PHILOSOPHY WEBSITE
Class 3 pupils from Manorbier VC Primary School this week launched a very exciting website project that they have been working hard on. The children, aged seven to nine, along with their class teacher and ICT co-ordinator, Sharon Davies, have been developing an interactive philosophy website for children which has been funded, in part, and hosted by NGFL Cymru. "I would dearly love to utilise the site to explore linking with other schools and organisations from around the world," explained Mrs. Davies. "We are hoping that the pictures, questions and text on the site will stimulate responses from children who can contact us via an automatic e-mail link. "The site will be updated on a weekly/fortnightly basis with new stimulus, hopefully with ideas from children around the globe! We have looked at several philosophy sites that give great information, so would love to be able to add our ideas and work to the Philosophical Internet environment," she continued. The link to the website is http://www.ngfl">http://www.ngfl- cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/pse/136/index.html "We have already received e-mails from teachers and advisers from Europe and the USA expressing interest in utilising the site. "Our school has been teaching philosophy with children for the last 14 years; it underpins the whole ethos of the school. Schools across England and Wales now have to show that they are developing pupils' thinking skills and our school was recently chosen, as an exemplar, by the Qualifications Council for Wales, to be part of the 'Aiming for Excellence' series on BBC Wales," added Mrs. Davies. PARK 'JOURNEY'
It's been a busy few weeks at Manorbier VCP. Pupils were recently treated to a wonderful puppet 'journey' around Pembrokeshire. Rangers from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park's Education Service presented their new puppet show. Entitled 'Meg and Mot's Amazing Adventure', the show aims to raise children's awareness of coast and countryside - the birds and animals that live within the Park area. The children were taken from the seashore to rivers and mountains with Meg the Ranger and her dog, Mot, on a journey that saw birds leaving 'droppings' on the cliffs, badgers, foxes and even talk of archaeological remains in the Preselis for the older ones. All the children thoroughly enjoyed this show and were left feeling enthused and proud about their native Pembrokeshire.
LIVELY STORIES
As part of National Storytelling Week 2007 last week, Cardiff storyteller, Francis Maxey, visited the school. Using a mixture of traditional and contemporary stories, riddles and music, his interactive, lively stories had the children spellbound. Following on in the literary vein, this week has seen the launch at Manorbier of the 'Read a Million Words In Wales' campaign. The campaign asks adults and children to 'count up' all the words they read, the goal being to read a million words by next December. There is a book fair in school all week to get pupils started and many of the children have been motivated by the challenge and have already started. Perhaps, for the pupils of Manorbier, it won't take until next December at all!