The beach became the classroom for pupils at St Bede's Catholic Primary in Bedlington as they put their learning into practice during a special seaside visit. The Reception children visited Blyth Beach, accompanied by Class Teacher Suzanne Callan, Teaching Assistant Angela Styles, and parent volunteers. Samantha Fairbairn is Key Stage 1 Lead at the school, and explained how the visit tied in with topics the class had been studying. “The trip is a fun day out, so all children

Adventure, inspiration and unforgettable experiences awaited pupils from St Teresa's Catholic Primary in Newcastle during their visit to Holy Island. The Year 4 class spent three days on the island, where they stayed in the St Vincent de Paul Camp, and took part in a host of different activities, as well as learning about the island’s spiritual history. Headteacher Vinny Turner was among the staff accompanying the group, and was impressed with the children’s sense of adventur

The adventures of a space-travelling boy and his hamster have seen their creators become published authors, after budding writers at St Lawrence’s Catholic Primary in Byker took part in a special reading and writing programme. The Year 5 pupils have been involved in a three-year project with Seven Stories, which has seen them work together to create their own story to be turned into a printed book. Head of School Charlotte Robson has been following the children’s progress. “S

Music legend Elton John was the inspiration, when children from St Bede’s Catholic Primary in Bedlington took to the stage at Whitley Bay Playhouse. The 15 pupils from the school were taking part in a Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust showcase event, alongside fellow Trust primaries St Aidan’s, St Paul’s, Ss Peter and Paul’s, St Robert’s, and St Wilfrid's, and students from St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy, which organised the evening. Samantha Fairbairn, who is Key Stag

Voices were joined, when more than 700 of our children came together at the Cathedral Church of St Mary to mark the successful first year of a new school singing initiative. Cantate: A Celebration of the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle Schools Singing Programme, saw pupils from ten primary schools within the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust sing at the Cathedral across two days, with around 350 children forming the choir on each occasion. Eimear Hurley is Choral Directo

Non-directive play was the focus when the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust organised a series of workshops for Early Years staff across its member schools. BBCET Speech and Language Therapist Emma East has been delivering the Narrating Play programme, with the support of Writer-Facilitators Susan Mulholland and Danielle Slade. “The Narrating Play workshops are a series of four continuing professional development workshops on offer to any members of staff working with Ea

Children at St Lawrence’s Catholic Primary in Byker celebrated diversity and inclusivity through a special event held as part of Refugee Week. Pupils from Nursery to Year 6 arrived for Cultural Day wearing clothes related to their culture, while staff also came suitably dressed for the occasion. Head of School Charlotte Robson organised the event, which also included a range of themed activities across all age groups. “Pupils and staff were encouraged to come into school in c

There were creatures great and small, when children from St Oswald's Catholic Primary in Gosforth enjoyed a trip to the Great North Museum. The Reception Class took part in an interactive workshop which linked to their classroom studies, while there was also the opportunity to explore the museum’s galleries, and learn about endangered species threatened by climate change. The 29 pupils were accompanied by Rebecca Wills, who is Reception Class Teacher at the school. “The works

There was a warm welcome from the children, when the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle visited English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary to officially open a garden and cabin dedicated to St Francis. The Peace Garden and St Francis Cabin had been created to celebrate the Jubilee Year of St Francis, which was designated by Pope Leo XIV to mark the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death in 1226. Headteacher Maria Elliott was among those welcoming Bishop Stephen to the school, which is bas

A clear commitment to inclusivity could be seen, when St Wilfrid’s Catholic Primary in Blyth opened a new Sensory Room to meet pupils’ varied and diverse needs. The newly developed space has been carefully designed to provide a calm and nurturing environment to support the children’s emotional wellbeing, and enhance their learning experience. Head of School Claire Meldrum was delighted with the results. “The Sensory Room has been thoughtfully created within the school to prov

Young eco-warriors spoke up for change, when they staged their own Climate Justice Exhibition at St Robert’s Catholic First School in Morpeth. Children across all year groups took part in the event, which saw them create original pieces of art to spread awareness about the urgent issues related to climate change. Alice Butler, who is Lead for both Geography and Art at the school, oversaw the project. “Get Creative for Climate Justice asks young people to explore climate chang

From litter picks and bug hotels to charity work and a Climate Justice Campaign, caring pupils at St Robert’s Catholic First School showed they were worthy recipients of a prestigious award from the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD). The school in Morpeth received the CAFOD Live Simply Award in recognition of its pioneering work in living ‘sustainably with creation’ and ‘in solidarity with people living in poverty’. All year groups were involved in the initiati

A gondola race in eighteenth-century Venice was the inspiration, when budding artists from St Robert’s Catholic First School took part in a project that saw their work displayed in London’s National Gallery. This year’s Take One Picture programme tasked children from schools across the UK to create an original piece of art in response to one of the National Gallery’s famous paintings, Canaletto’s A Regatta on the Grand Canal – and the Year 1 pupils at St Robert’s in Morpeth r

St John Vianney Catholic Primary in West Denton is set to undergo a radical transformation, with work due to start on the construction of a new, state-of-the art school building, under the Department of Education’s national School Rebuilding Programme. The move follows the earlier identification of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in the original school building, which meant staff and pupils were required to relocate to temporary accommodation on site. The multi-

Creative dance was on the timetable, when children at St Bede’s Catholic Primary in Denton Burn took part in a workshop which explored faith and movement. Fifty-six Year 1 and 2 pupils at the school participated in the More Than Dance event, which uses a fusion of different dance styles to promote self-esteem and personal growth, as well as improve self-awareness, self-confidence, self-expression, and group participation. More Than Dance is a Community Interest Company (CIC)

The pupils were the stars, when Ofsted inspectors praised the children’s behaviour in their report on St Bede’s Catholic Primary in Bedlington. The children were said to “understand the school’s high expectations for behaviour” and to “behave calmly and respectfully”. “They play cooperatively at breaktimes and behave well in the dining hall, chatting with friends and using cutlery correctly,” said the report. “In lessons, pupils behave well, and the exciting curriculum is beg

Children became magical rainmakers, when St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary in North Shields hosted a touring opera group from Kenya. Pupils from Nursery to Year 6 at the school enjoyed the interactive performance from Baraka Opera, which was organised through the North Tyneside Music Hub service. The school’s Music Coordinator, Rosie Brown, supported the event. “Baraka Opera Kenya is an ensemble of four professional Kenyan singer-musicians,” she said. “They performed the Rain Sh

The Class of 2026 were sent off in style, when St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle staged a special celebration to mark the cohort’s departure ahead of this year’s A-Level exams. The Year 13 Leavers’ Celebration at the school included Mass led by Canon Simon and Father James, followed by food, speeches, and presentations. Headteacher Dan Murray paid tribute to the sixth formers. “Their final days in school were marked not by a sense of ending, but by gratitude, jo

It was full speed ahead, when budding engineers at St Aidan’s Catholic Primary in Wallsend took part in a project that tasked them with building their own racing car. The Year 5 and 6 pupils worked together to construct the Greenpower Goblin Kit Car, with help from engineers from JW Colpitts in Blyth. The project took part in stages, starting with the rear axle and culminating in a final build day, where the children were also able to test drive their creation. “Children work

Peter Rabbit has had a dotty makeover, thanks to children from St Alban’s Catholic Primary in Walker, who have been taking part in this year’s Art Trail fundraiser for St Oswald’s in Newcastle. Pupils of all ages at the school have been involved in Peter Rabbit: Tales on the Tyne, which has seen them design and decorate their own unique sculpture of Beatrix Potter’s famous character in support of the hospice. In keeping with the literary theme, the young artists drew inspirat