Micro forest planting in Year 4
Today, our Year 4 class swapped the classroom for the great outdoors at Jacks Key! We were thrilled to take part in the exciting new initiative, ‘Growing Our Future: A New Micro Forest’. Working alongside the Lancashire County Council Treescapes team and in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council, our students got their hands dirty for a wonderful cause. We are incredibly proud to say that every single child planted at least two trees! These saplings will grow into a micro-forest that will serve as a lasting legacy for our neighbourhood for decades to come. Well done, Year 4, for helping build a greener future!
Year 3’s Microforest Adventure- Planting Trees
Year 3 are thrilled that our school is partnering with Blackburn with Darwen Council and the Lancashire County Council Treescapes team to create a brand-new microforest. The children had an absolutely fantastic time getting stuck into the soil! The planting team were genuinely impressed by the children's impressive knowledge of local trees and birds. We have some truly talented budding ecologists in our midst. The students showed such care and dedication while planting, and they are already buzzing with excitement to return and watch "their" trees flourish over the coming years. A huge well done to Year 3 for being such incredible ambassadors for our environment and for leaving a lasting green legacy for our community!
Reception Pancake Tasting
Reception were delighted to sample some delicious pancakes with their choice of toppings this afternoon. They watched with interest as the mini pancakes were cooked on a special griddle using batter. They then had a selection of toppings to choose from to decorate their own pancakes, before the best part - eating them!
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Year 3 Become Researchers- Finding facts about David Attenborough
Today in English, Year 3 has taken the lead as researchers. They've been exploring the lives of "World Changers," looking at historical icons like Isaac Newton, David Attenborough and Florence Nightingale. After coming up with some brilliant questions earlier in the week, the children used Purple Mash to navigate the web and find their own facts. It was fantastic to see them working independently as they gathered all the info they needed to write some impressive biographies!
Reception Planting Trees
Reception had the amazing opportunity to plant their own trees to establish a micro-forest near Jack's Key, The children worked in groups to select a tree and plant it in the ground carefully, getting a bit muddy along the way! The children were excited to find out that by the time they leave St Barnabas their trees may be about 4 or 5 meters tall! We hope to observe how our trees grow and change as we venture out on our Muddy Mondays each week this coming year.
Pancake making with Fruiticious in Year 4
Year 4 loved taking part in the Pancake making session with the Fruiticious team this afternoon. They showed us how they made their pancakes, cooked some for us and then even let us sample them with a variety of different toppings. What a brilliant treat to finish off a busy half term!
Year 1 PSHE: Catch it, Bin it, Kill it
Year 1 continued to learn about the spread of germs and illness in PSHE. We watched a short video explaining that to keep hygienic we should follow 3 steps: catch it, bin it and kill it. We should catch our germs with a tissue, bin the tissue and wash our hands to kill the germs. To make our whole school aware of these rules, we worked in groups to create a poster for each class.
Year 3- Learning from the Experts- Early Pancake Day
Today, we welcomed professional bakers into school for a special pancake-making workshop! By watching experts at work, the children gained a fantastic insight into the hospitality and culinary industries. It wasn’t just about the flipping and the toppings, though; the children learned that to be a great baker, you need to be a bit of a "subject superstar." They explored how Maths is essential for measuring ingredients and timing, how English helps with following recipes, and how Science is the secret behind the perfect batter. The children found the pancakes absolutely delicious! We hope today has inspired some big aspirations and future dreams in our budding chefs.
Year 5 - PSHE
Because it is Children’s Mental Health week, we had a special lesson considering what mental health is and how to look after it. We talked about the range of human feelings and how there are bigger and smaller emotions. They can affect all of us in different ways but talking to a trusted person about our feelings can help us understand them. We discussed who the children might want to talk to and how they can be a good listener.
Year 6 - Big Winter Wander
As part of the Big Winter Wander, Year 6 enjoyed a walk around Jack’s Key, making the most of the crisp winter weather to explore our local environment. During the walk, the children carefully observed their surroundings and learned more about our whole-school sustainability project and the positive impact it aims to have on our community. The children took part in bird watching, using a tally system to record the number and types of birds they spotted. Among the species identified were wood pigeons, carrion crows, starlings, magpies and chaffinches. The children showed great patience and enthusiasm as they quietly observed and counted the wildlife around them. Once our micro forest is fully established, we plan to repeat this survey and compare the results. This will help us to see whether biodiversity has increased and whether our project has successfully created a richer habitat, providing food, shelter and safe nesting spaces for a wider variety of wildlife. Donations to WWF can be made here: https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-nzymxvnokwdn?currentTab=feed
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Online Safety: Fostering a sense of belonging
Feeling a sense of belonging plays a vital role in children’s wellbeing, confidence and gives them the ability to thrive, both academically and emotionally. This weeks #WakeUpWednesday guide explores why belonging matters and how small, everyday interactions can make a meaningful difference in helping children feel accepted and included. Download your FREE copy here >> https://vist.ly/4r52x
Year 3 Present Their Learning: A Journey Through Victorian History to Year 2
Today, Year 3 had a fantastic opportunity to showcase their historical expertise by presenting their learning to Year 2. The children transported their audience back in time, sharing insightful details about the harsh realities of the Victorian era and the reformers who fought for change. The children shared fascinating facts about: The Factory Acts: They explained how these new laws finally made it illegal to employ children under the age of nine and limited the gruelling hours older children could work. Lord Shaftesbury: The class spoke about his tireless work as a reformer who believed every child deserved a childhood and an education. Ragged Schools: They described these free schools that provided food, clothing, and lessons to the most vulnerable children who couldn't afford a traditional education. Working Conditions: The children painted a vivid picture of the dangerous health conditions in Victorian factories, from the lack of ventilation to the "scavenging" roles children often performed under moving machinery. Whether presenting individually or in small groups, every child rose to the challenge, providing a brilliant boost for our Voice 21 initiative. It was a joy to watch them grow into confident speakers, using their oracy skills to teach others about the differences between the past and the present. Well done, Year 3.