Caring children at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary in Walbottle have been putting their best feet forward to support their parish priest, who was in the process of walking the 1,070-mile distance from Newcastle to Lourdes to raise money for charity. Father Damian Cassidy averaged 250 miles a month during his epic trek, and raised around £5,000 for the Hosanna House Children’s Pilgrimage Trust in Rugby, which provides holidays to the famous pilgrimage site of Lourdes in the Sou

Art was all the talk, when sixth formers from Sacred Heart Catholic High School took part in the National Gallery’s prestigious Articulation Prize. The Year 12 students rose to the challenge of the annual competition, which aims to encourage critical thinking and presentation skills through the discussion of art. “Students are invited to each deliver a 10-minute presentation to an audience about a work of art, architecture, or an artefact of their choice,” said Head of Art La

The theme was ‘Light in the Darkness’, when sixth formers from St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle headed to Ampleforth Abbey for a two-day retreat. The 20 students were the second group to visit the abbey from the school, and were led by Head of Religious Education Stephanie Peacock, alongside monks Father Bede and Brother Edmund. “This was the second sixth form retreat held at Ampleforth, following last year’s retreat, which focused on the theme of hope,” said M

The robots were ready when budding engineers from St Mary’s Catholic Primary in Forest Hall showcased their talents at an international FIRST LEGO League event. The ten Year 5 and 6 pupils had been honing their skills at the school’s LEGO League Club ahead of the competition, which was organised by Education North Tyneside and Northumberland ICT and eLearning, and supported by SAGE. “The children have been part of the LEGO League Club in school since September,” said Year 5 T

There were celebrations at St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary in Kenton, when a staff member received a prestigious teaching award, becoming one of only ten teachers shortlisted for a national final. Alasdair Bright won the Inspiring History Teaching Award for Yorkshire, the Humber, and the North East for his innovative work at the school, where he is History Lead. “The award recognises a range of work I’ve been involved in, particularly embedding local heritage into the curricul

It was storytime at a Bedlington nursery when sixth formers from St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy visited to help inspire a love of books in some of the community’s youngest members. The ten Year 12 and 13 Social Sciences students joined the staff at Little Angels Nursery as part of their studies in Health and Social Care, Early Childhood Development, and Psychology, and spent time reading to the children, as well as observing other activities. “I networked with the manager a

It was a moment rooted in history, when pupils from St Lawrence’s Catholic Primary in Byker took part in a special tree-planting ceremony at The Lighthouse Project. Twelve children from the school attended the event, where one of 49 Sycamore Gap saplings was planted as part of the National Trust’s Trees of Hope scheme, following the illegal 2023 felling of the Sycamore Gap ‘Robin Hood’ tree at Hadrian’s Wall, which was thought to have been growing there for 120 years or more.

There was a tasty twist to proceedings when children from Star of the Sea Catholic Primary in Whitley Bay took part in this year’s North East Festival of Languages. Themed activities enjoyed by the Year 6 pupils during the three-month celebration centred around foods from around the world, with a focus on the cultural significance of different culinary dishes and traditions. “Children enjoyed three, short food-related films from around the world, exploring cultures, communiti

It was time for action, when budding robotics engineers showcased their talents at a regional competition. The pupils from St Joseph’s Catholic Primary in Benwell were competing in the Vex IQ Robotics Competition North-East Regional at Sasmi College in Sunderland, where the robot they had created was put through its paces. “The event is part of an international competition run by Vex Robotics, with a variety of age categories, and the UK North-East division is supported by Ni

It was a stellar occasion when budding astronomers from a school in Denton enjoyed a star-gazing session at the Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre in Northumberland. The 28 Year 4 pupils from St Bede’s Catholic Primary School took part in a range of workshops during the overnight visit, including an outdoor walk and the star-gazing session, which was led by their Class Teacher Anna Trow. “The highlights for myself were to see the children outside of the classroom and en

Caring and creativity were key, when students at St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy in Bedlington undertook a series of ‘Acts of Kindness’ during Lent with the aim of raising more than £400 for charity. All year groups took part in the initiative, which included supporting those in need through collecting for a foodbank, as well as fundraising for charities such as the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) and St Cuthbert’s Care. “At St Benet Biscop, our Lent period

It was top marks all round, when St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy was classed ‘Outstanding’ in its recent Catholic School Inspection. The school was awarded the highest grade across all areas in the report, which highlighted its “exceptional commitment” to its Catholic mission, religious education, collective worship, and overall student wellbeing. The inspectors also praised the school’s dedication to “fostering a nurturing, spiritually enriching environment for students and

There was an ‘eggstra special’ end to the term, when children at a Our Lady and St Anne’s Catholic Primary in Newcastle showcased their creative talents in an Easter Egg Competition. All year groups were invited to take part in the contest on Wednesday 1 April, which challenged them to design and decorate boiled eggs at home to bring into school. Among the tasty treats up for grabs were the first prize of an Easter Egg Hamper, the second prize of Easter Squish Mallows, and a

It was party time, when pupils at St Catherine’s Catholic Primary in Newcastle celebrated their first 100 days of schooling. The 24 Reception Class children marked the occasion with a host of fun activities – as well as hand-made chocolate treats. “The children created party hats, made chocolate buns, and enjoyed a special music session with our music teachers, Abi and Hatti from Piccolo,” said Reception Class Teacher Melissa Calvert, who led the event with Class Nursery Nurs

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in the former school building meaning that the school is currently housed in temporary accommodation on site. The new building will be constructed on a similar footprint to the original school building following demolition. The current temporary facilities will remain in place and in use throughout the construction period. The new school building will meet modern environmental standards through minimising energy demand and using l

There was art with heart, when pupils from English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary in Fenham enjoyed a series of workshops designed to help them explore their emotions through creativity. The school linked with Shipley Art Gallery for the Cultural Match Programme initiative, which has seen children from Reception through to Year 6 enjoy a range of age-appropriate, art-based activities over the past months. “All of the children in school have taken part in workshops with the Shipley

Geographical theory was brought dramatically to life, when students from St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle enjoyed the adventure of a lifetime in Iceland. Thirty of the school’s Year 9 and 10 geography students spent five days exploring the diverse natural features of the dramatic Icelandic landscape, which ranged from the icy to volcanic. “As part of their Geography studies, the boys investigated natural hazards, exploring why people choose to live in geologica

From caving to canoeing, intrepid children from St Aidan’s Catholic Primary in Wallsend tested their mettle when they took part in a four-day adventure at High Borrans. The Year 5 and 6 pupils rose to the challenges of a range of outdoor activities, which included caving, ghyll scrambling, canoeing, coastal scrambling and traversing, rope courses, orienteering, and hill walking. “We did various activities that challenged everyone, linking with our main objectives of resilienc

There were close encounters of the slimy, scaly, and hairy kind, when pupils at St Lawrence’s Catholic Primary in Byker got acquainted with some interesting guests. The Early Years Nursery and Reception children at the school enjoyed a visit from Zoo Lab, where an interactive workshop introduced them to a range of diverse creatures, including a snake, a giant snail, a cockroach, a tarantula, and a gecko. “The Winter Animals Workshop covered how different animals survive the w

‘Centenarians’ gathered in the playground, when pupils at St Bede’s Catholic Primary in Denton Burn celebrated their first 100 days of school. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) children arrived dressed as their future selves to mark the milestone on 11 February, while activities took place throughout the day based around the theme ‘We are 100’. “The morning began with a well-attended parent workshop led by Speech and Language Therapist Ellen Fleetwood, promoting the imp