Image of Nursery And Pre-School - PSHE - My Family
5 May

Nursery And Pre-School - PSHE - My Family

This week, the children in Nursery and Preschool have been exploring the theme of "Important People" by focusing on their own families. The lesson began with a lovely group discussion where the children talked about who lives in their houses. This was a wonderful way for the children to build their confidence in speaking and to celebrate their own unique identities and home lives. To represent their families, the children created special "family bracelets." They used individual pieces of pasta to represent each person in their family, carefully threading them together to create their designs. This activity allowed the children to think deeply about their loved ones while also providing a fantastic workout for their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Once finished, the children wore their bracelets with great pride. It was heartwarming to see them showing off their creations to their peers and teachers, happily explaining exactly who each piece of pasta represented. This session successfully fostered a sense of belonging and community, helping the children feel proud of their families and excited to share their stories with others.

Image of Year 5 PSHE - Roleplaying Active Listening
29 Apr

Year 5 PSHE - Roleplaying Active Listening

Are You Listening? Year 5 Explore the Art of Communication This week in PSHE, Year 5 have been exploring the vital skill of active listening—and things started in a rather unusual way! To kick off the lesson, we had a very brave volunteer attempt to tell Mrs Thompson all about her day. Meanwhile, Mrs Thompson did her absolute best to be the "worst listener ever"—interrupting, fiddling with objects, and even wandering off mid-sentence! While it gave us all a good giggle, it sent a very powerful message about how it feels when our words are ignored. Putting Skills into Practice: Following the demonstration, the children took centre stage to act out various scenarios. They compared: The "Don'ts": Looking at phones, interrupting, and distracted body language. The "Dos": Making eye contact, using encouraging nods, and responding with empathy. It made us realise that listening isn't just about being quiet; it's about making the other person feel like what they are saying really matters. The children gained incredible insight into the emotional impact of our communication. We’ve all come away with a fresh commitment to being better friends and better listeners!

Image of Year 5 PSHE - Role Plays Showing Acts of Friendship or Acts of Unkindness
22 Apr

Year 5 PSHE - Role Plays Showing Acts of Friendship or Acts of Unkindness

Year 5 Explores the Secret to Great Friendships This week in PSHE, Year 5 have been thinking carefully about what it truly means to be a good friend. We began by identifying the small but significant gestures of friendship that make our school community a kinder place, from offering a word of encouragement to simply sharing a seat at lunch. The lesson took a dramatic turn as the children were given secret roleplay scenarios to perform. Some groups acted out heartwarming acts of kindness, while others depicted trickier situations where friendship was put to the test! Our PSHE Highlights: Spotting the Signs: Discussing how our actions and words impact those around us. The Big Reveal: The rest of the class had to play detective, guessing the scenario being acted out. Some were quite a challenge to figure out! Building Empathy: Reflecting on how it feels to be on the receiving end of different friendship behaviours. It was a fantastic session full of laughter and insightful discussion. Have a look at our photos to see our budding actors in action! How can you show friendship to the people around you?

Image of Year 1 - PSHE - Similar and Different
15 Apr

Year 1 - PSHE - Similar and Different

In our SCARF P.S.H.E. sessions this week, we’ve been exploring the wonderful things that make us "us." The focus was all about similarities and differences, helping the children understand that while we have plenty in common, it’s our unique traits that make our class so special. We spent time looking at how we are similar—like being in the same year group or sharing a love for playtime—but also celebrated the things that make us stand out, from our different heritages and languages to our unique talents and interests.

Image of Nursery/Pre-school- P.S.H.E-Me And My Friends
14 Apr

Nursery/Pre-school- P.S.H.E-Me And My Friends

This week in P.S.H.E: Me and my friends Our focus this week has been all about "Me and My Friends," and we’ve had a lovely time exploring what makes us unique. We started by sharing the story of Elmer the Elephant. The children really connected with the idea that Elmer looks different from the rest of the herd and enjoyed chatting about how being different is something to celebrate. It was great to hear them discussing their favourite colours with one another and finding out what they have in common with their peers. Getting stuck into provision The children had plenty of chances to get creative with the theme during their play: Colouring: Lots of brilliant patchwork Elmers were brought to life using the children’s favourite colours. Playdough: We saw some fantastic fine motor skills in action as the children sculpted their very own versions of Elmer. It has been a brilliant week of building friendships and learning that our differences are what make our class such a vibrant place to be.

Image of Reception- PSHE-People Who Help Us To Keep Safe
31 Mar

Reception- PSHE-People Who Help Us To Keep Safe

In our PSHE lesson today, we became safety superstars as we explored the many wonderful people who help keep us safe. We began by identifying the trusted adults at home and school, as well as the heroes we might meet when we are out and about in our community. The children’s curiosity shone during our "What’s in the Bag?" game, where they used clever clues to guess different helpers. We then brought these roles to life through imaginative role-play, dressing up as police officers, firefighters, doctors, and teachers—even practicing how we can be good friends and help each other! To wrap up our learning, we worked together on a jigsaw challenge, successfully matching our community helpers with the tools they use to look after us.

Image of Year 5 PSHE - Rights and Respect at Home, at School and in the Local Community
25 Mar

Year 5 PSHE - Rights and Respect at Home, at School and in the Local Community

Rights and Respect: Empowering the Citizens of Tomorrow In PSHE this week, Year 5 have been exploring the fundamental concepts of rights and respect. We began by establishing a clear system of definitions: understanding that 'rights' are the entitlements every person should be afforded, while 'respect' is the active practice of acknowledging the needs and wishes of others. The children applied these definitions to their own lives, categorising their unique rights and responsibilities within three key areas: at home, in school, and throughout the wider local community. Working collaboratively in pairs, the pupils engaged in deep discussion before presenting their findings to the class with confidence. It was a marvellous opportunity for our young citizens to reflect on how showing respect for the environment and for each other creates a more harmonious society.

25 Mar

Year 1 - PSHE - What Will Happen to our Community if We Don't Look After It?

We had a fantastic PSHE session in Year 1 this week! We were delighted to welcome Fatima from Blackburn with Darwen Council, who came in to talk to the children about the importance of caring for our local community. The children had some very thoughtful discussions about what might happen to our parks and streets if we didn't look after them. To help put their learning into practice, they became recycling experts!  What we got up to: Big Discussions: Thinking about the impact of litter on our environment. Material Sorting: Learning how to identify different materials like paper, plastic, and metal. Recycling Challenge: Sorting through rubbish to see what can be reused or recycled instead of thrown away. The children had a brilliant session and have come away with lots of new ideas on how to keep Darwen clean and tidy. A huge thank you to Fatima for such an engaging and inspiring visit! #DarwenStJames #Year1 #PSHE #CaringForOurCommunity #Recycle #KeepDarwenTidy #NurturingAmbition

Image of Nursery/Pre-School-P.S.H.E-Looking After Ourselves-Teddy Bears Picnic
11 Mar

Nursery/Pre-School-P.S.H.E-Looking After Ourselves-Teddy Bears Picnic

This week in P.S.H.E., we explored the importance of self-care and healthy living. To put our learning into practice, we hosted a "Healthy Picnic" alongside some very special guests—our favorite teddy bears from home! During our session, the children discussed how to fuel our bodies with nutritious food and shared their daily self-care routines, from brushing teeth to keeping germs at bay with a good soak in the bath.

Image of Year 5 PSHE - Life Education Workshop about Friendship
24 Feb

Year 5 PSHE - Life Education Workshop about Friendship

Friendships and Feelings: Year 5 Life Education Workshop Before the half-term holiday, Year 5 received a very special visit from Steven at Coram Life Education for an insightful workshop focused on friendship and emotional health. Our pupils dived deep into how the different parts of our brains can affect our daily behaviour. They also explored the vital differences between being passive, aggressive, or assertive when communicating with others. Through interactive activities, the children practiced new strategies for resolving conflicts and building stronger, more positive friendships. It was a fantastic session that left everyone feeling empowered to navigate their relationships with confidence and kindness!

Image of Year 3 - PSHE - Learning About The Brain
24 Feb

Year 3 - PSHE - Learning About The Brain

A Special Visit from Harold and Friends! Year 3 had a very exciting visit from Coram Life Education. We were joined by their expert educator and, of course, the star of the show—Harold the Giraffe! The children took part in an interactive workshop called "Meet the Brain," which took them on a fascinating journey inside their own heads. Through fun activities and discussions, the class explored how the brain acts as the "control center" for the entire body.

Image of Nursery And Pre-School - PSHE - Valentine's Stay And Play
13 Feb

Nursery And Pre-School - PSHE - Valentine's Stay And Play

This week, Nursery and Preschool were delighted to host a special "Stay and Play" session, inviting the children's grown-ups into the setting to celebrate Valentine's Day together. The children took great pride in being "tour guides" for their visitors, showing their grown-ups their favorite areas to play and explaining their daily routines. This provided a wonderful boost to their confidence and communication skills as they shared their learning environment with their families. Throughout the session, the children engaged in various collaborative crafts, working side-by-side with their grown-ups to create Valentine-themed art. It was lovely to see the children interacting so positively with each other and their families, demonstrating their ability to share resources and work together on creative tasks. The morning was a beautiful celebration of the bonds between home and school, filled with happy faces and a wonderful sense of community.