Year 5 Art - Depth, Emotion and Movement
Today Year 5 have completed a series of art lessons with a focus on Drawing: Depth, Emotion and Movement. The children looked into expressive and gestural lines. The children worked really hard on trying to communicate their emotions through memory pictures. The next step of the process will involve transferring these designs onto tracing paper and then finally polystyrene tiles using ink and a roller. We can’t wait to see their final pieces.
Year 3- R.E- Exploring Sadness and Joy with Rev Ben
This afternoon, we welcomed Rev Ben to our class to investigate the emotional journey of Holy Week through a deep discussion. We used our oracy skills to recap the Easter story and explore how church services transform from sadness to joy. Rev Ben explained that on Good Friday, the service is solemn and quiet to reflect the sadness of the cross. However, we also talked about how everything changes on Easter Sunday, when the church bursts into a joyful celebration with loud bells and happy songs to show that Jesus is alive. By talking and listening to Rev Ben, we learned that churches use different moods, sounds, and symbols to help people feel the big emotions of the Easter story.
Year 5 Smart School Council Big Debate
Today we took part in our Smart School Council Big Debate. We were asked if Tik Tok should be banned for everyone in the UK. We had six groups, four voted no and two groups voted yes. The main reasons discussed were that it should be banned as it’s a Temu version of YouTube and it’s full of inappropriate content and toxic people. On the other hand some thought it shouldn’t be banned as they think it allows people to connect to others, have fun and interact, it can also be really useful to find out relevant information. Most of the children did highlight though that it should have an age restriction of 16 years old and above. We had some wonderful points that were shared that showcased our oracy skills in Year 5.
Singing Worship
In our Whole School Singing Worship this morning, we welcomed everyone back into school with a joyful and uplifting sing. We began by singing My Lighthouse and then we sang Our God is a Great Big God, Sing a New Song to the Lord, Life is Always Better and ended our worship with a beautiful rendition of Waymaker. A wonderful way to start the new term!
Reception: Chicks have come to visit
The Reception classroom is buzzing with excitement this week as we welcome some very special, fluffy new residents! Our little learners have officially begun their journey as mini-farmers, starting the week by discovering exactly how to care for our baby chicks. Today was a particularly big day, as the children practised their "gentle hands" to learn the proper way to hold and stroke the chicks, marvelling at how soft and delicate they feel. Beyond the cuddles, it was a fantastic day of discovery. The children spent time observing the chicks' behaviour and learning the essentials of their routine, from the specific type of food they need to grow strong to the clever way they use their beaks to sip water. It has been wonderful to see the pupils so engaged and showing such natural kindness toward their new friends. We are all incredibly excited to spend the rest of the week looking after them and watching them grow!
Reception: Muddy Monday
What a fantastic afternoon we had at Whitehall Park today! We were blown away by the children's bravery and determination as they explored the great outdoors. Many of our little explorers challenged themselves to reach new heights, showing incredible physical strength and focus as they climbed trees much higher than they ever have before! It was wonderful to see their confidence grow with every branch they conquered. Whether they were finding the perfect foothold or cheering on their friends from below, the teamwork and grit on display were truly inspiring.
Year 3- Science- Investigating Contact and Non-Contact Forces
Today, we began our new science unit on forces and magnets. We started by exploring how objects move and learned that a force is essentially a push or a pull acting upon an object. We discovered that while some forces require objects to touch (known as contact forces, such as kicking a football), others can act at a distance (known as non-contact forces, such as the pull of gravity or a magnet). By experimenting with magnets and clips, we observed non-contact forces in action, watching objects rise without being touched. We also explored contact forces by stretching elastic bands and pushing balls. We realised that forces are responsible for starting motion, stopping it, and even changing the shape of an object.
Mad Science After School Club- Exploring the Chemistry of Curiosity: pH Levels
We had a fantastic start to our Science club today, delivered by the Mad Scientist, Jo. Our future scientists focused on the power of pH levels, learning how to identify acids and bases using professional liquid indicators and pH paper. The children put on their safety glasses and learned the vital importance of protecting themselves while conducting experiments. From observing the chemical reactions used to clean oxidised coins to testing the acidity of common household liquids. It was inspiring to see the children’s curiosity come to life as they realised that science isn’t just found in a textbook, it is happening in their kitchen cupboards and the world around them.
Year 5 - Whitehall Park
To celebrate the end of term, after church we visited the rose garden at Whitehall Park to see the beautiful Easter crosses made by the children of St Barnabas. The crosses will be up for the Easter weekend for anyone who wants to inspect the work of our resident artists. As the weather was so nice, we stopped off at the playground and spent our break time on the swings and slides.
Spring Chicken
We ended the term on a high with an energetic sing-along to our favourite Easter songs before a very special visit from "The Spring Chicken" (otherwise known as Mr Mealor!).
Year 5 - Easter Hop Skip Jump
Wearing our Easter crowns, we hopped, skipped and jumped around the playground for 1km to raise money for East Lancs Hospice. Luckily the weather was perfect so it was a great chance for some exercise. East Lancs Hospice is an organisation dear to our hearts, providing essential care and dignity for people in Darwen and Blackburn. Please donate any money you can either through our parent pay or directly through their website.
Year 6 - Hop, Skip and Jump - East Lancs Hospice
Today, our Year 6 children completed their hop, skip and jump challenge in support of East Lancs Hospice. They took part wearing their own beautifully decorated Easter crowns, adding a splash of colour and creativity to the event. We are so proud of their enthusiasm, effort and the way they came together for such a wonderful cause! Well done, Year 6!