Pupils at St Bede’s celebrate 100 days of school

‘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 importance of language-rich play,” said Deputy Headteacher Laura Watanabe.

“The children then joined their parents in the hall for some activities, linking to the theme of 100 days, and offering parents an opportunity to put some of Ellen’s strategies into practice through their play.

“One of the biggest highlights was seeing the children hobble into classrooms as little centenarians, smiling from ear to ear, and completely absorbed in their role play. Another was the incredible support from parents, both in attending the workshop and in their creative costume efforts.”

Challenges included working together to write 100 words across ten different categories; 100-second bursts of jumping, balancing, and star jumps; a 100-frame Numicon maths puzzle; and 100-second tidy ups.

The children also created 100 Days self-portraits, made posters, and wrote something for which they were thankful on a star, as well completing speaking prompts such as ‘When I am 100 I will…’

“We finished our session by gathering for a prayerful moment to celebrate our first 100 days of learning, playing, making friends, trying new things, and growing together,” continued Mrs Watanabe.

Planned and delivered by EYFS teachers Katy Décube and Catherine Coatsworth, with the support of teaching assistants Sue Savage, Marie James, and Marilia Murray, it was the tenth time the event had taken place.

“Celebrating milestones like 100 Days in School is special, because it gives children the chance to see how much they’ve grown in a short time,” said Mrs Décube. “It helps them recognise their progress, not just academically, but socially and emotionally too.”

“Events like this build a sense of achievement and belonging,” added Miss Coatsworth. “They strengthen friendships, spark creativity through activities such as dressing up and role play, and make learning memorable and fun.

“For our school community, these celebrations bring everyone together. They give families a chance to engage with learning, strengthen home-school partnerships, and provide a special moment to celebrate achievements big and small.”