To get the children settled and comfortable in each other's company on the first day of term, Middle School always look for some team building time in the afternoon. Many of the children are new to the school, many are in forms with a different mix of children in than before, so it is really important that they can feel relaxed with their peers.

Circusology

Year 5 children are either moving in from outside or have moved up from the Lower School into their new classroom area. Here we brought in Circusology. Steve started in a fairly dramatic way - do you fancy balancing a gym bench on your chin? Apparently easy when you know how - he said! He then taught them juggling skills - initially with scarves, then brought in peacock feathers and plate spinning before letting them try a series of other circus skills. The group seemed to thoroughly enjoy their new skills and it was certainly a great way to end their first day in Middle School.

Dragon Boats or Rafts.

Year 6 went to South Cerney Outdoor Education centre, where they either built a raft or took part in Dragon boat racing. The rain held off for them but for some reason they seemed to fall in the water at the end - I don't know why! The Dragon Boats, inspired by the rhythm beaten out by our drummers - Edward, Xander, Jamie and George - soon started racing around the lake though I am sorry to report that the Blue team won every time. Obviously better team work! The rafters are taken to an island and have to build a raft in order for them to escape - they seemed to prefer, having built their raft, to then jump off it into the water. The Dragon boaters having finished their races seemed to gravitate to the jetty where they chose to jump in - though Iona for some reason took to flying. She said she was thrown in, but the others thought she had developed a new talent.

Look at some of the pictures of what they did:-

 Year 5 and their circus skills

 Year 6 at Water Sports