Upper Beeding Primary School welcomes exciting visitors including three hedgehogs

Pupils at Upper Beeding Primary School have welcomed several interesting visitors to teach about history, religion and wildlife.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Key stage one pupils were brought up close to wildlife as Graham Bowring from St Francis Animal Welfare brought three hedgehogs to meet the children.

This visit was part of the When it’s Dark topic, and children loved meeting the three very spiny mammals called Holly, Harry and Henry Hedgehog.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Graham told the children all about these special creatures who are European hedgehogs and the children got to see a hedgehog up close.

Graham Bowring of St Francis Animal Welfare brought some hedgehog visitors to Upper Beeding Primary SchoolGraham Bowring of St Francis Animal Welfare brought some hedgehog visitors to Upper Beeding Primary School
Graham Bowring of St Francis Animal Welfare brought some hedgehog visitors to Upper Beeding Primary School

They also got to stroke the hedgehog to understand that their spines are only sharp when it is rolled up in a ball.

Debbie Gilpin, key stage one leader, said: “The children donated tins of cat food to Mr Bowring to help feed these lovely creatures, and thanked him for bringing Holly, Harry and Henry in to meet them.”

Years three and four at the school have been learning all about Judaism and were delighted to welcome Rabbi Radar from Brighton for the morning recently.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They had the opportunity to look at a Hebrew scroll and hear it read out loud by the Rabbi.

Upper Beeding Primary School stepped back in time to dress as Ancient EgyptiansUpper Beeding Primary School stepped back in time to dress as Ancient Egyptians
Upper Beeding Primary School stepped back in time to dress as Ancient Egyptians

Sophie Cander, year three and four teacher, said: “It was interesting to be able to ask lots of questions about the religion, what this means for Jewish people, and how it affects their day to day life.

“Rabbi Radar also brought in a shofar and demonstrated how this would be used in a synagogue to awaken the congregation. The children had a great morning.”

The excitement did not stop there for years three and four, as they stepped back in time to dress as Ancient Egyptians to celebrate their WOW day as part of their topic Incredible Egyptians.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Children looked the part in costumes which ranged from mummies wrapped in bandages, glamorous Egyptian queens and goddesses to powerful pharaohs.

Celebrating the WOW day as part of their topic Incredible EgyptiansCelebrating the WOW day as part of their topic Incredible Egyptians
Celebrating the WOW day as part of their topic Incredible Egyptians

With an initial activity of painting paper plates with gold paint in preparation for making falcon necklaces, the children were soon joined by the Rainbow Theatre company who led them on a journey in which dead bodies were mummified and their organs placed in canopic jars.

Corrine Wellby, lower key stage two leader, said: “The children delighted in the weighing of a person’s heart against a feather to find out whether they would make it through to the afterlife – or not.

“Then came the re-enactment of the story of Moses, who, through God’s intervention, brought ten plagues upon the pharaoh and the Egyptians, leading to the freedom of the Israelites.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For the rest of the day, the children participated in a range of activities from a treasure hunt – locating hieroglyphics that were hidden around the school in order to crack a code to making falcon necklaces and canopic jars.

Rabbi Radar with the shofarRabbi Radar with the shofar
Rabbi Radar with the shofar

Corrine added: “Both children and adults alike thoroughly enjoyed the day which ended with each class parading down a catwalk to model their costumes to rapturous applause.

“Of course, the teaching staff could not resist a walk themselves accompanied by a roar of approval from their appreciative audience. Sadly, the day eventually came to a close, but the classrooms were adorned with beautifully decorated necklaces and splendid Canopic jars.”

-----