Extra Curricular Activities
Digital Leaders
Digital leaders in school and they are a fantastic asset to the school community. We now have a group of 24 digital leaders, two or three students from each class from years 3 through to year 6. All the digital leaders went through an application process where they created a presentation at home explaining why they would make an amazing GBS Digital Leader. We had lots of applicants and it was really hard to choose.
We meet EVERY Tuesday lunchtime in the ICT Suite, between 12:15 and 12:45 p.m., obviously giving up your Tuesday lunch time is a key attribute to being a digital leader. During the year we work on special projects and groups are released from class to work with Jenny, our IT technician, on these projects.
The digital leaders are always taught a new topic first and then they can help during their ICT lessons. Some digital leaders have presented the new skills they have learnt to their class and some have even gone and taught other classes! The children are all taught the same skills and willingly support each other – they are all picking up skills used throughout the school and work with great enthusiasm.
In previous years, we have taken the digital leaders to the Apple shop for expert hands on training with Apple software and products.
We meet EVERY Tuesday lunchtime in the ICT Suite, between 12:15 and 12:45 p.m., obviously giving up your Tuesday lunch time is a key attribute to being a digital leader. During the year we work on special projects and groups are released from class to work with Jenny, our IT technician, on these projects.
The digital leaders are always taught a new topic first and then they can help during their ICT lessons. Some digital leaders have presented the new skills they have learnt to their class and some have even gone and taught other classes! The children are all taught the same skills and willingly support each other – they are all picking up skills used throughout the school and work with great enthusiasm.
In previous years, we have taken the digital leaders to the Apple shop for expert hands on training with Apple software and products.
Play Leaders
Play leaders apply for their roles in the Autumn Term. We welcome applications from children in both Year 5 and Year 6. Interested children receive training where they learn a variety of games to support play on the playground at lunchtimes and are taught how to engage and encourage children who might be involved in more solitary play. Play Leaders are easily seen on our playground as they wear bibs and caps.
Park Rangers
Our Junior Park Rangers work with the Park Rangers at our local woodland – Howe Park Wood. They meet annually with other Junior Rangers and complete activities to develop their understanding of this ancient woodland. They ensure that the information sent through to our school is shared with all our children through assemblies and take part in weekend events when they are available. Previous Junior Rangers have supported the planting of 20 elm trees in the woodland in a drive to bring back elm to our city. They have also made bird boxes and feeders as well as insect and bug hotels – many of which are still in use on our school site.
Music
We have some incredibly talented musicians in our school who work hard to develop their skills. All our year groups teach music as part of the curriculum which includes the teaching of whole class recorders in Year 4 however, from Year 3, children are offered the chance to learn an instrument with a teacher from the Milton Keynes Music Co-Operative. The take up is high with 36% of our KS2 children learning an instrument in this way. Guitar and keyboard are currently the most popular choices however, we have a number of children learning the violin, cello, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, flute, trumpet and trombone as well.
We regularly take part in the Music Festivals held by MK Music Service and use these occasions to celebrate the talents of our musicians. In 2018-19, we achieved a bronze, silver and gold trophy in the strings, brass and woodwind concerts at Christ the Cornerstone Church. We like to take part in our feeder school concerts at Shenley Brook End. Our children played in the SBE Christmas concert last December and many of those who attended the Y6 music transition day also participated in the end of year concert in July 2019,
We celebrate musical achievement out of school and recognise that a number of children have music tuition outside of the school day. Children are encouraged to play in our celebration assemblies on a Friday and will often share the music they have been learning in their classes too. We have held performances for parents and our teachers from the Music Co-operative often showcase the children’s achievements in performances to the school. Visits to see the orchestra perform at the Open University in Milton Keynes are taken up on a termly basis.
Music tuition with teacher from MK Music Co-Operative takes place on the following days:
Cello - Tuesday morning - with Margaret Smith
Brass - Tuesday morning - with Mark Green
Guitar - Wednesday morning - with Cicek Randall
Keyboard - Thursday afternoon - with Emily Gibbs
Woodwind - Friday morning - with David Lloyd
Violin - Friday afternoon - with David Novalbos
Most music teachers are happy to share e-mail addresses so that they can liaise over lesson progress. Please contact the school office if you need to make contact.
Lessons cost £52 per term with a 50% reduction for those in receipt of free school meals.
We regularly take part in the Music Festivals held by MK Music Service and use these occasions to celebrate the talents of our musicians. In 2018-19, we achieved a bronze, silver and gold trophy in the strings, brass and woodwind concerts at Christ the Cornerstone Church. We like to take part in our feeder school concerts at Shenley Brook End. Our children played in the SBE Christmas concert last December and many of those who attended the Y6 music transition day also participated in the end of year concert in July 2019,
We celebrate musical achievement out of school and recognise that a number of children have music tuition outside of the school day. Children are encouraged to play in our celebration assemblies on a Friday and will often share the music they have been learning in their classes too. We have held performances for parents and our teachers from the Music Co-operative often showcase the children’s achievements in performances to the school. Visits to see the orchestra perform at the Open University in Milton Keynes are taken up on a termly basis.
Music tuition with teacher from MK Music Co-Operative takes place on the following days:
Cello - Tuesday morning - with Margaret Smith
Brass - Tuesday morning - with Mark Green
Guitar - Wednesday morning - with Cicek Randall
Keyboard - Thursday afternoon - with Emily Gibbs
Woodwind - Friday morning - with David Lloyd
Violin - Friday afternoon - with David Novalbos
Most music teachers are happy to share e-mail addresses so that they can liaise over lesson progress. Please contact the school office if you need to make contact.
Lessons cost £52 per term with a 50% reduction for those in receipt of free school meals.
Music tuition with teacher from MK Music Co-Operative takes place on the following days:-
Lessons cost £52 per term with a 50% reduction for those in receipt of free school meals.
Lessons cost £52 per term with a 50% reduction for those in receipt of free school meals.
