A Newcastle-based teacher-training provision has been graded as ‘exceptional’ or ‘strong standard’ across all criteria in its recent Ofsted Report, and at both primary and secondary levels. Inspectors of Sacred Heart Newcastle School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) partnership in Fenham found ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Professional Behaviours, Personal Development and Wellbeing’ to be ‘exceptional’, while all other aspects were judged to be of a ‘strong standard’. Sacred Heart

Sponge and custard were on the menu at a school fundraiser in Denton Burn – but not for eating. Headteacher Leigh-Anne Young at St Bede’s Catholic Primary was bombarded with wet sponges and doused in cold custard at the school’s annual Family Fun Day, helping to raise almost £2,200. Linzi Walton is School Manager at St Bede’s. “Children paid £1 for three wet sponges to throw at Mrs Young,” she explained. “With the custard, the children paid £1, and, if we reached a target of

There was a high note to the school day for students in Bedlington, when they enjoyed a workshop with two professional opera singers. Alex Banfield and Wallis Giunta led the careers event at St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy, where they were joined by the cast of the school’s upcoming musical production. Head of Performing Arts Louise Maughan organised the visit. “The professional opera singers did a one-hour careers workshop,” she said. “Alex is from Northumberland himself, a

Intrepid pupils swapped their Newcastle classroom for a week of outdoor adventure, when they travelled to Brathay Hall in the heart of the Lake District. The Year 6 cohort from St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School tested their mettle with a series of challenges which ranged from hiking to canoeing. Class Teacher Rachael Murray accompanied the group, and was impressed by the children’s courage and determination – as well as their behaviour towards one another. “Our Year 6 pu

There was a twist on the classic spelling bee, when students from three Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust schools competed in a foreign language variation of the contest. The Translation Bee was hosted by St Thomas More Catholic High School in North Shields, where the Year 7 French Modern Foreign Language students were joined by peers from fellow BBCET high schools Sacred Heart, and St Mary’s. The event saw 12 students participate in a series of translation-based challen

A group of students from St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle were among the guest speakers at the opening of an exhibition commemorating a family’s journey from war-torn Bosnia to a new life in Tyneside. From Bosnia to Tyneside shares the story of Smajo Bešo OBE and his family, told through film, photographs, and personal belongings, and explores themes of displacement and belonging. It opened at the Destination Tyneside Gallery at the Discovery Museum on Friday 1

There was a bright end to the week at St Bede’s Catholic Primary in Bedlington, when the children took part in a sponsored Colour Run. The event on Friday 10 July saw pupils of all ages from Nursery to Year 6 have different coloured powder paints thrown at them while they ran around the school field. Key Stage 1 Lead Samantha Fairbairn was there to join in the fun – and to help raise money for the school. “The children ran around a track set up by our PTA Friends of St Bede’s

Sisters were doing it for themselves, when Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Fenham staged a high-energy musical theatre production. Students across all age groups were involved in Sister Act, taking on roles behind the scenes, as well as on stage. Head of Performing Arts Kerrie Palma directed the show. “We had approximately 60 students taking part from Year 7 to Year 12,” she said. “Students were involved in a variety of disciplines and roles, such as technical production

Budding astronomers were able to visit Mars – or, at least a piece of it – when they enjoyed a trip to the Kielder Observatory. The 17 Key Stage 2 pupils from St Bede’s Catholic Primary in Bedlington were given a tour of the observatory, which is located in the Kielder Forest close to the Scottish border, and opened as an outreach astronomical facility in 2008, hosting around 40 public events a month. Year 5 Teacher Olivia Jarvis leads the school’s Space Club and accompanied

Rock climbing and canoeing were just two of the challenges on offer, when intrepid pupils from St Oswald’s Catholic Primary in Gosforth swapped their classroom for some outdoor adventure. The 27 Year 6 children spent three days at Borrowdale in the Lake District, where they tested their mettle with a range of different activities provided by Live4Adventure, which also included ghyll scrambling and hill walking. The school’s Year 6 Teacher and Key Stage 2 Lead, Jen Gray, accom

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

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

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 Gemma East has been delivering the Narrating Play programme, with the support of Writer-Facilitators Susan Mulholland and Danielle Slade. They have been gratefully supported by three host schools Cuthbert’s Catholic High School, St. Stephen’s Catholic Primary School and St. Robert’

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