Our first day back to school this September was even more exciting than normal!

Over the summer holidays our school joined Saracens Multi-Academy Trust and we are now Saracens Bell Lane. As the principal, Mrs Tudorache, explained to the children in assembly that morning, lots of things will stay the same: our friends, teachers and community.

However, there are a couple of exciting changes. Our school has a new name, new signs and new uniform. Children in Years 1-6 were given new jumpers thanks to a generous donation from a member of the Saracens family.

On our first day back we welcomed a number of special guests, including the CEOs of Saracens Multi-Academy Trust and Saracens Rugby Club as well as three professional rugby players. The children asked the rugby players brilliant questions and one Year 4 class enjoyed including them in their PE lesson.

It was an exciting day and we look forward to another year of learning, shaped by our new values: Discipline, Hard Work, Honesty and Humility.

Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experience of sowing tomato seeds.

The young farmers learnt about where food comes from and how we can grow our own. We look forward to hearing stories of how the children applied their knowledge at home to help the plants grow. Even better, we look forward to hearing that everyone tried their home-grown tomatoes and discovered that nothing tastes more delicious than something you have grown yourself.

 

Our Year 6 pupils enjoyed the unique experience of staying on a real lightship that is permanently moored at Tollesbury, Essex.

The children appreciated the beautiful wildlife and marshes as well as the huge range of activities: sailing; climbing; archery; team building games; and a day-long expedition.

We hope our Year 6s have many fond memories of their time at Saracens Bell Lane and we’re sure this week with Fellowship Afloat will feature highly on their memory reels.

Panathlon is a national charity that gives young people with disabilities and special educational needs the opportunity to take part in competitive sports.

The annual Panathlon is a rotation based multi-sports competition including games such as boccia, table cricket, new age kurling, skittles and volleybat.

Any child on the SEN register is eligible to participate in the competition.

The Saracens Bell Lane team collected team points by staying together throughout the rotations. All of the children received a medal and a certificate.

The children loved the experience and we were proud of how they participated.

Science Week is a national initiative that we love to get involved in at Saracens Bell Lane.

This year’s theme was ‘time’ and each class conducted time based experiments to aid their learning.

Later in the day we held a Science Fair where the children enjoyed displaying what they’d learnt to pupils in other classes