Middle School

Year 8 Medieval Day - A Journey Back in Time

On Monday, 29 April, our Year 8 students were transported back to the fascinating world of the Middle Ages during a highly engaging Medieval Incursion held at Eltham High School. This exciting day was designed to complement their Humanities studies and brought history to life in a way that was both educational and fun.

Throughout the incursion, students rotated through a variety of interactive workshops, each offering a unique insight into medieval life. They were introduced to troubadours, the entertainers of the era, learning about the vital role these musicians and storytellers played in sharing news and providing amusement across kingdoms.

In the weapons and armour session, students explored the tools of war and defence, even having the opportunity to role-play with replica weapons. This hands-on experience deepened their understanding of how medieval knights prepared for battle.

The crime and punishment session provided a sobering yet fascinating look at medieval justice. Students learned about the origins of law and the sometimes brutal methods of punishment used to maintain order in medieval society.

During the education and games segment, students explored how young people of the Middle Ages learned and played. They discovered the differences between the education of nobles and peasants and engaged in traditional peasant games designed to test strength, agility, and teamwork. These games helped determine who was most suitable for various roles in the village, such as blacksmiths, farmers, or guards, offering students a fun and physical way to connect with medieval social structure.

Finally, in the tournament workshop, students got active as they took on the role of medieval knights and engaged in mock battles with the presenter. This high-energy session allowed them to appreciate the pageantry and physicality of medieval tournaments.

The day was not only informative but also thoroughly enjoyable, helping to enrich the Year 8 curriculum with memorable, real-world connections to the past.

ASHLEA OATES, Humanities Teacher

Year 9 Food for Life - Edendale Farm

On Tuesday 22 April the Year 9 Food for Life class undertook an excursion to Edendale Farm.

During the day students were guided through workshops around the importance of soil health and learned how to test soil pH in preparation for planting a garden. The class also got to meet the resident worms and learned about the environmental and horticultural benefits of composting. A big thankyou to Tim Mitchell from Edendale who provided an engaging and energetic tour of the farm. The Year 9 students had a fantastic day out end enjoyed getting their hands dirty and feeding the livestock.

Edendale Farm is a community farm which offers numerous gardening and sustainability workshops to the community.

Food for Life is a year 9 Foods elective where students develop a sense of food citizenship and learn about the challenges of our food system and potential solutions to sustainability issues.