Category: Kingsthorne Primary School

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Learning and fun with after school clubs at Kingsthorne Primary School

Words by Kingsthorne Primary School

(Ed’s note – this BACK TO SCHOOL article was first written for the Erdington Local printed edition and published on 14.03.25)

After school science club at Kingsthorne Primary School / Image supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

At Kingsthorne, children are given the opportunity to take part in after school clubs. These are run by staff and this half-term the following clubs are available: Warhammer. Pokémon, art, drama, trumpets, and science.

The art club are busy painting the mural for our new library. Fergus in Y6 explained: “We are drawing a picture on the wall; we carefully mix the colours to get the shades right.

“We user different size brushes, small for the detailed parts and bigger for the larger areas. It is a bit of a rush though! We must get it finished next week and there is still a lot to paint!”

Library mural by after school art club at Kingsthorne Primary School / Image supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

Rebecca in Y4 talked about drama club: “We do lots of acting and actions to music. Last week we had to pull a name out of a hat and act like that character named. Names like Woody, Micky Mouse and Sleeping Beauty… Sleeping Beauty was easy – just lying down!”

Nicloe, Y6 gave an insight into the Warhammer club: “We make figures, from plastic kits. The figures can be superheroes, villains, soldiers, and we have even done a space marine! The teacher takes them home and sprays them with white paint.”

She added: “He does this so that when we decorate them the paint doesn’t peel off. We design our own characters and next week we will learn how to play the game!”

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Looking back and looking ahead at Kingsthorne Primary School

Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

(Ed’s note – this BACK TO SCHOOL article was first written for the Erdington Local printed edition and published on 17.01.25)

Disco ball and party lights / Pic taken from Adobe Stock Images

The run up to Christmas was very exciting at Kingsthorne with lots of special activities and events. On Thursday 12 December the school held its first after school disco since lockdown.

Children from all ages came and ate pizza and chips and there were prizes for the best dancers!

The following day was the House Challenge. Normal lessons were cancelled for the morning and the children got into their houses: Earth, Fire, Water, and Ice. They spent the time making things to sell at the Christmas market in the afternoon.

The house that raised the most money would be crowned the winner! Congratulations to Earth house who raised over £180.

Aberdovery beach and seafront, Wales / Pic taken from Adobe Stock Images

There were festive parties; Reception and Nursery charmed the parents with their re-telling of the nativity story and on the last day we walked down to the local church, St Lukes, for a Christmas service.

There were carols and readings and the ukulele group put together a medley of seasonal songs.

Looking ahead to 2025 there are lots of exciting events planned, including a Y4 residential visit to the Chester Trafford Youth Hostel and the annual Y6 trip to Aberdovey.

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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Ending of the winter term at Kingsthorne Primary School

Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

(Ed’s note – this BTS article was first written for the Erdington Local printed edition and initially published on 20.12.24)

Play-tropolis in Wombourne, Wolverhampton

On a wet and windy Thursday in December the Y1 children boarded a coach and went on a visit to Play-tropolis in Wombourne, Wolverhampton – a local role play centre for young people, with nine purpose built play areas that offer an immersive experience and introduce children to the grown up worlds of work.

The Kingsthorne children had a great time because they got to visit a model street where they practiced some grown up jobs. They had the chance to be firefighters, vets, hairdressers and police officers to name a few!

They were allowed to visit the Play-tropolis Café, supermarket and Post Office. The children had a fantastic day trying out different jobs and seeing miniature versions of shops and businesses.

Play-tropolis in Wombourne, Wolverhampton

Later that day, at the school disco the children got to meet and talk to Father Christmas! He was visiting for the day and chatted to them about what they wanted for Christmas and what they had put on their lists. A truly magical experience!

Although the journey back took much longer than expected, all the Y1 pupils had a fantastic day and learned about future careers.

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk
For more on Play-tropolis visit www.play-tropolis.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Year 4 children at Kingsthorne Primary School visit Twycross Zoo

Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

On Friday 18 October, Year 4 children from Kingsthorne Primary School went to Twycross Zoo on a coach. When they were there, they saw lots of different animals – read some of their experiences and memories from the days below.

Rainbow Lorikeets:
“The rainbow lorikeets were one of the first animals we saw. They are rainbow birds with tongues instead of teeth. We got some disgusting yellow food and went to the exhibition. At first, the rainbow lorikeets where nowhere to be seen but then they kept coming and coming! They were attracted by the awful looking food!”

Orangutans:
“The orangutans were so big and orange it was quite scary! They had a big play enclosure with lots of equipment for them to climb, swing and jump off. Maybe we could have some of that for our playground…”

Butterflies:
“The butterflies are kept in a warm enclosure because this is more like their habitat at home. They were really bright and colourful and ate very sweet fruits. Up close, you could see how delicate their wings are.”

Other memories from the day:
“We were lucky enough to see bonobos, guerillas, rhinos, penguins and cheetahs too.”

“It was a great day at the zoo and when we got back on the coach to return to school we were tired but very happy!”

Thank-you to all of the Y4 children that contributed to this article, including: Zofia, Almamo, Layla, Kobie, Alis, Rim, Rebecca, Khadeza, Anomika, Jessie-Ann, Pernell, Lincoln, and Amelia.

For more on Twycross Zoo visit www.twycrosszoo.org

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Another busy and exciting month for children at Kingsthorne Primary School

Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

Kingsthorne Nursery children on a bug hunt

Life at Kingsthorne has continued to be very busy this month. Last week, our youngest children in Nursery went on a bug hunt around their outdoor area.

As well as finding ants, earwigs, worms and snails there was the opportunity for mark making and vocabulary development. The children also made a bed for ten in a bed which allowed for physical development and collaborative discussions.

Year 6, travelled further afield on their visit to the Heights of Abraham in Derbyshire. To go, the children had to be at school very early and didn’t get back until after half past 4!

Kingsthorne Year 6 children exploring the caves at Heights of Abraham, Derbyshire

Whilst they were there, they had the chance to explore the caves and discovered how the landscape is now used to support tourism after being mined for many years.

The children had the chance to take a ride on the cable car and experience the amazing view – a first for most of them.  The visit was linked to their learning about mountains around the world.

They have been researching Mount Everest and the hostile climate there – even colder than Kingstanding in winter.

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

 

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Kingsthorne Year 5 visit Tally Ho Police Centre

Words by Paisley, Year 5 / Pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

This September, Year 5 went on a 30 minute trip to Tally Ho Police Centre. First thing we saw were these incredibly trained police dogs. They knew who the bad person was and went straight to them so the police could arrest them. The police were very good actors; the dogs even found a mobile phone just from smell.

Next, we watched the police march and we even joined in. We learnt what you had to do when they shouted out the words. It sounded very confusing but when you learnt it, it wasn’t that hard. After that we went to the police van and they even shut the door for the full experience.

I felt like a real police officer. Then, we got to see what happened if there was a serious car crash. They took the whole car apart to get the injured person out. They took off the boot, the windows, roof… the whole thing. After, we finally had lunch.

Then after lunch, we got into our groups. My group went to Bob, which isn’t a real person but just as fun. We hit it with a bat and pepper sprayed it, but it was only water because real pepper spray would have been dangerous.

Next, we did a bleep test when you had to run to the line before the phone bleeped. Someone in our group even beat one of the police officer’s highest score.

Then, we went into a police boat and even tried on the helmets and vests they wear on the boat. After that, it was almost time to get back to school but we quickly got some freebies. We got pens, sweets, and pencils. Then it was time to go back to school.

We all had so much fun. The police even said we were trained and ready to be a police officer. Then, after a wonderful day we went home to tell our families all about the amazing stuff we did.

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email : [email protected]

 

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Kingsthorne Primary School residential at YHA Ravenstor in Peak District

Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

Earlier in June, children from Kingsthorne Primary got the chance to spend time at the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) country house Ravenstor – as part of a special residential trip organised by the Kinstanding school.

Situated in the heart of the Peak District, looking down on the River Wye that runs between Bakewell and Buxton, YHA Ravenstor is a popular holiday destination for families and walkers who want to get back to nature.

During their stay, the Kingsthorne children got to explore the 60 acres of beautiful grounds that surround the National Trust property, playing games and taking part in fun activities.

With some wet weather coming whilst they were away, everyone got quite muddy but had a great time doing so – and luckily YHA Ravenstor had a special ‘drying room’ for all their wet clothes and muddy boots.

School trips and residential stays are a fantastic way to build confidence in young people, help them with social inclusion, and give many children the chance to see and experience things that may not be easily accessible to them.

National consortium Learning Away champions the benefits of UK based educational residentials and found the impact of the experience on primary school children can increase their relationships with both peers and teachers by over 70%.

Renowned mountaineer and explorer Sir Chris Bonnington told: “Children benefit in a profound way from the adventure of a residential and the opportunity and experience of being absorbed in what they are learning in the great outdoors.”

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

To find out more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Kingsthorne Primary School’s Year 6 visit Outward Bound Centre at Aberdovey

Words by Neveah in Y6 / Pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

15 – 19 April were the dates of the first ever Kingsthorne Y6, four night residential to the Outward Bound Centre at Aberdovey.

The 41 children and six staff that went were truly pioneers. We all had an unforgettable experience and a great time.

The views of the estuary and beyond were gorgeous, particularly when it was sunny. We saw lots of nature too including cows, crabs, and jellyfish!

During our time at Aberdovey we conquered many fears and completed lots of fun activities. Some of the activities that we did consisted of abseiling, gorge walking, jetty jumping, and the jog and dip.

Two of my favourite activities were the jetty jump and the gorge walk. Both of these were incredibly fun, even if you did get absolutely soaking.

I learnt a lot on this trip including how to be more resilient and independent. I even learned how to make a duvet – now there is a skill for life!

Many people overcame their fears and made memories that they will never forget.

Kingsthorne Year 6 students at Aberdovey, Wales

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

To find out more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Getting ready for the summer at Kingsthorne Primary School

Words and pics supplied by Kingsthorne Primary School

It is hard to believe that we are already at the start of the summer term. The weather certainly hasn’t been what we would hope for! 

Since coming back the children have been very busy. Over the holiday, Y1 were asked to make bug hotels to encourage wildlife to come into the school grounds.

This is linked to their writing topic, ‘Our Woodland Visit’, where the children are learning to compose and recount text.

As part of their immersive experience they took part in a colour hunt, a minibeast hunt, and a scavenger hunt. Back in class the intrepid explorers drew pictures of what they had found and relaxed with hot chocolate and marsh mallows.

Learning beyond the classroom is very important at Kingsthorne and in the coming weeks Y6 are off for a week at the Outward Bound Centre in Aberdovey, and Y4 have two nights in the Peak District at the Ravenstore Youth Hostel.

We will, of course, report back about everything they have been up to!  

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

To find out more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Kingsthorne Primary School visit the National Justice Museum

Words by Sabrin – Year 5

On Wednesday 28 March Y5 went on a trip to the National Justice Museum for their topic about Crime and Punishment. We asked our intrepid reporter, Sabrin, to tell the story. 

We got on the bus and it took one hour twenty minutes to get there. When we arrived we were led to our first destination – the court room. We acted out a trail based on a real case. The defendant was found guilty by the jury and was sent down the steps!

Next, we had our lunch. After lunch, we went down a flight of stairs to find a Georgian man explaining how people were punished for crimes. We learned that in those days jails weren’t punishments but waiting areas to get punished.

Next, we nervously ventured into the cold, dark, damp cells the prisoners were placed in. Some of us even spotted a hooded figure running creepily in the cells. 

Later, we visited the Victorian women’s cells and even had the chance to try out a Victorian laundry machine! The lady dressed up as a cell keeper said that we weren’t allowed to sit, jump, or run (just like they would have said in the Victorian times)! 

After that, we explored some more and found out ways people were punished. Most of us got to stand in a pillory – but luckily none of us got pelted with rotten tomatoes!

At the end of a long day of learning we collected our coats and bags and headed back from Nottingham. 

For more on Kingsthorne Primary School visit www.kingsthorneprimary.co.uk

Kingsthorne Primary School is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

To find out more about going BACK TO SCHOOL please email: [email protected]