Year 5 Number Day - Exploring Islamic Geometric Designs
Last Friday, Year 5 celebrated NSPCC Number Day by exploring the stunning intersection of mathematics and art. The children discovered that maths can be incredibly beautiful as they studied the intricate geometric designs found in Islamic architecture. Using their precision and plotting skills, the pupils worked with great care and perseverance to recreate these complex, symmetrical patterns. It was wonderful to see such focus in the classroom, resulting in some truly striking pieces of work that prove maths is so much more than just calculations on a page! Can you spot any geometric shapes or repeating patterns in the architecture around our local town?
NSPCC Number Day - Our Nifty Number Outfits!
Count Us In for NSPCC Number Day! Our school was looking a little different today as we swapped our usual uniforms for a sea of digits and mathematical patterns! From our youngest learners in Preschool to our eldest in Year 6, everyone joined in the fun to celebrate the NSPCC’s Number Day. It was wonderful to see the creativity on display, with both children and staff wearing their favourite numbers to help raise vital funds for the NSPCC’s "Speak Out, Stay Safe" programme. Whether it was a football jersey, a hand-decorated t-shirt, or even a giant birthday number 7, the whole school community came together to prove that there really is safety in numbers. A huge thank you to all our families for your brilliant efforts with the outfits and for your kind donations. It’s a fantastic day of problem-solving and numbers, all for a very important cause.
Year 5 Maths - Using Place Value Counters to understand Decimal Numbers
Exploring the Power of the Decimal Point This week, Year 5 have ventured into the fascinating world of decimals, marking the start of an important new unit where we will discover the intricate links between decimals, fractions, and percentages. To ensure the children have a deep understanding of these concepts rather than just learning a method, we began by using concrete manipulatives. Using decimal place value counters and formal place value grids, the pupils worked to represent numbers with up to two decimal places. By physically placing counters into the 'ones', 'tenths', and 'hundredths' columns, the children were able to clearly see the value of each digit. This hands-on approach is vital for helping pupils understand that while a digit may look the same, its position relative to the decimal point completely changes its worth. Once the children were confident in representing these values, they moved on to partitioning. They manipulated the counters to show that a number like 0.45 is not just a single value, but is composed of four tenths and five hundredths. This ability to break down and rebuild numbers provides a solid foundation for more complex calculations. The engagement in the classroom was excellent, and it was wonderful to hear the children using precise mathematical vocabulary to explain their thinking. We look forward to seeing them apply this newfound confidence as we begin to link these decimals to their fractional equivalents!
Year 5&6 Athletics
Who knew so much energy could fit into one sports hall? On Tuesday 27th January, our Year 5 and 6 athletes headed to Darwen Vale High School for a thrilling indoor athletics competition that tested their speed, strength, and stamina. From the explosive power of the triple jump and javelin throw to the frantic pace of the relays, obstacle courses, and speed bounce, our pupils threw themselves into every event with incredible determination. While the physical performances were impressive, we are most proud of the way they represented our school; their sportsmanship and "give-it-your-all" attitude were truly inspiring. Well done to all our competitors for showing such fantastic grit and teamwork! ????✨ #SchoolSports #IndoorAthletics #PrimaryPE #DarwenStJames #TeamWork #ProudSchool #YoungAthletes #SchoolGames #ActiveKids #GivingOurAll #DarwenVale #LancashireSport #Year5and6
Year 5 and 6 PCSO Visit
Building a Brighter Community: A Visit from our Local PCSO. Last Friday afternoon, Year 5 and 6 had the privilege of welcoming our local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) to the classroom for an important and thought-provoking session. Understanding Choices and Consequences The workshop focused on the concept of honesty and the impact of stealing. We explored different scenarios, including: The hurt caused by taking something from a friend at school. The serious legal and community consequences of shoplifting. The children truly shone during the session! They engaged deeply with the topic, asking insightful questions and demonstrating a mature understanding of how our individual choices ripple out to affect our friends, families, and the wider community in Darwen. Our visitor was particularly impressed by how clearly the pupils could explain the importance of integrity and respect. Reflection at Home It was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to build a positive relationship with our local police force and to reflect on their own values. A question for reflection tonight: "Why do you think being honest is the most important foundation for a strong friendship?"
Year 5 Art - Learning to Use Acrylic Paints
Fast-Paced Fine Art: Year 5 Master Acrylics! There was a real "brush" of excitement in the Year 5 classroom this week as we swapped our usual paints for acrylics! For many of our young artists, this was their first time working with this professional medium, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. A Race Against the Clock! The children spent the lesson experimenting with blending and layering to create atmospheric backgrounds for our upcoming art project. However, they quickly discovered the most important rule of acrylic painting: work fast! Unlike watercolors, acrylic paint dries incredibly quickly. Our pupils had to be decisive with their strokes and expert with their mixing to get their colors just right before the paint set. They showed fantastic resilience and "quick-thinking" creativity! The Science of Color We focused on: Color Mixing: Creating unique tints and shades. Texture: Learning how the thick, plastic-like nature of acrylics can be layered for effect. Medium Control: Managing how much water to add (or not add!) to change the opacity. These stunning, textured backgrounds are now drying and ready to become the foundation for our final masterpieces. Watch this space to see how they evolve! Join the Conversation! If you were creating a masterpiece today, which two colours would you mix together to describe your mood? Let us know in the comments below!
Year 5 English - Identifying Non Fiction Text Types
Magazine Marvels: Year 5 Uncover the Secrets of Non-Fiction! This week, Year 5 kicked off an exciting new English unit: Writing for a Magazine. Before we can become world-class journalists and editors, we had to learn how to "decode" the different types of writing found on the page. The Great Text Sort The classroom was a hive of activity as we worked in teams to sort a mountain of cards. We had to match Text Types with their specific Examples, Features, and Purposes. It was a brilliant way to see the difference between: Instructions (How to do something) Explanations (How something works) Recounts (Retelling an event) Information Texts (Sharing facts) Persuasive Texts (Convincing the reader) Discussion Texts (Looking at two sides of an argument) Real-World Research with Aquila To put our new skills to the test, we delved into copies of the wonderful Aquila Magazine. We became "Text Detectives," hunting through the pages to see which types of writing the editors used most. Our big discovery? While there was a sprinkle of everything, Information Texts are the true kings of the magazine world! We are now feeling inspired and ready to start planning our own professional magazine spreads. Watch this space! Join the Investigation! When you're reading a newspaper or magazine at home this week, see if you can spot a 'persuasive' advert or an 'explanation' article—can you tell your child what gave it away?
KS2 TTRS Battle of the Bands!
Here we go ???? We’ve kicked off a KS2 Times Tables Rock Stars Battle of the Bands today, with classes going head to head to see who can rack up the most points. The battle runs from today until 13th February. During that time, children can contribute to their class score for up to one hour a day on Times Tables Rock Stars. Every correct answer counts, so regular practice really will make a difference. This is all about building confidence, speed and accuracy with times tables, while having a bit of fun and healthy competition along the way. We’ll be cheering on effort as much as scores. Let the battle begin ????
Year 5 Maths - Dividing with Remainders
Maths is "Straw-some" in Year 5! This week, Year 5 have been getting hands-on to master the art of division with remainders! Using bundles of straws as manipulatives, the children explored how to share and group numbers equally. The big "Aha!" moment came when we discovered a golden rule of mathematics: the remainder can never be greater than the divisor! By physically trying to make groups, the pupils realised that if they had enough straws left over to make another full set, their division wasn't finished yet. This practical approach turned a tricky abstract concept into something clear, visual, and—most importantly—fun! We are so proud of how our young mathematicians are using their problem-solving skills to "think outside the box" (or the straw bundle!). Can you think of a real-life situation at home where you might end up with a remainder—perhaps when sharing out a pack of biscuits or a bag of sweets? Let us know in the comments!
Year 5 P.E. - Dance By Chance!
Year 5 Find Their Groove with ‘Dance by Chance’! This term, Year 5 have jumped into an exciting new Dance unit, following the Get Set 4 PE curriculum. The children have been exploring the creative theme of ‘Dance by Chance’, where they use random elements—like the roll of a dice or the flip of a card—to determine their next moves. This approach has been fantastic for encouraging improvisation and teamwork. It’s been wonderful to see the children's confidence grow as they turn unexpected prompts into impressive, unique choreography!
Year 5 English - Investigating Clockwork
Year 5’s English lessons came to life this week as we explored the mechanical mysteries of our class book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. To help us describe the story's famous automaton, we held a Clockwork Investigation lesson. From examining the tiny cogs of wind-up clocks to calibrating pull-back Lego cars, the children explored exactly how stored energy and gears create movement. A huge thank you to Mrs. Thompson for bringing in her collection of mechanical treasures! This hands-on experience has been invaluable, giving the children the "technical talk" they need to make their persuasive and descriptive writing truly shine.
Year 5 Art - Making Visual Notes
Our Year 5 artists have begun a journey into the world of Monotype Printing! We’ve been drawing inspiration from the incredible Kevork Mourad, an artist famous for his unique way of "drawing" into ink to create prints. By watching videos of his process, the class created detailed visual notes to deconstruct how he builds his masterpieces. We learned that unlike other types of printing, a monotype produces a unique, one-off image. The children are now ready to take these professional techniques and apply them to their own creative work. Watch this space for our finished prints!
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