News list
Great team spirit ensured that the Pre Prep Sports Day on 28 June was one of the highlights towards the end of term. It got off to a flying start and saw the children take part in competitive running and relay races. The children also competed in various novelty races which included a dressing-up race, an obstacle race, an egg and spoon race and a sack race.
Form 2 set off on “The best trip ever!” according to one child overheard after the first activities had been completed. The trip was designed to develop the children’s independence and organisational skills and to challenge themselves with all the activities on offer. Hilltop is an Outdoor Education Centre based on the North Norfolk Coast and the trip included activities such as the high ropes course, a 15m climbing wall, a super swing, archery, The Big Zipper and The Amazing Air Jump (the first activity of its kind in England) and fun at the rocky seashore.
Another beautiful sunny day heralded the start of this year’s hugely successful Byron House Summer Fair. A staggering £1,249 was raised and has been split between two charities: www.humanitascharity.org and www.bridgestobelarus.org.uk.
St John’s has had several successful years of entering candidates for the Bronze Arts Award, which invites children in Forms 5 and 6 to submit a portfolio of work for accreditation in this nationally recognised qualification. The award involves participating in an art form, sharing knowledge with younger pupils, researching the work of an artist and reviewing an arts event.
T2s had a day out in nature’s outdoor classroom when they visited Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve, the National Trust's oldest nature reserve, and England's most famous fen. The children discovered the relationships between the habitats and the animals and plants within and how to identify and classify simple plants and animals with activities including pond dipping, net sweeping and wild art.
The ‘Grow Your Money’ initiative, now in its seventh year, has raised nearly £2,000 for Humanitias charity. The initiative is designed to encourage each child to discover and develop their entrepreneurial skills, by converting the £1 they are each given into more money for charity. Over the Easter holidays, the children brought home their £1 and they had until Summer half term to grow this pound into more money, through whichever way the children decided.
This year the school has developed a new link with the deaf health charity SignHealth. The charity works to ensure that deaf people have the same access to healthcare and health information. The theme for this year’s Form 1 and 2 massed choir at the Summer Concert at West Road was inspired by SignHealth’s annual fundraising event called sign2sing, which helps to raise awareness and to bring in much needed funds for the charity.
Fortunately, the weather gods were kind and yet again, the sun shone for the Parents’ Association Charity Fun Day in May. A big crowd of staff, parents and pupils made it to the playing fields to take part in a host of different activities from an assault course to plate smashing!
20 excited children and 4 eager staff packed their ski gear and headed to La Thuile in Italy for the St John’s 2019 ski trip. The resort has beautiful views of the Aosta Valley and the Mont Blanc Massif and, from the top of the ski area, of the Tarantaise Mountains in France and the Matterhorn on the Italian/Swiss border.
During the Easter break, a group of Senior House Geographers and Scientists set out to explore the wonders of Iceland. The children investigated volcanic activity, lava fields, hot springs, geysers, stunning waterfalls, dark, mysterious beaches and got to experience the heat and vibrancy of flowing lava.