Foodie Friends Club: Shortcrust Pizzas
We kicked off our first Foodie Club of the half-term with a fantastic session making shortcrust pastry pizzas. Our "Great Chefs" were in their element, skillfully rolling the pastry into their own unique shapes before smothering them in sauce and loading them with a rainbow of toppings, including peppers, onions, olives, sweetcorn, and tuna. It was a joy to see the children so deeply engaged, mastering new culinary skills and exploring different flavours with such enthusiasm. By providing these hands-on opportunities to create and learn, we are helping our students build confidence and truly live life to its fullest.
Year 3- science - Comparing and grouping animals by their diet.
In Science today, our Scientists have been exploring the fascinating world of biological classification. The children took on the role of taxonomists, carefully grouping animals based on their specific categories, habitats, and dietary requirements. By comparing various species, they investigated how different creatures have adapted to their environments, specifically looking at the contrast between carnivores and omnivores.
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.
Friday Celebration Worship
What a brilliant first week back! We are so proud of all the children for settling back into school so sensibly, even with the excitement of the snow. We started by celebrating our values awards winners: Elara in Reception, Max in Year 1, Vienna in Year 2, Mila in Year 3, Lottie in Year 4, Carmen in Year 5 and Luca in Year 6. These children are always doing the right thing and working hard, well done! We also celebrated Olivia and Jacob in Year 4 who were awarded their pen licenses this week. A huge well done to all of our house teams this week for earning lots of value points. Darwen Tower came in 4th place, Whitehall Park came in 3rd place, River Darwen came in 2nd place and India Mill in 1st place. We had lots of Sports Awards this week. Well done to Callie for 25m in backstroke, Ralphi was awarded a swimming medal for 5m and a football certificate for courage against older players, Elijah was awarded a 200m swimming certificate, James was awarded a 100m swimming certificate, Renee was awarded a 5m swimming certificate and Carmen won a student of the year trophy in kickboxing and a swimming certificate for 100m and 50m. Additionally, Phoebe was awarded the Olivia doll from Rainbows for excellent colouring, Thea was awarded a gymnastics certificate for backwards and forwards on the bars, Reggie won player of the week in football for scoring 10 goals and finally Scarlett won player of the match in netball. Well done everyone! Our Year 5 and 6 football team also shared that they lost to St Paul’s 2-1 in their most recent football game, but still placed 5th out of 13 schools. This is a brilliant placement! Also, well done to Year 1 and 2 who the best attendance in Key Stage 1 and Year 4 in Key Stage 2. Mrs Ham also reminded us of our upcoming events: Let’s Go Sing, Stay and Play, NSPCC Speak Out and our visit from Harold the Giraffe. Finally, Charlie, Lilly and James said some beautiful prayers to end our worship. Have a restful weekend and please stay safe in the turbulent weather conditions.
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Year 3- NSPCC Assembly: Speak Out, Stay Safe
Today, the children participated in an NSPCC virtual assembly centered on the vital message "Speak out, Stay safe." Through interactive activities, including whispering, pointing, and cheering their right to be safe, they learned to identify different types of abuse and, most importantly, understood that abuse is never a child’s fault. The session empowered the children to recognise their right to protection and identified "trusted adults" they can turn to for help. Finally, they were taught how to contact Childline on 0800 1111, ensuring they know exactly how to access free, confidential support whenever they might need it.
Year 3 - Class Worship -Celebrating the National Year of Reading 2026
During our class worship today, we explored the National Year of Reading 2026, a UK-wide campaign organised by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust to encourage people of all ages to read for pleasure. We reflected on how only 1 in 3 children currently enjoy reading in their free time and discussed the campaign’s theme, ‘Go All In,’ which promotes exploring everything from comics and magazines to audiobooks and websites. We learned that reading different genres, such as mystery or science fiction, can help us build problem-solving skills and imagine new worlds, while also improving our well-being and empathy. Charlie read out the prayer as we reflected on how reading helps us understand different experiences, including those found in the Bible and other important texts, ensuring no one is left out because of who they are. As we look toward the future, we remember that reading is a powerful tool that opens doors to new ideas and helps us understand the world around us.
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 - P.S.H.E-Derek cooks dinner! (healthy eating)
In PSHE today, Year 3 became health consultants for some very special friends! We were joined by Harold the Giraffe, Derek the Penguin, and Kiki the Kangaroo. The children received an urgent email from Derek, who needed help planning a healthy, balanced party meal. Using the 'Eatwell Guide', the children debated which foods build muscle, strengthen bones, and provide energy. They’ve sent their nutritious meal plans off to Derek, and we are now eagerly awaiting his reply to see what he thinks of their delicious and healthy idea.
Year 3 - History-From Tudors to Today: How Childhood Has Changed
Year 3 stepped into the role of historians this afternoon as we launched our new History unit! We have been exploring the similarities and differences between children's lives now and in the past. Using portraits of Tudor children as our primary sources, the pupils practised the art of observation and deduction. By observing closely what the children were wearing and playing with, our class made astute deductions about who was wealthy and how they spent their time. It was a brilliant way to see how much, and how little, life has changed over the centuries!
Christmas Video 2025
Dear Parents and Carers, What a truly magical and festive end to an incredible first term at St Barnabas! As we reach the final day of this seven-week half term, I am filled with such pride reflecting on everything our school family has achieved. First and foremost, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to all of you. Your partnership and engagement are vital to our children’s success, and your generosity this term—from the Macmillan Coffee Morning to our wonderful Christmas Fair—has been overwhelming. We are so lucky to have such a supportive community. To our children: you are quite simply wonderful. Whether you were settling into Reception for the first time, representing our school in sports, or shining on stage in our Nativity and "Christmas Cracker" performances, you have lived life in all its fullness. You have worked your socks off, and you truly deserve this rest. For photos of our Christmas fun, please click here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo.../christmas-2025 and also see our weekly news: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/news I also want to extend a huge thank you to our fantastic staff team. Their hard work and dedication ensure our school is a love-filled Christian family where every child can thrive. I am particularly grateful for them being such brilliant sports this week; they completely threw themselves into the filming of our annual Christmas video! The children had a wonderful time spotting themselves in the video during our church service this morning. I think the definite highlight for them was seeing exactly what the teachers get up to in school between the hours of 6- 7! We truly hope you enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONfmvpqhqag A reminder that we break up early today at 2:00 pm. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I hope your holiday is filled with love, laughter, and joy. We look forward to seeing everyone back, refreshed and ready for a new chapter, on Monday 5th January. Take care and God bless, Mrs. Ham
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.