Rupert House Enjoys the Sunshine at May Fair

Rupert House School kicked off their half term with glee at the annual May Fair on Friday 26th. With the sun blazing down upon them, parents and students flocked to the school garden, soaking up the glorious weather as they ambled round the stalls.

Many of the exciting activities on offer were a product of the Year 6’s Design and Technology class. The eleven year old girls have been working on their fun-fair inspired stands for weeks as part of a two-year-long introduction to business. The students came up with the stand concepts themselves, and were responsible for everything from creating the games to managing their cash flow. Their Design and Technology teacher, Mrs. Poulter, was thrilled with the outcome of their efforts. “They organised everything themselves. It’s absolutely amazing,” she enthused. “There’s a huge diversity of ideas, and they were so independent.”

Variety was indeed a theme, with an assortment of games from lucky dips to assault courses. Many required skill to win, testing the participants accuracy of throwing ping pong balls or hitting cups with a water blaster. One particularly disgusting game took some daring to enter, as blindfolded competitors stuck their hands into ‘Gory Kevin’ — a model body filled with oily spaghetti, couscous and jelly. Those who could correctly identify the three foods were crowned the winners.

Whilst the students’ imaginations may have run wild with their stand designs, the prizes were almost identical, with most rewarding players with teddy bears and sweets. The girls were challenged to think on their feet, such as when one group almost ran out of prizes due to their popularity. “A lot of people are getting the white token, which is the small prize, so we’ve had to go and buy more using the float money,” explained Cressida, one of the Year 6 students. Based on the tenacity they displayed at the fair, it looks like the girls of Rupert House might just become the successful entrepreneurs of the future.

Of course, it wasn’t just an afternoon for business, as parents and children enjoyed the array of stalls spread throughout the grounds. With nail art, tattoos and fortune telling just a small number of activities available, there was something for all ages. The netball courts had undergone a thrilling transformation, temporarily remodelled into a Go Kart racing track. Children were also given an opportunity to teach their teachers a lesson with ‘Splash’ — a game where players could throw wet sponges at their teachers’ faces!

If all their sugary winnings from the Year 6’s games weren’t already enough, there was a delicious cake stand, organised by the Year 3 parents. Grown ups weren’t forgotten either; the adult tombola exhibited many alcoholic prizes as donated by the parents for Home Clothes Day. Money raised by these stands will go to the Friends Of Rupert House.

A glorious way to spend one of the warmest days of the year so far, the Rupert House May Fair was tremendous fun for all.