At Stanhope Barrington C of E Primary School we understand the importance of well-being and positive mental health. Through carefully selected age appropriate activities, which are incorporated into a curriculum, we hope to instill good mental health. Activities may include colouring, yoga, listening to relaxing music and other mindfulness projects. We have also had a mindfulness after school club where staff provided Lego, mindfulness colouring and yoga opportunities to promote well-being.

Recently we have recruited ‘Happiness Heroes’. These children (from across the school) meet every half-term. Their role is to identify children who may need a friend or someone to talk to during the school day. The last 18 months have been difficult and some children especially have struggled. Therefore, we hope to equip the children with strategies and activities to promote their own positive mental health.

5 ways to well-being:

1. Connect with others
2. Be active
3. Take notice of our world
4. Keep learning
5. Give to others

 

By Mrs Heslop-Stead and The Happiness Heroes

On Friday 24^th September it was our annual MacMillan Coffee morning where we raise money for the excellent charity. We made a sign earlier on in the week so that we could let our parents know that the coffee morning was happening, Mrs. Cross helped us to paint the huge sign!

On the morning of the Macmillan Coffee morning we helped set up the cake stalls by bringing the cakes in from the gate. There were lots of amazing cakes to sell and it made us very excited. Some of the teachers set up a gazebo on the playground so all of the parents could sit somewhere and stay dry.

We had lots of people come and buy the wonderful cakes and we raised £313! Thank you to everyone who donated cakes, donated money and came to our coffee morning.

From the Charities Champions

Every Wednesday morning we do science. Each year group goes into a separate classroom with their mad scientist teacher. The teachers all wear a mad scientist white coat and sometimes Mr. Storey wears a funny yellow wig!

Each year group gets a different teacher from the one who normally teaches them. For example, Year 5 get Mr. Clarke who normally teaches in the Ruby Learning Zone (Year 3&4).

All children are currently learning about Animals (including humans) across the school.

Learning about science involves quizzes, timelines, experiments, research and lots more.

We are planning to make a Living Lab which will include live animals, science experiments outdoors and lessons in the area which used to be SCAMPS outdoor play area.

We really enjoy our science lessons as it’s nice to work with a different teacher and also to work with the children from your year group.

By The Shadow Leadership Team (Rosie, Xavier, Joey and Jessica)

At Stanhope Barrington C of E Primary School, the children and their well-being are at the heart of everything we do. The Thrive Approach promotes children’s and young people’s positive mental health by helping adults know how to be and what to do in response to their differing and sometimes distressed behaviour. We have recently become a Thrive school, with all the children in our care being supported to understand and manage their emotions and well-being. Some children might be identified for additional support with Mrs. Howes-Jones or Mrs. Parvin, our Thrive practitioners. Personalised action plans are made to enable the children to flourish and learn in both the classroom and beyond.

Every classroom has adopted the Thrive Approach, using key language and strategies to support the children on a daily basis. Weekly activities are carefully chosen to support the children to become comfortable and aware of their emotions and behaviours, in an endeavour to manage them independently in the future. The benefits of Thrive will enable the children to leave us on their life long journey, being equipped to deal with any challenges that might occur in their lives.

I would just like to welcome everyone back to school. The team have been super excited to have our children and families back and it has been lovely to see everyone bouncing into school each morning.

Now that we no longer have ‘bubbles’ one of the highlights has been to see the children mixing and playing together at playtime and lunchtime. We have also been able to come together in the school hall for Collective Worship and Assemblies (for the first time since March 2020) which has been great!

As always, we have a very busy and exciting Autumn Term planned so I thought I’d share with you what is going on this term and what we have planned so far. Dates and more details will be shared with you in letters via our website nearer the time of each event – this is just to give an overview of things to look forward to!

After School Provision:

With the closure of SCAMPS, we have taken over the provision of both After School Childcare (£4 per session) and are also offering a wide range of After School Clubs (£6 per session). The clubs will change each half term and have already become very popular – please book early to ensure your child gets a place. We will be sharing our activities on the website.

The Mad Scientists:

Every Wednesday morning is Mad Scientist morning with our children coming together in their Year Groups rather than their Learning Zones. Each year group is being taught by a different teacher and this week the children and staff have really enjoyed this new way of teaching and learning. It has allowed children to work with a different group of friends and allowed our staff to widen their skills and subject knowledge of a different year group’s curriculum.

Living Lab:

We are in the process of turning the quadrant between Early Years and what was the SCAMPS area into a Living Lab. In the quadrant we aim to have chickens and rabbits (which will help us to learn about the food chain, life cycles and habitats) and also to carry out a range of science experiments through outdoor learning opportunities.

MacMillan Cancer Coffee Morning:

As a team we feel it is really important for us to support this essential charity as many of our families, staff and their families are affected by Cancer. We are aiming to hold a coffee morning on Friday 24^th September at 9am for parents, grandparents and members of our community. If the weather is ok tables and seating will be outside with a one-way system through the hall to collect drinks and cakes to keep the event as Covid secure as possible.

Weardale Outdoor Education Centre Visits:

Week commencing 11^th October 2021, every child in the school will be visiting the Weardale Outdoor Education Centre. The activities have all been planned to reinforce and embed the super powers for each Learning Zone. Our trip in the Summer term was fantastic so we are all really excited about this trip.

Harvest Festival:

We are looking forward to being able to visit our local churches again and are planning to hold a Harvest Festival Service in the Methodist Chapel during October.

Twisted Tales for Terrible Children:

On Thursday 21^st October we will be welcoming Gavin Cross into school. Gav is delivering a performance in the Church Hall that evening but will be spending the day delivering storytelling workshops across all Learning Zones.

War Week:

Week commencing 8^th November 2021 will be War Week across the school where all Learning Zones will be learning about the subject. This week also incorporates Remembrance Day.

Rap Music Workshops:

Kema Kay, a renowned rapper, will be working with the Emerald Learning Zone over the course of a few weeks to deliver exciting and engaging music lessons.

Inter-faith Week:

National Inter-Faith Week occurs in the middle of November and we are hoping to organise a festival to celebrate world religions.

Christmas:

Our plans are not yet firmed up for Christmas but we are really looking forward to welcoming parents/carers back into school for a range of performances.

And Much More:

This is just a glimpse into the plans we have for school throughout the Autumn Term. There are lots of other events, visitors and visits in the pipeline which we hope to firm up over the coming weeks.

All details for specific events will be shared in advance on our website – keeping watching!

 

Mrs D Cross

Head Teacher

 

Wow! What a year. It has probably been the most challenging year most of us will ever experience. As my first year as Head Teacher it has most definitely been an experience. Having said that, as I reflect upon the last 16 months since March 2020 I feel so proud of everything our school community has achieved during the COVID-19 pandemic. It would be easy to focus on the negatives but there have been so many positive outcomes, too.

We have found so many creative solutions to problems, we have worked with different people and become closer as a team and we have successfully navigated our way through the maze of COVID-19. The staff in school have had to cope with a huge array of change over the last year including: a new Head Teacher; a global pandemic; becoming part of the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust; the introduction of our remote learning platform and the setting up of our Learning Zones and superpowers. Under normal circumstances any one of those events would have justified a detailed Change Management Plan and you would never choose to implement them all in the space of one year!

Our team has grown and developed over the last year and I feel incredibly proud of every single one of them. We have welcomed Mr Storey and Mr Clarke to the team who have both made huge contributions to the school. Every single individual, without exception, has gone above and beyond what could reasonably be expected of them and they have done so without complaint or a moments hesitation. The measure of a team is how well it responds when the chips are down and I can honestly say that after working in the NHS and in Education over the last 35 years I have never worked with a more dedicated and committed team. They all embody the ‘family first’ ethos of the school and they literally live and breathe our core values.

They have supported each other (and me) through hard times, sad times and hilarious times, too, and I don’t think any of us would have got through this period without each other. Who knows what our next Ofsted or Church inspection will bring but regardless: to me our team will be ‘Forever Outstanding’.

Our children are always at the centre of every decision we make and every event that we plan and we have some amazing ideas for September and there is a lot to look forward to! But first let’s enjoy a well-earned summer break. I hope you all have a great summer and I look forward to seeing you all in September.

Mrs D Cross

Head Teacher

2020-2021 in pictures:

 

Leaving Stanhope Barrington will be very hard because of all the amazing memories I’ve made, the amazing teachers/staff, all the laughs I’ve had and doing the activities outside of school (with school). I’ve loved being a part of different events like: a tennis tournament; the gymnastic festival; violin performances; frisbee workshop and even coffee mornings.

Stanhope Barrington has been an all-round incredible school! I will be sad to leave but I’m looking forward to the challenge of Comp. I’ve loved being a part of this school and it’s been an amazing experience!

Grace

The books we read in childhood can be some of the most meaningful and impactful of our lives. Treasured books have a way of teaching, inspiring and shaping imaginations by introducing us to places, times and characters that end up staying with us for a lifetime. I still think of characters such as Anne of Green Gables, Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch, Nancy Drew, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and Anne Frank not to mention the Black Stallion and the animals of the Wind in the Willows as friends! So, with that in mind, here are some book recommendations from our children of some of their favourite books:

The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness  by Michelle Paver

A boy, a girl and a wolf in the Stone Age times go on quests to uncover secrets of Torak (the boy) to vanquish the evil Soul-Eaters.  ‘I really enjoy reading these books and can’t wait for Wolfbane, the final book, to come out.’ – Xavier (Diamond Learning Zone)

A Dinosaur Ate my Sister by Pooja Puri

“It’s funny and exciting.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

Captain Underpants by Dave Pilkey

“It is funny and a great comedy book for children.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

Midnight Gang by David Walliams

“It’s a good read for all ages to enjoy.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

My Secret Diary by Jacqueline Wilson

“It takes you into the life of a teenager in the 60’s and I recommend it for all ages.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

“It is a really exciting adventure fantasy that I personally really enjoy. It is also really creative.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

“It is a mix of myth and modern. It is amazing and it includes suspense.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrick Rules by Jeff Kinney

“It is such a joy to read, and it is funny and it’s great for kids.” –Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

World’s Worst Children by David Walliams

“I think it’s a really good book because it is funny and makes me laugh.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

Lightning Girl by Alesha Dixon

“It is an interesting and funny story.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

“Sometimes a door is closed for a reason and because fairy tales are more than true, not because they tell us that dragons are real but because they tell us they can be beaten.” -Pupil from Diamond Learning Zone

Boy at the Back of the Class  by Onjali Q Rauf

‘It’s a really happy story that starts sad about a refugee called Ahmet. My favourite part was the friends he makes through the story. The author has two new books as well!’ -Kadie (Emerald Learning Zone)

Horrible Histories by Terry Deary

‘The gruesome parts are really good and I am learning lots from it.’ -Lewis (Emerald Learning Zone)

A Dog’s Purpose by W Bruce Cameron

‘It is about a dog called Bailey who finds an owner called Nathan and they have great adventures together.’ -Zach (Emerald Learning Zone)

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

From the maker of Captain Underpants these books are a must for comic book fans. Finley finds them hilarious reading and has collected the whole collection. Dog Man is also great for those who love drawing, Finley copies the drawings in to his own notebooks. – Finley (Ruby Learning Zone)

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell

This is a story about two daddy penguins who want to have an egg. I could listen to this story lots of times because it has a good ending. Jack (Amethyst Learning Zone)

Detective Dog Nell and Hospital Dog both by Julia Donaldson

Both are fabulous tales about very clever dogs who provide a service to help their community but when disaster strikes their quick thinking and smart minds save the day! Amazing rhyming and beautiful illustrations make them a fave in our house! – Iliza (Amethyst Learning Zone)

Immi by Karin Littlewood

This is about a girl who finds small colourful objects when she is fishing for her supper. Abel loves this book because it has a special ending.  Abel (Opal Learning Zone)

The Jolly Pocket Postman by Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg

This is about a postman who goes on adventures. Abel loves this book because it has an envelope on every other page with things inside for him to explore. Abel (Opal Learning Zone)

Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough

This book is about a duck who gets his truck stuck in the muck. Abel loves this book because it rhymes and he finds it very funny. Abel (Opal Learning Zone)

Stick Man by Julia Donaldson

This book is about a Stick Man who gets lost and is trying to find his way back home. Abel loves this book like all of the other Julia Donaldson books because it rhymes and he loves the adventure Stick Man goes on in order to find his way home. Abel (Opal Learning Zone)

We hope you enjoy these book recommendations! Please let us know if you selected a book from this list and share your thoughts.

A few months ago I saved the life of my cousin, Lewis, by slapping his back when he was choking. When that didn’t work I did the Abdominal Thrust which stopped him choking. Mrs Cross was so impressed she gave me an award from Durham Police and then they came into school to teach all of the children about first aid.

On Wednesday 16^th June Jamie and his friend taught us how to save someone’s life. They taught our whole school. It was really good because everyone got to find out how to save someone’s life.

I was grateful to Jamie for teaching us and very proud of myself.

By Jake Emerson

We’ve been reading a book called ‘Wonder’ in class which has inspired me to write my own book. I felt a connection between me and August (the main character in the book), who has a physical condition that makes him look different. Although I don’t have a physical condition that people can see I do feel different to all of my friends because of a physical condition that you can’t see. I am colour blind.

My book that I have written raises the awareness of colour blindness. It tells you about how it affects my life, such as feeling confused and left out when colours are used in the classroom, in sports and in other scenarios and things you can do to help me.

I love football but sometimes when watching it on TV the team kits are too similar to me and I struggle to find the difference between the two teams. Sometimes I can only tell the difference by the shorts! In school I find some PowerPoints hard, especially ‘Twinkle’ and when colours are used. Miss Hepple tries to help me when possible and apologises when she can’t do anything about the colours, like in science, literacy and maths.

People know that I am colour blind, because I’ve learnt to be brave enough to tell them, and so they help me when they can but for those people who don’t know they are colour blind or don’t want to tell people then life could be even more confusing and difficult!

In the book ‘Wonder’ there are precepts – rules about really important things. One of them is “When given the choice between being right and being kind – chose kind”. I think it is really important for people to understand colour blindness, so my precept would be “When you chose to use colour please don’t think just about you, think about others too”.

I hope you enjoy reading my book, I’ve enjoyed writing it.

Malachi