Year 3 pupils recently enjoyed an unforgettable educational visit to Creswell Crags, where they were transported back thousands of years to explore life during the Ice Age. The trip was an exciting part of their learning on prehistoric Britain, bringing their lessons to life.
The day began with a warm welcome from the Creswell Crags education team, Ruby and Lauren, who introduced the children to the site and its fascinating history. After a brief orientation, the pupils were split into two groups – ‘Woolly Rhinos’ and ‘Cave Bears’ – before enjoying their first activity designed to deepen their understanding of life in the Stone Age.
One of the highlights of the day was the “Life in the Ice Age” cave tour. Equipped with helmets and torches, the children ventured into Robin Hood Cave, where they discovered how early humans and animals lived during this period in history. The experience of exploring a real cave sparked both curiosity and excitement, with many pupils describing it as the best part of the trip.
Whilst in the cave, the children examined artefacts and learned about tools, animals and survival during prehistoric times. This interactive session gave them the chance to handle replica objects and think carefully about how people lived, hunted and adapted to their environment.
The adventure continued outdoors in the Survival Skills session. Here, pupils learned how early humans would have built shelters and developed the skills needed to survive in a harsh and challenging landscape. The hands-on nature of the activities encouraged teamwork, problem-solving and resilience.
Staff were particularly proud of how well Year 3 represented the school. Their behaviour was excellent at all times, and they showed great respect for both the staff at Creswell Crags and the historical environment they were exploring.
Overall, the trip was a great success. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and returned to school full of stories, new knowledge and inspiration for their ongoing learning. It was a day that truly brought history to life!
A Nottingham youth patron is encouraging students to raise money for homelessness charity Framework through a simple new initiative.
Lewis, who has already supported the charity through events such as sleep-outs, sales and running challenges, has launched the “Change for Change” campaign to involve schools. He is a former pupil of fellow Equals Trust school – Netherfield Primary School.
The idea is straightforward: students carry out small household tasks—such as washing up or tidying—in exchange for £1 donations. While each contribution is small, Lewis says the combined total across classes and schools could make a significant difference.
The campaign highlights how collective action can help tackle homelessness while encouraging young people to support their communities.
This week, we were pleased to welcome Jerry from the Rotary Club into school to announce the winners of this year’s Rotary Club Art Competition. Pupils were excited to hear the results as Jerry presented the successful artists with certificates and prizes, celebrating the creativity and effort shown in all the entries.
The standard of artwork was extremely high, with a wide range of ideas, styles and techniques on display. After careful judging, the following pupils were announced as winners:
- Claudia Gardner (Year 3)
- Jessica Cather (Year 3) – Best LKS2
- Thea Hall (Year 4)
- Hettie Anderson (Year 5)
- Rosana Shacklock (Year 5)
- Pippa Wells (Year 6)
- Juno Gudgin (Year 6) – Best UKS2
Special congratulations go to Jessica Cather and Juno Gudgin, who each received a £25 Amazon voucher for their winning Lower Key Stage 2 and Upper Key Stage 2 entries.
Jerry commented on how impressed the Rotary Club was with the quality of the artwork and praised all pupils who took part. We would like to thank the Rotary Club for their continued support and for providing such a positive and inspiring opportunity for our young artists.
We were delighted to welcome James Naish MP to our school this morning, where he led an engaging and informative assembly for pupils.
During the visit, Mr Naish spoke about his role as a Member of Parliament and explained how Parliament works. He shared what a typical working week can involve, including debating laws, representing local people, and raising issues that matter to communities. Pupils were particularly interested to hear how decisions made in Parliament can affect everyday life.
The assembly gave pupils a valuable insight into democracy and public service, helping to bring learning about government and citizenship to life. Mr Naish encouraged pupils to ask thoughtful questions and made time to respond to them clearly and enthusiastically.
Staff and pupils alike appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from an MP and to learn more about how people can make a difference by being involved in democratic processes.
We would like to thank James Naish MP for taking the time to visit our school and for delivering such an inspiring and informative assembly.
Pupils from Cropwell Bishop Primary School recently showcased their enthusiasm, creativity and scientific thinking at the Sci‑Tech Finale Competition, held at Heymann Primary School. The event brought together young learners from across the trust area to celebrate innovation, problem‑solving and a passion for science and technology.
Representing Cropwell Bishop with pride were Kennan Gudjin (KS1), Joshua Higgins (LKS2) and Alistair Rushby (UKS2). Each pupil demonstrated fantastic commitment and confidence as they took part in the egg-mobile race.
Kennan achieved a respectable final score of 49 points. Joshua managed an impressive 12 points. Unfortunately, Alistair had technical issues with his device. He managed to fix the device and perform three runs although just hitting the barrier on each run. One of the judges was so impressed with Ally’s design, and could see him fixing it with no assistance from Mr Heatrick. This independence, resilience and pride were contributing factors to Ally being awared the the prize for the Most Intuitive UKS2 Design.
All three pupils were excellent ambassadors for Cropwell Bishop, demonstrating not only strong STEM skills but also resilience, teamwork and a positive attitude throughout the event. Their conduct and effort were frequently praised and reflected the high standards we strive for at our school.
Congratulations to Kennan, Joshua and Alistair on their success, and a special well done to Alistair on his well‑deserved award. Thank you to Heymann Primary School for hosting such an inspiring and memorable Sci‑Tech Finale.
KS2 pupils enjoyed an exciting and immersive learning experience today as the school welcomed a special visitor to explore the animal kingdom using virtual reality technology.
Emma, a VR expert from the Education Group, visited the school to deliver an engaging virtual reality session that took pupils on a journey through the five main groups of animals. Using VR headsets, children were able to explore animals and their habitats in a vivid, interactive way that brought learning to life far beyond the classroom.
Each year group took part in a 40‑minute session with the VR devices, ensuring that all KS2 pupils had the opportunity to fully engage with the technology. The sessions were carefully designed to enhance pupils’ understanding of animal classification while supporting the science curriculum.
The experience was highly engaging and very exciting, with pupils showing curiosity, enthusiasm, and a real sense of wonder throughout the day. Staff were impressed by how focused and motivated the children were during the sessions.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Friends of School, whose generous funding made this fantastic experience possible. Their continued support helps to provide enriching opportunities that inspire and enhance our pupils’ learning.