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Guillemont Junior School |
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Special Projects
At Guillemont, we run a number of special projects which enrich the curriculum for all children and allow them learning opportunities they may not receive in another academic environment.
Some of these projects are listed below.
The School Council
What is the School Council?
A School Council is a group of children who are elected by each class
in the school to represent them at meetings, where they discuss the issues,
concerns and ideas their classes raise, that affect the whole school. The purpose
of a School Council is to give the children in the school
a voice and an active part in the school community.
All children in the school are able to raise questions, issues, concerns
or ideas through their own Class Council and suggestions that are thought
to be of interest to the whole school are taken by the School Council Representatives
to School Council meetings, where they are discussed.
A School Council helps all children in the community of the school
communicate with each other and helps children to debate ideas. When
problems are identified the children try to seek solutions themselves.
A School Council encourages children to be responsible, independent
and to care about others.
How are School Council Reps Elected?
School Council Representatives are elected by secret ballot. That means children in the class vote for each other without telling anyone
who they voted for. The names of the children who volunteer to be
School Council Representatives are written on paper and each child in the
class gets two votes, one for a boy and on for a girl (You cannot
vote for yourself).
All you have to do is mark a cross next to the name of each person
you vote for. The votes are counted and the boy and girl with the
most votes become the School Council Representatives. If there is
a draw, then the candidates have to say why they will make a good representative
and voting between the two candidates continues.
What are Class Councils?
Class Councils are meetings held in the class, usually chaired by children
who are School Council Representatives. In the meeting, all children
in the class are able to discuss concerns, ideas, problems or issues they
have with each other. The meetings are held at least once every two
weeks, sometimes every week, depending on the needs of the class.
During the meetings only one person speaks at a time and everyone listens
to the person speaking. The person chairing the meeting is the one
in charge of the meeting. The main points that the class discusses
at the meetings are recorded, or written down. These are known as
the minutes of the meeting. Where there are problems raised the class
try to solve the problem collectively by suggesting a solution. If
the class agree about an idea that may be of interest to, or affect the
whole school, the School Council reps. report the idea to the School Council
at the next meeting.
Residential Trips
During their two years in the upper school, the children of Guillemont
attend two residential trips, one coastal and one inland. The trips
provide excellent opportunities for a variety of geography fieldwork to
be undertaken in a different locality from that where we live or where
the children may previously have visited.
For all children the trips provide an excellent focus to their year and
serve to reinforce and extend
much of their earlier fieldwork. Indeed, classes as a whole will
benefit from this working week away together. Two teachers and at
least two other adults accompany the classes on their visits. The
visits are stimulating for both the educational and social aspects of the
children's development.
The costs of the trip are inclusive, covering hostel fees, food, travel
and entrance fees. Costs are kept to a minimum and represent extremely
good value. We operate a savings scheme in school where small amounts
of money can be paid weekly. Prior to the trip there is a short informative
meeting for parents giving full details of the timetable and other arrangements.
An Example Itinerary For the Lulworth Cove Residential Trip
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
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Travel to Lulworth via Salisbury Cathedral
10a.m.
Corfe Castle
Visitors Centre
(60-90 min study session)
Chesil Beach
Durdle Door
Maiden Castle
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Salisbury Cathedral
Corfe Castle
Climb to St Catherine's Chapel
2 p.m. Abbotsbury Swannery
2.30 p.m.
Kimmeradge Bay guided tour
Travel home
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Settle into the hostel
Make beds and write letters home
Sketching and map work
5 p.m. Tyneham Village
Poetry
Artwork
Concert Evening!!
Favourite tea for children and straight to bed for staff!!
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An Example Itinerary For the Stow-On-The-Wold Residential Trip
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
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Depart for
Stow-on-the-Wold
Chedworth
Roman
Villa
Gogges Manor Farm
Witney
10 a.m.
Snowshill Manor
Bourton-on-the-Water
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Stow Settlement
study
Chedworth
Roman
Villa
Witney
Upper/Lower
Slaughter
Rollright Stones
Little Tew
Travel home
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Settle into the hostel
Make beds and write letters home
Evening stroll in Stow Village
Poetry, sketching and map work
Concert Evening!!
Favourite tea for children and straight to bed for staff!!
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Itineries are subject to change, depending on availability
The Healthy Schools Project
In October 2000, our school became involved in the Healthy Schools Partnership Project. The partnership is between Health and Education working together and is a recognised National Standard. We were among the first cohort of schools for training in Hampshire at the early stages of the scheme's development. The Healthy schools Partnership Project aims to improve the standard of Healthy education in schools through whole school elements and chosen focus areas.
Initially the work involved an audit of eleven areas of healthy education and aspects of school life involving a cross-section of the school community. We chose three areas to focus since October 2000. They are SRE, Emotional Health and Well Being and the environment. In each focus area the aim was to make improvements. The SRE policy and practice was reviewed by the staff and updated with greater involvement of parents through a questionnaire. Children too were invited to tell us what they wanted to learn about. New resources were purchased and an addition to the programme with a lesson on menstruation for girls in the upper school.
The emotional Health and Well Being of the children and staff was considered for improvement and became part of this year's School Improvement Plan. This involved looking at the needs of children and giving them a voice through the school and class council system. We introduced an opportunity for class councils to take place regularly and for Emotional Literacy to be developed through literature. This led to projects involving the training of the lunch time supervising assistants and the introduction of the playground pals scheme. Playtimes became a big focus for emotional health and well being with new playground games being learnt by children, staff and LSAs. New outdoor play equipment was ordered and a review of indoor wet playtime resources.
The various projects in the school environment have led to improvements in school and include the building of the amphitheatre, the Japanese garden and the redesigning of the school pond. The school pets are an excellent example of how the environment is used to promote the emotional health and well being of the children with children learning responsibility, care and co-operation.
The school was recently validated and received the Healthy Schools Partnership award for the work undertaken in the last two years. On the 2nd July 2002, four children went with Mrs Burford to receive the award at the Great Hall in Winchester.
To maintain Healthy Schools Partnership award status, we will continue to make improvements in aspects of health education and review improvements made.
The School Grounds
  
When the school was originally built, a lot of thought went into the
grounds, which is host to many different habitats including woodland, pond,
meadow and large playing field. Our grounds play a huge part in the overall
learning environment that Guillemont believes in. It is a first hand experience
right on our doorstep and throughout the year teachers use the grounds
as a support to the curriculum, using it where possible to allow first
hand work, particularly in the core subject areas of Maths, English and
Science to take place. Children write poetry, compose music, act out plays
and produce fabulous works of art in most mediums in this 5 acre space.
The grounds at Guillemont are respected by its pupils, parents and staff
and we take great pleasure from partaking in different environmental competitions,
where we can show off our achievements. We also have days where the community
joins together to clear and tidy areas and build new structures to enhance
what is already there.
The Japanese Garden
 
The Japanese garden was officially opened on Wednesday 10th April 2003 by the Mayor of Farnborough. The garden, which is set between the library and reception, was designed by Penny Underwood, a professional garden designer. The garden was sponsored and funded by NEC Technologies (UK) and the NEC Corporation.
The construction of the garden began a year earlier and was completed under the leadership of the project manager Mark Allen (a parent and member of the Friends of Guillemont). Parents, friends and staff all worked on the Japanese garden and it is now a focal point of the school, used regularly by all the children.
School Pets
The Aviary
Last year the old aviary was replaced by two new interlined aviaries
and bird room. Budgies and cockatiels live harmoniously, looked after
by regular school monitors and pupil 'visitors' who sign up to help at
play and lunchtimes. The monitors are responsible for the daily
care, cleaning, hygiene and ordering of consumables.
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There are approximately
25 budgies and six cockatiels. In the spring the budgies are separated
into two aviaries where one side has access to breeding boxes. |
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At present the aviaries easily accommodate the offspring but if we
should be particularly successful this year we may need to find homes for
some of the babies. We have a full range of colours and types. The area is known as the aviary courtyard and also comprises of a small
rockery, planted tubs baskets and sinks which are maintained by the children.
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The Animal Area
The animal area is a large enclosed area of paving and grass alongside
three classrooms. There is a purposely adapted chalet shed which
houses the guinea pigs (4 at present) and rabbit overnight, and during
inclement weather. These too, are looked after by the animal monitors and
visitors. They are also responsible for organising the week-end and
holiday care where hutches are loaned to families and the animals travel
in carrying cases. The animals are all female so that they can roam
freely in the area. Males are borrowed for the purpose of reproduction. Last year one guinea pig was bred and produced five healthy young during
school time - the whole school were able to file
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through to see them during
the following two days. We do not breed indiscriminately or for profit. New homes were found for the babies from the monitors and staff! This year's
breeding will take place later to coincide with Life Processes topic work
in October which this year will probably be rabbits. |
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Plan International Charity
Guillemont is a proud supporter of the Plan International charity which supports children in developing and third world countries. The school has various fund raising events and the money contributed goes to aiding children in a range of different countries.
More information about the work of Plan International can be found on their official website, please click the link below.
www.planinternational.org
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