Changes to Free School Meals
REMINDER 🚨 IMPORTANT: Free School Meals Rules are Changing! 🚨Please read this update carefully, as all current Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility under the old rules will end on August 31st. To ensure your child continues to receive free school meals at the start of the new term in September, everyone needs to reapply. Old protections are ending, which means if you do not reapply and get verified, your child’s free meals will stop. 🌟 The Big Change: Expanded Eligibility for Universal Credit There is great news for many families. Starting this September, the government has expanded eligibility. The old earnings threshold is gone. * If you are in receipt of Universal Credit at any level (regardless of how much you earn), your child is now entitled to free school meals. This change means hundreds of thousands of additional children who missed out before will now qualify. 💻 The Application Portal is LIVE NOW! Do not wait until September. The portal is open right now, and applying early ensures everything is set up before the first day of school. Who needs to apply? Every family wanting free school meals from September—including those currently receiving them and those who are newly eligible under Universal Credit. How to apply: https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-and-pupil-support/free-school-meals Take action today so your child doesn't miss out on a single meal! If you have any questions or need help with the online form, please contact the school office.
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.
Year 3 - Maths - Building 3D Shapes
Our Year 3 mathematicians turned into structural engineers today. We traded our pencils for building materials to take our geometry learning to the next level. By building 3D shapes from scratch, the class got a hands on to create solid objects. We explored the number of vertices, edges and faces. From sturdy cubes to challenging triangular prisms, the creativity and mathematical thinking were brilliant.
Summer Holiday Clubs - Youth Zone
SCHOOLS OUT... let the summer fun begin! ☀️ Our FREE HAF Summer Holiday Club is back with 4 weeks of exciting activities, nutritious hot meals, themed sessions and unforgettable memories for children and young people across Blackburn & Darwen! Whether they love sports, arts & crafts, games, cooking or trying something new, there’s something for everyone this summer. 🧡 📅 20th July – 13th August 🍽️ FREE hot meals 🎨 Exciting weekly themes ⚽ Fun activities every day 📍 Sessions across Blackburn & Darwen Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out! 👉 Book your place today: https://app.holidayactivities.com/parent/providers/blackburn-youth-zone
Year 3 - Geography - Using Ordnance Survey Maps
Our Year 3 explorers swapped their textbooks for OS maps and compasses this afternoon, turning the classroom into a hub of navigation and discovery! As part of their geography learning, the children have been mastering the four cardinal points—North, South, East, and West—and putting their new skills to the test. Here is what our mini-explorers got up to: Finding North: Learning how to hold a compass steady and watching the needle magically align. Cracking the Code: Deciphering Ordnance Survey map symbols to locate everything from churches and campsites to forests and rivers.
Year 3 - Science - Investigating Grip Strength
Our Year 3 scientists have been putting their strength and measurement skills to the test in a hands-on investigation all about grip strength. To figure out how the size of an object affects how tightly we can hold it, the children worked in teams to investigate a range of PE equipment. Here is how they cracked the science behind the squeeze: Measuring Circumference: First, they carefully used tape measures to find the distance around different PE balls—from tiny tennis balls to chunky basketballs. The Grip Test: Next, they tested how easy or difficult it was to securely grip each ball with one hand. Analysing Data: They compared their measurements to see if a larger circumference made it harder to maintain a strong grip. There was brilliant mathematical thinking, fantastic teamwork, and plenty of determined faces as they tested their theories.
Year 3 - Maths - Finding Right Angles
Year 3 have been turning into maths detectives this week! The children have been exploring geometry by searching high and low for right angles right here in our classroom. Equipped with their trusty right-angle testers, they have been checking everything from the corners of their books to the edges of the whiteboard. It has been a fantastic way to bring our shape and space topic to life and see how maths connects to the world around us.
Year 3 - Science - Planning An Investigation
Year 3 have been busy working like real scientists this week! The children are currently planning an exciting investigation to find out if there is a link between our hand span and our grip strength. They have been discussing how to make it a fair test, predicting what might happen, and deciding how to measure their results accurately. We cannot wait to get hands-on with the testing phase next week and see if our predictions match the data. Stay tuned for the results!
Year 3 - PSHE - Thinking About Our Relationships
Year 3 have been growing their understanding of healthy connections in PSHE by creating Relationship Trees. The children used roots to represent the people in their lives, branches for how we maintain connections, and green leaves for positive qualities. They also considered brown leaves to identify behaviours that can spoil a relationship. Some fantastic, mature discussions from our young learners today.
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Year 3 - R.E - What Does Prayer Look Like To You?
Our Year 3 class had an incredibly moving RE session this week using LEGO Serious Play kits. We asked the children a big question: "What does prayer look like to you?" The creativity in the room was absolutely inspiring. From quiet spaces of reflection to bridges connecting people together, the children built some truly wonderful pieces. What blew us away even more were the deep, thoughtful conversations that happened around the tables as they explained their models. It is amazing what children can express when they have the right tools to build their ideas.
New Active Uniform!
We are thrilled to announce a fresh, modern update to our school uniform policy starting this coming September. After careful consideration and from feedback from the parental questionnaire, we are transitioning to a full active uniform. This change is designed to simplify your mornings, reduce overall costs, and—most importantly—ensure our pupils are ready for movement, play, and learning every single day. The active uniform replaces the traditional split between formal wear and PE kits. By moving to a single, versatile wardrobe, we aim to provide: ● Increased Physical Activity: pupils can jump straight into sports or active play without the need for changing breaks. ● Cost-Effectiveness: One set of clothes for the whole week means fewer items to purchase. ● Comfort and Focus: High-quality, flexible clothing helps students stay comfortable and focused on their studies. A Special Note for Year 6: To celebrate their final year, Year 6 pupils will not require the half-zip red top. Instead, they will be provided with their Leavers Hoodies to wear as their outer layer throughout the entire academic year! We also have some exciting news regarding our school identity! We are hoping to update the school badge this year, which means the branding on the new uniform items may change as we roll out the fresh design. Because of this—and to support our families—we are treating the 2026-2027 academic year as a transition year. If you have old uniform items that you still need to use, it is perfectly fine for your child to wear them during this first year. There is no pressure to buy the new badged items immediately if your current ones still fit. We want to ensure that no clothing goes to waste and that the move to the Active Uniform is as stress-free as possible for your budget. Our badged items (the half-zip sports tops and badged T-shirts, along with black track pants and shorts) are available on our official uniform website as usual. All other items, such as plain black bottoms and trainers, can be sourced from any retailer of your choice, provided they meet the no branding requirement. We truly believe this shift will foster a more energetic and inclusive environment for our children.
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