Year 5 - Science
We explored the effect of water resistance in today’s science lesson. First we defined water resistance as a form of friction caused by moving through water and considered how swimmers and sea life are adapted to aquatic travel. We then made different shapes using plasticine and timed how quickly they moved through a 2 litre bottle of water. We found that narrow pointed objects move faster than wide flat objects due to their small surface area making them streamlined.
Mad Science Club- The Light Fantastic
Today in the Mad Science after-school club, our junior scientists stepped into the brilliant world of physics for a "Light Fantastic" session! They became masters of the electromagnetic spectrum, starting with the discovery that LASER is actually an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The children explored the concept of refraction by bending light beams through different materials and went on a hunt for "invisible" energy using UV light to make hidden colors fluoresce.
Year 5 - World Earth Day
To celebrate World Earth Day, Year 5 visited Whitehall Park. We learned about the many invertebrate species that live in the soil, wood, leaves and plants and were able to identify and categorise animals such as worms, beetles, centipedes, wood lice and many more. While we were there, we picked up as much litter as we could find. The more we learn about our planet, the more we understand how we impact it in both positive and negative ways.
Year 5 Music
In Music, Year 5 continued learning how to play the djembe. After recapping the 3 main ways of hitting the drums (tone, slap and bass), the class began to learn words from a range of African languages and use them as a rhythmic guide for their playing. Counting and clapping exercises were used to rehearse increasingly complex drum rhythms, which were shared with the class.
Year 5 - PSHE
In this lesson, we considered the skills and qualities needed to be successful at a range of jobs. The children discussed the potential careers that may interest them, including science, sport, construction and medicine. We then thought about what characteristics are needed for each role. For veterinary medicine, we decided that you should be ambitious, compassionate, hard working and mentally strong. We also considered how important the characteristics of dedication, discipline and confidence are for sports people.
Whole School Worship- Earth Day 2026: Our Power, Our Planet
Today, Mrs Ham led an inspiring whole-school worship focused on Earth Day 2026, which is tomorrow, and our theme, 'Our Power, Our Planet. We explored essential ways to care for our environment, from the importance of recycling and saving water to the impact of planting trees. During the session, the children demonstrated fantastic oral speaking and oracy skills as they discussed their personal pledges with their peers, articulating how they plan to help the environment, not just on Earth Day, but every day! We heard some wonderful stories: Luna spoke about her time picking up litter on holiday in Greece, while Alfie shared that it is an act of kindness to pick up rubbish even if it isn't your own. Jonas also reminded our budding Planet Protectors to wear green for the land and blue for the sea tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day. From planting trees at home to helping grandparents with local litter picks, the children’s ideas were truly inspiring. We also reflected on our efforts as a school family in protecting our planet over the last few months such as planting a microforest at Jacks Key, planting two orchards on our school grounds, our WOW group's pick up dog poo campaign, our Rotakids recycling teddies and winter coats for those in need and focusing on switching off lights and devices. We concluded by singing, 'We Can Make a Difference', and offering a prayer of thanks for our wonderful world, reflecting on how we can all work together to protect our precious planet.
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Westholme Netball Tournament
This afternoon we took part in the annual Year 4/5 Netball Tournament which was hosted by Westholme School. Team B played eight games and came away with six wins, one draw and one loss. The final league standings were announced and we were awarded with bronze. Every single child played brilliantly, showed respect and encouraged each other every step of the way. We are so proud of them!
Year 5 - RotaKids
Julia and Kathleen from Darwen Rotary Club came to visit today to discuss our next charity project for RotaKids. Having supported local and global charities through our previous efforts, we decided this time to support our school. We discussed various fundraising ideas before deciding on two potential favourites: wearing historical dress or dressing as you would in your future career. Now the RotaKids council have to convince Mrs Ham that we have the organisation and passion to get the whole school onside and raise as much as we can for St Barnabas.
Year 5 - Science
In Science, we took advantage of the good weather and went outside to conduct our experiments on the different levels of friction materials can produce. At first, we defined friction as a contact force that opposes movement and can generate heat. Then we measured how much push a toy car needs to move when resting on tin foil, sandpaper and fabric. The children found that the fabric created the most friction because it is rough, creating more contact with the car’s wheels.
Mad Science After School Club- Exploring the Forces of Motion
In today’s After School Mad Science Club, our scientists explored the fascinating laws of physics through several "Mad Scientist" challenges. The children investigated gravity and inertia by successfully pulling tablecloths from under dishes, proving that objects at rest prefer to stay at rest. We also held exciting woodpecker races, where the students learned how vibration and friction allow a wooden bird to "peck" its way down a wire. Additionally, the children mastered the art of moving coins across fabric without touching them, using clever vibrations to overcome friction. The children had so much fun throughout the afternoon and are already buzzing with excitement for our next session!
Friday Celebration Worship
We had a fabulous first week back and it was wonderful to see all the children working so hard and settling back into school life so positively. Throughout the week, we spent time reflecting on kindness, thinking carefully about the kind things we have done ourselves and the kindness we have seen in others. This week’s values awards were proudly presented to Luna in Reception, Jasper in Year 1, Noah in Year 2, Archie in Year 3, Bluebell in Year 4, James in Year 5 and Elsie in Year 6. Well done to all of you for consistently demonstrating our school values. In TT Rockstars, Archie and Lyla from Year 4 were awarded certificates for their efforts, fantastic work! Our team values results saw Darwen Tower in fourth place, India Mill in third, Whitehall Park in second and River Darwen taking first place. A huge congratulations to River Darwen, who also won a disco and non-uniform day for achieving the most points last half term, what a brilliant achievement! We were delighted to celebrate a wide range of achievements outside of school this week. Ava was awarded a Level 4 certificate in swimming, while Reggie achieved 50 metres, Mikey 20 metres, Minnie C 10 metres, Isabella achieved Stage 5 and James achieved Stage 1, well done to all our swimmers. Luna earned a yellow belt in kickboxing and Eleanor received a certificate for taking part in a duck hunt. Lydia, Annie, Luna, Thea and Olivia were all awarded badges and certificates in Rainbows for first aid, networking skills, tasty treats and present making. Rosie and Naomi were recognised as seconders in Brownies, taking on an important leadership role. Sophia, Darcy, Daisy and Alexis were all awarded sixer badges in Brownies for their leadership, with Darcy also receiving the Brownies doll for being particularly helpful. Samuel was named Beaver of the Week for his excellent map reading and Isaac was awarded Player of the Week for his fantastic shooting, passing and tackling in football. Congratulations to Reception and Year 3 for achieving the highest attendance this week, keep it up! Finally, we shared some important reminders. Reception families were invited to the upcoming stay and play session and we are looking forward to celebrating Earth Day on Wednesday, with children invited to come dressed in green or blue. Year 3 are excited for their upcoming Rock and River Outdoor Adventure trip and we also look forward to the Whitehall Park afternoon tea taking place on Sunday. We ended our worship with thoughtful prayers led by Sophia and Darcy. Well done to everyone for such a positive and successful week.
Year 5 - English
Our topic in English concerns writing an explanation text about earthquakes. To understand how school children in Los Angeles prepare for a potential earthquake, we studied the practice of Drop Hold Cover. This involves children dropping to the floor holding the back of their heads, crawling beneath a table and holding still until the danger passes. The children were given the task of surviving an artificial earthquake that struck Year 5 today. Thankfully, they all made it through unscathed.