October 2021 Skylark

In this issue of the Skylark Newsletter, you will learn about what has been happening in our Enrichment programme and why this is such an important part of a Heritage education. Take a look to also find out how role playing is used for our Infants, learn about the Kodály method of music education, and read about Year 5’s recent class assembly. You’ll also hear from our head girl and boy, discover more about our extracurricular activities, and meet our new Gap Year teaching assistants. Also, we bid a fond farewell to two staff members who have been a vital part of our school community.

A Musical Week

It has been a very musical week at Heritage, with pupils in Years 3-6 having the opportunity to play and sing for their classmates during special mini recitals. And this morning, a Senior Recital Assembly coincided with a non-uniform day to raise money for the East Anglia Children’s Hospice. Pieces included: 

  • Violin Quartet: Praeludium by Dmitri Shostakovich
  • Violin Solo: Coleg y Brifysgol Abertawe by Pat Shaw arr Phillips
  • Harp Solo: Lanterns by Fiona Clifton-Welker
  • Flute Solo: Vivace from Sonata in F by Telemann
  • Woodwind Trio: Rigadoon by Purcell and Air by Purcell
  • Clarinet Quartet: Fanfare and a Little Bit of Rock by Graham Lyons
  • Violin Solo: Apres un Reve by Faure

Well done to each of the musicians for their splendid performances.

Infants and Juniors Recite their Poems by Heart

During this morning’s Poetry Recitation Assembly, Infants and Juniors recited the poems that they have been memorising over the past half-term. 

Here is a list of the poems that were recited by each class: 

  • Lower Prep: ‘Rain’ by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • Upper Prep: ‘Who has Seen the Wind?’ By Christina Rosetti
  • Year 2: ‘Hurt No Living Thing’ by Christina Rosetti
  • Year 3: ‘Autumn Fires’ by Robert Louis Stevenson
  • Year 4: ‘The Eagle’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson
  • Year 5: ‘Sea Fever’ by John Masefield
  • Year 6: ‘This is the Night Mail’ by W.H. Auden

Memorising poetry has so many benefits for children, including stocking a child’s memory with a whole new set of language patterns, building vocabulary, and enhancing a child’s ability to comprehend difficult material. This article on the Mensa for Kids site has plenty of additional information about why memorising poems is good for children. 

Click below to watch one class’s poetry recitation. Bravo to all of the children for their terrific performances.

Open Morning Helpers

It was good to meet so many new families during our Open Morning on Saturday. We’d like to acknowledge all of the pupils who helped to support this event, including our Prefect Team who worked after school on Friday to get signs up and banners ready, and were also present to welcome and assist guests during the event itself. Additional thanks to Head Girl Alix and Prefect Nathaniel for managing the Senior Music in Mrs Zurcher’s absence, and for organising a rota of pupils – themselves included – to play the piano throughout the morning. A big thank you as well to our guides from Year 10 and other who supported with Art and Science. Well done to all of the pupils who represented our school so well. 

Harvest Collection for the Food Bank

At assemblies last week Mr Fletcher encouraged all pupils to support the work of the Cambridge Food Bank by bringing non-perishable food and other household items to school. The Food Bank works to provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are in crisis. They are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK, and have seen a huge increase in demand during the pandemic. At least 90% of the food they distribute is donated.

Thank you to our families who encouraged their children to consider the needs of others and whose generous donations of the items that the Food Bank is most in need of at this time filled up 22 large bags. It is wonderful to see the outpouring of support from the Heritage community for this important work.