Classrooms, corridors and outdoor spaces were transformed into hubs of curiosity, creativity and scientific discovery as pupils embraced a rich programme of cross‑curricular activities.

The week began with an exhilarating Ocean Exploration VR workshop, where children journeyed beneath the waves with Glido the alien to encounter dolphins, coral reefs, jellyfish and whale sharks. Using 3D CGI, holograms and interactive animations, pupils learnt about vertebrates and invertebrates, adaptations, life cycles and food webs — a truly immersive way to explore the oceans Sir David has spent decades documenting.

Reception pupils dived into the theme with joyful enthusiasm, creating their own mini oceans in bottles and crafting colourful octopuses. Their learning extended into the wider animal kingdom as they compared the size of their hands and feet to a gorilla’s hand and an elephant’s foot, painted large jungle animals, traced natural patterns and explored a range of Attenborough clips and stories. 

Year 2 brought creativity and scientific curiosity together as they built an almost life‑size papier‑mâché Sir David Attenborough, a collaborative project that filled the classroom with excitement. In science, they investigated what plants need to grow, examining roots, stems and leaves to deepen their respect for the living world. Sustainability took centre stage as they created tie‑dye decorations using recycled tablecloths, and — inspired by the VR workshop — crafted cardboard jellyfish and turtles to celebrate ocean life.

Year 3 extended their orangutan topic into a deeper study of primates, exploring similarities, differences and adaptations across species. They also developed thoughtful new verses for There’s a Rang‑tan in My Bedroom, which they look forward to sharing on Celebration Day. Their creativity flourished through bold, expressive abstract art inspired by primates, produced alongside their VR workshop and visit to Beale Park.

Year 4 spent the week exploring the school grounds as true nature detectives. Woodland walks and pond dipping led to exciting discoveries, including slow worms, frogs and tadpoles. They also explored the beauty of nature through photography, placing butterfly stencils around the school and capturing them against a variety of textures and patterns — natural and not‑so‑natural — with wonderfully creative results.

All of the pupils from Reception to Year 4 enjoyed a brilliant day out at Beale Park this week, exploring an incredible range of animals and discovering more about the natural world. The highlight was a fascinating animal workshop, where pupils handled preserved animal skins and furs, examined live creepy-crawlies and even met a snake up close.

There was plenty of excitement as the children explored the park’s enclosures, spotted their favourite animals and rounded off the visit with a much‑loved trip on the little railway.

Throughout the week, the buzz of excitement, curiosity and creativity was felt everywhere. Pupils explored habitats, oceans, forests and fields; studied animals big and small; and celebrated the beauty and fragility of the natural world — all in honour of Sir David Attenborough’s extraordinary legacy.

A huge thank you to all staff and visiting experts who helped bring this inspiring week to life.

A wonderful celebration of learning, discovery and the world we share.