Puppetry Skills and Fun at RAPS
Young puppeteers at Ramsgate Arts Primary are creating their own special toy story.
Girls and boys in Year 1 are exploring the world of puppetry as part of their topic Playing Past and Present.
This examines toys that were popular in Tudor and Victorian times and throughout the 20th Century – and the pupils have discovered that some have remained just as popular as ever through the centuries.
One that has stood the test of time is the good old-fashioned puppet, which has proved to be a firm favourite with the current RAPS generation.
Teacher Jess Barnes explained: “We have talked about how puppets are used and that they've been around for years and years.
“We explored different types of puppets: finger puppets, glove (hand) puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets, body puppets and marionette puppets (string puppets).
“The children were then set the task to design and create their own puppet. This was a great cross-curricular process from learning the history of puppets, then designing their own puppet and considering what materials they needed.
“Finally they made their puppet and there was great enthusiasm as their creations came alive in their hands as they put on their own mini puppet theatre shows for the class.”
Ramsgate Arts Primary is focusing on promoting oracy development – the range of speaking and listening
skills, behaviours and language necessary for effective communication and collaboration.
Mrs Barnes added: “The puppetry project was a great opportunity for the children to work in small groups to share their handmade puppets and bring them to life. It was a great was for their oracy skills to come into play effectively.”
Head of School Nick Budge agreed: “It has been interesting to see the variety of styles and materials the Year 1 children used to create their puppets.
“It is clear that they really enjoyed the work and are gaining a strong set of communications skills as they work together to achieve their goal.
“Oracy encompasses physical, social and emotional, linguistic and cognitive aspects of learning. It is something that we are encouraging across all year groups as part of our children’s personal development.”
Ramsgate Arts Primary School is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School and Chilton Primary School.
*For more information, contact Head of School Nick Budge on 01843 582847
Understanding feelings and emotions as you grow is a big task for small children – at Ramsgate Arts Primary young girls and boys are already involved in a range of initiatives to help them find out more about what makes them tick.
them to name different emotions. Then the pupils added all the different things that makes them feel emotions to ‘feelings jars’ graphics.
“We really enjoyed using the book called 'Have You Filled a Bucket Today?' by Carol McCloud which tells how we all have an invisible bucket and we need to help fill each other’s buckets by doing acts of kindness.
Our children feel safe and cared for throughout their time with us – helping them understand and identify the way they feel about themselves, their families and their friends, is a crucial part of how we support their growing up.”
Creating a mini Stonehenge from biscuits is a tasty way to build an ancient monument and discover more about its construction.
learning activities.
“Creating Stonehenge was fabulous inter-active start and our children were really engaged with the whole process of what the henge looked like and how it was laid out, particularly when they were cementing the biscuit building blocks into place using icing.
Ramsgate Arts Primary teachers Karen Vorst and Peter Campbell Saunders are inspiring their pupils who saw their works exhibited at Turner Contemporary in Margate.
goal.”
“After a further viewing of the artworks in the Turner, I've realised that my picture seems to be 'out of time'. Bygone eras are a typical theme in my art.
The true spirit of Christmas has been demonstrated in heart-warming fashion by children at Ramsgate Arts Primary.
continue buying classes gifts or whether the money might be better spent elsewhere.
Head of School Nick Budge said: “This is a brilliant initiative from Mrs Beech who came up with the Big Vote idea. It is heart-warming that our children are so generous and think of the needs of others more than themselves.
Learning through play activities is a cornerstone of early years education at Ramsgate Arts Primary School in Ramsgate.
Sophie Spurrier is Early Years Foundation Studies lead at RAPS. She said: “It was a real treat for our little ones. They have been learning about people that help us in the community through our topic ‘Our Heroes’.
Ramsgate Arts Primary School is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School at Broadstairs and Chilton Primary School, Ramsgate.
Little children have been exploring the great outdoors to create their own natural sculptures and artwork.
children to have a hands-on experience with natural materials and to explore their creative skills.
Here is what some of the Year 1 children thought about the experience.
RAPS Head of School Nick Budge is a firm believer of outdoor learning. He said: “Being immersed in nature creating artwork inspired by what surrounds them is really important for our children’s development and it shows them that learning is all around them, not just inside school.
A textile recycling charity has thanked children and families at Ramsgate Arts Primary School for their fantastic fund raising support.
Environmentally aware children at Ramsgate Arts Primary have asked their MP to help improve the planet.
“They have learnt that by taking a pro-active stance and contacting their MP their actions are being noticed and listened to in Government. We also teach our children about the importance of democracy and this shows them democracy in action.”
Music strikes an important chord when it comes to overall learning of children at Ramsgate Arts Primary.