Gharaffa buzz | Monday 18 March

Dear Parents,

Last Sunday, excited Year 6 children arrived at school with heavy rucksacks filled with beach, sports and bed wear, leaving the school at midday for two nights under the Doha stars.

On arrival back in school on Tuesday, the Year 6 children told us stories of nights sitting around a campfire and toasting marshmallows, days in the sunshine kayaking and paddle boarding. We were informed of other activities which were obviously not for those of us who suffer from vertigo or have a palate for the finer things in life. Tales of hanging from high ropes and an obstacle course in the air were retold whilst others sampled delicacies such as dried worms and grasshoppers which they informed me were crunchy and salty. Lovely! The children were gifted with some wonderful survival bracelets which boast a whistle, string and compass plus flint and steel to ensure warmth if they are ever lost in the wilderness. We hope the children had a wonderful experience. I asked the children which part of the trip they would remember the most, assuming that the response would be bug consumption. Bugs were not mentioned but their excursion on fat bikes over small dunes. Thank you to all the teachers and Learning Assistants who accompanied the children on last week’s residential.

Year 4 also visited Al Khor park last Monday were they enjoyed finding out more about their IPC topic ‘Land, Sea and Sky’. We hope the children found the experience interesting and had the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and understanding. Thank you to the Year 4 team.

Our Year 3 and Year 4 Basketball team should also be praised for their hard work on Sunday. There was some strong competition but they demonstrated resilience and a good team spirit.

Thursday’s assembly was a celebration of 2C’s IPC work, ‘Buildings’. The assembly was packed with interesting facts which were delivered by confident children. The audience particularly enjoyed the interactive part of the assembly when questions about buildings were asked. Thank you once again to 2C and Ms Duffy and Ms Crease we have some talented actors in our midst. Also on Thursday, Mr Mannings showcased the talents of some of our school’s pianists who are preparing for their Grade 1 piano exams. In Thursday’s music ensemble we heard some spectacular playing of piano pieces including, ‘It’s a Lonely Road’, plus some articulate arpeggios and scales. Well done to all our talented children and thank you Mr Mannings.

As we approach the end of term we are still looking forward to so many activities and events. Tonight we will be watching our Production ECA children perform ‘The Piper’. In today’s Dress Rehearsal, the children were superb. Also this week, the FCS (Friends of Compass) team will be hosting a Pizza and Movie afternoon. Many excited children are looking forward to this event.

A reminder that this week is the last week for ECAs.

Have an enjoyable week.

Karen Wilson

Head of Gharaffa campus