Read this issue of The Skylark newsletter for a glimpse into what has been happening in school this half-term. From science experiments to nature drawings to handicraft to books, you’ll get a taste of how our pupils have been experiencing the richness of our curriculum during the past several weeks.
On Tuesday, ten Heritage Seniors from Years 7 to 9 ran in the District Cross Country Championships at Netherhall School. Well done to each of the pupils who successfully competed in some very cold weather. Special recognition goes to Silas (Y9) who placed first among the Year 8 and 9 boys. Overall, it was an excellent morning with great results!
Yesterday morning Upper Prep put on a marvellous class assembly, demonstrating some of the wonderfully enriching bird-themed learning that has been running through many of their curriculum subjects this term.
Art appreciation
The class described some things they had learned about John James Audubon (1785-1851) who became famous for his beautiful paintings of American birds 200 years ago.
Art
The pupils showed the beautifully colourful and detailed bird paintings they had created; their schoolmates correctly identified the birds that were represented: Kingfisher, Blue tit, Robin, Blackbirds, Magpie, and Tawny owl.
Nature Study
Upper Prep learned about the difference between soft-billed birds and hard-billed birds during their readings of Adventures Into Nature. They noted that the terms have to do with the type of food the birds eat, not the hardness or softness of their bills!
Nature walks
On nature walks, the pupils have been enjoying bird spotting, and recorded their findings using tally lines. They shared their charts that detailed the birds they had seen in different locations.
Writing
The children have been listening to information about birds and writing down some bird facts. Some of the pupils shared the bird fascinating facts they had learned. For example, a blue tit will often eat upside down and ducklings can swim straight away after hatching!
Literature
The class have been reading Aesop’s fables, so in science they decided to test one fable called ‘The Crow and the Pitcher,’ to see if water would rise up inside the jug by dropping stones into it. The water did in fact rise. (Eureka!)
Drama
Finally, Upper Prep delivered a terrific performance of a story they have been working on in Drama, an Inuit legend called ‘Why the Robin Has a Red Breast.’
Each of the Upper Prep children should be proud of all that they have learned, and how well they shared their learning with their schoolmates!
Heritage Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team gathered recently to meet with each other and discuss the vision of the school, how Charlotte Mason’s philosophy fits into today’s educational landscape, and aspects of the school’s curriculum and culture that make Heritage such a unique place. Toward the end of their time together, the Trustees had the pleasure of participating in a special nature session with Mrs Fletcher – a time of slowing down, conversing and observing the fabulous structure of leaves from the plane tree in the playground. They also produced some very impressive nature paintings of their own.
Our school’s educational approach has been particularly inspired by the writings of Charlotte Mason (1842-1923), a British educator who believed in ‘a liberal education for all’. The Story of Charlotte Mason by Elsie Kitchen and Essex Cholmondeley tells how Charlotte, orphaned and poor at the age of sixteen, developed into an inspiring and original educational reformer. Originally published in 1960, the book was reprinted in 2000 to meet a renewed interest in her vision and, when there were not enough copies available to meet the growing demand, another reprint was recently launched.
In the foreword of this latest edition, our own Charlotte Mason Consultant Elaine Cooper writes, ‘A new generation worldwide is searching for an education that respects the personhood and development of the child within a clear framework, and one that points to a straightforward, but deeply satisfying enjoyment of life and learning. The Story of Charlotte Mason is thus an important book for understanding the thoughts, work and life of a remarkable late Victorian educator, a fine thinker and a much-loved friend, teacher and colleague. Written by those closest to her, The Story describes, like a fine painting, the colours, contours and creed of its principal subject in such a way as to make one quietly grateful for such a radiant life and legacy as hers.’
This reprint will be released on 25th November, and can be pre-ordered here.
