In May, our Year 5 pupils planned a special project in small groups, as part of our Green Schools Project, to try and reduce our school's carbon footprint. These have ranged from growing herbs and flowers to surveying pupils about food options (and trying to reduce food waste) to campaigning for cleaner air. 

You can see one of their banners on the fence outside the 'Waitrose Gate' and we hope you will support them by turning off your engine when stopped in the car park to improve air quality around our school.

On Thursday, Aleen explained the ritual and importance of praying for a Muslim to Larch Class.

 She showed us her prayer mat and a special digital tasbih. A Muslim clicker, commonly known as a digital tasbih, zikr ring, or electronic tally counter, is a small device used to record prayer recitations, specifically for tracking daily Dhikr (remembrance of Allah). It serves as a modern alternative to traditional prayer beads, allowing users to keep count of phrases like "SubhanAllah" (33 times), "Alhamdulillah" (33 times), and "Allahu Akbar" (34 times) after prayers.

She also shared what she knew about ‘wudu’:

Wudu is the Islamic ritual purification process (ablution) required before performing daily prayers (Salah) or reading the Quran. It involves washing the hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, head, ears, and feet in a specific order. It is a physical and spiritual preparation that ensures a Muslim is clean before worshipping.

Well done, Aleen!

On Wednesday morning, 55 very excited Year 1 children (accompanied by some equally enthusiastic adults) set off for a brilliant day of discovery at Whipsnade Zoo. 

Our adventure began with a lucky sighting: a small gathering of chimpanzees enjoying their morning meal. It was fascinating to watch them interact and eat together, providing a wonderful start to our day. From there, we explored the Aquarium and Butterfly House, marveling at the vibrant butterflies and a variety of reptiles and amphibians.

Following a quick(ish!) lunch, we boarded the Whipsnade Express. This steam train tour gave us a front-row seat to see antelopes, wallabies, and more elephants. The highlight for many was spotting the baby camel, who is less than a month old!

To wrap up our day, we "travelled" to Africa to see the animals we’ve been studying in Geography. It was incredible to see the towering giraffes, the tough-skinned rhinos, and the sleepy lions up close. Although the weather was changeable and we did have some rain, it didn't stop us from having a wonderful, memorable day!