The Countdown Narrative Poetry

The Football Countdown


Score 18 goals in 2 minutes
and I don’t have to do it.
Don’t have to tell the truth.
First shot- keeper saves it.
2nd . . .3rd . . .4th . . . . .
all in !
This will be easy !

I’m in the safest place in the world,
My room
With my lovely computer,
my magnificent PS2
And the photos of
Me.
It’s warm
With the radiators blasting on and
the sun out, squashing its way through,
Blinding me.

The beckoning voice of the commentator screams
“and here is,
Jimmy Bullard racing down the wing,
Crosses it to Clint Dempsey
and in !"
This is easy, too easy.

Dad, pretending that nothing has happened
Calls up from the bottom of the stairs
“Hey, the football’s on in a minute.”

I am feeling
Frightened of what I’ve done, frightened to even see them.
What have I done ? I can’t go down, what would they do ?
It was fun at first
but now it’s a nightmare.

The commentator screams –
I have just missed a sitter
But
Johnson !
Yes, round the keeper
Just got to pass the ball into the goal . . . . .
Yes ! 18 !

One and One

OK, first throw,
What am I going to start with ?
All I need is Snake-Eyes, a one and a one.
And I won’t tell.
A one, excellent.
My second dice rolls across the empty floor :
A six, No!
My stomach turning, I feel sick,
I don’t want to let everyone down.
I’m in a safe corner of my room
Cuddling my teddy
The reassuring gurgle of my radiator
Fills my ears.
Right, here I go again
Come on, we can do it !
I feel shaken up.
The dice rolls again . . . .
A four –
This is useless !
A five.
Let’s try again.
A gentle voice breaks into my silent world
“Your programme’s on now”
Like nothing has happened.
Shame swells in my body, ashamed to tell them
I don’t know what to do.
I should have given it back, the money wasn’t mine to spend.
Now I’m stuck here and
I don’t know what to do.
Outside,
A child noisily screams
While a shouting gang chases him up the road.
The sun tip-toeing in.
Frightened to tell anyone.
Frightened ?
No.
Petrified ?
Yes !
Why did I do it ?
Let me try it once more
This is my last chance,
I’ll roll the dice in my left hand :
A one.
Come on, one more one –
This is my very last chance.
I can’t watch.
It’s a two !!
I can’t believe it . .
A flood of tears fills my eyes.
I’m drowning with despair.

More photos from our Day in Ancient Greece

During our day, we investigated Athenian Democracy and tested its practice of equality and justice. We decided that it was only based upon equal rights if you were a free born, full status Athenian male. It seems, that women,slaves and foreigners didn't count !

We also put three citizens on trial before their fellow citizens. The Vase of Justice, a gracious gift from Zeus, was honoured before the trial and later smashed so that the citizens could vote to show who they felt was guilty of the crime. Each citizen had an ostrakon - a piece of the pot and they cast it as a vote in front of one of the accused. The convicted criminal was stoned to death immediately after the trial.

Dance was a popular event in the ancient Olympic games. In our Olympic games, each of our cities, Athens, Thebes and Corinth, were represented by very scary warrior dance groups.

Micro-organisms Topic

As part of our science topic on micro-organisms, we performed a yeast experiment. We put yeast, sugar and warm water in a transparent bottle. After 15-30 minutes, most of the balloons had slightly inflated. Some of the balloons inflated quickly but some didn’t inflate until two hours later. The reason why the balloons inflated was because the yeast fed on the sugar and as the yeast was breathing out, carbon dioxide made the balloon inflate.

By Zoe and partly Samantha (She didn’t help much!)

Warrior dances from the Ancient Greek games at Olympia

A day in Ancient Greece

More photos of the Mayor's visit

A Visit from the Mayor

The Mayor of Winchester (Mike Reid) is holding a Christmas service on the 7th December at the Guildhall in Winchester. As he is from Denmead he would like children from our school to read some Christmas poems so Georgia Moore, Georgia Caine, Maia Lewis, Anna Cole and Jake Holland will be performing.

Rotting apple

Micro organisms

Over the past couple of weeks we have been looking at micro organisms in science.
While doing this we have been watching some videos
about germs and mould. WARNING: these can be rather disgusting!!!! BUT NO NEED TO HIDE BEHIND THE SOFA.

What are germs?

Anti-Bullying Week 17 - 24 November

This is the poem which the children interpreted in their paintings and drawings.

Help me understand how you feel . . .what colour would you say bullying is to you ?

What is its colour ?
It’s burning red with the shame
Yes, the shame . . . and their sharp taunts.
And it’s the scarlet flames that rip me open.

Its colour ?
Surely their poison is sickening yellow.
And it’s the rotten, stinking green pus bursting out
Whatever I do or say, anytime, any day …
It’s filth obvious, my shame bottomless.

It’s brown with the stench of decay,
Violent brown that oozes
From every hurt they punish me with.

No, it’s the palest, coldest frigid blue – cold to the core and
Numbing every second. No escape, no relief –
They are always there in my thoughts, wiping away,
Freezing away any glimmer of hope.

Its deadening silence is black.
It’s thick, choking black which smothers and imprisons –
A black that swallows me whole,
Black which bites, chews away
And spits me out.

The hole I crave to crawl into and cry is black.
Black, the colour I hide in.

I live in the deepest purple shadows. But
Feel my unhappiness, touch my colours.
Celebrate they are not yours,
For I am alone, distanced from you
Other than you.

Touch my colours, try your hardest –
you will never feel them.

Anti-Bullying week 17 -21 November

During Anti-Bullying week, each class painted or drew to interpret a poem about the experience of being bullied.

Anti-Bullying Week 17-21 November

In Anti-bullyng Week, we have been learning what to do if you see someone being bullied or if we are being bullied.the best thing you should do if you see it or if you are going through it, is tell someone, maybe an adult.

The Court Farm Challenge - from 6T's assembly

Eliza - The Court Farm Trip held challenges for many of us being away from home, sharing with and working with people we don’t normally, eating different food. That is besides all the activities many of which involved us facing our fears.

Blake – For me the most challenging activity was the trapeze. When I first saw it I thought it didn’t seem that high but when I got to the top it was really high. The trapeze was the most challenging because the more I shook the more the trapeze shook. It was the scariest thing I have done in my life but surprisingly I really enjoyed it.

Sam- I am scared of heights so climbing was a huge challenge for me. But I decided I would give it a go, even though I was very nervous. I managed to get up the first part of the wall, but then my fear of heights really got to me. I think it has made me a bit less afraid of heights, and faced with a similar challenge I would definitely give it another go. I feel proud that I gave it a good try.

Jenny-May – I really dislike camping and I didn’t realise that I would be doing it at Court Farm. When I found out I felt shocked and couldn’t believe it was happening to me.
As we were putting the tents up I felt sick and very worried. I was worried about the dark, because I don’t like it. Just as we were walking to the tents before we had to sleep I was going hot and cold the palms of my hands were sweating and I was quite trembly. Luckily my good friends who I was sharing with let me keep the light on all night. It took me along time to get to sleep, but I did eventually. When I woke up in the morning I was excited and amazed that I had overcome my camping fears.

Tash : At Court Farm one of my challenges was to go in a Kayak by myself. Before I even got in the kayak I felt extremely nervous and had butterflies in my stomach. After I had put my life jacket on the instructors explained the rules. Then I had to push myself from the edge of the lake into the water. I was still feeling nervous. I started to paddle, but stayed with my friend who also worried. I managed to join in one game and started to feel much better and more confident. By the end of the activity I felt a lot less nervous.

Benjamin : Qaud biking was something I was really looking forward to at Court Farm. But it proved to be more difficult than I had thought it would be. I soon hit a pile of tyres and somehow ended up on the floor. I felt a bit shaken up, and hurt in a few places, so it was quite a challenge for me to get back on and finish my go. But I am really pleased I did.
Some of the activities at Court Farm involved us working together as a team often with people we wouldn’t choose to work with. This was quite a challenge for many of us, but we realise it is something we must learn to do.

Angus – For me the biggest challenge was abseiling. When I was at the top of the wall waiting, I felt terrified and quite trembly. There were butterflies in my stomach. As I began to abseil down the wall I felt very nervous, in case the instructor let go of the rope. As I got nearer to the ground I felt much more confident. I felt very relieved when I reached the ground. I was determined to complete this task and I overcame my fear of heights. There is no easy answer to how to deal with a challenge. But challenge to me is something that is difficult, but needs doing and generally once you have done it feels really good.

Artwork inspired by Piet Mondrian

Artwork inspired by Piet Mondrian

Charcoal sketches from our Landscape unit of work

Campfire at Court Farm