When asked to create a rap, song or poem to celebrate Black History Month 2020 Year 5 really stepped up the challenge. They thought about everything they had learnt about the black history of Great Britain and incorporated them into their pieces. If you listen carefully you’ll hear lots of amazing facts.
We are really proud of their performances.
15 boys and girls from Years 3 and 4 braved the cold and muddy conditions as they took part in a Football Tournament at Whitefoot Lane Playing Fields on Tuesday 3rd March. They played a series of games against Holy Cross, Downderry and Our Lady and St. Phillip Neri Primary Schools. The Girls’ Team worked hard as they were up against a very strong Downderry team, with Lucy and Poppy from Year 3 scoring 1 goal each during the second half of the match. However, Downderry came back stronger and won 7-2 overall. Next up were the Boys’ Team, who played a fierce game, winning 4-0 against Holy Cross, 8-1 against Our Lady and St. Phillip Neri and then drawing 2-2 with Downderry taking them to the lead as joint winners in First Place with Downderry Primary School. They took home the winning medals after playing extremely well, demonstrating excellent teamwork and fancy footwork. They showed great sportsmanship, without showing off or getting into any arguments with each other or the opposing team. The St. Augustine’s Teams left both staff and parents impressed with their outstanding performance and behaviour. Well done to Years 3 and 4!
Keep up the great work!
Last year, the children took part in an exciting project to explore and engage with artwork. They took a class photo which was later displayed at the Tate Britain among 3,000 other class photographs taken at various schools across London. This week, around 76,000 children were able to explore the gallery where their photographs were displayed for all to see. It provided a lovely image that we are all wonderful ‘works of art’, because photographs have a way of reminding ourselves about where we come from and where we are going; celebrating our individuality and enjoying our differences.
The children were able to quickly spot their class photo, which fortunately has been displayed at eye-level, meaning that it’s easier to see and recognise their own faces and think about where they were at that time, a year ago. They were encouraged to think about what their thoughts, feelings and aspirations were at the time the photograph was taken. The children later carried out some sketches, made some notes and took part in a series of physical and vocal activities to give them a richer experience of identity and culture: who they are now, and who they would like to become.
We finished up with a long walk along the River Thames, where the children were exposed to London life and landmarks, ranging from the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye, to a group of daring young skateboarders, practising their skills. Once again, a series of photographs taken to remind them of these memorable experiences to treasure in the years to come. It was a very exciting, educational and fun day for our current Year 4 (formerly Year 3).
In Year 4, the children went on a Geography Field trip to Beckenham Place Park. They have been learning how to read maps and were able to put their navigational skills to good use as they explored the local area. The children went on a ‘tree-spotting hunt’ where they were able to identify deciduous, coniferous and evergreen trees, as well as the local wildlife that live there. The children carried out a series of sketches and took some observational notes. It was a bonus to be able to meet up with Holy Cross, who accompanied us back to school for lunch and then took part in a follow-up art workshop, designing trees in the style of Gustav Klimt’s ‘Tree of Life’ using a range of intertwining patterns. It was a fun and memorable day for the children. Well done!
This week, 10 children from Years 1 and 2 took part in an exciting competition held at Bonus Pastor, alongside Holy Cross, St. Winifred’s and Downderry Primary Schools. The challenges included a ball throw task where they had to throw a ball against the wall and catch it as many times as possible, without the ball reaching the floor. The children also had to really concentrate in both the Balance Pole and Balance Ball challenges where they were only allowed to balance on one foot for as long as possible. Finally, they took part in a series of running races where they had to run as fast as they could, from one cone to another. Each of the cones were numbered so they had to run in a particular sequence. This ended with a quick sprint race against Downderry Primary School. This was a fantastic opportunity for the children to showcase fundamental skills which will help them to develop their coordination, agility and skills, Well done!
Year 4 have been taking part in an exciting Basketball Project, aimed at increasing access to and raising participation and achievement in culture, sports, leisure and play activities across London.
The children developed ball-handling techniques during a 10-week coaching session run by the London Thunder Basketball Club, which helped to boost their confidence and allowed them to see the true benefits of working cooperatively as part of a team.
The day started off with a series of warm-ups and ‘skills and drills’ development, where the children were given opportunities to practise their navigation skills around several Basketball courts within mixed gender teams. Following a quick lunch, the tournament began. St. Augustine’s played against several schools including Elfrida, St. Stephen’s, Holy Trinity and Grinling Gibbons Primary Schools.
It was lovely to see the genuine enthusiasm of the children as they played extremely well, winning 2-0 against Holy Trinity. 2 children also received a special award for being nominated ‘best player’ and ‘most improved player’ within the category of being a ‘good sportsperson’ regardless of whether their team were winning or losing; as it is important that children understand that having the right attitude, is just as important as the skills required within a competitive sport, since Basketball is also about friendship, fun, respect and fair play. We hope the children will continue to build on what they have learned and achieved in the years to come.
Well done Year 4!
