Enchanted Tafaria Castle

As soon as the bus turned into the gates of the castle, the Year 6 children were enchanted. Immediately, they were transported to another world where they could live in a castle, ride in carriages and shoot arrows. But before they got too carried away with this fairy tale the children, hot from the bus ride, made the most of the swimming pool and slide.

The first activity was art based and the children watched eagerly as the potter crafted a vase out of a lump of clay. Then, everyone was given their own lump of clay, and it was with great excitement that they all had a turn on the potter's wheel, creating: mugs, vases and bowls. The creativity did not end there, next they moved onto a collaborative art piece led by a resident artist. Here they used their sketching skills to outline onto canvas, then used acrylic paints to bring the group's art to life.

After tea, the children enjoyed a tour of the art installations around the grounds, followed by a tour of the museum that focuses on evolution. They were able to impress their guide with the knowledge they had gained last term and enjoyed revisiting this subject.

The highlight of the day was when all the children met in the Amphitheatre and performed copious songs on the stage. There were solos, duets, group songs and it was lovely to see how much confidence all the children had to stand up in front of everyone and perform. It was not easy to get them to relinquish the microphones and get everyone to bed.

The next morning, we were shown around the farm, seeing all the many vegetables and fruits that are grown there. The children were allowed to hold young rabbits and feed the chickens. This was followed by either a carriage ride or a trip to the archery range. The carriage ride was a first for most and it was a truly magical experience. The archery range put the children's marksmanship to the test and again this was another first for some.

It was with much sadness that Year 6 had to leave this magical place, but are left with long lasting memories.