Issue 39

The children in Year 5 were tasked with making a model of an eye or a solar system for a house competition, in order to support and cement their understanding of their Science and Engineering topic, Light. They had to choose their materials, label the parts of their model, and include a description for each part.

There was a huge variety of fantastic models made out of a wide range of materials. The judging proved tricky due to the extremely high standard, but we managed, after much deliberation, to decide upon the winners.

Eye Model STEM Winner: Zach 

Eye Model Winner: Florence, Dilan, Cyrus

Eye Model Runner Up: Sadie

Solar System STEM Winner: Wilf

Solar System Winners: Dan

Solar System Runner Up: Scarlett, Edward

A huge congratulations to all, for all your hard work. 

Following the success of the Hot Chocolate Sale last term, PATCH wanted to give the parents something to look forward to.

 Coffee, tea, and biscuits were available at drop-off each morning, providing an opportunity to catch up with friends. Thank you to all the parents for the support, your contributions are much appreciated. 

All our parents were invited to take part in the Beyond the Hornbeam Avenue Walk and those who have, welcomed the opportunity to explore the beautiful and intriguing areas of our school grounds. 

This informative walk, led by Shaun Foster, Head of Outdoor Learning, focuses on the northern section of the school—an area often unfamiliar to parents but frequently explored by pupils from Nursery to Year 6 during Outdoor Learning sessions. 

Along the way, participants hear historical facts, local folklore, and examples of the learning, challenges, and adventures their children experience. 

This event highlights the richness of our grounds and illustrates why pupils at Chandlings enjoy such an exceptional learning experience. 

Year 1 had a wonderful day launching their topic 'The Wonderful World of Chocolate'. Dressed to impress as characters from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory',

They created their own delicious chocolate bars and designed eye-catching labels to go with them. 

Lunch was eaten at a magical table and more chocolate was enjoyed for pudding. We thought about what we already know about chocolate and what we are hoping to find out this term. 

It was a super day to start our topic!

Year 6 stepped back in time on Thursday 8th May 2025 to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. 

Pupils arrived at school and prepared for evacuation; talking about the need to always carry their gas mask boxes with them and completing their evacuation labels. Throughout the day, their lessons were linked to lots of aspects linked to World War Two. They investigated the best material to use on windows to stop light from escaping in Science. 

They considered the need to grow your own food in Outdoor Learning and planted their own beans. During their choir session, they marched around the grounds singing wartime songs. 

In Maths they cracked codes and in Drama they brought photographs to life, carefully considering the emotions of the people that were pictured. A visit to the Air Raid Shelter highlighted the stark realities that were faced by so many. 

The day ended with the announcement from Ms Cook that the war had ended and they all celebrated with a tea party.  

We were delighted to welcome Onjali Q. Rauf MBE to Chandlings, a multi-award-winning children’s author, playwright, and passionate advocate for women’s and refugee rights.

Onjali spoke to all children from Reception through to Year 6, engaging them with her stories and insights.

A special Q&A session with Years 4 and 5 centred around her acclaimed novel The Boy at the Back of the Class, which tells the story of a nine-year-old refugee from Syria, seen through the eyes of a compassionate group of classmates who befriend him and help him search for his family. Pupils had read the book in Year 4 as part of their English curriculum and came prepared with thoughtful and insightful questions. Onjali was deeply impressed by their understanding and engagement, and moved by their empathy. She especially enjoyed hearing about the imaginative ‘tea party with the Queen’ that the children held after finishing the book, and was thrilled to see Amaara’s prize-winning book hoodie, which creatively featured her novel.

In her main talk to Prep pupils, Onjali spoke about her powerful book The Lion Above the Door, inspired by the untold stories of unsung heroes and “sheroes”, men and women of diverse nationalities whose brave contributions during the Second World War are often overlooked. This inspiring talk fittingly took place on the eve of the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

During the afternoon, she also shared her picture book The Girl at the Front of the Class with our Pre-Prep pupils, a moving story that gently explores the experience of a young refugee settling into a new school and country.

We are incredibly grateful to Onjali for spending time with us and inspiring our children with her books, stories, and passion for justice.

Get ready to raise the Jolly Roger! Reception set sail on the Nursery Pirate ship for the adventure to begin. 

Lunch was a feast fit for a pirate captain! Children "snuck" through a treasure cove, past sleeping parrots and tangled vines, emerging onto an ocean of blue tablecloths leading to a pirate banquet. Skull goblets and themed cakes fueled their imaginations and their tummies!

Reception's pirate day was a celebration of learning and creativity. The children captured their adventures in creative writing and descriptive language left us incredibly impressed! 

This immersive experience is a testament to how Chandlings Prep brings learning to life. By blending imagination with the foundations of endeavour, innovation and adventure, Reception's pirate day created an opportunity for exploration, teamwork, and of course, a healthy dose of pirate spirit!

We had a bit of excitement this week at the apiary! Greg Stephens, a beekeeper from Oxfordshire, brought us a swarm he’d collected that very morning from a garden in Wheatley. 

The swarm was carefully moved from the transit box into their new hive, and they wasted no time settling in. Although we didn’t actually spot the queen during the process, the bees’ eagerness to enter the hive strongly suggested she was safely inside. They were mainly placed on super frames, and we’ve added a few brood frames to help them establish.

On a less cheerful note, the nuc split we were monitoring hasn’t made it. Just a handful of bees remain, possibly robbing any leftover stores. Sadly, it looks like this little colony will fade out on its own.

On a brighter side, we inspected our established hive and were happy to find the queen looking healthy and active. She’s now marked, which will make spotting her much easier in future checks.

All in all, it’s been a busy and hopeful start to the season. We’re looking forward to seeing how both colonies develop in the weeks ahead!