Author: Calder Lodge School

Throughout this half term the children have visited Waddecar Scout Camp to participate in their annual canoeing activity. As ever the children, and adults, had a wonderful time frolicking both in their canoes, but equally in the shallows of the pond.

The time spent at Waddecar develops our children’s communication skills and encourages teamwork and friendships. The opportunity to try something new, or develop skills mastered year on year, boost self esteem and help eradicate fears associated with water.

The act of canoeing and paddling the canoes physically enhances physicality and builds core balance.

Here are some photos we have taken this Summer at Waddecar

Our annual ‘Calder Lodge Sports Activity Morning’ was a great success on Thursday 16th July. As always the children, and adults, fully immersed themselves in every event- from the welly toss and assault course to the running races and Tug of War. The children showed great sportsmanship, cheering one another on and celebrating the successes of others. It was a warm and sunny day, but the children didn’t let this hamper their fun, we lathered on the sunscreen, wore our hats and kept fully hydrated throughout. I think it is true to say that the children had a wonderful time and were full of high spirits on their return to school.

As an end-of-school treat to celebrate the children’s fantastic behaviour and positive attitudes throughout the year, we enjoyed a special trip to Billy Bob’s. The children had a wonderful time exploring the venue, playing together, and sharing a delicious lunch.

The visit provided many opportunities to support learning beyond the classroom and linked closely to our curriculum, particularly in developing executive functioning skills. Throughout the day, the children practised important skills such as following instructions, managing their time, making decisions, taking turns, and demonstrating self-control in a busy environment.

They also showed excellent communication and social skills by working together, problem-solving, and interacting positively with their peers and adults. The trip was a fantastic way to celebrate the children’s achievements and recognise the outstanding behaviour they have demonstrated throughout the school year.

We are incredibly proud of how they represented our school and hope they enjoyed this
well-deserved treat.

During our geography trip to Holmeswood, we visited a local river to learn about river environments and the processes that shape them. The visit helped us understand how rivers affect the landscape and the importance of rivers within the local area.

While at the river, we observed different features such as the river channel, bends, banks, and surrounding vegetation. We discussed how erosion, transportation, and deposition work together to change the river over time. We also looked at how the river interacts with the surrounding land and considered the impact of weather and human activity on the environment.

We discussed how rivers form and develop from their source to their mouth. We examined examples of river features and learned how water shapes the landscape through natural processes. We were encouraged to think about how rivers can create habitats for wildlife and why they are important for both people and the environment and identified various physical and human features in our surroundings.

The trip to Holmeswood was an interesting and enjoyable experience. It helped us connect what we had learned in the classroom to a real-world river environment and improved our understanding of physical geography.

As part of our Microhabitats topic in science, Nicky Nook travelled to Half Moon Bay in Heysham to take part in a Rockpooling activity. This experience enhanced their knowledge of habitats, as they saw animals in their natural environments. The children were able to move rocks on the beach to find animals that live in these microhabitats. 

Nicky Nook were all really eager to take part in this activity as they very quickly discovered how many different animals live under rocks and in rock pools. They used a plastic tub with water from the sea to place their findings in to observe them. 

Nicky Nook also used this experience as a tool for guiding them in English. They were given a set of instructions of how to successfully rockpool. The instructions were given with mistakes in them. The task for the class was to identify the mistakes, so they could use their experiences to write their own set of instructions.

Nicky Nook really enjoyed their trip and were eager for staff to take pictures of their findings and showcase what they had found. After rockpooling, the class enjoyed their lunch on the beach and went to Heysham Play Park to finish their trip.

As part of our Cultural Capital experience, the children visited Cleveleys Beach following our class study of The Sea Swallow by Gareth Thompson. Prior to the trip, we read and discussed the story together, sharing our thoughts, opinions and interpretations of the book. The children engaged enthusiastically in discussions about the characters, themes and events within the story.

During our visit to the beach, we explored the sculptures inspired by the book. The children were excited to see the Golden Sea Shell and the Sea Swallow sculptures in real life. We also looked for the Ogre sculpture, although it was partially hidden by the high tide. Seeing these landmarks brought the story to life and helped the children make meaningful connections between literature, art and the local environment.

Following our visit to Cleveleys Beach and our study of The Sea Swallow by Gareth Thompson, the children will take part in a Design and Technology project to create their own sculptures using air-dry clay. Inspired by the sculptures they observed during the trip, the children will first explore ideas, sketch designs and consider the features they would like to include in their models.

They will then use a range of shaping, joining and finishing techniques to construct their sculptures from clay, developing their fine motor skills and understanding of three-dimensional design. Throughout the project, children will evaluate their work and make improvements to achieve their intended outcome. This activity encourages creativity, problem-solving and the application of skills inspired by a real-life cultural experience.