The amazing Year 6 leavers cake!

Mrs Pasquato stunned the children in Year 6 when she brought in this frankly wonderful cake. I hope the photographs do justice to the incredible (and edible!) icing work. If you look carefully you will notice that not only does it contain the school emblem, but every single pupil from Year 6 is featured on the cake! Even the blazers had the school logo on them - amazing!

Here are (almost) all of the pupils who were models for the cake! Each pupil got to take their cake counterparts home although some had already bitten their heads off by the time the left the site! Thank you Mrs Pasquato this superb gift - it is much appreciated.

Also, I would like to say well done to all of the Year 6 leavers for their part in the assembly today - you ALL did yourselves proud. Good luck for the future and keep checking this blog to see what we're all up to! We will miss you but we are also excited for what the future holds for you all.

Smoothie Challenge!

3:10 - The judges decision is final! After some tasting and very serious consideration (including an unfathomably complex marking system!), a final verdict was reached and there could only be one winner...... The 'Fruity Tooties!' - Well done and congratulations! Every group was absolutely superb throughout the day but that presentation was outstandingly good.

2:54 - The presentations! Each group had to present to the judges panel and were rated not only the quality of their pitch but also on how well their marketing strategy was considered; the quality of packaging; the effectiveness of the jingle; the overall standard of promotional ideas and, very importantly, the actual taste of the product. All groups explained their decisions with real clarity. Some groups used and mixture of humour and professionalism to win over the judges. Mr Sturgess was very impressed by the use of advanced connectives, persuasive language and technical vocabulary to achieve the desired, formal style.

Each group had to perform their jingle - some were catchier than others and a couple used familiar tunes to appeal to the listener.

Each group made sure they explained themselves clearly to the judging panel and they fielded questions marvellously.

The groups were keen to share their promotional materials.

14:35 - Pupils have almost all finished their promotional materials and have begun thinking about their final presentations where they will have to explain about various aspects of their campaign.... Another finished poster....

Another finished drinks carton - it looks fantastic!

14:10 - Some finished products! Some of the nets of the cartons have now been glued to create a final prototype.... Look! There is print on every side!

The 'Jamaican Groovy Smoothie' company now has a finished t-shirt.....

...complete with a back print!

13:50 - Pupils' promotional items are really starting to take shape now..... Excellent design work!

Ah-ha - there is a definite Jamaican theme emerging with this one!

The moment when the jingle is finally decided upon.....

Furiously trying to finish posters, t-shirts and jingles in time.....

13:35 - The promotion campaign continues! Pupils have been asked to design a promotional T-shirt.... Let's make a start.....

The designs are starting to come together really well....

At the same time, pupils have been designing their packaging. Additionally, pupils are working hard on their promotional posters and advertising jingles!

11:58 - The marketing campaign begins! We began by looking at effective company logos; we noticed that an effective logo didn't need fussy drawings or too many colours. As you can see from the amount of hands up, an effective logo is recognisable even when the company name is removed! Pupils began designing logos of their own.....

Each group then decided which logo they wanted to go for. There was just enough time spare to consider straplines before lunch too. Again, the pupils were able to identify the brands from famous straplines like 'Every little helps', 'Once you pop you can't stop' and others. The pupils then came up with straplines for their products such as 'Get groovy with Jamaican Smoothie'!

11:35 - Smoothies are go! Firstly we put the chopped fruit, yogurt and chosen fruit juice into the blender..... The moment of truth......

Behold! Tasty smoothies! They seem to be going down very well.....

Down the hatch!

The final smoothies are approved by each group and ready to go in the fridge.

11:15 Fruit preparation! The pupils have come back from break to find that their fruit orders have arrived already - things move quickly in the business world! Pupils very carefully cut the fruit (after a vigorous hand-washing session naturally!)....

Very careful chopping.... 10:25 - Drinks test! Pupils have just finished trying all of the different juices to decide which one they would like to add to their smoothies. Two groups have chosen pineapple, two white grape and one group have chosen apple. They have also tried out the yogurt that will give their smoothie a thicker consistency.

The choices for juice were apple, white grape, orange and pineapple. I wonder which the groups will choose?

10:00 - Taste test! Pupils have now begun trying out different fruits. There are allowed to choose just three fruit ingredients (any more would push the costs too high and profit margins would be reduced!) from a selection of raspberries, strawberries, melon, bananas, kiwi, mango and blueberries. Pupils have had to choose very carefully though; each ingredient has been considered for how it will affect taste, texture and appearance. 09:45 - We have begun the 'Smoothie Challenge'! Sixth form students from Boston Spa have come and are working with small groups. So far the groups have assigned themselves roles based on their own area of skill of expertise. For example, confident mathematicians have been appointed as 'Finance Directors', the more artistically minded as 'Product Development Managers' and so on. Everyone now has a specific role to take in the group and they have already decided on product names.....

More chicks in Class One

Following the huge success of our chick and duck hatching last year, Class One have been busy incubating and hatching again.
This year we took possession of 16 hen eggs and 4 duck eggs from Meanwood Valley Urban Farm during the first and second weeks of this half term. Class One learned about the incubation process and counted down the 21 days to our first hatching excitedly. Finally, we were all thrilled by the arrival of 13 beautiful little chicks. Some of the children have recorded their own thoughts, observations and feelings. This is our first arrival.

"We watched the eggs crack." Koutaro.

"I like the chicks." Ptolemy.

"The chicks are yellow and black." Emily.

"The chicks are very cute and they are sweet." Niamh.

Some of the children wrote letters to the chicks.

They helped to clean them out, change the water and feed them.

"The chicks are very noisy and they've got big beaks." Jerram.

"The chicks eat chick pellets." Luca.

After they had settled into their lovely cage, which Mrs Hughes gave us, we introduced them to a feeding station to help keep them clean and give them something to think about. Martha observed closely to make sure they were safe.

"The chicks go cheep, cheep, cheep!" Martha

"The chicks have a nice cage." Thomas.

"They have a green house." Theo.

The best part about having the chicks was that we had lots of time to cuddle them.