As part of their ‘Buckets and Spades’ NICER Challenge, Year 1 travelled to Weston-super-Mare back in May. While planning their own activities for the trip, the children had decided that their activities should include: building sand castles, riding on a donkey, eating ice cream, putting flags on top of their sandcastles, bringing back a stick of rock and having a portion of freshly cooked chips. While they were at the seaside, Year 1 managed to achieve everything on their list except for having a portion of chips. Since coming back to school, the teachers have been trying to think of ways of how they could fit in the children’s last request. Mrs Herbert remembered that a parent of children at VPA owned the chip shop in the Windmill Market. Maybe there was a solution to the problem after all? Enquiries were made and a visit to the chip shop was arranged!
On Tuesday 1st July, all of the Year 1 children and staff took a walk to the Windmill Market chip shop where they were greeted by Gurjit’s mum and dad or as the children had fondly named them ‘the chip shop man and lady’. The children were shown exactly how chips are made and then they were treated to a cone of tasty, hot chips. Teachers were given GREAT big smiles as the unbelievably quiet children munched away at their chips. It didn’t matter that the chips hadn’t been eaten on Weston beach – this was an adventure in itself! Members of the public commented on how well behaved all of the children were – a credit to the school.
This experience was tinged with a hint of sadness as when everyone was back at school, reflecting on what had been achieved this term, everyone realised that all of the fantastic ideas that the children had wanted to do, had all been completed. The chip shop trip was the very last thing on Year 1’s ‘to do’ list. Thank you to the Windmill Market chip shop and to the ‘chip shop man and lady’. It truly has been a fabulous and tasty end to the ‘Buckets and Spades’ Challenge.
Over this academic year, great links have been made between school and the community and Year 1 have had the support of very generous parents, thank you all for your support. What a way to finish the year!
