Year 3- Online Safety- Navigating ipads
Today in class, we discussed Apple iPads and some important considerations for children's use, such as screen time, privacy, and appropriate content. It was great to hear children contributing and discussing about their own restricted times and how much screen time they're allowed. For those who don't have time limits, we talked about the importance of managing screen time for good mental health and well-being. Remember, excessive screen time can affect emotions and behaviour, and tools like Downtime and App Limits can help manage this.
BwD School Games - Y3/4 Quad Kids
This afternoon some of our children from Years 3 and 4 represented the school at the Blackburn with Darwen School Games Quad Kids event at Witton park. The children did four events which included a 60m sprint, 400m long distance, vortex throw and long jump. Every single pupil represented the school wonderfully and really encouraged each other to push to their limits. We now need to wait to see how we’ve done once every school has completed the events. Fingers crossed for Team B !
Year 3- Geography-Exploring South America in Geography
In today’s geography lesson, the children explored the continent of South America. Using atlases, they located South America on a world map and began identifying both physical and human features found across the region. Year 3 watched a short video clip to help bring the landscape to life. The children were amazed by the Amazon Rainforest, the towering Andes Mountains, and the powerful Amazon River. We also explored some of South America's remarkable human landmarks, including the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Other stunning features that captured the children’s interest included Iguazu Falls, one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the world, and the culture and history.
Year 3- Class Worship-The Power of Perseverance
In today’s class worship, we explored the value of perseverance. We watched an episode where Rev Anne didn’t give up while searching for something important, just like in the parable of the lost coin. We were encouraged to keep going, even when things feel difficult. Lisa gave us a prayer challenge using beads, helping us focus on not giving up, especially with our learning and goals. We talked about what perseverance means, and the children shared their examples. Some of the things they prayed for included: Trying their best in tricky subjects like maths or reading. Not giving up when learning to ride a bike. Staying focused when practising for a school play or sports event. Being patient and kind when working with others. Continuing to work hard even when they’re tired or something feels hard. It was a thoughtful time of sharing and reflection, reminding us all to keep going and never give up!
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Darwen Primary Schools Athletics Winners 2025
We are so immensely proud of our amazing athletics squad for winning the Darwen Primary School Athletics at Witton Park tonight! They showed so much determination and put in a great deal of effort, as well as showing fantastic encouragement to each other. A huge thank you to Mrs Gardner for her coaching and organising all of the paperwork. Thanks also to Mrs Araujo, Miss Kachwalla and Mr Prescott for their support and for being great marshals. Thank you to our parents and carers for your support and for transporting your child. I am one proud Headteacher tonight! We might be small, but we are mighty! All of the photos can be found here: https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/witton-athletics-winners-2025
Year 3- P.E-Mastering Throws and Jumps
In today’s P.E. lesson, the children practised different throwing techniques, pull, push, and sling, to throw for distance. Working in teams, they took turns throwing and sprinting to collect the equipment. They also explored how different types of equipment affected their throws and gave each other helpful feedback. At Station 2, they had fun with the “Jump the Stream” activity, using a hop, step, and jump from both a standing start and a short run-up. Partners counted how many jumps were needed to cross the “stream.” It was a great session full of movement, teamwork, and skill-building.
Year 3- D.T-Creating Nets for Castle Construction
In today's D.T. lesson, the children began constructing the pieces for their castles by creating nets to form 3D shapes. They used these shapes as the building blocks for their castle structures, following guidance from the pupil video, Nets and Structures.
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Friday Celebration Worship
This morning, we kicked off our worship by looking back at our incredibly busy yet fantastic week, focusing on how we can all flourish together. The stories of the Unforgiving Servant and the Earth Shake were central, allowing us to explore the Christian Value of forgiveness and the importance of seeking evidence. This week was also a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our amazing school during the SIAMS inspection on Tuesday. Mrs. Araujo took some of the children from our WOW group to the prayer tent in the old St. Paul’s Church grounds in Hoddlesden, many of our children enjoyed another fabulous cre8ability, Forest School, Multi-Sports and Choir session and our Year 1 and Year 4 gained valuable insights from an environmental workshop about waste and recycling. Then came the well-deserved recognition for our students! We proudly congratulated our individual value award winners: Reggie, Olly, and Eva in EYFS and KS1, and Naomi, April, Sonny, Mason, Summer, and Freddie in KS2. These children were celebrated for working exceptionally hard across the curriculum and always striving to be their best, both academically and personally. Our attendance winners were also highlighted, with huge congratulations to Year 1 and Year 2 for achieving an outstanding 100% attendance, and Year 4 for an impressive 99.8% attendance. Further congratulations went to India Mill, who were our overall value award winners with a fantastic 669 points, and the children in Year 5 and 6, who clinched the DPSSA Netball league final for the second year running. The celebrations didn't stop there, as we also acknowledged the amazing achievements of our children outside of school. A huge well done to Callie for being ‘Student of the Year’ at Martial Arts, Max for being ‘Player of the Week’ at Little Darreners, and Eva and Alice for representing their dance school in a recent show. Archie was recognised as the ‘Most Improved Player’ for Mill Hill Juniors Football Club, while Marley was ‘Star of the Day’ at the Ed Start Multi-Sports Club. Lydia was awarded Olivia at Rainbows for doing her promise, and Eleanor and Olivia earned a badge for their courage on rides during a trip to Gulliver's World with Rainbows. Alfie competed in a recent tournament, receiving a trophy for being part of the team that won the Europa League and also being ‘Player of the Match.’ In swimming, Jack achieved his Bronze award, Elsie and Vienna received their 200m certificate, and Naomi reached Level 5. Lyla was ‘Star of the Day’ in her lyrical, and Scarlett was named the Under 8s Coaches’ Player for 2024/2025 at Rivington Netball Club. Olivia earned a medal for her football team's unbeaten season, Desmond received the Parents’ Player trophy at football, and James was recognised for being a great team player. Daisy achieved a gold award in a recent gymnastics competition, Peyton earned her yellow belt at kickboxing, and Eliza successfully completed a recent triathlon. To conclude our worship, we were treated to some beautiful prayers from Olivia and Callie, who prayed for peace around the world and offered thanks for our beautiful world and all the wonderful people in our lives, including our school family. Mrs. Ham wished us all a lovely, restful weekend, and the worship ended on a high note with a singalong to ‘My Lighthouse’.
Year 3- PSHE- Personal Space
This afternoon in our PSHE lesson, the children participated in a discussion and activities focused on personal space, physical contact, and body autonomy. The session began by exploring different types of physical contact, such as hugs, kisses, and holding hands, and the feelings associated with them. The concept of personal space was introduced, with children physically demonstrating what that area around their bodies felt like. A key part of the discussion revolved around the importance of respecting other people's personal space and understanding when it's appropriate to invite others into it (like during a game) or when it might be unintentionally invaded (like on a crowded bus). Arabelle and Lyla took an active role in demonstrating key concepts.They showed what personal space looks like, helping the other children understand the invisible bubble we all have around us. They discussed what to do if they feel uncomfortable about a touch, practicing phrases like Stop! or 'That makes me feel uncomfortable.'
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Collective Worship- Seeking Truth and Evidence
Today's worship began with the children singing the song "Jesus Strong and Kind." Following the song, James, Jack, and Lily from Year 4 signed the Trinity, adding a visual element to the worship. Next, the whole school participated in a "Spot the Difference" challenge. Rev. Matt then shared a message emphasizing the importance of delving deeper to find the truth, stating that the Bible provides accounts based on evidence, not made-up stories. He read the Bible story "The Earth Shakes," with children actively participating by acting out the movements described. To encourage reflection and the concept of "living life in all its fullness," the children paired up for a "Question Time," pondering how they could find out more about Jesus. The idea was put forward that we can learn about Jesus by doing what he did and by exploring historical accounts, reflecting how deeply faith is woven into our experiences. The worship concluded with a prayer asking for help to seek evidence.
Year 3- English-Diary Planning
Today, our Year 3 writers are exploring the themes of resilience and displacement through the book My Name Is Not Refugee. They worked hard planning key events and personal feelings for their diary entries. From the heartache of saying goodbye to old friends and leaving their homes with just a small bag, to the challenging days of walking and sleeping in strange places, the children thoughtfully considered every step of the journey. They also reflected on the new sensory experiences, like tasting new foods, seeing interesting sights, and hearing different languages, alongside the emotional challenges of loneliness and cold. Tomorrow, they'll use these carefully planned events to write their diary entries, bringing their stories to life on paper.
Year 3- Maths-Reading time on a clock
This week, our Year 3 mathematicians have been diving deep into telling the time, revisiting and building upon their knowledge from Year 2. We focused on digital and analogue clocks, emphasising how we describe time on a digital clock. The children continued to practice using the phrases "minutes past" and "minutes to" the hour. This helped them understand the important convention that a digital time like 3:40 is best described as "20 minutes to 4," rather than "40 minutes past 3." This session was key in helping them connect times past the hour to times to the hour.