If you mention "buddies" to year four they will not be thinking of a younger child from Rookery but a friend from Hamilton School, in Handsworth! Hamilton Special School supports children who need extra help with their learning and communication skills.

Since September, Year 4 have taken part in two exciting joint projects with their buddy from Hamilton. Sports tutor Glenn Pooler has taught joint multiskills sessions and the children had an incredible experience, singing with the Welsh National Opera!

Before the projects started Pod, a teacher from Hamilton, came to visit year four to explain how the children could best support their buddy. The children learnt about things that that their buddy may find difficult, for example understanding complicated instructions and communicating with other people. Year four learnt some sign language to make sure their buddy really understood the lesson.

Hamilton and Rookery both had a fabulous time perfecting their ball skills and fitness levels during Glenn's workout sessions. The Hamilton children had a chance to show off some amazing talents - one boy could spin a basketball on his finger for what seemed like forever and another was definitely the undefeated sprint champion. However some of our Rookery sprinters are looking forward to the rematch! Glenn was really impressed with how the Rookery children supported their buddies as were all the teachers from both schools.

 

Next came the exciting chance to work with the WNO on their production 'The Merman King'. So far they have met the singer who will play the Merman King and heard him sing; it was breathtaking! Both schools have loved the warm-ups and have learnt how to stand, breath and use their mouths to get the best sound.

After a great a great deal of hard work and rehearsals, the project ended with a performance at The Patrick Centre, part of the Hippodrome Theatre, in May 2009. The performance was a sell out and the theatre was packed with parents, teachers and special guests from across the city. The children from both schools performed brilliantly and the audience were left breathless by the beauty of the music, singing, costumes and movements as they followed the quest of the Merman King to find his tail.

Year four had an extraordinary experience working in partnership with Hamilton School and the Welsh National Opera and made lots of new friends along the way!

Our aim to improve community links and healthy options for our children led us to the Shades of Black Community Family Project.

This was set up by volunteers after the Handsworth riots to promote racial harmony. The project is led by Mrs.Eunice McGhie-Belgrave MBE whose energy and passion are an inspiration to all involved. Funding and commitment have resulted in a small plot of land being transformed into a large educational site including an orchard, greenhouse, sheds and a small wood.

At Rookery our Year 5 children have been actively involved in the Shades of Black Allotment Project since September 2003. At the Uplands allotments children learn how to prepare the soil for planting in order to grow a wide range of fruit and vegetables. Children are eager to eat fruit and vegetables that they have grown and not tried before. New recipes for cooking are taught and healthy eating becomes exciting and real, impacting on eating habits now and possibly in the future.

Ths extent of learning just could not take place in a classroom and interest is such that a few children have grown vegetables in their gardens at home, while others have encouraged family members to rent their own allotment.

 

Another successful outcome from the SOB Project resulted from a partnership with the University College Birmingham. Rookery pupils were invited to take part in a cookery demonstration at the 'Taste of Birmingham' event in Cannon Hill Park in July 2009. Prior to the event pupils attended a session at UCB and learnt how to cook curry patties with produce they had grown on the allotments. The event was a great success.

The project culminates each year at a Harvest Festival where children share the produce they have grown with elder member of their local community. It is a wonderful celebration where everyone involved, especially the children, feel so proud of their achievements. Gardener's World completed a photo session prior to this event.

This year the project celebrated its 10th anniversary. Well done Mrs. McGhie and all the other volunteers, this project really does make a difference!

This project funded by Bright Space, formerly known as Creative Partnerships, involved a year 6 teacher and her class working alongside a 'creative artist' - our school link visual artist, Angela Connors and a 'creative agent'.

Plenty of space and time was set aside for reflection and evaluation by the children and adults in order to further develop the project. Thus the children devised and directed tasks, worked in pairs, groups and as a whole class. The biggest task which the children achieved was the design and creation of a large floor labyrinth. It was then used by the children to reflect on their time and journey at Rookery and to prepare themselves for the transition to secondary school and beyond.

The labyrinth continues to be used by children and adults as a powerful tool for reflection and preparation in a variety of ways. Children use the passage below to set the mood for reflection.

 

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven:

A time to be born and a time to die,

A time to plant and a time to uproot,

A time to kill and a time to heal,

A time to tear down and a time to build,

A time to weep and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn and a time to dance,

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

A time to embrace and a time to refrain,

A time to search and a time to give up,

A time to keep and a time to throw away,

A time to tear and a time to mend,

A time to be silent and a time to speak,

A time to love and a time to hate,

A time for war and a time for peace

Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1 - 8
From the Old Testament of the Bible