Welcome to Anston Greenlands Primary School

What an exciting day Merlins and Ospreys had last Thursday!  We travelled down to Watford to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour: the making of Harry Potter!  We were able to see up close the intricate detail hidden in every costume made for the films, spot our favourite props from the film, step onto iconic sets like the Great Hall and Diagon Ally, discover how the special and visual effects teams made Harry and his friends fly, learn how magical creatures were brought to life on screen and learn how our favourite sets were created.

What a truly magical, amazing day we had!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

What an amazing start to 2023. As I am sure you already know, Merlins and Ospreys are so excited about their new topic, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, as well as the exciting visit we have booked for March.

So far, we have created potions, designed wands, sketched Hogwarts and written a letter accepting our place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The enthusiasm the children have for the topic is outstanding and we are very excited for the term ahead of us.

Can you survive the Stone Age?

The answer is yes! Merlins and Ospreys had a fantastic survival day and showed off their many talents and skills, from chopping and dicing for our food preparation to den building. They used their knowledge of how Stone Age people lived and survived, and overall had a brilliant day.  

We started the day off by making replica models of Stone Age instruments, tools and jewellery. In the afternoon, we ate some typical Stone Age fruit strew that the children had prepared earlier in the week, using only ingredients that were around in the Stone Age. After filling up on the stew, the children then imagined using animal skin to make warm and waterproof dens. To finish off our Stone Age survival day, we headed down into our forest and sat around a fire in true Stone Age style, using our instruments for entertainment. We did have to step out of the Stone Age for a short period of time though, as all the children had a go at toasting bread over the fire.

Merlins and Ospreys have loved learning all about the Stone Age this term and have remember so much! It has been a great start to their academic year!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Children from Merlins and Ospreys walked to the Cenotaph in Dinnington, to learn about its significance and history in our local area.  The Cenotaph was unveiled in 1922 and now has 110 names, engraved on it. The soldiers it commemorates  died in the First and Second World Wars, including the Battle of the Somme in World War One.

We learned about the Order of Service that usually takes place on Remembrance Sunday, including prayers; had two minutes silence and listened to the Last Post before laying a wreath on the memorial.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

What a great day Merlins and Ospreys had at Creswell Crags.  The children were able to walk in the footsteps of early humans and woolly mammoths through the dramatic gorge there. They were able to marvel at the Ice Age rock art still visible in the extraordinary caves. They were able to enjoy exploring amongst the timeless beauty of the woodland, meadow, and reflective lake.

The children learned that Creswell Crags is riddled with naturally-formed caves which were once home to Ice Age animals, Neanderthals and humans.
The site’s archaeology includes thousands of artefacts and fossilized bones and the only Ice Age rock art in Britain. Every object tells a tale of the deep history and illustrates the fascinating story of how people lived in what was once the extreme northern frontier of the known world.

The children were split  into “tribes” and then participated in different workshops: a cave tour where children learned about tools used in the Stone Age, survival skills where children got to build shelters and throw spears, and examine bones of wolves, lions and hyenas and piece them together.

What a fun, educational day we had!