Reception- Year of Prayer- hot cross buns
As part of our year of prayer, we looked at the smell and taste of the hot cross bun. We spoke about how the cross on the bun symbolises the cross that Jesus died upon. We spoke about why Jesus died and that he died to take away the things we have done wrong. We said thank you to Jesus for giving his life so that we could have the chance of a new start.
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2- Story Club with Miss Flynn and the Librarians
Today in story club, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 listened to the story of ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’ with Miss Flynn and the librarians. They thought about why the giant went from being the smartest giant in town to the kindest giant in town because of his generosity to all of the animals who were upset in the story. We then finished with a craft where the children made a crown (like the one that the animals made for the giant) and thought about how they can also show kindness and generosity.
Worship with Rev. Ben
Today, during Rev. Ben’s worship, the children explored the theme of living life in all its fullness through movement and storytelling. They engaged in a series of dynamic actions that brought a Bible story to life, immersing themselves in an active and reflective experience. The story they focused on was the Road to Emmaus from the Gospel of Luke. It tells of two disciples walking to Emmaus, filled with sadness and confusion following Jesus’ crucifixion. Along the way, they met a stranger who walked with them and explained the Scriptures, helping them understand God’s greater plan. As evening approached, they invited the stranger to stay and share a meal. It was only when he broke the bread that their eyes were opened—they realised the stranger was the resurrected Jesus! In that moment, Jesus disappeared, leaving them filled with renewed faith and joy. This interactive worship session helped the children connect with the story in a meaningful way, encouraging them to embrace faith, discovery and the joy of living life to the fullest.
Reception: French
Reception class had a wonderful lesson with Junior Jam this week. They were taught how to say hello, goodbye and thank you. They also learnt how to count to 5 in French. Bien joué!!
Reception: Computing
Reception class enjoyed their computing session yesterday taught by Junior Jam. They learnt how a camera works and had the opportunity to take some photographs too.
The W.O.W. Group - Lego Serious Play in Action
Our wonderful W.O.W. group led their first Lego Serious Play session this week with two children from each year group. They asked their groups to build models that would demonstrate prior learning in RE - for example, “Make a model to show how Christians celebrate Jesus’ birthday”. W.O.W. group introduced the task then gave the children ten minutes to build. During the process, they asked questions and asked children to explain their choices. They made a note of the responses and then presented the models to the group.
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!
Whitehall Park Table Top Sale
On Saturday 14th June the Whitehall Park Supporters group, in collaboration with our school, will be holding a table top sale fundraising event. You are very welcome to sell goods or bric or brac or come along and buy items to raise money for our local park. We use Whitehall Park a lot as a school so we would love to raise some funds to help with the upkeep of our wonderful park. We will also be displaying some Easter Art Work in the Rose Garden over the Easter holidays for you to appreciate and enjoy.
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Whole School Science Boffin Show- A Whirlwind of Scientific Wonders
The whole school was treated to an unforgettable science show today, delivered by the amazing Science Boffin Katja. Katja started with demonstrating the incredible power of polymers with slush powder, turning liquid into gel. The highlight for many was the "Elephant Toothpaste" experiment, which created a mountain of foam in seconds! This spectacular display showcased an exothermic reaction in a way that truly captured everyone's attention. Katja also explained the essential Fire Triangle (fuel, heat, and oxygen) and demonstrated a controlled fire experiment, teaching us about the science behind combustion. The wonders of air pressure and fluid dynamics were unveiled with a mesmerising demonstration using a hairdryer, balloons, and a foam ball. By generating a powerful column of air, Katja made the objects appear to float, illustrating Bernoulli's principle and leaving students amazed. Naomi, our science Ambassador assisted Katja with this. The latex glove was used in more than one experiment, and was used to show how gases expand. Katja, with Miss Wilkinson's assistance, demonstrated the dramatic effects of gas production using a simple latex glove. As the chemical reaction progressed, the increasing carbon dioxide within the glove caused a noticeable pressure build-up, inflating it and making it firm to the touch. Latex, being inherently limited in its ability to withstand extreme pressure, would stretch beyond its elastic capacity. This continuous stretching, coupled with the weakening effects of the reaction's byproducts and moisture, would eventually lead to the glove becoming brittle and 'crumbling,' visually illustrating the material's breakdown under the stress of the expanding gas.Now, 'Henry' the glove has taken up residence in our school. Science ambassador Noah and Poppy, with a gas blower, demonstrated a captivating toilet roll trick, visually illustrating Bernoulli's principle; by directing a powerful airflow through the center of the suspended toilet roll, they created a region of low pressure, causing the surrounding higher-pressure air to stabilize the roll within the airstream, leaving the children amazed at how the roll appeared to defy gravity. The show sparked a flurry of brilliant questions from our inquisitive students, including Leonora, Elijah, Mason, and Darcy. Their thoughtful inquiries were a testament to their genuine love of learning and the power of hands-on science, truly living life in all its fullness through exploration and discovery. A huge thank you to Science Boffin Katja for bringing science to life in such an engaging and memorable way!
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 of Prayer and Singing Worship
What an uplifting and joyous way to start a Monday morning practising 'When I think about the cross' and the new upbeat Easter song from Pop Uk called 'He is alive'. We loved putting our own actions to the song and Year 6 modelled enthusiastically at the front, encouraging everyone to join in. We also introduced the Year of Prayer in classes for this week which involves everyone eating hot cross buns, which Mrs Ham brought in. We then said had our special Year of Prayer prayer for this week which thanked Jesus for praying for us just before he died and for always loving us and being there to hear our prayers.
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