Little Acorns feast on history

Pupils have been studying the topic throughout term and the grand finale of the module was Castle and Banquet day held yesterday. The day was a hands-on learning experience which included jousting and a dance performance in front of parents.

Year 1 teacher Clare Bowden said the learning began when the children received a note from a knight saying he needed help as his castle was being attacked.

The knight asked if the pupils could help him by learning about castles.

‘We’ve been finding out lots of information on castles, castle features, different types. We made the classroom into a castle,’ said Ms Bowden.

‘They’ve been to Castle Cornet and Elizabeth College, where they got to go up into the tower.

‘They’ve been learning about the Bayeux Tapestry and visited Guernsey Tapestry,’ said Ms Bowden.

The children also hope to visit Ivy Castle and Vale Castle next week, weather permitting.

‘Today there was a banquet for everybody. We all ate with our fingers, which the children enjoyed,’ she said.

The banquet featured chicken drumsticks and potatoes as well as some red wine of the historic blackcurrant cordial variety to wash it down.

Ms Bowden said the hands-on learning during the topic was very important.

‘They just learn so much. It keeps them interested and they love it,’ she said.

The children had a chance to make lots of things associated with castles, including their own goblets.

Caletta Hern, six, was very excited to be taking part in the day.

‘We’ve been making lots of stuff in the classroom: castles, catapults, and we’ve been throwing sponges,’ she said.

Martha Boyle, five, said throwing the sponges had been her favourite bit.

‘It was funny splashing the water at him,’ she said.

The ‘him’ in question was caretaker Shaun Bennett, who had been sent to the stocks for charges which included telling teachers off for parking in the wrong places. The children were taught about what would have happened to those sent to the stocks in the past before being permitted to take justice into their own hands in the form of sponges, buckets of water and some careful aiming.

Children and teachers alike hope Mr Bennett has learned the error of his ways.