8 Abingdon Prep • January 2024 IN SCHOOL Sitting amongst the ruins of Heorot, the fire sparked in the tenebrous night; Beowulf emerged from one of the last standing houses, and listened to the woeful tales of the villagers. One told a story full of sorrow of how their whole family had been in the hall when Grendel, an enormous beast with a distorted face, towering frame and strength of ten people appeared. All were lacerated and flensed; that filled Beowulf with vengeance and bloodlust. Beowulf set off toward the great snowcapped Cliffs of Mordal; he trekked through the icy snow as stones hailed down from the sky. He set up camp for the night as the owls swooped over the canopy and wolves pervaded the woods. The moon shone on the leaves and the snow enveloped mountains. GRENDEL AND BEOWULF - THE LAST FIGHT Beowulf came to a clearing and a boulder blocked the entrance. Beowulf, using all his might, pushed the boulder to the side. Knowing Grendel loved meat, he went back into the woods trying to find a deer to kill. Something rustled in the bushes; he shot an arrow in the direction of the noise. There was a thud as the deer fell down. He started a fire and started cooking… A few minutes later Grendel emerged from the tenebrosity; he bent down then felt an immense pain from his neck. Beowulf pulled at his neck, the sinews snapped, then… “crack!” Grendel fell to the ground. Blood stained the snow and Beowulf marched home victorious. Written by Benji, Year 7 FOREST SCHOOL This term, Forest School has been extended out of Pre-Prep up the School. Year 3 and 4 pupils enjoyed celebrating Samhain, a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, or the ‘dark half’ of the year. Pupils toasted a piece of apple over the fire, before dipping it in cinnamon and sugar to celebrate the harvest. We gathered around the warmth and light of a fire to keep out the dark and the cold and we filled the woods with happiness by playing games together! MATHS ESCAPE ROOM Pupils in Years 4 to 8 took part in a Maths ‘Escape Room’ activity, run by visiting professionals. Pupil groups were tasked to break their way in to a box sealed tight with 12 different coded combination locks! With the clock ticking, they combined a broad range of maths, logic, lateral thinking, teamwork and communication skills to solve a series of puzzles and problems. While experiencing fun and frustration in equal measure, lessons in resourcefulness and resilience were learned! In mid November, around 40 pupils across Years 5 and 6 sat the annual Primary Maths Challenge. Created by the Mathematical Association, the PMC is a fun and engaging mathematical challenge, not just another test in the school year. It reinforces our belief in the importance of problem solving as a means of helping pupils apply their knowledge and develop their reasoning skills. The results this year were excellent, topped with the award of Gold certificates to four pupils, each of whom now progress to a bonus round in February next year. PRIMARY MATHS CHALLENGE Year 5 sang carols around the campfire. These sessions with Year 3 to Year 5 have been a big success, and will continue into subsequent seasons.
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