1. How will Middle School be working this term?
How can I support my child at home?
St Hugh’s Middle School
We are thrilled to be using Guy Fawkes' Lantern as our stimulus this term.  Fawkes was caught in the Houses of Parliament in 1605 with 36 barrels of gunpowder, this lantern and a burning match. He was apparently about to blow up the King and the government. Our project has been kick started over the first three days of term during which the children have participated in a range of skills workshops that covered important themes such as ‘Mind Mapping’ as well as a comprehensive programme of activities introducing them to thinking and learning skills.  This is in preparation for them being responsible for the planning, research and presentation of their learning this term alongside a variety of taught sessions and facilitated activities.  They will also participate, over the next fortnight, in workshops on ‘Presentation’, and a scheme of Literacy to support their ‘Note Taking and Research’.  In addition to this, the children have all visited the Ashmolean Museum to see first-hand the artefact that will be our initial stimulus as well as taking part in a programme of activities with the education team at the museum.  Work towards the project will take place across the curriculum encompassing everything from History and Geography to Art, Drama, DT, Music and Forest School. The children will choose the themes linked to this stimulus that interest them personally and celebrate their learning at a grand end of term exhibition.  
Fact find as a team…
Work with your child to help them research and make sense of what they find out, completing at least 4 of the home learning challenges.  
Show Interest …
Chat to your child about what they have found out or are currently researching.
Be a learner too…
Let the children see your curiosity, ability to make mistakes or not know the answer…this provides a great role model for being a life long learner.
Have fun…
The key with this project is curiosity and enthusiasm. We want it to be fun so if your child is tired, read or scribe for them.
Consider the praise you give your children. Does it promote a growth mindset and praise effort and the process or does it just tell them they are great and focus on the outcome? Which is most powerful?
Praise…
Guy Fawkes' lantern
Useful resources…
- Visit the ‘Take One…’ section on the St Hugh’s website for more information, ‘How to…’ guides and details of the home learning challenges.
Independent Learning
- Examples of past projects and ‘Take One…’ big books are on display in the Middle School hall

2. Preparing the children for life
‘Take One…’
Preparing the children for life
‘If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.’
Carol Dweck
To ensure the children are active in the learning process, confident and able to achieve their full potential now and throughout their life, it is important to develop qualities and characteristics, not just knowledge.  To support this, Middle School use principles from: Building Learning Power (Guy Claxton)
What is ‘Take One…’?
‘Take One…’ is an exciting, cross curricular project embarked on each Spring in conjunction with the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.  The ‘Take One…’ initiative was first started by the National Gallery in London who chose a painting on an annual basis that provided the stimulus for schemes of work in schools across the country. This was often led very much by the interest of the children, and their interpretation and curiosity about the work drove the project in varied directions.  The Ashmolean Museum subsequently became a partner with the National Gallery in identifying not only works of art but historical artefacts for schools to use as a stimulus for the learning taking place. 
Growth Mindsets (Carol Dweck)