News list

Form 3 Visit Cambridge Mosque 2023

Jun 2023
Form 3 visited the Cambridge Mosque, Europe’s first ‘Eco-Mosque’, based in Mill Road in Cambridge, as part of their exploration into Islam and the idea of a sacred space as part of their World Religion curriculum. The mosque can hold 1,000 worshippers and has a wealth of sustainable features including air-source heat pumps, rainwater harvesting and solar panels. In 2021, Cambridge Mosque was named Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Client of the Year for its innovative architecture and design.  

Form 6 Win Latin Play Competition 2023

May 2023
The Perse Upper School hosted the annual ‘Ludi Scaenici’ Latin Drama Competition on 25th May. A number of schools took part, each entering their own specially-created play, written and performed in Latin. Our talented St John’s Classicists won the whole competition with their self-written play entitled, ‘Lucia, I am Your Father’. The children involved are in the fourth year of learning Latin and the plays have to be crafted from language and situations that they have encountered while studying Cambridge Latin Course Book 1.

Byron House Summer Fair 2023

May 2023
Another beautiful sunny day heralded the start of this year’s hugely successful Byron House Summer Fair. £746 was raised for  Colours of Dance Radiates, a wonderful charity who provide dance lessons for children who have experienced difficult life events. This charity is currently providing dance lessons at Castle School in Cambridge but is looking to expand to other schools in the near future.

Form 5 'Protest Songs' Concerts 2023

May 2023
The whole of Form 5 composed 'protest' songs in their Music lessons this term and performed them in their groups in front of their peers and friends and families during two informal lunchtime concerts. Their compositions were all created from scratch during lessons with the end goal for them to be performed live. They included melodic tunes, proper harmonies, modulations, choreography, passion, melodrama, pathos and comedy and a great deal of bravery to present their songs to an audience.

SJCS Parents' Association Fun Day 2023

May 2023
St John’s Parents’ Association held the much-loved Charity Fun Day on 21st May to raise funds for Castle School in Cambridge. This is always a fantastic community event which has remained hugely popular since its inception as there is so much to enjoy for all members of the family. £2,500 was raised at the event.

Form 6 Arts Outreach Trip to Kettle's Yard 2023

May 2023
Form 6 are currently involved with either Arts, Compassion or Sports outreach projects as part of their Thursday afternoon Enrichment Programme. The children in the Arts Outreach group visited Kettle’s Yard gallery to see the current Lucie Rie pottery exhibition and had a tour around the house. During the visit they had plenty of time to make observational sketches and to reflect on the artwork on display. 

Choristers Sing Ascension Day Service from Chapel Tower

May 2023
Children in Senior House attended the Ascension Day Service in St John's College Chapel on 18th May and listened from First Court as the St John's College Choir sang from the roof of the tower. Ascension Day celebrates the Christian belief in the ascension of Jesus into heaven, 40 days after his resurrection at Easter. Each year, members of the choir at St John’s climb the 163ft (50m) spiral staircase to the top of the tower to sing the Ascension Day carol.
Form 2 pupils from St John's College School playing 1940s schoolyard games at a WWII evacuee re-enactment day at Stibbington

Form 2 Evacuee Day at Stibbington 2023

May 2023
Pupils in Form 2 visited Stibbington Village near Peterborough to re-enact a day in the life of children evacuated in the 1940s during wartime.  This included dressing up in 1940s costumes, complete ID cards, with luggage labels, 1940s toys and replica gas marks. The trip involved using role play to empathise with a child evacuated from London in the 1940s, and to understand the feelings and experiences of evacuees, including a gas mask drill and an air raid, as well as to learn about the impact of the Second World War on home life in the countryside, school lessons and play.

T2 Play 2023: The Pirates Next Door

May 2023
T2’s rambunctious production of The Pirates Next Door, was based on the picture book by Jonny Duddle. The script was designed to be fun-loving and playful and the cast, involving the whole year group, included a class of lively children on dress-up day and their patient teacher, grumbling residents and a pirate family with a heart of gold. The play was performed ‘in the round’ which added an extra complexity the children reacted well to as they had to ‘turn out’ so all sides of the audience could see and hear them.

T1 Trip to Mountfitchet Castle 2023

May 2023
T1s visited Mountfitchet Castle near Stansted as part of their current topic on Kings, Queens and Castles. Mountfitchet Castle is a Norman motte and bailey castle and the village which has been re-constructed on its original historic ancient site, complete with many different buildings, siege weapons and animals roaming freely throughout the 10-acre site, provided the children with a unique insight into community life in Domesday England.

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