Whitfield St James' CE Primary School

08/05/2026

We’re getting excited for our School Summer Fair and are looking for raffle prize donations to help make the event extra special for our families and community.

We would be so grateful for any contributions, big or small!

Every donation helps us raise valuable funds for the school and gives our children a fantastic day to remember.

If you or your business would like to donate a prize, please comment or 'tag' or contact the school office.

Thank you so much for your kindness and support — it really does make a difference

27/04/2026

Thank you, PCSO Buller, for visiting our school and speaking with Daisy Class. The children thoroughly enjoyed your visit.

We look forward to welcoming you back during the rest of the summer term, when we plan to arrange for you to speak with many more of our pupils.

16/04/2026

Congratulations to all the children who have been offered a place in our Reception class!

We are absolutely delighted to welcome you and your families to our school community. This is such an exciting milestone, and we can’t wait to begin this journey together.

A letter will be arriving in the post very soon with more information about next steps, so please keep an eye out!

In the meantime, enjoy celebrating this special moment—we’re looking forward to meeting you all soon!

27/03/2026

We are incredibly proud to announce that we have achieved the Prem Aware Award and are a Prem Aware School!

This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting babies born prematurely and their families with the highest level of care, understanding, and compassion.

So, what does this mean for our parents and children going forward?

We are continuing to build our understanding on the unique challenges and developmental needs of some preterm children.
We are committed to working closely with families, offering tailored support every step of the way.
Our environment and practices are designed to give every child the best possible start, no matter their journey.

This achievement is not just an award—it’s a promise to our families that we will continue to learn, grow, and provide the very best care.

Thank you to our amazing team for their dedication, and to our families for trusting us.

26/03/2026

We were delighted to welcome a film crew to our school recently, where some of our Year 6 children had the exciting opportunity to take part in filming for a special feature.

The programme, which was also recorded at Glossop Station and around the town, tells the story of the 1940 evacuation of children from Lowestoft to Glossop. It includes interviews with some of the remaining evacuees and the families involved, bringing this important piece of history to life.

The feature is scheduled to be shown on BBC One’s The One Show on Monday 30th March at 7.00pm. We can’t wait to see our Year 6 pupils involved and to watch the story unfold on screen!

Please note that scheduling may change depending on events on the day, so the feature could be postponed.

Be sure to tune in if you can!

06/03/2026

A magical World Book Day... WEEK!

What happens when our entire school explores the same story together?
It turns into a magical week of curiosity, creativity and a shared love of reading.

This year, all of our pupils from Nursery to Year 6 celebrated World Book Day through a whole-school exploration of the beautiful wordless picture book Journey by Aaron Becker.

We had ...
-A mysterious trail of red objects that sparked curiosity across the school
-Surprise “Drop Everything and Read” moments throughout the day
-Visits to local bookshop Dark Peak Books to choose new stories
-Families joining us to share the joy of reading
-All types of creative work created using the book as inspiration!

We ended the week dressed as our favourite book characters or in cosy pyjamas! for a whole-school story celebration.

05/03/2026

Good morning everyone,

This week is our 'World Book Day Week', and the children have been asking if anyone has seen any of the books we shared with the community in January!

If you have seen any, please comment below. We would love to know who has found them and where they have been spotted!

Thank you,

All the pupils at Whitfield St James' CE (VC) Nursery and Primary School

09/02/2026

Children’s Mental Health Week

This week, we’re celebrating the theme 'This is my place' with a focus on Belonging.
At our school, we believe that every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and included—just as they are.

We know that when children feel a sense of belonging, they’re more confident, more resilient, and better able to thrive both in and out of the classroom. That’s why supporting mental health and wellbeing isn’t just something we talk about—it’s part of everyday school life.

This week (and every week), we’re reminding our children that they are seen, they matter, and they belong here. Please have a look at the reel for some books we love to use too!

09/02/2026

Thank you so much, Ben! Please support him if you can as he takes on this incredibly tough challenge. We really appreciate your kind words and for thinking of us.

A Glossop father is preparing to take on an incredibly tough challenge to raise money for the school that has transformed his young son’s life.

Ben Pearson will compete in this year’s World Coal Carrying Championships, tackling a 1km course while carrying a 50kg sack of coal on his back. He is aiming to raise £1,000 for Whitfield St James’ Church of England Primary School in Glossop, where his four-year-old son Ray receives vital support.

“Ray is autistic and needs a lot of extra help” Ben explained. “The school has done so much for him and for our family, and I wanted to find a way to give something back.”

Ray had struggled in a mainstream nursery environment and was no longer able to be supported there. That was when St James’ stepped in and offered him a place in their specialist SEN class.

“It might sound like a small thing, but it made a huge difference” said Ben. “Without the school’s support, either my wife or I would have had to leave our job to look after Ray full-time. Since being there, he has improved in all areas. The staff are fantastic.”

Ben, who runs a local business called Glossop Gardening Guy, decided to take on the famous coal carrying race as a way of saying thank you.

“I’ve set up a JustGiving page and I’m hoping people will donate if they can,” he said. “But if not, there’s no pressure - I know we live in mad times.”

As well as raising funds, Ben hopes sharing his family’s story might help other parents in similar situations.

“I’m happy to chat with anyone going through something like this who maybe hasn’t been as lucky as we have” he added. “I might not be able to solve everything, but talking to someone who understands can really help.”

The challenge Ben is taking on is one of the UK’s most unusual and demanding sporting traditions, with Padfield also hosting it's own competition each year. The event that Ben is competing in takes place on Easter Monday, 6th April 2026, in Yorkshire.

Now in its 63rd year, the event sees competitors race along the course carrying heavy sacks of coal. The championships include a men’s race with a 50kg sack and a women’s race with a 20kg sack, alongside youth and children’s fun runs. Each year it attracts entrants from across the region and beyond.

For Ben, however, it’s about far more than the competition.

“I just want to do something positive for a school that has done so much for my family,” he said. “If I can raise a bit of money and awareness along the way, it will all be worth it.”

Donations to Ben’s fundraising appeal can be made at: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ben-pearson-5

06/02/2026

At Whitfield St James', we are so proud of our continuous provision, where learning comes to life through play every single day!
Our children explore, create, problem-solve, and grow in an environment designed to spark curiosity and joy. Learning through play supports confidence, independence, and a genuine love of learning. Who wouldn’t want their children learning in a place like this?