Reception Police Visit
Our Reception class was treated to an informative and exciting visit from police officers Ryan and Andrew. The children were thrilled to meet the friendly officers, who started by asking the class what they thought police officers do. The children eagerly answered, "They catch the bad guys!" Ryan and Andrew gently explained that while catching bad guys is part of their job, their main role is to help people and keep everyone safe. To give the children a better understanding of their work, the officers showcased some of the important tools and resources they use. They showed the class items like handcuffs, safety glasses, pepper spray, a camera, scissors (for smash-window rescues), a baton, a helmet to keep them safe, a radio for communication, a shared ID card, and a pocket notebook. The children even got a chance to practice shouting "Get Back!", which is what police officers use to manage situations safely. The excitement reached new heights when the class was given the opportunity to explore the police van. The children listened to the siren and watched the flashing lights, which added to the thrill of the experience. They all had a turn to sit inside the van, imagining what it would be like to be a real-life police officer. The children were all very captivated by the visit, and we are sure they will be talking about it for days to come. The visit not only provided our students with a fantastic opportunity to learn about the valuable work police officers do in our community, but it also helped build positive relationships between the children and the police. We are so grateful to officers Ryan and Andrew for taking the time to visit our Reception class. Their visit was an incredible learning experience, and it has surely left a positive impact on our children.
Friday Celebration Worship
What a wonderful and incredibly busy first week back we have had in school. On Monday we welcomed special visitors into our school and they were so impressed with the children’s beautiful behaviour, their hard work and their fantastic oracy skills. We are so proud of the way our children represent our school community. A huge thank you to Miss Kachwalla for organising Mad Science, it was a brilliant experience and the children absolutely loved it. This week we have also spent time reflecting on Lent, thinking carefully about what we might give up and how we can grow closer to God during this special season. It has been lovely to see so many children taking part in our amazing after-school clubs and joining in with the Big Winter Wander. We are delighted to celebrate our Values Award winners this week. In Reception, Mason and Phoebe have shown our school values so beautifully. In Year 1, well done to Thea. In Year 2, congratulations to Joey. In Year 3, Alice and Evie have impressed us all. In Year 5, well done to Miles, and in Year 6, congratulations to Beau. Our Pen Licence this week goes to Scarlett in Year 4, what a fantastic achievement for your presentation and handwriting. In our Team Values results, fourth place goes to Darwen Tower, third place to Whitehall Park, second place to India Mill and in first place this week is River Darwen. A huge well done to River Darwen who will get to wear their own clothes on Friday for their disco, enjoy your celebration. We also have so many wonderful sporting achievements to celebrate. Alice has been awarded a trophy in cheerleading for coming second place. Bowen has received a football trophy for his excellent skills. Ida and Layla have both earned a badge for riding trot in horse riding. Phoebe has achieved her 10m swimming certificate and Stage 3. Olivia and Eleanor have earned a Rainbows badge for baking, trying different foods, completing a duck hunt and caring for animals carefully, and Eleanor has also achieved a water skills certificate. Maggie has been awarded a purple belt in martial arts for her fantastic kicking and punching, as well as achieving Stage 3 in gymnastics. Annabelle has received the hardest worker certificate in dance and has the amazing opportunity to go to New York for a dance show, we are so proud. Callie and Charlie have both achieved their 50m swimming certificates. Lyla has won medals in dancing. Seb and Scarlett have received certificates from a sports club during the half-term holidays and Scarlett's netball team also won the league. Tristan has been awarded a purple belt for punching and blocking. Ted has won a huge trophy for BMX racing for coming second in his age category. Lydia has awarded Olivia from Brownies for being kind and helpful. Grace has achieved dance medals for coming second and third. A special well done to our Year 5 football team who played six games, drawing two, narrowly losing one game 1–0, and winning three – a fantastic effort and great teamwork. Well done to Year 1 and Year 3 for achieving the highest attendance this week, your commitment to being in school every day really does make a difference. Looking ahead, we are excited for World Book Day next week. On Tuesday we have special Pinocchio dance workshops and a performance to look forward to. Don't forget to get your dolly peg book character entries in too. On Thursday, children can either dress as a book character or come in their pyjamas. Reception will be performing for Mother’s Day on Friday 13th March and we warmly invite families to join us for our Mother’s Day Sunday Service at church on Sunday 15th March where all of our children are welcome to sing to their Mums. Thank you to Olivia and Ava for leading us in our prayers this week.
Reception - Traps for the Evil Pea
In Reception this week, the children turned into engineers to design custom traps for the Evil Pea from Supertato. Using a range of resources such as LEGO, cardboard boxes and elastic bands, the children used their imagination to bring their traps to life. They refined their ideas and proudly explained how they would finally bring the story's villain to justice.
Mad Science Assembly-Going for Gold with Scientific Erica
Today, our students were treated to a spectacular, high-energy show by "Scientific Erica" from Mad Science. From Olympic-themed fire demonstrations to using gas to inflate giant balloons, the room was filled with "wow" moments and non-stop laughter. Under the expert supervision of Erica, a trained professional in chemical and fire safety, the children stepped into the role of scientists, making predictions and testing their theories in real-time. It was a memorable day that proved science is as much fun as it is educational! A special shout-out goes to our Science Ambassadors, who were a fantastic help throughout the event. Children in Years 1-4 have been given a letter with information about a Mad Science after school club next half term. It starts 13th April with new topics. Deadline date to register is 03.03.26. First come, first served. https://northengland.madscience.org/signin.aspx?successURL=%2fmyschedule
Reception - The Sower and the seeds Parable
Today we learnt from the The Sower and the Seeds Parable. We talked about the hidden lesson and how the seeds are our ideas, and our minds and our hearts are the ‘good’ soil if we listen and learn. We can learn about God and then tell stories about him to others.
Reception Pancake Tasting
Reception were delighted to sample some delicious pancakes with their choice of toppings this afternoon. They watched with interest as the mini pancakes were cooked on a special griddle using batter. They then had a selection of toppings to choose from to decorate their own pancakes, before the best part - eating them!
Reception Planting Trees
Reception had the amazing opportunity to plant their own trees to establish a micro-forest near Jack's Key, The children worked in groups to select a tree and plant it in the ground carefully, getting a bit muddy along the way! The children were excited to find out that by the time they leave St Barnabas their trees may be about 4 or 5 meters tall! We hope to observe how our trees grow and change as we venture out on our Muddy Mondays each week this coming year.
Whole School- Safer Internet Day 2026-Centered on the responsible use of AI.
To mark Safer Internet Day 2026, Mrs Araujo led a special Worship centered on the responsible use of AI. The session started with the Heads and Deputy Heads signing the Trinity. The children then watched a short video and discussed how AI can assist us in our daily lives. Through a fun identification game, pupils practised spotting AI-generated images and learned that because AI can make mistakes, its results are not always true or accurate. This helped our children understand the importance of being cautious and informed digital citizens.
Reception class contribute to the Big Winter Wander
A huge well done to our wonderful Reception children, who showed incredible determination today taking part in the Big Winter Wander! Our little explorers braved the elements to complete an impressive 2.55km trek around Jack Keys, taking in the sights and sounds of the season while showing fantastic team spirit. We are so proud of how well they handled the distance and represented our school. If you would like to celebrate their achievement and support our fundraising efforts, please consider making a contribution directly to our school page at https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-nzymxvnokwdn?currentTab=feed. Every donation makes a real difference, and we thank you for your wonderful support!
Reception Maths - Comparing amounts
This week, our Reception mathematicians have been busy comparing quantities up to 10 by mastering the key vocabulary of more and fewer. Through hands-on activities like matching groups of objects and lining them up, the children are learning to identify which sets are larger or smaller.
Reception: Mystery Reader
Thank you so much to Becky for visiting Reception class during National Storytelling Week. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing you read The Koala Who Could and The Dinosaur Who Pooped a Rainbow. The children listened attentively and were delighted to have you as our mystery reader. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share these stories with us.
Reception: Soundtrack your Story Workshop
Our Reception class had a wonderful experience today during our National Storytelling Week workshop with guest author Annemarie. The children learned about the roles of authors and illustrators and explored how music can be used to tell stories. Focusing on Annemarie’s book, I Am Nefertiti, the class learned a new song and discussed the importance of our names. The students also experimented with creating their own soundtracks to reflect different emotions. They discovered how high sounds can represent fear, low sounds can convey sadness, and how tempo changes can make a character feel excited or sleepy. To conclude the session, the children listened to the story accompanied by their own sound effects and even learned the mambo!