On Friday 4th July, Reception enjoyed their very first school trip to Call of the Wild Zoo — and the excitement was high! The children were thrilled to see a variety of animals, with favourites including the penguins, flamingos, and the playful colobus monkey. They listened attentively to a talk about lifecycles and proudly shared what they had learned about how caterpillars transform into butterflies. After a tasty lunch, they enjoyed some time in the zoo’s playground — another highlight of the day! The trip ended with a final walk to see a few more animals before returning to school, tired but full of joy after a fun-filled day of adventure and learning.

We split the day into two parts. In the morning, we went on a nature walk and collected various fallen petals and leaves, which we later used to create beautiful bookmarks. We also gathered items from the forest floor to design our own bird nests. Each group used a clothes peg as a ‘beak’, just like a bird would to collect materials — it turned into a fun competition to see who could create the biggest and best nest!

In the afternoon, we moved indoors and took part in a carousel of five exciting activities in our groups:

1. Using magnifying glasses to examine dead animals and insects found at Hyde Hall.
2. Using a variety of seeds to create colourful designs on bookmarks with crayons and paper.
3. Making helicopter seed spinners.
4. Creating plant pots out of soil.
5. Exploring the process of pollination using chalk and cotton wool to demonstrate ‘pollen transfer’ between flowers.

It was a truly fantastic day, and the children were an absolute delight throughout!

A wave of excitement and musical promise has swept through our reception classes, thanks to an incredibly generous donation from local resident, Mrs. Margaret Nathan. Mrs. Nathan, a long-time supporter of education, and loyal member of the Thames Opera Company, has gifted a beautiful family heirloom piano to our reception area, hoping to inspire a lifelong love of music in our youngest pupils.

The elegant instrument, which has been cherished by generations of Mrs. Nathan’s family, now sits proudly in the reception space, already captivating the attention of curious little minds. "Music has always been a central part of my family's life, and this piano holds many treasured memories," shared Mrs. Nathan. "I believe every child deserves the chance to experience the joy of making music, and I truly hope this piano will be the first step on a wonderful musical journey for many of them."

Her thoughtful donation provides an invaluable opportunity for our reception children to engage with a real instrument from an early age. It's a chance for them to explore sounds, develop an ear for melody, and perhaps even discover a hidden talent.

We extend our sincere thanks to Mrs. Nathan for her remarkable generosity and for bringing such a special piece of her family's history into our school. We'd also like to express our gratitude to Move U Removals for kindly transporting the piano to our 

school, ensuring it arrived safely and ready to inspire. This wonderful gift is sure to spark creativity and a passion for music in our children for years to come.

Our Year 3 and 4 students recently had a fantastic and informative trip to Elite Dental Studio in Tilbury for their annual dental check-ups! The wonderful team there not only provided thorough examinations but also led an engaging session on the importance of healthy teeth. We're so grateful to Elite Dental Studio for making the experience positive and educational for our pupils. Individual information regarding each child's check-up will be sent home to parents soon.

Year 5 had a fantastic trip to Go Ape yesterday! The children engaged with tree climbing activities across 4 levels of difficulty to build their confidence and resilience, as well as some team building games/quizzes to develop their communication and critical thinking skills. 

Both classes thoroughly enjoyed themselves, some saying it has been their best trip at TPA so far (even though the weather wasn’t quite on our side!).