BSG Newsletter - 7th April

Last week, our students explored the Qingming Festival through engaging, activities. Early Years and Key Stage 1 began by learning the stories behind Qingming and getting to know the Qingming food - qingtuan, the traditional green rice balls. Y3 studied the poem Cun ju, capturing the joy of spring, while Y4 reflected on the poem Qingming, learning about remembrance and gratitude. Y5 took part in kite making and flying, experiencing the ancient tradition of sending off misfortune as their kites soared into the sky. Y6 synthesized their learning by creating detailed Qingming posters, showcasing the festival's symbols and cultural significance. Through stories, hands-on activities, and artistic expression, all students gained a deeper understanding of this meaningful tradition.

Last week in Reception, our learning was brought to life through an exciting field trip to the Grandview Science Museum and Planetarium. This experience was thoughtfully planned in response to the children’s growing interest in space, sparked by our class text Whatever Next!. In the lead up to the visit, the children engaged in discussions about space travel, planets, and the role of astronauts, while developing key vocabularythrough play and exploration. During the trip, the children experienced a simulated rocket launch, walked through a model spaceship where they took on the role of astronauts, and immersed themselves in imaginative, hands on exploration. They also took part in a live scientific show where fire and wind were used to demonstrate key concepts, helping them to understand how energy can create movement and the effects of gravity. In the planetarium, the children watched a visual show of the stars and Earth, deepening their understanding through an engaging and memorable experience.

Back in the classroom, the children have been applying their learning in meaningful and connected ways. In English, they created their own adventure stories based on journeys they have imagined or experienced, using the structure of first, then, and last to sequence their ideas and support early sentence formation, while increasingly applying their phonics knowledge with growing independence. In cross curricular learning, thechildren have been designing and creating their own rockets, drawing on their experiences and understanding of space travel. These experiences have supported creativity, problem solving, collaboration, and the purposeful use of language as the children continue to explore their interests and deepen their understanding through play and inquiry.

Year 10 Art students have made really positive progress this term. They are moving beyond simply copying from their own photographs and are starting to think more like artists—making connections between their work and the ideas of other practitioners. Students have been analysing artists’ work and using what they discover to inspire their own experiments. This has helped them understand that art doesn’t exist on its own—it is shaped by influences, context, and ideas. As a result, their work is becoming more thoughtful and purposeful. Another important shift has been learning to slow down. Many students naturally want to jump straight to a final piece, but they are beginning to see that strong outcomes come from taking time to explore, test and develop ideas properly. This patience is already leading to more refined and considered work. A real highlight of the term was the Year 10 Artist Studies Exhibition, which was on display for two weeks at the Lakeview Reception. It was a great opportunity to celebrate the students’ work and share their creative journeys with the wider school community.

BSG U13 took part in FOBISIA U13 Games in Thailand. This saw our students complete in 4 different sports; Football, Basketball, Swimming and Athletics. Our mighty squad represented BSG proudly. With their combined efforts and sporting tenacity they took 2nd place in the overall games, just scoring 1 point behind the winners. Our Rhino champions did an excellent jobs. We thank our supporting parents and coaching team; Tom, Mamus and Simon. Go Rhinos!