There was a buzz of excitement at Garlinge Primary School and Nursery last week when Year 1 parents and carers were treated to a heartwarming Harvest celebration. The assembly was full of autumn colour, cheerful music, and the spirit of giving as the children shared their learning and creativity through song, sign, and storytelling.
Year 1 pupils took to the stage to perform a special retelling of the traditional tale The Little Red Hen, brought to life with the help of Makaton. Their handmade hats, each representing a character from the story added colour and character to the performance.
“Our Harvest assembly was a wonderful celebration, and the children worked incredibly hard to learn and retell the story of the Little Red Hen,” said Mrs Wasway, Year 1 teacher. “Using actions and Makaton really helped them understand the message of helping others and working together. The Little Red Hen is a perfect story for Harvest. It helps children understand that food does not just appear and that it takes effort to grow, and it is important to share the rewards with others.”
“ I really liked learning to use Makaton to tell the story of the Little Red Hen, it was fun!” said Rowan, age 5.
In the lead-up to the assembly, the children took part in a hands-on baking session, following a simple bread recipe inspired by the hen’s hard work in the story. With eager hands, they kneaded, shaped, and baked their own bread just like the Little Red Hen.
“One of the highlights for our children was making their own bread, just like the Little Red Hen. They loved getting involved in mixing, kneading, and shaping the dough – and were so excited to taste the warm bread they had made themselves it was a fantastic hands-on experience that brought the story to life and helped them understand the value of hard work and sharing,” said Mrs Pointer, Year 1 Teacher.
During the performance, several of the young bakers proudly took the opportunity to reflect on their experience and present their homemade bread to the audience, beaming with pride as they shared their hard work.
“It was a bit hard for me when I had to knead the dough to make the bread for our assembly, but I persevered!” said Penelope, aged 5.
Following on from their storytelling performance, the children also delighted the audience with autumn favourites such as Oats and Beans and Barley Grow and I Can See Conkers as they happily sang to them. Parents and teachers smiled proudly as the children sang with confidence and great enthusiasm. The event ended with a short harvest prayer followed by warm applause.
The assembly also included a Harvest table which was beautifully decorated and overflowing with canned goods, pasta, rice, fruit, and vegetables. The table reflected a strong sense of true community spirit and kindness shared by all families who were able to generously donate food to support Thanet Food Link, a local charity focused on linking those with enough to those in need..
Head of School, Mrs Northrop said: “It was a real joy to see our Year 1 children take to the stage with such confidence and enthusiasm during our Harvest Festival assembly. Their singing and storytelling reminded us of the importance of gratitude and giving. A heartfelt thank you to all our parents and carers for your generous food donations — your support will make a real difference to local families through Thanet Food Link. Together, we’ve shown what a caring and compassionate school community we are.”
