Year 3- P.E- Showing Determination in Sport
Today in P.E. we focused on our Invasion Games unit by practising our handball skills and focusing on our character value of Determination. We began by modeling and practising how to send and receive a ball using both a one-handed pass and a bounce pass. To perform these successfully, we followed specific techniques. When receiving, we kept our eyes on the ball and held our hands in a "W" shape to safely bring the ball in. In groups of 4 or 5, we stood in a semi-circle and practiced "Pepper Pot". One child acted as the leader, passing to each classmate in turn, who then passed the ball back. We rotated roles so everyone had a chance to practice both one-handed and bounce passes.
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B Team Football Festival
A huge well done to the B Team football squad who competed in a fantastic festival, playing against lots of schools across Blackburn and Darwen. The team played amazingly well, winning a variety of competitive games and showing great teamwork, determination and sportsmanship throughout. You all represented the school brilliantly – we are incredibly proud of your effort and attitude.
Year 5 - English
Having completed our persuasive letters promoting Fair Trade products, the children had the opportunity to read their letters out loud. The aim was to be as persuasive as possible, using techniques learned from famous speeches of Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King. The children considered how language choice, repetition, pauses, volume and body language can engage an audience and convince people of your argument.
Collective Worship: Lent
It was wonderful to meet together as a school family again this morning after our half term break. We looked back on the joy of sharing pancakes together, while acknowledging the deeper significance of that celebration: the arrival of Lent. We explored the origins of this holy season, remembering how Jesus walked through the desert for forty days and forty nights. During this time, He gave up everything (going without food or water) to simplify His life and feel closer to God. Today, Christians follow this example by choosing to give up something special. Many of us shared that we are choosing to fast from treats like chocolate, sweets, crisps, or juice, while others are focusing on being mindful of their spending. However, Lent is not only about what we take away, but also about what we can give back to the world. We discussed how we can offer our efforts to protect God’s creation by saving water, using less plastic and conserving electricity. We also spoke about the power of small, intentional acts of grace, such as showing respect to animals, offering a warm smile and spreading joy wherever we go. Our "Kindness Kite" recently took had a focus on speaking kind words to one another. This led us to reflect on the nature of God’s love. Using words like colossal, mammoth, immense, and ginormous, we described God’s vast love which is everywhere, surrounding us at all times. Mason and Darcy then read this week's kindness kite which is 'kindness within our community'. We defined our community as the places we go, the people around us, and the gatherings we share. They read the following Bible quotes: "Be happy with those who are happy and be sad with those who are sad." This reminds us to show true empathy, to sit with others in their time of need and offer comfort. We also committed to the call to "love each other like brothers and sisters," acknowledging that while we may occasionally fall out, we are called to love everyone regardless. Finally, we celebrated the wonderful ways our school has already shown kindness to our wider community. We remembered the RotaKids collecting teddies for refugees, the Year 1 hampers delivered at Christmas, our collective effort in planting trees for the environment and our participation in the Big Winter Wander. We closed our worship in a moment of quiet reflection and prayer, asking for the strength to remain kind throughout the weeks of Lent.
Year 1 English: Enjoying Traditional Rhymes
Today, we enjoyed a variety of different traditional rhymes. In groups, the children had to look at the clues around the room and sing the traditional rhyme to match. We sang Humpty Dumpty, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Five Little Ducks and Incy Wincy Spider. We noticed that traditional rhymes all have rhyming words, repetition and should be sung. Finally, we annotated Five Little Ducks.
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Year 5 - Science
We continued our topic of Space by exploring why the Moon appears as different shapes and sizes in the night sky. The children revisited core concepts such as how the Earth rotates on its axis and how the Moon orbits the Earth. Combining these ideas with the light from the Sun, the children were able to understand how the different phases of the Moon emerge. We worked in groups to simulate the solar system using torches and table tennis balls, allowing children to see the phases in real time.
Year 1 History: Our Favourite Toys
Today, we started our new topic in History: toys from the past. We started by bringing in our favourite toys from home and comparing these to pictures of old toys such as a ball and cup and wooden rocking horse. We noticed that our toys are mainly plastic and fabric materials. Then, we wrote about our favourite toys and shared them with each other to play together.
Year 3- Science- An Investigation into Igneous Rock Formation
Today, the children stepped into the roles of geologists to explore the fiery origins of igneous rocks. We began by investigating how magma (molten rock) from beneath the Earth's surface transforms into solid rock through cooling and the formation of crystals. The class compared intrusive igneous rocks, which cool slowly underground to form large crystals, with extrusive igneous rocks, which cool rapidly on the surface. To see this in action, we conducted two "delicious" experiments: first, we poured a hot chocolate and coconut oil mixture over ice to mimic the instant cooling of obsidian, resulting in a smooth, glass-like finish. Next, we created "honeycomb" rock by adding bicarbonate of soda to a hot sugar syrup; as the mixture foamily solidified, it trapped gas bubbles inside, perfectly demonstrating the porous, lightweight texture of pumice. Through these hands-on models, the children successfully reported on how temperature and trapped gases dictate the appearance and physical properties of the rocks we see on Earth today.
Year 5 - Growing Our Future
Year 5 visited Jacks Key to contribute to a new micro forest in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council and Lancashire County Council Treescapes. Even though the weather was inclement and the ground was muddy, the children embraced the opportunity to get their hands dirty and plant our trees. It was also a great way to support our mental health and wellbeing for Children's Mental Health Week. We cannot wait to see how it grows!
Year 1: Big Winter Wander
We had such a lovely Big Winter Wander today. It really did feel like a Bear Hunt, long wavy grass, thick oozy mud, a deep cold river and even a swirling whirling snowstorm! The children behaved wonderfully and represented the school well. What a brilliant way to end Children's Mental Health Week by getting out in the fresh air! Donations to WWF can be made here: https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-nzymxvnokwdn?currentTab=feed
Year 3-Express Yourself Day!
Today, our school community came together to celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week 2026. This year’s theme, "This is My Place," encouraged our students to embrace self-awareness and explore what makes them unique, a vital step in building the resilience needed to navigate life’s ups and downs. Year 3 proudly wore the tie-dye T-shirts they created in their recent Art lessons. Each shirt was as unique as the student wearing it, perfectly showcasing their vibrant personalities and creative flair.
Year 1 English: Making Sandwiches
In English, we swapped our instructions with a partner and they had to follow the instructions to make the sandwich. Then, they had to rate their partners instructions and check that they had included time conjunctions, imperative verbs and adverbs. Finally, we got to eat them!