Gallery

The gallery provides an overview of the exciting opportunities and enrichment activities that make up the school year at Countess Gytha. Please head over to your class page to view more photos or  information on the opportunities/activities taken place.

2026 - 2027 (Current Year)

Play Leaders

Our Play Leaders are helping to make breaktimes fun, active and inclusive for our KS1 children! They lead a range of exciting playground activities and games, encouraging younger pupils to get involved, work together and enjoy being active.

From noughts and crosses and skipping to Bumball and clap catch, our Play Leaders are fantastic role models who help organise games, teach new skills and make sure everyone has the opportunity to join in.

We are incredibly proud of our Play Leaders for showing leadership, responsibility, teamwork and kindness while helping to make playtimes a positive experience for everyone.

 

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2025 - 2026 (Last Year)

We the Curious Year 4/5 Trip

Our exciting trip to We The Curious was a fantastic day full of learning and fun. We explored a wide range of interactive exhibits, discovering fascinating facts about science, engineering and the world around us. During the Sun, Moon and Earth workshop, we learned how our solar system works through engaging activities and demonstrations. One of the highlights of the day was our visit to the planetarium, where we travelled through space and learned about stars, planets and constellations. Everyone was enthusiastic, curious and eager to ask questions throughout the visit. It was a memorable experience, and great fun was had by all!

 

May Bookman Challenge

We were delighted by the fantastic response to Bookman’s May Half-Term 5 Star Challenge! Children across the school completed a wide range of creative reading activities, earning house points while celebrating their love of books. We received some amazing entries, including beautiful artwork, eye-catching posters, imaginative photographs and even a specially designed and handmade book-inspired T-shirt. It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm for reading and creativity beyond the classroom. A huge thank you to everyone who took part and to the families who supported the challenge. Bookman was extremely impressed and is already planning his next adventure!

Choir Takes Centre Stage 

Our school choir had the wonderful opportunity to open this year’s Queen Camel Community AGM with two uplifting performances, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody and Amazing Grace.

The children sang beautifully and represented the school with confidence, enthusiasm and pride. Their performances were enjoyed by all those attending the event and helped create a warm and welcoming atmosphere to begin the evening.

The AGM was attended by Sarah Dyke along with many members of the local community, making it a very special occasion for the choir to be part of.

Well done to all of the choir members for their fantastic singing and excellent behaviour throughout the event.

Year 6 Do themselves Proud!

This week, our Year 6 children approached their SATs with determination, resilience and positivity, making everyone at school incredibly proud. Throughout the week, the children showed fantastic focus and maturity, supporting one another and giving every assessment their very best effort.

To help prepare them each morning, the Year 6 staff organised a special SATs breakfast club where children enjoyed a range of breakfast treats together before the tests began. It was a lovely opportunity for everyone to relax, settle nerves and start each day feeling calm and confident.

At the end of the final assessment, the children celebrated all of their hard work with a well-deserved pizza and popcorn party. Together, they enjoyed watching a fascinating David Attenborough gorilla documentary, giving them the chance to unwind, relax and celebrate completing such an important milestone in their primary school journey.

Well done, Year 6 — we are incredibly proud of your hard work, perseverance and positive attitudes throughout the week!
 

Colour Run

Our school was bursting with colour and excitement during this year’s Rainbow Run, organised brilliantly by the PTFA. Children, staff and families all came together for an afternoon filled with fun, laughter and plenty of colourful powder!

It was fantastic to see so many parents joining in alongside the children, creating a wonderful community atmosphere and making special memories together. Even Mr Gordon and Mr Gallagher, got involved in the fun and was soon covered in every colour of the rainbow!

After all the running, cheering and colour throwing, the ice cream van proved extremely popular, with lots of children and families enjoying a well-earned treat at the end of the event.

A huge thank you to our PTFA for organising such a successful and enjoyable event and to everyone who came along to support. The smiles on everyone’s faces showed what a fantastic afternoon it was!

Mental Health Awareness Week

This week, the children enjoyed taking part in activities linked to Mental Health Awareness Week, focusing on the importance of staying active, working together and supporting one another.

Earlier in the week, the children joined pupils from other classes to take part in a fun Joe Wicks workout session. The energetic activities encouraged everyone to get moving, improve their wellbeing and enjoy exercising together in a positive and supportive atmosphere.

On Friday, the children teamed up with younger children for an exciting scavenger hunt around the school grounds. Working collaboratively, the children searched for clues, solved challenges and helped one another throughout the activity. It was wonderful to see the older children showing kindness, encouragement and teamwork while building positive relationships with the younger pupils.

The week was filled with smiles, laughter and plenty of opportunities to promote positive mental health and wellbeing across the school community.

 

Area Schools Cross Country 

We are incredibly proud to announce that Countess Gytha pupils shone brightly in the YPSGA Cross Country League 2025-26, especially in the Year 4 Girls’ category, where our school were crowned team champions! This brilliant achievement is a testament to the dedication, camaraderie, and team spirit shown by our young runners throughout the season.

A special congratulations goes to Emily who was named the Individual League Winner for the Year 4 Girls. She was joined by Molly S, again representing Year 4 and Grace in Year 6, who ran in the oldest category but rather than representing Countess Gytha, this time the girls were racing to represent Yeovil in the district finals.

The girls crowned an incredible season of running with top 3 finishes for both Grace and Emily and an awesome 12th place finish for Molly to ensure Yeovil won in both age-category events. The girls truly deserved their medals and the trophy which will shortly sitproudly in the foyer!

Annual Poetry Competition - 2026

Thank you to the PTFA who judged our poetry competition this week and congratulations to our winners!

All of the children’s poems were judged by members of the PTFA and our winners now have their work on display in the school corridor as well as recitals now live below. 

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Bookman's Eggstreme Reading Challenge

First Lego League Challenge - 2026 at iAero, Yeovil

It was an exciting and slightly nerve-wracking start to our day at the First Lego League 2026 event at iAero in Yeovil. As the only primary school teams attending, our pupils found themselves competing against much older students – some as old as Year 10. Despite the initial nerves, the children quickly settled into their pit area and began exploring. They were fascinated to see the wide range of robot designs and innovation projects created by other teams, all inspired by this year’s theme of archaeology.

One of the highlights of the day was a visit to the prototype hangar at Leonardo. Here, pupils had the incredible opportunity to see Proteus, an autonomous flying vehicle currently being developed. The teams were captivated by the advanced technology on display, including a robotic arm designed to safely handle extremely hot gears by transferring them into cooling liquids to strengthen the metal. Even more exciting was the chance to hold some of the robotic ‘claws’ themselves, bringing engineering to life in a truly memorable way.

Back in the competition area, the teams threw themselves into a range of challenges. A fun side activity saw them searching for Amelia Earhart around the venue, linking both the aviation setting and the archaeology theme. Impressively, one of our teams managed to “find” Amelia at every other team’s pit area! This was followed by a fast-paced Lego plane-building challenge and time to refine their robot designs and coding. Throughout these activities, pupils showed fantastic teamwork, resilience and respect under pressure.

When it came to the Robot Games, both teams performed brilliantly, scoring 80 and 85 points in their first rounds – an excellent achievement. They also presented their innovation projects to industry professionals, answering challenging questions with confidence and excellent manners. Although the competition was tough, with many creative ideas on display, our pupils rose to the occasion and represented the school with pride.

After two more closely fought rounds, both teams reached the quarter-finals, with one team missing out on a semi-final place by just 15 points. While there was a brief moment of disappointment, it quickly turned to celebration during the awards ceremony. Team Artefacts were delighted to receive the Breakthrough Award, recognising them as the top new team with great potential for the future. Meanwhile, Team Code Crackers were honoured with an award for their positivity and outstanding teamwork throughout the day.

We are incredibly proud of all the pupils who took part. Their enthusiasm, determination and friendship was evident from start to finish. The trophies are now proudly displayed in the school foyer as a reminder of their achievements – and we are already looking forward to what next year’s competition will bring!

Red Nose Day 2026

Our School Council did a fantastic job organising this year’s Red Nose Day fundraising event, bringing lots of fun and laughter to the whole school community.

Children were invited to “dress funny for money,” and it was wonderful to see so many creative and colourful outfits across the school. This non-uniform event raised an impressive £80 in donations.

In addition, the School Council organised the sale of Red Nose Day merchandise alongside a delicious cake sale, which proved very popular with pupils and staff alike. Together, these activities raised a further £150.

In total, the school raised an amazing £250 for Red Nose Day!

British Horse Society

Today we were delighted to welcome some special visitors from the British Horse Society who came to speak to our pupils about staying safe around horses.
During the session, children learnt about how to behave sensibly when they see horses on roads, bridleways, or in fields. Our visitors explained how large and powerful horses are, and why it is important to remain calm, quiet, and give them plenty of space. Children were particularly interested in learning how horses communicate through their body language and what different signs might mean.

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Celebrating NHS Day

On Thursday Lancelot and Excalibur enjoyed a very special NHS Day, where children had the opportunity to learn all about the amazing work carried out by the National Health Service and the many different people who help keep us healthy.

Throughout the day, children discovered the wide range of careers within the NHS. They learned that it is not only doctors and nurses who work in hospitals and clinics, but also paramedics, therapists, pharmacists, scientists, reception staff and many more professionals who play an important role in caring for others.

The day also helped pupils understand the values of kindness, teamwork and dedication that are at the heart of the NHS. It was wonderful to see children thinking about how people work together to support patients and families every day.

Events like this are an important part of our school’s commitment to raising awareness of different careers and helping pupils begin to imagine the many possibilities for their future

AI in schools - Workshop

As part of our celebrations for British Science Week, Excalibur and Lancelot children took part in an exciting AI in Schools workshop delivered by Beth. The session introduced children to the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence and how it is becoming an important part of modern science and technology.

During the workshop, pupils explored what AI is and how computers can be trained to recognise patterns, solve problems, and learn from information. Beth shared real-life examples of how AI is used in areas such as healthcare, transport, and engineering, helping the children see how science and technology shape the world around us.

The practical session also encouraged pupils to think about using technology safely, responsibly, and creatively. Children asked thoughtful questions and discussed how AI might influence the jobs and inventions of the future. It was a fantastic opportunity for pupils to develop their curiosity about science, technology, and innovation during Science Week.

SCIENCE WEEK 2026

A celebration of all things science this week, as it was British Science Week 2026! Children have enjoyed additional science activities throughout the week in classes, including our annual rocket launches - still a firm-favourite! This year’s theme is ‘Curiosity’ and it was wonderful to be joined by so many families to explore activities together including liquid chemical interactions and reactions, simple circuits and forces such as buoyancy and magnetism.

WORLD BOOK DAY!

On Friday 6th March, our school had a fantastic time celebrating World Book Day. The day was full of fun activities that helped us share our love of reading and discover new books.

Many children arrived at school dressed as their favourite book characters. It was wonderful to see such a wide range of costumes, from classic storybook heroes and villains to characters from modern favourites. Everyone enjoyed spotting the different characters around the school.

Throughout the day, we took part in lots of exciting reading activities. One of the highlights was creating a whole-school story. Each class contributed part of the story, helping it grow into a fun and imaginative adventure.

We were also lucky to hear different teachers read stories to us. It was great to visit different classrooms and listen to a variety of books being brought to life.

Another favourite activity was the Reading Café. Children relaxed with a book while enjoying biscuits and a warm cup of hot chocolate. Later, we visited the book swap, where we exchanged books we had brought from home and picked out some brilliant new ones to take home and enjoy.

World Book Day was a brilliant celebration of reading for everyone.

 

Year 5 and 6 visit the Houses of Parliament

Children in Year 5 and 6 took the opportunity to visit the seat of Government in the UK - The Houses of Parliament! Taking a guided tour throughout the historic building, appreciating such sites as the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state, as well as a brilliant workshop exploring how laws are passed in this country and an immersive 360* video documenting the history of Parliament.

The group were also lucky enough to sit in the benches of the House of Commons, as well as observe from the Strangers' Gallery a live debate in the House of Lords.
 

 

Chinese New Year- Year of The Horse

This week alone has seen children in Merlin and Pendragon whip up some fresh pancakes in readiness for Shrove Tuesday next week; children were greeted as they came into school today with a traditional Chinese Lion Dance to mark the upcoming Lunar New Year (again falling in half-term) as well as Safer Internet Day activities, which this year focused on the safe and responsible uses of AI.

Crime and Punishment Topic - Lancelot Trip

As part of their Crime and Punishment topic,Lancelot took part in an educational visit to Shepton Mallet Prison, one of the oldest prisons in the country. This immersive experience brought their learning to life and gave valuable historical context to their classroom work. 

During the visit, children explored original prison cells, learnt about daily life for prisoners in the past, and discovered how attitudes towards crime and punishment have changed over time

Somerset Sustainable Futures Careers Event

Today, selected pupils from Year 6 attended an exciting event exploring the future of green and digital careers. They met local employers and educators and explored a careers exhibition focused on real-world sustainability challenges.

The children also shared their own presentation to their peers  about how artificial intelligence could support sustainability, considering both its benefits and challenges. The event encouraged thoughtful discussion, creativity, and reinforced our commitment to preparing children for the careers of tomorrow while encouraging them to think responsibly about the world they will help to shape.

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Our Presentation 

Castle Cary Carnival present our Winners trophy

High Sheriff Visits Countess Gytha

We were delighted to be visited this week by Janet Montgomery, High Sheriff of Somerset. Children in Years 4,5 and 6 learnt about this ceremonial role and how it dates to the times of the Anglo- Saxons. Classes were interested to learn about how as a representative of the monarchy, the High Sheriff will support High Court judges as well as supporting charitable causes, royal visits and rewarding acts of heroism across Somerset.

Christingle Service

After decorating their Christingle oranges on Tuesday, the school celebrated the beginning of Advent with a  celebration at St Barnabas on Wednesday. It was wonderful to be joined by so many friends and families of the school for this joyous occasion – classes shared poems, prayers, and the meaning of Advent with the community, before a sneak preview from the nativity, courtesy of Merlin Class children!

Our Christmas Tree has been delivered

We were delighted to take delivery of the school Christmas tree this week. Over the coming week, each child will place a bauble on the tree in preparation for all of the upcoming festivities at Countess Gytha.

Exploring the Heart in Science

On Wednesday, our class took part in a fascinating hands-on Science lesson all about the human circulatory system. We had the opportunity to dissect a pig’s heart, which allowed us to see the different structures we have been learning about in class.

Working carefully and sensibly, we identified the four chambers, the major blood vessels, and the valves that help control the flow of blood. The children were incredibly engaged and asked fantastic scientific questions throughout the lesson.

It was a brilliant opportunity to explore real-life biology and deepen our understanding of how the heart works. Well done to everyone for showing such enthusiasm and maturity.

Please visit Lancelot class page for more photos.

Pudsey Visits Our School!

We were thrilled to welcome Pudsey Bear to our school this week! Pudsey came to thank us for raising an amazing £230for Children in Need. He visited every class — including Preschool — and the children were very excited to meet him.

It was a wonderful treat for everyone, and we are very proud of the fantastic fundraising effort made by our whole school community.

Children in Need Fundraising

Pupils and staff at Countess Gytha Primary School enjoyed a fun-filled week of fundraising activities in support of Children in Need. The school kicked off the event with a colourful Spotty Dotty Dress-Down Day, with everyone arriving in their brightest Pudsey-themed outfits.

A hugely popular bake sale added to the fundraising total, with families donating a wonderful selection of cakes and treats. Throughout the week, the School Council also ran a stall selling official Children in Need merchandise, including badges, wristbands and pens.

Each morning, children across the school took part in a special “Strictly 25” dance challenge, learning five new dance moves a day. The week will culminated in a whole-school cha-cha-cha on Friday, with pupils and staff  joining in the final dance celebration.

The school community is proud to support such an important cause and would like to thank everyone for their generosity and enthusiasm.

We Will Remember - Remembrance Day

Pupils and staff from Countess Gytha Primary School, Queen Camel, came together on Tuesday 11th November for a moving whole-school Remembrance service.

Lancelot Year 6 led the service with readings and a recital of In Flanders Fields, reflecting on the sacrifices made by servicemen and women past and present. The whole school, including the preschool, gathered to pay their respects, while members of the Cubs, Brownies, and Sea Cadets took the salute.

In the lead-up to the day, children across the school created recycled poppies from plastic bottles, adding them to a growing display that we are extremely proud. This display symbolises remembrance and renewal.

A selection of pupils from across the school, all members of Gytha Troops—children with family members currently serving or who have previously served in the forces—also represented the school at the Remembrance Service at Yeovilton alongside Miss Bridge.

Remembrance Day Preparations

School Council have added the finishing touches to the school's annual Remembrance Day Display ready for our whole school service on Tuesday 11th November.

Growing Readers, One Book at a Time!

Thanks to the incredible support from our families during last term’s Scholastic Book Fair, we’ve been able to purchase a fantastic new collection of books for every class – and even our Pre-School! Your enthusiasm for reading and generous book fair purchases have helped us earn brilliant rewards to spend on books that will inspire, excite, and engage our children.

Each class now has a fresh selection of high-quality titles chosen to suit their age group and interests – from laugh-out-loud picture books and adventurous chapter stories to gripping mysteries, thought-provoking non-fiction, and beautifully illustrated poetry. Our Pre-School children are also enjoying a lovely new range of stories to share and explore together during circle time.

These new books will help us continue to build a strong reading culture across the school, giving every child the opportunity to discover stories they love and develop a lifelong passion for reading.

A huge thank you to everyone who visited, bought books, or helped out at the Book Fair. Your support really does make a difference — together, we’re growing readers, one book at a time!

WW2 Letters Home

Our Lamcelot class created a short film to conclude their World War II topic. The children wrote heartfelt letters home as evacuees, recording their voices reading them aloud. Their words are paired with photos from their themed day and authentic BBC archive footage, bringing the evacuee experience vividly to life.

Castle Cary Illuminated Carnival Success! 🐠

Making Waves with Our Underwater-Themed Parade

On Saturday night, we proudly took part in the Castle Cary Illuminated Carnival, lighting up the streets with an imaginative underwater theme that truly captured the crowd’s attention.

Over 35 children from across the school participated in this exciting event, showcasing their creativity, teamwork, and Carnival spirit. The parade featured umbrellas transformed into jellyfish, shimmering with light and movement, and stunning paper lanterns shaped like fish, constructed by the children during their art lessons using willow frameworks. Adding to the magic were bubbles floating through the air, courtesy of two deep sea divers, bringing our underwater world to life!

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that, for the third year running, our school has won the Local School Category– a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work and imagination of everyone involved.

A huge thank you goes to all the staff, parents, and volunteers who supported the event and helped make it such a success. The children did an amazing job, and we couldn’t be prouder.

Roll on next year!

Supporting Mental Health, One Slice at a Time

On Friday, our school was a sea of sunshine as both staff and pupils came together to celebrate Hello Yellow Day in support of YoungMinds, a leading charity championing children’s mental health. Everyone was encouraged to wear yellow—and they certainly delivered! From yellow socks and shirts to glittery accessories and bright hats, the school was bursting with colour and positivity. The vibrant atmosphere reflected our shared commitment to raising awareness around mental health and emotional well-being.

As part of the day, we held a charity cake sale filled with delicious homemade bakes donated by our generous school community. From cupcakes and cookies to lemon drizzle and banana bread, there was something for everyone to enjoy—all in support of a great cause.

We are proud to share that thanks to everyone’s kindness and generosity, we raised £150 for YoungMinds. 
 

Awareness of Cerebral Palsy Day Celebrated

This week, Lancelot was privileged to welcome an inspirational guest speaker, Ellise Hayward — a former student of Mrs. Sherry, who shared her incredible journey of resilience and determination. Living with cerebral palsy, she spoke openly with the use of her eye recognition talking technology about the challenges she has faced and how they have shaped her into the confident, motivated person and speaker she is today.

She told us about her studies and how her condition has never stopped her from chasing her dreams and achieving her goals. Her message of perseverance, self-belief, and positivity truly inspired everyone in attendance. Our pupils left the talk feeling uplifted and empowered, reminded that with passion and hard work, no obstacle is too great to overcome.

European Day of Languages 

This week saw the children and staff celebrate the European Day of Languages with lots of fun, learning, and colourful activities! 

The day was all about celebrating the many different languages spoken across Europe and helping children understand how exciting it can be to learn a new language. 

Each class chose a different European country to explore linking to topic or class focus. Children came to school dressed in colours or costumes from their given country and took part in activities such as: 

• Learning simple words and greetings in other languages 

• Singing songs in French, Spanish, German, Italian and more! 

• Tasting traditional foods from different countries 

• Making flags, posters and crafts showing different culture and even a 

• Storytime in different languages, with teachers and even some students reading short books or poems aloud! 

The day was full of laughter, curiosity, and discovery. It helped our pupils appreciate how languages connect people and make our world more interesting and welcoming. 

A big thank you to all the teachers, children, and families who helped make the day such a success. We are already looking forward to our next celebration! 

Author Visit – Luke Temple 

We had fantastic assemblies with children’s author Luke Temple, who visited school to work with Years 1–6. The children loved hearing about his writing journey and listening to extracts from his exciting  Felix Dashwood  stories. Also, he read some of his wonderful KS1 books Albert and the Giant Squid, The Poo Monster and The Princess and the Poo Monster. Luke’s sessions were full of fun, inspiration, and plenty of laughter, leaving pupils buzzing with ideas and eager to get stuck into more reading. We look forward to welcoming him tomorrow for his book signing.  

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