News list
The children were transported back to Roman Britain with a recreation of life in the past including role-play, practical activities and hands-on experiences with Roman replica artefacts.
With this year’s performance of Macbeth, the Young Shakespeare Company yet again provided a wonderful opportunity for the children to experience Shakespeare through direct involvement in one of his plays. Forms 4 and 5 enjoyed workshops before watching a mesmerising performance of the play by a storyteller and four five Young Shakespeare Company actors.
The St John's PA committee had all eyes on the ominous weather forecast the week before the Fireworks Night. News of gale force winds and a slew of fireworks cancellations over the preceding weekend meant the Committee had everything crossed that they would chance upon a lucky window for one of the most eagerly anticipated PA events of the year.
The College Choir's latest CD, Magnificat, was released on 25 October. Celebrating the Evening Canticles that play a significant part in the Choir's Evensong services, it is an Editor's Choice Pick from Gramophone magazine who commented, ‘Take one of today’s finest collegiate choirs, experiencing a truly golden period, and music that sits at their very heart, and the result is an album which embodies Evensong’s sublime power.' Magnificat, is available to buy, download and stream: (http://smarturl.it/Magnificat).
398 children and staff took part in a national mindfulness ‘sit’ at Byron House and Senior House on 9 October to mark World Mental Health Day 2019. The Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) community invited teachers and pupils who regularly use practice mindfulness in schools to come together to raise awareness of the need for young people to develop skills to support their own wellbeing both inside and out. #SchoolsSitTogether is part of MiSP’s wider 'A Million Minds Matter' campaign to bring mindfulness to more children and more schools.
Mr Nick Penny, musician and instrument maker, spent the day with Form 2 (Year 4) with his workshop focusing on a fusion of DT, Science and Music. The children’s DT skills were put to excellent use as they developed their own ideas, chose appropriate materials and designed and constructed their own banjo/ukulele instruments from everyday recyclable resources.
‘How do you view stressful situations, as a challenge or a threat?’ Cambridge-based Sports Psychologist, Helen Davis, posed this question to our Forms 5 and 6 during her inspirational ‘Think Believe Perform’ talk about how to become a more positive and effective thinker, in sports and beyond.
Form 2 took part in a ‘Dancing with Dementia Patients’ project as part of their Responsibilities Development and as an extension of the school’s Outreach Development. Ms Worthington, Deputy Head of Junior Department, explained, “The aim was twofold: to provide Outreach Opportunities to Form 2 children to increase their understanding, compassion and self-awareness whilst also developing their sense of responsibility towards others in the local community. We believe that by doing this, children will be given opportunities to embody and develop the values of trust, compassion, love and
The joyful sounds of the Harvest hymn filled the hall as the children celebrated this year’s charitable giving at St John’s in our Byron House special service. The food donations came flooding in and after the services the goods were delivered to the Cambridge Food Bank, a local charity, part of Newmarket Open Door. The charity redistributes donated foods and household products to disadvantaged people and operates a Shop ‘n’ Share scheme with donation boxes at Milton Tesco and Daily Bread in Cambridge. The monetary donations and the collection went to Jimmy’s Night Shelter, a
Over 45 St John’s parents and visitors form other schools attended our Emotions for Learning (E4L) Morning in Byron House. Parents watched aspects of the E4L curriculum and Mindfulness programme in action during the day, experiencing it with the children, as well as listening to key presentations from staff. As an extension of the E4L curriculum, Form 2V gave a Tai Chi demonstration, alongside their teachers from Cambridge Kung Fu. Tai Chi is part of the 'My Mind' curriculum for this year group which encompasses: E4L, PSHEE, 'Paws.b' Mindfulness, Tai Chi,