Birstwith CE Primary School

🎉 Colour Run Reminder – Tomorrow! 🎉

We’re so excited for our fantastic Colour Run fundraiser taking place tomorrow at Belmont Grosvenor Field, starting at 1.30pm!

It’s set to be a brilliant, fun-filled event for everyone – with lots of colour, laughter, summer fair stalls, a bouncy castle and a tombola to enjoy too! 🍦🎪🎈

✅ Don’t forget:

Wear old clothes (you will get messy!)
Bring a change of clothes and a towel
Bring cash for stalls and activities
Come ready to have lots of fun! 😄

We can’t wait to see you there and make it a really special event for our school community. Thank you so much for your support!

What an amazing time Class 3 had yesterday in London!

On their visit to the Houses of Parliament, the children had a tour, a workshop to learn more about British democracy, and were delighted that both our local MP, Julian Smith (House of Commons), and Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending (House of Lords) made time in their busy Parliamentary business to come and talk to the children.

They then enjoyed lunch at Pizza Express and a ride on the London Eye, where they could see the amazing sights of the London skyline.

What a fantastic day!

Thank you to our wonderful PTA for organising such a fantastic event - it’s not too late to get your tickets!

Visitors can enjoy inflatables, games, refreshments, a licensed bar and more.

News from Class 1
We are continuing to put our "green fingers" to good use in Class 1 as we care for our growing garden. The tomato plants are shooting up, our dwarf beans are proving to be not quite so dwarf after all, and our strawberries seem to be attracting plenty of attention from the birds of Birstwith! Meanwhile, our potato plants have grown so large that they look as though they belong in Jurassic Park.

We would also like to say a huge thank you to the Massey family for their generous donation of a beautiful cherry tree. We are excited to plant it in our garden and watch it grow alongside the rest of our wonderful plants.

The children are keeping an ongoing gardening diary, recording the changes and progress in our garden. We look forward to sharing this with visitors at the Ripley Show in August. Don't forget to save the date – 9th August – we would love to see you there!

Sports betting has become increasingly visible online, appearing across apps, websites, social media, sports coverage and gaming spaces.

Even when young people are not legally old enough to gamble, they may still encounter betting messages through adverts, influencers, tipsters, friends or adult accounts.

Our latest guide highlights key risks, including:
• Easy online access
• Gambling becoming normalised around sport
• Peer and influencer pressure
• Free bet offers
• Impulsive spending and chasing losses

It also offers practical advice for parents, carers and educators on starting calm conversations, setting safer digital boundaries, spotting warning signs and finding support.

We were absolutely delighted to take part in the Brownlee Foundation Mini-Triathlon at the Hydro on Friday afternoon!

Our children were fantastic throughout – showing such determination, resilience and enthusiasm across all three events. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow and their skills shine.

We were especially proud of the incredible team spirit on display, with pupils encouraging and supporting one another every step of the way.

It was lovely to see all the children back in school today after the gorgeous weather we had this May Half Term!

Let’s hope the sun reappears for a busy Summer Term and the last one of this academic year!

We have had a fantastic time in school celebrating Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday! 🌍🎉

It was wonderful to see so many of the children dressed as animals – their creativity (and effort!) really brought our learning to life. 🦁🦋🐧

We have also been incredibly lucky with the gorgeous sunshine, which has meant lots of opportunities for outdoor learning and exploring the natural world – just as Sir David Attenborough has inspired us to do. ☀️🌿

A big well done to all the children for embracing the day with such enthusiasm – and thank you to families for your support with costumes.

Minecraft continues to be a highly popular platform for children, combining creativity, problem-solving and social interaction.

While the game can offer positive opportunities for learning and play, features such as public servers, multiplayer modes and in-game communication can create safeguarding challenges.

Our latest guide supports educators and parents in understanding these risks and helping children play more safely.

The guide explores:
• Public server communication and contact with unknown players
• Griefing, disruptive behaviour and online conflict
• In-game spending and subscription costs
• Addictive gameplay loops and balanced screen time
• Safer settings, private servers and suitable game modes

With clear, practical advice, the guide helps adults set boundaries, encourage safer choices and support responsible Minecraft use.

Year 6 have been uncovering the fascinating world of Tudor fashion and what it revealed about people’s status. Would that still be the case today?

Did you know:

- Elizabeth I is believed to have owned over 1,000 dresses!
- Both men and women wore elaborate ruffs as a symbol of wealth and importance.
- Only royalty were allowed to wear purple silk—any commoner breaking this law faced a heavy fine.
- A high forehead was considered beautiful
- People often covered their faces with white make-up made from toxic substances, while lips and cheeks were coloured using crushed beetles.