The Victorian Life!

This half term we have been learning about the Victorians. The Victorians is a time in history from long ago when Queen Victoria was on the throne. 

In our first lesson, the classroom was transformed back in time. The boys had to sit on one side and the girls sat on the other. The tables were in rows and we had to face the teacher. We wrote on blackboards, practicing our joined up handwriting. We got to dress up in old-fashioned clothes, we looked very different! We also sang the national anthem. Then we went outside without our shoe on, this really hurt our feet as we walked on the playground. Humayd didn't like being in a Victorian school because the teacher was strict and he didn't want to wear a Dunce's hat. Harvir liked the afternoon though because it was different going outside with no shoes on!

We have learnt lots about Queen Victoria, especially Anya! "Queen Victoria's dad died when she was 8 years old. Later she married her cousin - Prince Albert. They had 9 children but Prince Albert died quite young. Queen Victoria then wore black clothes for the rest of her life. Queen Victoria celebrated the jubilee and died in Osbourne House in 1901".


In art we have been looking at silhouettes. We have made our silhouettes by sketching our outline from a photo we had taken, using gridlines to help us get our heads the right shape! We then experimented with oil pastels and black paint to see which media is more effective. We then decorated our very own frames by sticking art straws onto the frames in a pattern. Miss Bailey sprayed these either gold or silver so that they look like professional paintings!

By Harvir and Humayd.

Our amazing Goalball session

This morning we played a game called Goalball. None of us had ever played this before. It is a game that is played during the Paralympics by people that may be injured or disabled. They have to play the game blindfolded so that it's fair. 


During Goalball there are bells in a ball, which you have to use to try and score goals. It is important to listen to the bells because you can hear where the ball is going. We use our other senses because we can't see! 

We really enjoyed having a go at this game with Charlotte from Premier Sports but we did find it a little bit tricky! It was difficult not being able to see the ball and it really hurt our knees crawling on the floor! 


Miss Bailey had a go and twisted her thumb on Luca! She found it really difficult because she isn't used to crawling! 

A letter from the Mayor!

As you know last half term we visited Sherwood Forest as part of our 'Fantastic Forests' topic. When we returned to school we learnt that Sherwood Forest was set to be demolished to make space for a theme park with hundreds of rides. We worked very hard that week to think of reasons why we should save Sherwood Forest. We even wrote persuasive letters to the Mayor of Derby and the Mayor of Newark to get their help! Here is the reply we received from the Mayor of Newark...

'Dear Year 2,

SHERWOOD FOREST

Thank you for your letter outlining the project that your children have undertaken following their trip to Sherwood Forest.

As a person who was born and has spent most of his life in Nottingham I am very proud of our heritage and Robin Hood is a symbolic feature that is recognisable the world over.

Whilst a new theme park would, no doubt, bring many jobs to the area and provide a boost to the local economy, I agree with the views of the children that the negative impact of such a development significantly outweigh the benefits.

The loss of the natural environment with an historic woodland, containing so many amazing trees that are centuries old could, perhaps, be described as an act of modern day vandalism. The woodland has remained untouched for hundreds of years and it should be protected for future generations to come who, like your children, can explore and re-live what lie would have been like for Robin Hood.

On a personal note when I was a young boy (50 years ago) I visited the Major Oak with my grandma & Grandad. At that time it was possible o get close to the Major Oak and explore the splits in the trunk, where it is thought Robin Hood may have hidden. My lasting memory of the visit was seeing my grandad get stuck in the tree; as he was a bit too fat to fit through the split. This may have led to the increased protection for the tree from the many people who visit it each year!

Whilst there is always a balance to be stuck between progress, new building & new investments and the loss of landscape, natural habitat or heritage; the loss of the site would not be acceptable and the idea of a theme park should be re-located to one of the many sites nearby that are still empty and redundant following the closure of the many coal mines that existed in that part of Nottinghamshire.

In summary I, the Town Mayor, am fully behind your campaign to protect Sherwood Forest for the future, good luck and best wishes.

Yours Sincerely

Cllr R Crowe

Town Mayor.  '

We were extremely excited to receive a letter of support from the Mayor of Newark and hopefully Sherwood Forest will no longer be destroyed.