Year 2 Jungle Jam

Transitioning from primary to secondary school is a significant milestone in a child's educational journey. At The Bulmershe School, we believe this process should begin early to foster confidence and familiarity. This week, we were delighted to host a Year 2 event for the Woodley Cluster, welcoming students from Beechwood, Rivermead and Highwood Schools for a day centred on creativity and collaboration.

Fostering Creativity and Kindness

The theme for the day was aligned with the WWF's "Happy by Nature" programme, a concept designed to engage the children’s imaginations while exploring the idea of kindness. Working in mixed groups of four, children from different schools came together to design their own "Kindness Animal". This task required them to mash together their favourite creatures to create an entirely new species, complete with a unique name and personality traits.

The school auditorium was transformed into an art studio as the children used playdoh and various crafting materials to bring their animals to life. The activity encouraged the children to think about how their animals might interact with others, reinforcing the values of empathy and teamwork from an early age.

A Musical Adventure

The afternoon took a rhythmic turn as the children were introduced to Bulmershe Music Teacher, Mr Ashworth. After learning how to construct their own rainmaker instruments, the students were taught how to make different sounds using the African Drums kindly lent to us by Reading Blue Coat School.

Mr Ashworth guided the children through the history of the instruments, demonstrating how rainmakers are used and teaching them how to create different weather sounds. The session culminated in a spirited group rendition of "Down in the Jungle" to their visiting parents.

Leadership in Action: Our Year 9 Ambassadors

While the event is designed to support our younger visitors, it also provides a vital leadership opportunity for our own students. Each Year 2 group was paired with a Year 9 Bulmershe student who acted as a mentor throughout the day. These ambassadors modelled kindness and leadership, and these events simply could not run without them getting so stuck in. It was really lovely to see bonds formed between the Year 9s and their Year 2 teammates.

Looking Ahead

The feedback from the visiting students was unanimous: they thoroughly enjoyed their time at Bulmershe. We are grateful to the staff at Beechwood, Rivermead and Highwood, as well as the parents, for allowing us to spend the day with such an enthusiastic group of children!

A huge thank you must go to Miss Keenan and Mrs Andrews for their meticulous organisation. By hosting these cluster events, we aim to ensure that when the time comes for these children to join us in Year 7, they do so feeling like a welcome and familiar part of the Bulmershe community.