Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Science Fayre with the Y3/4

  Thu 18 Apr 2024 Mrs Potter

  What a great afternoon year 3/4 had at Anthony Gell this afternoon, we also got to go in the new science lab and see some experiments!

  

• Tracks, Trails and Trains

  Mon 25 Mar 2024

  What a wonderful walk out with the infants on Friday. Here are a few of the photos we took.
  
  The walk has also been reported on Derbyshire Times https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/education/schoolchildren-discover-tracks-trails-and-trains-4568057

   

  or on East Midlands Valley Railway

  Schoolchildren Discover Tracks, Trails and Trains | Derwent Valley CRP (derwentvalleyline.org.uk)
  
  Thank you to East Midlands Railway for funding the cost of the art work, production of the booklets, boards and the sustainable water bottles which the children have taken home to keep.
  
  We had a glorious day out and we hope your children enjoyed walking in their local area

  

• Dancing superstars!

  Fri 15 Mar 2024 Mrs Meehan

  Some of our Year 5 and 6 children attended the Embark Dance Festival today. We had a fantastic time both performing our own maypole dance and watching other schools' performances too. It was a great day of celebrating the arts, organised by Embark and The High Sheriff of Derbyshire.
  
  The children were real role models for Wirksworth Juniors -their behaviour was impeccable, they took risks and worked as a team for their performance, and celebrated everybody else's dances. We are very proud of them :)

  

• Letter from our Local MP- Sarah Dines

  Mon 26 Feb 2024

  As part of the pupils’ action to help improve our school environment, the school council have emailed the COOP, Marks and Spencer’s and our local MP, Sarah Dines.
  The children were really pleased to receive a letter from Sarah Dines who said she would come in to see the children and explain what the government are doing to reduce the single use plastic. She will be visiting school on Thursday 28th March in the afternoon, to discuss her role, and to watch our Easter Bonnet parade.
  
  Before she arrives we will be spending some time creating questions to ask her, so please speak to your children about her role and how she can help the children to get their voice heard.

  

• Learning about Waste Management

  Sun 04 Feb 2024

  As part of our ongoing work with the school council to improve environment and reduce plastic waste, the children have written letters to the local MP Sarah Dines, the Manager of Wirksworth Coop and Manager of M and S in Matlock. Hopefully we will have a response back quickly and hear about what they are doing to reduce their single use plastic. As part of our caring motto, we have had DCC waste management in to learn about recycling in Derbyshire; where to recycle; what we can recycle and why we recycle.  The children had a great time and all got to sit in the recycling truck and have their photo taken.

  

• Christmas Carol Service at St Mary's Church

  Fri 22 Dec 2023 Jill Warren

  December is always a creative time of year with the Carols around the Christmas tree, the Christmas art lessons in school and the whole school Christmas service at St Mary’s church.  The children sang beautifully and were able to confidently share the story with big, bold voices. 

  As you may have been aware, back in September 2021 the school took part in a fun run to raise money for a defibrillator for the Wirksworth community, to help save lives.  We raised a massive £1132.89, which we were so proud of and we were hoping to have this placed outside of the school for everyone in Wirksworth to use.  However, due to planning permission and meeting listed building status, it has become quite difficult to get one fitted on the school site.  In the meantime, the Department for Education held their own safety campaign and has donated a free one to school, which has been placed in the school office for the use of the school and the wider community whilst the school is open.

  Because the purpose of raising the money was to support the wider Wirksworth community, we made the decision to donate the money to Wirksworth Town Council to fit one in the community which everyone could use, not just during school opening times.  The Mayor of Wirksworth, Cllr Sean Barker, attended the service and was presented with a cheque by the children.  We will keep you updated on where this will be placed within Wirksworth, in the event you would need to use this in the future. If you are interested to know how a defibrillator works, please follow the link to the St John’s ambulance website for more information.  How to use a defibrillator | St John Ambulance (sja.org.uk)

  

• Y3/4 Adventure Day at Lea Green

  Mon 27 Nov 2023 Jill Warren

  Y3/4 enjoyed a fantastic day at Lea Green Outdoor Activities Centre on Monday 27th November. They got to try out bushcraft activities, the climbing wall and a low ropes obstacle course. The children all worked together brilliantly and showed great perseverance in coping with the cold and wet weather conditions. Thank you to all the staff and parent volunteers who accompanied the children on the trip, a great time was had by all!

  

• Health advice from the NHS

  Wed 22 Nov 2023 Jill Warren

  We have been asked to share these advice posters from the NHS to help keep everyone safe and well. Thank you.

  

• Visits to the Open Centre

  Wed 04 Oct 2023 Jill Warren

  Last week all the pupils enjoyed a visit to the Open Centre in Derby to support their learning in RE.

   

  Y5/6 visited the Mosque and learned about the Five Pillars of Islam, while Y3/4 visited the Hindu temple and took part in a pilgrimage workshop.

   

  Thank you to all the staff at the Open Centre for making our visits so enjoyable, and to the parents who helped accompany us on the trip.

  

• Pupils' artwork on display at Wirksworth Festival

  Mon 11 Sep 2023 Jill Warren

  Our pupils' artwork was on display as part of the Wirksworth Art Festival this weekend. The COGS cluster art project was on display at Anthony Gell school, while the work of the Wild Roots Creative art and craft club formed part of the Children's Art Trail around the town, on display inside the church, and outside the church, library and railway. Well done on creating such beautiful work everyone!

  Our thanks to Mrs Butler and Mrs Wheal for all their help running this very popular club, and we hope they'll be back in school to run more activities soon.