Student Council organised a film evening for Seniors last Friday. Students stayed after school and enjoyed a movie with their friends on the big projectors in two classrooms.
They were served hot dogs, cans of pop and fresh popcorn and enjoyed relaxing together. They were all enthralled by the adventures of Swallows and Amazons and by the peculiar goings on in Miss Peregrine’s home.
Entry to the films was free but the food included a donation to charity. A good start to the weekend!
Year 7 have spent this half term working on sports acro in gymnastics. They began working together in pairs performing counter balance and counter tension actions. The groups then grew larger and the pupils worked in trios, quartets and quintets.
Year 7 learned about the importance of body tension and control and what can happen if there is a weakness in the structure.
The scheme of work was finished off with the pupils linking their balances with travelling actions and choreographing a routine. The groups performed well in front of their peers and all offered constructive feedback on how to improve and develop the routines.
This half term our Reception class have embarked upon a block of lunch time tennis coaching sessions
These classes are coached by Mark Schofield who is excellently supported by Mrs Pugh.
Over the last two weeks the pupils have had great fun learning how to control the ball and have developed their forehand shots.
Human skittles is one of their favourite games. Next week they are starting to use their backhand.
Watch this space, who knows Oakhill may have a budding Andy Murray or Serena Williams!
What an exciting day we had when we baked bread in Year 2.
We have been learning all about The Great Fire of London and how the fire started in the baker’s shop on Pudding Lane.
Great fun was had kneading the dough and the classroom was a fog of flour!
The final results though were delicious and we all enjoyed buttering our plaited loaves
and smearing them with jam before devouring them.
Let’s hope we enjoy writing up the instructions as much!
Student Council in Seniors held a competition for students who love their pets. Students could enter a short video or picture of their pet for judging by the Council. Winners were awarded by Deputy Head Boy, Jacob, and Deputy Head Girl, Taylor, in assembly. There were special prizes for Mrs Turner and Charlotte. Ellie won third place with her working cocker spaniel; Juliet came second with her hamster and in first place was Alfie with his climbing chameleon.
Well done to all entrants and winners.
This week, Prep’s Spanish club children have been mixing art and culture with their love for the Spanish language. They have absolutely loved learning about the Carnival celebrations which take place, just before Lent, in Spanish towns and cities. They were particularly inspired by the masks which Spanish people often wear to their street celebrations and were very keen to create their own. Take a look at some of their unique designs. We are very impressed with their creations!
Sadly, Mrs Wilson’s mum passed away in December after a short battle with lung cancer. She was remarkably brave and benefitted from treatment that can only be achieved through research which costs lots of money. Mrs Wilson has signed up to the ‘Walk All Over Cancer’ challenge in her memory which involves walking 10,000 steps each day during the month of March, which equates to about 5.5 miles per day. If you would like to sponsor her there is a form on Year 2s classroom door or alternatively you can use the link below and donate online.
https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/my-mum-eileen
Any donations would be very much appreciated.
On Tuesday 14th March, the senior girls football team went to Accrington Academy to take part in the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley football tournament.
The girls were up against tough opposition in the group. They drew the first game against St Christophers, won against Accrington Academy but sadly got beaten in their final two games against Ribblesdale and Mount Carmel who went on to qualify for the final. The Oakhill girls performed extremely well in their first outing as a team and were unfortunate not to qualify.
Year 1 had a merry old time on the 17th March for St Patrick’s Day. We learnt all about the story of St Patrick and how he used the shamrock to teach the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We listened to Irish music and had a little jig then we finished it all off by decorating leprechaun masks to dress up in.
Despite the usual Lancastrian rain, Year 7 bravely raised their standard and took the school bus to Lancaster Castle last Friday. On arrival they were met by the knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide, Graham, who seemed to know every nook and cranny, from the original Norman keep (one of only 5 from the early Norman period in England) to the date of the last public execution.
He kept Year 7 on their toes, testing their knowledge and locking them up in the original dungeon to see if they could withstand the pitch black conditions. In one of the court rooms, he led them through a trial, where Emilie-Anne was the defendant and faced a jury of 5 in front of Judge Sophia. He also told them the sad tale of the most famous case at Lancaster, the trial of the Pendle “witches”.
After enjoying Graham’s company, the Cafe staff generously let us eat lunch in the Cafe, before we headed off to St. Peter’s Cathedral, where Mr Kelly gave Year 7 a tour of all they had been learning about in class.
We then returned to school for a quiz on the day and the scores were high. Well done, Year 7 on a fantastic trip.
The Year 10s, who have recently visited Heysham Power Station, delivered a presentation about their trip to Year 5. Year 5 are learning about sources of energy in their Geography lessons and were fascinated to hear first hand what it was actually like inside a nuclear power station.
The Year 10 pupils gave a great insight with up-to-date information and even entertained the children with a clip from The Simpsons showing what could go wrong if staff in the power station were not fully trained. Thank you Year 10 for a very interesting and informative presentation.
Yesterday, Years 3 to 6 had a coaching session with Jamie from Paris Saint Germain. The lesson started with laps around the football field.
Coach Jamie explained about teamwork and then a speed, agility and quickness test proceeded. This involved jumping, throwing and catching and sprinting, in this task there had to be a lot of vision, timing and communication.
Next, a game which involved control, motion and vision, and pivoting to protect the ball from the defenders. Improving skills were exhibited. Finally, a passing and turning drill.
Good, fantastic and sporty were the words which were mostly used to describe the afternoon. They found that focus and control was the ticket to the match. It was an enjoyable afternoon. Thank you Jamie.
Report by Thomas and photos by Eve and Jessica
An elite team of Senior School mathematicians, Alexander, Alex and Sam from Year 8 and Harry from Year 9, headed to Manchester Grammar School on Monday 13th March to take part in the UKMT Team Maths Challenge.
The event involved 28 schools from the region, each entering a team of four pupils to compete in a variety of maths based activities. The day consisted of 4 challenges which required our team to work together to solve a variety of interesting problems. The highlight was the final team relay race, which involved solving more problems against the clock and sprinting around to collect further challenges.
Well done to our team for their enthusiastic and determined approach and for working together so well.
Last week Jamimah in Year Three gave a presentation to her class all about her Muslim faith.
Her talk included a song on the whiteboard, a question and answer session, examples of the clothes she wears for mosque and special celebrations and food for the class to sample and take home.
Jamimah’s presentation lasted about forty minutes and the class were very attentive and interested throughout this time.
Many thanks to Jamimah and her family for all their efforts and Year Three now have a much better understanding of the Muslim faith.
Today Paris Saint Germain soccer school came and took over senior games afternoon. Coach Jamie from the academy led the pupils through a variety of warm ups, passing drills and conditioned games. The main focus reflecting the football team was team work and foot eye coordination.
The pupils took part in SAQ drills where they needed to have heads up focusing in front at all times whilst their feet negotiated a series of obstacles.
Timing of the pass was also enforced as one of the main skills within a game. The sessions finished off with one of the academy tests that is used around the world by PSG.
It was great to have a new face and approach in games lessons. For any pupils who are wanting to develop their skills further, Oakhill is the base for PSG football academy over the Easter holidays. Pupils can respond to the flyers which will be sent home over the next couple of days or for more details call in at Oakhill Leisure reception.
As part of International Women’s Day four of our girls visited the very impressive Manchester Central Library to meet women that have followed a career in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). They interviewed women in a variety of fields including astrophysics and archaeology to discover how any why they chose their particular paths.
It was a very interesting experience for the girls some of whom are choosing their GCSE options over the next few weeks. It is one of the most difficult decisions a pupil will have to make at secondary school and at Oakhill we make every attempt to provide pupils with as much help and information as possible to assist them in making the right choices. It was a pleasure to accompany you in the visit girls.
Years 3 to 6 were treated to a very informative Water Workshop last week
They learnt about the water cycle, the impact of pollution and the wide variety of ways that we use water.
Consideration was given to the global perspective as they learnt about how difficult the lives of people in other countries is when they don’t have such easy access to water as we do.
The children’s eyes were certainly opened as they calculated how much water they each use on a daily basis.
They finished the session by making their own individual promises to save water.
Year Ten pupils enjoyed four fantastic days in Rome for the annual cultural visit. It was a very early start last Thursday morning with the flight from Leeds to Rome Fuimicino airport, but we were lucky to arrive in the city with a sunny afternoon to go out and explore. Year 10 proceeded to walk their socks off and navigated Rome like Marco Polo setting out into the busy streets, our first stop was the impressive Trevi fountain, and then on to the Pantheon with its breathtaking dome and monuments.
We then headed to the busy Piazza Navona with many shops and street artists. On our way back to our hostel we stopped to admire the Giesu church and the Victor Emmanuel II monument, also known as ‘the wedding cake’. In the evening we settled into our hostel and enjoyed pizza together.
On Friday we were blessed with another sunny day as we headed out on foot again. We visited the Basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore, and San Giovanni in Laterano, and the Scala Sancta (Sacred steps). We then headed to the San Clemente church under which lies thousands of years of Roman architecture, descending down to the excavations of a Mithraic temple and ancient city streets and dwellings.
After lunch we visited the Colosseum which was a highlight for many pupils as they witnessed the vast arena which entertained Roman citizens. From there we went on to explore the splendour of the Roman Forum, and its collection of ruins, each with its own story to tell. Mrs. Pugh and Mr. Jepson provided a running commentary of the places we visited and explained their significance. To round off our day we returned to the ‘wedding cake’, this time to ascend to its rooftop for fantastic views across the city.
On Saturday we took the metro to cross the river Tiber, and went to take a look at St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican City. We then walked on to visit the Castel de Sant’Angelo, a huge castle which was originally built as a mausoleum to the Emperor Hadrian, and later used as a Papal Palace. We climbed up high on to the castle walls and enjoyed a drink overlooking the city before exploring the rooms beneath.
After lunch we walked through the Piazza del Poppolo and along through gardens to descend the famous Spanish Steps into the Piazza di Spagna where pupils enjoyed exploring the many designer shops. Our final visit of the day was the most unusual as we visited the Capuchin Crypts which feature displays made from the bones of 3700 deceased friars! We enjoyed more pizza and pasta together in the evening.
On our final day we headed to the palace and Roman Baths of the Emporor Diocletian before taking the Metro again to visit the Circus Maximus, the vast arena used for chariot racing. Here we enjoyed our own pupil chariot race, with some enjoying a sprint around the arena. We then said arrivederci to Roma and took our return flight back to Leeds.
Year 10 were changed as a group and as individuals. The experience of venturing to the centre of the Ancient world as a class brought out the best in each one of them. They were supportive and positive and they embraced the opportunities of each day. Well done Year 10- you were brilliant. Thanks of course to the staff team for giving up their time and providing the opportunity. Carpe diem.
Spanish club pupils from Years 3 to 6 have been working very hard on a performance of the Spanish story, La Gallinita Roja. This traditional tale tells the story of a little red hen who asks the other farm animals for help to make some bread. When she finds them unwilling, she decides to teach them a lesson by eating the final product all by herself. This piece called for a great deal of effort to perfect the pronunciation of some tricky language but the children have worked together to produce an impressive rendition. Well done everyone!
Last week, we celebrated World Book Day in Seniors with a quote quest quiz. Students took part during their break times and lunchtime, and some got very competitive!
The winning team were five students in Year 7: Ben, Emilie-Ann, Sophia, Leigha and Scarlett.
Our most determined entrant was book-lover, Mrs Hipwell, who won the staff competition. Well done to everybody who took part!
The snow had fallen on the slopes of Madesimo prior to Oakhill’s annual ski trip.
Twenty four pupils took to the tree lined pistes to learn and develop their skiing technique and take in stunning views of Madesimo and Motta.
Our day began at 7:30 with breakfast. Ski lessons took place in the morning, following a warm up ski from the hotel to ski school.
During the afternoon the pupils practised their skills and bathed in sunshine,
discovering the pistes and cafes sprinkled amongst the slopes of Madesimo, reflecting on the day and what was to come later!
Evening activities were packed with fun and laughter. A games night brought out the competitive streak in our pupils as balloons were hastily passed between legs and arms.
A walk into the village for pizza, a spot of shopping and hot chocolate, all resulted in a good night’s sleep ready for the next day.
It was such a rewarding and enjoyable trip; pupils from Year 5 to Year 11 encouraging each other on the slopes, laughing together and collectively building a fine igloo – Oakhill family values at their finest.
It was so good, we are going to do it all again next year. See you in Madesimo 2018.
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) lessons continue to grow stronger here at Oakhill. Currently there are 51 students from Pre-School all the way through to Secondary School who take lessons with our teacher, Claire Haymes.
The LAMDA lessons are a great extra curricular lesson for our pupils as they help with reading and literacy skills, confidence, communication skills, diction and of course performance skills. The examinations with LAMDA also enable our students to gain extra UCAS points if they wish to attend University in the future.
Pupils recently took exams with LAMDA and the results, as always were outstanding and a testament to all the pupils’ hard work. Students are now working towards taking an examination with LAMDA in June.
The results are as follows:
Ben Thompson Grade 1 Verse and Prose 86 Distinction
Katie Hennigan Intro Stage 1 80 Distinction
Ava Whowell Grade 2 Verse and Prose 70 Merit
Ruby Kelly Grade 1 Verse and Prose 83 Distinction
Zara Pycock Entry Verse and Prose 81 Distinction
Elysia Blackburn Intro Stage 1 84 Distinction
Emilie-Anne Hudson Grade 1 Verse and Prose 85 Distinction
Well done everybody!
Colour was everywhere as pupils dressed in dazzling costumes for World Book Day.
There were Gangsta Grannies nicking treasure and troupes of Wallies striding round.
We definitely celebrated World Book Day in style.
For a special treat, local author Dale Neal, came to visit.
He told the children all about being an author. The children were fascinated, even more so when Dale read one of his poems ( My Grandad Bert is an Alien ).
Year Three had a great time on World Book Day. Queen Victoria graced us with her presence whilst Mr Bump kept bumping into things! Boggis, from Fantastic Mr Fox had clearly eaten to much chicken but Cinderella’s glass slippers fitted perfectly…phew!
What a very memorable day everybody had.
