by Tim Nuttall
Last Sunday saw the official start of the Chinese New Year – and for the pupils of Roos CE Primary School, this provided them with the perfect opportunity to explore Chinese culture and the customs associated with the festival.
As part of their focus, the pupils enjoyed learning about the Chinese zodiac which associates one of 12 animals with the start of each lunar new year.
Throughout the week, pupils produced cards and decorations celebrating 2023’s Year of the Rabbit – a zodiac sign symbolising peace, prosperity and longevity – culminating in a display of their artistic efforts in the school hall.
A highlight of the week’s celebrations came last Friday when pupils from early years through to year six enjoyed a taste of Chinese cuisine in a hands-on cooking experience that saw them make their own sweet pork noodles.
The cooking was led by a team from Ladies in Pigs – a non-profit organisation that specialises in education and the promotion of the farming industry through school visits and cookery demonstrations. With pigs being a key element of the Holderness farming community, and the area being home to the UK’s largest pork processor, Cranswick County Foods, Ladies in Pigs’ focus on pork production and farming processes was particularly fitting.
Molly Crawforth, admin assistant, said: “The children loved it and took the recipe home to their parents/carers so that they could try it at home. One parent said that their child thought it was so fantastic, they demanded that the recipe be made for tea! The pupils really enjoyed their celebration of Chinese New Year and thoroughly enjoyed learning about farming too.”
Studying different countries, their culture, traditions and beliefs, is an integral part of a school curriculum that is crucial to broadening pupils’ horizons. This work is augmented by whole-school involvement in celebrations such as One World Week, which this year will see pupils focusing on the culture of India, and festivals such as Diwali.
