Wraparound Care is coming to St Barnabas!
đ Exciting News! On-Site Wraparound Care is Coming to St Barnabas! đ We are delighted to announce that starting in September 2026, we will be offering our own on-site wraparound care service, exclusively for our children! We have partnered with Progressive (formerly Progressive Sports) to deliver high-quality, activity-focused care right here on school grounds. Progressive is the perfect fit because: They provide a strong sports element, creative, wellness, and discovery activitiesâall popular choices from our parent survey! We will be working closely with them to ensure their provision meets the same high expectations for behaviour and support that we maintain during school hours. Affordable & Flexible Options: Weâve negotiated affordable rates and flexible sessions for our families: Breakfast Club (7:30 amâ8:55 am, including breakfast): ÂŁ5.00 per session. After School Club (3:20/3:30 pmâ6:00 pm, including a snack): ÂŁ8.00 per session. Reduced Session Price: Only ÂŁ6.00 if attending after a school enrichment club! A 10% sibling discount is available, and Tax-free/Universal Credit childcare vouchers are accepted. Progressive will also offer holiday clubs during some school breaks. We are confident this new service will offer affordable, convenient and high-quality care. Please read the attached letter for further information.
DPSSA Netball League
This evening Team B took part in their second evening of netball fixtures. First we played against Sudell and came away with an 11-0 win and then we played St Josephâs which was a super tight game but we managed to secure a 6-5 win in the end. A great evening of superb play and sportsmanship by every member of the team- well done!
Year 6 - Numeracy Day
As part of National Numeracy Day, our Year 6 children took part in an exciting oracy-based maths activity using a concept cartoon linked to real-world numeracy challenges. Working collaboratively, the children discussed and solved a variety of problems linked to important global themes including tree planting, clean energy, water conservation, recycling and reducing carbon footprints. The tasks encouraged pupils to apply their knowledge of percentages, ratio, area, multiplication and reasoning in meaningful contexts. Throughout the activity, the children explained their ideas, justified their methods and listened respectfully to the opinions of others, developing both their mathematical understanding and their speaking and listening skills. The concept cartoon showed the children that there can be more than one way to solve a problem and encouraged deeper mathematical thinking. It was fantastic to see the children demonstrating resilience, teamwork and confidence while recognising how maths can help make a positive difference in the wider world.
Year 6 - Emotive Poetry
This week, Year 6 have been exploring emotive poetry writing, focusing on expressing their feelings about SATs and how these assessments do not define who they are. The children reflected on their own journeys throughout the process, including the challenges they have faced, the progress they have made and the importance of recognising their wider strengths beyond test results.
Year 6 - Debt Awareness: Enterprise
This week, Year 6 had a visit from the Debt Aware team. The theme of this module was enterprise. The children learned what it meant to be an enterprising person and the qualities needed to start a business. They discussed costs, diversifying, profit and loss for businesses and what business owners need to consider when starting a new business or buying property. They also learned what it means to be an entrepreneur and that sometimes it can take a lot failure before someone creates a successful business.
Year 6 Junior Jam - Music
This week was Y6's final week learning how to play African drums. Today, the children learned more about the cultural differences between ourselves and African countries and also watched videos of the drums being played. They were then tasked with composing their own rhythms and some children performed for the rest of the class.
Whole School Worship - Pentecost
This week, Tuesdayâs worship focussed on the Christian celebration of Pentecost. Mrs Ham began by asking the children what they remember about Pentecost, to which some children replied, âWhen the Holy Spirit cameâ, âFire on peopleâs headsâ and âWhen they spoke in different languagesâ. We watched a film about a group of pandas waiting for a special gift of some new musical instruments. They woke very early for the delivery but they had the wrong day and the gift wasnât due until the day after. They had a bedtime story about Jesusâ disciples waiting for a wonderful gift, but they were unsure when it would arrive. Suddenly a strong wind blew and they all had flames on their heads and a warm feeling inside, they knew Godâs power had struck them and he was living inside their hearts. Jesus will always be with them and he asked them to always be with him as he was with them. They ran into the streets and Peter shouted to the people that Jesus had rescued them and that Jesusâ love is never breaking and always and forever. Even though not everyone could speak the same language, they all still understood Peterâs words. Mrs Ham told us that Pentecost is also known as the birthday of the church. We all then sang one of our favourite hymns, âHe Is Aliveâ to finish our Pentecost celebration.
Year 6 - How is light reflected?
Today during science, Year 6 explored how light is reflected and absorbed. The children investigated how different surfaces affect the way light behaves, identifying which materials reflect light well and which materials absorb light. The children also discussed how this is seen in everyday life, such as in mirrors, clothing and other common objects.
Year 6 SATs have finished!!
đ To our wonderful, grown-up âDucklings," As you finish your SATs week, I wanted to take a moment to tell you exactly how incredibly proud I am of every single one of you. Watching you tackle these SATs with such positivity, grit, and quiet confidence has been the absolute highlight of my year. It feels like only yesterday that most of you were my little Ducklings in Reception. Nearly seven years ago, you walked into school with oversized jumpers, perhaps a few nerves, and a lot of wonder in your eyes. Back then, we were celebrating small victories like lining up straight or learning to write our very first letters. The transformation from those tiny Ducklings into the confident leaders and role models of the school you are today is nothing short of amazing. It has been great to have so many wonderful additions to our class throughout the years too. You have grown in so many ways that a test paper could never measure: * Your Kindness: The way you support one another when things get tough. * Your Resilience: How youâve bounced back from challenges over the years including lockdowns and remote learning. * Your Character:The unique, funny, and brilliant individuals you have become, with a dash of sass! While these tests are a way to show what you know, they donât show who you really are. They don't capture your talents in art, your skills on the sports field, your beautiful singing voices, or the way you make your friends laugh. You have navigated this week with your heads held high and Iâve loved that you have been more focused on our breakfasts together being of the âhighest quality! than worrying about the tests. You aren't just "ready" for the next chapter; you are going to soar. Once a Duckling, always a Ducklingâbut my goodness, what magnificent wings you have grown! Well done, Year 6! Roll on the London trip and your Greatest Showman Production!! With much love and admiration, Mrs Ham đ P.S. A huge thank you to your parents for their amazing support throughout your time at St Barnabas. P.P.S A massive thank you to every single staff member that has played a special part in your journey throughout your time at St Barnabas. A special thanks to Mr Bloomfield, Mrs Irshad and Mrs Pendlebury for their support leading up to and during the SATs. What a fabulous team!
Year 6 Junior Jam - French
This week in French, year 6 have been practising adjectives to express the reasons for their interest in a particular job. The children thought about which jobs they would/would not like to do in the future, using adjectives to explain why. They also had fun playing a few class games, trying to describe and guess each other's jobs.
Year 6 - What does community mean to us?
This week in PSHE, Year 6 explored the meaning of âcommunityâ and reflected on the important role communities play in our lives. The children had mature and thoughtful discussions, sharing that communities help us to feel a sense of belonging, purpose, love, friendship and support. The children recognised that we are all part of many different communities, including our families, school, friendship groups, sports teams, clubs, faith groups and local neighbourhoods. Each child designed and decorated their own jigsaw piece to represent the different communities they belong to and the people who are important to them. The pieces were then joined together as a whole class puzzle, creating a wonderful visual reminder that although we are all unique, we each play an important part in the Year 6 community. The activity encouraged the children to celebrate both individuality and togetherness, reinforcing the importance of inclusion and connection within our school community.
Year 6 Junior Jam - Computing
Year 6 have enjoyed another lesson working on their remixes of popular songs, using the 'GarageBand' app, adding more live loops and altering the tempo and key of the song. They all enjoyed listening to each other's songs.