Events 2010 - 2011
Four Fabulous Nepal Days
All four Thomas's London Days schools celebrated Nepal Day in style this spring. During the day pupils explored Nepalese culture ranging from geography and history to drama, art and dance. The children enjoyed the tantalising Nepalese food prepared by the exceptional catering team and each school was decked in colourful prayer flags and other Nepalese artefacts.
At Battersea teachers and CAIRN coordinators, Priya and Harriet spent the day in traditional Nepalese costumes.
Fortunately the long restrictive skirts didn't stop these enthusiastic girls from joining forces with Headmaster Ben Thomas as they danced across the courtyard.
Much to the enjoyment & amusement of all grades professional Nepalese dancer Charan Pradhan had the children embracing the traditional hand gestures & body movements of both male and female Nepalese dance.
Lower school enjoyed routing for Kukhuri knives and rice shakers in the 'What's in My Bag' session & were a dab hand at matching the display cards in the 'Life Comparisons' group.
Nepalese stories were read in the library before the upper school pupils gave Joanna & David Thomas a grilling in their Q&A session.
In Fulham a fantastic medley of tigers, trekkers and turbans were greeted with a 'Namaste' and a bow from Deputy Head Mr P Wilde, sporting a fetching topi hat. Kick starting the day with a special assembly from musicians 'Earth Song' children took great pleasure in turning their hands to the Nepalese singing bowls and gongs. Miss J Lavender's Year 1 class wrote postcards to their Nepalese school friends in Ghanpokhara and Mrs Roberts lead Year 5 to produce an incredibly detailed and stunning string of prayer flags. Year 4 rose to the challenge of creating towering Gurung houses from lolly pop sticks and matches whilst Year 3 gathered clues for the quiz as they learnt about the images they were bringing to life with colourful tissue paper. The day was brought to a dramatic crescendo as the inter-house quiz called upon the pupils to recall all they had learnt. Children left the school at the end of the day in high spirits, full of Nepalese knowledge and waving their flags.
Clapham pupils got into full swing with a morning assembly from The CAIRN Trust and Headmistress Mrs Carol Evelegh, in traditional salwar kameez.
The sports department had done an amazing job of lining up Nepalese games.
Giggles merged with competition as elephant polo was played on exercise balls and Kabbadi sent brave 'raiders' shooting across the playground to tag opponents.
Beautiful works of art and the thoughts behind them was explored in a session from Resident Nepalese artist, Govinda Shah.
True to form, the catering team delivered a spectacular lunch including skewered prawns and homemade mango sorbet.
The children's echoes of Nepali filled the hall as David Thomas said grace. The afternoon found a devoted Joanna Thomas dressing excited classes in traditional Nepalese costume.
Having completed an impressive model of Mt. Everest children left proudly clutching their Nepalese flags, Nepal had also made its mark in Clapham!
Kensington celebrated the last Nepal Day of the year with a bang! Rhinos and Rajas filled into the prep school assembly where they were mesmerised by the achievements they had so far helped to deliver in their sister village Bhujung. Learning about the primary and secondary school, hostel, library and nursery Kensington have built and the 100 children they are sending to school sent a proud buzz around the audience. Activities for the day ranged from Nepalese cookery lessons with head of catering Mark Newham, through from drama workshops and sensational dance sessions with the enigmatic and entertaining Charan Pradhan to Nepalese stories and maths with rupees. The day reached its peak with a challenging cultural quiz and children left for the day aware and proud of the difference they are making to their village in Nepal. Kensington pupils were thanked by the CAIRN Team and left draped in their own silky yellow friendship scarves.
A huge thank you to all CAIRN Coordinators for their key roles in delivering four magnificent Nepal Days.
Battersea: Angela Jackson, Vicki Thomas and Jo Southward
Clapham: Belinda Froud and Gillian Stewart
Fulham: Bronwyn Graham and Scott Healey
Kensington: Kerry Oldman
