Kingsholm University for Years 2-6 plays an important role for our children in broadening their skills and knowledge across a wide range of areas. It also enables them to have a varied range of experiences and challenges. We want our Kingsholm University to "inspire the future of our children and raise their aspirations".

During Spring 1, children will stay within their year groups and focus on the following areas:

Year 2 Creativity;

Year 3 Life-skills;

Year 4 Charity;

Year 5 Community; 

Year 6 Enterprise.

Some of these activities might include: working with different groups in Kingsholm so our children develop a greater understanding of our diverse community; developing a strategy to raise money for a specific charity; and learning a specific life skill such as first aid.

In Spring 2, the children will take part in University modules across the school, allowing children to be role models to others, gaining independence and building relationships with children in different year groups. Teachers will design the modules to ensure they are ambitious and the learning will be above and beyond what our National Curriculum states. Children will have a selection of modules to choose from and will rank their top 5 modules; they will then be able to attend one of their selected five modules.

In the summer term the children in Early Years and Key Stage 1 will be taking part in our Kingsholm College which will replicate the Kingsholm University.

Forest School Volunteers - CAN YOU HELP?!

We are delighted to share that we are extending our Forest School sessions. The children are absolutely loving their time outside and we would like to offer more opportunities.

Forest School sessions happen on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, all day, but any help even if it can be just one morning or afternoon a week, would be brilliant. Please just don't take our word for it - here's what one of our current volunteers (A parent) shared:

" I've been discovering the joy of Forest School over the last half term, and wanted to share that with you. Initially I thought I wouldn't volunteer to help because I didn't have experience of Forest School, but with Miss Shepherd leading it, it turned out I just needed to be willing to interact with children, ask questions, and be willing to join in with what interests them (and wear warm waterproof clothing!). Through this I've got excited with more than one child when they've finally got sparks from a fire steel, and shown them they've really persevered, or helped a girl to recognise that she's been brave in watching the fire being lit when she's scared of fire and could have gone to do something else. I've enjoyed being taught by a boy who explained his new knowledge of mycelium (the lacey pattern of fungus roots) to me, and I've helped children realise they already have knowledge and ideas by asking 'what do you think' or 'have you got any ideas' in response to their questions of me. I've seen a child show another child how they've just learnt to climb a tree, and I've seen that next child put that into practice when they hadn't been able to work out how to start the process on their own, and I've witnessed the joy and pride in them as they've realised that not only have they learnt something new, they've enabled someone else to achieve that too" . 

Forest School works best when there are lots of adults to interact with the children, and we would always benefit from more adults in the sessions. If this is something you might like to get involved in then let the school office know. We'd love you to be part of Forest School too and experience the joy and encouragement that comes with seeing the children learn and develop in so many ways.