Earlier this term the Pod group in Year 2 travelled to Stave Hill in Rotherhithe to work with the artist Ky Lewis.  We collected natural materials from the local environment and then made photograms (cyanotypes).

The process uses light and light sensitive paper to make distinctive blue prints.  Each child made a beautiful book of photograms to which they added maps, recounts and more prints at school.  Can you see the brown photogram? It was made by soaking it in tea!

We all had a very enjoyable and enlightening day.

The Two Steves – Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore, authors of the Mad Myths and Atlantic Quest series, as well as a terrific new Soccer App, visited Osmani to talk to the children about their books. Our KS2 pupils attended an engaging and very entertaining session filled with role play and story reading which provided inspiration for their own writing and also enthused them about the joy of reading.  This session supported the literacy work that we do in school and it proved a stimulating experience for the children. The pupils also had an opportunity to buy a book and get it dedicated to them and signed by the Two Steves. This will be a permanent reminder of a special experience and can reinforce the message about the importance of reading.

On Friday 1st December, Osmani Choir were invited to sing at Age UK’s Christmas Lunch which is a yearly charitable event put on by the Bank of America.

The choir serenaded the guests with four different songs (a selection of carols and classics) with positive reviews all around.

As part of the experience for the choir they were also treated to a special 5* lunch, met Father Christmas and were given chocolate coins as a reward for their time and efforts.

We look forward to working with Bank of America again in the future!

Some of our best Year 6 readers were very lucky to attend the Tower Hamlets Book Awards ceremony at the East Winter Garden in Canary Wharf. They had a fantastic opportunity to talk to the writers whose books they had been reading and they also had their favourite books signed by the authors themselves! It was a truly inspirational experience that brought smiles on all the children’s faces.

At Osmani, children learnt about Remembrance Day and why the day is observed in the UK and across the world.

At 11am, we all observed a 2 minutes silence as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives in various wars and conflicts around the world. After the 2 minutes silence, one of our teachers played the ‘Last Post’ on the trumpet.  Click here to view the video.

Osmani celebrated Black History Month by exploring the different sights and sounds of Africa.

We have been exploring eight African nations (Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Somalia), researching the culture and customs which make up part of this wonderful continent.

We were also visited by Iroko Theatre Group who put on an amazing performance of African stories from Nigeria for the Early Years and Key Stage One and Two.

Classes in KS1 and 2 also had the opportunity to take part in individual class workshops on African dance, African storytelling, jewellery making and mask making.

Having learnt about Mary Seacole as part of their topic, Year One were fortunate enough to have a special visit from this famous nurse and important historical figure who helped British soldiers during the Crimean War. Together the children explored her early life in Jamaica, her travels around the world and the many obstacles she bravely overcame in order to follow her nurse’s vocation.

At Osmani, we invited Sixth Form students from secondary schools in Tower Hamlets to deliver presentations and Q&A sessions as part of their final training session to become an Ambassador of Faith and Belief.  The group of children represented a range of religions, faith perspectives and cultures.

Each student finished the training day by visiting one of the classes at our school to work with the pupils and deliver their final presentations. All classes in Years 1 to 6 were visited.  It was a great opportunity for both the students and our pupils at Osmani and it was clear they all learnt lots and enjoyed the visit!

The visitors said: “We really enjoyed our experience and hope to become teachers one day. Thank you to all the staff at Osmani for their wonderful hospitality”.

We wish the students the best of luck with their ambassador work in Tower Hamlets and look forward to having them at Osmani again.

On Thursday 15^th September, Osmani held their 2^nd annual ‘Election Day’. The students from Year 2-6 voted for one boy and one girl to represent their class as their new Right’s Respecting Ambassadors.  In true democratic style, each child voted for their representatives and placed their anonymous vote into a class ballot box.

Congratulations to all the candidates and I look forward to working with the new Ambassadors this year.

 

On Monday the 11th July it was a very special evening. To celebrate 10 years of the Tower Hamlet Music Service, a wonderful concert was held at the Barbican Theatre that brought together hundreds of children from across the borough in a diverse celebration of music-making.

Osmani Primary school was proud to be represented in the concert by 2 group of children, from years 4 and 6, who played the violin and the cello. For these children, the concert was the culmination of a year of dedicated rehearsals and music lessons both in school and at venues across Tower Hamlets.

On the night there were a lot of butterflies in tummies and nervous instrument tuning back stage, however once the children were on stage they performed magnificently and did themselves, their strings tutors, their parents and the school proud.

Each group from Year 4 and Year 6 played a variety of pieces from classical to modern music alongside an orchestra of children of a similar age.

Awe-struck from playing on a world-renowned stage in front of a packed audience, one child said, “That was amazing!”

It was wonderful to see the children from Osmani participating in such a unique and exciting performance.

The Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service (THAMES) celebrated its tenth anniversary this year. Since its formation in 2006, THAMES has worked with almost all schools in Tower Hamlets and they have supported pupils in having instrumental and vocal tuition on a weekly basis.

As part of the celebrations, our School Choir, Awards pupils and Year 4 instrumental learners performed as part of the Tower Hamlets Youth Orchestra, Awards Orchestra at The Barbican Main Hall in the City of London on Monday the 11th July 2016 at 7.00pm.
 
To view extracts of the musical performances, please click here.