Key Stage 2 Christmas Carol Concert
Key Stage 2 were fantastic this morning in church for our annual Christmas Carol Concert. Everyone remembered their lines and said them so clearly, and the carols were sung beautifully by all. Well done KS2! Happy Christmas!
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Year 4 English - Designing Villains
As part of our English unit, we have been designing our own villains to go into our innovated stories based on The Little Shoemaker. We used noun phrases to describe the villains and has great fun being creative!
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Year 4 History - Roman Artifacts
This week in year 4, we became historians as we examined artefact found at Vindolanda, a historical Roman fort along Hadrian's Wall. We found similarities with the items between our life and theirs, and made predictions about what each object was!
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Year 4 Design Technology
In year 4 this week, we have started to practice our sewing in preparation for making our Roman sandals. We worked hard to thread our needles, tie a knot in the end, and form the running stitch. Some of us even managed to create our initial!
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Year 4 History - Roman Army Foundations
This week in History, we looked at Roman army formations and why this meant The Romans were so successful. We took our learning outside and pretended to be the Roman army, using our whiteboards as shields!
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Year 4 English - Character Thoughts and Dialogue
This week in English, we have been continuing our learning about The Little Shoemaker. We have been working hard on using adverbs to start sentences, and we also thought about the difference between thoughts and speech. The children did a fantastic job or inferring the character's speech and thoughts in different ways!
Should I Keep My Child Off School?
Lots of bugs and germs are spreading, and we know you want to do what is best for your child. Please see the NHS guidance below on keeping your child off school. If you are keeping your child at home, please contact the school office as soon as you can.
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Lunch time
At Lunchtime today, the children didn't let the cold bother them! We all had lots of fun, there were snowmen of all different shapes and sizes! Children made snow angels and had a really enjoyable time running around in the snow. Then we all had to get a snowball and try and hit Mrs Meagher with it.
Year 4 Christmas Card Competition
We had great fun completing our cards for the Christmas Card competition this week! We showed some real creativity and there were some fabulous outcomes!
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Year 4 Times Tables Rockstars
We are times tables rockstars! Year 4 have been working so hard to learn their times tables and to understand their corresponding division facts. Check out these rockstars who have made great progress in just 2 days this week!
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Year 4 Design Technology - Roman Sandals
We further developed our Roman sandal designs this week, and tried to really understand the purpose of shoe laces and how we can incorporate them into our designs. We managed to make paper sandals which actually fit on our own feet! Next week, we will be designing our final outcomes, using evaluations from our mock ups.
Year 4 - Smoothie Bike
Year 4 took part in a smoothie making workshop. They had to choose different fruits which they thought would taste nice together before adding yoghurt and honey and pedaling the bike to mix it all together.
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Year 4 DT - Making Roman Sandals
This week in year 4, as part of our History topic and DT topic, we have made some 'mock-up' Roman sandals. We had to be very innovative in our thinking and some of us had to start over when we realised we could not get our feet inside! It was great fun, and we now have a good idea of what our real ones will look like.
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Year 4 English - Writing and Presenting Stories
We have finally finished our unit on the Loch Ness! We have thoroughly enjoyed this unit, and wow, have the children produced some fantastic story outcomes from it! We were so proud of our stories, that we decided to type them up to put on display in school, and we worked hard on improving our typic skills in the process. We can't wait to find out what unit is coming next!
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Year 4 Maths - Understanding Area
This week, year 4 have started to look at area. We discussed what area meant, and were impressed with Dylilah's answer of, "It's the whole inside of that board, I would cover the whole board to show the area." We used post it notes as squares to physically construct rectilinear shapes with different areas, before learning how to draw them in our books. Well done year 4!
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Year 4 PE - Gymnastics
This week we started our new PE unit - gymnastics! We had a great lesson learning all about partner balances and how to travel and change between different types of balance. We had to trust our partner to hold our weight, and worked well in pairs to make great progress in our balancing!
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Year 4 Holy Communion
On Tuesday this week, Year 4 joined Rev Kev and some of the local community in church for a communion service. We enjoyed singing the beautiful hymn chosen, and listened and thought reflectively about the words spoken in the service. We had written our own hymns and some of us read them out, while others read part of a Bible reading.
Fire Safety
A Home Office study has found that approximately 350 children are injured in accidental fires every year
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Year 4 Maths - Calculator Work
This week, we learned how to use calculators to mark our own maths work. We really enjoyed doing this! Then, we used dice to generate our own questions, and used the calculator to mark those too!
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Year 4 English - Role on the Wall
We have now moved on to our fiction section of The Loch Ness unit, and we have been looking at The Treasure of the Loch Ness Monster story. We thought about the characters of Ishbel and Kenneth, and used words to describe their characters, justifying with evidence.
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Year 4 Music - Using Rhythm Grids
Year 4 have been working hard this half term on their ability to respond to rhythm. We have been experiments with different tempo, and this week we created our own rhythm grids using symbols as a code for which actions we wanted to do.
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Year 4 Science
In science, we have been classifying animals based on their characteristics. We did this practically, using groups and keys, asking lots of useful questions to help us identify them.
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Year 4 Art
This week, we finished our second novel of the year - The Danger Gang! As our art unit is about drawing stories, we decided to illustrate out favourite moments from the book, and add a catchy caption. There were some excellent captions and sketches by all of the children.
Breakfast Club
In the Breakfast club we made brick towers bigger than a year 5 child and played Guess Who Games . We had lots of fun.
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Year 4 Music
We have been working hard on our response to rhythm and beat. We practiced using call and response to tap and move our cups to the beat. It was very challenging - but we worked hard to get it right!
Year 4 Art
This week we looked at 2 different artists - Laura Carlin and Shaun Tan. We created visual notes in our sketchbooks, trying to use their sketching style. We even used biro pens to sketch like Shaun!
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Year 4 Fundamentals
This week in our Fundamentals lesson, we worked on our skills of dodging and playing as a team. We had a lot of fun trying to collect each other's bands!
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Year 4 English
As part of our English unit, 'The Loch Ness', year 4 have been looking at infographics, which are a type of fact-based text using images to help the reader understand. We have explored infographics and conducted our own Nessie research, ready to write our own.
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Year 4 Geography
As part of our Amazon Rainforest studies, we used our knowledge of infographics to create one based on the Amazon! We learned a lot about how we might improve the quality of our information and how it is presented, and we can't wait to use these skills in our Nessie infographics in English!
Year 4 PE - Fundamentals
In our PE lesson this week, year 4 worked hard on their running skills. We practiced sprinting to various distances, and worked on our technique.
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Year 4 Question Matrix
As part of our Loch Ness unit, we have been using dice and the question matrix to generate questions linked to our research! We are looking forward to writing our articles on Nessie!
Year 4 Drawing and Sketching
This week, year 4 have used sketching pencils in different grades to sketch everyday objects around the classroom. We looked at six different shading skills and then used these on our own sketches. We particularly liked the ink shading with a 6B pencil.
Year 4 Fundamentals
This week, Year 4 worked hard on their balancing skills in PE. We learned how to pull in the core to balance, and completed a range of activities which required balancing in different ways. We worked so well in teams!
Year 4 Geography
Our Geography unit for this half term is The Amazon Rainforest. We used an atlas to locate the Amazon Rainforest and its key features, also looking at the countries surrounding it. We revised our knowledge of the 7 continents of the world, and identified them on a non-labelled map. We had great fun searching the atlases for rivers, mountains and cities!
Year 4 Handwriting
This week, year 4 have been practicing their 'curly caterpillar' letters. We worked hard to form the letters correctly, making sure they were nice and round, and a great shape. We went around the classroom and looked at the amazing progress our friends had made - before nominating some super star writers! We then wrote up our Class Charter, working hard on our formation.
What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Worry and Anxiety
At times, growing up can be a stressful experience. It’s not unheard of for young people to fret about things that could potentially go wrong in their lives – and what implications this would have for their life. In some situations, this can go beyond feeling uneasy about the future and become full-blown anxiety, which affects their mental, emotional and even physical wellbeing. While worry and anxiety can originate from many different places, it's immensely important for parents and educators to understand the effect this can have on youngsters – and how best to support them if they’re going through a difficult time. This guide provides insight into the ramifications of worry and anxiety, and how you can help children manage – and hopefully overcome – these challenges.
Year 4 Skills Builder Lesson
Year 4, during their Skills builder lesson, considered the legal system and how people deserve to be given a fair trial. After considering a case, the children debated if a person was innocent or guilty based on some initial facts given about a crime. The class was divided regarding what they thought and one person was brave enough to say they did not know either way. The class then had a debate on what should be the youngest age someone could be sent to court for a crime. The ages ranged from 13 to 20 and the children were excellent at giving the reasons for their arguments.
Year 4 PE Dodge Ball
In our PE lesson we played dodgeball. For the main activity we focused on team work ready for our exciting orienteering lessons.
Year 4 PSHE - Puberty Talk
In our PSHE lesson this week Karen from SCARF came and explained all about our bodies and how they grow and change.
Year 4 French Expressing Opinions About Clothes.
In our French lesson we have been learning the names of clothes and today we used our great French speaking skills to express our opinions about different outfits. Their French accents are really sounding good.
Witton Park Athletics
Tonight our children in Years 3,4,5 and 6 took part in Witton Park Athletics. The children participated in relay races, throwing, jumping and sprinting. They all did a wonderful job, behaved impeccably and showed great sportsmanship, a huge well done to them all! They did Darwen St James proud!
Year 4 to Year 5 Transition
Year 4... Sorry Year 5 have been doing lots of activities with their new teacher this week... Where has the Year gone... Lots of happy memories... They have come so far this year!
Year 4 RE - Why Do We Pray?
We have been looking this week in to 'Why' people PRAY... We came up with: To Praise, To Repent, To Ask and to Yield... we then made this into a colourful acrostic art.
Year 4 DT
In DT this week we have been preparing, peeling, testing and eating seasonal vegetables in preparation to make our own soup to our own recipe. We have been researching which fruit and vegetables are in season and which are imported.
Year 4 Maths Completing a Symmetric Figure
This week in Maths we have been looking in more depth in to shape and specifically how to complete a symmetric figure. Using a mirror we have been able to check our answers and make symmetric patterns of our own.
Year 4 Computing - Effective Searching Online
In year 4 this week we have been continuing our topic of using Google (search engine) effectively. We have been finding out if it is true or false that a goldfish has a 3 second memory or that a camel can walk 100 miles without water... Also the truth whether the Great Wall of China is visible from Space!
Year 4 Assessments
Year 4 have worked hard all week on their assessments and we couldn't be more proud of each and every one of them.
Year 4 Computing - Effective Searching
This week we have continued our work on effective searches within our computing topic and how we can effectively search the internet using key words and phrases to find the information that we need and also how to effectively filter out the information that we don't. It has been an exciting, creative lesson.
Year 4 Sports Coach
We have been blessed this week by a visit from Rebekah Green... A Sports for Champions ambassador and a member of Team GB for the freestyle kayaker who has represented our country on several occasions. We heard of how she made her dreams a reality and her successes along the way. A truly inspiring story and we wish her all the success in the world in her upcoming world championship event in a few weeks time. Thank you Miss Green.
Year 4 Holy Communion
This week Year 4 have been to church to celebrate Holy Communion. The class were an asset to the school showing respect and prayer. We had some great readers and prayer intentions.
Year 4 Multiplication Check
The day had finally arrived. After weeks of practice... Year 4 completed their government individual multiplications check. I'm super proud of each and every one of them. Well done!
Year 4 Computing - Search Engines
This week we have been looking at Internet Search Engines and how to best find the information, check its accuracy and how to interpret and sort results.
Year 4 Re-Writing Their Own River Poem
Over the past Five days Year 4 have been writing their own river poems and today they put all of the verses together.
Year 4 Maths - Hours, Minutes and Seconds
Today in year 4 Maths lesson we looked at analogue and digital clock, and when morning and afternoon starts. We also looked at what 'AM' and 'PM' stand for, AM stands for Ante Meridiem meaning before midday and PM stands for Post Meridiem meaning after midday.
St James Rainbows and Brownies
St James Rainbows and Brownies have spaces available. They meet each week at St James Over Darwen Church. Rainbows is for girls aged 4 - 7 and Brownies is for girls aged 7 - 9. The children earn different badges, they bake, craft, raise money and have lots of fun! Please contact Lisa on 07895023147 for more information.
Year 4 Art - Victor Vasarely
We have been looking at the work of Victor Vasarely. We have been comparing and contrasting and recreating some art in his style of work.
Year 4 Science - Observations Over Time
Year 4 have been observing changes of states over time this week and making predictions which materials have a reversible change and which are irreversible. We also discussed which liquids you can freeze and which liquids have a freezing temperature above or below that of water when they change state into a solid.
Year 4 Computing - Persuasive Letters and Posters
Year 4 have been building upon their flow charts last week and writing persuasive letters and posters campaigning for a new playground in computing.
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Micro:bit Club - Creating a Digital Pet
Today the children have been programming their Micro:bit to create a digitial pet. There were lots of variables needed and lots of code to debug! The children showed gret perseverence and were proud of their finished program.
Ordering School Meals Via ParentPay
We have listened to your feedback regarding wanting to know what your child eats in school and we have now activated ParentPay meal ordering so that you can order what your child will eat in school (please note thaat this will be compulsory form September). Please familiarise yourself with this by logging on to your ParentPay account and selecting your child's meals with them at home. Dinners need to be ordered before 9am. Please message Miss Greenwood if you have any problems logging on, thank you.
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A Huge Thank You to Woods Fruit and Veg!
We would like to say a HUGE thank you to Woods Fruit & VEG for supplying our fruit over the past few months, whilst we were in receipt of a food grant for our Key Stage 2 pupils. The fruit was lovely and fresh and the children really enjoyed it. We are missing your tangerines already!
Year 4 English - Poetry
We have started a new English Unit this week - based on the poem 'The River' by Valerie Bloom. We have spent the week exploring some of the writing styles, images and also exploring some physical features of rivers.
Year 4 Maths - Money
This week we have started our new topic of money... whilst discreetly continuing our previous topic of decimals. A important topic in this day of age, especially in a new generation of contactless payments, Apple and Google Pay etc. Had some good fun.
Year 4 Science - Reversible Changes; States of Matter
This week we have been continuing our science topic in states of matter and looking at changing materials from a solid to a liquid and then changing them back again. We have also been exploring when it may be useful to change the state of matter and briefly explored materials that have irreversible changes when they are changed from one type of material to another. (like an egg!)
Year 4 Art - Complimentary Colours - Paul Klee
Year 4 have been continuing their work on referencing the art of Paul Klee using complementary colours.
Year 4 Maths - Finding Fractions as Decimals
Year 4 have been working on decimals this week and finding their fraction equivalent. We have been using place value holders to find tenths and hundredths of an amount.
Friends of DSJ
We are looking for new members of our Friends at Darwen St James group. The group was created to help raise funds for school by thinking of ideas and planning fundraisers throughout the year. Past events include; *Film night *Bingo night *Family evening *Summer Fair *Christmas Fair All the money we raise is used in school - we have developed the nurture room and we are currently renovating the library areas around school. If you would like to find our more or if you would like to volunteer, please speak to Miss Sears.
Y4 Science
In Science we have started to look at our new topic 'States of Matter' looking in more detail into Solids, Liquids and Gasses
Y4 PE -- Athletics
We have been using short bursts of energy in PE to run over small and larger distances as part of our athletics topic.
Year 4 - Art - Paul Klee
Today in Art we have been looking at the work of Paul Klee and his use of complementary colours.
Free School Meals - Extended!
As you all are aware, we received funding last year and we were fortunate to be able to offer free school meals to all of our children. We thought that this would be run until the end of March, however we are thrilled to announce we are able to extend this to the 26th April. From 29th April children who are not on free school meals will have to pay for their lunch and there will be a slight increase in cost and the new charge will be £2.50 per day. Now is a good opportunity to look into seeing if your child will be eligible for free school meals if you haven't yet applied by visiting Blackburn with Darwen Borough Councils website here https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-meals
Online Safety - What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Township
Potentially addictive online games are nothing new, but the specifics of this kind of media can vary enormously – and, as a consequence, the risks in each individual game are just as diverse. The city-builder Township is no exception: providing its legions of devotees with accessible, satisfying fun … but exposing them to potential hazards at the same time. However, any safeguarding issues that the game might have can (with a little knowhow) be neutralised – allowing young players to have some engrossing fun without adults needing to worry about children’s data, their money or their mental wellbeing. Our guide outlines how to help young gamers enjoy Township safely and responsibly.
Easter closure information
Easter closure information
Easter Competition Winners
A huge well done to the winners of this years Easter competition! Rev Kev and Miss Greenwood had the difficult decision of selecting 3 winners form each class. We had over 20 family entries too, which was great! Congratulations to those winners.
Online Safety - Wake up Wednesday - Clickbait
While scrolling online, you’ll almost inevitably have come across posts or links with headlines like “You Won’t Believe These 10 Crazy Facts about …”. Such lurid language – and the often-dubious nature of the content it promotes – has become something of a running joke on the internet. Yet while these articles are often laughed at by communities online, they can have an insidious side. Clickbait, as it’s known, can frequently function as part of a trap: intended to draw users in for the sake of advertising revenue or, in worse cases, masking an attempting to collect their personal information. This #WakeUpWednesday guide explores the various risks of clickbait and offers some top tips for evading the pitfalls of this controversial marketing technique.
Year 3 and 4 Easter Performance - Roll Back the Stone
Today in Church Year 3 and 4 performed our annual Easter performance in Church today, Roll Back the Stone.The children told the story of Easter through acting and song, and they did a marvellous job.Thank you to everyone who came along and supported them this morning.
Easter Egg Competition
This year our competition theme was the Paris Olympics and we have had some eggstrodinary entries! Well done ot every family that entered this years competiton, the judges have had an eggstremely dificult decision this year! The winners will be announced in our special Easter Worship tomorrow, you are all welcome to join us.
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Measles Guidance
Please see the latest guidance for measles.
BwD Family Hub Website
Fantastic news! Our website is live! The Start for Life Family Hub Website is the gateway to information of where services are, it details everything a family will need in those 1001 critical days and beyond. Our Family Hubs and Children Centres are our Single point of access to those start for life, wider services and family help. The Hubs and Children Centres are the physical places where a family can visit and speak to a trained staff member, face to face, who will provide them with straightforward information or advice on a wide range of family issues spanning the 0-19 (25 with SEND) age range and connect them appropriately to further services across that age range if they need more targeted or specialist support.
Year 3 and Year 4 Guided Reading Group
This week the year 3 reading group has been reading The Queen's Plan. They have enjoyed reading and talking about the characters and story as well as adding expression. They have been breaking down new words and identifying the sounds ai, ee, igh, oa.
10 Top Tips for Parents and Educators: Encouraging Open Conversations at Home
Cultural and technological changes have made the experiences of today’s children vastly different to our own childhoods; it can be challenging to engage youngsters in open, honest conversation – especially about more sensitive topics. This, combined with many children’s instinct to avoid “rocking the boat”, can make it difficult to stay up to date with the goings on in their lives. However, it’s hugely important that trusted adults still offer an empathetic ear and feel able to encourage young people to open up about their day-to-day activities. This #WakeUpWednesday guide provides ten top tips for promoting open conversations with children – helping to make sure there’s someone they know they can turn to in times of need.
Year 4 - DT - Light Up Box Construction
We have started to construct our light up design boxes in DT this afternoon... some good designs coming :-) stay tuned!
Year 4 - DT - LED Lights
As part of our DT topic we have been investigating 'Light Up' signs and created series circuits with switches and resistors with the aim of lighting different LED lights
Year 4 - Computing - Creating Programs
Year 4 have been using the 'IF' function in their computing to create their own programmes that only run on a specific set of commands.
Year 4 - Holy Communion
Year 4 enjoyed Holy Communion on Thursday. Behavior and respect was impeccable with excellent feedback from Rev Kevin and the congregation at St James' parish.
Online Safety - Self Regulation
As infants, we all rely completely on adults to help us resolve situations that are causing us to become upset or stressed. This is known as co-regulation. The next phase, once autonomy has begun to develop, is called self-regulation: this is when children start to become capable of exercising more control over their impulses and behaviour, and managing their own emotions. This vital developmental milestone, however, isn’t reached spontaneously. Learning to self-regulate requires sensitive guidance from trusted adults – simply talking with children about their thoughts and feelings, for instance, can ease the route to self-regulation. This #WakeUpWednesday guide has some expert tips for supporting children to reach this goal.
Year 4 DT - Light Boxes
Year 4 have been exploring light up boxes in DT this week and have also been looking into 'light up signs' and their uses.
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