Updates from our February 2026 visit

Tuesday 17th - Wednesday 18th February

Over the last 24hrs, Mrs Davis, Miss Shattock and Mrs Cosser have travelled by car and plane from Zambia to Ethiopia (with a quick fuel stop in Zimbabwe) and then arrived safely in the UK.  We hope you and your families are enjoying a wonderful half term break and we can’t wait to share our adventures when we return to school next week!

Monday 16th February

🇿🇲 An emotional goodbye

Hello everyone back in the UK!

Today was our final day at the school, and it was a day filled with music, emotion and a lot of excitement. It’s hard to believe how quickly time has flown, but we certainly ended our visit on a high note (literally!).

A Song to Remember

The school held a special Grade 7 Goodbye Assembly for us. In Zambia, music is such a huge part of school life. The students sang a goodbye song that was so beautiful it made us feel very emotional.  The headteacher conducted the assembly and Mrs Davis gave a beautiful speech.

Think about this: If you had to pick one song to represent Bruton Primary School, what would it be?

The School Ambassadors

We wanted to leave a little piece of home with the students who helped us this week. We gifted the School Ambassadors special Great Britain flag pin badges to wear on their sashes. They have represented their school with so much pride, and now they have a little reminder of all of you.

Thanks to the enormous generosity of the community of Bruton Primary School, we were delighted to present the headteacher with funds to begin to make a real impact.  They are very touched by this gift and excited to start the work as soon as possible.  This money is going to start Phase 1 of developing their brand-new school library!   The school will be sharing updates on their progress and photos as soon as they get started which we will look forward to sharing with you all.

A Piece of "Home" in the Classroom

Remember those wonderful drawings from Auklet and Barn Owl classes? We turned them into colourful bunting and gifted them to the school. They were so touched to have artwork made by you! Your drawings are now hanging up in a Zambian reception classroom.

Sunday 15th February

Hello from the Mufulira Boating Club! 🛶✨
Today felt like stepping into a nature documentary. Miss Shattock and Mrs Cosser traveled to the top of a massive dam to look out over the lake, and the view was simply incredible. The water stretched out as far as we could see, sparkling under the bright Zambian sun.

🐊 A Very Different Kind of "No Swimming" Sign
In the UK, when we go to a lake or a park, we might see signs telling us not to litter or to keep our dogs on a lead. But here in Mufulira, the signs say something a little more exciting: "BEWARE OF CROCODILES!" Even though the water looked beautiful and blue, we made sure to stay a very safe distance away. It’s a great reminder that while the lake looks peaceful, it is a wild habitat for some very powerful animals.

🐟 Life Above and Below the Water
We explored the boathouse and spent some time watching the water closely. We saw:
 * Shimmering fish darting around.
 * Majestic birds circling overhead, waiting for their chance to dive for a snack.
It was so quiet and still at the top of the dam—a perfect place to relax and enjoy the nature around us.

🍗 A Lakeside Celebration
To finish our adventure, we had a brilliant BBQ (which they call a Braai here) right by the lakeside. We sat with the headteacher and teachers from Luansobe Primary (partnered with Ditcheat Primary School), sharing food and talking about our day. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious, and the company was even better.

🛶 Over to you...
The teachers here told us that crocodiles are masters of disguise. They can look just like a floating log in the water!
If you were a wildlife explorer, what trick would you use to spot a crocodile hiding in a lake?

Saturday 14th February

Greetings to everyone back in the UK! 🌍✨
Today was a day of pure adventure here in Zambia. We headed out to the Baluba Game Resort, and we’ve got so much to share with you. Grab your imaginary binoculars, and let’s dive in!

🦓 Safari Sightings
We started the morning with a safari. As we bumped along in the jeep, we spotted so many incredible animals. We saw:
 * Giraffes stretching their long necks for the best leaves.
 * Zebras with their unique "barcode" stripes.
 * Antelope of all shapes and sizes—some were tiny, others were huge!
Our guide was brilliant. Not only did he know everything about the bush, but he was also very funny. He reminded me that in the wild, you have to be quiet to listen, but you also have to be ready to laugh!

🚣 Classmates in the Sky?
After the safari, we took a boat trip around a large man-made lake. We felt like we were back at school for a moment because we kept seeing birds that have the same names as our classes!
 * Kingfisher: This one had a beautiful reddish-brown chest and was hovering over the water.
 * Fish Eagle: We spotted him perched high up in a tall tree, looking very regal.
 * Goldfinch: A bright splash of yellow against the green trees.
> Think about this: Even though these birds have the same names as the ones we see in the UK, they look and behave quite differently in the African sun. Why do you think animals of the same "family" might look different depending on where they live?

🍽️ New Friends
To top off an incredible day, we sat down for a delicious dinner. We weren't alone, though—we were joined by all our new friends from Mufulira Mine Primary here. We shared stories, laughed, and ate some amazing food. It’s amazing how quickly you can make friends, even when you live thousands of miles apart!
It has been a fantastic day and an experience we will never forget.

🦒 Over to you...
If you were sitting in the safari jeep with us today, which animal do you think would have been your favourite to see in real life?
 

Friday 13th February

🇿🇲 Day 5: Lacrosse and Lifecycles!

Hello everyone back in the UK!

We’ve reached our final teaching day here in Zambia, and what a way to go out! Today was all about energy, teamwork, and a very special sport.

🥍 Lacrosse Fever Hits the Hall!

We kicked off the morning by bringing out the lacrosse kit. Do any of you remember your sessions with Miss Shattock? Well, the children here were just as excited!

We started with a high-speed relay race to get our hearts pumping. Then, it was time for the tricky stuff: passing, picking up the ball, and catching. I have to tell you, these children are naturals! They picked up the skills so fast that we were able to jump straight into a mini-game.

The competitive spirit was amazing—their cheers were so loud they nearly took the roof off the hall! It really warmed our hearts to see how much they loved a sport that many of you play back home. Their teachers even joined in the fun and are excited to keep the games going after we leave.

🌱 Spot the Seedlings!

It’s not all been sports, though. While exploring the school grounds today, we spotted some very familiar sights.

The children have been busy learning about the life cycle of a plant and germination. Take a look at the photos below—can you spot the plants the children here are growing?  Many of you will remember learning about this in the UK too.

*Do they look the same as our UK seedlings?
* What do you think plants in Zambia might need more of compared to plants in our classroom?

🍰 Good company and cake

To wrap up our final day of teaching, we shared a huge cake with all the wonderful staff here and enjoyed lunch together.  On Monday we will be invited back in to say our final goodbyes to all the staff and pupils who have made our stay so magical.
 

Have a wonderful half term, everyone! Enjoy your break, stay curious, and keep an eye on this page over the next few of days to see the very end of our Zambian adventure.

We can't wait to see you all soon! ✈️

Thursday 12th February

Cave Art, Catch-ups, and a Huge Celebration! 🇿🇲

Hello everyone back in the UK! We’ve had another whirlwind of a day here in Zambia. It’s hard to believe we are already on Day 4, but we are making every second count.

Here is what we’ve been up to:

🎨 Stone Age Artists

We started our morning with Grade 2, finishing off our Stone Age painting project. Do you remember when Year 3 and 4 did this back home?

The Zambian students looked so closely at the photos of your designs! They were incredibly inspired by your work. They took their time painting African animals using black paint to make outlines.  The classroom was so quiet because everyone was concentrating so hard!

💻 A Special Long-Distance Hello

The highlight of our morning was definitely the video call with all of you! Seeing your smiling faces on the screen made us feel a little less far away.

We were so proud of how clearly and confidently you spoke. The Bruton drummers sounded absolutely fantastic—even through the computer speakers, we could feel the beat! The students here loved hearing your questions and realized they have a lot in common with you.

💃 The Main Event: Zambia Day!

After the call, things got very exciting. We were gifted beautiful, bright Chitenge tops (traditional Zambian fabric) to wear because we were invited to a massive celebration called Zambia Day.

Imagine the loudest, most colourful party you’ve ever been to—that was this afternoon!

 * Special Guests: Important officials from the DEBS office (who look after the schools in Mufulira) came to watch.

 * The Food: We tried lots of traditional Zambian dishes and tried some new food - look at the photos, which dish would you like to try and why?  (Guess what Falcon class - Miss Shattock even tried a caterpillar!)

 * The Performance: The students here are incredible performers. They danced, drummed, and sang with so much energy that it was impossible not to join in.

*The Speeches: The Headteacher Madame Caroline Katai, Mrs Davis, Mrs Cosser and the DEBS representative gave beautiful speeches to the audience.

> Fun Fact: Drumming in Zambia isn't just for music; it’s a way of telling stories and bringing the whole community together.

Wednesday 11th February

Greetings from Zambia!

Hello to everyone back at Bruton! We’ve had a busy, brilliant day with our new friends here, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been up to.

🎨 Art Across the World

This morning, Mrs. Davis, Miss Shattock, and Mrs Cosser headed into the Grade 3 classroom for two very special art lessons. We told the students all about how Year 3/4 have been learning about the Stone Age.

Just like you did in your art lessons, the Zambian students practiced drawing animals using geometric shapes. They were so impressed when they saw your lovely artwork! After some practice, they used charcoal to create some stunning images of African animals.

> Take a look: Can you spot which animals they drew in the photos below? What do they have in common with your Stone Age drawings?

🍴 A Different Kind of Snack

After all that hard work, it was time for break!  We were served a samosa (pastry filled with mince and potato), a boiled egg, and some potatoes. It was delicious and gave us lots of energy for the afternoon!

🍌 The School "Supermarket"

We went for a walk around the school grounds, and it felt like walking through a fruit bowl! Instead of a playground with just grass, there were:

 * Lemon trees 🍋

 * Mango trees 🥭

 * Banana plantations 🍌

 * Palm trees 🌴

Challenge: Look at the photos we’ve posted of the trees. Can you identify which is which?

🎶 A Very Special Welcome

Next, we were honoured to visit Luansobe Primary School to support Ditcheat’s school partnership. We wish you could have heard the welcome—the children greeted us with incredible music and dancing! It made us feel so at home. The staff even prepared a huge feast for us to share.

🧸 Ditcheat Dave Makes a Friend

Finally, Mrs. Cosser spent time with all the classes sharing stories about our life in the UK and showing them photos of Ditcheat school. Of course, Ditcheat Dave the teddy bear was the star of the show! He has been making lots of new friends and joined in with all the laughter and fun.

🤔 Time to Reflect

 * How would our school grounds look different if we grew our own fruit like they do in Zambia?

Tuesday 10th February

Greetings from Mufulira! 🇿🇲

Hello everyone back at home! We have just finished our second day at Mufulira Mine Primary, and it was absolutely buzzing with excitement. We are having the best time, and we miss you all!

Here is what we got up to today:

🎨 Bunting and Best Friends

First thing this morning, we handed out the colourful bunting made by Auklet and Barn Owl. The children here were so happy to see your drawings and learn your names! They started making their own bunting right away to send back to you.

> Can you spot any of your drawings in the photos below? 📸

We also finished handing out your pen pal letters. The students here were thrilled to read about your lives in the UK. They are already busy writing their replies.

We sat in on a Maths lesson all about sorting numbers and letters into Venn Diagrams. The students listened so carefully and came up with some brilliant examples. It’s amazing how we learn the exact same things, even though we are thousands of miles apart!

Then, it was time for Mrs Davis and Miss Shattock to teach art. We started making cave paintings by using local seeds and glue for the backgrounds.  We told them all about your lovely work and the animals you painted.

 * Year 3 and 4: Do you remember doing this in your classroom?

 * We showed the children here the photos of your process and finished work, and they thought you were all great artists!

On Thursday, once the seeds have dried, we will paint African animals over the top.

For lunch, we had another delicious traditional Zambian meal with the staff.

After lunch, we had a very special meeting. We were honoured to be invited to the DEBS office (the District Education Board Secretary). They are the team that looks after all the schools in the area. Did you know there are 79 primary schools just in this one town of Mufulira?

Finally, we headed to the local market to find some Chitenge. This is a beautiful, brightly coloured African fabric. We’ve bought some lovely patterns to bring home so you can craft more 

 * Festive wreaths

 * Colourful sashes

 * Handy bags

 * Stylish hair scrunchies

… and more… when we return to school

Monday 9th February

Our First Day at Mufulira Mine Primary! 

Hello everyone back in the UK! Today was a day we will never forget. As soon as we arrived, the air was filled with the most incredible sounds. We were welcomed with singing, dancing, and the rhythmic beat of drums. It was the loudest and happiest "Welcome" we have ever heard!

Meeting the Ambassadors

We were lucky enough to be shown around by the school’s student Ambassadors.

 * Can you spot them in the photos? Look for the beautiful Zambian sashes they are wearing. Do they remind you of the ones we wear in our Zambia Club?

 
The children showed us their school books. Their handwriting and presentation were absolutely immaculate.

They showed us their Science work on the circulatory system and in English, the Zambian students have been practicing writing formal letters—just like Year 3 and 4 have been doing!  

Their youngest classes were practicing forming the numbers 1 and 2 in maths and in phonics, the sounds s, t, i, p, n, (+ in and on).  Can you spot the sounds on the chalk board?  They use actions too!

We handed out the pen pal letters from our Year 5 and 6 classes.  The classroom was buzzing with excitement! The children couldn't wait to read your letters and learn all about your lives in the UK. They are already picking up their pens to write back to you.

Then, the weather turned! While we were walking between classrooms, the sky opened up with a torrential downpour. In Zambia, when it rains, it really rains!

 * Look at the photos: Can you spot Mrs Davis in her wellies?

A Special Lunch

To finish our visit, we sat down for a traditional Zambian lunch with the Headteacher and the staff. It was a wonderful way to share stories and strengthen the link between our two schools.

Challenge:

 * If you were a school Ambassador, what is the first thing in our school you would show a visitor from Zambia?

Sunday 8th February

We have had the most incredible start to our journey. Today was full of music, laughter, and some very special surprises. We can’t wait to tell you all about it!

We visited St. Lawrence Catholic Church for their "Holy Child" service. It was unlike anything we see back home because the entire service was run by the children! From the readings to the music, the young people were in charge.

The singing was so loud and beautiful and everyone was dancing. Songs were sung in Bemba (the local language), Latin and English.  During the service, there was a special teaching themed about Salt and Light.

 * Be like Salt: Just a little bit of salt makes food taste better. We should be like salt by adding kindness to everything we do.

 * Be like Light: Even a tiny candle can chase away the darkness. We should try to be a light for others when they are feeling sad or lost.

Think about it: If you were "salt" in your classroom tomorrow, what is one kind thing you could do to make someone's day "taste" better?

After church, we hosted a big tea party! We wanted to say a huge thank you to the teachers and staff who are looking after us and plan for our week ahead.  While we drank tea, we started planning the lessons we will be teaching in the school next week.

We have some very important cargo in our suitcases... your pen pal letters! ✉️ They have officially arrived in Mufulira and are ready to be handed out. You should be so proud of the work you did; the teachers here were so impressed by your drawings and letters.

Can You Spot Us?

Take a look at the photos below from the service. It’s a sea of smiling faces...

 * Challenge: Can you spot your teachers in the crowd?

This evening, our host made a delicious traditional Zambian meal.  Look out for more details to come…

Saturday 7th February

Hello everyone back at home!

Pack your bags, because today was a huge travel day. We’ve been hopping across the continents like a giant grasshopper! Here is the breakdown of our journey:

 * First Stop: Ethiopia (it was a toasty 28°C when we landed!)

 * Pit Stop: Maun, Botswana (just a quick drop-in to give the plane some "juice" / fuel)

 * Final Destination: Zambia! 🇿🇲

The view from the plane window was like looking at a giant, green painting of nature, but the real adventure started once we touched down.

Our friend picked us up to take us to where we are staying and became our tour guide for the journey.  Our driver is also a massive fan of running. He is training for the Comrades Ultra Marathon in South Africa.

> Did you know? An Ultra Marathon is much longer than a normal one. This race is nearly 90 kilometres (56 miles) long! That’s like running from London to Brighton!  What’s the furthest you have run?

I want to see if you can solve these challenges:

 * Weather Watch: If it was 26°C in Mufulira today, how much warmer is that than it is at school right now? 

 * Home Away from Home: We are ending our night playing board games with our hosts. If you were visiting a new country, what game would you bring to teach your new friends?

Friday 6th February

Miss Shattock, Mrs Davis and Mrs Cosser travelled from Bruton to Heathrow Airport in London.  Our bags and your pen pal letters are safely checked in with the airport and ready to fly.✈️  We will travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and then onto Ndola, Zambia.  We will leave Heathrow at 8.15pm (Fri) and arrive in Ndola at 3.30pm (Sat) .  Who thinks they can work out how long it’s going to take us, bearing in mind Zambia is 2 hours ahead of us?