Year 4 English - Poetry
We have started a new English Unit this week - based on the poem 'The River' by Valerie Bloom. We have spent the week exploring some of the writing styles, images and also exploring some physical features of rivers.
Year 4 Maths - Money
This week we have started our new topic of money... whilst discreetly continuing our previous topic of decimals. A important topic in this day of age, especially in a new generation of contactless payments, Apple and Google Pay etc. Had some good fun.
Year 4 Science - Reversible Changes; States of Matter
This week we have been continuing our science topic in states of matter and looking at changing materials from a solid to a liquid and then changing them back again. We have also been exploring when it may be useful to change the state of matter and briefly explored materials that have irreversible changes when they are changed from one type of material to another. (like an egg!)
Year 4 Art - Complimentary Colours - Paul Klee
Year 4 have been continuing their work on referencing the art of Paul Klee using complementary colours.
Year 4 Maths - Finding Fractions as Decimals
Year 4 have been working on decimals this week and finding their fraction equivalent. We have been using place value holders to find tenths and hundredths of an amount.
Friends of DSJ
We are looking for new members of our Friends at Darwen St James group. The group was created to help raise funds for school by thinking of ideas and planning fundraisers throughout the year. Past events include; *Film night *Bingo night *Family evening *Summer Fair *Christmas Fair All the money we raise is used in school - we have developed the nurture room and we are currently renovating the library areas around school. If you would like to find our more or if you would like to volunteer, please speak to Miss Sears.
Y4 Science
In Science we have started to look at our new topic 'States of Matter' looking in more detail into Solids, Liquids and Gasses
Y4 PE -- Athletics
We have been using short bursts of energy in PE to run over small and larger distances as part of our athletics topic.
Year 4 - Art - Paul Klee
Today in Art we have been looking at the work of Paul Klee and his use of complementary colours.
Free School Meals - Extended!
As you all are aware, we received funding last year and we were fortunate to be able to offer free school meals to all of our children. We thought that this would be run until the end of March, however we are thrilled to announce we are able to extend this to the 26th April. From 29th April children who are not on free school meals will have to pay for their lunch and there will be a slight increase in cost and the new charge will be £2.50 per day. Now is a good opportunity to look into seeing if your child will be eligible for free school meals if you haven't yet applied by visiting Blackburn with Darwen Borough Councils website here https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-meals
Online Safety - What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Township
Potentially addictive online games are nothing new, but the specifics of this kind of media can vary enormously – and, as a consequence, the risks in each individual game are just as diverse. The city-builder Township is no exception: providing its legions of devotees with accessible, satisfying fun … but exposing them to potential hazards at the same time. However, any safeguarding issues that the game might have can (with a little knowhow) be neutralised – allowing young players to have some engrossing fun without adults needing to worry about children’s data, their money or their mental wellbeing. Our guide outlines how to help young gamers enjoy Township safely and responsibly.
Easter closure information
Easter closure information
Easter Competition Winners
A huge well done to the winners of this years Easter competition! Rev Kev and Miss Greenwood had the difficult decision of selecting 3 winners form each class. We had over 20 family entries too, which was great! Congratulations to those winners.
Online Safety - Wake up Wednesday - Clickbait
While scrolling online, you’ll almost inevitably have come across posts or links with headlines like “You Won’t Believe These 10 Crazy Facts about …”. Such lurid language – and the often-dubious nature of the content it promotes – has become something of a running joke on the internet. Yet while these articles are often laughed at by communities online, they can have an insidious side. Clickbait, as it’s known, can frequently function as part of a trap: intended to draw users in for the sake of advertising revenue or, in worse cases, masking an attempting to collect their personal information. This #WakeUpWednesday guide explores the various risks of clickbait and offers some top tips for evading the pitfalls of this controversial marketing technique.
Year 3 and 4 Easter Performance - Roll Back the Stone
Today in Church Year 3 and 4 performed our annual Easter performance in Church today, Roll Back the Stone.The children told the story of Easter through acting and song, and they did a marvellous job.Thank you to everyone who came along and supported them this morning.
Easter Egg Competition
This year our competition theme was the Paris Olympics and we have had some eggstrodinary entries! Well done ot every family that entered this years competiton, the judges have had an eggstremely dificult decision this year! The winners will be announced in our special Easter Worship tomorrow, you are all welcome to join us.
Measles Guidance
Please see the latest guidance for measles.
BwD Family Hub Website
Fantastic news! Our website is live! The Start for Life Family Hub Website is the gateway to information of where services are, it details everything a family will need in those 1001 critical days and beyond. Our Family Hubs and Children Centres are our Single point of access to those start for life, wider services and family help. The Hubs and Children Centres are the physical places where a family can visit and speak to a trained staff member, face to face, who will provide them with straightforward information or advice on a wide range of family issues spanning the 0-19 (25 with SEND) age range and connect them appropriately to further services across that age range if they need more targeted or specialist support.
Year 3 and Year 4 Guided Reading Group
This week the year 3 reading group has been reading The Queen's Plan. They have enjoyed reading and talking about the characters and story as well as adding expression. They have been breaking down new words and identifying the sounds ai, ee, igh, oa.
10 Top Tips for Parents and Educators: Encouraging Open Conversations at Home
Cultural and technological changes have made the experiences of today’s children vastly different to our own childhoods; it can be challenging to engage youngsters in open, honest conversation – especially about more sensitive topics. This, combined with many children’s instinct to avoid “rocking the boat”, can make it difficult to stay up to date with the goings on in their lives. However, it’s hugely important that trusted adults still offer an empathetic ear and feel able to encourage young people to open up about their day-to-day activities. This #WakeUpWednesday guide provides ten top tips for promoting open conversations with children – helping to make sure there’s someone they know they can turn to in times of need.
Year 4 - DT - Light Up Box Construction
We have started to construct our light up design boxes in DT this afternoon... some good designs coming :-) stay tuned!
Year 4 - DT - LED Lights
As part of our DT topic we have been investigating 'Light Up' signs and created series circuits with switches and resistors with the aim of lighting different LED lights
Year 4 - Computing - Creating Programs
Year 4 have been using the 'IF' function in their computing to create their own programmes that only run on a specific set of commands.
Year 4 - Holy Communion
Year 4 enjoyed Holy Communion on Thursday. Behavior and respect was impeccable with excellent feedback from Rev Kevin and the congregation at St James' parish.
Online Safety - Self Regulation
As infants, we all rely completely on adults to help us resolve situations that are causing us to become upset or stressed. This is known as co-regulation. The next phase, once autonomy has begun to develop, is called self-regulation: this is when children start to become capable of exercising more control over their impulses and behaviour, and managing their own emotions. This vital developmental milestone, however, isn’t reached spontaneously. Learning to self-regulate requires sensitive guidance from trusted adults – simply talking with children about their thoughts and feelings, for instance, can ease the route to self-regulation. This #WakeUpWednesday guide has some expert tips for supporting children to reach this goal.
Year 4 DT - Light Boxes
Year 4 have been exploring light up boxes in DT this week and have also been looking into 'light up signs' and their uses.
.png)
