Summer Reading Challenge 2024
This morning, Angela came in to invite us all to join in with ‘The Summer Reading Challenge 2024- Marvellous Makers’. This is a national reading activity, which aims to encourage a love of reading in children and develop their literacy skills throughout the summer. To get started, drop in to either Darwen or Blackburn Library. Angela told us that once you’re enrolled, each member needs to read 6 library books (or eBooks/eAudio), with stickers or a prize being awarded for each book that is read and returned. Prizes will include origami paper and pencil crayons. Those who complete the scheme (all 6 books), will receive a medal and a certificate that they can bring into school in September and have presented in Friday celebration worship. Angela asked us why it would be amazing if we all completed the Summer Reading Challenge. Our children said that reading can help us to learn new words, increase our imagination, get us excited so our hearts will beat fast and help us to challenge our brains. We look forward to hopefully presenting lots of ‘Summer Reading Challenge’ certificates and medals in September. Extra Information To enrol, simply go to your nearest Blackburn with Darwen library and complete an application form between 1st July & 30th September. Enrolment in the scheme is free of charge, and involves children borrowing books on a library card. If your child does not yet have a library card, we would encourage you to take this opportunity to enrol them as a library member. This is a quick process, and you will simply be asked to complete and sign another form. However, those children without library cards may still join the Summer Reading Challenge, and temporary arrangements will be put in place to allow them to borrow books.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Wow! What a year we have had in Reception. The children have made so much progress during our forest schools sessions. They have improved in their stamina, risk taking, problem solving and imagination skills. We have loved seeing all of the children blossom and made the most of our last Muddy Monday session together!
Year 1 Panda Paramedic First Aid Bronze Award
This morning, we welcomed Dawn the paramedic into our Year 1 classroom to complete our Basic First Aid Bronze Award. First of all, Dawn asked us how we treat a burn. We knew that we needed to run it under cool water but our guesses for how long this should be done for were way out. Eventually, we came to the right answer which is 20 minutes. Dawn them showed us how we give first aid to someone with a graze. We all practised applying a plaster without touching the part of the plaster that will touch the graze. Then we learnt how to treat an open wound and got the opportunity to practise bandaging a wound for our friend. Finally, Dawn told us about anaphylaxis. We learnt that anaphylaxis is an extreme allergic reaction where there are symptoms such as extreme swelling. In this case, we found out that we need to use an EpiPen to treat someone. We practised using an EpiPen by reciting the rhyme ‘Blue to the sky and orange to the thigh’. Dawn explained that we do this for 10 seconds and that the thigh is a big muscle which is why we do it there. Dawn also said that we need to call 999 because anaphylaxis is an emergency. When you dial 999, Dawn said that the first thing you will be asked is what service you require and for a medical emergency you will ask for the ambulance. Then , Dawn said that the ambulance will ask for your home address so it’s really important that we all know this. Dawn gave us some scenarios and we had to day whether we would phone an ambulance. We said yes for someone who has collapsed and was not responding, complaining of a pain in their heart and looking pale and having an asthma attack and struggling to breathe/talk in full sentences. Dawn also explained the dangers of dialling 999 for a joke. Thank you Dawn. Year 1 learnt lots about basic first aid.
Year 1 Enjoy Their Last Euro’s Training Session
This afternoon, Year 1 had their last Euro’s training session with coaches Ste and Lily Walker. For the last four weeks, they have been practising skills such as stopping the ball, walking and running with the ball, passing, tackling and shooting and today they got the opportunity to play a 5 a side football match. Coach Ste also gave them all a ‘CONFIDENCE’ tennis ball. The idea of the ball is to promote positivity, build the children’s confidence and support them in developing a growth mindset by catching their own confidence throwing the tennis ball up and down and catching it, throwing it against a wall and catching it and throwing the ball around with friends. It is also for using whilst saying positive affirmations to yourself. Thank you Ste and Lily for 5 wonderful weeks of coaching.
Year 1 Maths- Telling the time to the hour
This morning in Year 1, we have been learning to tell the time to the hour. We made various o’clock times e.g. 6 o’clock, 2 o’clock, 9 o’clock and 11 o’clock and then we made various o’clock times using clues such as the time that we go to bed, wake up in the morning and have our dinner.
Year 3- Rock and River-
Year 3 had an amazing day at Rock and River today, participating in various challenging activities, including the low ropes course, climbing tower, airbag jump, rafted canoes, sit-on-top kayaks, paddle boards, and mega paddle boards. Despite finding the water cold, nothing stopped them from jumping in and getting wet! They had an absolute blast, demonstrating our school's Christian values by being brave and showing courage, determination, and respect throughout the day. Their behaviour and manners were so impressive that even the instructors were in awe.
Year 1 English
This week, Year 1 have explored riddles. They have practised writing their own clues using adjectives, verbs, adverbs, similes and conjunctions. They are now really excited to write their own riddle containing all of the grammatical features that they have been practising. Well done Year 1!
Year 1 RE- Joseph
In RE, Year 1 have been learning about the story of Joseph. They have learnt about Joseph being a dreamer, a prisoner and eventually a ruler. In their most recent lesson, Year 1 discussed what they had learnt from this story and a couple of the things that the children said that they had learnt was that God is always with you and will support you in achieving your dreams and it is worth being resilient and overcoming challenges to achieve something that you really want. It tied in really nicely with the whole school worship that we had on Tuesday morning about growth mindset. To end the lesson, the children thought about their own dreams and shared these with their friends.
Year 3- Rock and River
Year 3 had an amazing day at Rock and River today, participating in various challenging activities, including the low ropes course, climbing tower, airbag jump, rafted canoes, sit-on-top kayaks, paddle boards, and mega paddle boards. Despite finding the water cold, nothing stopped them from jumping in and getting wet! They had an absolute blast, demonstrating our school's Christian values by being brave and showing courage, determination, and respect throughout the day. Their behaviour and manners were so impressive that even the instructors were in awe.
Year 6 - Perfecting Our Performance
Well, all we can say is that the parents of these talented performers are in for a treat! The children have been working hard to develop their acting, singing and dancing skills. The performance is coming along nicely and Year 6 can’t wait to entertain their teachers and families. Bring on the show!
Year 4 - RE: Symbolism in the Methodist Church
We ended our final RE unit of Year 4 with a class trip to Springvale Methodist Church. The children had the opportunity to explore the church, looking for symbols of Christianity and they listened attentively as Rev Elizabeth explained all about the Methodist faith. The children also had a chance to ask some questions and comment on the features they had noticed. We were impressed by the children’s behaviour and their thought-provoking questions.
Year 4 - PE: Footwork & Pivoting
The Year 4s have been working on their netball skills lately. This week we revisited throwing and catching techniques and then spent time learning, practising and applying our footwork skills. We learned how to pivot on one foot in order to seek out a team mate to pass the ball to.