Image of Year 1 - Independent Learning
11 Sep

Year 1 - Independent Learning

We have had an amazing time doing lots of independent learning this week! Children have been using their phonetic knowledge to match words to pictures, have made letters using lego and have been working on letter formation.

Image of Year 2 - Worship - Special Buildings
11 Sep

Year 2 - Worship - Special Buildings

In our Picture News worship, Year 2 explored the idea of special buildings. This led to a wonderful discussion where the children shared a building that is special to them and explained why. One child shared that their local library is important to them because "It's a calm place where I can sit and read for hours. It reminds me that a book can take you anywhere!"

Image of Year 2 - Maths - Partitioning Numbers to 100
11 Sep

Year 2 - Maths - Partitioning Numbers to 100

In maths, Year 2 have been mastering the skill of partitioning numbers up to 100 using part-whole models. This approach helps children to see how a whole number is made up of smaller parts. For example, they can see that the number 42 is made of two parts: 40 (four tens) and 2 (two ones). This activity is building a strong understanding of place value and preparing them for more complex maths.

Image of Nursery - P.E - Exploring The Great Outdoors!
10 Sep

Nursery - P.E - Exploring The Great Outdoors!

Our Nursery class has been busy exploring the outdoor garden! The children had a fantastic time using their big muscles and developing their skills. We saw lots of energy on the climbing equipment, great aim while kicking and throwing balls, and some impressive balancing while riding bikes. The bouncy crates were a huge hit for jumping, and there was fantastic teamwork and creativity as they built tall towers with the reels. The class also used their keen observation skills to make some amazing discoveries, including a soft feather, some intricate spiderwebs, and even tiny eggs nestled on a leaf!

Image of Reception - PE - Finding a Safe Space
10 Sep

Reception - PE - Finding a Safe Space

Reception had their very first PE lesson today and absolutely loved it! They learned about the importance of keeping a safe space and how to move around the hall carefully. Hoops were used to help them picture their own space, and then they explored moving in different ways – jumping, jogging, hopping and walking – before returning to their safe spot.

Image of Year 4 Maths - Partitioning
10 Sep

Year 4 Maths - Partitioning

This week In Maths, Year 4 have been looking at partitioning or splitting up numbers up to 10,000! We have looked at all of the different place values numbers are made up of and how we can make the same number in many different ways.

Image of Year 4 Storytelling Through Art - Art
10 Sep

Year 4 Storytelling Through Art - Art

Year 4 have been introduced to telling stories through their artwork. We have looked at how texture, colour and the actual artwork itself can impact how a story is viewed or perceived. We are looking forward to creating our own stories, using this method.

Image of Year 3 - History - Learning About Skara Brae
10 Sep

Year 3 - History - Learning About Skara Brae

This term, our topic is the Stone Age, and we've been traveling back in time to one of the best-preserved Stone Age villages in Europe: Skara Brae! The children have been fascinated by this incredible settlement in Orkney, Scotland. We've been exploring how people lived over 5,000 years ago and what archaeologists have discovered there. We've looked at the different artifacts they found, from pottery and tools to mysterious carved objects. The children have been busy thinking like archaeologists themselves, imagining what these items were used for and what they tell us about the lives of the people who lived in Skara Brae.

Image of Reception -Write Dance
10 Sep

Reception -Write Dance

Our Reception children have been enjoying Write Dance this week as part of developing their pre-writing skills. We’ve been focusing on big up-and-down movements to the song “The Grand Old Duke of York”, using our whole arms to make marks together on large paper. These activities help to strengthen gross motor skills, coordination, and control, all of which lay the foundations for confident writing later on. The children loved moving, singing, and creating marks as a group – lots of energy and enthusiasm!

Image of Reception - Class Worship - Meeting Jack
10 Sep

Reception - Class Worship - Meeting Jack

This week Reception took part in their very first class worship. We were introduced to Jack through Roots and Fruits and met Hack the puppet, who will be helping us on our journey. We learned about creation and talked about the many wonderful things in our world. The children thought about how we can show thankfulness for these gifts and how we worship together in school. This was also a chance to begin exploring spirituality – noticing the beauty around us, feeling a sense of awe and wonder, and learning that worship is about more than words; it’s about how we connect with God and each other.

Image of Year 3 - English - Getting To Know Paddington Bear
10 Sep

Year 3 - English - Getting To Know Paddington Bear

This term, we've been on an exciting adventure with a very special bear from deepest, darkest Peru... Paddington! Our class has been exploring a variety of images featuring everyone's favourite marmalade-loving bear. We've been using these pictures as a springboard for our writing, jotting down everything we know about Paddington, his adventures, and his friends. From his iconic duffle coat and red hat to his love of marmalade sandwiches, the children have been busy capturing their knowledge and ideas.

Image of Pre-School-Continuous Provision-Exploring Our Environment
9 Sep

Pre-School-Continuous Provision-Exploring Our Environment

The Pre-school children have enjoyed getting to explore our environment around our nursery, exploring all areas inside and outdoors. We have also enjoyed playing and being creative with all our new friends that have joined us at Darwen st James.