Hello Team Duncombe!
As we find ourselves in these unsettling times, we are all having to adjust our lives in many ways.
Families for the first time are having to work from home together, a huge adjustment and learning curve for all.
Children are having to familiarise themselves with their new workspace at the dining room table and parents have found the need to develop the alter egos of Miss Honey and Mr Peterson (apologies to Roald Dahl and David Tennant), to guide their children through lesson plans.
Traditionally, as we enter the Easter break, entertainment plans are already in place, from days out and playdates, to sleepovers and holidays. This year, things will be very different, so to help families get through the holidays, Team Duncombe have developed, created, filmed and edited a programme of enrichment activities which children can take part in.
Team Duncombe would like to introduce The Spirit of Duncombe, a range of masterclasses, from imaginative reading sessions with our Patron of Reading, children’s author Alice Hemming, to cook-a-longs with Cynthia Stroud BEM, a professional baker and a parent at Duncombe.
Inspired and enriched learning delivered by our truly inspirational team is at the heart of Treetops Pre-School and Duncombe which brings learning to life in a variety of different ways. The Spirit of Duncombe captures this perfectly.
We hope the children enjoy the programme and it gives you time to breathe!
Stay safe,
Team Duncombe xx
Storytime with Alice Hemming for Treetops Pre-School.
Join Alice Hemming, Duncombe’s Patron of Reading for a reading of her popular children’s story ‘Bibble and the Bubbles’.
Then grab your craft boxes and join in the challenge Alice sets at the end.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
A recital with Alice Hemming for Lower School.
Get comfortable and ready to listen to an excerpt from Alice Hemmings, our Patron of Reading’s novel Rickety Rocket.
Then let your imagination take over and join in Alice’s challenge.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
A recital with Alice Hemming for Upper School.
Let’s dream of a faraway land, whilst our Patron of Reading, Alice Hemming, shares an excerpt of novel ‘The Forbidden Box’.
After the reading, test your creative writing skills and join in Alice’s challenge.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
Afternoon storytime for all of Duncombe and Treetops Pre-School.
Hello to Mo O’Hara, children’s author and a new friend to Duncombe.
Join Mo and Forest the cat for a story about ‘The Fintastic Fishsitter’ and take part in Mo’s creative writing challenge.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
Forest School for Treetops and Year 1 with Team Duncombe's Mrs Lee.
Have you got your welly boots and coat on? Are you ready for an adventure with Mrs Lee?
Let’s go off into the garden and explore. Don’t forget your bucket as you will need something to put your collection in.
Click here for more details about our creative arts exhibition.
Forest School for Years 2 & 3 with Team Duncombe's Mrs Lee.
We’re going on a Mini Beast hunt, are you ready for an adventure with Mrs Lee?
Before you go outside make sure you have your Mini Beast hunting kit, a note pad and pen … just in case!
Click here for more details about our creative arts exhibition.
Forest School for Years 4, 5 & 6 with Team Duncombe's Mrs Lee.
Join Mrs Lee on a Forest School adventure, taking you both in and outside the classroom.
These activities will have you testing your senses, so grab a paper and pen and then get ready to put your ICT skills into practice
Click here for more details about our creative arts exhibition.
Creating a masterpiece with Team Duncombes, Cynthia Stroud BEM.
Click here and follow the recipe of professional baker, Cynthia Stroud’s BEM Red Velvet sponge cake.
Then join her for a decorating masterclass and learn how to give your cake the WOW factor!
Send us a picture of your masterpiece for our exhibition. Click here for more details.
A recital with Robin Stevens for Upper School.
Hello to Robin Stevens, children’s author and a new friend to Duncombe.
Pop your detective hat on and join Robin for an excerpt from her first book, ‘Murder Most Unladylike’.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
Music at the Heart of Duncombe with Team Duncombe’s, Mrs Sutton.
Become a writer, whilst using your ICT skills to discover fascinating facts about musicians, past or present.
Take a look at Mrs Suttons unique biography for John Williams, then create a biography about a composer of your choice.
Click here for more details about our music exhibition.
Creative storytime with Alice Hemming for Treetops Pre-School.
Let your imagination run wild, as Alice Hemming, Duncombe’s Patron of Reading reads her book ‘Sheep on the run’ to you.
Then take part in Alice’s challenge, get your thinking caps on and with arts and crafts create your own runaway sheep.
Click here for more details about our creative arts exhibition.
Making Maths fun with Team Duncombe’s, Mrs Takawira.
True or false, you can use playing cards to have fun with Maths?
It’s true and Mrs Takawira is going to show you how, with the card game ‘War’.
The masterclass is for suitable for children from Nursery, right the way through the school to Year 6. So grab yourself some playing cards and join in.
Let’s have a labtotastic time with Team Duncombe’s, Prof.
No need to have goggles for this experiment, but you may get a little wet!
Set up your own labtotastic lab station at home and learn all about the water cycle, through a simple but fun experiment with Prof.
Share your results with Prof, click here for details about our exhibition.
A crafty Music masterclass, with Team Duncombe’s, Mrs Sutton.
Ever thought about setting up your own rock band? What instrument would you play?
How about the drums? Follow Mrs Sutton’s step by step guide to making your very own unique homemade drum kit.
Click here for more details about exhibition, where you could share your work.
A recital with children’s author, Ruth Fitzgerald for Main School
Hello to Ruth Fitzgerald, children’s author and a new friend to Duncombe.
Grab a cup of tea with Ruth, get comfortable and listen to a recital from her first book, ‘Emily Sparkes and the Friendship Fiasco.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition
The Spirit of Duncombe THE ALBUM with Team Duncombe’s, Mrs Sutton.
What music helps you relax, stay motivated and let out all your feelings at the moment?
Take a look at Mrs Sutton’s playlist and createyour own for our Spirit of Duncombe album.
Let’s lose ourselves in the music, but let’s do this the Team Duncombe way and build something wonderful together.
Click here for details about our music exhibition.
A recital with children’s author, Ruth Fitzgerald for Main School
Hello again to Ruth Fitzgerald, children’s author and a new friend to Duncombe.
Ruth has come back to read another excerpt from her first book, ‘Emily Sparkes and the Friendship Fiasco.
Don’t forget to join in the imaginative party planning task Ruth has set at the end for you.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
Say hello to your grandparents with Team Duncombe’s, Mrs Copeman.
Mog is everyone’s favourite family cat! Join Mrs Copeman and find out what Mog gets up to on her holiday at Granny’s house.
Next let’s add in some role play, where you become a budding artist and a reporter to find out more about your grandparents.
Click here for your interview questions and templates and click here for details about our exhibition.
A multi ball skills masterclass with Team Duncombe’s professional sportsmen.
Whether you’re a scrum-half, defender or a wicket-keeper, you will not want to miss this masterclass.
Join Mr Storey, Mr Granville and Mr Sims for a rugby, football and cricket balls skills masterclass.
Listening ears on and pay attention, remember they are professionals!
Taking a walk with Team Duncombe’s, Miss Sands.
Join Miss Sands for a virtual walk and chat, whist she walks around Hertford for some daily exercise.
Why not write Miss Sands a letter or send a video and share where you have been on your walks and what you have seen.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
A netball masterclass with Team Duncombe’s Mrs Johnson and Co.
Fancy joining Mrs Johnson, Mrs Price and Mrs Page for a netball masterclass? Then get your trainers on!
This masterclass will keep you on your toes practicing netball skills, ready for those matches when we are back together.
If you’ve never played netball before, give it a go!
A recital with Alice Hemming for Lower School
Sit under the tree in the garden and join Alice for a recital of her book, ‘Best Vest Quest’
Then let your imagination take over and join in Alice’s challenge, to create your own quest and star character.
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
A recital with Alice Hemming for Upper School
Are you comfortable? Yes, great! Then let’s join Alice for an excerpt from her book Arlo, Mrs Ogg and the Dinosaur Zoo.
After the reading, test your creative writing skills and join in Alice’s challenge.
Click here for more details about our creative writing.
A recital with children’s author, Ruth Fitzgerald for Main School.
Join Ruth for another chapter from her first book, ‘Emily Sparkes and the Friendship Fiasco’.
At the end, why not join in the ‘tour guide’ task Ruth has set for you?
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
A recital with children’s author, Ruth Fitzgerald for Main School.
Hello again to Ruth Fitzgerald, children’s author and friend of Duncombe.
The story of ‘Emily Sparkes and the Friendship Fiasco’ continues as Ruth reads the next chapter of her book.
Ruth has chosen to set you a research project as your task for this masterclass. After all, writing and research work hand in hand!
Click here for more details about our creative writing exhibition.
A recital with children’s author, Ruth Fitzgerald for Main School.
Hello again to Ruth Fitzgerald, children’s author and friend of Duncombe.
Join Ruth for the final recital from her first book, ‘Emily Sparkes and the Friendship Fiasco’.
Once again, Ruth has set a task at the end and one of our other masterclasses might come in useful.
Click here for more details about our photography exhibition.
A recital and song from children’s author, Mo O’Hara.
You are in for treat with this masterclass, from Mo O’Hara!
Not only is Forest joining Mo again, but as well as a recital of her book ‘Romeosauraus and Juliet Rex’, Mo is also going to play you a song, on her … you’ll have to wait and see!
On top of this once again Mo has a range of art challenges for you.
Click here for more details about our creative art exhibition.
Team Duncombe's Bedtime Story, just for you.
Are you ready for bed? Have you brushed your teeth?
Wonderful, then let us introduce Team Duncombe’s first ever bedtime story.
Goodnight, Team Duncombe
When dreams come true, a ballet masterclass.
Hello to Will Davolls, a student at Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham.
At 10 years old, Will had a dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer. Now 16 years old, his dream is becoming a reality.
Join Mr Sopher interviewing Will and take part in Will’s ballet masterclass.
Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of VE Day
What is VE Day all about and how can I get involved?
Team Duncombe have created a short synopsis about why we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of VE Day and how even though we are in lockdown, we can still celebrate.
Team Duncombe's Second Bedtime Story.
Due to popular demand, we are pleased to share with you another bedtime story from Team Duncombe.
Snuggle down, relax and enjoy.
Team Duncombe xx
