Crown Woods College held a Literary Festival in July in celebration of the Power of Reading Project, a scheme launched by the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE). Michael Rosen, highly-esteemed children’s author, was Guest of Honour.
CLPE set up the project to encourage children to read and enjoy reading through the use of drama, devised theatre, and their own poetry. Their aim is to get children enthused about reading again. The festival was organised to celebrate the work teachers and pupils have done this year thanks to the project.
Schools who performed included Wybourn Primary, Deansfield Primary, Gordon School, Eltham Church of England School, and Crown Woods itself. Temi Adelakun, a Crown Woods year 10 student, was compere for the evening, confidently introducing Rosen as well as the various schools.
As well as being Children’s Poet Laureate from June 2007 to 2009, Michael Rosen has written 140 books of children’s novels and poetry, and as soon as he came to the stage it was clear why; the children loved him. When asked to give a speech, he said “Actually I think I’d rather do some poems”, before launching in to some of his most popular verse, while simultaneously explaining how he came up with them. The children laughed and rhymed along with him, already proving how effective the project has become.
Rosen described the Power of Reading as an “important and brilliant idea” because “The world’s wisdom” was in books; “in a story you marry ideas with feelings”. He explained the projects importance by saying “They make books fun, it’s all about actually reading the stories, not parts of the story, but the whole thing, it shouldn’t be a controversial idea!”
The schools performed different pieces they had devised that were inspired by the books they had read throughout the year. The Year 2 students of Deansfield School danced to a rousing rendition of “Under the Sea”, which I can confirm stayed in audience members’ heads for the rest of the evening. The dance was inspired by the book “The Snail and the Whale”. Clad in “Literary Festival 2011” t-shirts, the children seemed to enjoy it just as much as the audience, who may have wondered what their teachers must have gone through in getting their pupils to learn a relatively long poem verbatim.
Following them was Gordon School’s year 6 take on the book “Street Child”, in which Victorian cockney accents and faux dirt on the face gave the performance an extra edge. Wybourne wrote their own poetry, inspired by the novel “Skellig”, and the year 7 and 9 students of Crown Woods devised a part of the book “The Garbage King”. Eltham Church of England even brought out a child in full crocodile costume in an effort to portray “Krindle Krax”.
Sheila White, head of Wybourne School, introduced her teachers to the project a year ago, and she proclaims it nothing but a success. “There have been massive results in the children’s reading, and it is even reflected in their writing skills.” As Michael Rosen shook hands and signed his books for the eager children, Sheila said he was “the perfect choice, we were honoured that he came. It has been an entirely successful evening”.
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Article for SENine.
SEnine writer and university student SARAH HAYES was invited to spend a day at the new Crown Woods College.
Like many in Eltham, I’ve watched Crown Woods turn from a large construction site into a beautiful new college. After spending a few hours there I discovered it’s something the community can be proud of.
Before my day began I had no preconceptions, apart from a suspicion that Crown Woods College would be the old school in a new building. I was very wrong. Not only has the building changed, but so has the atmosphere. It quickly became clear that this is a whole new Crown Woods.
As I first entered the school, I noticed how beautiful the architecture was. Head, Michael Murphy, believes the architects have brought his vision to life.
The college is separated into four discrete schools, supported by three other buildings; for Art and Design, Music and special needs, and sports. It is a miniature version of a University campus. Each building has spacious airy rooms, views of pleasant gardens, and gorgeous high atriums. This is no dilapidated, grey, dowdy school, with 30 students crammed onto tables, fighting for a view of the white board. This is on a completely different level. I feel a bit jealous. I wish I’d had the opportunity to study in these surroundings.
The four schools, named after the Royal woods (Delamere, Sherwood, Ashdown and Arden) house 90 students from each year. Delamere teaches the higher academic students, while Ashdown and Sherwood have students of all abilities. Arden is the college’s 6th form, and has the same template as the other schools on a bigger scale.
As I walk around the college, everyone looks neatly dressed in their new uniforms. No squiffy ties or an untucked shirts in sight.
But does dividing up pupils into separate schools help? It seems so. When I speak to students, they all tell me that although at first it was difficult to get used to, they now have a much better scholastic experience.
Declan Hutchins, Head Boy of Sherwood, not only tells me that they have a better relationship with the teachers now, but also that he prefers the whole experience.
“I prefer going here compared to the old Crown Woods; I feel like we’re really learning something properly. There are fewer students in each school so the teachers have more time for us”.
When asked if there were any cons, he tells me “it was difficult at first; in the old school, we were always on our phones. To be honest there was no respect for the teachers. Now there are strict rules, no phones in lessons, uniform has to be correct...but it has created a much nicer atmosphere”.
Madeline Springer, Sherwood’s Head Girl, interjects: “Even though we’ve been put into smaller houses, we’re more of a family; it’s a tight knit community within our school”.
Ashdown’s Head boy Matthew Birmingham agrees: “Teachers have the space and the time to focus on individual students now, but at the same time we’re treated more like adults”.
Madeline agrees: “There’s a mutual respect between teachers and pupils”.
Mr Murphy wanted to separate the students into schools for this very reason. “The purpose is to benefit from the small scale; none of the pupils will feel alienated or lost”, he said.
Enjoying the pleasant atmosphere I go into a Delamere English class, perhaps a time for scribbling on tables or taking a little nap? Happily, everyone seems rather interested. An occasional whisper here, a little smile there, but you can tell they’re listening.
As I walk around, I am shown the Art and Design building, named after William Morris. I’m impressed to find the college offers a GCSE in construction; plumbing, building, plastering.
Mr Murphy tells me the reason the College has incorporated trades, arts and sports into the new school. “We want to provide a broad liberal education that includes technology, the arts and humanities. Part of our job is to equip students for the next stage and if that stage is a job we have to make sure they have the skills.
“If you have a trade you have it for life.”
But didn’t many schools nowadays only concentrate on just trying to get their students into University? Mr Murphy responds philosophically: “We want to provide a school that caters for all aptitudes and interests”.
The school definitively seems to do that. Not only is there a room dedicated to building walls (yes, a whole room) but there is a dark room for photography, an exhibition room for art students, the 2012 Sports Centre, that has the capacity for a 450 strong audience, a sound proofed recording studio for budding musicians, a Visual Impairment Unit and Special Needs building, and soon also three full sized sports fields and a floodlight pitch, which will be used by the community. Oh and let’s not forget the rather spacious library.
There are so many facilities, so much room; it is hard to believe there’ll be parents in SE9 who won’t consider the College for their children.
Teachers seem particularly dedicated. New building, new rules. Yet the pupils don’t feel restricted or patronised. Head Boy of Delamere, Mike Nahimana says: “It’s a fresh start. Now the schools are smaller, you’ll have a year 10 talking to a year 7. That wouldn’t have happened in the old school”.
Both Ashdown and Sherwood’s Head Girls want to go to 6th form here, though they were not so sure before. The new school has changed their minds. Mike laughs as he tells me “My mum is ecstatic”.
With exam results set to go up as well as applications for entry, the teachers of Crown Woods College must be very pleased with their new facilities and new school. But what I can’t help but notice is how happy the pupils are too.
Like many in Eltham, I’ve watched Crown Woods turn from a large construction site into a beautiful new college. After spending a few hours there I discovered it’s something the community can be proud of.
Before my day began I had no preconceptions, apart from a suspicion that Crown Woods College would be the old school in a new building. I was very wrong. Not only has the building changed, but so has the atmosphere. It quickly became clear that this is a whole new Crown Woods.
As I first entered the school, I noticed how beautiful the architecture was. Head, Michael Murphy, believes the architects have brought his vision to life.
The college is separated into four discrete schools, supported by three other buildings; for Art and Design, Music and special needs, and sports. It is a miniature version of a University campus. Each building has spacious airy rooms, views of pleasant gardens, and gorgeous high atriums. This is no dilapidated, grey, dowdy school, with 30 students crammed onto tables, fighting for a view of the white board. This is on a completely different level. I feel a bit jealous. I wish I’d had the opportunity to study in these surroundings.
The four schools, named after the Royal woods (Delamere, Sherwood, Ashdown and Arden) house 90 students from each year. Delamere teaches the higher academic students, while Ashdown and Sherwood have students of all abilities. Arden is the college’s 6th form, and has the same template as the other schools on a bigger scale.
As I walk around the college, everyone looks neatly dressed in their new uniforms. No squiffy ties or an untucked shirts in sight.
But does dividing up pupils into separate schools help? It seems so. When I speak to students, they all tell me that although at first it was difficult to get used to, they now have a much better scholastic experience.
Declan Hutchins, Head Boy of Sherwood, not only tells me that they have a better relationship with the teachers now, but also that he prefers the whole experience.
“I prefer going here compared to the old Crown Woods; I feel like we’re really learning something properly. There are fewer students in each school so the teachers have more time for us”.
When asked if there were any cons, he tells me “it was difficult at first; in the old school, we were always on our phones. To be honest there was no respect for the teachers. Now there are strict rules, no phones in lessons, uniform has to be correct...but it has created a much nicer atmosphere”.
Madeline Springer, Sherwood’s Head Girl, interjects: “Even though we’ve been put into smaller houses, we’re more of a family; it’s a tight knit community within our school”.
Ashdown’s Head boy Matthew Birmingham agrees: “Teachers have the space and the time to focus on individual students now, but at the same time we’re treated more like adults”.
Madeline agrees: “There’s a mutual respect between teachers and pupils”.
Mr Murphy wanted to separate the students into schools for this very reason. “The purpose is to benefit from the small scale; none of the pupils will feel alienated or lost”, he said.
Enjoying the pleasant atmosphere I go into a Delamere English class, perhaps a time for scribbling on tables or taking a little nap? Happily, everyone seems rather interested. An occasional whisper here, a little smile there, but you can tell they’re listening.
As I walk around, I am shown the Art and Design building, named after William Morris. I’m impressed to find the college offers a GCSE in construction; plumbing, building, plastering.
Mr Murphy tells me the reason the College has incorporated trades, arts and sports into the new school. “We want to provide a broad liberal education that includes technology, the arts and humanities. Part of our job is to equip students for the next stage and if that stage is a job we have to make sure they have the skills.
“If you have a trade you have it for life.”
But didn’t many schools nowadays only concentrate on just trying to get their students into University? Mr Murphy responds philosophically: “We want to provide a school that caters for all aptitudes and interests”.
The school definitively seems to do that. Not only is there a room dedicated to building walls (yes, a whole room) but there is a dark room for photography, an exhibition room for art students, the 2012 Sports Centre, that has the capacity for a 450 strong audience, a sound proofed recording studio for budding musicians, a Visual Impairment Unit and Special Needs building, and soon also three full sized sports fields and a floodlight pitch, which will be used by the community. Oh and let’s not forget the rather spacious library.
There are so many facilities, so much room; it is hard to believe there’ll be parents in SE9 who won’t consider the College for their children.
Teachers seem particularly dedicated. New building, new rules. Yet the pupils don’t feel restricted or patronised. Head Boy of Delamere, Mike Nahimana says: “It’s a fresh start. Now the schools are smaller, you’ll have a year 10 talking to a year 7. That wouldn’t have happened in the old school”.
Both Ashdown and Sherwood’s Head Girls want to go to 6th form here, though they were not so sure before. The new school has changed their minds. Mike laughs as he tells me “My mum is ecstatic”.
With exam results set to go up as well as applications for entry, the teachers of Crown Woods College must be very pleased with their new facilities and new school. But what I can’t help but notice is how happy the pupils are too.
Monday, 11 July 2011
Village UNFAIR.
Today was my first day of work experience at the News Shopper.
It was their deadline day so I have a feeling I was not what they needed to deal with, but the editor who was dealing with me was still nice and I just did a few press releases. I am not so used to the short, snappy, fact-only sort of reporting that local news papers use, I am more wordy, perhaps more suited for features, but I must learn.
I was a little deflated that at first after seeing my first article this morning the editor didn't turn around and go "YOU! SARAH! YOU ARE A GENIUS! I MUST HIRE YOU NOW!" But instead gave me a few tips and showed me how it should be done, etc etc. I still don't know if I have got the hang of it but hopefully it will come with practice. Here is an article I did today that got put up on the website. It has been edited a lot so probably only half of what was written was me but apparently that is normal. Or they are lying to me to make me feel better. Spot Boris' brother.
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/bromley/9133444.Orpington_MP_Jo_Johnson_hails_success_of_Chelsfield_Village_Fair/
I also did another article about Bromley borough winning a Travel Safety award and another about a new restaurant in Petts Wood, that after reading my article sounds DELICIOUS.
I've been told I will have the opportunity to shadow some reporters this week so I hope that happens while I simultaneously becoming amazing at everything they tell me to do.
Maybe I'm not being realistic. Hmmm.
It was their deadline day so I have a feeling I was not what they needed to deal with, but the editor who was dealing with me was still nice and I just did a few press releases. I am not so used to the short, snappy, fact-only sort of reporting that local news papers use, I am more wordy, perhaps more suited for features, but I must learn.
I was a little deflated that at first after seeing my first article this morning the editor didn't turn around and go "YOU! SARAH! YOU ARE A GENIUS! I MUST HIRE YOU NOW!" But instead gave me a few tips and showed me how it should be done, etc etc. I still don't know if I have got the hang of it but hopefully it will come with practice. Here is an article I did today that got put up on the website. It has been edited a lot so probably only half of what was written was me but apparently that is normal. Or they are lying to me to make me feel better. Spot Boris' brother.
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/bromley/9133444.Orpington_MP_Jo_Johnson_hails_success_of_Chelsfield_Village_Fair/
I also did another article about Bromley borough winning a Travel Safety award and another about a new restaurant in Petts Wood, that after reading my article sounds DELICIOUS.
I've been told I will have the opportunity to shadow some reporters this week so I hope that happens while I simultaneously becoming amazing at everything they tell me to do.
Maybe I'm not being realistic. Hmmm.
Haimo Chess Tournament for SENine Magazine
On the 7th July the annual Haimo Primary School Chess Tournament took place, with schools from all over the borough of Greenwich competing against each other to win the coveted trophy. The competition was set up three years ago by Tracy Cardigan, a year 3 and 4 teacher at Haimo Primary, to encourage children to play more traditional games like chess as opposed to computer games and enable primary schools around the borough to come together. A passionate chess player herself, she admits “to be honest there is more competition between the teachers than the students”.
This year the winning team is The Mighty Reds from Charlton Manor. When asked about their team name they say “We are the Mighty Reds because we are mighty and all our favourite football teams have red kits!” Indeed their teacher, Richard Pittman Weekes II, seems absolutely thrilled with the win as he kisses their new trophy and fuels the children’s excitement with shouts of “GO MIGHTY REDS!”
As Tracy attempts to calm down the excitable chess players she says “Haimo won last year but this time we were defeated, I suppose we can’t win every time! The competition has become so popular, next year I hope to do it over two days; the children seem to love it”. As all the participants run around waving their shiny certificates it is certainly clear that they’ve enjoyed the tournament, jalthough they may not look like traditional chess players.
This year the winning team is The Mighty Reds from Charlton Manor. When asked about their team name they say “We are the Mighty Reds because we are mighty and all our favourite football teams have red kits!” Indeed their teacher, Richard Pittman Weekes II, seems absolutely thrilled with the win as he kisses their new trophy and fuels the children’s excitement with shouts of “GO MIGHTY REDS!”
As Tracy attempts to calm down the excitable chess players she says “Haimo won last year but this time we were defeated, I suppose we can’t win every time! The competition has become so popular, next year I hope to do it over two days; the children seem to love it”. As all the participants run around waving their shiny certificates it is certainly clear that they’ve enjoyed the tournament, jalthough they may not look like traditional chess players.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Haiku's are fun.
I have a busy few weeks coming up. Tomorrow I am spending the day at the new Crown Woods college to do a "Day in the Life" article for SENine as well as watching a chess tournament for 5-11 year olds on Thursday afternoon and going to a poetry reading at a Primary school on Thursday night. God I am going to learn so much, maybe I will be inspired to write a haiku about board games.
In August I have a 'Behind the Scenes' day at the Daily Mirror, which my kindly Uncle won for me at an auction.
Today I'll beat you,
At your thrilling chess board games...
Check Mate. Children cry.
At your thrilling chess board games...
Check Mate. Children cry.
I have a gift, I can literally do anything, from now on I will do a haiku for every blog post.
Next week I then have my weeks work experience at the News Shopper. I am looking forward to actually spending a few days learning about what I have commited myself to for seemingly the rest of my life. I think after having a look at the shorthand alphabet yesterday I need some encouragment. I don't know what to wear as all my "smart clothes" don't fit as I put on about 30 stone over exam times (I blame stress and easily attainable bacon turnovers). I don't want to buy new clothes as I would hope after Slimming World has done it's magic they would be too big. Maybe I will wear what I wore at Glastonbury?
In August I have a 'Behind the Scenes' day at the Daily Mirror, which my kindly Uncle won for me at an auction.It is the 5th of July in the year 2011 and to be honest it is not a good time to be becoming a journalist. Today's headlines include BBC News making almost 400 of their journalists redundent while at the same time News International being brought down to it's knees due to the phone hacking scandal hitting it's peak now that News of the World has been accused of hacking Milly Dowler's phone after she disappeared. Disgusting. That is not the kind of journalist I want to be. I'd like to succeed while at the same time being able to sleep at night.
Phone hacker's scandal,
Gives journalists a bad rep...
I will not succumb.
Gives journalists a bad rep...
I will not succumb.
(See, I'm a bloody poetic genius. I am going to blow those kids out of the water on Thursday and stamp on all their poetic dreams MUAHAHAHAHAHA!)
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