News list
During remote learning in the Lent term, children across both sites enjoyed an incredible virtual Book Week with a range of authors and illustrators giving online workshops and talks. Once the children had all returned to school, St John's librarians, Mrs Kelly Johnson (Senior House) and Mrs Julia Clarke (Byron House) planned additional events which took place in May including: Dress as a Book Character Day, Book Fairs run by Heffers Children's Bookshop and an in-person event at Byron House with the children's author and illustrator Gillian McClure, as well as
Six SJCS sailors took part in the Schools Regatta in the Under 11 and Under 13 category in Weymouth on 26 May. The school has taken part in this event for the past five years and, as the IAPS sailing competition was cancelled, Millfield Prep School in conjunction with the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre organised the regatta for budding Under 11s and 13s. In total, 21 boats competed over four races in light winds but beautiful sunshine in Portland Harbour, including Millfield, Clifton College and Durlston Court Prep School. The SJCS
Form 6 took part in a cross-curricular maths and sports project where they participated in various different fitness exercises and used the statistics gathered to analyse the results. They found out that fitness can be broken down into different components. Health-related fitness includes strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and body composition. Skill-related components include agility, coordination, reaction time, balance, power and speed. The children looked at predictions using hypotheses and focused on the
Form 4 have embarked on a new art project studying the abstract expressionist painter, Sir Frank Bowling OBE RA. The artist uses a variety of bright acrylic paint colours and embedded objects that create an unusual mesmerising composition. Some of his most famous paintings include 'Spreadout Ron Kitaj' and 'Sasha Jason Guyana Dreams'. The children have created their own artwork using the freedom of powder paints, combined with PVA glue and cut out materials to form maps in order to make their own splashes of bold colours and unique arrangement.
As part of Form 4’s Geography curriculum, each class took part in an ‘International trading Game’ to experience the challenges and excitement of international trade. The aim was to get the best price for the goods they sold and the biggest bargains for the goods each team bought. The children had to be mindful of how the global economy was doing as the prices they were able to get and the deals they made depended on how healthy the global economy was. Before the game began, the children believed that their only limit was their imagination, their negotiating skills and their bank
Each year at St John’s children in each of the Form 3 classes are encouraged to think about which child-led art topic they would like to pursue. After research and discussions, they vote on their favourite topic and this year Form 3M opted for ‘wildlife’ as their choice. Near the start of their topic they visited the National Trust’s oldest nature reserve and England’s most famous fen, Wicken Fen, to provide inspiration for their artwork. Here, the children had the chance to experience drawing 'en plein air' and, due to the inclement weather conditions, do
Form 3 visited Shimpling Park Farm in Suffolk to get an invaluable insight into the countryside, the business of organic farming and the fun of learning outside the classroom. Time on the farm reinforced aspects of the children’s curriculum from maths to science to PHSEE. Head of Geography Miss Grant, described the trip as, “An excellent way of linking food to farming and for the children to learn specifically about wheat as a case study. It also enabled them to get a sense of place and to explore a working farm and link to the work in Geography lessons.”
In lockdown, all children at Senior House took part in the Spirited Arts competition as part of a specific Religious Studies unit of work. This competition gives children the chance to be creative and imaginative in this subject and is linked to the children's spiritual ideas and skills. Last year over 50,000 pieces of art and poetry were created for the competition and some of these are displayed online. After much careful deliberation, ten pieces were selected to be sent to represent St John's with the winners being announced after the end of the academic year.
Director of Music, Mr Andrew Nethsingha, and The Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge, release Magnificat 2, the second volume in their highly-praised Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis series. The album, which was released on Signum Records on 16 April, features nine settings of the Evening Canticles. This album continues to explore the breadth of imagination with which composers have approached the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis texts, having been utilised in Christian worship for over 1,000 years. This repertoire is the
One of the aims of the Sports Department is for each child at the school to find a sport they will enjoy pursuing at their senior school. The School strives for excellence in attitude and caters for everyone, regardless of ability, by providing a high standard of opportunities to train and compete with high level coaching for each sport. St John's nurtures the sporting values of good conduct, respect for players, discipline, excellent sportsmanship, leadership and teamwork, learning the merits of winning and losing and, most importantly, having fun. Head of Sport, Mr Gareth McComb,