17 Jul 2008 - Lunchtime activities in co-operation with TJS

Lunchtime activity groups with Young leaders

Twice every week, a group of young leaders from Year 6 at Tenterden Junior School visit our school to run some lunchtime activities for some of the children here. This is a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all involved and is one of the activities which emphasises the school’s excellent links with the nearby Junior School.

The activities focus upon the children’s agility, balance and co-ordination, or ABC’s as the leaders call them. This consists of a series of exercises which aim to improve the children’s ABC’s. Examples of these exercises include, balancing a bean bag on your head, Simon says, the bean game (runner bean, jumping bean etc.) and completing an assault course which was designed to improve all three of these aspects.

All of the children involved said that they enjoyed the activities very much, and some even said that they would like to be a young leader in the future if they got the chance.

These activity sessions are excellent examples of the special link this school has with the nearby Tenterden Junior School, who are always willing to co-operate with us on similar initiatives. The activities not only help improve the agility, balance and co-ordination of the Infants children, but also help to improve the leadership skills and confidence of the year 6 Junior School children who are preparing to make the daunting transition between primary and secondary education.

These activities take place twice a week every week during school time, and as I have said before, these sessions benefit both the Infants School children and the Young Leaders from the Junior School. Overall, this initiative has proved a success for all involved, and more than everything else emphasises the unique relationship between us and the Junior School. This is certainly an initiative that we will seek to continue for many years to come.