Image of Year 1 D&T- Wacky Windmills
10 Jul

Year 1 D&T- Wacky Windmills

This afternoon, Year 1 proudly completed their Wacky Windmills as part of their Design & Technology unit. They carefully attached the sails to their structures and added colourful decorations to finish their creation.

Image of Year 3- Exploring Design Technology Through Castle Construction
7 Jul

Year 3- Exploring Design Technology Through Castle Construction

Over the past few weeks, the Budding designers have been learning the skills needed to design and build their own castles. They explored the features of castles, practised using tools for cutting, shaping, and joining materials, and sketched detailed designs of what they wanted to create. Today, our young designers finally brought their ideas to life. After watching the Pupil video Constructing a Castle for guidance, they began building their structures. Using shoeboxes from home as sturdy bases, the designers constructed turrets from cardboard tube rolls, battlements from sugar paper, and added flags made from straws and coloured card. Each castle was unique, reflecting the creativity and planning of its maker. The children selected from a variety of tools and materials, using them carefully and with purpose. Many included features such as drawbridges, windows, and gatehouses, and some even furnished the interiors of their castles with handmade items. In the next lesson, the children will evaluate their finished structures, considering what went well, what could be improved, and how effectively their design ideas were brought to life.

Image of Year 3- D.T-Creating Nets for Castle Construction
30 Jun

Year 3- D.T-Creating Nets for Castle Construction

In today's D.T. lesson, the children began constructing the pieces for their castles by creating nets to form 3D shapes. They used these shapes as the building blocks for their castle structures, following guidance from the pupil video, Nets and Structures.

Image of Year 3- Design Technology-Features of a Castle
23 Jun

Year 3- Design Technology-Features of a Castle

Today, our young designers started their final D.T. unit on structures by learning about castles. They explored the different features of a castle, such as turrets, battlements, moats, and drawbridges. We discussed why castles needed to be strong and stable, and linked this to stories and real-life examples of castles and how they were built to protect the people inside. The children then sketched their castles using 2D shapes, carefully labelling key parts. This helped them develop the skills and understanding they’ll need to build their 3D castles using boxes and cardboard tubes later in the unit. They showed fantastic creativity and a growing understanding of how structures are designed for strength and purpose.

Image of Year 4 - Linking Schools Visit to St Matthew’s
12 Jun

Year 4 - Linking Schools Visit to St Matthew’s

Our Linking Schools project reached its final part on Monday with Year 4 visiting St Matthew’s C of E Primary in Blackburn. We had a fantastic day designing “together towns”, creating poetry about living well together and even joining an assembly with local author, Dan Worsley. We have thoroughly enjoyed learning about our new friends and sharing work throughout this year; it has helped us to realise our similarities and celebrate differences.

Image of Year 1 Design and Technology- Exploring Structures
10 Jun

Year 1 Design and Technology- Exploring Structures

This afternoon in Year 1, we explored the different parts of a windmill, including the structure, rotor, and rotor blades (or sails). We then discussed what makes a successful structure, agreeing that it should be able to stand on its own—like buildings, tables, chairs, bridges, and windmills. We looked more closely at windmills and noticed that they are often made from strong materials such as metal or concrete to help them remain sturdy and durable. Next, we investigated stability by experimenting with a paper cup. We thought about whether it would be more stable in its usual upright position, upside down, or on its side. We decided it was most stable when upside down, as the wider base helped it stand more firmly. We also explored ways to make the cup even more stable. Phoebe and Vienna suggested attaching wood inside the cup, Haydn thought we could use two cups together, and Callie suggested adding Blu Tack to the inside. In the end, we chose to double up the cups and use Blu Tack for extra weight. We’re looking forward to continuing our work and adding to our structures in the next lesson!

Image of Year 4 Biscuit Creations Group 1
23 May

Year 4 Biscuit Creations Group 1

In our final food technology session we made our lovely biscuit creations. We have planned these for several weeks from looking at package design, taste testing, budgeting and then mixing and baking. What a fantastic end result for Group 1!

Image of Year 4 Biscuit Creations Group 2
23 May

Year 4 Biscuit Creations Group 2

In our final food technology session we made our lovely biscuit creations. We have planned these for several weeks from looking at package design, taste testing, budgeting and then mixing and baking. What a fantastic end result for Group 2!

Image of Year 4 - The Master Baker Process
23 May

Year 4 - The Master Baker Process

What a fantastic unit we have just completed in our Food Technology unit - Adapting a recipe. We used a basic shortbread recipe and then added up to three extra special ingredients according to our target audience. The master baker process was very tricky, especially the decorating at the end but the final result is proof of how hard the children have been working throughout.

Image of Y4 DT - Food Technology - Biscuit Making
15 May

Y4 DT - Food Technology - Biscuit Making

Today Year 4 moved onto our third food technology session where we were making our biscuit designs. We have adapted the original review by adding various topping ingredients. First we made our shortbread mix, rolled it out and then cut it into our individual shapes and designs. Miss Carol then laid all the biscuits on the baking trays and put them in the oven to cook. We can’t wait to decorate them tomorrow and finally get to taste test the end product.

Image of Year 3- Class Worship - Young Inventors
12 May

Year 3- Class Worship - Young Inventors

Today's Picture News class worship highlighted the inspiring ingenuity of three teenagers from India who developed a salt-powered fridge to aid hospitals in rural areas lacking electricity. Reflecting on this through the lens of "windows, doors, and mirrors" in spirituality, the teenagers' story served as a "window" into the needs of others and the power of innovation. We then considered the everyday items that ease our own lives, such as the convenience of a hairdryer, the ready access to running water, and the efficiency of an air fryer. This reflection acted as a "mirror," prompting us to appreciate the impact of even simple solutions on the quality of life. Inspired by the teenagers' creativity, which we saw as an open "door" of possibility, Year 3 resolved to embark on our invention journey, recognising our potential to make a positive difference in the world. This experience connected with the Christian value of hope and the biblical message of using our creativity to serve others. Isaac led a prayer thanking God for inspiring ideas and creative minds, emphasising the importance of using our abilities to make a positive impact, even through small acts of kindness and imagination.

Image of Year 5 - Pop up Books
7 May

Year 5 - Pop up Books

This week, Year 5 completed their pop-up book designs, bringing classic nursery rhymes to life with creativity, colour and imagination. The children carefully planned their layouts, experimented with different mechanisms and added artistic flair to each page.