Advent Festival...a few images...

The Advent Festival is a massive undertaking. Over fifty stalls, a cafe and restaurant, roomfulls of children's workshops and decoration of the entire school. Not to mention the take down and set up, and the logistics of getting everything sorted at the end of it. Which is why we pay tribute to the many many people to take part in it, who are the parent body, the beating heart of the community. Who come together to pull it off and make it the incredible fund raising it event - as well as the culmination of the celebration of this season that it is.

After having spent all of the last three months celebrating every festival along the way - from St Michael when we began the term - the Advent Festival is the crest of that giant wave. The kids look forward to it, and over the years i have done so too. It was the Advent festival to convinced me that this was the school i wanted my child in. But let the pictures speak for themselves...


The snow on the lawn outside. We were really worried that the bad weather would keep people away. I must explain that all the pictures were taken BEFORE people arrived because i knew i would have no time to do so, AFTER they did. And i was right! Here the kids just enjoy playing in the snow before the crowds arrive.


The wee restaurant. Decorated and set up for the two days.




Greenery festoons the entire school. The good folk at Clandyboyne provide us with the cuttings. An entire can load is filled and carted to the school.


The tables are decorated with greenery found on the school grounds.






Pinecones!


The crystal forest... this was written by a parent a long time ago and has become an important fixture at the festival. During the story, lyre players create a contemplative atmosphere, much like in the walnut boats. I didn't take any photos of the boats, because it was too dark in there! But they are so popular with the children who demonstrate that good taste does not start too young.


The elves in the forest.






Christams cards sold at Class 4's stall! And candles too. They made nearly £80! Impressive.


Gingerbread house that was raffled at the stall...


Kathleen and Lara at the craft stall. Stalwarts of the fair, Lara organised all the craft stall holders and Kathleen keeps the momentum for the craft group and stall going. Amazing ladies!


Gnome houses at the craft stall...


Ladybirds...


Father and son winter, made by Katja.


Piggy and sheepies!!!


Jacinta made this nativity card. Stunning!


Knitting by parent.


Handiwork by parents Paul and Karen.


Cookies at the cafe.


Buns at the cafe!


More buns!


Watercolour from class Two!


Nature table in Class Two.


Stunning!


Angel chalk drawing on the blackboard by Diotima, Class 2 teacher.


Oh this adorable birdbox by the Clanabogan woodwork people - who have an awesome woodwork shop!


The bookshop by Glencraig!


Wee dollies by Camphill


And gingerbread cookies!


Pinewood pottery. Love the colours in that Halloween mug!


From the weavery at Clanabogan.


A snowy scene with the advent stars. Bringing beauty and geometry together. The universal language of truth and love.


Singing the holly and the ivy...


And the Advent candle is lit!


The complementary therapies room...


The Kindergarten, exquisitely decorated...




Advent calendar handmade...






Wee wooden farm...


Elves and shoemaker puppet show put on by Ruth and Jo


Baa baa white sheep...


The clear and cold weekend it was...

More maps....and exercise papers...

I was interested to see that the kids are given exercises from the 10 - 11 years age group, demonstrating that despite having started their maths three years after mainstream schools, they had already caught up by Class Four - or P6. Certainly from my own experience, Oisin's timestables are second to none and they work on problems sums now almost daily.

Donna gives them exercises and then marks them, awarding them goldstars, as recognition for the hardwork. Another myth busted - that they don't mark the work. At Class Four, they most certainly do. The only thing which Donna reckons they miss out on in not getting homework at this stage is the spelling. It just takes them a little longer to get the spelling right, but by the end of the week they have their new words and most of them will get that all right, and they really feel like they have worked hard at it.

Another advantage to not having homework sent back with them, is that they are not worrying about it by themselves. They don't feel that they need to struggle with their spellings on their own. It is worked out in class and with the others, once again, giving a sense of camaraderie.


Another worksheet...


The exercise book they work from...


This very battered copy of Beowulf is what they will be tackling next week. I was blown away that they were now doing Beowulf. In English, abridged, of course. This week they also did Norse myths, the Creation, and they were able to relate that back to the Creation myth they did last year... the glimmerings of comparative literature!


It's safe to say that they are doing geography.... and lots of maps at this stage! Here is a map by Mika - it was copied off the board and it is fantastically detailed.

I wanted to take more photos of the main lesson books because they are all so beautiful and so different from each other.






That's another view of Ballymenoch Park...




Here's PART of a map...


...and here's the other part. This was done in two bits because the student thought it made it more manageable.
















Donna also showed me the autumnal trees done by the class. Again each piece was so different, reflecting the personality of each child.


















I also took the opportunity to nip into Class Five. They're doing botany this year. They start off with fungi and then move on to various parts of the plants. During the winter they do the lower plant life forms and then they let it go to 'sleep' over the winter. Then during spring time they will do flowers. This seems to make sense, of course.


The Celtic knot was a leftover from their form drawing class.


This year they do mythology from the East. Babylon, then India... i think they'll also be doing Greek and Roman myth as the age they are in is supposed to be the Golden Age. So Bhudda here is from India...


...mushroom spores....


Oh yes, they also do Ancient Egypt...


And Ganesh is also from India...