Author Visit: Sean Perkins
Today we continued to celebrate our national year of reading initiative. We were delighted to welcome local author Sean Perkins to our school. Sean shared his stories about characters Oscar and Ben, and the children thoroughly enjoyed listening to a reading of "Oscar and Ben: The Sleepover," which featured engaging sound effects and pictures. The children also learned a song about the characters and had the opportunity to ask Sean questions at the end of the session. All three of Sean’s books are currently available to purchase via ParentPay. Sean has kindly offered to sign any copies purchased. Thank you Sean for visiting our school.
Year 3 GULP Project-Final Recap and Results
The Year 3 children have completed their final session of the GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) project! This initiative, delivered in partnership with the Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, has been a fantastic journey for our young "Sugar Detectives." Throughout the program, the children have developed vital "Label Literacy" skills, learning how to decode nutritional information and calculate total sugar content in various bottle sizes. Converting grams into physical sugar cubes, allowing the pupils to truly visualise the hidden sugars in their favourite fizzy drinks and juices. We finished with a "Sugar Detective Quiz" to assess their knowledge, and it was wonderful to see how much they remembered about making healthier drink choices. The program has already made a visible impact, with many children now opting for water over high-sugar alternatives, which is also saving on plastic too! We would like to extend a huge thank you to Nathan for his time and expertise.
Year 6: Coram Life Education
This week, year 6 had their Life Education session, which focused on making decisions. The session began with a recap on how we can keep our bodies healthy and the importance of mental health. The session then moved on to discussing drugs: that they change the way a person thinks, feels and behaves and that there are legal and illegal drugs. The children learned that medicines contain drugs and that medicines can sometimes be unsafe if used incorrectly. The session ended with a discussion around how we can avoid peer pressure and what is meant by being a bystander or an upstander. The children really enjoyed this session and learned a lot, conducting themselves in a very sensible and mature manner.
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Year 2 - Life Education Visit
We had a visit from Life Education this week. We spoke about staying healthy and our feelings.
Year 1: A Visit from Harold the Giraffe
Year 1 had a very exciting visit from Harold the Giraffe, who came to teach us all about our wonderful bodies and how to keep them healthy! The children learned why breakfast is so important, helping our bodies get ready for the day with lots of energy for learning and playing. Harold showed us different types of foods and how they help our bodies in different ways: Dairy foods such as cheese, yoghurt and milk are full of calcium, which helps keep our teeth and bones strong. Protein foods like fish, beans, eggs, chicken, chickpeas and peanut butter help to build strong muscles. Fruits and vegetables such as peas, grapes, apples, aubergine, peppers and bananas help keep us healthy and we should try to eat 5 a day! Carbohydrates including bread, porridge, pasta, potatoes, Weetabix and rice give us the energy we need. We also talked about having a balanced diet, with a mix of all these food groups. Harold helped the children understand more about their bodies too. We learned that: Our skin keeps us safe and protects our body. We need to breathe oxygen to stay alive. Food goes into our stomach, where it gets digested to give us energy. The session also reminded us how to stay healthy and safe by: Washing our hands to get rid of germs. Understanding that medicine should only be taken with help from a grown-up. Finally, Harold talked about our feelings and friendships and why it’s important to say sorry if we do something wrong, even if it was an accident. Year 1 were fantastic listeners and really enjoyed meeting Harold the Giraffe. It was a fun, engaging session that helped us learn how to look after our bodies and each other!
Year 4 - Science: Air Pollution
The Year 4 super scientists undertook some fieldwork this week. They will be comparing the level of air pollution in 4 areas within our locality and so they suggested some areas to test and off we went to place our test cards. One side of each card was covered with a thin layer of Vaseline with the idea that some particles released from vehicles and machinery will stick to the cards and we can observe and discuss the level of pollution in each area. We also took a reading of the noise level in each area using a decibel meter so that we could determine whether there is a link between noise level and pollution level.
Year 4 - Life Education
The children love a visit from Harold the Giraffe and the Life Education team. Today, the Year 4 class learned about ways to look after our bodies and our wellbeing. Beginning with a look at our bodies’ basic needs, we considered how we can take care of ourselves physically. The children learned why sleep is so important and that sometimes our bodies may need medication to bring them back in balance. They also learned about some problems associated with misusing drugs. Our session also covered friendships and diversity, highlighting the positives of being different to each other. After short video clip of Harold and his friends at a theme park aided a discussion about conflict resolution with particular attention on having different interests but finding a compromise. Finally, the highlight of the session was a visit from Harold.
Year 3- P.E-Sugar Detectives: Our GULP Project
Today, our pupils became "Sugar Detectives" as part of the GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) project. The children investigated a variety of popular drinks to uncover the hidden sugars they contain. Using their mathematical skills, they completed a comparison table detailing the total volume of each drink and the specific sugar content. The highlight of the lesson was converting grams of sugar into the actual number of sugar cubes to create a visual representation of what we are consuming. A key takeaway for our detectives was the importance of reading labels carefully; they discovered that while some bottles are 500ml, the nutritional information is often only listed for 100ml, requiring them to calculate the total amount for the whole bottle.
Year 3- PSHE and Life Education Session-Meeting the Brain with Harold and Friends
Today, Year 3 welcomed Karen from the Life Education van for an engaging session titled "Meet the Brain." The children explored how to make healthy choices, specifically learning to differentiate between helpful medicines and harmful substances like nicotine. To keep their "brains ticking" and maintain focus, the session was punctuated with high-energy "stretch and wriggle" moments. The pupils also focused on the importance of looking after our lungs and the risks associated with smoking. This learning was brought to life through a story about Harold the Giraffe and his friends preparing for a talent show. When Harold and Derek began to argue about who could take part, the children helped Kiki understand Eli’s clever suggestion for resolving the conflict. They explained how the friends could use their individual talents together: Harold singing while Derek played the trumpet. It was a fantastic lesson in friendship, compromise, and teamwork that perfectly complemented our focus on healthy bodies and minds.
Year 5 Life Education: Friends
Today, year 5 had their Life Education session, focusing on friendship. They began by discussing what we need to do to keep our bodies and minds healthy; thinking about how these things affect our behaviour, mood, growth and development. The children talked about the importance of good mental health and how we should aim to: be mindful, connect with others, be active, be creative and try to give to others. This led into the topic of healthy friendships and conflict resolution. The children discussed what it means to be aggressive, passive or assertive when trying to solve arguments with our friends. The session ended with a discussion around standing up to peer pressure.
Year 5 - Speak Out with the NSPCC
Jan from the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) visited Year 5 today about the different types of abuse that children may experience. The class talked about how to identify when abuse might happen, including the differences between bullying and cyberbullying. The key message about staying safe was to speak out to trusted adults about any concerns that children may have alongside using the Childline website and phone number 0800 1111.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Today is known as Blue Monday, but our Reception class decided to rename it "Happy Monday" by participating in the five steps to wellbeing. The children focused on being active and taking notice of our special world. During their walk, they were mesmerised by the fog and gave thanks for the birds, insects, dogs, and trees. They returned to school excited to share what they had observed with their peers during "snack and chat." If you are feeling a bit low today, we encourage you to try going for a walk and taking a moment to appreciate the world around you.
Year 2 NSPCC visit - Speak Out. Stay Safe.
In Year 2, we had a visit from the NSPCC. We learned more about safe adults (both in school and out of school), what we can do if we are upset or worried and how to contact Childline.
Year 6 - NSPCC
Year 6 enjoyed their NSPCC talk, which focused on the importance of speaking out and staying safe. The session reminded the children about Childline and how it can support them if they are worried or need someone to talk to. Through discussion and clear, age-appropriate examples, the children learned about trusted adults, personal safety and where to seek help. The talk provided an important opportunity for children to ask questions and deepen their understanding of keeping themselves and others safe.
Reception: Stay and Play
We loved welcoming family members from Reception class to our stay and play session. It was lovely to see some children from pre-school attending too. The children completed lots of challenges together and showed how busy they are with their learning in class. Well done! Stay and play continues next Wednesday at 9am.
Year 3-Oral Health & Physical Activity
Today, Nathan delivered the second GULP (Give up loving pop) session, focusing on the importance of oral hygiene and making healthy drink choices. The session was split into active and classroom-based learning: Physical Activity: The children participated in 30 minutes of high-energy exercise, playing a game where they had to "run away from plaque" and earn points for "cleaning" their teeth. Classroom Learning: We explored the impact of sugary drinks on health and discussed practical ways to avoid them. To see the effects of sugar and acid firsthand, the children carried out an egg experiment, which provided a great visual representation of how tooth enamel can be damaged. Practical Skills: Every child received a toothbrush and toothpaste to encourage consistent dental care at home. The children were fully engaged and absolutely loved the session.
Choir- Let's Go Sing Workshop
Our choir had their final workshop from Rose today in preparation for their Let's Go Sing concert on Wednesday 18th March. Rose was extremely impressed with the children. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here: https://iceaccount.co.uk/lets-go-sing/event/?event_id=8360 Please choose tickets in yellow block to see the children. Thanks, Mrs Wilkinson
100 Years of Blackburn Diocese
In order to celebrate 100 years of Blackburn diocese, we took part in a whole-school virtual assembly that focused on the many successes and achievements of the diocese over the past century. Bishop Philip welcomed schools from across the diocese and shared an engaging story about the travels of the Wise Men, linking these to themes of faith, journey and community. The children greatly enjoyed seeing and feeling connected to other schools within the diocese and were excited to take part in a shared celebration. The assembly provided a valuable opportunity for pupils to reflect on their place within the wider diocesan family, strengthening their sense of belonging and understanding of our shared faith. The event was engaging, inclusive, meaningful and it helped bring the history and mission of the diocese to life for the whole school community. We are looking forward to taking part in a variety of centenary 'All for Jesus' activities and worships over the year.
Year 3 Welcome Blackburn Rovers for GULP Project
We are delighted to welcome Blackburn Rovers to Year 3 for a four-week programme. They are delivering the GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) campaign, a fantastic initiative by Food Active, to help our students understand the health risks associated with sugary drinks. Today, the children kicked things off by learning all about what’s really inside their favourite sodas and how to make healthier choices.
Year 3 visit the Rose Garden
It was a lovely morning as Year 3 followed the church service with a walk to the rose garden. The children took great pride in spotting their own artwork and their siblings' pieces.
Year 3, Living Life to its Fullness- Whitehall Park
After viewing the artwork in the Rose Garden, Year 3 received a surprise treat: a visit to Whitehall Park. Joined by Year 4, the children made the most of the fresh air and sunshine before heading back to the classroom. It was a beautiful reminder of the importance of living life to its fullness, finding joy in creativity, friendship, and the world around us.
Whole School Christmas Church Service
This morning, our whole school enjoyed a joyful and reflective visit to church to celebrate the Christmas season together. During the service, children from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 confidently shared the work they have been doing in class, exploring the true meaning of Christmas and the special joy, hope and kindness that Jesus brought to others. Their contributions helped everyone to pause and reflect on the importance of love, generosity and togetherness at this special time of year. We also enjoyed singing a selection of our much-loved Christmas carols, filling the church with festive cheer. A highlight was watching our whole-school Christmas video, which captured many of the wonderful activities and celebrations from the past couple of weeks. The children thoroughly enjoyed seeing themselves on screen taking part in the festivities and were especially delighted to see members of the school staff joining in and having fun. It was a warm and uplifting celebration that truly reflected the spirit of Christmas and brought our school community together. A huge thank you to Parents and to all who attended to celebrate with us. We wish you a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Choir singing at Darwen Market
Thank you Darwen Market for inviting our choir to sing today! We had a wonderful time spreading festive cheer on the way through waving to cars and wishing everyone that we met a merry Christmas! It was brilliant to bring some Christmas joy to our community and thank you so much to the parents and grandparents who came along to support the children!
Church Carol Service
A huge thank you to the children who came to our church Carol Service on Sunday evening. Your lovely singing has helped to get everyone in the festive mood. Thank you St Barnabas Church. Darwen. for inviting us to take part in the special service. Thank you for the chocolates too, the children loved those on Monday morning.
Year 4 - RE: Hanukkah
In the Year 4 RE session this week we had a special visitor. A member of our school family came into class to share her Jewish faith and the story and customs of Hanukkah celebrations. We also had the opportunity to ask some curiosity questions.
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Reception class visit the Rose Garden
Reception class enjoyed their visit to the Rose garden. They looked at all of the Advent art and some of the children were proud to see their artwork. The children sang carols together and they all went to the playground as a special treat.
Year 1 RE: Advent Trail
This afternoon Year 1 took a visit to Whitehall Park so that we could see all of the Advent Art created by our school, which fit nicely into our RE topic surrounding the true meaning of Christmas. As we walked to the park, we thought about the Nativity story. Once we arrived, we discovered that the Wise Men brought Jesus three special gifts: gold (to show respect that Jesus was a king), frankincense (to show that people would worship Him) and myrrh (to show that Jesus would understand suffering). We tried to see if any of the artwork showcased the Wise Men. We discussed that most precious gifts are not expensive, but they have thought and meaning behind them. We also thanked God for the most special gift of all, Jesus.
Year 2 - We met Father Christmas
On Friday we had a fantastic Christmas party and met Father Christmas. We were so pleased to receive a special gift from him.
Year 5 - Whitehall Park
On Tuesday, we visited the rose garden at Whitehall Park to see the wonderful Advent art made by the talented children of St Barnabas. Afterwards, we took advantage of the dry weather by spending our break time on the swings.
Rocksteady Christmas Concert
We were so proud of Rocksteady Rock Stars for their amazing performances in their Rock Concert yesterday. It’s been wonderful to see how much their confidence has grown over the last few months. We are also super proud of Mr Mealor for performing brilliantly on the drums and Mason for singing amazingly well with him! Thanks so much Jess for being so amazing with our children. The photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/rocksteady-christmas-concert and the videos have been added to class dojo.
Author Visit to KS1 and Year 3: Janek Puzon
We had a special visit from an author this morning, Janek Puzon. He read his new book “Dean the Baked Bean and his Karaoke Machine”. It was about a baked bean who loves singing on karaoke. The children sat amazingly whilst listening to him read the story and enjoyed it. They also asked some fantastic questions such as: How many books have you written? Do you enjoy being an author? Where do you write the books? How do you write a book? Which is your favourite book that you have written? We are very excited for our delivery of his books to our school library!
Year 3 Meet Author Janek Puzon
Today, the children had the pleasure of meeting an Janek Puzon an author. He read out loud the story Dean the Baked Bean and His Karaoke Machine. This picture book tells the story of Dean, a small but mighty baked bean who doesn't quite fit in with the rest of his tin. While all the other beans are content to sit quietly in the sauce, Dean has a big dream and an even bigger voice. The central themes are: Embracing individuality: Learning that it's okay to be different from everyone else in your "tin." Following the reading, the children engaged in a Q&A session, by asking about the author's journey, his creative process for generating new ideas, and the role of his illustrators. He concluded by mentioning that his works are available on various platforms, including on Amazon. The children are super excited about getting hold of one of his books which will be available at our school library soon. They were particularly fascinated to learn about the editing and proofreading process (which they recognise from using their purple pens), understanding how crucial it is to polish a book before it's published.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Reception class really enjoyed their Muddy Monday walk to Jacks Key reservoir today. There were lots of muddy puddles to splash in which was great fun. The children had to jump over a stream which they all enjoyed and loved talking to each other along the way.
Whitehall Park Christmas Lantern Parade
A huge thank you to everyone who braved the wind and the rain this evening to attend the Whitehall Park Christmas Lantern Parade. The children had great fun creating their own lanterns and going on a very muddy walk around the park. We are so proud of all the children who sang so brilliantly and brought festive cheer to everyone. Thank you Whitehall Park Supporters Group Darwen for inviting us and for the yummy sweet treats!
Forest School Christmas Party
We concluded our final Forest School session of the year with a Forest School Christmas Party! We made music using materials around us, enjoyed the beautiful full moon and played some fun games. It’s been a pleasure to share our Forest School Club with your enthusiastic and amazing children! We hope to continue the club in the new year. Thank you for embracing nature, getting muddy and learning how to look after our shared spaces.
Year 2 Pantomime Visit - Snow White
Year 2 really enjoyed their visit to the pantomime on Tuesday. Oh no they didn't! Oh yes they did!
Singing at Acer Lodge Care Home
We are so proud of the 8 children, who were selected based on their effort in Monday's singing worship, who sang at Acer Lodge Care Home on Wednesday. They brought lots of festive cheer to the residents and it was wonderful to see them joining in with the bells we gave out. The children were over the moon to get a surprise visit from Santa himself, who thanked the children by giving them each a selection box. Rosie gave some letters written by herself and her Year 4 class to the residents to introduce themselves and tell them about themselves. We hope the residents enjoyed reading them.
Year 5 - Snow White
The children had a great time at Blackburn Empire Theatre watching the pantomime Snow White. The children enjoyed every minute as they heckled the evil queen Horibella, celebrated the love of Prince Charming and Snow White and tried in vain to warn Tilly that there was a ghost behind her. They sang and danced along to every song and during the intermission, the children had an ice lolly.
Year 1: Fun at the Snow White Pantomime
Year 1 had such a great time at Snow White. The ice lollies were especially good! They all joined in really well and were so sensible travelling to and from the theatre. I am so proud of their behaviour today.
Y6 Whole School Pantomime - Snow White
Today, the whole school enjoyed a visit to a Snow White pantomime. The children were captivated by the lively performances, music and humour. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the festive season together.
Snow White Pantomime
The children had a brilliant time today at Blackburn Empire Theatre. The whole school watched Snow White. It was wonderful to see their faces light up, Christmas is in full swing at St Barnabas! All of the photos will be uploaded shortly to here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/snow-white-pantomime
Reception- Snow White
Our Reception class have had a very busy day. After performing in their very own Nativity, we went to watch Snow White at Blackburn Empire Theatre. We loved shouting at the wicked witch and we loved cheering and dancing. The children all had a brilliant time and enjoyed eating an ice lolly at the interval too, what a treat!
Year 4 - Snow White
The Year 4s thoroughly enjoyed their trip to the Empire Theatre in Blackburn. Along with the rest of our school, we went to watch this year’s pantomime, Snow White. The excitement was building as we boarded our coach. And the fun didn’t stop the entire time we were there. The children’s highlights seemed to be singing along to K-Pop songs, shouting “6, 7” and being squirted by water pistols. There was plenty of dancing and audience participation - all the things our lively Year 4 class love. What a fantastic afternoon out!
Year 3 'Living Life in All Its Fullness' Our Panto Adventure!
Today, we truly embraced living life in all its fullness with our incredible trip to the pantomime! From the minute we got on the coach marked the start of a fantastic adventure. The performance was amazing. The children fully immersed themselves in the festive spirit, enthusiastically joining in with all the songs and music, cheering the heroes, and shouting the catchphrases. A special moment of unexpected joy was seeing Elijah randomly picked from the audience to collect a prize on stage.
Year 5 - RotaKids
Darwen Rotary Club visited us again to inspire us for our next project in the new year. We talked about how our shoebox collections helped refugees in Darwen and further ideas on how to support our school and international communities. The children were inspired by the principles and ideals of the Rotary Club and are already full of ideas for the future. We also received badges and certificates confirming our role as RotaKids.
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Year 5 Carbon Monoxide Workshop
On Tuesday, Year 5 had their carbon monoxide workshop. During this workshop, the children watched videos and took part in group/drama activities to help them learn: what carbon monoxide is and that it is known as CO; that you cannot see, smell, hear, taste or touch it; the effects carbon monoxide can have on our bodies and also how we can keep ourselves and our homes safe. The children received and brought home packs containing helpful information regarding CO.
Whole School Worship led by Rev Ben
This weeks Worship was led by Rev Ben and we started with a challenge. Rev Ben had a Bop It and the five children that helped had to follow the instructions to either flick it, twist, spin it or pull it. Ella, Quinn, James, Walter and Sofia all had a go and it was super tricky! In the game you had to do exactly what it tells us but that’s not necessarily what we want those in charge to be like. We then went on to finish the story of Joseph the prisoner. We started at the part when there was a knock at Joseph’s door. It was his eleven brothers who begged him for food. They didn’t recognise Joseph, but Joseph knew who they were, and he forgave them for what they had done to him. Joseph’s family then moved to Egypt, and Joseph himself became a great leader. His story shows us the importance of forgiveness, trusting in God, and using our own talents to help others. In our discussion we looked at how Joseph showed compassion towards his brothers and how we could use of voice to encourage world leaders to show compassion. What could we say or do? We finished with a prayer that reflected on the theme of compassion.
Year 4 - Interfaith Celebration
This year, to celebrate Interfaith Week, Miss Kachwalla led a series of workshops explaining what being Muslim means to her. The children develop a better understanding of different faiths when they learn directly from believers, especially how their faith impacts their daily lives. Miss Kachwalla gave a fantastic presentation to the children, in which she explained how she lives out the 5 pillars. She introduced her experience of Hajj and introduced us to some of the foods that the Prophet ate. We also had the opportunity to ask some of our own curiosity questions. We then returned to our classroom to taste some of the foods mentioned, including dates, olives, figs, melon and wholemeal bread with honey. Also this week, Years 3 and 4 watched a special recorded worship delivered by Imran from Muslim Learner Services. The children learned about how easy or difficult it is for many Muslims to follow the 5 pillars in Britain today. They also played some thumbs up/down quizzes and watched a tour of a mosque in Bolton.
Year 1 Inter Faith Week
Year 1 have really enjoyed learning about Islam this week and what life is like as a Muslim. In our worship with Miss Kachwalla we learnt about the 5 pillars of Islam, she showed us her prayer mat and spoke about pilgrimages. Year 1 asked ‘how do Muslims celebrate Eid?’ which really excited them. They also asked ‘Why do you dress differently to us?’ which Miss Kachwala explained was about modesty. We also tried some traditional Muslim foods. The children really enjoyed honey on toast and melon, but they were not keen on dates, figs and olives.
Year 5 - Class worship: Interfaith Week
In class worship, we continued exploring the Islamic faith. We learned about famous British Muslims such as Mo Farah and Amir Khan before considering some true or false statements about Islam. The children did very well, getting 9 out of 10 correct. These included whether or not Muslims could drink alcohol and if they worshipped Allah or Mohammed. We discussed the 5 pillars of Islam before learning more about a mosque in Bolton.
Reception class celebrate Interfaith Week
Reception class had a highly engaging week exploring Islam and the life of a Muslim. During their worship session with Miss Kachwalla, the class delved into the Five Pillars of Islam. Miss Kachwalla enhanced the learning by demonstrating her prayer mat and discussing the significance of pilgrimages. The children really enjoyed listening to Miss Kachwalla and enjoyed looking at her special clothes. Miss Kachwalla explained why certain foods were significant to Islam. They enjoyed tasting honey, wholemeal bread, melon, figs and olives and found out that Muslims eat these to keep healthy, help our bodies and to give us energy too. Thank you so much Miss Kachwalla, we have really enjoyed learning all about your religion!
Year 2 Interfaith Week
We tasted some special foods and learned about the 5 Pillars of Islam. Thank you Miss Kachwalla for sharing your faith with us.
Year 5 - Inter Faith Week
Miss Kachwalla kindly told Year 5 all about her faith - Islam. She told us about how the 5 pillars of Islam are rules to guide Muslims. She showed us pictures of her trips to Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem and told us about her pilgrimage to Mecca. Miss Kachwalla also showed us her prayer mat and discussed how prayers allow her to feel closer to God. To celebrate Inter Faith Week, we tried foods recommended by the Prophet for being healthy and natural: dates, bread, figs, honey, olives and melon.
Year 6 - Interfaith Week
This week we celebrated Interfaith Week with Miss. Kachwalla, who shared what being a Muslim means to her and how her faith guides her daily life. During her workshop, she introduced the children to the key beliefs and practices of Islam, including the importance of kindness, community and prayer. The children asked thoughtful questions and showed great curiosity. To end the session, the children enjoyed tasting a selection of traditional foods from her culture, giving them a wonderful chance to experience and appreciate something new.
Year 3- R.E-Exploring Purpose with Rev. Ben
This morning, Year 3 had an inspiring visit from Rev. Ben, who shared insights about the concept of a "calling" from the biblical story of Samuel. Rev. Ben passionately highlighted that every job is important and can be a calling from God, whether it's being a doctor, a teacher, or a bin lorry driver . The central message was that whatever we choose to do, we can honour God and help others through our work. He also explained that the stole he wore is a significant vestment, representing his role as a minister, and the children even had the exciting opportunity to try it on. The children demonstrated great preparation and curiosity by asking Rev. Ben the questions they had prepared, which he took the time to answer. During a moment of thoughtful silence, children were encouraged to reflect on what God might be calling them to do. Rev. Ben, who has been a minister for six years, also shared openly about his own faith journey, beautifully stating that while he sometimes feels close to God, the true assurance is knowing He is always with him, guiding his path in ministry. We are incredibly grateful for Rev. Ben's visit, which provided a wonderful opportunity for our children to explore faith, purpose, and the importance of all vocations.
Let’s Go Sing Workshop
On Monday our choir had a fantastic Let's Go Sing Workshop with Rose. She was so impressed with their enthusiasm and fabulous singing! They are looking forward to practising all of the songs ready for their concert in March. Mrs Ham told them about lots of other exciting choir events coming up soon too such as singing at Acer Lodge Care Home, our Christmas Fair, a lantern parade in Whitehall Park and our church Carol Service.
Year 6: Remembrance Service
Our Year 6 children took part in the Darwen Cemetery remembrance day service this morning and we were so proud of the remarkable respect that they showed. A huge well done to Mason for his lovely reading and to all of our children for their maturity and compassion when placing crosses on the graves of the soldiers who bravely fought for our country. After the service the children learned that the piper used to attend St Barnabas as a child so he let the children try on his special hat. As a reward for representing our school so brilliantly, the children got to enjoy their break time on the play area in Whitehall Park. #WeWillRememberThem #remembrance #remembranceday #lestweforget
Year 6 - Money Matters
During our Money Matters session this week, the children learned about the importance of understanding money and how it is used in everyday life. The children explored different ways people earn, spend, save and budget money and discussed why making sensible financial choices is important. The children took part in engaging activities and role-play scenarios to help them think about needs versus wants and how to make responsible spending decisions. The session encouraged thoughtful discussion and helped the children develop a better understanding of how money plays a role in their lives and the wider world.
Reception: Muddy Monday
The children in Reception went to Jacks Key for their Muddy Monday session. They found lots of natural resources to build bonfires in preparation for Bonfire night on Wednesday. The children then went on a rainy walk and showed great perseverance and resilience. The children all worked well together and it is lovely to see them continuing to develop during these sessions.
Whole School-Harvest Festival at the Church – Living Life in All Its Fullness
This morning, our school community came together at our church to celebrate our Harvest Festival, a joyful morning filled with song, prayer, and thanksgiving. The service began as Naomi and Martha signed The Trinity, followed by everyone joining in a rendition of our Harvest Samba song. We also heard about Bishop Philip’s inspiring challenge, pedalling to raise money for those in need, reminding us that even small acts of kindness can have a big impact. As part of the Bishop of Blackburn’s Harvest Appeal, we have been encouraging everyone to ‘Pedal Along’ and raise money for Christians in South Africa. Olivia shared a thoughtful talk, and Darcy reminded us to keep in our prayers families and countries around the world who are suffering. We also gave thanks for the work of DARE and reflected on people using their time and energy to support good causes. The reception and Year 2 class delighted everyone with their Harvest songs. Year 1 shared Thank You for Our Favourite Food, helping us reflect on gratitude. Lilly and Sofia led us in a thoughtful final prayer. We also said goodbye and good luck to Miss Norton, April, and Eve, and shared our thanks to Mrs Araujo, Mrs Ham, and our dedicated WOW Group for helping make this service so meaningful. Our Harvest celebration at the church was a wonderful reminder of our school vision, living life in all its fullness, through thankfulness, compassion, and community. Wishing all our families a restful and joy-filled half-term break!
Year 5 - Debt Aware
Mrs Whittam visited Year 5 to talk to the children about how to manage money. The class first considered the difference between wants and needs before defining the terms debt, spending and borrowing. The children engaged in paired and class discussions and completed a range of activities and games to help develop their understanding of money.
Year 2-Darwen Fire Brigade Visit
This afternoon, Year 2 had a special visit from the Darwen Fire Brigade. The firefighters spoke to the children about the importance of having a working smoke alarm at home—especially at night when we are asleep and might not notice a fire. As part of their visit, they set the children a very important piece of homework: to go home and check that their house has a smoke alarm installed. The brigade then gave an exciting and informative demonstration of the various features of their fire engine. They showed the children their breathing apparatus—masks and air tanks—which help them breathe safely in smoke-filled environments. The children were particularly fascinated by the thermal imaging camera, which helps firefighters see through thick smoke and darkness. The firefighters also explained that their role goes beyond fighting fires. A big part of their job involves attending road traffic accidents. They demonstrated some of the specialist rescue equipment they use in these situations, including vehicle extraction cutters. To end the visit, every child had the chance to use the fire hose—a highlight that brought huge smiles to everyone’s faces! A huge thank you to the Darwen Fire Brigade for an unforgettable visit and for helping Year 2 learn how to stay safe.
Reception: Muddy Monday
For our Monday Monday this week the children in Reception have been finding Autumn treasures. They loved finding and exploring why the leaves have changed colour and saw a variety of different Autumnal leaves. The children also learnt what deciduous and evergreen trees were. We also found conkers and acorns. Mrs Wilkinson and Mrs Thompson were really impressed with the children's walking as they walked all the way to Whitehall Park. Well done!
Reception: Muddy Monday
Wow! On Monday the children in Reception blew Mrs Wilkinson's and Mrs Thompson's socks off! They walked over 2km around Jacks Key. The children listened to sounds they could hear, looked at what they could see under a bridge and used their imaginations chanting trip trap and the bear hunt story. The children had lots of fun!
Year 6 Obesity Blurb Visit
This week, Year 6 had a visit from the Obesity Blurb project, who spoke with the children about healthy life and eating choices. The children looked at how food is marketed to us and can influence our choices, and also how food and our levels of physical activity can affect our physical and mental health.
Year 2 RE- A Visit From Rev Ben
Today, Year 2 had a very special visit from Rev Ben as part of their learning about the Bible in RE. Everyone really enjoyed the visit and learned some great things! We discovered that the Bible can be like a torch, honey, and gold. Just like a torch helps us see in the dark, the Bible can guide us through life. It’s like honey because it’s full of sweet stories about kindness and love, and it’s like gold because it’s so precious and important to Christians. Rev Ben answered lots of our questions, such as when he got his first Bible, what his favourite Bible story is, when he became a Christian and a Vicar, and whether he reads any other books besides the Bible. He also brought in three of his own Bibles for us to look at—one he received when he became a Vicar, which has a tiny pearl inside, one he reads with his family, and another that has a different part to read each day. We would like to say a big thank you to Rev Ben for visiting us and helping us learn more about the Bible and why it is so special to Christians.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Our Reception class took part in a Muddy Monday session in our school grounds this morning. They climbed trees, made mud soup and collected resources to build bonfires and dens. The children used their gross motor skills and imagination brilliantly today. Well done!
Reception: Muddy Monday
The children in Reception class had a fabulous first Muddy Monday session. They built dens, created bug houses and enjoyed making potions together. They showed super team work skills and their imaginations were running wild. Well done Reception!
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Let’s go Sing Workshop
Today we took part in the Let’s Go Sing workshop with Gaynor where we learned several songs and sang together. We started by warming up our voices and building confidence as a group. Then we enjoyed singing a range of songs, from fun and simple ones that everyone could join in with, to more challenging pieces. Some of our favourites included: • “Let’s Sing a Simple Song” – a cheerful tune that helped us practise singing clearly and in unison. • “Brenda the Mender” – a playful character song that made us focus on rhythm and storytelling through music. • “The Moon” – a gentler song where we worked on expression and soft dynamics. • “The Scuttled Sloop Pirate Song” – a lively piece that let us sing with energy, actions, and a sense of adventure. The workshop showed us that singing is not just about hitting the right notes, but also about teamwork, listening to each other, and enjoying the journey of music together. We are hopeful that the workshop today has encouraged more children to join our KS2 school choir on Thursday lunchtimes and to take part in the Let's Go Sing concert at Blackburn Cathedral in March.
Year 6 - Treasure Island Workshop
After the thrilling production of Treasure Island, Year 6 were treated to an immersive workshop that explored the magic behind the scenes. They discovered how lighting can transform a stage, learned about scene setup and set design and even tried their hand at acting techniques. The workshop gave them a fascinating insight into the hard work and creativity that goes into bringing a production to life.
Year 6 - DACA Visit
Today, Year 6 enjoyed a visit from one of the senior leaders from DACA, where they learned more about the transition to high school. The session explored what a typical school day looks like, what pupils can expect when they move up and the opportunities available to them. He also shared information about upcoming open days, helping to prepare the children for the exciting changes ahead. The DACA open evening is on Wednesday 1st October from 6.00-8.00pm.
Rocksteady Rock Concert
On Wednesday we were treated to another amazing Rocksteady Concert. We can’t believe how much the little rockstars have improved since their Christmas concert. Thank you Jess for your amazing support! The video of the songs can be found here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2PTn14Vg4 If you would like your child to join Rocksteady next year, please click here: https://www.rocksteadymusicschool.com/parents/
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Year 3- R.E-A Visit from Rev. Ben
Today, we welcomed Rev. Ben into our R.E. lesson. He came to speak to Year 3 about the qualities of a Christian and what it means to live a Christian life. Rev. Ben shared examples from his own experiences and the Bible, helping the children understand key values such as kindness, forgiveness, honesty, and compassion. The pupils were incredibly engaged and asked thoughtful questions, such as “How do Christians show love to others? Is it hard to forgive people? Do Christians have to attend church every Sunday? After the discussion, the children reflected on what they had learned and worked on writing their own set of guidelines for how someone might live as a Christian. These included ideas such as “Help others in need,” “Treat everyone fairly,” “Pray when you feel thankful or worried,” and “Forgive people, even when it’s hard.”
Reception: Muddy Monday
Our Reception class thoroughly enjoyed their Muddy Monday session! They had a fantastic time finding various bugs and enthusiastically creating homes for them. It was truly wonderful to observe their engagement and curiosity during these activities. It was also wonderful to see the children becoming braver, climbing higher up trees, and collaborating to create a camp fire. They also loved foraging for different natural materials to continue their imaginative role-playing games. Additionally, the children enjoyed closely observing the wildflowers and using them to create lovely summer scents, showcasing their creativity and sensory exploration.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Reception class looked for signs of summer during their Muddy Monday walk to Jacks Key. We found lots of minibeasts, flowers blossoming, butterflies and the sun was shining too!
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Years 2 & 4 - RE: Exploring the Church
Both Year 2 and Year 4 are currently studying the Church in RE. To develop the children’s knowledge and understanding, Rev Ben invited both classes to church to explore the features and talk about why they might be found in a church. The Year 2 children have been learning about various features and labelling them, which was further developed through experiencing how they are used and why. The Year 4 children have been learning about the similarities and differences between different churches and other places of worship, and they have been finding out about how some common features are connected to the Bible. Thank you for inviting us, Rev Ben. The experience definitely enhanced the children’s learning.
Year 2 and 4 - Visit to St Barnabas Church
This Tuesday afternoon, our Year 2 had the opportunity to visit St. Barnabas Church. This visit was a perfect way to build on our recent RE lessons, where we've been learning all about what makes a church, its origins in the Bible, and the different features you might find inside. The children really impressed Rev Ben with their existing knowledge, confidently sharing what they'd learned in class. They got to explore areas of the church they wouldn't normally see, making the experience even more special. To round off the visit, the children had the chance to ask Rev Ben some excellent questions they'd prepared in their last RE lesson. It was a brilliant way to reinforce all the learning we've been doing and bring our RE lessons to life!
Year 1 Science- Environmental Workshop
Yesterday, Year 1 had a fantastic time at an environmental workshop led by Georgina. She made learning about waste and recycling interactive and engaging, teaching them how to sort materials into the different coloured bins. The children left with some great new facts and shared these at the end of the workshop. Joey and Percy discovered that batteries should be placed in a carrier bag outside the bin to prevent fires. Callie learned that hard and soft plastics need to be separated, with hard plastics for recycling and soft plastics as waste. Olivia noted that hard plastics and metals go in the grey bin, Vienna shared that paper and cardboard belongs in the blue bin, and Haydn added that food waste should be put in the burgundy bin. All of our children received a recycling pack to take home which included a variety of follow-up activities, information for those at home, a certificate and a sticker.
Year 4 - Linking Schools: End of Year Celebration
What a brilliant way to finish our Linking Schools journey! We all had great fun in Year 4 on the Schools Linking Celebration Zoom. We reminisced about all the enriching activities we took part in this year and shared some of our favourite moments, such as playing the whiteboard game, meeting St Matthew’s and making new friends. We have learned so much about ourselves and who we are, as well as learning about our link class. Tolerance, respect and friendship were definitely key themes as we realised that, although we were different to our new friends in many ways, we also had so much in common. There is just one more step for us to complete, which is our social action project. After collating ideas about improving God’s world, we voted for the most popular idea and decided we would act on it - writing to residents of a care home. Look out for more news about our happy post soon.
The Great Live Assembly- World Refugee Day 2025
This morning in Year 4, we took part in The Great Live Assembly for World Refugee Week. 43 million young people and children have had to leave their country for various reasons including persecution and war. We met two children from Kenya - Ajok wanted to be a teacher and had to flee due to civil war. He had to walk over 500 miles to reach his final destination. We then watched an interview with the author Michael Rosen who has recently written On the Move, which uses poetry to highlight the struggles of a refugee. This teaches us that ‘Home is where the Heart is’ and we should really appreciate and support the sacrifices that the refugees across the world have to endure.
Year 3-The Great Big Live Assembly: A Journey Into Refugee Lives
Today, Year 3 joined hundreds of schools for The Great Big Live Assembly to mark World Refugee Week. Led by Krish Kandiah, the worship helped us learn about the lives of millions of children who have been forced to leave their homes because of war, violence, or danger. We discovered that over 43 million children and young people worldwide are refugees or displaced. Through stories and real examples, including a live connection with children living in refugee camps, we got a better understanding of the challenges these children face every day. Krish encouraged us to think about what “home” means and how important it is to show kindness, support, and hope to those who have lost so much. The worship helped us reflect on the courage and strength of refugees and inspired us to be more compassionate and aware of global issues.
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Year 3-Exploring Spirituality Through Refugee Week
Today, as part of Refugee Week, 12 children from Year 3 visited a local church where they had the wonderful opportunity to meet refugees from 17 countries, such as Iraq, Palestine, Greece, South Africa, Afghanistan and Sudan. They listened to powerful, real-life stories of resilience, hope, and strength, gaining insight into these individuals' journeys and the challenges they have overcome. The experience helped to build empathy and deepen the children’s understanding of what it means to seek safety and rebuild a life in a new place. We ate food from Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Italy, Greece and drank Arabic coffee. The children sang songs for the refugees. Reverend Gilbert spoke to the children about how our donations to DARE - Darwen Asylum and Refugee Enterprise have helped refugees and ensured they are always welcomed, and they encourage more donations, etc. This visit linked beautifully with our Spirituality school model of Windows, Mirrors, and Doors. Through Windows, the children looked out and learned from the lives of others, seeing the world through different perspectives. Mirrors encouraged them to look inward, reflect on their own lives, and think about how they might feel in similar situations. Finally, Doors inspired them to step out and consider how they can live more compassionately, supporting others and making positive choices in their own lives. The visit was a meaningful extension of our R.E. learning but also connected closely with Mrs Ham’s worship this week, which focused on raising awareness and showing solidarity with people in need. It encouraged our students to reflect on how they can contribute to a more welcoming and understanding world. Overall, today’s experience supported our whole-school aim of helping children to live life in all its fullness, by inspiring them to be open-hearted, thoughtful, and active in making a difference. #RefugeeWeek
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.
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Year 6 Debt Aware Money Skills Session
Year 6 completed module 6 of Money Matters, this week. This was all based around enterprise - a project or activity which is difficult, complicated or potentially risky. The children learned that an enterprising person is independent, positive, hard-working and resilient and looked at some famous examples. They also discussed what is involved in setting up your own business.
Year 5 - Money Matters
On Wednesday, Year 5 took part in their final session of the Money Matters programme, bringing to a close a fantastic series of lessons focused on financial education. The children have developed their understanding of key money concepts and today they explored the roles of banks, the importance of saving and how to make informed choices when spending. Through interactive discussions and real-life scenarios, the children reflected on how money is used in everyday life and why budgeting is a valuable life skill.
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Year 3- Celebrating Literature Festival at Darwen Library
Today, as part of the Children's Literature Festival, Year 3 went on an exciting adventure, walking to Darwen Library to meet the wonderful Blackburn-born author, Christina Gabbitas. She shared a fascinating glimpse into her background, highlighting the importance of living life to its fullest. Christina also spoke about her love for audiobooks, explaining how she enjoys listening to stories. The children then had the amazing opportunity to read one of her powerful poems about saving our oceans aloud. Christina also captivated us by reading a section of her book, 'Believe in Magic', using wonderful expression in her voice that brought the story to life. Christina generously gave every child a signed copy of her book, 'Believe in Magic'! It was a truly inspiring session!
Year 1 Attend the Children’s Literature Festival at Darwen Library
Today, Year 1 had an exciting adventure at the Children’s Literature Festival 2025, held at Darwen Library—and what a fantastic time they had! They had the wonderful opportunity to meet the delightful author Saira Shah, who engaged the children with her inspiring story Super Nani and Captain Yaz. The book explores the heartwarming beginning of a unique friendship between two characters—Yasmin and her Nani—who speak different languages, English and Punjabi. Despite the language barrier, they found a magical way to communicate through gestures, key words, and a dash of imagination, all with the help of Yasmin’s favourite superheroes and a special rag doll. Following the story, we continued with the superhero theme. Our Year 1 children were given a thrilling mission. A meteor was hurtling toward Earth, threatening to erase all the wonderful books in the library. To save the day, the children had to transform into superheroes—choosing their own superhero names and special powers. Working together, they rose to the challenge and saved the library from disaster. A huge thank you to Darwen Library for inviting us to the Children’s Literature Festival 2025, and to the wonderful Saira Shah for inspiring our children and helping to spark a love of reading. We’re excited to share that Saira Shah will be launching her book at Waterstones Blackburn on Saturday, June 28 at 11am. All children are warmly invited to join a special Storytime session, followed by superhero fun! If today’s excitement is anything to go by, it promises to be a wonderful event.
Year 2 - Literacy Workshop at Darwen Library
On Tuesday afternoon, Year 2 students were very fortunate as they had the opportunity to attend a workshop by Donovan Christopher at Darwen Library. Donovan is a rapper, singer, author, and poet all in one, and the children got to see a little bit of everything he can do. As a whole class, we created a rap with instruments and rhymes, which was amazing. Then Donovan read some of his favourite poems to us and allowed some children to read them to the whole class. It was amazing to see the children participate in something they wouldn’t normally and learn new skills along the way.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Reception class have had a fabulous time at Whitehall park. The children found treasures, built dens and bug hotels, found minibeasts, balanced and climbed trees too! It was lovely to hear the children's excited voices amongst the trees and they really enjoyed getting muddy too! The rain certainly didn't spoil a fabulous afternoon of living life in all its fullness!
Year 4 - Linking Schools: Visit One
The Year 4 class were excited to welcome their link class from St Matthew’s on Monday. They started the day telling their visitors what they love about our wonderful school and about Darwen. They spent the day in teams collaborating and sharing through building towers and taking part in team games. We are so proud of how well our children welcomed their new friends. They were polite and accommodating and everyone had a wonderful day. We are looking forward to going to St Matthew’s for visit day two.
Year 3- R.E-A Special Visitor: Learning About Judaism
Over the past two weeks in RE, Year 3 have explored different world faiths, learning about the similarities and differences within Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam, and Humanism. Today, we were fortunate to have Lennox's aunt, a follower of Judaism, visit our class. She shared insights into the history of her religion and spoke about her visit to Palestine. The children engaged thoughtfully, asking many insightful questions, such as what inspired her to embrace Judaism, why pork is not consumed in her faith, and the significance of Saturday as their special day.
Reception- Muddy Monday
Today during our Muddy Monday session, we went minibeast exploring in Jack’s Key. The children used magnifying glasses and Petri dishes to take a closer look at the amazing minibeasts our local area has to offer. They were excited to discover a variety of tiny creatures, including worms, spiders, and woodlice, carefully observing their features and movements.
Reception- Muddy Monday
During our Muddy Monday session, the children also put up their shelter, using nearby trees to help anchor and support the structure. They worked together to stretch and secure the materials, thinking carefully about how to make it stable, while also looking for mini beasts.
Reception Farm Visit
Today, the Reception class had a special visitor – Farmer Steph! She brought a very cute, two-week-old lamb named Olly and two chicks for the children to see. Steph talked about what it's like to look after farm animals and the jobs she has to do. The children learned that pigs are surprisingly good at digging and help turn over the soil on the farm and their chickens each lay one egg every day! Thank you to Nightingale Farm for sharing their animals with us.
Year 3-Living Life to the Fullest at Rock and River
What an unforgettable day at Rock and River! Today, Year 3 embarked on their exciting class trip to Rock and River, a day filled with challenge, adventure, and growth. The aim of the day was to step outside comfort zones, try new experiences, and explore personal potential, and the children did exactly that! From the Low Ropes Course, climbing wall, and air bag jump, to Rafted Canoes, Sit-on-Top Kayaks, Paddle Boards, and the Mega Paddle Boards, every child embraced the challenges with enthusiasm and bravery. What made the day special was the way the children supported one another. There was a wonderful sense of encouragement, respect, and team spirit, with friendships strengthened through shared experiences and mutual celebration of each other’s efforts. Throughout the day, the children truly lived life to the fullest, laughing, learning, and pushing beyond their fears. Just as importantly, they embodied the Christian values at the heart of our school: courage, friendship and encouragement. It was a day of lifelong memories, an example of what can be achieved when we believe in ourselves and lift each other. A huge well done to every single one of them, they should be incredibly proud! All of the photos will be added to this album shortly: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-3-rock-and-river-2024-25
Year 5 Winmarleigh PGL
All of the Year 5 children have had a great first day at PGL with lots of amazing activities. It has been great to see all the children enjoy and make the most of their first day and they have truly been living life in all its fullness! Here is a few photos from yesterday’s activities. I will keep uploading updates throughout the trip and all will share a link with you at the end with all the individual photos in. Many thanks Mr Bloomfield
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Reception: The Church as a Special Place
As part of our learning on special places, Reception class visited St Barnabas Church and met Rev Matt. Rev Matt asked us to explore the church to find things we wouldn't find at home. Reggie said he saw a cross, Harry said a microphone, Beau said the font, Cassius found some musical instruments and Will found a chalice. Rev Matt asked why is church special for people. Ava said we worship here and Thea said we worship Jesus here. Rev Matt shared the chalice and plate and explained that we have a special meal to remember Jesus known as communion or the Eucharist. Rev Matt explained that all churches look different and that is ok. We watched a video to explain why. For Christians, church is a place and a way to describe people who trust in Jesus. It is a place where people meet which makes it really special. Thank you so much Rev Matt for putting our learning into context, we really enjoyed our visit.
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Reception - Minibeast Visit
Today, our Reception class enjoyed an exciting visit from the local Animal Garden pet shop, who brought along a fascinating collection of minibeasts for the children to explore. The children were thrilled to get up close with a range of creepy crawlies and even a tarantula! They had the opportunity to ask questions and observe the creatures carefully. This hands-on experience sparked lots of curiosity and discussion, supporting our current topic on minibeasts and helping to build confidence, language skills and respect for living things.
Year 2 - Exploring Crocky Trail
As well as the main slides and rides, there was an abundance of other activities for the children to get involved with. Penalty shootouts, basketball hoops, sniperdomes, volley goal, and much more!
Year 2 - More fun at Crocky Trail
As well as the main slides and rides, there was an abundance of other activities for the children to get involved with. Penalty shootouts, basketball hoops, sniperdomes, volley goal, inflatable bulls, cricket games and much more!
Year 2 - The slides at Crocky Trail
We began our day on the slides! Let’s just say, the slides were bigger than expected but that didn’t stop the children from flying down. It was amazing to see the children pushing themselves and being really happy that they conquered their fears.
Year 1&2 Trip- The Crocky Trail
Today, our Year 1 and 2 children had an fantastic adventure on their trip to the Crocky Trail! The day was all about pushing boundaries and building confidence, and every child rose to the challenge with extreme courage. It was equally wonderful to see them encouraging each other every step of the way—cheering on their friends, offering a helping hand, and celebrating each other’s achievements with joy. Not only did they have a fantastic time, but they also represented the school beautifully. Their behaviour throughout the day was impeccable—polite, respectful, and full of team spirit. It was a brilliant day full of laughter, bravery, and unforgettable memories. Well done, Year 1 and 2—you were amazing! For all of the photos that were taken, please visit: https://stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-1-2-visit-crocky-trail
Year 1 RE- Mock Baptism in Church with Rev Ben
Yesterday afternoon, Year 1 wore their celebration clothes and went to St Barnabas Church. They learnt all about baptism and welcoming babies, teenagers and adults into Christianity. Year 1 named their baby Annabelle and Rev. Ben showed them what it would be like if Annabelle was baptised. They learnt that baptism is like a badge that people wear to show they belong to the church. A sign of the cross (using oil) is drawn on the head of the person being baptised to symbolise this. They also learnt that Baptism is like a bath. They learnt about the significance of the water and how it is to symbolise cleansing and new life. They witnessed Rev. Ben pour water over baby Annabelle’s head which came from the font. To end the Baptism, Annabelle received a baptism candle and a Bible. We then came back to school for a baptism party. The children enjoyed a dance, some juice and a biscuit. Thank you Rev.Ben for creating a memorable experience for our children.
Random Acts of Kindness around our community
As part of our PSHE sessions we have been looking at mental health awareness, what fills our buckets and how we can spread kindness. We decided to complete random acts of kindness by sharing our kindness poems that we had written in class. Inside the poems we wrapped a hot chocolate and a biscuit for people to enjoy. It was so lovely to share these with our local community and the children were super excited to give them out. We put a smile on so many peoples faces and they really appreciated how much effort Year 4 had made. We look forward to sharing more about this in our Presentation of learning next week whilst it’s Mental Health Awareness week too !
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 4 - English: Recapping Our Residential
Our first English lesson of the summer term was an “experience” session. We began by looking through some of the pictures from our trip to the Anderton Centre. We shared our memories and our favourite parts of the trip. We then worked in groups to write down these fond memories about 6 main areas: preparation, facilities, team games, archery, climbing and paddle boarding. All of this is in preparation for creating persuasive leaflets about visiting the Anderton Centre.
Year 4 - Linking Schools: Why Social Action?
As our Linking School project continues, the Year 4s have been considering things in their relationships, the school, the local area, the environment and the wider world that they care about. In today’s session, we listened to the Starfish Story and talked about how small, kind actions can have a big impact on others. We looked at the world around us and decided on some actions we could take to improve it. After sharing our ideas, we voted and decided that we would like to go on a class litter pick, and write to residents of a local care home. We will be carrying out our actions over the Summer Term.
Reception Dentist Visit
Reception had a visit from Darwenside Dental Practice to speak to them about their oral hygiene. They shared with us how we can look after our teeth by reducing the amount of sugary snacks and drinks we have between meals. They also spoke to us about the importance of brushing our teeth twice a day and visiting the dentist regularly for check ups. We are very lucky to have such wonderful Dentists who help us to keep our teeth healthy.
Year 3 - English-Year 3 Inspired by Author and Quizmaster Jay Flynn
Today, Year 3 enjoyed an inspiring visit from the author and celebrated Quizmaster, Jay Flynn. As part of their Biographies topic, Jay shared fascinating insights into his writing process and the content of his autobiography. He offered valuable tips to the young writers on how to craft compelling narratives, emphasising a great opening to draw readers in. The children were particularly enthralled to hear about Jay's own adventures, his significant charity work, and even his meeting with Prince William. This experience has ignited their enthusiasm as they now prepare to write their own biographies about the David Attenborough. Thank you so much Jay and thank you to Jack for telling his Dad all about our Biographies topic, leading to this special visit!
Whole School Easter Service in Church
This morning, we celebrated our last day of the Spring term with a fantastic Easter church service. Our KS2 classes showcased their Easter artwork and our teachers led the service ‘’The Greatest News Event Ever” in the style of news reporters. Thank you to those who could attend and we wish you all a fantastic Easter holidays.
Year 6 Gaelic Football
Year 6 enjoyed their final Gaelic football session, this week. They culminated all of the skills they have learned over previous weeks into playing team matches. The children have really enjoyed this unit of P.E!
Year 6 Visit to the Rose Garden
Year 6 enjoyed a peaceful visit to the beautiful Rose Garden at Whitehall Park to appreciate all of the wonderful Easter artwork that children have produced. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and the children really enjoyed some time to reflect.
Year 4 Residential trip to the Anderton Centre
Our Year 4 children went the Anderton Centre for their outdoor and adventurous residential for one night. They had an amazing time taking part in team building games, archery, paddle boarding, canoeing, climbing and cannonballing into freezing cold water! They developed their resilience and really challenged themselves and it was wonderful to see them encouraging each other too. A huge thank you to Mrs Araujo, Mrs Gardner and Mrs Singleton for giving up their time to support the children. All of the photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-4-anderton-centre-residential-april-2025
Year 4 - Big Lent Walk to the Rose Garden
Yesterday, the Year 4s took advantage of the lovely weather and completed a Big Lent Walk to the Rose Garden at Whitehall Park. Whilst there, we spent time exploring the selection of artwork and poetry shared by each class. We helped the Reception children read the poetry and completed challenges to find each part of the Easter story.
Year 5 - Rose Garden Visit
Year 5 visited the Rose Garden to view the beautiful Easter artwork on display. The children took time to reflect on the meaning of Easter as they explored the creative pieces, which celebrated themes of hope, new life and resurrection—reminding us of the message of living life in all its fullness. They also collectively contributed 70km to our Big Lent Walk.
Year 2 - Visiting the Rose Garden
Yesterday afternoon, Year 2 walked to Whitehall Park to look at the Easter artwork produced by our school in the Rose Garden. It was great to see so many lovely pieces of Artwork depicting different parts of the Easter Story. Some of Year 2 were very pleased to see their very own artwork! They also contributed collectively 70 km towards our Big Lent Walk.
Year 1- Big Lent Walk
This morning, Year 1 walked 7.5km each, totalling a huge 225km as a collective. They did this by walking into Darwen Town Centre to take pictures of some of our well known landmarks in preparation for their art unit next half-term. This included India Mill, Darwen Post Office, Darwen Leisure Centre, Darwen Market Hall and Darwen Library. We extended our stay at Darwen Library by going inside to enjoy a lovely story. Finally, we came back to school to write a recount of our walk. We had to make sure that we were capitalising proper nouns (including the names of people, places and street names) as this is the grammar skill that we we have been working hard on over the last couple of weeks.
Rocksteady Spring Concert
Today we were treated to a very special Rock Concert by the brilliant members of our Rocksteady Music groups. This was a wonderful celebration of all their efforts and the hard work they have put in over the last term. ‘The Black Panthers’ performed a fantastic rendition of Sk8er Boi - A big well done to Harry H, Elsie, Rosie, Darcy, Euan, Sonny, Lennox, Daisy and Miles! Our youngest band, ‘The Little Rock Gorillas’ then performed a brilliant mash-up of Shotgun/I’m still standing - A super well done to Cassius, Zac, Harry J, Annabel, Eve and Harry T for showing such confidence! The 'Fast Velociraptors' performed a rocktastic version of Bye Bye Bye - A huge well done to James, Jack, Jacob and Fletcher.! Last but not least, Rickle Roll Rockstars performed a super cool version of Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley- A big well done to Oscar, Matthew, Quinn and Beau! We are so proud of the courage and dedication these children have shown to their Music. They have worked really hard to master lots of challenging musical skills, such as reading music, playing chords and keeping to the beat/rhythm. We would also like to say a big thank you to Jess, our Rocksteady band leader - this would not have been possible without the knowledge, encouragement and support she provides to our children every week. Keep Rocking St Barnabas!
Year 5 Bikeability
Year 5 have been taking part in Bikeability sessions, where they have learned: how to correctly wear their helmet; how to make sure their bike is road-worthy; how to ride with confidence and control and how to ride their bike safely on the road.
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!
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Year 2 - Big Lent Walk
Today, Year 2 embarked on their Big Lent Walk, exploring the scenic surroundings of Jack's Key. This provided a wonderful opportunity for the children to appreciate the natural beauty we are fortunate to have within our local area. During the walk, the children were encouraged to observe and identify signs of spring. They were delighted to spot daffodils, butterflies, and bees, whilst enjoying being outdoors in the glorious sunshine. The total distance covered by Year 2 will contribute 75km to our overall Big Lent Walk initiative. We are continuing to strive towards our fundraising goal and would be grateful for any donations, however small, to acknowledge and support the children’s efforts. Donations to Cafod can be made here: https://schools.walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/st-barnabas-ce-primary-academys-big-lent-walk
Year 3- The Big Lent Walk
This afternoon, Year 3 walked 2.7 miles, embracing the journey of living life in all its fullness. Along the way, we engaged with our spirituality windows, mirrors, and doors concept, gaining new perspectives, reflecting on our own experiences, and considering how we can make a difference. Through our actions, we not only contributed to a great cause but also felt a deep sense of achievement. We stopped by the graveyard to remember the lives lost, taking a moment to reflect and feel thankful.
Year 5 - Gaelic Football
Year 5 had their final session on Gaelic football, putting all their hard work and effort into action during competitive game situations. Throughout the sessions, they have developed their skills, teamwork and understanding of the game, finishing with an exciting and well-played final match. Well done to everyone for their dedication and enthusiasm!
Mother's Day Worship at St Barnabas Church
A huge thank you to the children who came to sing at the Mother's Day Service at St Barnabas Church. You were all wonderful and really made everyone smile with your singing and beautiful words about your Mummies. Thank you to parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles who came to watch too and for bringing the children so they could represent St Barnabas. Thank you to Mrs Araujo, Mrs Gardner and Mrs Hegarty for coming to support the children too and thank you to Rev Ben for inviting us to sing and for making us all feel so welcome. Photos and videos can be found here: https://stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/mother-s-day-celebration-at-st-barnabas-church Wishing all of our families a Happy Mother's Day, Mrs Wilkinson
Year 6 P.E - Gaelic Football
Another fantastic Gaelic football session for year 6, this week! The children practised their passing and catching skills and played in teams. They all said that these sessions are a lot of fun and great exercise.
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 - Gaelic Football
Year 5 embraced the challenge of Gaelic football, developing their teamwork, tactical thinking and coordination! From perfecting their throws and bounces to building confidence in gameplay. The children showed fantastic enthusiasm and determination throughout the session.
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.
A Special Visit From Local Author, Janek Puzon
This morning, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 enjoyed a visit from local author, Janek Puzon. Janek engaged the children in a storytelling session by reading them his latest book, Agent Glen. The book was all about Agent Glen who was hired to detect a mysterious burglar who kept stealing riches from an art gallery. However, Agent Glen was a little hard of hearing and he ended up in some rather hilarious situations whilst completing his mission. The children particularly enjoyed the part where his hand got stuck to the toilet. Thank you to Janek Puzon for visiting our school and sharing his wonderful book with our infant children. We can’t wait to add Janek’s books to our school library collection.
Year 6- Houses of Parliament
Our Year 6 class were so fortunate to be able to visit the Houses of Parliament to learn all about our British Values and in particular, democracy and the rule of law. We had a tour and watched a live debate in the House of Commons. The Foreign Secretary David Lammy also gave an announcement. We visited Westminster Hall, which we recognised from seeing on the news when the Queen was lying in State after her sad death. We then took part in a workshop about how laws are created and we learnt all about Parliament and the houses of Commons and Lords through a fun activities. We also got to explore democracy through voting and debating. Finally we were visited by our local Member of Parliament, Andy McNae and had a great question and answer session. We are so proud of the thoughtful questions the children asked him. We are sure that we have a few future MPs amongst our Year 6 class!
Year 6- Imperial War Museum
In History this term, Year 6 have been learning all about the Second World War and the part that Darwen played in it. It has been wonderful to visit the Imperial War Museum to learn more about the Second World War and the part that London played in it and contrast this to Darwen’s involvement. All of the Year 6 London trip photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-6-london-trip-2025
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
Year 6 Science Museum
Year 6 also visited the London Science Museum and took part in an interactive gallery called Wonderlab:The Equinor Gallery. The interactive experience ignited their curiosity, fuelled their imagination, and inspired them to see the world around them in new and exciting ways. They enjoyed lots of hands on experiments, live science demonstrations and revealed the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives. They particularly enjoyed the friction experiment using slides with different surfaces that they could zoom down and see which one had the most friction! For all of the photos from the Year 6 London trip, please click here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-6-london-trip-2025
Year 6- St James's Park, London
Year 6 had a fantastic time playing on the play area in St James's Park after a picnic lunch. It was wonderful to see everyone getting along and playing with their friends.
Year 6- London Sightseeing
Year 6 saw lots of London's famous sights such as Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament , the Tower of London and we saw some of the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. All of the Year 6 London trip photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-6-london-trip-2025
Year 6 Gaelic Football
During this week’s Gaelic football session, the children built on the skills they learned last week, for example the hand pass and hook kick, to play proper team matches. It was a lot of fun!
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!
Year 5 - Gaelic Football
Today, Year 5 had an exciting session playing Gaelic football! They developed their passing, catching and teamwork skills while learning the unique rules of the game. The children showed great enthusiasm and determination, adapting quickly to the fast-paced nature of Gaelic football. It was fantastic to see their confidence grow throughout the session. Well done, Year 5!
Reception: First Aider Visit
We had the pleasure of welcoming Marion into our class today. Marion has trained all of our staff to be first aiders and the children were also taught some basic first aid. They were taught why first aiders wear gloves, when to apply a plaster, how to put a bandage on and how to put somebody into the recovery position. Thank you so much for teaching us Marion, we learnt lots.
KS2 Buzz Education -National Careers Week
Today, KS2 took part in an engaging Buzz Education session, exploring the world of different careers. The children had great fun guessing various jobs from pictures and clues, sparking curiosity and discussion. This led to an in-depth exploration of a wide range of careers, where they learned about the skills and school subjects needed for each role. The session inspired the children to think about their future aspirations and how their learning in school connects to the world of work.
Year 5 - Gaelic Football
Yesterday, Year 5 took part in their first Gaelic football session, where they were introduced to the fundamentals of the sport. The children explored key skills such as passing, catching and travelling with the ball, developing their coordination and teamwork. They engaged in fun, fast-paced drills to build confidence and understanding of the game’s unique techniques. Throughout the session, the children demonstrated enthusiasm and perseverance, embracing the challenge of learning a new sport.
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Reception: Police Visit
Our Reception class loved their visit from the Police Community Support Officers today called Annie and Reece. They learnt about their jobs, who to call in an emergency and the different police vehicles. The children also listened to the police siren, saw the flashing lights and were all able to sit in the police car.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Our Reception class went to Whitehall park for the first time for their Muddy Monday session. They found pine cones, climbed trees, looked for minibeasts and made dens. The children loved exploring the area for their forest schools session and we can't wait to visit again soon.
Year 6 P.E - Gaelic Football
Year 6 have begun a new P.E unit, this week: Gaelic football, an Irish team sport. A form of football, it is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kicking or punching the ball into the other team's goal. For this first session, the children mainly focused on the key skills of the game. They had a lot of fun!
Year 5 Debt Aware
This week, Year 5 had a visit from Debt Aware. The focus was on the question - what is a budget? The children learned that a budget tells us three things: where the money comes from, where the money goes and how much is left over. These are better known as income, outgoings and disposable income. The children had to plan a budget based on wants vs needs. They also role-played being members of a family and thought about which wants/needs each person would have. The children really enjoyed this session and learned a lot about managing money sensibly.
Reception Visit to Imagine That
Our Reception class visited Imagine That today. They had a brilliant time using their imagination in imagination village, creating art making magnets and bags. They also made snow and slime! The children really enjoyed the dry ice experiments and loved the science room where we got to explore and learn. It was a wonderful trip where lots of memories were made. The staff commented on the children's behaviour and how amazing they all were, what superstars! For all images, please look at our gallery: https://stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/reception-visit-to-imagine-that
Year 6 - Debt Awareness
Year 6 had a visit from Debt Aware, this week. The focus of this session was gambling and borrowing. The children looked at how the government and families spend money; explored the ways in which people can borrow money and why; talked about the potential dangers of short-term (pay day) loans and thought about what to look for when deciding whether to borrow money. In addition to this, we thought about what gambling is, the different types of gambling and why people might gamble. We played a few games and watched the Grand National, placing bets with pretend money.
Reception: Muddy Monday
What a beautiful afternoon it was for our Reception class. The children enjoyed splashing in muddy puddles and loved the sunshine on their faces. The children are working hard to improve their walking stamina, we are slowly getting there and it is lovely to see how much progress they are making. The children enjoyed climbing today over the stile to get to the field. Some of the children were a little worried to do it but showed great perseverance and determination, well done!
Reception-Snake visit
When we learnt about Chinese New Year, we learnt that it was the year of the snake. We had a visit from Fiia’s Daddy Adam today and their six year old boa constrictor Lucy. We found out lots of facts about Lucy and asked lots of questions we were interested to know what Lucy ate, where she came from, what she lived in and if snakes can swim. Fiia then kindly passed around a snake skin that Lucy had not long shed and we described how it felt to touch.
Year 4 - RE with Rev Ben: Prayer
One of the key experiences in the current Year 4 RE unit is to learn from a Christian visitor about what Christians believe and how this is revealed in the way they pray. Rev Ben loves coming into school to explore faith with the children, and the children, in return, always offer their own insights. This lesson offered a fantastic opportunity to exchange thoughts and ideas, and we fully encourage respectful discussion of different worldviews in RE. The children loved exploring Christian belief through song, liturgy and 5 finger prayers. Thank you, Rev Ben.
Year 4 - Linking Schools: Zoom Meeting
What an exciting day on Monday! The Year 4s had the opportunity of linking live via Zoom with their linking class from St Matthew’s in Blackburn. The children showed St Matthew’s some of the Makaton signs they’d been learning and asked their new friends some curiosity questions they’d prepared, before answering questions from the link class. We then finished our session playing a couple of games together. It was a great first meeting and we can’t wait to meet our new friends in the summer term.
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Reception: Muddy Monday
Today our Reception children braved the cold and went outside for an observational walk to Jack Keys. We focused on spirituality this week and really focussed on what we could see, hear and smell. We stopped and looked around at all of God's beautiful creations. It was lovely to take a moment to really focus on what is all around us. We had a wonderful afternoon and we were really impressed with the children's resilience with the weather and the amount of walking we did.
Choir - Let’s Go Sing Workshop
Today our Choir took part in their final workshop with Gaynor in preparation for the Let’s Go Sing concert in March. The children are working really hard on the lyrics to each song and Gaynor was super impressed with their confidence, enthusiasm and actions. As we’ve said before, we are certainly a small but mighty choir! I’m sure they are going to blow us all away when they perform on the second biggest stage in the world at Blackpool Winter Gardens, and we can’t wait to watch them singing their hearts out.
Year 1 PSHE- Life Education Visit
Today, Year 1 had a life education session with Karen and Harold the Giraffe. We learnt that there are lots of different food groups that we need to be eating to ensure that we are consuming a balanced diet. We learnt about dairy foods such as cheese and yogurts which help to make our teeth and bones strong and healthy, protein foods such as chicken, fish, beans and eggs which support muscle growth, fruits and vegetables such as peas, broccoli, peppers and bananas which provide our body with vitamins and minerals to keep us fit and healthy all over and carbohydrate foods such as pasta, cereals, rice, porridge and potatoes which are good for giving us energy. We then talked about our organs (where they are located and what are their functions). We learnt that our ribs look after our heart and lungs, our heart pumps blood around the body, our lungs help us to breathe and our stomach breaks down our food which is called digestion. We learnt that our body absorbs the ‘good stuff’ from our foods and the ‘not so good stuff’ leaves our bodies when we go to the toilet. We then had a look at a packed lunch that Harold the Giraffe had packed. We talked about how his lunch box included bread (carbohydrates), tuna (protein), cheese (dairy) and a yogurt (dairy). We agreed that it was a great lunch but it could be improved by including a portion of fruit or vegetables. Alayna, Cici and Percy then shared their ideas for a balanced lunch. Alayna said that she would have an egg sandwich, apple, banana and a yogurt, Cici said that she would have a tuna sandwich, cucumber, carrots, grated cheese and orange juice and Percy said that he would have a ham sandwich, apple, yogurt and a boiled egg. To end our session, we watched a video and explored the the friendship between Harold the Giraffe, Kiki the Kangaroo and Derek the Penguin. We learnt that we must always think through what we are about to do before we do it to make sure that there is no risk of us upsetting or hurting anyone. We also talked about the importance of sleep for resting our brains, helping our bodies to grow and rebuilding our energy. Thank you to Harold and Karen from Life Education as Year 1 thoroughly enjoyed the session and learnt lots about how to stay fit, healthy and be a good friend.
Year 6 - Axe Throwing and Archery
At the end of last week, year 6 had the opportunity to take part in some alternative sports: Axe Throwing and Archery. They had a fantastic time taking part and listened attentively to the instructions they were given in order to improve their performance.
Year 4 - Linking Schools: Curiosity Questions
In Year 4, we are preparing for our first online meeting with our linking class by thinking of curiosity questions. Before we can write good questions for our linking class, we needed to explore curiosity questions with each other. We played human bingo, in which we had to work in pairs to find one person to match each statement on our grid. We asked questions such as, “Are you left-handed?” and “Do you like pizza and chips?”, to get to know a bit more about each other. Then in our next session we will be considering questions for our friends at St Matthew’s.
Archery and Axe Throwing Taster Session in Year 4
Today we had a special treat having a taster session for both archery and axe throwing. We learnt lots of new skills including how to handle the equipment and keep safe whilst using it. Our two coaches went through how to develop the required skills and we worked in small groups in a carousel. We had a fantastic time taking part in the taster session and look forward to understanding many more opportunities in varied sports.
Year 2 - Axe Throwing and Archery
This afternoon, Year 2 were very fortunate to be able to take part in an axe throwing and archery session from Sports Cool. The children absolutely loved throwing axes and firing their arrows at the targets.
Year 3- Archery and Axe Throwing
This afternoon, the children had a great time learning archery and axe throwing. In archery, they practised their stance, learned how to nock an arrow, and aimed at the target, it was great watching their skills improve with every shot. They also gave axe throwing a go, working on their accuracy and focus.
Year 5 - Archery and Axe Throwing
Year 5 had the exciting opportunity to participate in axe throwing and archery. The children demonstrated focus, precision, and determination as they learned new skills and challenged themselves in these thrilling activities. It was a fantastic experience that combined fun with the chance to develop coordination and confidence.
Year 1- Visit to Whitehall Park
Yesterday afternoon, Year 1 enjoyed exploring the ADVENTure Trail in the Rose Garden at Whitehall Park. We looked at all of the beautiful artwork that the very talented children across our school have produced and took part in a quiz. We answered questions which made us focus on various aspects of the Nativity Story. We then had a jolly sing along! To end our trip to Whitehall Park, we enjoyed a play on the park. So much fun was had by all and it was absolutely amazing to see all the children smiling and giggling away, taking turns, working as a team and making precious memories with each other.
KS2 Christmas Church Service
This morning, we had a special Christmas Church Service led by Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 to celebrate Advent. Year 6 lit the first candle for hope and shared their hopes and dreams for the future. Leonora and Daisy shared their dream of being a teacher to inspire others in the same way that they have been inspired in their own education, Alice shared her dream of being a paediatric nurse to support children in their time of need and suffering, Matthew shared his hope of travelling the world and experiencing the awe and wonder it can offer, Oscar shared his desire to be a kind and respectful citizen as he grows into adolescence and adulthood and Jake shared the hope of being like his parents who love and care for him and inspire him every day to be kind and positive. Year 5 then showed their beautifully crafted origami doves, symbolising peace and hope. They then read their heartfelt prayers, expressing their wishes for peace. Year 4 lit the candle for joy and shared their wonderful metaphors for Jesus through artwork such as Jesus being a torch and a lighthouse. This symbolised the joy Jesus brings us. Finally, Year 3 told us about the final theme of Advent which was love. They spoke about how we are able to share love by being kind and supportive of one another and shared some examples of how Jesus showed love through the miracles that he performed. The candle for love will be lit this Sunday. To end our collective worship, Mrs Ham gave us a few moments to reflect on how we can spread hope, joy, peace and love this Christmas time. We had examples such as smiling, giving hugs and kisses, giving a high-five, making and giving someone a card, encouraging others to challenge and overcome things, letting others join in with our games and giving our friends and family the precious gift of time. She thanked all of the staff for their outstanding commitment to our school family, our parents for their fabulous support and our amazing children for being so well behaved and working so hard. We then heard from Rev Ben who shared a lovely Christmas blessing and we had the pleasure of watching our fabulous Christmas video which showcased all of the Christmas fun we have had over the last few weeks and it brought lots of joy and laughter to the whole congregation.
Year 4 Adventure Art and Trail Quiz Walk
Year 4 have had a great day today taking part in the Advent Art and Trail Quiz Walk. We walked to the Rose Garden first where we did the Advent Trail Quiz and the children worked really well to follow the clues and answer the questions. Next we walked around the garden admiring the beautiful pieces of artwork that the children from St Barnabas had completed. After that we walked to Mrs Gardner's home to enjoy hot chocolate, marshmallows and cream or a hot vimto with a side of chocolate biscuits. Finally, we walked back to the park and went on the playground before heading back to school. The children were great at showing the 4 Bs both in and out of the classroom and it was lovely to watch them all with huge smiles on their faces too.
Reception: Santa Visit
It is safe to say that all of our children are on the good list! Reception class loved their visit from Santa Claus. Thank you for their presents, we had lots of excited children. Please have a look at our gallery for more photos. https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/santa-visit-2024
Church Carol Service
A huge well done to our choir and other volunteers from our school family who sang their little hearts out this evening, at our church carol service. It was a lovely service and we are sure that it brought everyone lots of joy. Thank you Mrs Govan for giving up her time to lead our choir. Thank you to our parents and carers who came along to support.
Year 5 - RotaKids - Christmas Cards for Care Homes
Building on from our Worship earlier in the week about spreading joy this Advent, our Year 5 Rotakids decided to take action. Today, they spread festive cheer in the community by creating thoughtful Christmas cards to send to East Lancs Hospice and care homes around Darwen. The children poured their creativity and kindness into each card, adding heartfelt messages and festive designs. These cards will soon be delivered, bringing warmth, joy and a sense of connection to residents who may need it most this Christmas season. It’s a wonderful way to show that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Well done, RotaKids, for embodying the true spirit of the holidays!
Care Home Carol Singing
Some of our choir members and a few of their younger siblings brought lots of festive cheer to the residents at Acer Lodge Care Home in Blackburn this evening. They sang their little hearts out and filled the staff and resident's hearts with joy. They were overjoyed to have a visit from Father Christmas who brought them all a little gift for being such little superstars. A huge thank you to the parents and grandparents who transported the children to Blackburn, battling horrendous rain, floods and road closures. It was certainly worth it to see the smiles on the residents faces and to hear them singing along.
Year 6 - Road safety workshop
Today, year 6 visited DACA for a road safety workshop. The children listened attentively and explored the importance of minimising distractions when walking to school. In a world that is surrounded by technology, it is very easy to get distracted, but it is really important to take precautions when we are near roads.
Year 6 - Parliament Week
On Friday, Year 6 rounded off ‘Parliament Week’ with a meeting with Baroness Wilcox of Newport. Baroness Wilcox started the session with a presentation about the House of Lords before answering some questions that the children had prepared prior to the session. Some of the questions were fantastic and a big thank you to Baroness Wilcox for answering them so openly and honestly.
Reception - How the Church celebrates Christmas
This morning, Rev Matt visited us to share with us how the church celebrates Christmas. He explained that the retelling of the Nativity story is the most important part of the celebration as it is about the very special birth of Jesus. The singing of hymns and lighting of candles also symbolises the joy and light that was brought into the world at this time. We also talked about how we celebrate Christmas at home. Beau said ‘we decorate the house’ and Eleanor said ‘we have Christmas tea’
Year 6 - Fire Service Visit
This week, year 6 were visited by the fire service. They recapped the learning that they received in year 2 and moved onto the topic of ‘Roadsense’. As year 6 move to secondary school, they will no doubt become more independent and may be trusted to walk to school. It is really important that they keep themselves safe and make sure they are visible and give roads their full attention.
Year 6 - Parliament Week
This week, year 6 have spent some time getting to grips with Parliament and how the country is run. They discovered that Parliament is split into two houses: House of Commons and the House of Lords, and this Friday the children will actually get the chance to put some questions to Baroness Wilcox, who sits in the House of Lords. They will have the chance to ask questions about her role and the House of Lords itself. This is a fantastic opportunity which will be enriched further when we actually visit the Houses of Parliament during our London trip in March.
Year 1- Smoothie Bike
Yesterday, Year 1 took part in the smoothie bike experience with Aspens Catering. The children discussed different types of fruits that they liked and learned how many portions of fruit and vegetables they should eat every day. The children then helped to put the different fruits, yogurt and honey into the blender before using a special bike (with a helping hand from Donna) to blend the ingredients to create three delicious smoothie drinks. Last of all, they sampled their creations.
Year 2 - Fire service visit
Cloughy and Fiona from Darwen Fire Service visited year 2 today. The enthusiasm in class from everyone was brilliant. The children had one main message to remember check your smoke alarms! We had role play, dressing up and waved them off in the fire engine. Thank you Cloughy and Fiona!
Reception: Muddy Monday
Our Reception children braved the cold today and went in search of twigs and sticks to create our own Stick Men at Jack Keys. We will be focussing on this story throughout this week and we will be making our own Stick Men to help us retell the story.
Choir - Let’s Go Sing Workshop
Our choir have enjoyed their second LGS workshop with Matthew. We have been learning an exciting new set of songs in preparation for the concert, and they are already sounding brilliant! We are certainly a small but mighty choir. Matthew was really impressed with their attention and listening during this session.
Year 1- Interfaith Week and Hinduism Workshop
To celebrate Interfaith Week, Year 1 had a special Hindu Workshop. They started off by taking part in a traditional Hindu dance before learning about Hindu worship known as Puja which involves all five of the senses. Our visitor, Prags showed us some of the important artefacts used as part of Puja such as the bell (used to make sure that the God knows the worshippers are there), a candle, incense stick, the Swastika symbol and the red paste which is used to make a mark on a a Hindu’s head as a sign of respect to their God. Prags also told us about some other Hindu practises such as offering food or flowers to their God known as arti, washing thoroughly before worship and taking their shoes off as they enter the temple. Since Year 1 have also been learning about how Hindus created the world in their creation unit, Prags gave them the opportunity to ask some of their own questions that they had. Harry asked, ‘Why does the God have lots of heads?’ Prags explained this was because the God needs to look all around the world and also because they have many different forms. She explained that we have many roles e.g. Phoebe is a daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend etc.. and the Gods do too and this is why they’re drawn and painted with many heads. Callie asked, ‘Why does the God have four arms?’ Prags explained that this was because they are powerful and need to be able to do lots of things/carry many things at the same time. Bella asked, ‘Why is the God shown as being blue?’ Prags explained that Shiva is blue to symbolise the world’s poisons that he drank in order to protect it and Vishnu is blue to represent his calming personality. However, Prags also said that by representing them as blue, we are celebrating colour and appreciating people’s differences.
Year 2 - Hinduism Workshop
Year 2 were very lucky to have an exciting visitor in school today. During our workshop, Prags shared her knowledge and experience of Hinduism. We discussed how Hindu’s prepare for worship and how their prayers are similar and different to Christians. We also joined in some classic Hindi dancing wearing very colourful skirts and jackets.
Year 5 - Hinduism Workshop
Year 5 had an enriching Hinduism workshop, diving into the teachings of sacred texts, discovering the significance of various Hindu gods, and exploring vibrant traditions and cultural practices. The children were captivated by the storytelling and symbolism, and they eagerly participated in traditional dancing, experiencing the joy and rhythm of Hindu culture firsthand. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to broaden their understanding and appreciation of diverse beliefs and traditions!
Year 6 - Hinduism Workshop
Year 6 welcomed Prags into our school today, who led them in a Hinduism workshop. She was very impressed by the children’s knowledge of pilgrimages and she then spoke in more detail about a Hinduism pilgrimage. She explained how the River Ganges is sacred to Hindus and that they believe the water washes sins away. When Prags first went on this pilgrimage, she expressed how it is an emotional event and one that she will never forget. Year 6 listened attentively and showed fantastic levels of respect.
Year 3- Interfaith Week- Prag's trip to India- Hinduism
Year 3 celebrated Interfaith Week by learning about Hinduism. Prags, who was born in East Africa, shared her experiences of visiting India. She showed pictures of both traditional and modern parts of the country, highlighting its diversity. Prags also discussed the importance of recycling and her love for visiting sacred sites like the River Ganges and the Golden Temple. The girls then wore colourful, sequined skirts while the boys wore jackets and they all learned a dance routine together. The children asked insightful questions about the language and clothing and enjoyed trying the vegetable samosas that Prags brought in. It was great to learn about the traditions and religious beliefs of Hinduism.
Darwen Remembrance Service
Our Year 6 class attended the Darwen Schools Remembrance Service this morning. They were so respectful when observing the two minutes silence and joined in the prayers with enthusiasm. Our head boy and head girl laid a lovely wreath that the class had created with Mrs Stanton which had special prayers for those who gave up their lives so that we could live ours. After the service we found out that the bagpiper used to attend St Barnabas when he was younger so he let us try on his hat. We then placed poppy crosses on our adopted war graves and took some time to say our own prayers for those who lost their lives in the wars. We also prayed for some of our children's loved ones who are buried in the cemetery. What a lovely morning of remembrance!
Year 5&6 Remembrance Walk
Today, our Year 5 and 6 children made a heartfelt visit to the remembrance graves to honor and remember those who courageously sacrificed their lives in times of war. Standing among the headstones, the children took time for quiet reflection, paying their respects to those who gave everything for the freedoms we enjoy today. With gentle hands, the children tended to the graves—a simple yet powerful act of care and gratitude. This experience reminded our children of the bravery and selflessness that paved the way for peace. This moment of reflection encouraged the children to find gratitude in the everyday blessings we often take for granted, fostering a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the many freedoms we cherish today.
Years 2 and 3-Outdoor Classroom Day- Remembrance Walk
This afternoon, Year 2 and 3 celebrated Outdoor Classroom Day by walking up to the WW1 Memorial Wall in Darwen Cemetery. As they gathered at the memorial wall, they paused to remember the brave soldiers who fought in the War. They thought about the sacrifices made and the courage shown by those for our freedom. Isaac, Bobby Ray, Lyla, Renee Archie, and Heidi shared heartfelt prayers and poems, honoring the memory of those who gave their lives for our country. As they walked back to school. they appreciated God's creation, the beauty of the trees, and the sweet songs of the birds.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Today for Reception’s Muddy Monday session, the children walked to Jacks Key. To celebrate bonfire night, the children collected twigs, sticks and leaves to create their own bonfires. The children had to work together as a team and did a brilliant job.
Year 1 Science and PSHE- Nightingale Farm Visit
What a wonderful time Year 1 had at Nightingale Farm on Tuesday morning. We petted the chickens and the goats, wandered around the barn exploring all of the farm animals (pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and ducks) and learnt lots about their diets. We then completed an activity where we had to choose one of the farm animals, write which animal group it belonged to (mammal, reptile, amphibian, fish or bird) and what it likes to eat. Steph answered lots of questions that we had about the farm animals too. We all thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the park so thank you to Steph for warmly welcoming us and sharing her knowledge with us all. All of the photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-1-nightingale-farm-october-2024
Year 6 - Money Matters
This week, year 6 welcomed a member of the money matters team into their classroom. It was great to hear them discussing potential careers they would like to pursue in the future and the mature responses they gave throughout the session.
Reception: Muddy Monday
Today, our Reception children went for a walk into our local environment. We went on a mile walk to Jack Keys reservoir. The children enjoyed looking at the reservoir, the fallen leaves and loved listening to the birds singing. The children really concentrated on what they could see and hear, exploring spirituality. It was a rainy walk and the children persevered and enjoyed splashing in the puddles too.
Harvest Church Service 2024
Thank you to our Wow group, EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 classes for leading our Harvest celebration at church today. I have uploaded some videos to class dojo and additional photos can be found here: https://stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/harvest-church-service-2024 It was wonderful to see so many of our families in attendance. A huge thank you to you all for coming to watch and thank you to all of our families for your continued support this half term. Thank you for all of your kind harvest donations, these can be continued to be sent in during the first week that we are back at school. Wishing you all a wonderful half term, Mrs Wilkinson
Choir - Let’s Go Sing workshop
Choir took part in their first Let’s Go Sing workshop in preparation for their concern in March next year. Rose was super impressed with how much they have learnt in such a short space of time! They represented our school brilliantly and demonstrated so many of our Christian Values throughout the workshop, showing lots of courage and respect. I have no doubt that they will be amazing on the stage when we get to Blackpool! Well done choir!
Year 5 - Mayan Workshop
Today, Year 5 visited Darwen Library to take part in an exciting Mayan workshop. Along the way, we took a moment to reflect on spirituality, encouraging the children to be mindful of their surroundings, appreciate the beauty of nature, and recognise the unique characteristics that make our town so special. This time of reflection helped foster a sense of connection to both the environment and their community. Once at the library, the children participated in a range of fun, creative activities. They worked together to find books to answer key questions, explored various sections of the library to locate different types of books, and engaged in a lively Mayan quiz to test their knowledge. The workshop not only deepened their understanding of Mayan culture but also strengthened their research and teamwork skills, making the day a fulfilling blend of learning, exploration, and reflection.
Key Stage 2 - Rocksteady Workshop
This morning, Key Stage 2 had a fantastic time during a Rocksteady workshop, where they got the chance to create their own rock band! The children were able to step into the roles of musicians, playing instruments like the drums, guitar, bass guitar, and keyboard. A huge well done to all the children who participated, showing confidence and enthusiasm as they took to their instruments and played with impressive skill. The session was a great opportunity for them to experience the excitement of performing together as a band.
Year 6 - Alice in Wonderland Workshop
After watching the Alice in Wonderland production, year 6 were lucky enough to take part in a workshop with the cast. They had a discussion about what goes into making a good show: costumes, direction, technology, acting and got to have a go at some of these elements themselves. Hopefully, some of the knowledge they have gained from this experience will be carried forward into their own performance at the end of the year.
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 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 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 5 - Bikeability
Year 5 took part in the first session of Bike Ability. The children learnt how to: ride a bike safely and sensibly, check their bikes are suitable for the road, ensure brakes are working and ensure they are conducting themselves in a safe manner. They then went out on their bikes with the instructors and learnt how to correctly use their bikes on the main roads.
Reception: Rev Ben Visit
A huge thank you to Rev Ben for visiting our class this week. Rev Ben read a story from the bible all about the Holy Spirit. He told us how if we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will live in us. Rev Ben asked 6 children to come to the front and dressed them in party hats. Pentecost is the birthday of the church. Christians believe that God’s present to us all to celebrate Pentecosts is the Holy Spirit. It is a superpower that lives inside of us all. Thank you to Rev Ben for giving up his time to teach our children.
Year 4 - Linking Schools: Final Visit
This week saw the final meeting with our link school, St Matthew’s. It allowed Year 4 class to be the hosts and what amazing hosts our children were! We spent the day working in teams with our friends, playing problem solving games using hoops and bean bags and building sturdy towers from newspaper and masking tape. We were so proud of them all for making the Kestrels Class welcome. Some of the children even requested that we stay in touch next year.
Year 4 - Linking Schools: Mosque Visit
Whilst visiting our link class in Blackburn, we visited the Jamia Ghosia Mosque, where some of our friends go every day after school. We explored the main prayer hall and learned about some of the religious symbols inside the mosque. We also visited the wash room (wudhu) and learned about how Muslims carry out ablution prior to praying. We will be talking about this further in our RE lesson next week. Thank you to the leaders at the mosque for welcoming us and answering our questions.
Year 4 - Linking Schools: Developing Friendships
Year 4 class had a fantastic time at St Matthew’s on Tuesday. The children made some lovely friendships, taking part in collaborative activities and games, and having a picnic together. Our time at St Matthew’s came to a close by joining the Linking Network’s celebration Zoom meeting. We can’t wait to welcome our friends to St Barnabas next week.
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Year 4 - Linking Schools: Poem Dedications
Whilst visiting St Matthew’s, we decorated poems about the power of working together. We then dedicated these to a friend from our link class and they did the same for us. We had a great time decorating the poems and loved exchanging them with our friends.
Year 3 - Carbon Monoxide Workshop- Year 3
Emily delivered a workshop today as part of the CO Safety Assembly and Class Workshops, designed to raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO). Year 3 students learned a lot about this invisible and dangerous gas, known as the hidden danger because it can't be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, or touched. The children enjoyed the video and fun activities and are ready to spread the word as Safety Assistants.
Year 3- English- Zoom session from Tom Roberts-Author of the The Great Realisation poem and film. ·
Performance poet Tom Roberts also known as Tom Foolery shared his journey into poetry and explained his creative process during a Zoom session with Year 3 today. He emphasized the importance of focusing on subjects that matter to you at the moment, whether personal or universal, making the work more engaging. He shared valuable advice from a former teacher about structuring a poem. Instead of thinking of a poem as having a beginning, middle, and end, he approaches it as a progression from stability to instability, and finally to resolution. During the session, Tom delighted the children by reading two poems: "The Great Realisation" and "The World Awaits" – the latter from his second book. To make the experience even more special, he included the names of the children while performing. Year 3 loved it! Inspired by this session, the children will now use Tom's approach to structure their poems on the theme of refugees.
English- Year 3- Refugees from Sudan and Libya
Today in Year 3, we welcomed two refugees. Zinab from Libya and Samah from Sudan. They both had to leave their families because it was not safe in their countries. Zinab and Samah told us about their struggles and worries about fitting in here in the UK. They were very grateful to the UK for providing them with housing and support. They also reminded us to be thankful that we don't have wars, and that we have safe places to stay and food to eat. The question and answer session helped the children understand the challenges refugees face, which they could then portray in their writing.
Year 5 - The CO2 Crew Workshop
Today, Year 5 took part in the Safety Seymour workshop. The children discussed and explored the dangers of carbon monoxide and discussed how they can spot it in their homes as this is something that cannot be detected by our senses. The children explored a variety of ways that if carbon monoxide is detected, what can be done to mitigate the spread of the harmful gas.
Year 6 Money Matters
Year 6 had their final money matters session this week led by Debt Aware- Money skills for life. They at enterprise and entrepreneurs.
Year 1 and 2 visit BeWILDerwood
Our Year 1 and 2 classes had a fantastic time at BeWILDerwood in Cheshire. They showed lots of courage when taking part in a variety of challenging activities such as den building, wobbly wires, slippery slopes, the mish mash maze, the broken bridge, storytelling and crafts. For all of the photos, please click here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-1-2-bewilderwood-trip-may-2024
Year 6- Islamophobia Workshop
This week, year 6 took part in an islamophobia workshop. They discovered what islamophobia is, why we have islamophobia and how we tackle the issue. The overriding theme from the workshop is that it exists from a lack of education around the Islamic faith and it can be tackled through education. This will allow the children to make informed choices as they go out into the world.
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Year 2 & Year 4 - RE: The Church
Our pupils in Years 2 & 4 had a walk down to St Barnabas Church this week. Both classes are currently studying the church in RE and Rev Ben was kind enough to invite us into church to explore symbols within the church. For Year 2, this built on the children’s learning about important features found in a church, and for Year 4, this gave a starting point for comparisons with churches from other denominations of Christianity. The children were very knowledgeable and loved exploring the inside of St Barnabas Church.
Year 5- PGL- Three day residential trip
Year 5 have been on a 3-day residential trip to Winmarleigh Hall, where they created lasting memories, and tackled challenging activities such as; Zip wire, abseiling, survivor skills, traverse, raft building, quizzes, sensory trail and vertical challenges demonstrating incredible teamwork. Well done Year 5! A huge thank you to Mr Bloomfield, Miss Kachwalla and Rev Ben for their amazing support!
Year 4 - RE: The Essence of the Church
After writing an extensive list of what we would need to create our own class church on the playground, we read what Peter said about ”the church” and realised that we actually only needed 3 key elements: people, the Bible, and a place to gather. Once we found a quiet spot to gather, we began our church by signing the trinity. One of the children selected a passage to read and told us all that she thought it meant that Jesus is always with us. We discussed times when it is important to remind ourselves of this, such as when we are worried about an upcoming event. The children then gathered some natural materials to make their own crosses. We finished with a prayer and returned to class singing “My Lighthouse”.
Year 5 PGL- Raft Building
Year 5 are having lots of fun and are showing friendship and teamwork when building rafts on their PGL residential. Well done Year 5! For all of the PGL photos so far, click here: https://stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-5-pgl-to-winmarleigh-2024
Year 2 - Fire Service Visit
On Monday, the fire service visited year 2. However after 10 minutes they received a radio call saying there was an emergency so they were needed somewhere else in Darwen. Thankfully Firefighter Clough was keen to come back so on Tuesday morning we got to do it all again. We spoke about how we should react should we ever be in a fire. We also discussed ways to help reduce danger in scary situations. We also spoke about the importance of smoke alarms in our homes. All the children were asked to check their smoke alarms were working at home. We had water guns, wigs, hats and plenty of jokes to make this a memorable visit!
Year 1- Road Safety Visit
This afternoon in Year 1, we had visit from Road Safety Officer Katie. We learnt the Green Cross Code which is to only Cross the road when we have stopped, looked, listened and thought. Katie then talked to us about how we should put this into practice when we are making decisions concerning our roads. Katie then spoke to us about the dangers of having our shoe laces undone, being on an electronic device and wearing headphones whilst crossing the road as well as running across a road and following a ball or other object that has rolled into the road. We discussed these in depth and decided that anything that would result in us being distracted, not being able to hear properly or potentially resulting in us falling and being stranded in the middle of the road would be incredibly dangerous and we should take precautions so that they don’t happen . Katie then shared one of the most common ways for people getting hurt whilst crossing the road. This is when people cross the road between two parked cars. We learnt that by doing this, you can’t see the oncoming traffic properly and the oncoming traffic can’t see you. Therefore, Katie told us that we must cross the road in a safe place where you have full visibility of the road and the oncoming traffic has clear visibility of you. Late at night, this would mean that you would also need to wear fluorescent and reflective clothes and/or accessories. Katie gave us lots of these- thank you! Throughout the lesson, we took to the crossing and practised some of these road safety skills that we had learnt. To end the lesson, Katie talked to us about the importance of a seat belt. She told us that the seatbelt should sit positioned between our shoulder bone and hip bone and then securely fastened. Katie also told us that we needed to be a certain height in order for this seatbelt to fulfil its job of keeping us safe. All of us were measured and we all discovered that we need a booster seat to ensure that we are the appropriate height for the seatbelt to do it’s job. Thank you to Katie for a very informative session.
Year 5 PGL - Abseiling
Year 5, Mr Bloomfield, Miss Kachwalla and Rev Ben have arrived at Winmarleigh Hall for their two night PGL residential and have taken part in a number of outdoor and adventurous activities such as abseiling, survival, passport to the world and vertical climb. We hope you have an amazing time living life in all its fullness! All of the photos so far can be found here: https://stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-5-pgl-to-winmarleigh-2024
Reception visit from Nightingale Farm
Reception were very lucky to have a visit from Steph at Nightingale farm. They met Olly the lamb who was only 7 weeks old and learned about his wool and other sheep at the farm. They also looked at some runner ducks who were just 2 weeks old! The children were so excited to see the ducklings running around with their long necks and were so gentle when they stroked them. They learned that these ducks can’t fly and can only swim once they have grown their feathers. The children asked lots of questions about animals on the farm.
Year 1 RE- Mock Baptism with Rev. Ben
On Tuesday afternoon, Year 1 wore their celebration clothes and went to St Barnabas Church. We learnt all about Baptism and welcoming babies, teenagers and adults into Christianity. Year 1 named their baby Snowflake and Rev. Ben showed them what it would be like if Snowflake was baptised. We learnt that baptism is like a badge that people wear to show they belong to the church. We also learnt about why water is used as part of a baptism and we witnessed Rev.Ben pour water over baby Snowflake’s head which came from the font. Snowflake received a baptism candle and a Bible. We then came back to school for a baptism party. The children enjoyed a dance, a cup of juice and a biscuit. Thank you Rev.Ben for creating a memorable experience for our children.
Year 6 KOOTH workshop
On Friday, year 6 took part in a virtual workshop with KOOTH. KOOTH is an online, anonymous mental well-being platform for children. The children can sign up to this service by: visiting the website, selecting sign up, select their area (Darwen, Lancashire) and filling in a few details (DOB, gender, ethnicity, username). This service can provide support for SATS or anything else that the children may be worrying about.
Year 2 - Science trip to the garden centre
This week for science we visited Four Seasons Garden Centre. This was a brilliant trip out for the class as we were able to build on our existing knowledge of plants. Sonia at the Garden Centre was amazing and shared her knowledge with the children. We looked for flowers that we had written in poems in English. It was lovely to see the children excited about seeing their learning in the real world.
Year 1- Local Geography Fieldwork
Year 1 are studying their local area as part of their most recent geography unit. Yesterday, they were busy exploring their local area with the help of a map. There were various symbols on the map and they had to investigate what human features the symbols were representing e.g. Whitehall Park, Bolton Rd Laundrette, St Barnabas Church and the cemetery. As part of their fieldwork, they also identified and created a tally of the types of houses that they could see on route e.g. terraced, detached, semi-detached and bungalows. When we got back to school, we discussed what types of houses were most popular in the area of Whitehall and we came to the conclusion that it was terraced houses. We thought that this might be because we can fit more terraced houses into a small area which means that more people can live there. We also linked this back to our previous learning on the Victoria era when Darwen was a very popular cotton town. We thought that maybe Darwen would have needed to provide somewhere for all the factory workers to live in those times hence why there are so many terraced houses.
Year 4 Go on Residential to The Anderton Centre
Well that’s a wrap! What an amazing adventure we have had at The Anderton Centre. The children have loved tree climbing, archery, fairy den building, night line guide line, bushcraft, marshmallow toasting, team building, XL stand up paddle boarding, midnight feasts, sleepovers (with not much sleep) and AI food. The children have really challenged themselves, attempting things that have really pushed them out of their comfort zones. Team Gardner, Team Araujo andTeam Lyon’s were a pleasure to take and conducted themselves in true St Barnabas style, showing our four Bs along the way at all times. A huge thanks to the parents and carers for allowing us to share such a magical experience with them, labelling every item under the sun and all with the packing skills of a scout leader! We now have very tired children but they have made memories that will last a lifetime! For all of the photos, please click here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/year-4-anderton-centre-residential
Easter Church Service
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Easter Service this morning. I’ve added some videos and photos to class dojo for parents who weren’t able to join us. Thank you to our Heads and Deputies for leading the service with me and to our KS2 classes for leading the singing. A special thanks to Rev Ben too for leading us in a special Easter prayer. We’ve had a wonderful few weeks in school in the lead up to Easter. Please click here to see all the Easter fun we have had: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/easter-2024 Thank you so much to our children for the amazing walking they have been doing both in and out of school for our Big Lent Walk challenge. As a school family we have walked a fantastic 2383km and raised £215 so far to help fight global poverty! Sponsor money can still be paid in on the following link: https://schools.walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/st-barnabas-big-lent-walk A quick reminder that we break up early today at 2.00pm and return back for the Summer term on Wednesday 10th April.
Year 1- Visit to the Rose Garden
This week, Year 1 visited the Rose Garden to explore the Easter artwork that our whole school have been busy creating. They spotted artwork that showed Palm leaves to represent Palm Sunday, artwork to represent Judas’ betrayal to Jesus and artwork to represent the last supper, the crucifixion and the resurrection.
Year 4 - Big Lent Walk & Easter Trail
We had a great time clocking up a few miles between us on our walk to the Rose Garden this morning. Once we arrived we completed an Easter quiz and explored the lovely artwork created by our school friends. The children knew so much about the events of the Easter story and really understood the symbolism too. We finished our visit with a walking gallery, deciding on our favourite pieces of art.
Reception: Firefighter visit
Reception had a special visit from firefighter Andy this afternoon to teach us about the very important job of a firefighter. First we watched a video about Francis the firefly with a very important message about not playing with matches. We then looked at a uniform a firefighter wears when they attend a fire - we thought it was very funny when Mrs Govan tried it on! Mrs Govan said it was very heavy and smelt of smoke! Andy talked about other types of incidents the fire team help with, such as car accidents, rescuing people from tricky places and animals too!
Year 6- Imperial War Museum Visit
In History this term, Year 6 have been learning all about the Second World War and the part that Darwen played in it. It has been wonderful to visit the Imperial War Museum to learn more about the Second World War and the part that London played in it and contrast this to Darwen’s involvement. All of the photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/imperial-war-museum
Year 6- London Sightseeing
Year 6 saw lots of London's famous sights such as Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament , the Tower of London and we watched the changing of the guard. For all of the photos, click here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/london-sightseeing
Year 6 London Trip 2024
Our Year 6 children are off on their exciting visit to London!
Year 6- Houses of Parliament Visit
Our Year 6 class enjoyed a wonderful visit to the Houses of Parliament. They went on a special guided tour and got to go into the House of Lords. They finished the visit in Westminster Hall and looked at where the late Queen Elizabeth II was laid in state. All of the photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/houses-of-parliament-visit-1
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 enjoyed visiting the gift shop. Click here for all of the photos: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/natural-history-museum
Reception Dentist visit
This morning reception had a visit from two dentists who were here to tell us all about how we can keep our teeth and gums healthy. Reception were keen to ask questions and listened well. Super work Reception!
Year 1- Local History Walk
In their history lessons, Year 1 have been learning about the positive impact that Queen Victoria had on Britain during her reign. They learnt that Queen Victoria and her husband, Albert, supported Britain in becoming more developed. During her reign, trams and trains being developed meant that people and goods could move around the country and machinery that could be powered by coal and water could produce materials such as cotton, paper and metals very quickly that could then be shipped to other countries to support Britain becoming wealthier. Today, Year 1 went on a walk around Darwen to see the impact that Queen Victoria’s reign had on their hometown. They saw many factories that have now been repurposed but were once cotton or paper mills such as Radford Mill on Bolton Road, Hilton’s Old Paper Mill which is now Kenleys and Brittania Mills. They also saw several sights were cotton factories used to be that are now housing estates such as the site where Bowling Green Mill used to stand and where Waterfield Mill used to be. From visiting so many locations where cotton and paper mills used to be, it helped year 1 to understand just how much of a part Darwen used to play in producing cotton especially. They also learnt that this cotton used to get shipped over to India to make Britain wealthier and this is why Ghandi visited Darwen. As well as this, Year 1 also saw the original tramway track which was built and in operation during Queen Victoria’s reign and the concrete capping on Clough Street which tells us that there was a coal mine in his area which would have been used to generate the power for both the trams, trains and machinery. Year 1 walked over 3 miles during our local area history lesson which is a great contribution to our ‘Big Lent Walk’ challenge too- well done Year 1.
Reception- fire fighter visit
This afternoon we have had a visit from the firefighters from Darwen fire service. The children were taught about the firefighter uniform, smoke alarms, emergency numbers and how to stay safe. We then went to have a look at the fire engine, we listened to the sirens and saw the flashing lights and we all had a go a firing water from the hose.
The Big Lent Walk in Year 4
This afternoon, Year 4 went on their Big Lent Walk around our local area. We walked past both Mrs Gardner’s and Mrs Singleton's houses on our journey. The children loved being out in the fresh air and working together to add more km to our whole school total. We are so proud of them as we were also in our World Book Day outfits which included onesies, dresses and dressing gowns. Collectively we walked 92.8k - WELL DONE Year 4
KS2 Author Visit
Yesterday, the children in KS2 were lucky enough to have a visit from Richard Alker. Richard is the author of the book ‘My Grandad vs the Fangazoo’. The children were truly immersed in his session and had many questions to ask Richard about his life and how he became an author. During the session, he discussed various things: what inspired him to write, character development, simple strategies he uses when writing and finally the children had the chance to listen to a book reading. Thank you Richard!
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Year 5&6 Big Lent Walk
Today, Year 5&6 completed their big lent walk. The children walked through Jacks Key and around the local area and completed 4.5km each so that's 265.5km towards the school's 2000km target.
KS1 Author Visit
This morning, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 had a visit from children’s author, R.K.Alker. He told us that he hadn’t always been an author but he had also worked in many other professions. Whilst working as a paramedic, he had hurt his leg and could no longer do this anymore so he was suddenly struck by the idea of becoming a children’s author. He believes that God has called him to become a children's author. It was something that he’d dreamed of for 30 years and became incredibly excited by the idea. He told us that he writes a story by writing it and then going back to edit and improve it by making sure that he’s told the author who, what, where, when, why and how, using his his five senses and re-reading his writing to check it makes sense. He then read chapter 7 of his story, ‘My Grandad Vs the FangaZOO’ and we met a mischievous little boy called Zac who set off the emergency alarm on the aeroplane. Rich then did a question and answer session. Renee asked how many books Rich had published, Jack asked what Rich’s favourite part of his story was, Isaac asked how long it took Rich to write a book, Cassidy asked where Rich had got his inspiration for writing from, Lottie asked how long Rich had been writing books and Elijah had asked what Stretch the Dragon (who features in Rich’s story) likes to do at the weekend.
KS2- Author Visit-R.K. Alker
To celebrate World Book Day and foster a love for reading, we welcomed children's book author RK Alker today. He shared insights into his journey before becoming an author, recounting experiences such as growing chillies and collaborating with celebrities like Gordon Ramsay. Before pursuing writing, RK worked as an ambulance man until a leg injury led him to reconsider his career path. Inspired by his daughters, he fulfilled his lifelong dream of writing a book. During his talk, RK emphasised the importance of creative writing prompts and utilising the five senses to enhance writing. He introduced the children to his character Stretch the Dragon by reading chapter 7 from his current best-selling book 'My Grandad Vs the Fanga Zoo,' leaving it on a cliffhanger. RK hopes to get a word he made up, 'oopositollogy' (which means the opposite of opposite), into a dictionary one day. To end the visit, RK told funny jokes that had the children laughing their socks off.
Year 2 - Big Lent Walk
This afternoon, Year 2 set off to Whitehall Park to do our bit for the Big Lent Walk. We added 2.5 kilometres to the school total.
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Year 3- Big Lent Walk
This afternoon, Year 3 went on the 'Big Lent Walk', covering a distance of 2.8 km. A small donation has been made to CAFOD to help fight poverty worldwide. We also had fun being Geologists exploring different kind of rocks.
Year 6 School Nurse Visit
Year 6 had a visit from the school nurse as a follow-up session to the health questionnaires they recently filled out. The children acted extremely maturely and gave some fantastic responses. However, they were clearly shocked by some of the facts (especially around sugar content) regarding their favourite foods and drinks. Did you know that one milkshake contains nearly a week’s worth of a child’s sugar intake?
Reception: Imagine That Educational Visit
Wow, what a fantastic day our Ducklings had today. We visited Imagine That in Liverpool and had lots of fun! The children did lots of experiments with dry ice, made magical snow and made slime too. They used their imaginations in the roleplay area, painted a car, explored the creative area and made their own magnets. They were well behaved and represented the school beautifully!
Year 6 Fire Service Visit
At the end of last half term, year 6 were visited by the fire service. They did a recap with the children on what they covered in year 2, and delivered some new content. Two of the most important takeaways from the session would be to test that your smoke alarms work each month; this could be done on your birthdate to avoid forgetting. Secondly, make sure you have a fire plan in place at home and that everyone living in the property understand this.
Year 4 - Meeting Our Linking Schools Class
The children were so excited to meet their Linking class this week. We had a Zoom meeting with the Kestrels class from St Matthews in Blackburn, in which we introduced ourselves, taught and learned some sign-supported English and played games. I think their favourite game was ‘Draw An Object’; the children had to hold their whiteboards on their heads and draw the instructed object without looking. Needless to say our attempts were hilarious and nothing like what they were supposed to be!
Reception: Police Visit
Wow! What a special treat! The children had a visit from PC Uzair and PCSO Debbie. It was fantastic and the children were able to take turns in the police car. We even got to press the horn to make the siren work! We learnt about their job and how they make sure everybody is safe. We also got to see some of their equipment and found out about their special numbers. I’m sure this is a memory the children will never forget.
Year 5 - Money Matters - Module 2
Year 5 have completed their module 2 Money Matters. The children discussed various aspects of money such as: needs vs wants, budgeting, examples of spending, how to spend wisely and learnt from real life situations.
Christmas Church Service
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us this morning for our Christmas Church Service. I have attached some photos and snippets for those of you who were unable to join us due to work commitments. A huge well done to our Key Stage 2 children for showcasing what they have been learning in RE this half term and a special thank you to Year 6, who led our service. We thanked Rev Ben and Rev Matt for their service to our school family. We also gave a special gift to Glenda, who has decided to retire from her volunteering role in school. Thank you so much Glenda for everything you have done for our school family over the years. It was wonderful to hear about all the great ways that our children have been spreading love and joy to our community through singing carols, delivering Christmas cards to the elderly and donating toys and gifts to the Rotary Club and DARE (Darwen Asylum and Refugee Enterprise). Thank you so much for your generous donations.
Year 3- A visit to Nightingales Farm
The children had an inspiring morning at Nightingales Farm today, where they saw pigs, goats, sheep, and many chickens. The children were set on a fun activity where they had to guess the number of chickens in the barn and were astonished to discover that they had over 400 chickens. They were fascinated to learn that a chicken's health could be determined by the colour of its comb – a red comb indicates good health and a peach comb chicken needs care. Steph, also assessed the children's understanding of their recent classroom lessons on bones, challenging them with questions about the human and animal skeletal system. The children displayed exemplary behaviour and respect, and actively participated in discussions about animal diets, demonstrating their keen interest and knowledge.
Choir Christmas Carols at Darwen Market
A huge well done to our amazing choir and Year 6 singers for a wonderful performance today! Thank you to Darwen Market for inviting us. Thanks to everyone who came to watch. We hope we spread some festive cheer and joy to you all!
Reception: Rev Ben Visit
Our Ducklings had a visit from Rev Ben today. Rev Ben brought in some figures to tell us about the Christmas story. Christians believe that Jesus is the star of the story. We need to really think about Jesus and if we listen really carefully to the story, it can change us from the inside out if we let it. Rev Ben finished his visit with a special thank you prayer. Thank you Rev Ben for visiting our class, we always enjoy your visits.
Year 1 Visit Nightingale Farm
What a wonderful time Year 1 had at Nightingale Farm this morning. Steph taught us lots about what pigs, sheep, goats and chickens like to eat and how they like to spend their time. Steph let us stroke a chicken, feed the goats and wander around the barn to look at all of the animals. Steph also ran a competition where we had to draw one of the barn animals, write which animal group it belonged to (mammal, amphibian, bird, reptile or fish) and what it liked to eat. Steph answered lots of questions that we had about the farm animals too. We all listened and joined in amazingly and came home with a treat bag each. Thank you to Steph at Nightingale Farm for welcoming us into her barn, sharing her knowledge with us all and being so lovely.
Year 6 Debt Awareness
This week, year 6 had a visit from the debt awareness team and carried on with their learning from last year. This time, they discussed jobs and working life. They looked at reasons why people choose their occupation; the average income of various jobs and potential careers that they may like to pursue.
Year 5 - Debt Awareness Visit
Today in Year 5 we had a visitor who discussed the important issues regarding debt awareness. The children worked really hard looking at the difficulties people go through regarding money and ways in which we can save money. The children looked at debt in lots of detail and discussed the difference between good and bad debt. Year 5 discussed each of them in great detail and completed module one on debt awareness.
Year 2 - Microhabitat Walk
During science today, we went on a walk to find different microhabitats in our local area. We explored grassland and woodland areas looking for logs, rocks and streams where animals could live. We identified a variety of insects such as woodlice, snails, spiders and millipedes. We took clipboards so we could record our findings in a table. When we arrived back at school, we wrote up our findings and wrote a short summary of our investigation.
Year 6 R.E.- Judaism Workshop
This week in R.E. year 6 were visited by Samantha Hambling who led a Judaism workshop all about pilgrimage. Year 6 asked some impressive and mature questions and realised how religions are very similar, but also have some notable differences.
Year 6- Remembrance Service
Some of our Year 6 children took part in a special service of Remembrance this morning at Whitehall Cemetery. We are so proud of the way they joined in the service showing their respects and thanks to those who lost their lives during the world wars. After the service they had to find our adopted war graves plus two others and laid special poppy crosses on them. We took a few moments to pray for all of those who gave up their lives for us and also remembered loved ones that might have passed away who are laid to rest in the cemetery.
Year 5&6 War Memorial Visit
Today in their class Worship Year 5 and Year 6 took a special trip to the war memorial to pay their respects to those people who gave their lives up for our freedom. The children held a two minute silence to consider all those people and all those who have been affected by the wars. The children all wrote prayers on poppies and decorated them. They placed their poppies next to the memorial for all visitors to read. Year 5&6 also placed their amazing prayers outside of our school to show their respect to make others think about all those who have been affected.
Year 6 Parliament Week
In year 6, we spent some time thinking about parliament and how the country is actually run as part of parliament week. We looked at how the Houses of Parliament are split into two houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords and discussed some current issues that are close to the children’s hearts and what they would like to see the government do to address them. I’m sure we will find out even more when we go to the Houses of Parliament on our trip to London in March.
Jake Berry Visit- Parliament Week
Year 5 and 6 welcomed our local MP, Jake Berry, into school on Monday and he led an engaging workshop and Q&A session. During the session, he spoke about how laws are created and the various traditions that are upheld in parliament. Year 5 and 6 represented the school superbly and asked some very mature questions, that were kindly answered open and honestly by Mr Berry. What a great way to launch Parliament week next week!
Performing arts workshop
Year 6 were very lucky to take part in a performing arts workshop with Lucy from Rothwell Arts Dance Academy. She very kindly linked the session to the children’s end of year performance, ‘The Jungle Book’, and choreographed a dance routine for them. Year 6 showed fantastic enthusiasm and really let themselves go. Well done year 6!
Year 2 - Local History
This afternoon, Year 2 set off on a local history walk to explore the events that happened when Gandhi came to visit Darwen in 1931. We visited the lodges that were home to mill workers and this was also the place that Gandhi stayed during his visit. The children learnt why Gandhi was invited to Darwen by Percy Davies the owner of Greenfield Mill. We walked past where this mill used to be and there is now a stone in place to show where it once stood (see photo). Mill workers wanted to speak to Gandhi to discuss his campaign for Indian independence from the British Empire which resulted in the cotton boycotts. One Darwen lady said ‘your boycott is putting us into poverty’. I’ll let the children tell you how Gandhi responded. The walk was really enjoyable in the sunshine, we ended with a story in Jacks Key. The story explores the remarkable life of Gandhi and the interesting events of his life.
Year 3 - Darwen Library-Librarian Detectives
Year 3 had another exciting visit to the library, where the children had the opportunity to explore and discover the collection of books and audiobooks the library has to offer. They were in absolute awe with the range of books the library had. They particularly enjoyed the role of detecting and becoming a member of the library.
Year 5 - Darwen Library Visit
Today, Year 5 visited Darwen library. The children explored a variety of book genres and delved deeper into books they wouldn’t normally read. The children learnt and understood the many benefits of the library and how it operates. The library promoted a love for reading and the children loved reading and enjoyed time talking about their favourite books and authors.
Year 6 Library Visit
Yesterday, year 6 visited Darwen library to take part in a session with the author of the ‘Loki’ books, Louie Stowell. During the session, the children were made aware of the author’s inspiration and had the chance to create some illustrations from the book. Year 6 were an absolute credit to the school and asked some amazing questions. A special mention to Jay who won some original illustrations from the author.
Year 5 - Library visit
Today year 5 got to experience a workshop that was being hosted by Louie Stowell. She explained and promoted her series of books - Loki and engaged with all the children answering questions about her achievements. The children took part in creating their own god’s while replicating the main characters from her book series.
Year 1 meet Author and Illustrator Ursula Hurst
Year 1 had an amazing morning meeting author and illustrator Ursula Hurst at Darwen library. They enjoyed looking at lots of the books that Ursula has illustrated over the years such as Roo and Sarge to the rescue, The Angry Giant, Zed Ted, Bea and Monah Lot. Ursula also read us a story called Drawing Hope which she was both the author and illustrator of. It was about a young girl called Hope who loved drawing and painting and had a dream of turning the gloomy town in which she lived into a bright and colourful place and with the help of Mrs Green, she did just that. Year 1 loved seeing how the town and characters turned from grey with lots of worries to bright and worry free throughout the story. Thank you to Darwen Library for such a wonderful opportunity and to Ursula Hurst for inspiring our children.
Year 2 - Library visit
We had an amazing time during our visit to Darwen Library. We were lucky enough to spend time with Ursula Hurst as she delivered a workshop for us. Ursula is a fabulous illustrator known for her book illustrations and murals of which many can be found in local primary schools. The children loved listening to her stories and seeing how she made words come to life. Then the children had their chance to become illustrators as they learnt how to draw different characters with different emotions. Ursula showed us some simple tricks to really emphasise our characters expressions. It was a brilliant opportunity for the children which they engaged really well with and had a lovely afternoon!
Year 4 - Exploring Church
We finished off our RE unit with a trip to St Barnabas Church to look for symbols of Christianity. The children were so knowledgeable, remembering lots of our learning this term. Thanks to Rev Ben and Rev Matt for inviting us in.
Year 3 Rock and River
Yeah 3 have had a fun filled day at rock and river outdoor pursuits! The aim of the trip was for the pupils to challenge themselves and push themselves outside of their comfort zone, whilst learning to work as a team. We started the morning off with some high ropes, rock climbing and zip lining finishing with the air bag jump before lunch. In the afternoon we had a fantastic session on the lake, taking part in rafted canoeing, paddle boarding and swimming! The class represented St Barnabas superbly and we hope the children have created life long memories!
Year 1 Brockholes Nature Reserve Trip
Year 1 have had an amazing time on their school trip at Brockholes Nature Reserve this week. They went pond dipping, bird watching and went on an amazing outdoor adventure playground in two smaller groups. Then after lunch in the lookout together, the whole class went into the Viking Woods to learn about different types of plants and trees. We played lots of games and went on a scavenger hunt too. It was an amazing day and we all absolutely loved learning about nature in such an exciting and fun way.
Year 1 Pond dipping at Brockholes
Year 1 were in three different groups to carry out this super activity at Brockholes Nature Reserve on their trip. They found different types of interesting creatures such as water snails, beetles, bugs, shrimps and nymphs when participating in the pond dipping activities. They used a classification sheet to help them identify creatures and magnifying glasses too as some creatures were very small.
Bikeability Cycle Training- Year 5 and 6
Today, our Years 5 and 6 participated in the Bikeability cycle training program. This program focuses on teaching practical skills and knowledge for cycling on today's roads. The aim was to give our children the confidence to ride their bikes and enjoy the many advantages that cycling offers. They had the opportunity to learn about safety and other important aspects of cycling from four experienced coaches.
Year 1 History Walk in Darwen High Street
Year 1 have really enjoyed walking around Darwen High Street identifying different types of shops and finding out which type of shops used to be around many years ago. With the help of an expert from the Darwen Heritage Centre, they were shown different places that used to be bakers, butchers, grocery stores, pharmacies, shoe shops or different types of clothes shops (such as hat shops). They also walked through Darwen Market Place and found some placards explaining which shops used to exist in the 1800s.
Year 1 Local History Lesson in Darwen Heritage Centre
Year 1 had a super history lesson learning about the changes that have happened within Darwen Town Centre in the past couple of centuries. Our expert (Albert) from the Darwen Heritage centre showed the children a range of different historical images and photographs of the town centre many years ago and was able to explain what is in place of them geographically today. The children couldn’t believe that a few live bears and their keepers roamed the streets of Darwen for entertainment purposes years ago, or that the butchers hung their meat outside their shops! They got to handle and see artefacts including olden day money and a wooden cash register too.
Year 1 History Challenge in the Darwen Heritage Centre
After their super history lesson at the Darwen Heritage Centre, Year 1 were challenged to find the words for different types of shops around the two rooms inside the centre and also the corridor linking them. They were looking for these particular words: baker, boots & shoes, butcher, chemist and clothes. They had to tick how many words they could find on a worksheet. The exact amount of shops in Darwen from the olden days had been put around the rooms. The children found that they all had the most ticks for the clothes shops. They also really enjoyed looking at the giant models of Darwen Tower and all the unique historical artefacts that the heritage centre has within in.
Year 5- English- A visit from Salma (Sudanese refugee)
Today, Year 5 had a special guest, a Sudanese refugee visitor who shared her remarkable journey and life experiences with us. She spoke about the journey she undertook with her four young children when they were forced to flee their home country due to injustice and an oppressive regime. She spoke about the challenges she and her family have faced while adapting to life in the UK. The weather, the food, and the language barrier have posed significant adjustments for them. However, it was inspiring to witness the resilience and determination with which they have approached these challenges. The children were incredibly engaged and displayed remarkable curiosity. They asked numerous insightful questions, delving into the details of her experiences and seeking to understand the impact of her journey on her life and her children's lives. We want to say a big thank you to our visitor for sharing her story with us. It was an important lesson for all of us about how strong people can be, even when things are tough. We also want to thank John East for helping to arrange this visit.
Year 4 - Linking Schools Visit Day 1
Last week, we welcomed our friends from St Matthew’s to join us for a day of team building. We had a fantastic day building towers and taking part in team games. We are so excited to visit our link class at their school next week.
Reception: Muddy Monday
We continued our learning by comparing two local environments, Knowsley Road and Jack Keys reservoir. Seb said there are lots of animal habitats at Jack Keys. Albie said there are lots of trees at Jack Keys. Fletcher said it is much quieter at Jack Keys. Piper-Jo said there are more children at Knowsley Road. Heidi said there are more cars at Knowsley Road. Super comparison. We finished exploring by enjoying a short forest schools session.
Year 2 - Blackpool Zoo Trip
Year 2 went to Blackpool Zoo to look at all the amazing animals and habitats. They were treated to an incredible Sea Lion display that showcased all their brilliant tricks and demonstrated how clever they are. We explored the big cats exhibit, giraffes and elephants. We also explored the world of the dinosaurs and learnt all about their existence and habits they used to live in. This fed nicely in with our new science unit - animals survival and growth and in many of the exhibits we learnt about the different stages of animal life.
Year 1 Geography and Science Walk
Year 1 have been learning about their local area and have been making key observations about where they live ready to create a map of the local area after the half term. We have been learning about different types of plants in science and spotting different deciduous and evergreen trees as well as wild flowers. There has also been lots of opportunities to discuss the changes from Winter to Spring and to think about the changes that will be happening soon as we move from Spring to Summer.
Year 4 - Easter Artwork Walk
Our Year 4 class, loved visiting the Rose Garden at Whitehall Park yesterday. And what lovely weather we’ve had for it. The children really enjoyed viewing the Easter art created in school, saying prayers and singing songs with the children from Reception class. They even came back to the classroom to write some Easter scavenger hunt clues for the other classes. We hope you and your families have a chance to visit too.
Year 3 - Kindness matters
Today year 3 have had a zoom call with our kindness coach John, who shared some information about his new book ’The Happy Tank’. We spoke about how it is normal to feel all kinds of different feelings. We tried some calming techniques including controlled breathing, as a class.
Year 1 DT Healthy and unhealthy foods Walk to Sainsburys
Today Year 1 walked to a local supermarket to look at different types of foods that are unhealthy and healthy for breakfast. In design and technology lessons we are looking at different types of breakfast foods and where foods come from. The children enjoyed finding different types of food in the aisles in Sainsburys and seeing the variation of products on offer. They had a super walk in their wellies where we got a better look at India Mill chimney and even got to go down the slide in the park on the way home too.
Year 2 - Dogs Trust workshop
In year 2, we had a visitor from the Dogs Trust who taught our class about the five happy dog rules. The children discussed all the ways we can look after dogs, keep them happy and how to stay safe around dogs. All the children loved learning all the actions to the rules and understood the rules really well.
Year 6 History trip to Darwen Heritage Centre
This week, year 6 visited Darwen Heritage Centre to find out a little bit more about the impact WW2 had on the town of Darwen.
Year 1- History walk
In history this afternoon we went on a walk to see the Steam Tram Turning Triangle. It was one of the first steam trams to open in the whole country during the Victorian times. We are currently learning about inventions in the Victorian times in our local area.
Year 6- London Science Museum
Year 6 also visited the London Science Museum and took part in an interactive gallery called Wonderlab:The Equinor Gallery. The interactive experience ignited their curiosity, fuelled their imagination, and inspired them to see the world around them in new and exciting ways. They enjoyed lots of hands on experiments, live science demonstrations and revealed the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives. They particularly enjoyed the friction experiment using slides with different surfaces that they could zoom down and see which one had the most friction! Kaylen said he felt like he was in heaven as he loves science!
Year 6- The Houses of Parliament
Our Year 6 class were so fortunate to be able to visit the Houses of Parliament to learn all about our British Values and in particular, democracy and the rule of law. We had a tour and watched a live debate in the House of Commons. Some of our group saw our current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, previous PM’s Liz Truss, Boris Johnson and Teresa May, as well as Matt Hancock, who the children recognised from ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here’! The Foreign Secretary of State, James Cleverly, also stopped to speak to us and asked us where we were from and if we were enjoying our visit. We visited Westminster Hall, which we recognised from seeing on the news when the Queen was lying in State after her sad death. We then took part in a workshop about how laws are created and we learnt all about Parliament and the houses of Commons and Lords through a fun quiz. We also got to explore democracy through voting and debating. Finally we were visited by our local Member of Parliament, Jake Berry, and had a great question and answer session. We are so proud of the thoughtful questions the children asked him and how they stood up to ask their questions, just like they do in the House of Commons. We are sure that we have a few future MPs amongst our Year 6 class!
Year 6- London Sightseeing
Whilst in London, our Year 6 class have seen many famous sights. These included Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and the River Thames. Most of our children had never been to London before so we hope this has given them a taster of London and hope they choose to visit again with their family.
London 2023
We are off! Our Year 6 children, Mrs Ham, Mrs Price, Mr Prescott and Mr Tierney are so excited for their trip to London. We can’t wait to visit the Natural History Museum, Houses of Parliament tour and workshop, Lion King Musical, Science Museum, Imperial War Museum and a tour of London sights.
Natural History Museum
Our Year 6 class had a brilliant time exploring the Natural History Museum in London. They saw dinosaur and animal bones and fossils and lots of stuffed animals. They learnt about evolution, earthquakes and volcanoes and extinction.
Year 6- Imperial War Museum
In History this term, Year 6 have been learning all about the Second World War and the part that Darwen played in it. It has been wonderful to visit the Imperial War Museum to learn more about the Second World War and the part that London played in it and contrast this to Darwen’s involvement. We also visited some other galleries including one about the war in Ukraine to highlight that war is still happening. We will shortly be having some Ukrainian refugees visit our school to talk to us about their experience of war and to thank us for the fundraising we have done for DARE (Darwen Asylum and Refugee Enterprise). We also visited a gallery about online gaming that showed that children have always been fascinated by war, good stories always have conflict and children have always played war games.
EYFS & KS1: Author visit
EYFS and Key Stage 1 enjoyed an author visit this afternoon. Raysa Farah came into school to read her story, ‘A cub without a mane’. She explained how her son has leukaemia and lost his hair. Whilst in hospital, she decided to write her book. Raysa explained that no matter how you look, you are still special and a wonderful person. Our children had the opportunity to ask questions. Darcy asked if she had written any other books. Raysa said she had written one other book and it is awaiting approval to be published. Raysa is also a florist so Daisy asked if she liked making flowers. Lyla asked how long it took for Raysa to write her story. Raysa explained it took around a month to write. Eliza asked if Raysa drew the pictures. Raysa explained the role of an illustrator. Her publisher found an illustrator. Raysa then asked the children to draw anything that makes them happy and feel good. We loved your visit and the children left feeling inspired- thank you so much. Raysa’s book will be available to buy on parent pay for a discounted price. Further information to follow.
Years 3 & 4: Author Visit
Years 3 and 4 enjoyed an author visit this afternoon. Raysa Farah came into school to read her story, ‘A cub without a mane’. She explained how her son has leukaemia and lost his hair. Whilst in hospital, she decided to write her book. Raysa explained that no matter how you look, you are still special and a wonderful person. Our children had the opportunity to ask questions. Mason asked how old her little boy is who is poorly. Raysa told the children that he is aged 3. Hamza asked what happens when you have leukaemia. Raysa explained that you are given medication. When Raysa’s little boy was in hospital, that was the time that she wrote her story. Leonora asked how did her older boy feel. Raysa said that he was angry and upset but once everything was explained, he was happy and really looked after his younger brother. Alice asked if Raysa has written any other books. Raysa explained that she had written a story about a mouse that has lost its squeak which is about speech difficulties. Year 4 told Raysa about a story that they have been reading about speech difficulties and explained how there are 4 different adults who sometimes help or hinder children with speech impairments! Finn told Raysa that he had cut his hair off to raise money to create a wig for cancer. We loved your visit and the children left feeling inspired- thank you so much. Raysa’s book will be available to buy on parent pay for a discounted price. Further information to follow.
Years 5 & 6: Author visit
Years 5 and 6 enjoyed an author visit this afternoon. Raysa Farah came into school to read her story, ‘A cub without a mane’. She explained how her son has leukaemia and lost his hair. Whilst in hospital, she decided to write her book. Raysa explained that no matter how you look, you are still special and a wonderful person. Our children had the opportunity to ask questions. Jake asked if her little boy’s hair was growing back. Raysa said that it was. It is very short but it is growing back. It’s not as curly but it is wavy. Lucy asked Raysa if her children liked her book. Raysa said that her eldest, Adam absolutely loves it- he is in reception. Kaylen asked ‘what inspired you to be a florist?’ Raysa explained that she wanted to be a florist since she was 4. Her Mum and Dad loved gardening and she remembered being in the garden from childhood. Raysa went to university first to study psychology but still wanted to be a florist. When she met her husband, she told him her dream and within a month, he created the business and from social media, it became a huge success. We loved your visit and the children left feeling inspired- thank you so much. Raysa’s book will be available to buy on parent pay for a discounted price. Further information to follow.
Year 1- Darwen Library Visit
Today we walked to Darwen town centre to visit the library. It was a super trip and everyone enjoyed exploring the different areas of the junior library. There are over 4000 books in the junior library and every child found at least one book that they enjoyed reading, from shark books and comic books to stories about horses or beast quests. We had a librarian explain about the different areas of the library and she read the class a story linked to our new English unit: Traditional Tales. Over half the class got their new library membership cards too!
Year 5-The Mind Walk- Mental Health Awareness Week
This afternoon, the Year 5 class stepped out of their classroom to appreciate God's wonderful nature around school. The children took this time to clear their minds, talk to their friends, giggle and just really enjoy being out. It was lovely to see everyone just enjoying themselves.
Year 4 Random Acts of Kindness
As it is National Random Acts of Kindness Day on Friday 17th Feb Year 4 have been out and delivered our very own kindness packs to our local community. Let’s make kindness the norm and put a smile on people’s faces.
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Year 5- A Visitor From The Local Library
Year 5 had a fantastic morning with Angela. Angela works for Blackburn with Darwen Libraries. She came to our classroom to encourage our children to join and visit the Library for free. The children were amazed to learn about the services offered by the Library. You can get help with homework, research an area that you have an interest in and school holiday activities, and out-of-school hours, for all age groups. Angela finished the session by reading one of David Walliams's popular story books, 'The World's Worst Children'.
Year 1- Remembrance walk
On Friday afternoon we visited Whitehall park and Darwen cemetery to pay our respects for Remembrance Day. We are so proud of year 1 for showing lots of respect!
Remembrance Service in Whitehall Cemetery
Our Year 6 Heads and Deputies along with some of our WOW (Worship Our Way) group attended the special service of Remembrance on Armistice Day at Whitehall Cemetery. They laid a special wreath and poppy from St Barnabas and also placed poppies and crosses on our special adopted war graves. We will remember them.
Natural History Museum
We had a quick whistle stop tour of the natural history museum and some children spent some of their money in the gift shop. We managed to see Dippy the dinosaur too.
Reception Smoothie Bike Visit
Reception enjoyed using the special bike to blend different fruits to create a delicious smoothie. Dean talked about why fruit is healthy for us and which fruits are good to use for smoothie drinks. The children took turns on the bike to blend the fruit and each had a taste of their creation.
Year 2 Local Area Walk
Year 2 have had a busy day exploring their local area. We visited a variety of different landmarks and followed The River Darwen to the town centre. Throughout the day, the children recorded some of the different human and physical features that they could see and next week, we will be creating our own maps of Darwen and locating some of the places that we have visited today on our own maps!
Year 2 visit Darwen Heritage Centre
Year 2 learnt all about the history of Darwen at Darwen Heritage Centre. Thank you John East for being an amazing historian guide.
Worship with the Kindness Coach
In our whole school worship this morning we welcomed the Kindness Coach, John Magee, in to talk about our kindness challenges over this half term. He was overwhelmed with all the kind acts we have been doing at St Barnabas and he spoke to us about continuing to be kind throughout our lives. Thank you to John for visiting our school.
Reception- Author visit
Reception really enjoyed their visit from the author and illustrator Sean Perkins today. The children loved listening to his picture book ‘Oscar and Ben,’ meeting the characters and joining in with a song about the book.
Author and Illustrator Sean Perkins visits St Barnabas
Today, Year 1 and Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed a visit from the local author and illustrator Sean Perkins. The children absolutely loved listening to his picture book ‘Oscar and Ben,’ meeting the characters and joining in with a song about the book. The children described the characters as mischievous, cheeky and sneaky as they got up to lots of mischief on their adventures.
Year 1- A trip to Judges Lodgings Museum to learn about the Victorians.
Yesterday, Year 1 visited Judges Lodgings in Lancaster. They got into character as Victorian children at school and Victorian slaves at work. They learnt lots about Victorian schooling such as sitting sensibly at desks, saying prayers, recalling times tables, writing on blackboards, learning about Queen Victoria and what would happen if you misbehaved. They learnt about the jobs of those who were slaves for the judge such as polishing candle sticks, kettles and cutlery, emptying buckets that Victorians did their toileting in, setting the table for the judge and his guests and folding napkins. Well done Year 1.
Year 1-A trip to Judges Lodgings Museum to learn about toys from the past.
As well as learning about Victorian work and schooling, Year 1 also learnt about toys from their past on their class trip. They played some Victorian style games and explored the toy museum. In the toy museum, they looked at toys ranging from the 1900s to the year 2000. They had to think about which ones were the old ones and which ones were the new ones and why. We now have a Victorian toy museum in our class and we are looking forward to playing with some of the toys that the Victorians played with such as the cup and ball, spinning top, whip and top, whizzer, yo-yo, Jacobs Ladder, marbles and lots of others.
Year 2 Author Virtual Visit!
On Friday 3rd December, Year 2 took part in a virtual visit, with author and illustrator Nick Sharratt. Nick read his new book 'Oh No! Shark in the Snow!' to the class and the children took part in a illustrating workshop with Nick. It was lovely to see the children so engaged and excited to meet and listen to Nick!
Raft building fun at PGL
Our Year 6 children are having an amazing time at PGL. This morning was splashingly good fun!