Year 1 Geography- Map Work
Today in their geography lesson, Year 1 had to read a map to navigate their way around the school grounds to identify different human features such as the MUGA, peace garden, KS1 playground, carpark and trim trail. In doing so, they used positional language such as in front of, behind, between and next to and describe features of the school grounds that were close to their Year 1 classroom and slightly further away.
Reception: Muddy Monday
For their Muddy Monday session, Reception walked to Whitehall park and looked for signs of spring. The children saw squirrels and heard lots of birds tweeting away which was lovely to see and hear. They saw more leaves on trees and also saw berries and blossom. The children then got to spend some time in a different section of Whitehall park. We role-played a camp fire and built a den too.
Year 3- Geography- Living Life to the Full-Comparing Darwen and New York
As part of our Geography topic on the United States of America, Year 3 have been investigating their local area, taking note of the physical and human features in their surroundings. During our walk, we stopped to talk with Mrs Singleton’s brother-in-law, who shared some fascinating facts about Darwen’s famous India Mill and its history. As we continued, we spotted an old tramline, a reminder of the past when trams used to travel between Blackburn and Darwen. We also noticed a boat in someone's garden, which sparked lots of excitement and curiosity! The children made some brilliant observations, noting that the streets in Darwen look much narrower compared to the wide, bustling avenues of New York. They also commented that the houses here are much smaller, and overall, Darwen feels a lot quieter and less busy than the lively streets of New York. Year 3 were living life to its fullest on this walk, embracing every opportunity to explore, learn, and wonder about the world around them. These real-world experiences will help the children when discussing the similarities and differences between Darwen and New York in class. Well done, Year 3, fantastic geographers in the making!
Reception Bird Feeders
As part of our learning on Migration, we have been making bird feeders using multigrain cereal and pipe cleaners. We are hoping our bird feeders will attract birds who have flown back to our country after their migration and give them plenty of food to keep them full up as Spring continues. We will hang them on the trees around school and hope to see many more birds visiting us.
Reception - Bird Migration
As part of our topic on Spring this week, we have been learning about bird migration. We discussed how lots of birds migrate to warmer countries in the Winter, as it’s too cold for them to build nests and find fresh food. However, now that it is Spring and getting much warmer, the birds are returning from their migration and we are happy to welcome them back and see them in our local environment again. Today we created our own migrating birds and tomorrow we will create bird feeders to hang in our Reception yard to welcome the birds back.
Year 5 - Presentation of Learning
On Tuesday Year 5 hosted a special worship to share their Presentation of Learning all about Earth Day 2025. This year’s theme, ‘Our Power, Our Planet’, encouraged our children to reflect on how individuals and communities can work together to make a positive impact on the environment. Their worship was both informative and inspiring, reminding us all that we have the power to protect our planet and God's creations through the choices we make every day. The children led a whole-school diagnostic quiz to test everyone’s knowledge about Earth Day and share what they had learned throughout their presentation. We then said a special Earth Day prayer written by Pope Francis and took a few moments to think about him as he sadly passed away earlier in the week. We finished with singing 'I can make a difference in this world of ours'
Reception: Muddy Monday
The children explored Jack Keys for their Muddy Monday session. They enjoyed a walk, built sculptures, built a den, balanced on natural materials and collectively walked 58km to add to our CAFOD Big Lent Walk. Well done!
Reception: Muddy Monday
Today our Reception children explored a different area of Whitehall Park. The children created bug houses and dens together. They also found some sticks and pretended to create fires and also used them as drum sticks. Some of the children tried to climb trees and it was lovely to see how brave they were all being whilst developing their fundamental skills. In addition, the children collectively walked 75km to contribute to our Lent Challenge. Well done!
Year 5 - Structure of the Earth
Year 5 used boiled eggs to explore the structure of the Earth, using the shell, egg white and yolk to represent the crust, mantle and core. This hands-on activity helped them visualise the Earth’s layers and understand their composition in a fun and engaging way. As they carefully peeled the shell, they discussed how the Earth’s crust is thin and fragile, just like the eggshell. They then examined the egg white, comparing it to the mantle, which is semi-solid and moves slowly over time. Finally, the yolk represented the core, helping the children grasp the concept of the Earth’s hot, dense center. The activity sparked curiosity and led to great discussions about plate tectonics, volcanic activity and the role of the Earth’s layers in shaping our planet.
Reception Firefighter visit
Today the Fire Service visited our Reception classroom to talk about how they help to keep us and the community safe. Lee reminded us that we must check our smoke alarms as they are the best way to keep us safe at home. He also told us about the different ways they help in emergencies, from putting out fires to rescuing trapped animals. He showed us their special uniform and the tools they need to perform their jobs. We then had a look at the fire engine and even experienced a quick shower from the very powerful fire hose. A big thank you to Darwen Fire Service for a brilliant morning.
Year 6- Natural History Museum
Our Year 6 class had a wonderful time exploring the Natural History Museum in London. They saw dinosaur and animal bones and fossils and lots of stuffed animals. They also went into the earthquake simulator shop and also enjoyed visiting the gift shop. For all of the Year 6 London trip photos, please click here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-6-london-trip-2025
Reception: Muddy Monday
The children in Reception walked 3.5km each this week to contribute further to our Big Lent Walk in aid of CAFOD. They walked to Whitehall Park and continued with their outdoor learning. This week the children found pine cones, climbed trees and found minibeasts. They also enjoyed creating dens and roleplaying around a camp fire!