Selsted C.E.P. School

The `Bug Man Roadshow` raised squeals of excitement at Selsted CE School on Wednesday.

`Bug Man`, Mr. Rouse, brought along his collection of insects from around the world enabling children from all year groups to learn about their feeding, lifestyle & habitats. During the talk children touched & handled a variety of insects from Moths, Hissing Cockroaches & Millipedes, to Stick Insects that looked more like twigs than insects.

While holding a millipede, Amy 8, from Denton Class commented, `Their feet feel just like a hair brush`, to which Olli 7, replied `I wouldn’t want that in my hair`, the rest of the class agreed.

Spring Watch’ has come to Selsted CE School just in time for pupils to view a returning blackbird pair.

Being in a rural location, the pupils are in the unique position of observing nature close up, & over the past two years have been able to catch the odd glimpse of the blackbird pair as they successfully lay their eggs, hatched & raised their young in the school garden.

Last spring/summer, three clutches of 4, 5 & 4 youngsters were successfully fledged, however the children were unable to get close enough to see everything for fear of disturbing the adults, this year that has changed.

Head Teacher, Kevin Bailey said ’Last year the Year 6 leavers raised money, as a parting gift, to purchase a bird camera; so this year, everyone in the school can observe all that happens, as it happens. Already two chicks have been observed being fed by their parents & it has been noted their appetite is growing rapidly.’

The bird camera is on during the day for pupils to pop & catch up with their favourite parents, although they are hoping the blackbirds won’t be the only new family. The children have noted a wren returning to last years nest, & are hoping the sparrows & chaffinches return too.

Preparation for Spring began this week when Mr Bailey's son, Stephen, arrived with nearly one hundred willow whips for the school. With the help of four children from Acorn Class, willow whips were planted and then plaited to make a shelter at the side of the field and an arch into the gazebo. Any cuttings that were left were put around the ark in the play area.

Children from the class will be watching carefully over the next few months hoping that the whips will take root and shoot as a healthy addition to the school environment. When they are longer Stephen will return to help the children work on these living sculptures for future enjoyment.

Undeterred by the weekend snowfall, Selsted Primary School was open on Monday and decided to make good use of the opportunity to learn and do something different.
Children from Years 3 and 4 drew mazes and then selected a small group to get busy with snow shovels to construct one of the designs across the whole playground. Pathways were cleared banked up with snow to create a snow labyrinth for all members of the school.  The younger members of the school enjoyed creating games within the maze whilst the older members of the school attempted to work their way through in the shortest amount of time. By the afternoon, members of Year 5 and 6 were given the task of mapping the maze not an easy thing to do when you can`t hover above it!
Although winter conditions can always make it more difficult to move around, the children at Selsted certainly found a way through the snow and learnt at the same time.