We are very conscious of giving the children at Marchwood Infant School experience and understanding of a range of different cultures and customs. Every year group follows a multi-cultural planned programme and as a school, in collective worship we focus on Saints Days and special days that celebrate our own culture.
Last term we learnt a lot about St David’s Day on 1st March and Mrs Zownir, a Year 2 class teacher from Wales showed the children many artefacts from her country and told the story of St David. Ellie Bennett in Year 1, recently arrived from Wales, dressed up in Welsh national costume to show the rest of the children.
We celebrated St George’s Day on April 22nd, and lots of children brought an item to school that represented England. We had a wonderful display of London buses, flags, books and pictures of the Queen and the Royal family, cricket bats, English tea, scones, stamps and many more items.
In our multi- cultural society it is good to remember our own culture and we are now looking forward to celebrating May Day by choosing a May Queen and Green Man as well as dancing round the Maypole and singing our May songs.
Life at Marchwood Infant School is definitely enhanced and improved by the hard work of a loyal band of parent helpers who make up the Parent Teacher Association. They work extremely hard to raise funds for all sorts of additional resources and experiences that make the learning more exciting and accessible for the children.
Their most recent project has been to raise money for interactive whiteboards that are to be installed in each classroom and so far they have raised in excess of £6000 towards this project, which has funded 2 whiteboards. The whiteboards are linked to the computer and a range of software which supports learning in many areas of the curriculum. The boards are also an invaluable tool for teaching ICT skills to the class leading to the children practicing these skills on the individual computers situated in pods outside the classrooms.
At the end of last term, the PTA organised and ran a very successful Easter Craft stall, selling a range of lovely Easter gifts and cakes which raised over £350 towards PTA funds. They are now very busy organising their main fund raising event of the year, the May Fayre.
The children share in the excitement and contribute in many ways to the May Fayre. Through the school gardening club they plant seeds and make up hanging baskets and tubs to sell. The children also make cakes and biscuits and in addition this year each class is making a craft to sell. Of course as always the Year 2 children show off their Maypole and country dancing skills.
We do hope lots of people from the local community support our hard- working PTA and will attend the May Fayre this year helping to make it the best yet! All the money raised benefits the children of Marchwood both now and in the years to come.
Maureen Green
Headteacher |
Village News Magazine
