Forest School Training
Forest School learning is an inspirational and specialised approach to outdoor education that focuses on developing confidence, self-esteem, and holistic growth in learners through hands-on experiences in natural environments. This week our teachers have been on a Forest School adventure. Learning all the different skills to become Forest School leaders. Bringing back to school the philosophical understanding, practical skills, and confidence to unlock the vast educational potential of the outdoors, ultimately creating richer, more engaging, and more beneficial learning experiences for our pupils.
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
Year 1 - English - Analysing Vocabulary Used In Poetry
This week, our Year 1 poets became word detectives! We've been diving into some fantastic poems, not just to enjoy them, but to hunt for amazing vocabulary. The children loved discovering new words and talking about what they mean. We explored how different words make us feel and how they paint pictures in our minds. It was so exciting to see their eyes light up as they unlocked the secrets hidden within the lines of poetry!
Year 1 - Science - The Science Show
Year 1 discovered the science of everyday objects! Our lively show for 5-7 year olds explored the strength of materials and the magic of blowing bubbles. We experienced exciting demonstrations and plenty of audience participation in this wonderful KS1 event.
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Online Safety - Violent Content Online
Around 70% of teenagers say they’ve seen real-life violence on social media in the past year. Violent content online isn’t just something young people are occasionally stumbling across – in many cases, it’s becoming a routine part of their digital world. From fights and stabbings to toxic ideologies , disturbing videos are often just a click away on social media or group chats. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide highlights the unseen risks this poses to children’s mental health , sense of safety, and social behaviours. With insights from a leading expert , it offers practical ways for parents and educators to respond with empathy and support – not punishment or panic.
Year 1 - Story Time - Year 5 Sharing Their Books
What a fantastic learning experience! Our Year 5 students recently shared their incredible D.T. moving mechanism books with an eager audience of Year 1 pupils. It was wonderful to see the older children proudly demonstrate their designs and explain how their mechanisms worked, while the younger children were captivated and full of brilliant questions. A truly inspiring example of collaboration and creativity across the year groups!
Year 1 - Art And Design - Collages Inspired By Eric Carle
Our Year 1 artists dived into the colourful world of Eric Carle with an exciting collage art lesson. Inspired by his vibrant illustrations, children explored textures and shapes to create their very own masterpieces. It was a squishy, sticky, and super fun adventure!
Online Safety -Minecraft
With its limitless opportunities for building, exploring and collaborating, Minecraft remains a global gaming phenomenon. Its broad appeal lies in how open-ended it is – but this also means it’s not without risk. From chatting with strangers on public servers to the grief of having a beloved creation destroyed, young players can face challenges if left unsupervised. Minecraft can also become a time sink for enthusiastic players, with late nights spent crafting and constructing, potentially impacting school and social lives. We’ve created this free guide to help parents and educators understand how to keep young gamers safe – from choosing age-appropriate game modes to setting boundaries around screen time and spending.
Year 1 - English - Non Fiction Books
Our amazing Year 1 explorers have been on a thrilling adventure, uncovering the secrets hidden within non-fiction books! We've had so much fun becoming super-sleuths, searching for fascinating features like bold headings that tell us what we'll learn, captivating photographs that bring the world to life, and helpful captions that give us extra clues. It's been brilliant seeing their curiosity bloom as they discover new facts and information. What incredible things will they learn next?
Reminder: Please Send Water, Not Juice
Dear Parents and Carers, A gentle reminder to please send your child in with a bottle of water each day. While juice can seem like a convenient choice, plain water is the healthiest option and is recommended by both NHS and EYFS nutrition guidance. If your child isn’t used to drinking water, here are a few helpful tips: • Gradually water down juice, reducing the amount each day until it’s just water. • Use a fun or colourful bottle to make drinking water more exciting. • Add a slice of fruit (like lemon, orange, or cucumber) for a natural flavour boost. • Be a role model – children are more likely to drink water if they see you doing it too. Thank you for your support in helping us create a healthy and happy environment for all children.
Sun Safety
☀️ Sunshine at School! ☀️ Dear Parents and Carers, As the warmer weather is finally here, we're so excited for the children to enjoy some sunshine during their time at school! To make sure everyone stays happy, comfortable, and safe while they play and learn in the lovely weather, we kindly ask for your support with a few things: Sun Hats: Please ensure your child brings a sun hat to school every day. This will help protect their head and face from the sun. Sun Cream: Please apply a long-lasting sun cream to your child before they come to school in the morning. If your child needs to reapply during the day, please provide a named bottle of sun cream that they can easily manage themselves (staff can offer guidance if needed, but are unable to apply it). Weather Appropriate Clothes: Please dress your child in light, comfortable clothing that is suitable for warmer temperatures. Layers can be a good idea in case the temperature changes throughout the day. Water Bottles: It's really important that the children stay hydrated, especially when it's warm. Please ensure your child brings a named water bottle to school every day so they can have access to water throughout the day. We have water fountains available for refills. We absolutely love seeing the children enjoy the sunshine and make the most of the warmer days. By working together to ensure they have these essentials, we can help them stay comfortable and safe while they do so! Thank you for your understanding and support in keeping our children happy and healthy.
Year 1 - Science - Wild Plants And Garden Plants
Have you ever wondered about the plants you see around you? Year 1 have been learning about how some plants grow freely in nature, while others are carefully looked after in gardens. We investigated the fascinating differences between wild and garden plants in this exciting Year 1 Science topic!
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