Prep School pupils enjoyed a break from routine last week as they took part in a host of fun activities for Curriculum Day.  The children were encouraged to stretch themselves and work within different teams to develop their learning skills and delve deeper into a particular subject.  
Year 5 became scientists for the day as they investigated how an object's shape can affect the speed at which it can travel.  They used four different plasticine shapes attached to string which they lowered into a cylinder of paste and timed how long it took them to reach the bottom.  They also experimented with different volumes of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to establish the best combination for making the biggest foam towers.  Food colouring and biodegradable glitter made the experiment all the more fun!

Over in Year 6, pupils took part in their first Study Skills morning where they learnt about themselves as a learner, furthered their reasoning and debating skills and discovered how to approach a formal interview.  In addition, they reflected on their wellbeing in two sessions run by our in-house counsellor and head of wellbeing.  Year 7, meanwhile, took part in a sports leadership morning where the focus was on working as a team to achieve the best result.  Pupils used our brand new speed gates for a 20m sprint challenge and gave their best in the weight-pulling, speed bouncing and reaction tests.  They had great fun creating a workout video for the Pre-Prep children - inspired by the success and enthusiasm pupils showed for their daily workouts during the school lockdown period.  In the afternoon, Year 7 developed their communication skills and collaboration strategies with some tricky challenges - including transferring a golf ball around obstacles in the sports hall using just individual pieces of open tubing (See photo at the top of the page).  

Embracing the day's wet conditions, Year 8 waded into the freezing waters of the River Beane to gain data for their geography field trip project to establish where the river was suitable for a canoe race.  "It was so satisfying to get the results we needed ourselves and I won't forget such a fun experience!" says Hassan.  Luckily enough, two canoeists paddled by to help with the investigations!