A giant snail, sporting success and other school news

What's been happening in Uttlesford schools, in pictures.

Katherine Semar Schools

Katherine Semar Year 4 children had three days of activities during a residential trip to Kingswood Activity Centre in West Runton, Norfolk.

The fun included archery, rock climbing, zip wires and high rope activities.

Felsted School

Latin, Reggae and Jazz numbers were in Felsted School's annual 'Swing into Spring’ concert.

Pupils from Prep and Senior school were involved in the Orchestras, Choirs and Bands.

The Global Jukebox started with European folk tunes from England and Italy, and then took the audience on a journey including African rhythms and melodies, Caribbean Calypso and South American Samba.

Prep Director of Music Owen Rees said it was "brilliant" to have live music again.

Howe Green House School

Reception class at Howe Green House School handled a giant African land snail during a day at The Suntrap Forest Centre in Epping Forest.

They also got hands-on with a millipede, a stick insect, a salamander and Cynthia, a 10-year-old corn snake.

The children enjoyed exploring and learning about the ancient woodland, identifying different trees and using mirrors to look up into the treetops to describe what they could see.

St Thomas More School, Saffron Walden

A Summer Festival organised by pupils in Year 3 and 4 at St Thomas More School has raised £607 for local charity Café Cornell.

Students danced to the music and bounced around on the space hoppers.

Each class filled a welly with loose change and Year 4 won the prize for the heaviest welly!

Sporting success

Children at St Thomas More School have been having a run of sporting success.

Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 swimming squads finished in first place at the District Swimming Galas at Dunmow Leisure Centre.

The Year 3 Cross Country Team took gold at the County Competition in Southend.

And the week finished with the school Archery Team winning the cup at the District Finals.

R A Butler Academy, Saffron Walden

Year 5 student Rayan's impassioned speech about poverty in the modern world resulted in winning the finals of the Moktar Cup for public speaking.

All the junior children at RA Butler Academy had the opportunity to prepare and deliver a speech on a topic of their choosing to their class.

The finalists spoke in front of a guest judging panel including the Mayor and drama teacher Rachel Harvey.

Headteacher Emma Vincent said: “It was wonderful to see how passionately the children delivered their speeches.

"It takes a lot of skill and confidence to speak in front of 360 of your peers.”

Cross Country finals

R A Butler Academy took teams from Y3 to Y6 to the Essex County Cross Country Finals in Southend.

The children put great effort and enthusiasm into their running.

Sports lead James Smith said: “The children did absolutely brilliantly.

“Their commitment and training really paid off with our Y5 girls coming second in the county claiming silver and the Y4 boys taking home bronze. A huge well done to everyone involved."