Castles and Dragons Week

‘Castles and Dragons Week’ was one of the most exciting weeks ever in school!

Each class spent two days before’ Castles and Dragons Week’ making part of a huge dragon and parts of castle that was to become Shelton Castle at the end of the week. Children learnt lots about the different parts of a castle and Classes 5, 6 & 7 visited Tutbury Castle. Children also learnt about dragons in stories, made models of dragons and castles and completed much artwork. Classes 5, 6 & 7 even staged their own battle. Class 6 also made a life sized horse called Harold.

On Monday afternoon, everyone gathered in the school hall to make a huge nest suitable for dragons. Newspaper, canes, coal, sequins and tissue paper were all used by the children to make a very large and colourful nest. Each class then performed their ‘dragon calling ritual’; some classes sang, some classes chanted, some classes danced and some classes used musical instruments to try and attract a dragon to the school. We also benefited from a professional ‘dragon caller’ to beat her drum and perform a dragon calling ritual.

On Tuesday morning, everyone was VERY excited to find 8 large and colourful eggs in the nest. Each class carefully carried an egg back to their classroom and built a nest. The children took great care in looking after their egg – keeping it warm, turning it over regularly and even leaving food and drink at the end of each day in case it hatched overnight.

The children learnt lots about castles as well as dragons during the week. They produced some fantastic artwork and some high quality writing.

On Friday morning the children arrived at school to find all the eggs had hatched and white dragon footprints were EVERYWHERE in school. The children had many different ideas about where the dragons had gone.

The week culminated with everybody in school dressing as princesses, knights or dragons. Everyone looked wonderful and had great fun! The children took responsibility for assembling the parts of a castle which they had made to make a huge castle in the hall – Shelton Castle. Everyone had time to explore the castle – searching for jewels, spending time in the dungeon, time in the stocks, throwing cannonballs at the tower, enjoying food and drink at the banqueting table and raising the portcullis! Many sword fights took place using the swords made by the children earlier in the week! At the end of the day, parents came into school to tour the castle with their children.

Over 200 children took up the challenge of making a shield at home and bringing this into school where they were rewarded with a personalised certificate and Children’s University credits.