Year 6 had the incredible opportunity to hear a moving talk given by Chris Lubbe, the former bodyguard to Nelson Mandela. Chris shared his powerful story, recounting his experiences during apartheid in South Africa and his remarkable work with Nelson Mandela.

Chris Lubbe spoke passionately about the events from his childhood that led him to become an outspoken advocate against racism. His heartfelt and inspiring words resonated deeply with everyone present, leaving a lasting impact on both students and teachers alike.

One of the highlights of his talk was the emphasis on the importance of education, echoing Nelson Mandela’spowerful message: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Chris Lubbe’s visit was a thought-provoking and inspiring experience, reminding us all of the profound impact that courage and determination can have in the fight for justice and equality.

All the children had a wonderful time participating in a special activity to send off, Connor, who is getting married. The children and staff created a joyful human tunnel, full of smiles and laughter, to celebrate this joyous occasion. It was heartwarming to see the excitement and happiness on everyone’s faces. We wish Connor all the best for his big day and a future filled with love and happiness! I am sure you could hear them chanting Connor, Connor, Connor from miles away!

The children at Little Hadham Primary celebrated Empathy Day today the 6th of June 2024, learning how to boost their empathy superpowers. Some of you had the chance to see this in action during our Learning Together Morning, and we are excited to share more about this wonderful day.

Through stories, discussions, and various activities, the children explored the importance of understanding the feelings of others. The key elements they focused on were READ, ACT, and CONNECT. These three components are essential in developing empathy:

• READ: Encouraging children to read books that help them see the world from different perspectives.
• ACT: Teaching them to take empathetic actions and show kindness in their daily lives.
• CONNECT: Helping them build connections with others through understanding and compassion.

We want Empathy to be a core value at Little Hadham Primary. We believe that fostering empathy in our children helps them become kind and compassionate citizens of our world. Empathy enables us to understand and respond appropriately to others’ feelings, leading to more helping behaviour and positive social interactions.

Empathy Day highlighted the crucial role of books in developing empathy and inspired our children to learn more about empathy and put it into action. The feedback from our pupils was overwhelmingly positive, and they were eager to share what they learned.

Here are a couple of soundbites from the day:

• “You should always put yourself in other people’s shoes before you judge them.”
• “Be kind and listen when other people are saying something.”

We are so proud of our children for embracing these values and look forward to seeing them continue to grow as empathetic individuals.

Today Lime class had a much anticipated trip to West Stow Anglo Saxon village.  The journey together on board a coach being as much a part of the trip as the destination itself, we excitedly set off on a dry and warm(ish) morning, heading out through Essex to Suffolk.

The village is actually an experiment which recreates different theories about the construction of Anglo-Saxon houses and our guide for the day told us that part of the experiment was for her to occasionally test out the houses by living in them!  The children loved exploring the site, asking and answering questions, looking for clues, gathering evidence and being historians for the day.  The questions they had for our expert were really impressive and demonstrated depth of knowledge and understanding as well as effective application of their enquiry skills. We should all be rightfully proud!

In the afternoon we were able to explore the small museum on site which contained artefacts found at West Stow when the original village began to be excavated by archeologists in the 1950’s. The children were excited to discover that stone age people had also lived on the site, and this resulted in them recalling knowledge from their Autumn term topic about the Stone Age and animatedly discussing what they already knew, creating links with their prior learning!

Some outfits were available for dressing up which we all enjoyed thoroughly and the afternoon ended with an activity which involved handling and researching artefacts in small groups before reporting back to the class.

All in all a day which reinforced how important it is for the children to be involved in enrichment activities both on and off site in order to really bring their learning to life.  Oh , and how much fun it always is for children to travel anywhere by coach!

We are thrilled to share the success of the recent inter-school netball competition organized by Mrs. Goodger and Matt. The event showcased great skills and sportsmanship from all participants. While there were some disappointments along the way, the highly competitive atmosphere kept everyone engaged and excited- we do like to win here at Little Hadham Primary. Most importantly, everyone had fun and enjoyed the spirit of friendly competition.

Well done to all the children who took part. We look forward to more such opportunities in the future!

Early Years had a wonderful school trip to Great Notley Country Park and the children thoroughly enjoyed the Very Hungry Caterpillar session. Activities included caterpillar and butterfly relay races, matching games and an art activity – and this was all before lunch! The afternoon was spent wandering through a meadow with nets, searching for insects and creatures. Bumblebees, ants, crickets and spiders were among some of the ones we discovered. We then enjoyed shaking the trees to hunt for even more insects! Caterpillars, beetles and flies were soon falling down onto our sheets. The children found it fascinating to see all the different insects. The adults were incredibly proud of how well behaved they were throughout the day. Our Park Ranger even commented on how lovely they all were. The children learnt so much from exploring the country park and really enjoyed themselves. There were plenty of tired and happy faces on the coach on the way home

We are delighted to share that Mrs. Martin our SENCo  delivered a highly informative spelling workshop for parents. The session was filled with useful tips and strategies to help support your children’s spelling at home.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended. Your participation and support are greatly appreciated. For those who couldn’t make it, here are some helpful hints from the workshop:

• Practice regularly: Consistent practice helps reinforce spelling rules.
• Use fun activities: Games can certainly make learning to spell enjoyable.
• Encourage reading: Exposure to different words in context can improve spelling skills.
• Create a positive environment: Praise and encouragement can boost confidence and motivation.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support. Together, we can make a significant difference in our children’s learning journey.

We are thrilled to share the success of Maple Class’s recent performance on the Ancient Egyptians! The children showcased their dramatic skills brilliantly, using their voices and singing to bring the historical period to life. Their movements, gestures, and facial expressions added depth and excitement to the performance.

The children definitely enjoyed performing the play for you, and it was evident in their enthusiasm on stage. They also impressed everyone with their knowledge of history, especially the more gory and intriguing facts about the Ancient Egyptians.

Thank you to all the parents who attended and supported our young performers. It was a memorable experience for everyone involved!

On Tuesday, we joined other local schools and took part in the annual Crucial Crew workshops. These workshops are designed to help us learn how to stay safe. With fun activities delivered by the Police, Fire Brigade, Ambulance Service, National Railways, and more, we certainly had a busy time!

During one of our activities, we had the opportunity to practice CPR and the recovery position. The Ambulance Service praised our efforts, saying we were the best group they had seen performing CPR – it’s good to know we are in safe hands!

Additionally, a drama group from one of the local secondary schools gave a brilliant performance about resisting peer pressure. There was even enough time for us to climb into the back of a police van as we learned about the age at which we can be held criminally responsible.

Children in Year 4, 5, and 6 recently took part in an important workshop called “Show Racism the Red Card.” This workshop aimed to educate our students about discrimination, the reasons behind it, and how to stand up to racism.

During the session, the children learned that people may face discrimination due to their skin color, nationality, culture, or religion. The workshop emphasised the importance of recognizing these injustices and the role each of us plays in combating them.

We encourage all our students and their families to remember: if you see racism, don’t suffer in silence. Speak up and tell someone! We are incredibly proud of our students for their thoughtful participation and the insightful discussions that emerged from this workshop. It is our hope that these experiences will empower them to contribute to a more inclusive and respectful community.

This initiative aligns with our commitment as a Rights Respecting School, ensuring that every child knows their rights and respects the rights of others. Together, we can create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.