The results for the National KS2 tests, which were taken earlier this year, were last week published for all primary schools in the country.
The average score achieved by Cathedral School pupils in the examinations (Maths, Writing, Reading and Grammar) was the highest in the borough.
This news is excellent for the school and was on the back of being included in the Sunday Times ‘Top 600 Schools’ report published in November and which used 2013’s results.
Obviously, these tests of the ‘core’ curriculum are one part of the school’s success and we are very aware there are countless other ways to measure children’s successes in the school’s broad and balanced curriculum.
Nevertheless, these results are a testament to the hard work, dedication and talents of the pupils and staff of the school. Well done!
That is wonderful!
I have been to see a play and written a review together with my older sister Scarlet.
Grimm Tales by Philip Pullman
The Queen’s Bargehouse has always been one of my favourite places in our immediate neighbourhood, built of brick long time ago, with big spaces, empty halls, pillars missing whole chunks of concrete, peeled walls, old spooky staircases and as an entrance a large arch with a painted inscription: URANIA. Muse of Astrology (one of the nine Greek muses, deities that gave artists, philosophers and inventors wings of inspiration).
The Bargehouse often hosts artistic and scientific exhibitions but this time I watched something amazing: Grimm Tales, An Immersive Fairy Tale by Philip Pullman (recommended to all who love overwhelming feeling of belonging somewhere magical, scary and somehow known from before).
You walk in a very sparingly lit Barge House, that for this occasion – and the scenography took one month to install – has all its giant windows closed, smell of an old building translates as smell of some old dusty times and sounds from an ancient radio. A frazzled crackling melody that does the job of taking you back in time, whoosh you are falling backwards and spinning quickly. Light shivers, as you are trapped in Dreamland with some cruelty, some unimaginable things, some totally illogical things (why does the Dad want to marry his daughter?!?), laughter and a frosty smile, as it is freezing in there.
By the time you’ve realised that no matter how wide you open your eyes (“WHAT BIG EYES YOU HAVE!”), you are not going to see any clearer than shapes, shades and an occasional purposefully lit object and that you are walking on pieces of something soft and black, the stories are already engulfing you like a whale getting ready to swallow you as a snack. Where am I? Have these guys raided every charity shop on Earth? I am surrounded by what looks like 19th Century curtains (not washed since), some light bulbs that must have come from the same era, spooky wedding dresses made of once white lace, dangling on hangers bridelessly now above the stairs, looking at old framed mirrors (I dare you to check if your reflection is in!), archaic paintings and embroideries, so many people’s life memories…
Clue: for each next tale you walk in a group of equally stunned spectators to the next fairy tale room. No, there aren’t pink plastic castles, these tales are raw. Seven little beds and seven tiny wardrobe compartments with seven lots of little vests, shirts and trousers – you’ve guessed! Our seven hi-ho, hi-ho, persistently hard working miners sleep there. At first, assuming this was just our ‘waiting room’, I sat on one of the tiny beds. Did I feel like Goldilocks trying them out, no, not the slightest. Bed was small, hard and with a huge tall blocked window above it. Waves of long disappeared music from the distant past was convincing me to be good before a wolf or witch sees me.
On the wall, old, yellowed maps, with old rusty pins, marking the important places. Next door, wooden crates with spilled red, shiny, juicy, deadly apples, waiting for the Snowwhite’s beautiful teeth to be dug in. Is this place so droughty on purpose? Why can’t I hear anything from the outside world I know? Cars? Laughter? Anything? No. That’s it, there is no exit but to live this life to really get it. How long does it last? Three hours. Do you notice the time passing? Not at all, because you are busy being part of this life, golden coins fall on you, rubber frogs land near your feet, screams of other people wrap themselves around your neck like scarves…
If you are looking for a comfy, warm, velvety armchair to sink in and let your mind wander, this is not for you. If you are looking for a musical-chairs-more-like-a-crowd-in-a-Pamplona-bull-street-festival run between stories, do come. Leave your mind open and certainly don’t close your eyes.
I haven’t really given away almost anything but just described a bit of the atmosphere.
“Clear as water” is the language Philip Pullman himself describes to tell these tales. Most actors are Northern, which makes the forest forestier and the seriousness more serious. (It just would not fit to have the Cockney accent in the Grimm Tales).
Do not worry that you could have forgotten what happens once the frog is all puckered up and the princess would rather jump into naked flames than face him, as the ever repeating motives come back to you so instantly, as if it was you who were looking at them glossy green lips!
I am putting this text in the ‘Book Review’ section, as the play is based on book. Book of Grimm’s Tales is a book written in German by two brothers Grimm, who went around the land and people, writing down stories they’ve heard. So, they are not the authors, but the people are. Just imagine times, where, in a small cottage, often consisting of one room, by the fire, maybe snowed in, you would all gather and tell and re-tell the stories, working on their motives, adding elements of fantasy, building a patchwork of collective imagination, looking for something bright and promising at every end, like, “…and they lived happily ever after!”
Give Grimm Tales a chance over electronic games and see how they wake up in you things you never knew you knew!
WOW! That’s amazing…
A brilliant result for Cathedral school. Many thanks to the teachers and all staff. And of course the hardworking pupils!
A big thank you to all the teachers who have helped us achieve this!
Fantastic News!!! I have always said to my friends that my Son will complete his primary education at Cathedral school of St saviour and St Mary Overy. Thanks to all the staff and teachers for their hard work and dedications.My son has progressed a great deal in his learning.
The results look great 😀