River Darwen Disco
Today, River Darwen enjoyed their disco and came in their own clothes to celebrate earning the most Value Points last half term. Thank you DJ Bloomfield for hosting!
Reception - All about Insects
Our Reception scientists have had a "buzzing" time exploring the fascinating world of insects! To kick off our learning, the children investigated the essential characteristics that make an insect unique, discovering that they all share three body parts (a head, thorax, and abdomen) and exactly six legs. We put this knowledge into practice at our creation station, where the children used play dough and various craft accessories to build their own 3D models, carefully counting out pipe-cleaner legs and antennae. To finish our study, we practised our "scientific eye" by using magnifying glasses to create detailed observational sketches of real preserved specimens. It was wonderful to see the children transition from imaginative play to careful, accurate recording of the tiny details they discovered!
Whole School Worship - One Way Giving
In this whole school collective worship, we developed our understanding of one way giving. Our Year 6 heads and deputies began by sharing what each class did for our Hop, Skip and Jump event. Jacqui, a representative from East Lancs Hospice came to award us with participation certificates and to reveal that we raised a fantastic £357 during our event. Thank you to all our children and parents for your support. Mrs Ham then shared this week’s One Way Giving kindness kite. Three of our KS2 children volunteered to read the sections of the kite and we learned that the Bible says we should give in secret and God will reward us. After this, we watched a cartoon of the event when Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Canaan. He secretly asked the servants to fill the jars with water and turned it into wine. The master of ceremonies tasted the wine and approved it to be a very good wine thinking it was provided by the groom. The groom received the praise, and only the servants and God knew that Jesus had performed this miracle. This was a great example of one way giving. Finally, Mrs Ham and Mr Bloomfield put up our new Widgit symbols, with the help of our children, on our Big Frieze to help the children understand God’s Big Story.
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Ocean Awareness with the Marine Conservation Society
Today, we were joined by Lorna from the Marine Conservation Society for a brilliant session. The children explored the wonders of our Ocean while learning about serious challenges such as climate change, overfishing, and ocean pollution. A particularly memorable moment was learning that sea turtles often mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish, their favourite food, highlighting the dangers of litter. Lorna inspired the children to think creatively about waste, showing them how to repurpose plastic items, such as turning old milk gallons into birds or bird feeders. The children loved sharing their favourite things about the sea, and to help us keep learning, Lorna mentioned that there are plenty of fantastic free resources available on their website to explore at home or in class.
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Reception-PSHE- The Well-being Wheel
In PSHE we set up five areas of the well-being wheel in class. We had ‘be active’ where we set up a dance party area. We had a ‘give to others’ station where the children could draw a picture for someone and put it in an envelope and give it to someone special. In our ‘Mindfulness’ area we had binoculars and magnifying glasses so the children could look at the finer details of things. We demonstrated ‘being creative’ by working together to make tall constructions. We ‘connected with others’ by telling each other something we liked about them in the ‘chatty corner’.
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.
Reception Butterfly Life Cycle
Our Reception children have soared into their science lessons this week by physically and creatively exploring the four stages of the butterfly life cycle. The classroom came alive as the children used their bodies to act out the transformation, curling up as tiny eggs, wiggling like hungry caterpillars, holding still as dormant chrysalises, and finally fluttering their arms as emerging butterflies. Following this energetic role-play, the children applied their knowledge to a hands-on craft project, using paper plates and various pasta shapes to create a visual map of the cycle. This multisensory approach helped our youngest learners grasp the concept of metamorphosis in a fun and memorable way.
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Reception- UoW - Earth Day
In class we learnt all about ways we can look after the Earth. First we pretended to be different animals from around the world. Then we took a quiz on what is good and bad for the Earth like plastic and cars, we did very well getting 7/7! Finally we all drew or wrote on a leaf for our display of ways we look after and love our Earth. The children came up with some lovely ideas like litter picking, looking after animals and plants.
Reception-PSHE- Healthy Eating
In class we learnt all about the importance of healthy eating. We were able to name different foods from different food groups. We also learnt the importance have having some sugary foods only in moderation as too much sugar could cause tooth decay. The highlight of our lesson was being able to taste the foods from different food groups.
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.
Reception: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
It has been an incredibly exciting week in Reception class as we dive into the wonderful world of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. To bring the story to life, we are thrilled to welcome some very special guests—our very own tiny caterpillars right here in the classroom! The children have been busy becoming mini-scientists, learning all about what these creatures eat, how they grow, and the fascinating stages of their life cycle. We even did some counting to discover exactly how many legs they have! There is a real sense of wonder in the air, and we truly can’t wait to watch the magic of nature unfold before our very eyes as they begin their transformation.
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Reception: Muddy Monday
What a wonderful "Muddy Monday" for our Reception class! The children had a fantastic time exploring the outdoors at Jacks Key Reservoir, keeping their eyes peeled and ears open for the first signs of Spring. It didn't take long for our mini-explorers to spot vibrant yellow daffodils peeking through the grass and delicate blossoms beginning to bloom on the trees. Looking up, we were treated to a beautiful blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds, while the air was alive with the cheerful sound of birds tweeting. To top off our adventure, we even spotted some butterflies fluttering by, confirming that Spring is truly on its way. We are so blessed to have this right on our doorstep!