At Rookwood, our team work incredibly hard to deliver highly memorable learning experiences that not only engage and inspire our pupils but help to instil in them a lasting love of learning. Here are just a few of the fantastic learning experiences created for pupils this term.
Reception class have been exploring the theme of food from around the world. For one week the focus was on Italy, represented by the Italian flag. The pupils engaged in various activities including the opportunity to become both chefs and customers in their very own classroom Pizzeria, where they made and enjoyed pizzas. The entire experience was not only enjoyable but also served as a fantastic way for the pupils to learn about another culture.
Pupils and teachers in Year 2 travelled back in time earlier this term, to celebrate the end of The Great Fire of London and to prepare for a royal banquet. The classroom was transformed into old London of 1666 and pupils had to enter via the time travelling doorway. In the morning, they worked with kitchen maid Charlotte and scullery maid Elizabeth in the Pudding Lane bakery, to make delicious bread rolls and decorate fire cakes and royal biscuits. In the afternoon, they met Samuel Pepys for a quill writing workshop and wrote thank you notes to be handed out at the banquet. Click here to watch the video.
Year 3’s history topic on the Romans culminated in a Roman Day celebration event where their classroom was transformed into a lively and immersive ‘Ancient Roman’ environment. Dressed in authentic tunics, armour, togas, and laurel wreaths, our eager pupils embraced the spirit of ancient Rome with enthusiasm. The day was filled with interactive activities, from designing mosaics and learning Roman numerals to playing Knucklebones and Rota – famous Roman games. The day certainly ignited a passion for history, sparking the imaginations of our pupils in a memorable way!
Today our Year 3s are enjoying a Roman-themed day. In addition to dressing as Romans, they have fully immersed themselves in the activities as you can see from the video below. So much fun is currently being had by all ⚔️🛡 pic.twitter.com/2DaD4ghL1l
— Rookwood School (@rookwood_school) February 23, 2024
Key Stage 2, together with Years 10 and 11, were visited this term by author Francesca Tyer Author, who has a trilogy of young adult fantasy books to her name. The pupils were given an exclusive reading from ‘Earthstone’, the first in the series, which whetted their appetite brilliantly. They then completed some narrative writing of their own, which Key Stage 2 pupils based on some intriguing objects from a treasure box. Some lucky pupils then purchased signed copies of Francesca’s books.
As part of National Careers Week earlier this term, Rookwood’s Careers and Progression Advisor, Mrs Sarah Singlehurst, organised a visit from Monica Lubbock-Smith of the ASK Apprenticeships programme and Nicola Goddin from Test Valley Borough Council who delivered an assembly to our Senior School pupils (Years 9 – Upper Sixth) about apprenticeships and the vast opportunities available through this route of higher learning. In addition, the staff created and displayed ‘About Me’ career profiles for the pupils to see and draw inspiration from.
The week also saw the launch of the school’s very own Imagination Station. Mrs Singlehurst organised for every pupil in the school to create a disc showing their future career aspirations to be displayed within the Imagination Station. Each year, our pupils will receive a new disc to write their new goals or aspirations. At the end of their time at Rookwood, they will receive all their discs to see how their career dreams have evolved over time or perhaps to discover that their career dream has remained the same all along. The final product exceeded all expectations and looks amazing on display.
Year 10 GCSE PE pupils had the opportunity to visit the world-class sports facilities at the University of Bath. During the visit, pupils underwent a series of fitness tests, utilising state-of-the-art technology. In addition to the tests, the pupils attended a lecture on working with Olympic athletes and had the chance to tour the impressive facilities. The day was a great experience for the pupils, providing them with insight into the diverse possibilities available when pursuing PE studies in further education.
Year 11 Drama GCSE pupils were recently visited by two former ‘Blood Brothers’ West End stars. The pupils have been studying Willy Russell’s highly acclaimed musical for their forthcoming written examination. Mike Southern and Steve Palframan who have previously played Sammy and Mickey respectively, worked closely with them to explore some of the key scenes and characters. One of the pupils Imogen said; “I really enjoyed this interactive workshop. It has given me a renewed confidence in terms of the written GCSE Drama examination. I am grateful to the school for providing such opportunities.” Read the full story, here.
As part of our exciting partnership with Georg-Büchner-Gymnasium, a school in Kaarst near Düsseldorf, we welcomed German visitors to Rookwood. The pupils joined lessons, including practicing German with our Year 8 pupils, took a trip to Winchester, and enjoyed a bowling session with our Years 10 and 11. It was wonderful to have them here, with the whole school benefiting linguistically from their visit.
This term in Boarding, we welcomed overseas pupils for the term who were a wonderful and enriching addition to the boarding community. They, along with the other boarders, experienced a range of activities – from making homemade afternoon tea and playing popular games (Beat That, Bingo and Tension to name a few), to trips out to places including historic Newbury, ice skating and Flip Out in Basingstoke, a weekend trip to the seaside and a fantastic trip to Tink and Brellie in Ludgershall for some thoroughly enjoyable pottery painting. Boarders have also enjoyed weekly trips to the Sports Hall for activities including basketball and football.
For Comic Relief this year, Deputy Head Mrs Hacker came up with the idea of a Cereal Domino Rally – a creative and collaborative initiative that involved every pupil bringing in a box of cereal to create a large domino effect. The activity not only brought smiles but also contributed to a meaningful cause. All 250 cereal boxes used in the rally were donated to the Andover Food Bank, aiding local families in need. It was incredibly heart-warming to see our school come together once again to make a positive difference to the lives of others, both locally and globally.
Here is our Cereal Domino Rally video from our Comic Relief activities! Pupils brought in cereal boxes to create a massive domino effect, spreading smiles and supporting a great cause. All 250 boxes were donated to Andover Food Bank, helping local families in need❤️ pic.twitter.com/Ej3234FfPi
— Rookwood School (@rookwood_school) March 18, 2024
And finally, Spring Term wouldn’t be complete without the annual markings of World Book Day and Comic Relief. Pupils and staff celebrated their love of reading and books by dressing up as their favourite characters and activities included a masked reader competition, a book trail, and a quiz to name a few. A wonderful day was had by all.
