Welcome to

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Welcome to
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The History of Holywell
Holywell Primary School opened in August 1968 and
won awards for its unusual honey-comb shaped
classrooms. The first Headteacher was Mr.
Williams, then it was Mr. Sismey, Mrs. Cunningham
as acting head and now we have Mrs.
Linnitt. Holywell Primary School was intended as
a two form entry infant and junior school for 560
pupils -14 classes each with 40 pupils. Now the
classes have about 30 pupils each and there are
just over 400 in the whole school. Unfortunately,
in 1989 the school burnt down
and only the blue moon statue in the reception
and the halls were saved. The children had
lessons in mobile classrooms until the school
was rebuilt and reopened in 1991. We are
celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the school in
2008.
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A Map of Our School
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The Legend of the Holy Well
Ever wondered why Holywell Primary School was
called Holywell? No, it wasnt just someone who
thought it was a good name. There is a history
behind Holywells name A local legend tells of a
story which occurs in the 12th century. The evil
Lord Comyn of Whitwick (a place near
Loughborough) once had plenty of money but he
spent it all. He really wanted to marry a woman
called Lady Alice, a rich widow who lived in
nearby Groby Hall. Lady Alice fled from her home,
away from Lord Comyn of Whitwick, into the forest
where she collapsed by a hermitage. Luckily a
group of monks were walking past and they took
her in and gave her water from their well. Lady
Alice was revived, which was a surprise because
all of the monks thought she would die. So the
well, because it belonged to the monks, was
therefore thought of as the Holy Well. Lady
Alice later married Edward Grey of Bradgate Park.
One of their descendants was Lady Jane Grey, the
nine day queen of England who was executed in
1553. Holywell School is built near the site of
the holy well and was named after it. Our uniform
is blue, to represent the holy water and white,
to represent the robes of the monks.
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Facilities at Holywell
Our school is on the edge of Loughborough town
and we are lucky to be surrounded by trees,
fields and lots of wildlife. We have lots of
space to play outside and to watch the changing
seasons. Inside, the building is well looked
after with lots of our work on display to make it
bright and cheerful. Lots of changes have been
made to the school to improve the facilities and
make it a really nice place for us to work.
Recently we have had new and bigger bike sheds,
as more of our children now cycle to school we
have cleared a section of woodland behind the
school to use as a nature reserve we have an
extension to our library and new flat screen
computers were fitted in the I.C.T.suite. We are
proud of our school and like to welcome visitors
to see it.
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Our Classrooms
The school has 14 classrooms, (2 for each year)
each fitted with interactive white boards and 2
computers. The classrooms are always bright with
the childrens work and there are lots of posters
up too. The classrooms have lots of space and new
blue blinds. Children start school when theyare
4 years old, in the ReceptionClass. The classes
then countin year groups from 1 to 6. The
children leave school when they are 11 years
old.The school is divided into 2 sections, Key
Stage 1 (KS1)for Reception,Year1 andYear 2 and
Key Stage 2 (KS2)for Years 3, 4, 5 and 6.
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The Halls
We have a large hall which can be divided into 2
rooms with sliding doors. This is used for
assemblies, P.E. lessons and clubs, drama, school
lunches and performances of plays.
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The I.C.T. Suite
We have new computers, which were put in during
the summer holiday. There are 18 computers in the
suite and they all have the latest software. We
also have 2 computers in each classroom which are
linked to our school network. There is an
interactive white board in the suite, which is
linked to the computers, so that the teacher can
demonstrate what we have to do. On the computers,
we have lots of programmes that help us to learn.
They teach us things in a fun way. When we go
into the I.C.T suite,we work with a partner,
whichhelps you to work well with otherchildren.
We usually go into theI.C.T. suite twice a week.
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Our New Library
In our school we have a new extension to our
library. The library is big and has a good range
of fiction and non-fiction books. An electronic
system has just been installed and we have to
scan our books and personal cards. We have to
give the book back after two weeks or renew it.
We are allowed two books at a time.
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The Craft Area
The craft area is where students do most of their
art and craft activities for their class. Year 6
do things like Christmas decorations and Diwali
divas (which are small candles). Mr French (The
year 5 teacher) runs an art and craft club which
is fun! Part of the area is for cooking and
classes workin small groups to make some tasty
treats.
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Our Playgrounds
We have two playgrounds, the KS1 playground and
the KS2 playground. We have new equipment for us
to play with at play time. We have tennis
rackets, balls, skipping ropes, French skipping
ropes and lots more. We have lots of fun with our
equipment. There is a sun shelter in each
playground and benches where we can sit to play
games or chat to friends.
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Our Playing Fields
Our field is at least half an acre long and is
big enough for 2 football pitches or a 200m
running track. We have a pavilion, a trim trail
to play on, a garden with a pond and a maze. We
have two seasons for games football or rugby in
the Autumn and Spring and cricket and athletics
in the Summer term.
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The Maze
A maze is a bendy trail where you have to try and
get into the middle. The maze is by the KS1
playground but we all have chance to play
there. Our maze is a home to lots of wildlife
e.g. ladybirds and caterpillars. There are lots
of trees and plants in our maze. The path
includes stones, twigs and, at the moment,
leaves! The maze has 2 benches so people can sit
and enjoy the scenery. The maze is very
confusing! The maze is a fun place
to be, especially at this time of year,
because we can have leaf fights!
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Our Garden
Mr French set up our garden last year, with the
help from a team of volunteers. There are raised
beds for each year group where we learn how to
plant vegetables and flowers and how to look
after them. We have a log pile to encourage
hedgehogs and lots of rocks to encourage
mini-beasts to hide there. Soon we are going to
have a pond and hopefully frogsand newts will
make a home there.
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What subjects do we study at school?
At Holywell Primary School, our lessons are
I.C.T. (computers), Literacy, Numeracy,
Handwriting, PPA art, Religious Education,
History, Science, Geography, Design Technology,
Art, Physical Education, Music and French (for
years 3, 4 and 5). They are all very interesting
and fun. We get to do experiments in Science that
are very exciting and get to make great things in
Design Technology. We have different topics and
the subjects are often joined together to make it
more interesting. We usually stay in our
classroom andhave the same teacher but for PPA
art, handwriting and music we have
differentteachers. We go to the computer
suitefor I.C.T. and either outside or in the
hall for our P.E. lessons.
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Our Daily Timetable
855 a.m. Our school starts with registration and
a short morning task that our
teacher has set us.910 a.m. We go to assembly
for 20 minutes (except on Thursday
when we do circle time). 930 a.m. We have
lessons like maths and English.1020a.m. We then
go out to the playground for 20 minutes as
break.1035a.m. We have more lessons
such as maths, English or PE.1210p.m. We go out
to the playground and play until our bell
goes to call our year group to lunch.
There are some clubs on during
lunch time.115 p.m. We have lessons like
science or topic work.315 p.m. We go home.
There are some clubs for children to
go to if they want to.
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Activity clubs
We are very lucky to have a lot of different
clubs at Holywell which run at lunch time or
after school. There are some for sports, music,
crafts and games so children can all find
something that they like. This is a list of some
of our clubs Football Chess Netball
Digital photography Basketball School
Council Athletics Pom-pom makingCricket
D.T. clubCross country Yu-gi-oh
cards Dance
Tennis Badminton Sign language Multi-skill
s Club Recorders Choir
Magazine club Internet club
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Music Lessons and Assemblies
A lot of children at Holywell learn to play
musical instruments and specialist teachers visit
the school to teach them. There are lessons for
flute, clarinet, oboe, brass instruments, guitar,
piano, violin, cello, percussion and drums. Each
half term, some of the children perform in
assembly. This year, all of the Year 3 pupils are
having lessons on the recorder.
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A Wonderful Mix of Cultures
At Holywell there are loads of people from
different cultures and countries around the
world. There are some from India, Iran, Kuwait,
Bangladesh, China, Japan, Pakistan, Germany,
America, Saudi-Arabia and many other
places. Even though they are a bit different we
still treat everyone the same and like to learn
about their culture.
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Special Events and Celebrations at Holywell
Each year we have a special focus weekwhen all
of the children in school havedifferent lessons,
activities and visitsfrom people in our
community. This yearwe had a science week and
had a great time doing things like lots of fun
experiments, learnt about bees and amphibians,
made kites and land yachts.In other years, we
have had an art week,an Olympic sports week and
an environmentweek. All of these are great fun
for everyone.
We also celebrate a wide range of special
religious days
and customs such as Christmas, Easter, Diwali,
Chinese New Year
and Eid. We are very lucky to have
children and their families
from different cultures
within our school, who help to explain the
purpose of the
celebration and share their food and dances with
us.
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Trips out of School
Every year group is very lucky to have the chance
to go on trips for the day. All trips have
brilliant activities and interesting things to
see connected to the topics we are studying at
school. We go to places like the Sea-life Centre,
Egyptian Exhibitions and the Bluebell Woods. Year
6 pretend that they are being evacuated to a
World War II centre and dress up in costumes to
make it seem real. Year 3 dress as Victorian
children and attend a Victorian school. In Year
4, children go on a really exciting residential
trip for 2 nights and in Year 6 they go for 4
nights. The children get to do great activities
like climbing, abseiling, canoeing, quad biking,
hill walking and enjoy staying with their
friends. They all really look forward to going
and have great fun.
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Year 6 World War II Evacuees
Year 6 Residential
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House Groups
When you first come into Holywell School, you get
put into one of the house groups. Each house is
named after a different type of mythical creature
and has a different colour. The houses
are Centaur which is yellow. Pegasus which is
red. Aquila which is blue. Phoenix which is
green. Each house is led by 2 house captains
from Year 6, a boy and a girl. A house captain is
a person who collects the house points and
represents the school. The house points are given
to people who are working hard, performing well
in music or sport, helping others or behaving
well. Captains count the points each week and at
the end of each half term, a trophy is awarded to
the house with the most points.
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The School Council
Each class, from Year 1 to Year 6, votes for a
pupil to represent them on the school council.
The school council representatives meet every 2
weeks. They discuss improvements that can be made
around school, how to raise money for charities,
what money raised should be spent on and many
more issues. They report back to their class and
get the views of their peers. Each year Holywell
pupils raise a lot of money for charities like
Children in Need, Oxfam, R.S.P.C.A., Red Nose Day
and Water Aid. The school council representatives
organise what we should do to raise the money
like fancy dress days, wearing silly hats, bring
and buy sales. We all have a lot of fun and enjoy
helping other people.
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How Year 6 Help at Holywell
Year 6 pupils do various responsible jobs to help
the younger pupils and staff. They do things
like helping the reception age children eat
their lunch and playing games with them,
delivering registers, operating the music system
during assemblies, organising the play equipment
during playtimes and delivering fruit to the Key
Stage 1 pupils. They also have important roles
as House Captains and train as Sports Leaders to
organise and teach the younger pupils games in
the playground.
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Playground Buddies
The playground buddys job is to look if there is
anyone who is unhappy or not playing with anyone
at playtime or lunchtime and we try to help them
out. But if its something big, like problems at
home, we have to go to a teacher like Mrs. Severn
(who is very very nice) or Mrs. Featonby who is
equally nice. We have to wear bright yellow caps
so people can recognise us easily.
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Where is Loughborough?
Loughborough is in the East Midlands. It is in
the middle of England in between two big cities,
Nottingham in the north and Leicester in the
south (both about 12 miles from Loughborough).
It is a small town with schools, shops, houses
and a very big university . It has a lot of
farmland, fields, countryside, lakes and
woodlands so it is a nice place to be.
Loughborough is in a borough called Charnwood
and has some small towns surrounding it like
Quorn, Barrow and Shepshed.
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Loughborough Town Centre
The first lord of the manor in Loughborough was
the Earl of Chester, in 1066. The town was very
small and built near the River Soar. For many
centuries, most of the land was used for farming
but, in the 1800s and early 1900s, it became
well-known for textile industries as well. A
steam railway was built to transport the goods
and this is now run as a tourist attraction.
There is a bell foundry, which makes bells that
are transported all over the world. The town
has grown in size and now measures about 8km
across. The centre has over 40 shops, a cinema
and a Town Hall (which is also the theatre).
There are 2 parks and in one of them is the
museum and the Carillon, a tower built as a war
memorial with bells at the top.
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Loughborough Fair
In 1227, King Henry III gave permission for
Loughborough to hold an annual fair for 3 days in
November. The lord of the manor organised it and
received fees from the stall holders. Most of the
stalls sold things like jewellery, materials from
abroad and unusual foods and drink. There were a
few entertainers as well. As the years have
passed, the fair has evolved and is now packed
with music, games and SUPER FAST rides! They now
fill the town centre.
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Loughborough Market
Loughborough market has taken place for over 700
years and was given permission by King Henry III
in 1221. It takes place on Thursdays and
Saturdays. The market has modernised over many
years. They now sell fruit and vegetables,
chocolates, clothes, rugs, phone cases and many
other objects. Around the market is the town hall
and lots of other shops.
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In Summary
Overall, Holywell Primary School is a great
school with fabulous staff and wonderful
facilities, we also have exceptional equipment.
We are packed with fun and excitement fitted into
our 6 hour 15 minute day. The children here enjoy
their classes. We all have our different
strengths and can help each other. We learn,
achieve and develop together to succeed.
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Produced by Year 6 pupils 2007-8