Spectrum
ST JAMES PREPARATORY SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2018
Mrs Catherine Thomlinson Headmistress
In This Issue
by Stefan, Y6
04 News In Brief
24 Drama
06 Reception
26 Forest School
08 Year One
28 Philosophy
10 Year Two
30 Holidays
12 Year Three
32 Trips
14 Year Four
34 Friends
16 Year Five
36 Sport
18 Year Six
38 The Journey
20 Gallery
45 Writing
22 Music
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Welcome.
It has been yet another wonderful year at school and the children have achieved so much, in the classroom, on the playing fields and in their own personal development. This year’s Spectrum is brimming with creative energy and ideas, showcasing the many dynamic ways that we work not only to nurture the gifts that are already apparent, but also to encourage hidden potential. This has been such an exciting issue to put together for you. I hope you enjoy it.
news in brief
Much Ado About Shakespeare
In the Spring term we held our first Shakespeare Festival, an event dedicated to the work of William Shakespeare. The Festival commenced with an assembly introducing the children to the music from Tudor times, a workshop by the Festival patron and renowned actor, Sir Timothy West CBE, and two days of productions performed by the whole school. The performances ranged from a five minute performance by Y1 of the witches’ scene from Macbeth, to a 30 minute condensed production of Much Ado About Nothing by Y5. All performances were conducted in original text.
St James Nursery School Opening 2019 Our new nursery school opens next year. For details call 020 7348 1793
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Concert Pianist, Benjamin Grosvenor, Visits St James
Last year we had an extra special performance at our Monday Music Assembly, by Benjamin Grosvenor. Benjamin is a world renowned concert pianist who won Young Musician of the Year at the age of 11 in 2004. At that time he said that he wanted to be a concert pianist and today, aged 24, he has achieved his dream. It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication and he still practises for at least five hours a day!
04–05
Ready, Steady, Sudoku!
In the Summer term at school the children all took part in the first ever Sudoku Championship. We chose Sudoku firstly because it is fun and secondly because it is a great brain training activity to help improve logic, reasoning and focus. The winner from each class was the child who accurately filled in all of the missing boxes in the quickest time. There was also a class prize for a pupil who showed the most enthusiasm, patience and perseverance. Well done to all of the children who put in extra work.
Primary Maths Challenge
At the start of the year children from Ys 5&6 entered the Primary Maths Challenge. This is a nationwide competition with two rounds. The first round is in school, the second is by invitation only. Well done to all the children who entered, we were so impressed by the results: six children were awarded a Bronze certificate, ten children were awarded a Silver certificate and five children were awarded a Gold certificate.
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ISA Regional Swimming Championships
The team was ready and steady at the start of these championships. 14 schools took part and once the action started there was tremendous cheering and clapping during all 52 races. They were all so supportive of each other whether coming 1st or 5th. St James Swimming Team brought back 15 medals. Congratulations to all.
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Bright Little Bees
In the Summer term we held our first St James Spelling Bee. There were 16 class champions and runners up competing to be the joint Y3 & Y4 champion and a joint Y5 & Y6 champion. There was quite a buzz in the Assembly Hall as we all took our places. Following a quick recap of the rules (which are surprisingly strict) the contest began. The children impressed everyone with how well they had learnt the finalists’ list of spellings and how well they performed under pressure – it is very brave to stand on the spot and recite spellings in front of a very large audience! As we moved on to unprepared words, contestants were gradually eliminated and eventually, with a palpable sense of tension in the room, we suddenly found ourselves with two new champions!
ISA Athletics Championships
Three is the magic number for the Y6 girls who returned from the ISA Regional Athletics as Regional Team Champions for the third year running. Over 24 schools took part in the championships this year, and St James returned 21 gold medals in events ranging from long jump to sprints and relay. Well done all!
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reception
by Emmy, Reception
It has been an exciting year for the children, and they have all grown so much since they joined us in September. We are so impressed by the focus that they have put into their learning this year. They have approached the topics with enthusiasm and curiosity. Below is an overview of just a few of the things that we have looked at.
Bocketts Farm The Farm
We learnt about the animals that live on the farm and what is produced by the farm. We also had a lovely visit to Bocketts Farm where we had a tractor ride and saw lots of different animals.
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
During The Tiger Who Came To Tea Week we learnt facts about tigers. The children learnt where they live, what they eat and how big they are. by Josh, Reception
by Claudia, Reception
We visited the fire station, had a visit from the Parks Police and learnt about the different people who can help us, such as nurses, doctors, vets etc.
The World Around Us And Different Cultures
We had fun learning about the different climates and animals around the world. We also looked at the different backgrounds of our children and invited parents to talk about their culture.
Spring
Fire Station
We looked at the season changes (even though we had snow!) and the different growth of plants in Spring.
by Lara, Reception
by Helen, Reception
by Minty, Reception
by Emmy, Reception
Plants, Growth And Life cycle
We started the term by growing cress and at the end we made yummy cress sandwiches! We also had some class caterpillars and observed their growth through time and watched them turn into butterflies.
06–07
People Who Help Us
year 1 ‘ The person who made the Albert Memorial was Queen Victoria because she wanted everyone to remember Albert. She wanted everyone to remember Albert because she loved him. So she wanted everyone to love him too.’ by Lola, Y1
Albert Memorial
We learnt about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at school. The children were interested in finding out historical facts about the monument. Our tour guide while at the Memorial was delighted with the children’s interest and enthusiasm. There were plenty of questions and plenty of answers.
Forest School
“Fire feeds on pitch,” said one astute child when we were learning about C17th London and the Great Fire of 1666. The children were also introduced to the diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn and some, as you can see, were quite inspired!
‘Smelling loads ‘Listening to the birds’ of things’ What was the best thing about your time at Forest School this year?
‘Exploring the nature’ St Paul’s
‘Seeing all the lovely nature, I love nature’
St Paul’s Cathedral
Little did they realise that this visit was part of our History exploration of the C17th. The tour guides gave the children a unique perspective of the Cathedral’s dome and a rich experience of its splendour.
Waterperry Gardens
At Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire, we had a once in a lifetime chance to pick apples off a tree rather than off a supermarket shelf. We then followed the apples from the tree to the juicing shed and the freshness of the juice was extraordinary! These children had visited Waterperry Gardens in the Spring and our return visit in the Autumn allowed them to see first-hand the seasonal changes in the orchard – what we call ‘science in action’. by Connor, Y1
Buddy Letter by Damir Y1
Buddies
Thank you for looking after me. I really enjoyed playing and drawing pictures with you. Farewell and I wish you the best of luck. Damir by Gwen and Michael, Y1
08–09
Great Fire of 1666
year 2
by Kalyani, Y2
by Daria, Y2
History
From flying, to the Monarchy, we’ve really examined lots of history this year. Learning about Amy Johnson and her flying story was a particular favourite of ours; we’re still keen to find out more about her life despite beginning the year with this topic. Since then, we’ve learnt about Monks and Monasteries where we ventured to St Albans Abbey (we even got to speak to real monks) and the Monarchy of England, past and present. We loved our trip to Hampton Court Palace where we found out all about Henry VIII and how he reigned.
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Maths
by Ollie, Y2
Geography
Maths
In Maths we have worked hard to develop our understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, as well as learning to tell the time, reading fractions and developing our knowledge of 2D and 3D shapes. We are now becoming excellent mathematicians and are enjoying the challenge of problem solving using the skills we’ve learnt this year; we’ve also become Sudoku experts in preparation for our Sudoku competition!
Science
Geography has taken us across the world this year. We have spent time reading maps, studying rivers and taking an in depth look at the River Thames. It was wonderful to link our study of rivers to the Wind in the Willows story so that we could visit the Wind in the Willows exhibition at Henley River and Rowing Museum. We learnt all about the different animals from the story, where they live, what they eat and their behaviour. It was an amazing experience.
Science has been extremely exciting this year; we definitely started it with a bang when 14 eggs arrived at school for us to hatch into little chicks. Since then, we have learnt about materials and their properties, the life cycle of a seed and healthy eating. We’ve really enjoyed having the opportunity to be scientists this year by taking part in lots of different experiments too!
English English
What a fantastic year of learning we’ve had in English. We’ve used lots of different texts, pictures and videos to help us develop our writing. We are now able to describe using our senses, use speech in our stories and we can write a huge range of text types! We’re particularly proud of our Fantastic Mr Fox newspapers, but who wouldn’t be when we come up with funny, rhyming headlines like Annika’s ‘Farmers Fail But Shoot Off His Tail!’?
Needlework/Design Technology
What delightful creations Y2 have produced! These include hot air balloons, flying seagulls and beautiful needlework bincas. Everyone has thought really carefully about the design and intricate details of our work.
Science
Sanskrit
We’ve worked hard this year to learn new prayers in preparation for our Sanskrit Speech Competition.
by Karnan, Y2
year 3
by Maebel, Y3
Maths
Speedy, fast and accurate Y3 have certainly proven to be! Pupils have been practising the four operations, shape, measurement and applied mathematics this year (‘the four operations’ refers to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). They are enthusiastic to challenge themselves and have particularly enjoyed The Sudoku Championship and racing the clock in Friday’s multiplication lessons. by Kairav, Y3
English
English
We enjoy relating our English lessons to the topics we are studying in other areas of the curriculum. Iron Age High in the sky the sharp-eyed birds flew away. Bob suddenly snapped out of his daze and went back to hacking at the tree with his iron axe. It was midday and he could hear the dragging of wood, the falling of trees, the chirping of birds and the talking of men. Bob was one of the Iceni tribesmen and he thought that the Durotriges were acting weird. Then, THUD!!! His tree had fallen…
by Dhiaan, Y3
by Adrian, Y3
by Zakarya, Y3
12–13
by Sabrina, Y3
Science
Y3 thoroughly enjoyed learning about the human body, volcanoes and earthquakes, light and materials. They showed great enthusiasm when experimenting and discussing their findings.
Science
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Design And Technology And Needlework
History/Geography
The children have great curiosity when learning about the past and have been fascinated by the ancient Egyptians, the Norman invasion and the Celts. For each civilisation they ventured out to a historical site to give them further insight.
WOW! What stunning creations Y3 have produced. These include cranes, land yachts and purses. Each child has been thoughtful in their designs and precise in their making of these.
by Margherita, Y3
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by Mateus, Y3
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year 4
In Y4 the children developed their ability to express themselves creatively writing poems, play scripts, letters and stories using literary techniques like metaphor, simile and alliteration.
by Rohan, Y4
Farne Islands
Visiting Harry Potter and the History of Magic exhibition brought their class reading book to life. They investigated the world around them, planting seeds, and watched them germinate and grow in the vegetable garden. Special topics included electricity, solids liquids and gases and the astonishing world of atoms. The year culminated in a class holiday to Northumberland, where they visited Hadrian’s Wall, saw the tombs of St. Bede and St. Cuthbert in Durham Cathedral and boated to the Farne Islands, home to the magical puffin.
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Durham
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The Farne Islands
When we went to Durham, we went to the Farne Islands. It was an amazing experience! Well, before we actually got on a boat and went there, we went rockpooling. I was with Sophia, Elena and also Florence. We got four crabs, one hermit crab and a sea slug. We named the first one Ethelburger and the fourth one Candy. When we actually got on the boat, we went the scenic route. We spotted puffins because of their colourful beaks and kittiwakes because they looked like eagles only with black feet.
Thank You
Descriptive Writing
Dear Allegra,
The swirling waterfall spins down the mountain side like a swarm of bees, catches at trees and crashes into rocks. On the surface of a lake a boat rests, sits there and recovers from its long journey. Slow ripples of water rush up to the little bridge like a child, eager to see its parent. A little hedgehog scrambles up to its den, so fast you would have thought it was a race car. Cute bunnies hop around the grass sniffing at plants, eating carrots and slurping up water from the lake like straw. Baby deer struggle to their feet, try to stand up, but fall down with a bump like a story from a fairy book. Grass grows big and long like a hairpiece grows its life out too. Horses gallop through the trees like a herd of elephant stampedes, crashing hooves crush the grass and wind blows their lovely streaking hair back. Tweeting birds beat their wings violently whilst hunting for food. Stars shine brightly as the day ends, tomorrow is a new day like a seed into a flower.
Thank you so much for taking our Assembly on Monday. I really enjoyed it. We told our families all about Fairtrade, eating seasonably, eating less meat and eating together. I love that with Fair Trade we don’t let other people exploit each other. I’m looking forward to Fairtrade fortnight. Eating seasonably is a good choice because we shouldn’t eat foods that don’t grown in our season. Sometimes I wish all families could eat together, but that doesn’t always happen. I love making food for my family, my favourite meal to cook with my dad is miso salmon, which I love. by Luna, Y4
by Beatrice, Y4
When we carefully stepped off the boat onto the Farne Islands (well, one of them) I was amazed at how many birds (and bird poo) there were! We walked down the pavement and saw puffins, and Arctic terns pecked us! The baby birds were so cute! When we went to the edge of a cliff we saw loads of shags, kittywakes and more. At one point, I looked at a shag’s nest and in horror I thought that the mum was eating the head of the child. Then I realised it was practically the opposite, the mum was feeding the baby! by Amirah, Y4
Trip To The British Library: Harry Potter – A History Of Magic
I nearly missed the trip to the British Library, but I got there just in time. We set off to the British Library by coach and when we arrived I felt excited and ready.
by Camilla, Y4
by Grace, Y4
There was a lady showing us around. I had lots of fun and we did different activities. We made magical creatures, potions and charms and learnt how to tell the future, but my favourite was making magical creatures, where we had to draw a creature to help us on a journey. When we did potions to make with ingredients, I drew an immortal potion; for making charms, I made a love charm to stalk people; and for how to tell the future I drew a hand and I really enjoyed the whole thing. I had a wonderful time there, I thought the whole thing was lovely and I liked it. by Sriyan, Y4
year 5
Y5 is a busy time where we knuckle down to prepare for the 11+. However, you all know the saying ‘All work and no play...’ so here are some of the activities we have enjoyed over the year.
Geometry by Aminah, Y5
Wellness Week
In Wellness Week we learnt about all manner of things from how we spread germs, if we are not careful (using glitter), to ‘Global Well-Being’ and some basic economics behind inequalities of development. Several children have been particularly inspired by this global theme and caring for the planet. The awareness and knowledge of certain environmental issues has gone from strength to strength through discussions and sharing ideas – during lessons, following Newsround reports and, of course, during assemblies by Reya, Malaika and Vanessa.
By the Summer term, the children had become professionals at presentations and projects. The boys chose to come up with some very original display work on the theme of birds of prey, in preparation for Chartres, whilst in Geography, the girls gave very polished and informative presentations on countries of their choice. Congratulations to Isabella, Sofia and Honey for their winning presentation on South Africa – incredibly impressive! All the children were very dedicated to these projects and the results were excellent.
by Malaika, Y5
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Minstead
The Minstead weekend in the Autumn term gave the children a wonderful opportunity to learn further how to care for the environment (an issue many of them are very passionate about), but there was also an entertaining talent show around the camp fire and a competition to build the best den thrown in for good measure. They were quite a spectacle!
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Debates
Chartres, France
Question 1: What was this debate and how does it work?
On Monday the 18th June 2018, Y5 girls and boys set off on the long ten hour journey to Chartres, France. When we arrived, we unpacked rapidly and then went down for a sumptuous supper. Walking down to the sports field the cool breeze brightened our grinning faces. After a play, we went to out dorms for a good night’s sleep.
Answer: We chose a Great Man or Woman and researched their life. Then we performed our presentations to the class and explained why they should vote for this person because they had done something very important with their lives. Three people at a time spoke as if they were in a hot air balloon together but the problem is the balloon is sinking and only one can stay. So, by voting for the one we thought most important, they were saved and the other two were thrown out! We heard about different people every day until five finalists were left. We then voted for the winner of the contest. Question 2: Who did you choose to speak about and why? Answers: Jamie: I chose Winston Churchill because he made such important, lifechanging decisions in the Second World War. Zidane: I chose David Attenborough because he helps the world realise what we are doing to the planet. Samuel: I chose Frederick Banting because he discovered insulin and it saves lives. Emil: I spoke about Isaac Newton because he loves maths and I also love maths. Question 3: Who did you vote for and why? Answers: Connor: I voted for Alexander Fleming because his discovery of antibiotics has saved so many lives. I voted for Nelson Mandela because he was a man who stood up for human rights. Abdo: I voted for Tim Peake for his work on a cure for asthma as so many people have this.
The next morning, we woke to a heavenly smell wafting from the kitchen. Today was our trip to the majestic and stunning Chartres Cathedral. We had an interesting tour and lots of fun. All the statues, carvings, stained glass windows and shrines were absolutely astonishing. Tuesday was very good fun. Wednesday was a spectacular day in the sweet smelling Rambouillet forest. Although I missed my parents a lot my amazing friends and incredible teacher cheered me up and I had a wonderful time at the birds of prey show and on the treetop walk. We spotted lots of frogs,
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goslings and deer. Our picnic was delightful and so was our shopping we did after lunch. Wednesday was also the day we went to the awesome water park. This was by far my favourite day. Thursday was just as wonderful as we went back to Chartres Cathedral. This time not only did we look at the statues we drew them! We also had a thrilling tour on the roof of the Cathedral. We had a wonderful time making our stained glass windows. Everyone felt very satisfied after the souvenir shopping. Thursday was extremely pleasing. Friday came quicker than ever. We all heaved our luggage onto the coach and then went for breakfast. On the long journey back to England we played fun games and watched good films. When we finally got back we all felt very good. I loved Chartres and the activities. Hopefully I can go back and have that experience again. by Gina, Y5
English Our class reading book, Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo, was greatly enjoyed and extended into displays of wonderful artwork. For the boys, it led to the DT project of designing and building a boat. They named their boat and launched it with great ceremony whilst we all counted out loud to see how long it would stay afloat! They were a great success. The book also led to our trip early in the Spring term to the Michael Morpurgo exhibition at the Museum of Childhood. Here, the children had a feast of storytelling tips to inspire them. On that subject, we also had a visit from a professional storyteller and
the author Roy Palmer. They were enjoyed hugely by the children, but were also inspirational in terms of generating ideas for their own creative writing. Shakespeare Week was a large part of the Spring term and the children shared an excerpt from the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. They enjoyed the humour, the twists and turns, but finally the costumes came out!
by Kit, Y5
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Bushcraft
Bushcraft – Scenario SOS
I loved Bushcraft. It was really fun and action-packed. We did so many activities but my favourite was Scenario SOS. We ran into the woods, following the camp leader, and came to a plane that had ‘crashed’. One of our camp leaders pretended to be a casualty and we had to put our first-aid training into action. We got her on a stretcher, carried her away from the plane and found she had broken her arm so we made a splint for her.
‘It was so much fun! I loved every second and guess what?! I now know how to start a fire.’
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Twelfth Night
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by Edith, Y6 by Alfie, Y6
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I really enjoyed the workshop with Mr Story. He is a barrister. He helped us work out if Mrs Shifty, the defendant, was guilty or innocent. Mr Story taught us how to cross examine. Mrs Story made a great Mrs Shifty, Mr Rich and Mrs Beady. She has clothes for each of them! She even spoke in different voices for each. My favourite part was dressing up in a gown and wig. Now I might think about becoming a barrister. by William, Y6
Sanskrit
Continuing The Story In The Style Of An Author
Stars peppered the night like flecks of diamond. Gentle breezes tickled the leaves on the trees. The reflection of the golden moon, high in the sky, shimmered in the ripples on the lake. It was unusually beautiful for a spring night. As Ben made his way down towards the water, he felt calm, peaceful and entirely alone. His midnight paddles were the only secret he had. Sneaking out of his bedroom window, without waking his mum, he felt free. What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, would it? All of his worries melted away as his feet hit the cold water on the lake shore. He let the freezing liquid swirl around his ankles. Relaxing was so easy when he was surrounded by nature: the trees, the lake, the moon. Every night since he’d moved, he had slipped down here. First of all he came to forget the pain of his father dying, but the beauty was addictive, and soon he spent all day down by the lake. The branches shuffled and lacy leaves fell gently down,
Philosophy
by Carys Y6
Trial Report
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catching the moonlight before touching the ground. He closed his eyes, curling up on the shore like a cat. Click! The front door opened and then shut. Quickly, quietly Ben swam to the centre of the lake and trod water. He watched his mother make her way toward the lake. He ducked his head under, the bubbles sprinting to the surface. The cold Cornish water was forcing him to break the surface but he fought back. He could just see his mum turning to walk away. He couldn’t hold his breath any longer so he swam to the bottom and kicked up. His head broke the surface and he gasped in breath. His mother turned, saw him and ran back down to the lake. ‘Stay where you are Ben! I’m coming!’ She couldn’t swim. Ben was frozen with horror. She jumped into the lake, floundered and disappeared. by Bella, Y6
My favourite Philosophy lesson was when the story was about a tennis match. (I love tennis.) The Umpire called the ball out but one of the tennis players told the other that it was in. And it was. This is sportsmanship and truthfulness.
by Hannah, Y6 by Luke, Y6
gallery Lara
by Samuel, Y1 by Lara, Reception
by Megan, Y4 by Beata, Y2
by Chloe, Y5
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by Isabel, Y5
Nate
by Nate, Y4
by Felix, Y3
by Spencer, Y4
by Edward, Y5
Edward
by Reya, Y6
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This year the children’s singing has been exceptional.
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Some useful facts
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Receive instrumental lessons at school
For instrumental lessons on: piano, violin, cello, clarinet, flute, trumpet, guitar, drums
Have taken graded exams this year
Children Choices Children
Orchestra 2
& Guitar Choirs
Groups rehearse every week
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Ys 3&4 Choir and Chamber Choir for Ys 5&6
It started with the beginning of year service at St Mary Abbotts where the whole school sang a beautiful rendition of John Rutter’s ‘The Lord bless you and keep you’. A great way to start the year! At Christmas we sang in the same magnificent venue and the children once again rose to the occasion and were not at all daunted by singing in such a large space. One of the highlights of the Christmas service was the whole school singing ‘In Dulci Jubilo’ with the third verse sung in three part harmony by the two choirs. A few weeks earlier, in November, we held our annual Remembrance service at school. This is always a very moving occasion, not only because of the solemnity of the service, but because of the music we sing at this event. The hymns are very evocative of national pride and remembrance: ‘I Vow to Thee, My Country’, ‘Eternal Father’, ‘Abide With Me’. But one of the most wonderful moments is when the children sing ‘For the Fallen’, a setting of the poem by Laurence Binyon, composed by a previous Head of Music at St James, Noel Skinner.
It is a most beautiful piece of music that leads perfectly into the two minute silence evoking an acute sense of still, silent and respectful remembrance. It is an extraordinary moment when every child seems to naturally fall silent and still. It is very moving for those of us who are emotionally aroused by such things and, speaking as one such person, I would like to say that my position as Head of Music enables me to experience such moments many times throughout the year. It really is so true that singing opens the heart and the children, staff and parents are so lucky to have such opportunities. In the Summer term there were two spectacular Summer concerts. Ys 1&2 are such enthusiastic singers and performed a lovely selection of songs with energy, clarity and a delightful sense of humour. More recently the Upper Juniors performed in the Assembly Hall at Earsby Street, a welcome change of venue. Again the standard of the singing was amazing and the children finished the concert with an accomplished and energetic performance of two movements of Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’. by Kate Meltzer, Head of Music
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The Comedy of Errors
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‘ All the world’s a stage...’ The opening line of one of the Bard’s most famous speeches, performed by Y2 boys at the first St James Shakespeare Festival.
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It was an amazing year for Drama. The Shakespeare Festival was a real triumph and had everyone from Y1 to Y6 performing. Sir Timothy West was our patron and provided some of our pupils with an unforgettable workshop. The Y2 Nativity play was a wonderful Christmas treat full of colour and energy. The Y6 productions, Twelfth Night
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and The Comedy of Errors showcased the incredible talent of our leavers. Such brilliant and unforgettable performances were seen in both. It was incredible to watch the talent that pours out of each St James child. The courage and confidence it takes to step onto a stage and perform is unbelievable and each and every St James pupil last year did this with great success.
by Emese, Y4
forest school
Originating in Scandinavia, Forest School is child-centred outdoor learning with an ethos of promoting children’s independence and selfesteem. It allows children to pursue their interests and promotes curiosity in the natural world.
by Katya, Y2
St James has two Forest School sites, Marcus Garvey Park and Gunnersbury Park Nature Reserve. At Forest School the philosophy is ‘there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes’ and this year the children have seen some fantastic weather. Two big snows in December and March as well as Arctic winds meant the snow settled and the children were ecstatic to discover and play in snow. Then there was the heavy rain in April, followed by the warmest May on record and a hot dry June. With regular weekly visits, the children experience the extreme weather but also the changing seasons. Autumn saw huge garden spiders hanging in intricate webs and the children made art with the beautiful colours
Felicie, Reception
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I like climbing trees. It’s fun. When you climb you have to put one foot and one hand at a time. It’s hard but I still like it.
Reception
The Reception children are always keen and excited to visit Forest School. They have particularly enjoyed open exploration from where they have been able to challenge themselves. The children have worked in various groups to create dens and enclosures using the natural logs and items in the area. They have been using their senses to find out and explore and have been particularly keen to handle bugs and little creatures with care. The children have also engaged in role-play and created props with all the natural materials around them.
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of the leaves. After the long cold Winter, they saw life emerge from the woodland habitat: robins chirping, a wood mouse amongst the leaves and wildflowers like cow parsley and herb robert. In the Summer children learn the names of the trees: sycamore, silver birch and oak as they unfurl their vivid green leaves. Using binoculars they spot blackbirds, sparrows, great tits as well as drakes and mallards by the pond. They capture worms, woodlice, centipedes and millipedes from under logs as well as tadpoles, mayfly nymphs and the smooth newt from the pond.
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Inside this extraordinary woodland habitat, the children learn about the natural world and they learn about themselves.
philosophy
Philosophy
I like Philosophy a lot. It’s my best lesson. Our theme this month is positivity. You can learn lots of things if you have Philosophy lessons. Philosophy is a great thing. I have learned many things from philosophy. Like learning to be positive. I even learned what positivity means. We even did strength, sportsmanship and other things. Philosophy makes you learn lots of things that you don’t know. Philosophy can make you learn a lot. Philosophy gives you strength. Philosophy allows you to believe in things you don’t believe in. Sometimes I don’t believe I can do units and tens but if I remember philosophy or positivity I can do it. Philosophy can make you a really, really, really great philosophy teacher. by Allegra, Y1
Positivity Always! Good Or Bad? Why?
Athena: It is not always good to be positive, because in the real world nobody cares for anybody else, but children do not understand that. They think everybody is good. Lola: I disagree, because it’s always good to be positive. If you are nice to everyone, you have lots of friends. Aline: I agree with Lola because if you aren’t positive then you won’t make friends and you would feel sad. Allegra: I disagree with Athena because if you are positive you will have lots of friends to play with.
Ava: I agree with Allegra because if you are not positive then you will never be able to make friends. Priya: I disagree with Athena because if you are doing the long pause and you are not positive it means that you are not being truthful. Athena: Lola and Eliska help me sometimes with Maths when I don’t understand something. I ask for help and then I can understand and feel happy. Lola: Once I wrote a letter to my sister to tell her that I love her. I did not want to show it to her because she kept on squishing my cheeks but then I showed it to her. by Y1
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by Alex, Y1
‘I like Philosophy a lot. It’s my best lesson. Our theme this month is positivity. You can learn lots of things if you have Philosophy lessons. Philosophy is a great thing.’
by Zidane, Y5
holidays We’ve had another exciting year of class holidays for the children. These adventures bring the learning from the classroom to life, greatly enriching their education and class bond.
Chartres
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New Barn
Durham
Bush Craft
trips Hampton Court
Our class went to Hampton Court Palace. Luqman learnt about the Tudor ‘baby’ – it was made of wood and it is meant for children to play with. Blaise learnt about the crown jewels, they look very beautiful in real life. Oscar learnt that one of the coins in Tudor money was called a groat; it is worth four pennies.
Leander learnt that King Henry was very tall, two metres tall – taller than Mr. Mainsbridge! Maxmanou didn’t know that we would be able to see King Henry’s crown; it was at the back of the Palace. David really liked going to the colourful Great Hall. He liked the deer head and antlers stuck on the walls. Ollie learnt two things – he didn’t know they ate potage for lunch (vegetable soup). The King had the most meat in it; poorer people had oats in it. I also liked sketching the painting. Vikram thought we might go to the maze. Unfortunately we couldn’t go because we didn’t have any cash on us and there wasn’t enough time. Arthur learnt how many kitchens Henry VIII had – about four. He had so much meat and vegetables; there was stew in one of the pots in the kitchen.
Harrison learnt what it was like 500 years ago: they didn’t have engines; the carriages were pulled by horses. Lehel enjoyed looking in the kitchens – he liked listening to the fire noises. Zach really liked sketching the dragon statue from the King’s Beasts. Lazer didn’t know that King Henry wasn’t actually fat – in fact he had big baggy clothes. He was really good at sport. Vishnu learnt that King Henry was a Tudor King. I now know the word ‘Tudor’ – it means the monarchs Henry VII to Elizabeth 1, 1405–1603. Karnan learnt about the Tudor dance called ‘horse dance’ – it was fun and it was King Henry’s favourite dance. by Y2 Boys
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Y4 Trip To Sky Studios
On Tuesday 5th of June 2018, Y4 boys, mind you just boys, went to Sky Studios. Yes, you read it correctly, the one and only world-famous Sky Studios. The same Sky that creates TV boxes like Sky Q and lets you purchase movies in Sky Cinema, provides live news reports on Sky News, lets you enjoy sports matches on Sky Sports and loads of other things. Furthermore, we produced five minute movies. We chose three groups – two groups of six and one group of five. We all did a horror film and my group’s film was called The Bloody Terror. Making a film is more difficult than you think, especially being one of the lead
‘I really loved Albert because he is all gold. I really loved when we had lunch because my mum was there. I really loved when we went in the memorial. Albert was in the statue sit ting inside the statue. It was my first time I saw real gold.’ by Francesco, Y1
actors. We also utilised a green screen which meant we had to choose a setting and usually they did not have the ones we wanted. Filming was alright. The editing was the best, extracting bits out and putting bits in. Making a voiceover was also really fun. We also went into a proper golf studio and found out what really happens in the studio. Massive cheaters! Nevertheless we had a great time and I would be thrilled to go back again. I was also pleased with our film. by Rohan, Y4
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Buddhist Centre
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Dear Jane Thank you for a wonderful day at the Jamyang Buddhist Centre. Thank you for taking the time to show us around the Centre, for the talks about the history and most of all thank you for the wonderful and peaceful meditation which I enjoyed the most. I hope to visit the centre soon again. Best wishes
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Henley River
by Kairav, Y3 When we went to the Henley River and Rowing Museum, first we did some group work about the animals from The Wind in the Willows. We found out what they eat and what they looked like and what objects they had in the story. We had to describe Mr Toad and ask him lots of questions and then we wrote a friendship poem together. After that we went for a walk along the river to discover where the different animals live – we drew pictures of our favourite habitats – I drew Toad’s house, the pond! After lunch we saw the Wind in The Willows exhibition and we saw beautiful sculptures of the animals from the story – they told the story as we travelled around. My favourite part of the trip was The Wind in The Willows exhibition because we got to walk and see lots of lovely sculptures from the story. by Pip, Y2
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friends Prosecco, Chewbacca and (of course) dogs! The Development Office and Friends of St James have organised even more events this year across all three schools.
Fun Races
Despite the rain, our second Dog Show held in May was still an extravaganza! Dogs enjoyed running off steam on the special agility course and could be entered in a number of categories including Matching Dog and Handler Fancy Dress, Best Veteran and Best Pup. Our fortnightly cake sales showcase the wonderful baking skills of many of our parents as well as continuing to raise lots of money towards the Prep School Fund.
At the end of September, an amazing 102 St James girls and boys and their parents slipped on their running shoes and entered either the 1K or 5K Fun Run races at Ashford. The cross-country track, circling behind the school lake, made a picturesque route and the BBQ, refreshments, cake stall and music kept both the competitors and spectators entertained before, during and after the races. The event raised money for this year’s chosen school charities including Young Minds.
£5, 0 00 raised
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Dog Show
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St James Christmas Fair
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The annual Christmas Fair at Earsby Street featured a very successful raffle (with 38 prizes!), a wide variety of stalls selling gorgeous gifts, craft activities and games, a fun photo booth, wonderful refreshments served at our Christmas Café and a magical Santa’s Grotto. It was also lovely to welcome back so many alumnae who took stalls at the event.
AT ST JAMES ART SALE
We would like to say a huge thank you to all those who have helped support these events this year and made them possible. The funds raised at these events have meant the Friends have been able to provide two new interactive whiteboards and playground equipment for the Prep School. The Art Sale in March showcased a fantastic display of artwork from current pupils, alumnae, staff and other artists and achieved sales of over £5,000. Visitors enjoyed delicious choux buns at the event made by alumna and chef, Abigail Scheuer. Our Quiz Night in February was a very close call but the Senior Girls’ School teachers were victorious once again! Dr Craven acted as an excellent quiz master and Brian and his team provided a delicious pizza supper. We love to meet our Prep School parents so please do feel free to pop in to our office, located in the courtyard! by Kim Brown, Development Manager
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Star Wars
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Star Wars
The year began with our sell-out, fancy dress outdoor screening of ‘Star Wars’ at the Senior Boys’ School in Ashford. The rain held off and almost 200 parents and children watched the movie in deckchairs. Everyone entered fully into the spirit of the evening and we had an amazing selection of characters from a galaxy far, far away! Along with storm troopers, clone troopers, Darth Vaders and Jedi, the first prize went to a glowing-eyed Jawa and the adult prize went to a very hairy Chewbacca.
sport
The children thoroughly enjoy sports at St James. We have lots to offer and enter numerous competitions. This year we had 92 fixtures with other schools, of which we won 52 matches. Our annual handball match against Falcons is always exciting with powerful accurate shots being blasted around the gym. We take part and host a mix of Inter-School tournaments; this year we won shields in rugby, cross country and girls gymnastics. The match of the year goes to the Y6 rugby tour, where the team fought in the pouring rain and sloshy mud to a heroic victory – well deserved! Ys 4,5&6 entered into the following ISA Regional events: swimming, cross country, gymnastics, netball, football and athletics. Across all ISA events we won 15 bronze medals, 8 silver medals and 27 gold medals, along with 4 winners’ shields. 20 children also qualified for the Nationals in at least one of the sports above. The two biggest sporting events are Sports Day and the Swimming Gala – both highly competitive and thrilling to watch! At Sports Day, 10 new records were broken this year in high jump, sprints, 400m, ball throw and relay!
Throughout the year children work towards achieving gymnastics awards, pentathlon athletics awards, most improved swimmers and climbing wall levels certificates. Last year we introduced a buddy system, where an older child (Y6) will take a Y3 child and help develop their skills in a particular sport. We also taught football to the Upper Junior girls and hosted our first annual Sports Cup against Kew College.
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Swimming Gala
House Rugby Shield
Squash 50
Girls’ Football
ISA Gymnastics
27 golds
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Girls’ Cross Country Medal Winners
ACROSS ALL EVENTS
ISA Gymnastics – Y4
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Cuthbert Football Cup
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the journey We asked our Y6 leavers what is their favourite school virtue, what they liked best about St James and for their favourite memory from school.
Violet 1. My favourite school virtue is Truthfulness because I think it is good to be truthful and don’t tell lies. 2. W hat I like about St James is that everybody is respectful, kind and thoughtful and no one is mean. The teachers are nice as well. 3. It was our first trip and we went away for two nights and three days, we had so much fun. Georgie fell off her bed and she fell with her mattress and when she woke up we were all laughing.
India
Carys
Hannah
1. My favourite school virtue is Harmlessness, because I think you should treat things with equal rights.
1. Never Careless, because you should always care and do your best in what you do.
1. Never Careless, because it’s saying that be careful in all your work and when you are done it will turn out well.
2. I like the teachers for always being there and supporting us and being friendly and understanding.
2. I like that everyone is so welcoming and kind, I never feel left out.
2. E very day you come into class and you are greeted with a warm smile from your teacher and friends. Also, how the teachers teach the lessons.
3. My favourite memory about St James is when I arrived because everyone was even more kind and caring than they are now, and Twelfth Night, working together and having fun.
3. The first time I came to St James I knew the food was amazing!
3. When we started doing swimming and they asked us to swim across the baby pool and we all thought it would be easy but we then got really scared and were reluctant to do it.
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Bella
Sophia
Lola
1. My favourite school virtue is Magnanimity because it encourages everyone to share.
1. Be Kind, because if you do this then you will become a better person and achieve great things.
1. Never Careless, because you should take care in everything.
2. I love all the art and sports which we do every week, and I also enjoy the creative writing every term. I also really love our school holidays.
2. W hat do you like best about St James? How everyone’s so kind and even when my brothers have been annoying I still feel happy and content at St James with my friends.
2. I like all the different clubs because all of them are fun choices. 3. My best moment was meeting some new born chicks and getting to see them walk and talk. And my second best was going to Durham, seeing the puffins and sailing across the sea.
3. One of my best memories of St James is in Y4 on our class trip to Durham where some of my friends dyed their hair with highlighter pen. I also loved Chartres where we went on the pedalos and saw loads of baby otters.
3. Being on class holiday and thinking, “I’m with my friends! I have no brothers! This is so amazing!” Also just sharing a joke with my friends and laughing so hard I was crying.
Mathilda
Sophia
Grace
1. Magnanimity, because I think being generous and kind is a life skill that will help you in the years to come.
1. Work Hard, because that will push you towards doing your best all your life.
1. Never Careless, because it teaches us to take care with our belongings and to take care when working and I think it is a great thing to learn.
2. I like the fact that everyone is like a family, and whenever I’m in need, I know my friends are there to help. 3. My best memory is when we performed Twelfth Night. It was so much fun.
2. H ow we all work together and how we’re always there for each other. 3. When I met all my friends and teachers and how they encouraged me to always do my best.
2. I like how supportive and encouraging the teachers are. 3. My best memory of St James is going to Forest School and learning how to make things out of nature.
Mila
Shreya
1. Magnanimity, because I love to be generous and kind.
1. Magnanimity, because it means sharing; also the way it sounds.
1. Harmlessness, because it makes me happy inside when I am not harmful.
2. I like that everyone is like a family and that my best friends, teachers and friends are always there for me when I’m in need. Also, the amazing trips we go on.
2. M y friends are always there for me. The teachers are kind. The school trips. And everything.
2. The thing I like best about St James is that the teachers and students are always looking out for you no matter what. And the sport.
3. Playing with my best friend and friends in France on our class trip. Also, Twelfth Night play. Having amazing teachers.
3. My best memory of St James is when I won in the Sanskrit Speech Competition. Also when I won Progress Prize in Speech Day in Year 4.
Skyla 3. My best memory of St James is when we went to the circus and when Miss Robertson took us for an art lesson. And my first games session.
Edith
Tisya
Georgie
1. Truthfulness, because it applies to everything, and strengthens relationships.
1. Be Your Best is my favourite because it is so true – if you are not being your best you are not living up to your full potential.
1. Magnanimity – I like this virtue for two reasons. The first, it is delicious on my tongue, and the second is because it is what I feel most describes St James.
2. H ow friendly and kind everyone is from staff to friends, everyone is there for you and includes you.
2. E verything, but especially the lessons. I also like coming in the door and seeing a different face every day.
3. When I was crying at the swimming gala because I really hated swimming and I had trouble breathing and all of my friends came to look after me.
3. I have loads of them. 1) I missed Y5 and the girls tried to do a flash mob. It failed. 2) At Netball regionals, when we came fourth. We all cried. 3) After Speech Day I fell into the Diana fountain fully dressed.
2. T he good and calm vibes it gives off. 3. Having an art lesson with Miss Robertson and being Viola in Twelfth Night.
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Esme 1. Harmlessness, because nobody deserves to be harmed, no matter what they’ve done. 2. E verything, but especially the sports events, school trips and holidays. 3. My best memory is when we had an art lesson with Miss Robertson and glitter went everywhere.
Anjali
Sofia
1. Truthfulness. Truthfulness is my favourite virtue as it is something that is very hard to do but once you have achieved it, it feels amazing.
1. Truthfulness, because otherwise I could never trust anyone.
2. I like all the competitions, class holidays, learning Sanskrit and the plays.
3. Rugby Tour and Twelfth Night, Chartres and the ISA.
2. E veryone is so friendly and supportive.
3. Our first swimming lesson is one of my favourite memories as Hannah and I were really screaming our heads off and everyone else had already swum to the end of the pool and back.
Phoebe
Philomena Zoë
1. Harmlessness, because it means people aren’t rude or mean and they are kind.
1. Truthfulness, because I think it’s important to tell the truth especially to your friends.
2. W hat do you like best about St James? I like the people here, they’re all so nice. 3. My best memory is from our dorm room in Chartres when I slept under India’s bed on the last night. It was so funny!
2. E verything, as well as the fact that no one would ever hurt someone on purpose, and that when someone new is coming to the school everybody is welcoming. 3. The moment I walked into the school.
1. Positivity, because remembering it helps me have a happier life. 2. I loved going on all the school trips, Chartres, Durham, New Barn, Dorset, and soon we are going to Bushcraft. I will always remember all the plays, especially the ones with Mr Weigall. 3. All the concerts that Mrs Cselko, Mrs Meltzer and Mr Weigall have helped us perform.
Aryan 1. My favourite school virtue is Sportsmanship. You shouldn’t just practise Sportsmanship on the playing field, you should practise it everywhere. It’s a mix of forgiveness, kindness and respect. 2. W hat I like about St James is that it is a very friendly, helpful school. All the teachers are nice and unforceful. You have loads of friends and I have never had a break when someone wasn’t playing with me.
Saleh 1. My favourite school virtue is Strength, because it teaches you that you don’t only have physical strength. 2. I love St James, it is the best school I have ever been to in Britain. It has kind students and teachers. I also like the sports in the school. 3. My favourite memory is when I got to meet all the teachers and the students because they were very kind.
3. One of my best memories is in the play. I made everyone laugh and afterwards all the children said how funny I was.
Joseph 1. My favourite school virtue is Respect. It didn’t just teach us discipline but also concentration, to really listen to anyone that’s speaking. 2. W hat I like best about St James is the environment. The peace and friendly surroundings really help me attend. 3. My best memory of St James was winning the rugby tournament. We all cheered and hugged. That’ll be a moment I’ll never forget.
Niran
Issac
Nat
1. My favourite school virtue is Positivity because if you’re negative you can never really be happy.
1. Mine is Curiosity because I am curious at every question.
1. My favourite school virtue is Truthfulness because being true to someone means a lot and it is a great skill to keep with you in the future.
2. M y best thing in St James is when we made a school project because I always end up making one no one ever thought of. 3. My two best things is when there was a massive snowball fight and when me and my friends went to the rugby tour.
2. I love St James. It is different to any other school because we pause. 3. Sitting at lunch having a laugh.
2. W hat I like best about St James is the pause and sport. The pause helps you rest especially if something is making you very agitated or upset. 3. I love sport because I enjoy the atmosphere and I learn more about my classmates.
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Sebastian 1. My favourite virtue is Strength because it helped me relax and focus in my subjects.
Otto
Alex
1. Positivity, because it reminds me to always be happy.
1. My favourite school virtue is Curiosity because I like being curious because you learn so many things.
2. I like the sports and all the great teachers. 2. W hat I like about St James is the friendly environment. When I walked through the door everyone made me feel at home.
3. Coming 3rd in the football tournament.
2. T he best thing I liked about St James is the calm atmosphere and the pause because it helps to calm me down. 3. My best moment of St James is when I was in Y6 when I realised we never lost a rugby match in our entire career at St James, and winning the Y4 rugby tournament along the way. That was by far my best memory. Also winning the relay for three years running at the ISA Regionals.
3. My best memory of St James was winning the rugby tournament in Y4.
William
Luke
William
1. My favourite school virtue is Sportsmanship because whenever I did sport I would remember the virtue and respect it.
1. My favourite school virtue is Curiosity because I am a very curious boy.
1. My favourite school virtue is Curiosity because it helps you understand, when you ask questions it helps you learn because when you ask questions you usually want to know the answer.
2. W hat I like best about St James is the supportive attitude. If something is wrong there would always be someone to help or when you do sport they would cheer you on. 3. My best memory of St James is when we won the Y4 rugby tournament and we all piled onto Nat.
2. M y favourite thing about St James is the variety of lessons. 3. My best memory was my first day at St James.
2. M y favourite thing about St James is the pause because it helps calm you and stops how you feel. 3. My best memory of St James was laughing and playing with my friends at break.
Alfie
Matthew
1. Respect, because it made me realise that if it wasn’t for some people we may not know what lights a fire or something.
1. Respect, because I enjoyed learning about it during Philosophy.
2. I love the kind and happy environment in the school and the helpful teachers who would always help you whenever you’re down. 3. One of my best memories from St James was winning 1st in relay at the ISA regional athletics.
2. I like the teachers and how they always try to brighten up the lesson. 3. My best memory of St James was probably when Mr Story came over and did a mock court session with us.
Stephan 1. My favourite school virtue is Respect because we should take care of our families and friends. 2. I think it’s sport and art because in sport you got to many tournaments and sport events including the rugby tour to Leicester. What I like about art is how you do paintings and model sculptures. 3. My best memory of St James was in Y5 when we went to Chartres and I looked at the view of the massive cathedral and when we played sport in the evening at Chartres.
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writing
This year we have seen some excellent examples of self expression and imagination in the children’s writing.
A Trip To The Farm
Buddy Letter
I went to the farm. It was fun. The lamb was soft. I also liked the sheep. It was soft. I went on the tractor ride. It was bumpy. The cow was not soft. It felt hard. My favourite was the park and playground. I had a great time. Bark, bark, bark.
Dear Arian,
by Esmee-Blue, Reception
Reception
Y2
Farmers Fail But Shoot Off The Tail
I really enjoyed playing tag with you. Thank you for looking after me. I will remember you when I am in Y2. I wish you to visit with me sometime at my house. I hope you will have a lot of friends in your Secondary school.
In the night a fox was hunting for some food. But some farmers jumped out of a bush, their names were Boggis, Bunce and Bean. They were nasty and they were trying to shoot the fox. But the fox was too fast, so they only shot off his tail. I saw all of it. Lucky I didn’t get killed. It was scary to watch and when the fox got home I heard a yell.
I wish you all the best
by Annika, Y2
You are so witty.
Love Patrick. by Patrick, Y1
Y1
New Barn
Y3
Wolf
Extract From A Story
Soon, we arrived at New Barn and when the coach stopped, most people were feeling so excited that they were screaming with joy. A few minutes later, when we had got our suitcases, Miss Johnson showed us to our dormitories. The girls were in a different house to the boys. The rooms were small, had metal bunkbeds and looked quite cosy to me.
Hunting in pack! Waiting for prey, Blue eyes at birth for flowing off his body! On the plane, crouching, waiting, Camouflaged by his shadows Then silence. Nothing moves until the wolf leaps. Silently the elk falls.
by Sasha, Y3
by Spencer, Y4
Greg was exhausted; six hours of digging was more than enough. Despite all the effort he thought this would take forever. Night approached in the camp, and then, all of a sudden, he knew it. He knew a plan that would never fail… “Nokes! Batty!” he whispered excitedly. “I really need to tell you something…” “No way!” cried Nokes. “Unbelievable,” said Batty. “You’re a genius.” So, in the daunting death of the night, Nokes, Batty and Greg knew what they had to do: all night they dug fake holes everywhere and told the other prisoners to hide (they had to make up an excuse to do it). Meanwhile, Greg kept on digging the escape tunnel. But, although he was sure his plan would work, he somehow felt insecure. Maybe it was the fear of getting caught…or worse. He tried not to think about it. But, it was impossible. He couldn’t stop.
Y4 Poem
Slipping through the garden gate, Comes the midnight cat, Its eyes like traffic lights, Coal black fur glimmers in the full moon, The mice say, “Hide, here comes the midnight cat!” One icy glance at anything Sends shivers down their back. A witch’s apprentice mewls at the moon For a wooden broom, Its ears prick up for an evil cackle. Comes at midnight goes at dawn In daytime never seen before, Its tail swishing violently like a club About to strike A thousand kitchen knives Being thrown at you, Vampire fangs ripping prey into two. Dawn the happiest part of the day, The cat goes away And the mice shout, “Hooray!” by Emese, Y4
Y4
by Y4 boys by Elena, Y4
The Chase
Y5
Pant, pant, pant. Tim raced down the dank smelling corridor, hearing the menacing footsteps getting closer and closer. A door! He shoved it open, and bolted through. The door was as thick as a stiff brick wall but he managed to heave it shut and locked it. He bit his lip. He would have only minutes before… Scratch! Scrape! Thud! The door shuddered with the force of the blow. Looking around, for the first time, he spotted the gargantuan shelves of books towering above him, illuminated by the dim glow of dust laden lamps which patrolled the perimeter of the room whilst a teddy bear sat, completely content, unaware of what lay outside. The room shuddered, sending dust and cobwebs cascading down from the ceiling, held up by unstable wooden pillars. Then he saw it… a mound of squelchy slime, sliding down a rapidly disintegrating box? “Yes!” he whispered to himself and picking up the slime he stuck it to the back wall and… BANG! The door flew open and a musty smell flooded the room along with a procession of thick smoke when… it all went black.
by Connor, Y5
Eurylochus and the Lotus Eaters
I had just finished a long, tiring day at school and was off to the boring library to do my homework – an eight thousand word assignment on daisies! I opened the stiff creaky doors of the library when my nostrils suddenly filled with the smell of old, dusty books. The only person who was in the library, almost all of the time, was the librarian. She loved books so much that she changed her name (Mrs Lovania) to Mrs Books! Anyway, I walked in as quietly as possible. Mrs Books glared at me.
As my fellow men of Ithaca collapsed on the sand and fell asleep, I saw Odysseus inspecting the boats for damage; what a sensible man. “Odysseus,” I said calmly, “may I have your permission to go and look for food?” He looked surprised. “Do you not want to rest?” “I have been away for ten years, I do not intend to keep my wife and daughters waiting much longer.” “Very well,” said Odysseus, “take twenty men.” As I set off into the jungle the emerald green leaves stroked my face like I was a cat. The sweet smell of flowers filled my nostrils, pollen sprinkled onto my hair and I could hear the water bubbling in a pool not far away. It was paradise, yet, there was something threatening about it. In the middle of the forest was a clearing with a lake in the middle, it was so clear it reminded me of the sea at home. Around that was a village. It was such an amazing village that I thought the gods had made it. A I looked to my left a bunch of natives were towards me and my twenty men. “What do you want?” I asked in a calm voice. My hand gripped my sword. One of them saw me doing this and threw me a fruit. I took one bite and cried out,
‘Don’t hurt my babies. They are very precious!’ she said. ‘..okay,’ I replied, a little confused. I flicked through some shelves idly when I came across a faded, delicate looking book which had mysterious, ancient writing on it. The book bore the title ‘The Shadow.’ That was strange! Suddenly, I saw a mysterious darting shadow moving inconspicuously through the shelves. I stopped in my tracks and tried to scream but no noise came out. The shadow walked slowly towards me with disdain and I tried to run, but I was stuck! Where was Mrs Books? I hastily glanced at the front desk but she wasn’t there! Then Macbeth! Everything happened all too quickly for me to defend myself because after trying to run, my head felt sore and my whole body went cold and then there was nothing… ‘Sophie! Sophie! Sophie! Are you okay?’ I could hear the voice of my headmaster, Mr Jones. ‘I think she is okay!’ I heard my brother say. ‘Oh Sophie, my little Sophie! Are you alright? Shall we call the doctor?’ cried my mum. ‘Mum, I’m fine!’ I replied still a little dazed. What had just happened? Where was I? I opened my eyes and saw rows and rows of books and knew it wasn’t a dream! I really did have an assignment with eight thousand words to write about daisies! by Mira, Y5
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The Shadow
“Try the fruit, my friends.” My mind was a mess. How did I get here? Who are these people? Why does this fruit taste so good? I ate the fruit till night and then went to sleep covered with the black strands of hair from one of the natives. As I slept, I dreamt about fruit, the only thing that mattered was the fruit. Fruit, fruit, fruit. As I awoke I took a bite of those juicy things I heard footsteps edging closer. As they emerged from the jungle I looked at them and asked, “Do I know you?” Immediately, the one at the front looked cautious. “Eurylochus, do you not remember me, I am Odysseus?” Something about his name sounded familiar. Then he started saying that I had a family. I was confused. Then he started to mutter something to his men. They came to us and started to carry us off. I screamed, “For pity’s sake, don’t take us away from the food, there’s lots, you can have it too. Don’t take us away from the fruit, we’ll die, we’ll all die!” He dragged us through the forest and tied us to his boat and I started to remember, and started to feel very seasick indeed. by Sebastian, Y6
Y6
Should people forgive each other?
This argument is to discuss whether or not people should forgive each other. The first point I would make is people should forgive because it will make them feel better. People should forgive because research shows that letting go of your feelings of upset and anger is actually good for your health. Forgiveness and reconciliation can be more effective than punishment because it might stop the wrongdoer from doing it again. Choosing to get back at someone, instead of forgiving them, can lead to a destructive cycle.
However, secondly, people should not forgive because it is important to stand firm when people wrong you. Victims of crime, people who have been hurt, should not be expected to forgive. They have a right to be angry. Forgiveness is weakness; the threat of punishment is all that stops people from taking advantage of one another. In conclusion, I feel that is it important to forgive because forgiving shows tolerance and makes you feel better. Forgiving is good because if I have done something wrong and I do not forgive I might..? by William, Y6
by Bella, Y6
Spectrum ST JAMES PREPARATORY SCHOOL Earsby Street London W14 8SH Tel: 020 7348 1794 Admissions: 020 7348 1793 admissions@stjamesjunior.org stjamesschools.co.uk