Cranborne CEFirst School and Nursery

I wanted to take a moment to celebrate all the children who took part in Get, Set, Cycle! today. It was truly wonderful to see everyone engaging and enjoying the experience together. A massive well done to each child for their fantastic effortseveryone did brilliantly, and you should all be so proud of yourselves! Our speedy learners shone brilliantly throughout the event, and I can't wait to see their cycling skills grow even further.

What a fantastic celebration we had for World Book Day this morning! I must say, all of the children looked AMAZING in their costumes. It was clear that so much thought and creativity went into each and every outfit. It was heartwarming to see how engaged the children were, enthusiastically sharing their favourite books and costumes with one another. These moments of joy and imagination are what make school life so special. To mark the 100th anniversary of the beloved character, Winnie-the-Pooh, our staff decided to surprise the children by dressing up as some of the most cherished characters from the book! We have a Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and of course Winnie-the-Pooh! Thank you for your continued support in fostering a love for reading in our young learners.

In school in recent weeks we've been thinking about mental health and well-being. We've been using lovely gratitude jars, and dropping in notes about something that made us smile, a kind word, a small win, a moment of calm, our families, pets and homes. Over time , the jar becomes a reminder that even on tough days, there are bright spots worth holding onto. ... It can help us all gently shift the balance!

What a wonderful afternoon we've had on our farm visit today! The children spent time on a beautiful small holding tucked between woodland and the river, learning firsthand about rural life in Southwest England. Cranes fed sheep, discovered the magic of lambing season, and even tried their hand at wet-felting fleece from the herd. There was plenty of adventure, too: climbing trees, swinging on a tyre swing and cooking dough spirals together over the fire pit. We rounded off the day by creating tiny toadstool sculptures from natural materials from around us. It was a joyful experience that brought our geography line into life, and gave the children a real connection to our local farmers and landscapes.

I'm excited to share what a wonderful experience our Robin class had this morning at Project Manna Farm. The children had the opportunity to feed the Jacob sheep who are just about to have lambs. It was a delight to see their faces light up when they noticed the sheep's bodies moving with the wriggling unborn lambsit was a sight to behold! Furthermore, we had a special treat making twisted bread and cooking it over the fire pit. The children all agreed it was delicious! Not to mention, the wet felting activity was a bit messy but incredibly fun; we are now drying the wool so that they can create their favourite animal to take home. Thank you for your continued support in nurturing these amazing experiences for our children!

I'm thrilled to share that after the exciting Pancake Race, the children had a fantastic time enjoying some delicious pancakes at our pancake café. It was clear to see that everyone relished the tasty treats! We always strive to create wonderful experiences for our pupils, and it's heartwarming to see their smiles as they enjoy these fun moments together.

We are thrilled to share that our annual Pancake Race took place today, and our Year 4 pupils were absolutely incredible! Each and every one of them gave it their all, and the entire school came out to cheer them on in support. A big well done to our winner and runner-up, who both performed fantastically in their pancake flipping skills! Your hard work and enthusiasm made the event a wonderful success, and we couldn't be prouder. Thank you for being a part of this joyous occasion!

I'm thrilled to share that the Wrens and Fledglings had an absolute blast today during PE with their own version of curling, inspired by the Winter Olympics! The children learned how to push the beanbags close to the target, and it was fantastic to see their enthusiasm and teamwork shine through. Well done to all the little ones for their effort and spirit! Going for Gold!

In Robin class we have been looking at different artists like Vincent Van Gogh and thinking about how they represent movement and feeling through colour. They used oil pastels to create their version of 'The Starry Night'.One child said it looked 'magical'. Using primary colours they experimented with mixing colours and using tools to add patterns to their paintings. What a super effort Robin class!

At school, we use a phased approach to teaching writing in English, which always begins with engagement. Our young designers kicked off their new writing unit with an exciting robot themed engagement lesson that sparked curiosity, fun and plenty of vocabulary! To build background knowledge for the quality text we will write, the children began with a hook activity, designing and presenting their very own robot. They examined real world images and imagined how their creations might move and solve problems.The enthusiasm in the room was incredible -so many inventive designs which were all unique! Looking forward to seeing how this inspiration shapes their explanations next. .

Feeling grateful for another uplifting worship assembly in school today. Keith Jewell shared the powerful story of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego, reminding us what courage, faith and truthfulness can look like even in the toughest moments. The children listened beautifully, and the whole hall felt brighter for it. We've also been blessed by visit from the Open the Book team last week, who brought to life the story of Jesus calming the storm, following his messages about lilies in the field, and trusting that we are cared for. The children were captivated and the storytelling sparked so many thoughtful conversations. Moments like these enrich our school community, helping us grow in wisdom, kindness, and confidence together. Love, hope & wisdom

I am delighted to share that our children had a wonderful time walking around the village, delivering our Shroving posies! A big well done to our Fledglings and Wrenbirds for taking part in this lovely tradition of Shroving. Through their kind acts, our little unit helped to spread care and joy this Spring by delivering flowers and posies to some of our local residents and esteemed members of our community that we all love and admire. It's moments like these that truly warm our hearts and showcase the spirit of our school. Thank you for your continued support in nurturing such wonderful values in our pupils.

In art this week we experimented making tertiary colours and sketching Cranborne landscapes, learning what a foreground and background is.

Our class had the absolute joy of taking part in a fantastic singing workshop with Cathy Murray today, and the buzz is still in the air! You can see how focused the children are. We learned a wonderful selection of songs that we will soon have the chance to perform... One of the highlights was working on the powerful anthem 'Something inside so Strong.' Even without quoting the lyrics, you can imagine the impact it had. Its message of resilience and unity resonated beautifully with the whole class. Workshops like this remind us how music brings people together, builds confidence and gives every chance child a chance to shine!

What lovely array work in maths, finding factors in multiplication!