Year 2 and 4 - Visit to St Barnabas Church
This Tuesday afternoon, our Year 2 had the opportunity to visit St. Barnabas Church. This visit was a perfect way to build on our recent RE lessons, where we've been learning all about what makes a church, its origins in the Bible, and the different features you might find inside. The children really impressed Rev Ben with their existing knowledge, confidently sharing what they'd learned in class. They got to explore areas of the church they wouldn't normally see, making the experience even more special. To round off the visit, the children had the chance to ask Rev Ben some excellent questions they'd prepared in their last RE lesson. It was a brilliant way to reinforce all the learning we've been doing and bring our RE lessons to life!
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!
Year 2 - Year of Prayer
This afternoon, Year 2 spent some peaceful time in our spiritual garden for our Year of Prayer session. This week, we focused on thanking God for guiding us through difficult or hard times. We each found a pebble and held it as we said our prayers. The children shared incredibly thoughtful reflections on their own challenges, and it was wonderful to have a quiet space for such meaningful contemplation.
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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.
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Year 6 R.E
In R.E, Year 6 have been looking at Christianity and Islam, comparing the ways in which both religions describe God. The children watched videos and researched Muslim names for Allah. They discovered that there are actually a lot of similarities between how the two religions regard their God.
Year 1 RE- Joseph the Ruler (Forgiveness)
Yesterday, Year 1 continued their exploration of the story of Joseph, reading Part 3: "Joseph the Ruler." They learned a powerful lesson about forgiveness as Joseph chose to forgive his brothers after seeing their genuine change. We connected this to the Christian value of forgiveness and then engaged in an activity identifying scenarios where forgiveness might be needed due to unsafe, disrespectful, or unkind actions. Examples included throwing rubbish on the floor, saying unkind words, pushing in line, running in the dinner hall, playing football indoors, and snatching items. Year 1 then discussed how asking for forgiveness should be accompanied by a commitment to change our future behavior.
Year 3- Year of Prayer-Reflecting with Pebbles
This week, as part of our Year of Prayer, the children visited our spiritual area. Each child picked up a pebble and held it tightly, taking a quiet moment to think about the difficult things they face in life. They then asked God for help with these challenges. Afterwards, they placed their pebbles around the cross, a way of showing they were asking God for help with difficult times.
Reception: Jonah and the Whale
Continuing with our unit on Prayer, Reception class listened to the story of Jonah and the Whale. They used Godly play to retell the story. Reception class discussed how Jonah prayed to say sorry to God. We discussed how God listened to Jonah and answered his prayer. We discussed how God always listens to us all when we pray and will always try to answer our prayers. The children enjoyed retelling the story in continuous provision.
Year 5 - The Birth of Moses
In Year 5, the children explored the Bible story of Moses’ birth, learning about how God protected him through the courage and faith of several important women. They discovered the vital roles played by Moses’ mother (Jochebed), his sister (Miriam) and even Pharaoh’s daughter, who showed compassion by rescuing Moses from the river. Through this story, the children reflected on the significance of women in the Old Testament and how their actions were guided by faith, bravery and a deep sense of purpose. The children also discussed the broader theme of how God works through people, especially those who trust in Him during difficult times. They made links between the story and their own lives, considering how they can show faith, kindness and courage.
Whole School Worship - The Unforgiving Servant
The theme in this worship was “forgiveness”. Mrs Ham continued to reveal the meaning behind the Lord’s Prayer, today, focussing on the line “and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”. To explain what Jesus taught us about forgiving others, Mrs Ham chose to share the story of The Unforgiving Servant with the help of some willing participants. Rev Ben and a couple of the children gave a fabulous performance, showing us that we should replicate to others the mercy shown to us, and that forgiveness should be given as many times as necessary. The children reflected on the story’s moral and shared their opinions about this.
Year 2- Connecting church to the Bible
Next week, our Year 2 students are looking forward to a special visit to our church with Rev. Ben! To get ready for this, we spent some time during our RE lesson exploring various items and areas they'll see in the church. We connected these to different Bible stories, like the Last Supper, where items were placed on a table similar to a church altar. We also discussed the font and how Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, rather than a font. The children really enjoyed remembering these stories and linking them to what they'll observe next week. To conclude our lesson, we prepared some thoughtful questions that the children are eager to ask Rev. Ben during their visit.
Whole School Worship - How Can We Flourish Together?
Today, in our collective worship, we shared ideas of what it means to flourish. The children had some fantastic thoughts, including being the best you can be, persevering, sharing with others and appreciating what God has given us. We looked at each one of our Christian values and decided how they could help us to learn and grow together. Mrs Ham reminded us of some of the “wows” and the “ows” in the world and we discussed how they make us feel. We reflected on the part we can all play by taking action to prevent the suffering in the world. We ended our worship with a reminder and a celebration of the ways we at St Barnabas have affected change in our communities and in the wider world. These included supporting our local refugees, collecting preloved coats for the homeless, raising money for East Lancs Hospice and collecting tinned food and toiletries for our harvest appeal. The children articulated that we all flourish when we aim to make the world a better place.