Reading Bus – Boldon Roots!

7th May 2025Fiona Goodwin

We’re celebrating our Boldon roots!

Our Reading Bus has had in incredible makeover thanks to local graffiti artist Tyler Rutley, who’s transformed it with scenes from Boldon Colliery’s mining past. It’s a powerful tribute to our local heritage and a fantastic way for our children to connect with the history of their families and community.

“Focusing on the past is a key part of our curriculum. Many of our children’s parents and grandparents worked in the coal industry – this project gives them a real sense of pride in where they come from” – Linsey Garr, Head Teacher

“As a Boldon Colliery lad, I was proud to support this. It’s about giving something back and helping inspire the next generation to love reading and their heritage” – Tyler Rutley, Artist

We love it – and the children do too!

Year 6 Leaver’s Hoodies

7th May 2025Fiona Goodwin

Such a lovely moment today presenting our Year 6’s with their leavers hoodies! It’s hard to believe they’ve only got one term left before we wave them goodbye. Still lots of hard work and fun ahead, and we know they’ll continue to make us proud every step of the way!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined” – Henry David Thoreau.

You’ve got this, Year 6! Let the countdown begin!

Year 3 Greek Day!

7th May 2025Fiona Goodwin

Year 3 wrapped up their Ancient Greek topic with an action packed day of fun and learning!

We kicked things off by sampling a delicious selection of Greek foods – pitta bread, feta cheese, tomatoes in olive oil, hummus, tzatziki, olives, grapes and even some sweet baklava!

After that, we learned all about the legacy of the Ancient Greek Olympics, before heading outside to take part in our own mini games. We competed in running races, long jump and discus – with the winners proudly receiving golden olive crowns just like the ancient Olympians!

To finish the day, we channelled our inner Greek warriors and built our own catapults! Miss Robinson got a bit of a surprise when she walked back in the room – let’s just say our aim was spot on!

What a brilliant way to end our topic – well done, Year 3!

Year 1/2 get a visit from OpenZone

11th April 2025Miss K. Wilkinson

Last week, our Year 1/2 students had an amazing time with the OpenZone exploring Lego Spike! They worked together to code, debug and build exciting projects, developing their teamwork and problem-solving skills along the way. It was fantastic to see their creativity and resilience in action!

A huge thank you to OpenZone for an inspiring hands-on experience! We can’t wait to apply what we’ve learned back in the classroom!

ARC Easter Stay and Play

11th April 2025Miss K. Wilkinson

ARC1 and 2 had a cracking afternoon welcoming parents, carers, grandparents and siblings for some Easter fun!

There were plenty of egg-citing activities on offer – card making , painting egg decorations , and a school-wide Easter egg hunt ! We also shared some tasty hot cross buns and drinks together.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us – it was a joy to have you in school and celebrate together!

RE Storyteller visit

11th April 2025Miss K. Wilkinson
We had a visit from an RE Storyteller who went through different workshops with Reception, Year 1/2, Year 3, Year 5 and Year 6 about components of the Easter story.
The children were really enjoyed the stories and asked lots of questions.

West Boldon celebrates British Sign Languge Week

26th March 2025Fiona Goodwin

Last week, the whole school took part in British Sign Language Week, learning about the importance of inclusive communication and the experiences of the deaf community.

As part of this Year 5 took part in a powerful lesson led by Miss Swales and Mr Gordon, delivered entirely in silence – just as it would be for a deaf child.

Without using sound, we quickly realised how challenging it can be to:

  • Convey true meaning without hearing tone or voice.
  • Ask questions clearly when we couldn’t speak.
  • Cope with the frustration of misunderstanding instructions – one child completed their task incorrectly and found it difficult to communicate their confusion.

This experience truly opened our eyes to the daily challenges faced by people who are deaf. British Sign Language Week has helped us all develop a deeper empathy and appreciation for the importance of accessible communication.

Celebrating Chinese New Year

5th February 2025Fiona Goodwin

On Friday, our school was filled with the sights, smells and tastes of Chinese New Year as we enjoyed some amazing food to mark the occasion! It was wonderful to see the children exploring new flavours and learning about this vibrant celebration.

We also had a fantastic star of the week assembly, celebrating the hard work and achievements of our pupils – well done to all our stars!

ARC Classrooms

5th February 2025Fiona Goodwin

We’re thrilled to share some fantastic news from West Boldon Primary! Our ARC classrooms have now been made permanent following a recent vote by the South Tyneside Cabinet. This vital resource will continue to support countless children in achieving a brilliant education for years to come.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us on this journey – this is a big step forward for our school community and, most importantly, for the children who will benefit from these incredible opportunities.

A fond farewell to Christine Bingham

5th February 2025Fiona Goodwin

On the 17th January, we held a very special assembly to celebrate the incredible career of Christine Bingham, who has decided to retire after 28 years of dedicated service to West Boldon Primary School.

Christine joined us as a Teaching Assistant all those years ago, and through her hard work and commitment, became out much-loved Office Manager. Over nearly three decades, she has been the heart of our school, supporting children, parents, and staff with her kindness, warmth and expertise.

Christine will be deeply missed by everyone here at West Boldon, but we hope she won’t be a stranger and will pop in to visit us often! Thank you for everything Christine – you’ve left a legacy of love and dedication that will remain part of our school forever.

 

Please join us in wishing Christine a very happy and well-deserved retirement!