*Hamsterley Primary School* English Café with Durham Learn! Following the success of our Maths Café last half term, we were delighted to welcome Durham Learn back into school todaythis time with their English Café! Parents joined us for a fun-filled day of exciting and interactive English activities: KS1 children enjoyed a lively morning session KS2 took part in the afternoon It was wonderful to see so many parents getting involvedsome even stayed the whole day! A huge thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to support their children's learning.

Exploring Nature with Year 5 and 6! This afternoon, our Year 5 and 6 pupils have been getting their hands muddy and their minds buzzing as they learned how to identify different species of plants right here on our school field and in the garden! A huge thank you to Kerryanne, Ruth, and Matty from the North Pennines National Landscape for leading this fantastic outdoor learning sessions. The children loved discovering the names and features of local plants and learning why they're so important to our environment. We're so proud of our budding botanists!

*Hamsterley Primary School* Ancient Greece Day in KS2! Yesterday, our KS2 children had a fantastic time immersing themselves in the wonders of Ancient Greece! We kicked off the day by baking melomakaronaa traditional Greek honey and spice biscuit. The children loved getting hands-on in the kitchen and, of course, tasting their delicious creations! In the afternoon, we were thrilled to welcome Tanya Benthem, who delivered an engaging and educational history workshop. The children explored Ancient Greek clothing, trade, warfare, and even handled some fascinating artefacts! We wrapped up with a lively Q&A session, where we uncovered amazing facts about Greek animals, furniture, philosophers, and even archaeology. Well done to the children who came dressed for the occasion!

Hamsterley Primary School A huge thank you to Jake and Mrs Newby Higginbottom for sharing their adorable cats with us during Show and Tell! Jake gave a fantastic presentation on how he cares for them, and we loved every cuddle and stroke! Also, well done to Emily for her lovely holiday write-upit was great hearing all about her adventures!

Wearhead and St. John's Chapel Primary Schools Well done to this week's special certificate winners!

Hamsterley Primary School - Cookery Club Last night, we kept the Greek theme going in our cookery session by whipping up a mouth-watering Mediterranean feast! Working in groups, the children crafted three delicious elements: a vibrant Greek salad, cool and creamy tzatziki, and juicy, succulent lamb koftas. We hope they enjoyed every bite of their Greek adventure!

Science in Action! The brilliant young minds in Year 5 & 6 at St John's Chapel and Wearhead schools have been diving into the fascinating world of blood! Through hands-on learning, they explored the structure and function of blood, discovering the vital roles of red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, and platelets. To bring this science to life, they crafted their own representative blood samplesusing everyday household items!

Greek Adventures in KS2! This morning, the children in KS2 at Wearhead and St John's Chapel had an amazing time diving into the world of Ancient Greece during a fun and interactive Greek workshop! From exploring myths and legends to learning about Greek life and culture, the pupils were fully immersed and absolutely buzzing with excitement! This afternoon, the adventure continued as they got hands-on in the kitchenpreparing and tasting delicious Greek food! The smells were incredible, and the smiles even bigger! A huge thank you to Tanya who helped make today such a memorable experience. What a fantastic way to bring history to life!

Hamsterley Primary School Windy but fun! Class 1 had a great time outdoors, building a stick shelter, learning to light a fire with flint and steel, and enjoying tasty hotdogs. Muddy, adventurous, and full of fun!

Hamsterley Primary School EYFS had a wonderfully messy morning in the mud kitchen! We brewed up delicious potions and some top-tier muddy coffee. The rain just made it more fun!

Hamsterley Primary Bikeability - Week 3 Today, we put everything we've learned so far to the test! Challenging games like Triathlon, Funnel, and Snake Trail helped us sharpen our cycle handling, control skills, physical development and spatial awareness whilst safely navigating around others

Light & Reflection at Wearhead and St. John's Chapel! Today, Year 3 and 4 explored light sources and reflectors, then tested materials to see if they were reflective or non-reflective. The best part? Learning a brand-new word: retroreflective! Ask your child what it means!

St John's Chapel and Wearhead Primary Schools Bikability Club Over the past four weeks, the children have had a fantastic time during bikability club. We have learnt how to perform clothing and helmet checks, as well as ABC (air, brakes, chain) bicycle checks to make sure we are safe to ride. On our bikes, we have practised controlling our bicycles to ensure we are riding safely, making sure to avoid other riders and obstacles. Some of our favourite games are 'Grandmother's Footsteps' and 'Follow the Leader'. We have enjoyed finishing our sessions with some races.

Exploring Sustainability at Hamsterley Primary! Hamsterley pupils had a fantastic time in their sustainability workshops with Alex from Northern Gas Networks! KS2 discovered hydrogen energy, built a straw network, and tested a hydrogen-powered car on different surfaces. KS1 created their own straw networks, learning about what helps and harms our planet.

Exploring Microhabitats! This morning, our KS1 pupils at St. John's Chapel and Wearhead Primary Schools became mini scientists, investigating the fascinating world of microhabitats! They discovered invertebrates hiding under logs and stones, used magnifying pots to observe them up close, and even created a bar chart to record their findings.