River Darwen Disco
Today, River Darwen enjoyed their disco and came in their own clothes to celebrate earning the most Value Points last half term. Thank you DJ Bloomfield for hosting!
Year 1 Maths: Measuring Capacity
Year 1 enjoyed using concrete resources to measure the capacity of different containers. They really enjoyed using cups of water to measure the capacity of a jug. It was impressive to see the children ensuring that they filled the cup to the same place every time to create an equal measurement.
Friday Celebration Worship
We have had a very busy and exciting week in school, with lots to celebrate together. During worship, we learned the Makaton signs for spring and continued to build on our focus of kindness. We spent time reflecting on how we can show kindness to others in our words and actions, reminding ourselves that God is always watching and guiding us to make positive choices. We were also delighted to welcome special visitors, who spoke to us about the importance of caring for our oceans and looking after God’s sea creatures, helping us to think about how we can protect the world around us. We were proud to announce our Values Award winners this week. In Reception, Evie demonstrated our school values brilliantly, while Minnie C in Year 1 and Alice in Year 2 also impressed with their positive attitudes. Year 3 were celebrated as a whole class, with a special mention to Aura for settling so well into our school community. In Year 4, Naomi and Emily were recognised for their efforts, while Charlie in Year 5 and Summer in Year 6 also showed excellent examples of our values. It was wonderful to celebrate our TT Rockstars achievements, with Jack and Scarlett in Year 4 receiving certificates for their hard work. In the same year group, Finley, Lottie and Ella were awarded their pen licences, showing great progress and pride in their writing. We also announced our team values results, with India Mill taking first place, followed by River Darwen in second, Darwen Tower in third and Whitehall Park in fourth. We were incredibly proud to share a wide range of achievements from outside of school. Erin achieved a 5m swimming certificate, while Bowen swam 10 metres without armbands, and Lydia and Naomi achieved Stage 4 and Stage 6 swimming certificates. Annabelle received a star of the week award in acro dance alongside multiple swimming certificates, and Lyla achieved fourth place in jazz dancing. In sporting achievements, Haydn received a football trophy for scoring eight goals, Joshua earned two medals for running, and Finley, Chai and James were awarded medals and a Bronze Cup trophy, with James also being named player of the match. Harry achieved a green belt in kickboxing, and Percy was awarded a Beavers trophy for his commitment to attendance. We also celebrated achievements in other areas, with Phoebe receiving a Bible reading in church certificate and James earning a silver award at St George’s Parade in Scouts, while Seb received a badge at the same event in Cubs. Callie was awarded a Chloe doll at Brownies for confidently singing in front of others, and Evie received an Olivia doll in Brownies and Eleanor achieved a courage badge and Bee Keeper badge. Rosie was named builder of the week in her Kids with Bricks club, and Alice achieved cheerleader of the week. Grace was recognised as runner up for cutest performance as Young Cosette in Les Misérables, which is a fantastic accomplishment. In school sport, our Year 4 gifted and talented football club represented the school brilliantly, showing great skill and teamwork. Our tag rugby team demonstrated excellent sportsmanship at Blackburn Rugby Club, and our netball team had a fantastic set of results, winning seven matches, drawing one and losing two at the Westholme tournament. Finally, well done to Year 1 and Year 6 for achieving the highest attendance this week. Thank you also to Rev Ben for leading us in prayer and helping us reflect on all the wonderful things we have achieved together. We hope everyone enjoys the long weekend and we look forward to welcoming the children back after the break. A quick reminder that school is closed on Monday for the bank holiday and on Thursday for Polling.
Year 3- Rock and River- Low Ropes Course
The low ropes course was all about focus and steady feet today. Year 3 had to navigate a series of tricky obstacles and wobbly cables, which required a great deal of bravery to master. Great teamwork from everyone, as the children stood by the ropes to guide their friends and shout out tips for the best footing. By encouraging each other through the wobbles, every child managed to tackle the course with confidence and a great sense of achievement.
Year 3- Rock and River - Canoeing and Paddle boarding
Year 3 had an unforgettable day on the water as they took to the river for a session of canoeing and paddleboarding. The children showed incredible bravery and resilience as they mastered their paddling techniques and tested their balance on the boards. It was a joy to watch them build their confidence, working together in teams to steer their boats and cheering each other on through every splash.
Year 3 Conquer the Climbing Towers- Rock and River
The climbing towers were a major highlight for Year 3 today. Reaching the top took considerable physical strength and bravery, and it was impressive to see so many children push themselves higher than they expected. The teamwork on the ground was excellent, with the children encouraging their peers and offering helpful advice on which footwork to try next. Every child who "gave it a go" showed great resilience and school spirit.
Rock and River- Year 3 Conquer the Air Bag Jump
Year 3 showed incredible courage today as they took on the Air Bag Jump. It was a huge challenge, but the children were so brave as they stepped up to the edge. The cheering from the ground helped everyone find the confidence to 'give it a go.
Year 3-Rock and River- Team Encouragement on the Zip Line
Year 3 showed fantastic courage today as they took on the zip line challenge.
Year 3: Adventure, Teamwork, and Fantastic Spirit
What a spectacular day for Year 3! Whether they were soaring on the zip line, scaling the climbing towers, or finding their balance on the low ropes, every child showed immense bravery. The river was a major highlight, with everyone splashing into canoeing and paddleboarding, while the airbag jump provided the ultimate test of nerves. Beyond the adrenaline, the children were fantastic ambassadors for the school. They showed great manners throughout the day and took real pride in tidying up after lunch, leaving the site exactly as they found it. Throughout every challenge, the children never stopped encouraging one another and cheering for their peers. It was a day filled with respect and brilliant teamwork. A huge thank you to Mrs Singleton and Miss Gregson for supporting the children every step of the way. Well done, Year 3!
Year 1 RE: Experiencing a Baptism
Year 1 were very fortunate to experience a baptism today. We had a doll in a beautiful christening gown. We had some parents and godparents who helped to care for the baby at church and make important promises to God. The children listened very well to all of the important readings and joined in with prayers. Rev Ben showed us the story of Jesus’ Baptism, which we will be focusing on next week, as well as explaining the important objects used in a baptism, such as the oil, candle, holy water and Bible. After the baptism, we had a party to celebrate the baby joining God’s Family. Thank you to Rev Ben for hosting the baptism and providing the children with a real life experience.
Year 6 - Fair Trade
Today during our geography lesson, Year 6 explored the importance of fair trade and the vital role it plays within global trade. We began with an oracy-based diagnostic question, which enabled the children to make meaningful links to prior learning, particularly around import and export. This discussion helped to surface their existing understanding and misconceptions. Following this, the children developed their geographical knowledge by creating a heatmap of the world. The children identified and coloured countries that participate in purchasing fair trade products, allowing them to visualise global patterns and consider which regions are more actively involved in supporting fair trade practices. To deepen their understanding, we also discussed why fair trade is important, including how it supports producers in developing countries, promotes ethical trading practices and contributes to more sustainable livelihoods. The children engaged thoughtfully with these ideas and demonstrated an increasing awareness of their role as global citizens.
Year 5 - Computing
In this lesson, the children were introduced to the terms ‘melody’ and ‘hook’, with a focus on how hooks make songs catchy and memorable. Year 5 then used the app Garage Band to create their own hook using a range of instrumental sounds, before using this hook to write their own song.