Oxford where a totalitarian Church is in charge, and where a mysterious organisation is kidnapping children in order to conduct worrying experiments.
This lavishly illustrated, large format edition of Pullman's modern classic is thrillingly beautiful and a wonderful gift or addition to anyone's bookshelf, whether to read for the first time or return to as a die-hard fan. Click here.
Let's get more #TreesUp
All you need to do is decorate your Christmas tree, no matter the size, shape or style. Then take a photo of your masterpiece to share on social media with #TreesUp, donate £5 to plant a tree and tag five of your friends and family to do the same. Your contribution will help take us one step closer to our goal of planting 20 million trees in the next 10 years. Click here.
The Wizarding World is full of ancient wizarding dynasties
Test your knowledge of them in a Wizarding World crossword.
The World Made a Rainbow
Bestselling author Michelle Robinson was desperate to find a way to help small children navigate their way through the complex emotions caused by the 2020 lockdown. She has written a story that matters now, but will last for ever. With charming illustrations from new talent Emily Hamilton, The World Made a Rainbow will reassure, uplift and is the perfect reminder of fun, hope and togetherness. Click here.
Let's paint a big rainbow to put on display. When people pass by it and see it, they'll say ... 'All rainstorms must end, and this rainstorm will too.' And they'll feel a bit happier, all thanks to you.
Things we say today, which we owe to Shakespeare
Zebra hugs
Zebra are incredibly social animals. Grooming is just one way they solidify bonds with one another. The spot at the top of their withers (the ridge between their shoulder blades) is a particularly satisfying spot for them.
We'd love to hear your news at news@pennthorpe.com
Join Wakehurst for their enchanting winter lantern trail. As darkness falls, the gardens are brought to life with glowing lanterns, mesmerising projections, immersive soundscapes and glistening torches of fire. Click here to book tickets.
We would like to wish you all a fantastic Christmas and Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you next term.