Hoops 4 Health Basketball!

18th February 2022S Admin (Biddick Hall Juniors)

On Thursday 10th February we took 4 teams to The Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle to play basketball in the South Tyneside Hoops4Health tournament.  All teams played fantastically well and showed good sportsmanship.  Two of our teams did exceptionally well and made it through to the quarter finals where one of them made it through to the semi-finals. The semi-finals are played on the Newcastle eagle’s court before the match on Friday 4th March.  The team is very excited and are practising furiously for the event. No matter the result, we are exceptionally proud that we made it to that point in the competition. Let’s go, Biddick Hall!

Exploring the phases of the moon in Year 5 in science

8th February 2022S Admin (Biddick Hall Juniors)

In our Earth and Space topic in Science, we have been exploring the phases of the moon. To do this, we used Oreos and Jaffa cakes to create a tasty scientific model! We learned that:

  • The moon doesn’t shine, it reflects the light from the sun.
  • The shape of the moon changes depending on how much light we can see reflecting off the moon.
  • Waxing means the moon is getting bigger and waning means the moon is getting smaller.
  • A crescent is smaller than a ½ and a gibbous is larger than a ½.

Year 4 ‘Teeth and Eating,’ science visitor in school

8th February 2022S Admin (Biddick Hall Juniors)

Year 4 are learning about Teeth and Eating and we have had two visitors in school who have been teaching us about the different types of teeth, their jobs and how to look after our teeth. We had a turn at pretending to remove some plague from model teeth and filling the cavity with a pretend filling.

Year 4 Teeth and Eating

8th February 2022S Admin (Biddick Hall Juniors)

In science, Year 4 are learning about teeth and eating. We have completed an experiment demonstrating the process of the digestive system. The water, crackers and banana start off in the mouth (represented by the bag) and the food is crushed and mixed around (replicating the teeth and tongue). We imagined that the food travelled down the oesophagus to the stomach, where we added orange juice (the stomach acid). Again, the food is squashed and mixed around, like it would be in a stomach. The contents are then passed through a pair of tights (like food would pass through the small intestines). Here the food is separated into solid and liquid. In the body, the liquids are absorbed back into the body and the solids are passed away when you visit the toilet.

 

Y3 DT

8th February 2022S Admin (Biddick Hall Juniors)

In Design and Technology, Year 3 have been learning about how climate zones affect the food that can be grown in an area. We also learned about how to handle food hygienically and how to use cooking equipment safely. We followed a recipe to prepare Chinese fruit skewers.

The Rainbow Flag Award

7th February 2022a hayward

 

This year, at Biddick Hall Junior School, we have begun our journey to becoming a Rainbow Flag school.

The Rainbow Flag Award is a national quality assurance framework for primary schools, secondary schools, SEND schools and colleges. The award focuses on positive LGBT+, (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, plus other related identities), inclusion and visibility.

There are six sections to gain for achieving a full Rainbow Flag Award:

  • Skilled Teacher
  • Supportive Governors and Parents
  • Effective Policies
  • Pastoral Support
  • Inclusive Curriculum
  • Student Voice

The Rainbow Flag Award encourages a whole organisation approach to LGBT+ inclusion, as well as developing strategies to effectively challenge and combat LGBT phobic bullying.

At Biddick Hall Junior School, we are committed to improving the lives of all of the young people that we work with. This includes the LGBT+ young people in our care, those from LGBT+ families, and LGBT+ staff members.

 

Launch

On Friday 18th February, we are going to officially launch our Rainbow Flag journey.  To do this, all children in the school will be introduced to the aims of the Rainbow Flag Award and the terminology of the LGBT+ community. In their classes, they will then learn about LGBT+ History and why LGBT+ inclusion is so important.  Following this, the children will look at some influential people who are part of the LGBT+ community and to solidify this, all children will create some artwork which shows that our school is a welcoming and safe place for ALL. This will be a stand-alone Rainbow Flag Day with the main focus being on LGBT+.

Curriculum

After the initial launch, we will be delivering an inclusive curriculum throughout all year groups where LGBT+ will be made visible. For example: if we were looking at flags, the pride flag would be included in this and its significance mentioned as part of the overall lesson on flags. If we are talking about pronouns in grammar, children will be told that some individuals may not be comfortable using gender specific pronouns such as he/his; she/her, they may prefer gender inclusive pronouns such as they/them. The focus is about pronouns and how they can be used to replace an individual’s name, but it has been inclusive of LGBT+ people.

 

The terminology that we will be using in school is detailed below. All children will be introduced to, and responsibly use, these terms.

How you feel about others:

  • Orientation – Who you are attracted to
  • Lesbian – A woman attracted to another woman
  • Gay – Attracted to a person of the same gender
  • Bisexual – Attracted to your own gender and other genders
  • Straight – Attracted to a person of the opposite gender

 

How you feel about yourself

  • Transgender – A person who has a gender identity different to the gender they were assigned at birth
  • Cisgender – A person who identifies with the gender they were given at birth.
  • Non-binary – A person who has a gender identity that is neither male or female

To find out more, please visit https://www.rainbowflagaward.co.uk/ or, please feel free to contact school with any comments or questions.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Mrs M Collinson

Head teacher

Women and Girls in Science

4th February 2022a hayward

The 11th of February is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in order to promote full and equal access and participation for women and girls in science. The 11th of February is an opportunity to celebrate the essential role that women and girls play in science and technology.

Here at Biddick Hall Junior School, we encourage females and males to be active scientists. We are all exposed to weekly science lessons and we all take part in Science week events. Our Science Council comprises this year of 70% girls and we certainly encourage all pupils to strive for success and enjoyment in this amazing subject.

 

Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science everyone!

 

Peer Support Group

28th January 2022a hayward

Is your child facing a difficult time at the moment?
Falling out with friends, feeling self-critical or worrying are just some
of the things that young people face; as parents we can sometimes
struggle to know how to best support our children.
Join The Healthy Minds Team for a parents’ session on how support your child
through difficult times.

The session will take place on Wednesday 9th February at 4pm

The session will cover things like:
• Learning strategies to build family resilience
• Supporting each other through life’s challenges
• An opportunity to share your stories
• Sharing your own coping mechanisms (should you wish to do so)

The session will be an informal, safe environment to learn and share
with other parents across South Tyneside. It’s aimed at parents of young
people aged 11-18 but all are welcome to come along.

See how to join the session fromt the flier below:

Download (PDF, 492KB)

Clay pinch pots!

18th January 2022S Admin (Biddick Hall Juniors)

Firstly, we studied the cross section of a range of fruits and then had a go ourselves at drawing our own, considering colour choice, textures, shading and shapes. We chose a medium to use to colour our pictures and really concentrated on detail. Next, we were given a fist sized lump of clay which we had to pinch and manipulate with our fingers to form a cup/ vessel shape. We were given a range of resources to choose from to liken our pinch pot exterior to a fruit texture of our preference: clay tools, patterned rolling pins, glue spreaders, pencil ends, scouring pads, wire brushes and straws. Once we were happy with the design of our pinch pots, we painted them the resemble the fruit we had focused on. We thoroughly enjoyed this art project.