Computing Club - Microbits
Can you transform a pocket-sized circuit board into a game of chance or a musical instrument? This week, our Computing Club used Micro:bits to bring their coding projects to life. The pupils programmed their devices to play Rock, Paper, Scissors, using a "shake" motion to trigger a random choice. They also explored sound and light by coding the Micro:bits to play custom tunes and display different animated characters and faces. It was a brilliant session that showed just how creative you can be with a little bit of logic and a lot of imagination. #ComputingClub #MicroBit #STEM #PrimaryCoding #DigitalLiteracy #FutureCoders #CodeClub
Mash Club - Extra Curricular Activities
Have you ever wondered what it takes to build a digital world from scratch? This term in Computer Club, our talented young developers have been doing exactly that using Purple Mash to design and code their very own video games. By mastering block-based programming, the children successfully brought characters and animals to life, animating their movement and even giving them a voice through programmed dialogue. The real magic happened when we explored collision events, coding characters to transform their appearance the moment they touch, and adding a scoring system to turn their creations into fully functional, competitive challenges. It has been inspiring to watch them evolve from tech users into confident creators, tackling complex logic and debugging with incredible persistence! #DarwenStJames #ComputerClub #SchoolComputing #PurpleMash
Spring Clubs are back and they’re brilliant!
Our Spring 2026 after-school clubs are ready to go and they are packed with fun, creativity, and energy. This term children can get stuck into Kurling, Dodgeball, Lego Challenge, Art Club, Computing, Book Club, and our brand new Geography Explorers Club. Whether they love building, coding, creating, reading, discovering the world, or burning off energy, there’s something to get excited about. Clubs run from 3.20pm–4.00pm, with collection from the front entrance. Most clubs cost £4.00 for the full 10-week block, not per week, and some clubs are free. Spaces are limited, so don’t wait too long. Clubs start WC 12/1/26, with the final week WC 23/3/26. All bookings are through ParentPay. After-school fun starts here – let’s make it a great term!
Important Update: Breakfast Club Bookings Moving to Arbor!
????️ Important Update: Breakfast Club Bookings Moving to Arbor! Dear Parents/Guardians, We are excited to announce that all bookings for Breakfast Club will be moving to the Arbor platform immediately after the Christmas break! This change will make the booking process much smoother and more efficient for everyone. Key Information: Bookings Now Open: The full Spring Term is now available to book through Arbor. Limited Spaces: Please note that we have a limited number of spaces available for Breakfast Club. We strongly encourage you to log in and book your required sessions as quickly as possible to secure your child's spot! ???? Getting Started with Arbor If you are not yet familiar with the system, please take some time over the holiday period to familiarise yourself with the Arbor platform. For easy access, please remember that the Arbor App is available to download on both iOS and Android devices. ⚠️ Login Support Existing Users: If you have used Arbor before but are having trouble logging in, you can simply click the 'Forgot Password' link to regain access. Need Help? If you encounter any problems logging into your account, please do not hesitate to contact me during the holiday period for assistance. We appreciate your cooperation as we transition to this new booking system.
KS1 Kurling Club
It’s our second week of KS1 Kurling Club, and the children are already showing fantastic progress! They’ve been practising aiming for the target and learning how to control the force they use when pushing the stones. We’ve seen lots of perseverance as they refine their technique and friendship as they cheer each other on and celebrate every good shot. It’s brilliant to see their confidence growing with each session — all great preparation for our competition in December!
Autumn Term Clubs!
Dear Parents, We are delighted to announce our fantastic lineup of after-school clubs for the Autumn term! We've listened to your feedback, and we're so pleased to be able to offer a range of clubs that we believe will be both fun and rewarding for your children. After-school clubs are a wonderful way for students to explore new interests, learn a new skill, and make new friends. This term, we have a variety of options to choose from, including: Debating Club: A great opportunity for confident speakers and those who want to build their confidence to express themselves. Yoga Club: Perfect for all ages, this club focuses on helping children find calmness and balance while building strength and flexibility. Football Club: An exciting chance for students to improve their skills and play in a supportive team environment. Dance Club: A fun way to get creative and learn new routines and styles. Cross Stitch Club: A chance to learn a new, creative skill and design a cross-stitched bookmark. Junk Modelling: An imaginative club where children can turn everyday "junk" into something new and exciting. History Club: For those who love to research and learn about significant figures from around the past. Clubs will begin the week of September 15th and run until the week of November 24th. The cost for most clubs is £4.00 per week, which is £40.00 for the full 10-week term, with some clubs being free. Please take a look at the attached flyer for full details on each club, including the day, time, leader, and year groups. To sign up, please visit ParentPay. If you need any assistance with signing up or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office. We look forward to seeing your children get involved in these great activities!
School Games Gold Award Winners!
We’re proud to announce that Darwen St James has been awarded the GOLD School Games Mark! This brilliant achievement is a reflection of the perseverance, courage, and hope shown by our pupils—and the dedication of our PE and Extra-Curricular Sports Team, who work tirelessly to promote sport and physical activity across our school. This year we have participated in netball, football, cross country and cricket to name a few! The School Games Mark is a national award that celebrates a school’s commitment to PE, school sport, and competition, both within and beyond the school gates. It also supports schools in reviewing and strengthening their provision. A huge thank you and well done to Mrs Cookson and all the staff for making sport such an exciting and important part of life at Darwen St James. We’re incredibly proud of our pupils for stepping up to every challenge with determination and team spirit. Keep going, keep growing! ???? #TeamDSJ #DSJFamily
Summer Clubs!
☀️ Spark Your Child's Summer with Exciting School Clubs! ☀️ Dear Parents, Get ready for an action-packed summer term! We're thrilled to offer a fantastic range of after-school clubs starting from the week commencing WC 28/04/2025 and running until the week commencing WC 30/06/2025. We have something to ignite every child's passion and help them explore new talents! Does your child love being active? Our KS2 Cricket and KS2 Netball clubs are perfect for developing teamwork and sportsmanship while having fun. For those who love to move to the beat, Just Dance Club offers a chance to learn some cool new dance moves! Perhaps your child has a creative flair? In Creative Writing, budding authors can craft their own adventure stories inspired by literacy. And for the musically inclined, Recorder Club provides a wonderful opportunity to learn a new instrument. We also have a Drawing/Art Club where children can build confidence in their artistic abilities. We're really hoping for lots of enthusiastic participants in all our clubs, so please take a look at the timetable attached and see what exciting opportunities await your child. Signing up is easy! Simply log in to ParentPay to secure your child's spot. Don't miss out on this chance for your child to learn new skills, make friends, and have a brilliant time after school. We can't wait to see lots of happy faces at our Summer 2025 Clubs, sign up now!
Walking Bus - Youth Zone
WALKING BUS - YOUTH ZONE Remember after school on a WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY we have a walking bus from school to Darwen Youth Zone. The youth zone staff will be waiting on the school path where the Juniors are released from school , they will have a list of names of the children that have signed up for this service. This service is completely FREE OF CHARGE & the children are offered a free hot meal at youth zone also. I have attached a letter for anyone who would like to sign up. After the session finishes (8:00pm) you will be required to collect your child/ren from the Youth Zone (Railway Road). Thank you
Craft Club - Creating Pancakes!
This week in craft club the children created their own pancakes. They carefully cut out their toppings of choice and stuck them onto their pancake. Sone children even created a pancake face!
Drama Club Fun - Face Painting to Create Characters
In Drama Club we are creating our own characters for a play, so we learnt how to paint our faces to create different weird and wonderful characters! It was a lot of fun!
Spring Clubs!
Our spring clubs are now available to book via ParentPay. They are a great way for children to learn a new skill and to socialise with others. Please log on to your ParentPay account to book, if you need any help please contact the office.
.png)
