Jenga Challenge

So what do you do when competing against the Headteacher in a Jenga Challenge? Win of course!

We have been trying to find a moment to play our staff match for a while now. The children looked on and became immersed in the atmosphere and tension that was present. The pupils were very supported of both players and it was a delight to see their involvement. It was another reality check for them to see that teachers and headteachers are just as competitive as the children are.

Check out the children's faces as they look on.

(Thank you to Alan who took the photographs.)

Pupils not stumped by ICT at the Essex Cricket Ground

This evening I accompanied 14 youngsters from Kings Road Primary School to an after-school ICT Learning Centre located at the Chelmsford Cricket Ground. It's an unusual place to find a computer lab, but in partnership with Essex Cricket Club and Essex Advisory Service, a learning centre has been established. Over 6 weeks, pupils have engaged in a variety of activities from making CDs, through to producing comic strips using Comic Life and digital video work.

Andy, who runs the centre has been impressed with the children's enthusiasm and commitment to the tasks.

Learning Conferences

Tonight I met with both parents and pupils to discuss the pupils' progress. I was delighted that many parents reported that their children had been talking more about the work they are doing at school and the learning taking place.

It struck me that our focus on writing learning reflections on the school blog site could be related to pupils sharing the school experience at home.

Could it be that the articles that have been written on the website helps to

• focus children's understanding of what they have been learning, whether they have written the article or not.
  
• remind them of the activities that they have been engaged in.
  
• informs them about what their children are learning and therefore could be the basis of developing a conversation beyond the usual 'What did you do at school?' to 'Can you tell me what your creative story was about today?'
  

It's not at all clear at this stage that there is a link between the blogging work and pupils sharing work more readily at home, but it's something that several parents mentioned this evening.

Enterprise Week

Today, pupils at Kings Road Primary School have an opportunity to buy the products that were produced during the excellent Enterprise Week. Here is The F Factor stall, with our sales team behind, selling Grow Your Own Sunflower kits, Easter Cards and Pom Pom's. Much of what was made is now 'sold-out', which should be good for our business model!

I'm looking forward to the evaluation session, looking at what worked well and what didn't work so well.