Year 3- Understanding the Risks: Staying Safe Online
Today in class, we talked about staying safe online, especially when it comes to seeing violent content. About 70% of teenagers have seen real-life violence online in the past year, and it's not just a small problem. While some might actively seek it out, many encounter it through group chats or social media algorithms, meaning it can pop up even if you're not looking for it. After discussing these important points, Year 3 agreed on: they all need to be careful about what they watch and share, and how it affects everyone. If they ever see upsetting content or feel pressured to share something, they will talk to a trusted adult, like a parent and teacher.
Online Safety: Violent Content Online
Violence, viral videos and vulnerability. Most kids aren’t looking for violent content online – but they’re still seeing it. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide explores the impact and offers advice for trusted adults. Download your FREE copy here >> https://ow.ly/KcKr50VVJxp
Mental Health Awareness Whole School Worship Led by Year 4
Following on from Mental Health Awareness Week last week, Year 4 led a whole school worship this morning. The children in Year 4 have been focusing on mental health, what helps us to better our mental health and they have also delivered random acts of kindness. In the worship, the children shared a lovely video that was created by primary school children on how we can share our feelings, thinking, emotions and moods. We know how to look after our physical health but our mental health is just as important. We learnt that Year 4 like to take part in sport, get a good nights sleep, spend time with friends and family, share problems and eat healthy and drink plenty of water! The children also shared some beautiful kindness poems and buckets of how they fill them to support their mental health. We are very proud of Year 4 for sharing their experiences and it’s great to know how much we can support each other along the way!
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
Online Safety: Minecraft
Block out online risks in Minecraft. With millions of players chatting and creating - and interest rising again after April’s movie release - our #WakeUpWednesday guide helps parents and educators keep young gamers safe in this endlessly popular sandbox title. Download >> https://ow.ly/7ZTF50VRURe #MinecraftSafety #GamingParents #OnlineSafetyTips #SafeGaming
Year 5- Peer Mediation training
Year 5 had their final peer mediation training session today. They role played a session, looked at scenarios that they could and could not mediate and looked at problems they might encounter. Year 5 have now been asked to apply to become a mediator by writing a letter. We can't wait to introduce our new peer mediators soon.
Reception: 5 Ways to Wellbeing
Our Reception class had a wonderful session focussing on wellbeing through being active, staying connected, and taking notice. The children thoroughly enjoyed their Forest Schools session, where they were actively running, exploring, and building together. This hands-on experience fostered both their physical health and their ability to stay connected as they collaborated on projects and supported each other's play. Creativity blossomed as they used "God's creations" to make art. Leaves, twigs, and pebbles became their media, encouraging appreciation for the natural world. This activity also promoted connection as they shared materials and ideas. Moments of quiet reflection helped the children practice taking notice. They listened to the birds singing, observed the beauty around them, and explored their spirituality by expressing gratitude for their environment. This encouraged mindfulness and a sense of wonder. These engaging activities provided valuable lessons in looking after their wellbeing through movement, positive relationships, and appreciating the present moment.
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Online Safety: Fostering a Sense of Belonging
Every child deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued. Our FREE guide shares 10 simple ways to build belonging at school and at home - from celebrating individuality to tackling bullying. Download >> https://ow.ly/oW4h50VNUsx #WakeUpWednesday #ParentTips
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 !
Year 6 - Kooth
Year 6 took part in an online workshop with Heather from Kooth yesterday who explained about the anonymous online resource available to them. The children may want to use this platform as a way to manage stress or talk about things that they may find easier saying to someone who is completely neutral. Heather also explained that stress is completely normal and that actually it can be quite a powerful tool to motivate us.
Year 4 PSHE - Mental Health Awareness
In our PSHE lesson we have been looking at Mental Health Awareness. Mental health is everything. Mental health is more than just a small part of our lives.It’s connected to every little thing we do, every place we go and every person around us. Mental Health Awareness Week this year takes place from Monday 12 – Sunday 18 May 2025. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. In our sessions we have been learning how to fill our buckets with all the things that find us joy, writing Kindness poems and planning random acts of kindness.
Year 5- Peer Mediation training
Year 5 took part in their first peer mediation training session. They worked with Ben Harper from Quakers and staff and children from DACA. They learnt the rules of peer mediation to remain impartial, keep things confidential and to not do things for people but with people. The children learnt the 5 steps of peer mediation and had a go at roleplaying a session. We can't wait for our final day of training next Thursday.