Reception - English - Making Predictions
This week, Reception kicked off an exciting new English topic as we dove into the mysterious story 'The Something'. Putting on their detective hats, the children put their imaginations to work making clever predictions about what might be hiding deep down at the bottom of the dark hole—from magical creatures to hidden treasures! To bring their ideas to life, we made some wonderful pictures showing our ideas.
Nursery and Pre-school - UTW- Visit to the Library
What a brilliant morning our Nursery children had today! We set off on foot through Darwen, heading to Darwen Library for a special storytime session. The children were absolute stars on the walk, chatting excitedly and pointing out everything they could see along the way. Once we arrived, everyone settled down nicely on the cosy carpet. The librarian gave us a lovely welcome and explained all about the magic of the library and how it works. Then came the main event—storytime! We read the classic 'Dear Zoo', and some of the children were even picked to act out different parts of the book. There was so much laughter as our little actors brought the story to life! A huge well done to all the children for their fantastic behaviour, and a big thank you to the team at Darwen Library for hosting such a memorable visit. We can't wait for our next trip!
Year 4 English - Role play to aid understanding
Year 4 have been using their vehicle text, 'The Whale' by Vita and Ethan Murrow in their English lessons and have explored lots of aspects that the book has delved into. What better way to identify with our characters, than to be them and put ourselves in their shoes? It was quite fun acting (as well as watching!) and we should hopefully be able to put our emotions and experiences into our upcoming writing tasks.
Year 6 - English - Setting Descriptions
This term, Year 6 have loved diving into the story of Rose Blanche. To help them imagine life as Rose, the children wrote their own setting descriptions from her point of view. We placed pictures from the book around the classroom, and the children worked together to gather words and phrases describing what Rose could see, hear, and feel. It was wonderful to see them helping each other plan, and their finished descriptions show great imagination and empathy.
Year 4 English - Making Predictions
This week, Year 4 have been immersed in a variety of clues to gain insight into our vehicle text, before reading. We have examined pictures and artifacts to make sensible predictions about the story, based on what has been presented. Year 4 have some detectives in the making!
Reception-Literacy-Name Writing
Our Reception children have been busy making their mark as they practise writing their names this week. We have been forming letters in the sand and carefully writing them into our Literacy books. We are very proud of how hard they have been trying.
Nursery And Pre-School - Literacy - Wiggle Me Into Squiggle
Our Nursery and Pre-school children have made a fantastic start to our new 'Wiggle Me into Squiggle' intervention this week! This programme focuses on developing large, gross motor movements, which form the essential physical foundation needed for fine motor control and early writing. This week, our focus was all about mastering 'UP' movements. The children began in a group setting using ribbons in each hand, lifting their arms high and watching the fabric flow through the air as they tracked their physical movements. To refine these big movements into early mark-making, the children then moved over to the easels holding two paintbrushes at once. Working with both hands simultaneously helped strengthen their bilateral coordination while turning those large arm sweeps into controlled, painted strokes on paper. It has been brilliant to see their confidence grow as they connect active movement directly to writing skills!
Year 6: English - Creative Writing
This week Year 6 are completing some creative writing based around the short clip Dracula's Whitby. We are thinking about describing character and setting, and also emphasising the need to create an atmosphere to keep the reader curious about what will happen next.
Get ready to Read to the Beat at Blackburn with Darwen Libraries this summer.
Get ready to Read to the Beat at Blackburn with Darwen Libraries this summer. Blackburn with Darwen Libraries annual Summer Reading Challenge for children age 4 – 12 years gets underway from 1st July, with children encouraged to read and rate six library books before 30th September, collecting stickers and prizes along the way. Audio books, eBooks and eAudio (on our BorrowBox app) can all count towards the final total, and this year children can mix and match with a range of reading related challenges too. Enrolment is completely FREE of charge, so don’t delay! Visit your nearest Blackburn with Darwen Library from 1st July onwards and get your Read to the Beat challenge started. Read to the Beat is a partnership between local libraries, The Reading Agency and Universal Music Group.
Year 3 - English - Preparing Playscripts For Performance
Our Year 3 actors and directors have been busy bringing two legendary tales to life this week: The Boy Who Cried Wolf and The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Instead of just reading the stories, the children stepped into the shoes of playwrights and performers to understand how a narrative transforms from a text into a live performance. The Rehearsal Process The classroom was buzzing with energy as the children worked through the essential steps of theatre production: Script Preparation: Children took ownership of their roles by carefully highlighting their specific parts. The Table Read: A focused read-through helped the groups understand the rhythm of the dialogue and story pacing. Character Development: The children experimented with dramatic voices and expressive physical actions to bring their characters to life. The Grand Finale: Each group took to the stage to perform their playscript live to the rest of the class. The final performances were packed with tension, humour, and fantastic expression—from the panic of the trickster shepherd to the booming threats of the grumpy troll.
Reception- Literacy- Story Time With Collette
The Reception children were treated to a wonderful storytelling session when Collette visited the school to share a special book. The classroom was filled with quiet focus as the children listened intently to the story, completely captivated by the adventure. Afterwards, Collette opened up the floor for a lively discussion, where the children eagerly answered questions and shared their favorite moments from the tale. To wrap up the exciting visit, everyone got to tap into their own creativity by making their very own "scribble monster" characters—a hands-on, messy, and thoroughly delightful end to a memorable morning of reading and imagination.
Year 5 - English - Story Writing
Year 5 have come to the end of their English unit based on the story of Greta and the Giants. They have enjoyed being creative and also learning about Greta Thunberg.
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