Year 5 visited The Word last week for our termly library visit. Pupils took part in a scavenger hunt and then spent time choosing new books to loan. It was lovely to hear them chatting to their friends about their favourite series of books and authors.
St Bede’s Art Gallery
🎨 Our First St Bede’s Art Gallery!
We’re delighted to invite you to explore our very first St Bede’s Art Gallery, a celebration of creativity, reflection, and faith. Over the past academic year, children from Nursery to Year 5 have taken part in the Spirited Arts competition, exploring the theme “All God’s Creatures.”
Each piece of artwork has been thoughtfully linked to words from Scripture, helping our pupils reflect on the beauty and meaning of God’s creation. From colourful collages to intricate sculptures, the children have poured their hearts into expressing how animals and nature connect to faith, care, and wonder.
🖼️ The gallery is on display for you to enjoy from Monday to Wednesday this week on your way to and from the curriculum meetings. We hope it brings you joy, inspiration, and pride in the incredible work your children have created.
This is our first time hosting an art gallery, and we hope to make it a yearly tradition—not only to showcase our children’s talents, but also to help raise funds for the school.
📖 Before you leave, please take a moment to share your feedback or ideas in the book provided at the door. Your thoughts will help us grow and make future exhibitions even more special.
Thank you for your continued support.
When Tom Palmer came to St Bede’s!
We were thrilled to welcome award-winning author Tom Palmer to our school this week for an exciting and inspiring visit with our KS2 children.
Tom spoke passionately about his journey as a writer and the importance of reading, captivating pupils with stories from his books and real-life experiences.
The children had the opportunity to ask thoughtful questions about writing, books, and what it’s like to be an author. Tom’s answers were both insightful and encouraging, sparking curiosity and creativity across the room.
One of the highlights of the visit was a lively penalty shootout quiz, where pupils tested their knowledge in a fun and interactive way, combining sport and storytelling in true Tom Palmer style!
It was a fantastic morning that left our young readers and writers feeling motivated and full of ideas. A huge thank you to Tom for visiting and sharing his love of books with us!
Incredible Illustrations with Liz Million
We were thrilled to welcome Liz Million to our school this week for a fun and inspiring visit. The day began with a whole-school assembly where Liz introduced herself and shared the story of how she became a professional illustrator. Liz’s energy and enthusiasm were infectious, and the children were fascinated to hear about the books she’s worked on and the creative process behind her illustrations.
Throughout the day, each class took part in hands-on workshops led by Liz, where they learned some of her top tips for drawing. With a theme of ‘All God’s Creatures,’ the children explored how to bring animals to life on the page using simple shapes (like tacos, potatoes, and door arches) as the building blocks for their drawings. It was incredible to see how quickly Liz could create a character and even more exciting to see the amazing artwork the children produced using her techniques.
The day was a wonderful celebration of creativity, and it was clear from the smiles and laughter that Liz inspired a lot of budding young artists!
Easter Mystery
On the last day of term, children in EYFS and KS1 will be given a copy of The Easter Story to share with their families at home. KS2 children will be given a copy of the Stations of the Cross, with images drawn by the Mini Vinnies, to take home to share with their families also.
By sharing the Easter story and the Passion of Christ, we remember the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. As a family, please take time to stop and think about the true meaning of Easter.
We wish you all a happy, healthy and holy Easter!
Year 5’s Shakespearean Library Visit
Did you know?
Shakespeare Week is celebrated during the spring term, 24-30th March, while Shakespeare Day takes place on 23th April each year, considered by many to be the anniversary of both Shakespeare’s birth and death.
Year 5 took part in a Shakespeare scavenger hunt at their recent visit to The Word, where they explored the library to find clues and answers to quiz questions about the famous playwright. The helpful staff also told us some fascinating facts about Shakespeare’s life and works, including some of the many phrases he introduced to the English language that we still use today. The visit sparked a real interest in his stories and some children even chose to borrow Shakespeare-themed books to enjoy back at school!
Year 5 Star Bakers!
Year 5 made some delicious bread rolls as part of their DT unit recently. They carefully considered which additional ingredients they wanted to add to a basic bread recipe to give their design a flavoursome, well-balanced taste. Year 5 worked very well with our wonderful kitchen team, leading to fantastic results. Many pupils rated their design 10 out of 10!
Good work, Year 5!
Year 5 Raingarden Sessions with Durham Wildlife Trust
Climate Change & Raingardens @ Durham Wildlife Trust
John from Durham Wildlife Trust recently visited us for two days to work with Year 5 on a practical solution to surface flooding from heavy rainfall. The project led to the building of a raingarden on our school site. You can spot it near the main entrance of our school. Year 5 pupils worked well to learn the instructions and follow them successfully.
What is a Raingarden?
A raingarden is a simple and effective way to help avoid surface flooding due to heavy rain. It also provides a micro wetland habitat for wildlife.
How does it work?
Rain water run-off from the down pipe of a gutter is diverted to a container which houses layers of filtration materials. The rain water works its way through the layers and then returns to the drainage system via an exit pipe.
Why do we need one?
This process slows down the rate of water flow into the drain system, thereby reducing the risk of sewers becoming overwhelmed and flooding the surface during times of very heavy rain.
Take a look at Year 5 in action:
Year 5’s World Book Day photos
Sharing stories for Storytelling Week
Storytelling Week
During Storytelling Week, our pupils teamed up across different classes for some shared reading. Children of different ages took turns exploring exciting tales together. It was a wonderful way to spend time together and celebrate the joy of books. What lovely reading we heard, too! 📚✨
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