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From left to right: Mr Barker, Jude, Lyla, Joseph, Anna & Lilly

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As the planet protectors, we promise to plant new plants and flowers in the garden patch and make sure there are no dead patches, try and keep the school grounds clean and litter free, and check that school is doing everything possible to make the planet a better place.

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The children have decided over the year that we will do the following to try and ensure St. James' helps to improve the climate:

1. We will make sure that all our recyclable materials go in

the recycling bins and we increase recycling in school.

2. Check the school grounds at every meeting and make sure the garden and grass areas are safe, healthy and litter free.

3. A walk/cycle/scooter to school challenge with a reward, to lower air pollution.

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Over the week the Planet Protectors met to discuss our Assembly before delivering this to the rest of school on Thursday morning.

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Assembly Thurs 25th June - Planet Protectors Eco Council Review

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24.4.26 -  Meeting - Eco Schools Green Flag

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24.4.26 -  Meeting - Eco Schools Green Flag

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Today the Planet Protectors met to discuss the Eco Schools Green Flag Application. We discussed our year so far, focusing on all our achievements and our next steps such as our order for Mrs Wilton to develop Biodiversity within our school and creating our Eco Code.

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The school celebrated the 'Big School Clean' event today with lots of support from pupils, parents and staff. We collected a lot of rubbish and recyclable materials for the council to be collected. A great achievement from everybody involved, braving the hail and snow.

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20.3.26 - Planet Protectors meeting Identifying Big Clean Areas. 

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20.3.26 - Planet Protectors meeting Identifying Big Clean Areas. 

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In preparation for the 'Big School Clean' next Wednesday, the planet protectors went to have a look outside of school to identify the areas that need the most attention.

They identified the following areas:

The verge across from the school gates

The back alley behind the school park

The path leading down to Newfield Drive.

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The planet protectors met with Mrs Wilton to discuss how we could utilise some of our Sacre funding to help improve our gardening area and greenhouse and share some of our own ideas of how to develop Biodiversity.

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During tody's meeting we conducted our environmental review. To look at areas of school we need to develop to help improve our school environment.

We identified the following strengths:

Global Citizenship

Healthy Living

Waste

We also identified some ways to improve moving forward, focusing on:

Biodiversity

Energy

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Today the Planet Protectors went posting the letters that we wrote last week to all the local garden centres in the area. We hope to receive some donations to help improved our gardening area.

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Today's meeting involved finalising our letters to go out to the garden centres next week. We spent the session writing the envelopes and discussing next half-term's plans to help develop the school grounds and gardening area.

We also discussed how the school had received some extra funding to help with this, and how we will meet with Mrs Wilton to help decide what we use the money for.

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Today, our planet protectors and our sustainability link governor, visited Eco Town alongside Mr Barker.

We saw how machines are utilised to search through our general waste for recyclable materials, that have not been recycled. They are then suctioned or handpicked out, going through a rigorous process of hand and machines and distributed into the correct areas of the factory to be cleaned.

We looked at how they are reducing landfill waste, by burning waste to make materials that are then used for building and their plans to ensure that landfill waste drops to 0% through their development around food waste. This is something we have been considering in school with the Planet protectors pushing for a food waste bin our school staff room alongside the school kitchen.

We were shocked to see the low rate of recycling in Blackburn (approximately 30%) and will be looking at ways we can help improve this in our local area in future meetings. Our planet protectors wowed our visit lead, Kerry, with their knowledge and understanding of how to protect the environment and the children enjoyed learning more about what we can do! We ended our trip writing some pledges for how we would continue to help the environment.

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This week the planet protectors constructed a letter to send to garden centres around school to try and get some new equipment and resources to support Mrs Wilton with our outdoor groups. We will meet next week for the children to write these letters out by hand to post out to garden centres after Chrismas.

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The planet protectors followed up their recycling audit to find improvements in the areas that needed support around school.

Mrs Bryan's classroom were recycling properly. In Year 4 and Miss Tindall's office there was a good level of recycling but some contamination with post its in the normal recycling bin.

We then interviewed Mrs Wilton to ask what she would like us to write to the garden centres for to help her outdoor club and made a shopping list.

In our next two meetings we will focus on writing the letters to send out after Christmas.

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The planet protectors met today to discuss our trip on the 7th January to Eco Town in Leyland to learn more about what happens to our recycling. We discussed the agenda for the day and the purpose of the trip.

We looked at parts of the climate and sustainability action plan and set out our next steps for this half-term:

Thursday - review the recycling audit outcomes to check what is now in place.

Every Friday - set out our climate adaptations plan for school.

Lyla also suggested that we could add posters around school linked to climate adaptation once we have decided what we need to do.

Speak to Mrs Wilton to discuss what she feels we need for the outdoor area and then write letters to garden centres in January for donations.

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Today we completed a recycling audit around school. We were very impressed with what we found, and had some time with Mr Hudson discussing how he ensures we recycle different materials and food waste. Following our investigation and audit, we came up with the following strengths and areas of development for our school:

Strengths:
- Most classrooms recycle paper correctly and put general waste in the correct place. (Lilly)
- We collect food waste from the dining hall in compost bags. (Lyla)
- We recycle a lot and separate into different recycling bins which may help the planet. (Anna)

Areas to develop:
- We need a paper bin and a food waste bin in the staff room. (Joseph)
- Not put paper in the general waste bin and ensure all non-contaminated paper is in the paper bin. (Anna)

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During our first meeting the Planet Protectors discussed our mission statement and we felt was important to our group. We then set our 3 main actions for this year to help improve the sustainability and climate action of our school and then discussed our upcoming recycling week assembly, workshops and uniform swap shop.

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Miss Tindall, Eska, Amelia, Felix & Tristan

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1. Introduce a Learner of the week award to be presented in Worship in Church on Mondays.

2. Improve learning by getting pupil's opinions and then creating an action plan.

3. Plan a Super Learning Day

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In our first meeting we sorted out our mission statement and produced our action plan. Eska.

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Creating Our Class Mission Statement Presentation in Light Blue and Bright Blue Hand-drawn Illustration 

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This afternoon, we met for the first time to discuss our three main aims for the year:

1. To create a newsletter to send to our community every half term.

2. To report on events happening at school.

3. To create a video to celebrate our school year to share with our school community in July 2026.

We discussed what we would like to include in our first edition to be shared in the last week before half term. We planned to write articles about recycling week, peer mentors and the new sports clubs which have started this half term. Next week, we will meet to share the information we have gathered so far and begin to write our articles.

Next meeting: 30.9.25

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The Evolution of Computer Presentation in Green Playful Style

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1. To create content promoting ways to stay safe online and share this with our school community at least once every half term.

2. To create and deliver an online safety assembly on Online Safety Day (Tuesday 10th February 2026).

3. To deliver demonstrations to younger children in school around how to use technology safely.

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We decided on our 3 main aims for the year and wrote our mission statement.

Firstly, we wanted to decide on what kind of internet safety advice we want to share for this half term. We want to create a short video about what information you should and shouldn't share online.

Next meeting: 12pm 10th October

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Miss Bryan and Mrs Malik work closely with our Talk Team to help improve and drive oracy at St James'.

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Miss Bryan and Mrs Malik work closely with our Talk Team to help improve and drive oracy at St James'.

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During our first meeting we created our mission statement and discussed our 3 main aims for the year:

1. Plan a  whole-school oracy focus event - No Pens Day.

2. Monitor Oracy throughout school - Kagan groups, talk rules, Watch your Words & oracy outcomes.

3. Lead on Dine and Dialogue to ensure everyone engages.

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Miss Bryan and Mrs Jacques work closely with our Peer Mentors to help improve the wellbeing of the children in school.

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Miss Bryan and Mrs Jacques work closely with our Peer Mentors to help improve the wellbeing of the children in school.

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💛 Spread Kindness and Positivity
We will plan activities and ideas that help everyone feel happy, safe and supported in school.

🌈 Support Friendships
We will help children build strong friendships and make sure no one feels left out.

🌼 Raise Awareness of Mental Health
We will share ways to look after our wellbeing and remind everyone that it’s good to talk about our feelings.

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We met to discuss Hello Yellow Day and our Pupil Voice Group will be spreading the message during their Worship on Thursday 9th October. They will also take posters round to classes to go in the windows.

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🌟💛 Hello Yellow Day 💛🌟 📅 Date Friday 11th October 2025 👕 Dress Code Wear something YELLOW to show support for mental health awareness. ✨ Together we can spread kindness, positivity and hope. (1)

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2025 Courageous Advocates mission statement

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During our first meeting, we created our Mission Statement and agreed our 3 main aims for this year.

1. Plan and take part in fundraising events to raise money for local charities and global causes.

2. Start the Christian Aid, Global Neighbours journey - Bronze award.

3. Raise awareness of Courageous Advocacy in school and the local community.

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Today, we met to feedback what information we'd found out so far for our first edition of the newsletter. We started to plan each of the three articles and decided on which areas needed some more detail. We assigned jobs and we will meet again next week to start writing our articles.

Next meeting: 7.10.25

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To review and improve our school mission statement so that it truly reflects who we are as a school family

To share our school vision with the community outside of school.

To improve worship by finding out what the school like and dislike about our current worship.

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We received our Worship Warrior badges which we were very excited about! We also created our mission statement and discussed our action plan.

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Meet the Equality & Inclusion Ambassadors

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Meet the Equality & Inclusion Ambassadors

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1. To promote positive friendship and community in our school and Church.

2. To ensure school is as inclusive as possible.

3. To promote equality and celebrate different cultures.

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At our first meeting, the children received their Equality and Inclusion Ambassador badges and we created our mission statement and action plan.

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Today we found and rehearsed a prayer to share in worship to thank God for the food bank volunteers.

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This lunchtime, we met to begin writing our articles for this half term's newsletter. Thomas and Esme-Rose began writing their peer mentors article and Mrs Bibby, Alaya, Hunter, Ava and Shivani wrote the article about clubs. Next week, we will meet again to finish the article about peer mentors and write the article about Recycling Week. Then we will begin to design our newsletter and add photographs.

Next meeting: 14.10.25

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6.10.25

We had a meeting to discuss how we want to support Bishop Philip's Harvest Appeal (Pedal Along). The group allocated appropriate mileage to each year group and we designed a flyer to promote the event. We decided we would like to make a video to wish Bishop Philip good luck on behalf of the school. This will be completed and shared next week.

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Today we had a meeting to prepare for our Whole School Worship that we will be delivering for Metal Health Day.

The children thought about what they wanted to add to their slides and we talked about the special message that we are spreading to the rest of the school.

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🌟 Our Worship – World Mental Health Day 🌟

Today our Peer Mentors led a special Worship all about World Mental Health Day.

💭 The main messages we shared were:

Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body.

You are never alone – there is always someone who will listen and help.

We reminded everyone that tomorrow is Hello Yellow Day 💛 – a chance to show support for mental health awareness by adding some yellow to our school uniform.

We are really proud of our Peer Mentors for leading this Worship and helping us all to remember how important it is to look after our wellbeing. 🌈✨

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The Digital Leaders decided that they want to create a video sharing internet safety tips. We began filming our video about what is safe/unsafe to share online. We will finish and edit the video next week.

Next meeting: 17.10.25

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We met twice this week to finalise our articles and put them together into our first issue of our newsletter. We have worked hard to follow our plans and include all the information and quotes that we need.

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To discuss the Learner of the week award for Monday Worship.

Who will create it?

Learner Detectives - using Canva

Who will be awarded it?

Each Thursday two members will go round to the teachers with a book and ask for their learner of the week nominee. Then the group will meet every Thursday to decide who the overall winner is. Then Miss Tindall will print the certificate and write the list of nominees.

Who will present this award?

One member of the LD group - changing each week.

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17.10.25 - We did it! Whole school Pedal Along! We raised £148 

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17.10.25 - We did it! Whole school Pedal Along! We raised £148 

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Well done to the Courageous Advocates for organising and thank you to everyone for taking part. Thank you for all the donations!

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St. James’ Church of England Primary School, Lower Darwen

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We met to discuss what articles we would like to write this half term.

1. Choir singers recording vocals for Mr T's song in the studio

2. Inter-faith week

3. Edale

4. Christmas activities (e.g. parties, jumper day, nativity performance, carol service)

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We had a catch up about the article about the studio visit.

Hunter and Ava went to interview Mrs Jacques about taking the children to the studio.

Alaya is going to do interviews about the rangoli artwork workshop for inter-faith week.

Thomas and Esme-Rose are going to do interviews with year 6 about inter-faith week.

Hunter, Shivani and Ava will also find quotes about what children in their class thought about the Hinduism worship this week.

We will meet next week to start writing our articles.

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Miss Whaley and the new active avengers group met up outside on the playground to learn about their daily role. The children set up the lunch time zones for the first time. It was decided that they would continue this every day at 11.50am.

We decided on our aims and goals for this year. We created our mission statement.

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This week we needed to remind classes about earrings and our safety in PE lessons. Lawson, Andrew and Arlo-Drae went round to every class to explain why we are checking in and reminding them of this rule. It is to keep everyone safe whilst using equipment in PE.

The active avengers have been challenged to check their classes for any earrings at the start of a PE lesson.

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Community Christmas Cards - meeting 3.12.25

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Community Christmas Cards - meeting 3.12.25

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The whole school made Christmas cards for the Community. The Courageous Advocates and Worship Warriors met to decide who would receive the St James cards. Ideas included:

Residential Homes

Local businesses

Blackburn Hospital

The Cancer Bank

Kitchen staff

Roman Road Library

Local people who live near school

Other primary schools

Darwen Food Bank

Local Hospice

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The Talk Team met with the Learning Detectives as they needed to get feedback from children about their Maths Homework Scrapbooks. Mrs Malik and Miss Bryan gave them a questionnaire to complete with 2 people from each class. They had to use their oracy skills to engage in discussions and obtain as much information as possible using open ended questions and prompts. Thank you and well done - we can't wait to review your findings!

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Watch your words training - initial meeting 4.12.25

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Watch your words training - initial meeting 4.12.25

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The Learning detectives and Talk team met to discuss staff training. The groups will provide oracy training to all adults in school. Using the 'Watch your words' document (created by the Talk team), they will discuss the banned words and explain how adults can model this in school. A rota was agreed and training will begin on 5th December

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Collaboration Meeting with the Talk Detectives

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Collaboration Meeting with the Talk Detectives

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Maths Scrapbook Feedback 26.11.25

The Talk Team met with the Learning Detectives as they needed to get feedback from children about their Maths Homework Scrapbooks. Mrs Malik and Miss Bryan gave them a questionnaire to complete with 2 people from each class. They had to use their oracy skills to engage in discussions and obtain as much information as possible using open ended questions and prompts. Thank you and well done - we can't wait to review your findings!

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The children went to each class and asked them to spend some time coming up with ideas of how we can make our school more inclusive for our pupil voice group to review.

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Today we met to look at the healthy eating questionnaires and collate the results of the survey. We also discussed what the Peer Mentors will be doing to promote Children's Mental Health Week next week.

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The children collected ideas from each class about how we can be more inclusive for us to review.

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We met to discuss what articles we would like to write this half term.

We decided to do articles on the following events:

Macbeth play performance (5th February)

J Factor Auditions and preparations

Year 4 electricity workshop

Everyone will gather quotes and information about the J Factor.

Esme-Rose and Ava will gather quotes and information about the Year 4 electricity workshop.

We will meet next Wednesday.

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We received some wonderful feedback about our newsletters:

"I just want to tell you all that reading your newsletter is the highlight of the term. I enjoy how you share all the good news about events around school. The headlines are catchy and I think you are all very talented. Well done and thank you for your hard work. You are doing an amazing job. I am very impressed and proud! "

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We met to begin sharing our research about the Year 4 electricity workshop and make a plan for the article together.

We decided we needed some more quotes for this article. Ava will speak to the children in Year 4. Esme and Shivani will interview Mrs Malik and Thomas and Hunter will interview Miss Smith.

We are also going to start getting quotes and research about the J Factor auditions and begin to plan next week.

Our next meeting will be on Monday 19th January.

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Watch your Words - Support Staff Training (8.1.26)

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Watch your Words - Support Staff Training (8.1.26)

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Some members of the Oracy group and Learning Detectives l3d the support staff meeting today to continue with our drive to ensure 'Watch your Words' is a whole school approach. They delivered the training confidently and gave some really good examples.

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We met to discuss Safer Internet Day which is Tuesday 10th February. We decided we will do a worship on that day for the whole school and give each class an activity to do during Stop & Read time. We will ask them to record their activities in the PSHE scrapbook and save any photos. We decided which activities we would do for each class. We looked at a powerpoint to use for the worship/assembly and we will meet again to edit and improve it for our school. Then we will practise which parts to say and perform ready for the assembly.

We will meet again on Tuesday 20th January.

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In this meeting, we gathered our quotes for the Year 4 electricity workshop article and completed the plan. Esme-Rose and Ava started to write the article together.

Everyone will find out more about how children in school are preparing for the J Factor Auditions:

Are you auditioning for the J Factor?

What is your act?

How do you feel about your audition?

How have you been practising?

Next meeting: Thursday 29th January

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Today the Learning Detectives met to discuss the Learning Walk that they will be doing next week. The group decided to look at three key areas; the teaching, the environment and the pupils. We have invited Mrs Smith our SENCO to do the Learning Walk with us.

Watch this space for our feedback

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We met to discuss the Safer Internet Day assembly/worship and activities. We edited a powerpoint that we will use. We will meet again on Monday 26th January to decide who will say which parts and practise speaking.

Next meeting: Monday 26th January

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Today the Learning Detectives completed their learning walk of all classes. They were very impressed with what they saw and they have also come up with some next steps too! They will share this with staff this term.

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The children wrote introductory letters and made Christmas cards for their prayer friends.

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Each half term we create a rota for our Worship Warriors to take turns to open our Friday Worships in prayer. We talked about how prayers can be written in advance or they can be improvise and God appreciates either.

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Today we met to discuss and start planning our upcoming worship about Kindness Kites.

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We met today to discuss quotes gathered from our last meeting.

We planned and wrote the article about the J Factor and decided to write an article about Year 5 Stay and Learn instead of Macbeth.

We will meet again on Tuesday 11th February to write our final article and finalise the newsletter for this half term.

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We met to read the inclusion ideas every class had come up with and decide which ideas we would like the whole school to try.

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Today, we met to practise our worship assembly for Safer Internet Day for the final time before we deliver it tomorrow.

We also discussed the different activities we have asked each class to do and made sure that every Digital Leader knew what would be happening in their class.

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The Digital Leaders delivered a worship assembly to the whole school about how to stay safe using AI.

Every class took part in different activities which were all based around this year's theme: AI.

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We met to finalise the newsletter for this half term. We added an extra article about the results of the J Factor auditions and also gathered the information to write an article about the Year 5 Stay and Learn event.

We looked for photos to add to the newsletter and Mrs Bibby made sure it was formatted correctly.

Mrs Bibby will proofread it all before we publish on Friday before finishing for half term.

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Here is our final newsletter for Spring 1

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W/C 9.2.26 - Children's Mental Health Week

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W/C 9.2.26 - Children's Mental Health Week

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We have been marking Children’s Mental Health Week at St James', which this year has the theme “This is My Place”, focusing on belonging — feeling safe, valued, included and comfortable being ourselves. Belonging can come from many places, such as our families, friends, school, hobbies, communities and the things we enjoy doing.

Our fantastic Peer Mentors supported this learning by visiting classes across school to help deliver the lesson and talk about what belonging means. ​

Every child then created their own “belonging map”, drawing and adding symbols to represent the places where they feel they belong — from home and school to clubs, friendships and favourite activities. ​​

We are proud of how our children continue to support one another to make St James' a place where everyone feels they belong. ​