Ancient Greece Comes to Life at Waverley

Yesterday, Waverley was transformed into Ancient Greece for a very special themed day for our Year 5 and Year 6 children courtesy of Russ from Portals to the Past. The day began with an introduction to Greek life and culture, helping the children get a feel for what life was like in Ancient Greece. They then took part in a Greek quiz, searching boards placed around the room to find interesting facts and complete their quiz sheets.

The children then tested their engineering skills, taking on the Archimedes’ Stomachion puzzle (the oldest known mathematical puzzle). Working in teams, they had to use oddly shaped pieces to make a square, before trying to create other shapes. There was plenty of teamwork, problem-solving and perseverance as they worked through some very tricky solutions.

The children also learnt to play Petteia, an ancient Greek strategy game similar to chess or draughts. The aim of the game was to outsmart your opponent by trapping their pieces. The children quickly realised it was all about planning ahead and thinking carefully, rather than luck.

There was lots of laughter in the next activity, with the children re-enacting the famous story of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth of Crete. In the myth, the Minotaur is a fearsome creature who lives in a maze and is defeated by the hero Theseus, with help from Ariadne. The children brought the story to life brilliantly, with Joseph as Theseus, Eloise as Ariadne and Aurelia as the ferocious Minotaur.

After lunch, the children got to see and handle replicas of ancient Greek weapons and armour, including swords, spears, shields and helmets, learning more about how Greek soldiers were equipped. They then marched like the Spartan army, before taking part in a mini Olympic Games, with Year 5 (Athens) competing against Year 6 (Sparta). Events included discus and javelin, with everyone getting involved and giving it their best effort!

To finish the day, there was even a singing competition inspired by Ancient Greek Olympic traditions, with performances from Mateja and Ellen and Evie and Adam. Everyone did fantastically well and after a fun and action-packed day, the Spartans (Year 6) were declared the overall winners.

Overall, it was a brilliant day full of learning, teamwork and fun. The children had a fantastic time as Ancient Greece was brought to life for the day. See photos below:

Ancient Greek Day 2026

Year 5 & 6