It was a colourful occasion when children at St Aidan’s Catholic Primary in Ashington came together to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi – as well as raising more than £1,400 for charity. Pupils across all year groups at the school took part in the event, which included a range of classroom-based activities, and culminated in a fun-packed fundraising finale. “Holi is known as the Festival of Colours and is celebrated by Hindus around the world,” explained Headteacher Julie

World Book Day became World Book Week, when St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy in Northumberland held a five-day Festival of Reading. Students from Year 7 to Sixth Form took part in the literary celebration, which included a range of themed activities, competitions, costumes, and a special visitor – as well as every opportunity to open a book. “This year, World Book Day was bigger than ever,” said Louise Banfield, who is Assistant Headteacher at the school. “With so much planne

There was an interesting twist, when St Robert’s Catholic First School put their own spin on this year’s World Book Day celebrations. While some pupils arrived dressed as their favourite fictional characters on Thursday 5 March, others took a more descriptive approach and chose to come as adjectives. “Children were invited to come to school dressed either as a character from a book or as an adjective, depending on their preference,” said Jen Sykes, who is Deputy Headteacher a

World Book Day was brought vividly to life this year, when children at St Alban’s Catholic Primary in Walker were joined by a special guest – although, thankfully, no crocodiles were present. Pupils of all ages at the school were put through their creative paces by County Durham-based author-illustrator Liz Million, whose popular children’s books include There’s a Crocodile in the House. “All classes had dedicated time to meet the author,” said Headteacher Ciara Yeoman. “Sess

Reading was on the menu, when children at St Catherine’s Catholic Primary in Newcastle kicked off this year’s World Book Day with ‘Breakfast and a Book’. Pupils of all ages shared their favourite stories with friends and family members over breakfast at the school on Thursday 5 March. The annual celebration of reading then continued with a host of themed activities and competitions, which were led by the staff with the support of the school’s Year 6 ‘Reading Ambassadors’. “St

Friendship and community were the themes when St Aidan’s Catholic Primary in Ashington celebrated this year’s World Book Day on Thursday 5 March. Children across all year groups at the school took part in a range of book-based activities inspired by Joseph Coelho’s The Tower. “The story explores themes of imagination, friendship, community, and seeing the world from different perspectives,” explained Headteacher Julie Teer. “Through this book, children learned about empathy,

Fantasy was the theme when Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Newcastle celebrated this year’s World Book Day on Thursday 5 March. Staff and students alike drew inspiration from the magical worlds of books including The Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, and the Harry Potter series, dressing as their favourite characters for the annual event. “The theme was ‘fantasy genre’,” explained English Teacher Lucy Floyd, who helped organise the celebrations. “Staff dressed up f

World Book Day became ‘Wild Book Day’, when children at St Lawrences’ Catholic Primary in Byker gave the annual celebration of reading a novel twist. Pupils from Nursery to Year 6 took part in the international event, with activities all themed around a particular story. “This year, the whole school was reading Wild Book Day by Karl Newson and James Brown,” explained Head of School Charlotte Robson. “In it, books come to life when children aren’t looking at them, and they get

Inclusivity and belonging were on the agenda when Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos) from across Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Northumberland came together at a Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust conference. Delegates from our member schools attended ‘Inclusion and Belonging: Every Child, Every Chance’, which took place at the Grand Hotel in Gosforth Park on Friday 13 February. “We had a selection of speakers, including Gareth Morewood, an interesting and th

There was an extra dimension to their film studies, when sixth formers at a Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Newcastle took part in a special music masterclass. The nine Year 13 students had been studying the classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller Vertigo, when their teacher, Jessie-May Perry, discovered that another member of staff had valuable expertise to share about the composer of the film score, Bernard Hermann. “I left the DVD of Vertigo in the Auditorium after we watch

There were some unfamiliar ‘senior citizens’ in class, when St John Vianney Catholic Primary in Denton held a special celebration to mark the first 100 days of the academic year. Pupils of all ages took part in the 100 Days of School event, which featured a range of imaginative activities and costumes around the theme – including children dressed as they imagined they might look as centenarians. “The day involved a wide range of fun, creative, and educational activities, all

The race was on, when four Year 8 students from St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School made it through to the regional final of a prestigious Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) competition. Team ‘Lightspeed’ were tasked with designing, creating, and racing their own model ‘Formula One’ car, as part of the international STEM Racing challenge. “The competition is based around several elements – project management, manufacturing and engineering the miniature F1 car,

Vital lessons from the past were remembered and shared, when children from St Catherine’s Catholic Primary in Newcastle organised and led their own Holocaust Memorial Day service. The Year 6 class were involved in every aspect of the planning and delivery of the special assembly, which was attended by all Key Stage 2 pupils at the school, as well as parents and carers. “All Year 6 pupils took part in leading the assembly, which focused on remembrance, respect, and the importa

History was brought vividly to life, when students at St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle heard first-hand accounts of the Holocaust and the Bosnian genocide. Holocaust survivor Martin Stern, and Smajo Beso, who lived through the genocide in Bosnia, visited the school as part of the Memory in Action project, an educational initiative which sees survivors share their experiences with secondary school students from around the UK. “Our pupils followed the personal st

Self-belief was the message, when budding artists at St Alban’s Catholic Primary in Westbourne showcased their talents in an aspirational campaign. Pupils of all ages at the school took part in the project, which drew inspiration from The Dot, a popular book by children’s writer Peter H Reynolds. “In the story, a young girl named Vashti doesn’t believe in herself,” explained Headteacher Ciara Yeoman. “She longs to be an artist but is convinced she cannot draw – until her teac

t was a case of ‘Hello, hello, hello’, when children at St Mary’s Catholic Primary in Forest Hall welcomed a visitor from Northumbria Police. The Year 5 and 6 pupils were taking part in a Bullying and Cyberbullying Workshop, which was led by a member of the force’s Prevention Through Education Team. “The children talked about bullying and what different forms bullying may take,” said Year 5 Teacher Tom Johnson, who organised the event with the support of Year 6 Teacher and De

Young eco warriors shared a powerful message, when St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School in Heaton hosted a compelling exhibition designed to promote understanding of key environmental challenges around the globe. The 9 Earths installation has taken up temporary residence in the school hall, and features nine 3D models of the planet, with each depicting a distinct area of climate change. There are also 11 information boards which provide additional details, enabling those visit

It was checkmate when budding chess masters at St Alban’s Catholic Primary were given some strategic tips to improve their gameplay. The members of our after-school Chess Club have been benefiting from the coaching of Michael Riding, who is an expert in the game. “Michael Riding has worked closely with the club to introduce new techniques, tactics, and competitive play, helping pupils to progress rapidly, and deepen their understanding of the game,” explained Headteacher Ciar

Inclusivity and individuality were firmly on the timetable, when pupils at St Oswald’s Catholic Primary in Gosforth came together for a special celebration. All year groups at the school took part in Diversity and Uniqueness Day, swapping their uniforms for clothing that reflected their identity, from traditional or cultural dress, to colours linked to their heritage, or outfits related to a particular interest or belief. Inspired by the book What Makes Me a Me? by Ben Faulk

There was a chance to join the professionals, when basketball players from St Mary’s Catholic Primary in Forest Hall competed in front of thousands at the Vertu Motors Arena during the Newcastle Eagles versus London Lions game. The Year 5 team had made it through the qualifying stages of the North Tyneside Hoops4Health competition, to win the final, which took place during half time at the Eagles game on Friday 23 January. “The tournament was a full-day event,” explained Year