Park School News

This week saw the start of a brand new Golf Club activity for The Park School Prep pupils. Under the watchful eye of a local professional, the children all showed fantastic promise learning the basics of club-handling and ball-striking.  After they have gained the basic skills, the group is looking forward to taking to the greens of a local course in the coming weeks.

Mr Josh Allen

On Monday, 29th April Year 8 visited Morwellham Quay near Tavistock in Devon. Through a range of workshops we discovered more about life during the Industrial Revolution.

We got some hands-on experience of rock breaking, which all children (from the age of 7 or 8) would have had to do for between 8 and 12 hours a day. We also participated in rope making and a tug of war competition which was actually a way of stretching the rope and preventing it from becoming twisted.  This was something the children would also have been involved in doing each day.

Travelling underground down to the Cooper mine added depth (pardon the pun!) to the experience, although we went by train rather than walking and pushing a wheelbarrow. The darkness and dripping water provided plenty of shrieks!

The Victorian School proved a reality check in terms of classroom expectations and methods of punishment – I think they were all pleased that things have changed!

AT the end of the day a diversion to a Victorian sweet shop was popular and many students enjoyed dressing up in Victorian clothes too.

Overall we had a good day and the visit provided an excellent starting point for our studies this term on the changes brought to the country by the Industrial Revolution.

Mrs Richards
Head of History

Each year all individual Houses at The Park School join forces to raise money for a national or international charity.  This year we have chosen Toilet Twinning - a water and sanitation initiative run by Tearfund, a Christian relief and development charity.

Their work is essential because:

• 2.3 billion people don’t have somewhere safe and hygienic to go to the toilet. (WHO/Unicef)
• Almost 1,000 children die every day from preventable diseases linked to dirty water and unsafe toilets. (UN)
• Children worldwide miss 443 million school days each year because of dirty water and poor sanitation. (UN)
• The average round-trip for women and children collecting water in the developing world is 6km (Tearfund)

For every £60 we raise a toilet will be provided and built in one of several African, Indian or Asian countries.  Alternatively, £240 builds a school toilet block in either Malawi or Zambia.

On Wednesday, 8th May the school will come together to take part in House-based activities with the aim of raising money to ‘twin our toilets’. The day will involve a cake sale, throwing competition, relay event, water carrying event, a quiz and ‘spending a penny’ to create a coin picture.

Donations can be made in a variety of different ways: directly through Just Giving (or see our Facebook page or Twitter feed), through adding your loose change to our toilet in school reception and by sponsoring your son or daughter.

Thank you for your support!

Mrs Kate Richards
Head of Houses