....Kieron Shaw and Jed Ferguson

Swimming Lessons

My favourite subject is swimming because you get really good lessons and they help you to swim properly.
Swimming is on a Wednesday at 2pm in Dunston Pool.
Some year 2 children , all Year 3, 4 and Year 5 go to the baths . The teachers who take us are Miss Lawson and Mrs Anderson.
There are three teams in the small pool - red, blue and green. We get changed and have a shower before we go into the pool. The small pool is 1m deep. We swim for about an hour and come back to school at about 4pm.
Kieron Shaw

Wednesdays are good days! In the afternoon we go to Dunston Pool with Miss Lawson and Mrs Anderson. All the children in Miss Lawson's class go with the Year 5's in Mr Hampson's class.
We have to shower before we go in the pool then we are put into different groups. The big pool is nearly 4m deep and is for swimmers trying to get a KS2 certificate. The small pool is for learners.
There are two teachers, Mrs Reay and Miss Barnes.
Mrs Reay does the big pool, she is helping Abigail and Matthew with Personal Survival Awards and they will shortly need to swim in pyjamas. Other children with Mrs Reay are trying to build up strength by treading water and swimming lengths.
Miss Barnes does the small pool she gives children floats and confidence and makes them improve their strokes.
Some times we have free time which is my favourite time!
Jed Ferguson

Articles written and published to the website by Jed and Kieron

KS2 children looked at how musical styles around the world have been influenced by the rock and pop music that came out of the U.S.A and the U.K in the 50's and 60's.
George, Keren, Giles and Tony from Gateshead Music Services taught the children about different musical styles and the countries they came from.
The workshop began with' We Will Rock You,' a rock song transformed rhythmically and melodically with a punjabi 'bhangra ' style beat.
Children then sang and played percussion instruments to African rhythms.
A Mexican cha cha cha style song in nine sections was introduced , this was quickly followed with a Spanish Flamenco.
An international flavour of pop music was illustrated with a Bruno Mars song in reggae style.
Calypso and gypsy music was enjoyed before the workshop finished with an appropriately titled Status Quo song..' Rockin all over the World!'
Our thanks to Gateshead Music Services for a fantastic,fun and valuable morning.

Photographs can be seen in our gallery..click here

....Matthew Knight

After -School Clubs

After-school clubs are for school-age children to play and learn. In Swalwell Primary School we have a variety of after school clubs including: Football Club, Hockey Club, Dance Club, ICT Club, Reading Club and Homework Club (Maths Club and Breakfast Club are held before school).

Our clubs change each term - last term we had Glee Club, Arts and Crafts Club, Let's Get Cooking Club and Philately Club. Most clubs in Swalwell Primary School are free of charge and run by teachers except for Youth Club which will be starting soon, it costs about one pound a session because it is run by youth workers.

At the start of every club a register is taken and at the end of every session the child is picked up by an adult unless permission has been given for them to walk home alone.

Children from Reception to Year 6 can go to the clubs that are suitable for their age level. The materials, ingredients and equipment are provided but children must bring P.E. kit for sport clubs.

These clubs are a fun safe place to learn and enjoy yourself but they are only held inside school term. I go to Football Club on a Monday and I really enjoy it.

Photographic link

Written and published to the website By Matthew Knight

by Jack Greenup

Football Tournament

I am very proud to be on the school football team. I am looking forward to Wed 1st February 2012 because Swalwell School team are playing in a tournament at Gateshead Leisure Centre. There are 14 teams taking part and the top 2 teams are playing in the final on Wednesday 8th February.

I think our team is me, Jordan, Karl, Kieran, Jake, Ethan and Kelsey. I am proud because I am playing for the school team. I love football! Mrs Wheatley and Mrs Lancastle -Smith must think I am good because they always pick me for the team .

At weekends I play for Swalwell Swifts and I once played for Darlington. I was also asked to go to Sunderland Academy.

Swalwell Swifts are a good team and are top of the Gateshead league.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR 2011 - 2012 TEAM CAN BE VIEWED BY CLICKING HERE

Written and published to the website by Jack Greenup.

...Jack Chisholm
A Mathematics Investigation By Jack Chisholm

For about the last week we have been working on areas and perimeters of squares and rectangles, this included going outside and measuring huge things like the ball court, artwork and flowerbeds. We were doing very well until Mr. Hampson came up with an intriguing challenge! He asked us, "If you increase the perimeter of a shape does the area always increase?" My instincts were that this was not true but I wasn't sure about it, so we needed to do some investigating. We broke up into groups of two which drew lots of different shapes on squared paper and worked out their areas and perimeters.

In the next numeracy lesson, which was the next day, we had to put our information down in a table. We put them in order of smallest to biggest perimeter size. From the table I could see that the area DOESN'T ALWAYS INCREASE as the perimeter gets bigger, actually it went plummeting down when we drew a long and thin rectangle.

I was first to discover this so Mr. Hampson asked me to answer the question in a sentence.. I wrote: "Not always but if the shape is big and fat the area goes up but if the shape is long and thin it can go down."

I really enjoyed doing this investigation!!!!

Written and published to the website by Jack Chisholm

...Courtney Turnbull

Before the Christmas holidays we had Decorations Day. We learnt how to weave paper and card to make Christmas cards and calendars
We were given permission to collect willow from Watergate Forest Park . At the park we cut and collected long and short rods of willow to use in school to build a tunnel and a house. We thought willow would be good because it is easy to bend and twist.
At school we used weaving and our imagination to build structures to make our school grounds look good. It was cold when we started the work but we still had such fun. .
I thought it was more challenging to build a real willow structure than to make the calendar because the willow was harder to work with than the card.

Written and published by Courtney Turnbull, Year 5/6

...Emily Newstead

My Name is Emily Newstead and I am our young reporter this week. I am a School Councillor, Prefect and Playground Buddy and I take my roles very seriously.

School Council is a group of children who listen to the views of others in order to improve the school. Every three to four weeks we have a School Council meeting to discuss improvements for the school. We also discuss good points about the school week. These meetings take place in Mrs Lancastle-Smith's office and last for 45 minutes to 1 hour. School Councillors have to listen to the improvements their friends suggest and pass them on to the Teacher. In order to be a School Councillor you have to be responsible, caring and reliable. School Councillors are a variety of ages from 6-11 years and we have two children from each class in school (Y2 to Y6) .

Buddies ensure that all children have something to do throughout break times.
Each day Year 5/6 pupils who are buddies go to the KS2 yard and KS1 yard to make sure everyone is safe and happy.They take equipment outside that is suitable for a variety of ages. If a child does not have anyone to play with the Buddies will set up fun and energetic games to play with them.

Prefects have to set a good example, be responsible and very sensible. A prefects job is to monitor the corridors to make sure no one is silly or unsafe. Prefects help during break times and dinner times. There is a rota so everyone gets a chance to prefect each week. Only year 6 pupils do prefecting as they are old enough and mature enough to take on a big responsibility. No prefect works alone they always work in twos or threes.

Written and Published By Emily Newstead(Yr 6)

Judging from the noise in the hall this afternoon, Mr Hampson's class clearly enjoyed their Christmas Party!
Pass the Parcel, Musical Statues, Newspaper Balancing and Find an Animal Family were all played with great enthusiasm .
Afterwards, the children enjoyed the delicious party food .
Swalwell School children benefit each year from a free party. The cost is met entirely from school funds.
All the staff would like to wish everyone in Swalwell a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Photo link

J Anderson

Our Year 6 children helped to lift the spirits of residents at Whickham Villas, a local care home , today. Pupils sang a range of seasonal songs and carols, to get everyone into the Christmas mood.
The children have been practising in class for the past few weeks and their efforts were greatly received. Thank you to Mr Hampson for co-ordinating the event and to Mrs Cunningham and Mrs Mood for accompanying the children.

Photographs in gallery.

J Anderson

...Emily Birdsall and Jordan Jeffrey

Singing in the Community
Today, we went to Whickham Villas to sing traditional Christmas songs to the old people. We sang favourites such as :Santa Claus is coming to town and Silent Night.
The pensioners thoroughly enjoyed our performance and we thoroughly enjoyed singing to them. We were given juice, biscuits and crisps. Before we left they gave us a box of Celebrations to share at school.They will remember our singing for a long time. We think we did Swalwell Primary School proud and we all worked together as a team to please the residents.
Written and Published on the website by Emily Birdsall and Jordan Jeffrey

I thought this was an excellent play, well performed with a fantastic selection of songs. The children's enthusiasm was wonderful to see and all played their roles excellently.
Review by Lisa Wilson parent of Daniel

What a brilliant show by Swalwell Primary School! It was obvious that a lot of hard work had been put into it by both pupils and staff to make it such a success. The costumes were magnificent along with a good storyline,singing and dancing,it proves how talented the children of Swalwell Primary are. Jack's grandma and grandad said,"It was the best school performance we have ever seen!!"
Review by Lynne Pattison mam of Jack

The play started very well with Lauren, Will and Liam all speaking clearly and loudly enough for to hear. The costumes and makeup were great and the children knew their lines and dance moves (helped by Miss Gowland at the back). They all had fun doing their play, which is a good sign.
The moving solo performance from Danika was beautiful and had a few people, including me, in tears.
The play was well written, and as with all the other plays I have seen in school, really enjoyable to watch.
Everyone was fabulous and I look forward to next year's play to see if it is just as good.
Well done to everyone, I loved it!
Review by Jackie Murray parent of Dylan

Articles published on website by Daniel, Jack. C and Dylan ( Year 5/6 children)

Daniel Wilson

The trip to Holy Trinity Church, in Swalwell, was about the Christmas story and experiencing the amazing story of the birth of Jesus.The education started in the afternoon. Holy Trinity Church had been set up for the arrival of Year 5. First Matt and Adrian took turns to tell us the Christmas story, then we did activities at the different stations. Everyone thought it was interesting and a good way to learn the true meaning of Christmas.
The thing I enjoyed the most was drawing with real ink and a quill.

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Written and published on the website by Daniel Wilson

Today our Year 5 class went to Holy Trinity Church to 'Experience Christmas .' Visual displays were set up in church, each one relating to some aspect of the Christmas story. Pupils were guided on a pilgrimage around the displays, and stopped at each one for story- telling and an accompanying activity.
The children were invited to engage imaginatively with the true meaning of Christmas.
All pupils enjoyed this memorable event and would like to thank Rev Adrian Thorpe and Matt Tarling for inviting us.
Photographic link

J Anderson

Once again Mrs Lancastle- Smith has written a Christmas play for our older children to perform.
It is the story of two children who get locked in school and travel through the decades meeting all sorts of exciting people until at last they find the true meaning of Christmas.
There is something in this play for everyone, whether you like music from the war years, are fans of the 'Fab Four' or enjoy the music of the 'King of Rock and Roll'.
The children have worked extremely hard and are a credit to their parents and the school .

Photographs
J Anderson

Mrs Anderson took some Year 5 children to The Sage in Gateshead where monks from Tashi Lhunpo presented a workshop of dance, music and chanted prayer.
Faith, Abigail and Antony were all agreed that the workshop had given them an insight into the monks way of life.
The children will soon be sharing their knowledge with other pupils in a celebration assembly. They are our young reporters this week and were delighted to be able to write and publish their comments on the website.
Photographs

Our Young Reporters this week are...
Faith, Abigail and Antony

At The Sage I learnt hand gestures that the monks use in prayer. The gestures represent : water for drinking , water for washing, offerings of perfume, music, cake, light, flowers and incense. This morning was great because I got to watch the monks dance and then I got to learn the dance steps afterwards.
Written by Antony

When I went to the Sage seven monks did a dance.The dance was about defeating all of the bad spirits to welcome in the New Year.The thing I loved the most was the drum because it was nice and loud and kept the rhythm of the chants.The monks wear hats which are for wisdom, power and kindness.They also wear a skirt, top and shawl.
Written by Faith

When I was at The Sage seeing the TIbetan Monks I learnt how to do one of their prayers using hand movements. I enjoyed seeing the monks perform a chant , a dance and music. I thought the monks were fantastic - they have to learn so many different prayers and dances. It takes them at least 10-20 years to learn the prayers. I now know that Tibet is a very big country with large mountains, the highest is Mount Everest. They are a religious country. It is said the mountains are where heaven meets the earth!
My best bit was blowing in the long horn because I was able to make a sound out of it .
Written by Abigail

Amy Hodgson
On Wednesday 24th November ten pupils of Swalwell Primary School went to a basketball tournament at Whickham School. I was one of ten pupils to represent our school. The others were: Jack Greenup, Jake Todd, Jordan Jeffery, Sophie Pears, Karl Moorhead, Jessica Hall, Kieron Trainer and Faith Lowes.
We played overall five matches each and the teams we played were: Fellside, Front Street, Washingwell A, Washingwell B, Fellside B.
The winning team was Washingwell A they were presented with a certificate, a medal and a trophy. After every match the team played, we shook hands with the opponents. When we had finished the semi - final match we found out that we were runners- up. We all got certificates and around of applause from the four teams remaining.

I had a brilliant time and I hope I can continue playing basketball in secondary school.

Written by Amy Hodgson.

Y5/6 visited Watergate Forest Park Local Nature Reserve, on the outskirts of Gateshead,
this morning.
The park has many features; sculptures, streams, wildflowers and wildlife.
Kelly , a member of the countryside team, told Y5/6 a little about the history of the site as they trailed through woodland and around the lake.
Children then collected willow to use in school at a later date.

Photographs
J Anderson

...Matthew Graham and Jordan Jeffrey
We are members of the school council and we were chosen to go to a conference up at Whickham School with councillors from other primary schools.
The conference was about moving to Whickham School (transition).
Each school sent two children to represent their primary school.
We met and talked about what we want when we go to Whickham on taster day.
We suggested having two taster days and talked about wanting buddies from Whickham to show us around on the first day to keep an eye on us and help us make friends.
We were given notebooks and pens we found out about how many people go to Whickham ,how to raise money and a little bit about university,college and good exam results.
We made notes so that we can tell people in our school about it.
We thought it was really good and we were very proud and happy we were listened to .

written by Matthew Graham and Jordan Jeffrey

We welcomed Chris Connaughton into Swalwell for the third time in 2 years.
He is an outstanding actor/ writer who has a great rapport with children and motivates them greatly.
Today he performed MacBeth and then told our older children ghost stories which were filled with descriptive passages and strange characters .
Chris weaved an atmosphere of suspense and excitement and had us all jumping with fright!.
Follow -up workshops on newspaper reports and descriptive writing were educational and fun.
Our thanks to all parents, carers and friends who turned up for the event .
Photographic link
J Anderson

Year 5/6 are studying the Ancient Egyptians this term.
At the City Learning Centre, Watermark, Metrocentre, they examined the Valley of the Kings and looked at the stunning discovery of the intact tomb of Tutankhamun by Howard Carter.
Our children had to pretend they were reporters, they used 'audioboo' and 'green screen' to record interviews with Carter or member's of his team.
What lay inside the tomb?
Can your child tell you about life in Ancient Egypt?
Ask and you will find out!
Photographic link

The children's interviews can be listened to and downloaded from
http://audioboo.fm/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=ictgateshead

J Anderson

Our Y5 children have been interviewing an electrician from Gateshead Council. They asked him about his chosen career, the qualifications he needed to become an electrician and the length of time it took to serve his apprenticeship.

Four dedicated musicians, from Gateshead Music Service, came into Swalwell Primary School and delivered an active and fun workshop based on the theme 'World War 2'. The workshop linked music and the national curriculum and raised pupils' musical understanding'.
John Parkin, Gareth Weaver, Julie Weaver and Andrew Long, had our children marching, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments.
We would like to say a big thank you to the musicians for their expertise and guidance and for providing us with a memorable morning.
Photographic link
J Anderson

We are always pleased to attend Whickham School musical productions and on 31st October, Mr Hampson's class will be visiting the school to see a special performance of 'Our House ' performed by Whickham students.
We know we are in for a real treat!
The show tells a tale of life and love, heartbreak ,comedy and right and wrong. It features songs from the band Madness, and was named after one of their hits, "Our House".

J Anderson

A member of The Tyne and Wear Fire Service visited YI/2 and Y5/6 this week to teach children basic life skills. He discussed safety issues, hazards in the home, the importance of having working smoke alarms and escape plans at home.
Children in Year 5/6 were told some interesting facts about fire. They learned about the triangle of fire. Oxygen is the gas which we need to breathe so it is all around us. A fire also needs oxygen to burn. Fuel is something that burns in a fire. This can be anything from paper to furniture in your house. We get heat from matches and lighters. Oxygen, fuel and heat = fire.
The Prevention and Education Teams focus on the need to prevent fires from occurring by encouraging all members of the community to know the dangers,to take action to prevent fire, to protect homes and to know what to do should a fire occur. It is hoped that our children will tell parents, friends and relatives what they have learned so that the knowledge of fire safety procedures will be filtered through the community.
Photos in the gallery
J Anderson

On Friday 7th October Year 5/6 visited the Heworth Grange City Learning Centre and learned how to program robotic devices using Lego Nxt Mindstorm software. Pupils were taught how to build instructions into programs which enabled robots to carry out routines and manoevres, such as, reversing and changing direction in response to sound.
Our thanks to Mr Jeeves for delivering this lesson.
Photographs in website gallery
J Anderson

For a few weeks this term, Mr Williams, from Emmanuel College, will be coming into school on Tuesday mornings to deliver Business Studies lessons to Year 5/6 children. He will introduce our children to important aspects of global trade. They will learn how less developed countries interact with - and rely on - more developed countries, exploring issues such as debt, exchange and fair trading.

Photographs ...Click here
J Anderson

In our school educational visits are at the heart of every new topic before it starts,
So Year 5/6 without a fuss boarded a coach, a Thirlwell's bus,
And guess where we went today? To the Hancock Museum's Egyptian display!
We went to see an exhibition of pharaohs, gods and sacred traditions
We saw artefacts and mythical creatures, jewellery, weapons and other features.
We even read 'The Doomed Prince' story and saw Tutankhamun in all his glory.
We copied patterns from decorative tiles and inscriptions in Ancient Egyptian styles.
We looked at sections of hieroglyphics and all agreed that this trip was terrific!

Photographs can be seen in the gallery
J Anderson

Our Y5/6 buddies have now been trained.The emphasis is on the organisation of equipment, and the implimentation of structured activities for pupils in the playground at breaks and lunchtimes.

The Playground Buddy scheme aims to give pupils a sense of responsibility and to teach them the skills to resolve conflicts peacefully without the need for adult intervention

Buddies work every playtime and lunchtime on the KS1 and KS2 yard playing games . They wear a special jacket so they can easily be seen in the playground.
Photographs can be seen in the galleryJ Anderson

Children in Year 5 have been given the opportunity to take part in a six session on-road cycle training course.The scheme conforms to the National Cycling Standard and will be administered by trained and qualified instructors from Gateshead Council. The first session will begin on Tuesday 13th September in the school yard. It will enable the instructors, to assess the children's ability to handle a bike. The bikes will be checked for roadworthiness before the start of training. Simple manoeuvres will then be practiced to check that pupils have the necessary control before embarking on - road.
All children in Year 5 have received invitations to this event.
An album entitled 'On- Road Cycle Training' can be viewed in the gallery and will be updated after each session .

J Anderson

Some of our children in KS2 have been given the opportunity to attend swimming lessons at Dunston pool on Wednesday afternoons, starting from Wednesday 7th September. Children will leave school about 1:45pm and return to school at approximately 3:45pm.
If this involves your child please ensure that he/she remembers to bring swimming kit into school every Wednesday and that all jewellery is removed including studs/sleepers.
If a child uses an inhaler it must be brought to the swimming lesson.
A voluntary contribution of £1.50 per week would be greatly appreciated to cover the cost of transport.
Please note that all boys need to wear short swimming shorts or trunks and girls need to wear a one piece bathing costume for swimming.
J Anderson

Another proud moment for all Swalwell staff, parents, carers and relatives.
After a brilliant year - Year 6 wowed us once again when they presented a fantastic leavers assembly.
There was something for everyone- rapping, dancing and football skills. The assembly was about remembering the good times, sharing memories and future ambitions and celebrating achievement.
Thank you to everyone who attended the event - It meant a lot.
Year 6, the class of 2011, will be greatly missed!
Good luck and Best wishes to you all.
PHOTOS
J Anderson

Our Careers Related Learning ,for this academic year, finished with a presentation ceremony at Gateshead College. Three Gateshead schools competed for a £250 prize and Swalwell were declared the winners. Competition was very high but once again our children did us proud. Sara, Jordan, Courtney, Angel, Amy, Emily and Jake P performed a play and rap to get their message across...They incorporated jobs of the past, present and future with all they know about sustainable energy. The main message our pupils conveyed was that children in Swalwell Primary School believe that they can do anything and be anyone. Everyone agreed that it had been a great experience. Well done to the children of Falla Park and Carr Hill for excellent presentations and our thanks to Vivienne Cunneen for her hardwork and commitment.
Photographs
J Anderson

On the 13th and 14th of July, our year 5/6 pupils attended technology lessons at Whickham School. They made bat boxes, bird feeders and bug houses by selecting appropriate tools and materials. They measured, marked out, cut and shaped wood and assembled it accurately. They joined and combined the components and used finishing techniques to strengthen and improve the appearance of their product.

Thank you to Mr Wylie, Mr Miller,Miss Hancill and all Year 8 and 9 students for their help and hard work.

Click here to see photos

Lynsey Rowe from the Raising Achievement Service has been working with our Year 6 pupils on their knowledge of health risks, perceptions and attitudes of tobacco use. She discussed aspects such as risk taking, peer pressure and finanancial implications of smoking.

Photographic link
J Anderson

Year 6 pupils in our school are given the opportunity to visit their new secondary schools so that they can sample a variety of lessons, appreciate the need to move to a variety of areas for particular subjects, and experience the school lunch arrangements. The pupils are placed in their tutor groups and will sample lessons in these groups; this helps them to make new friends and gives them the opportunity to meet their new form tutor and Head Teacher .
Visits to Whickham School and Kingsmeadow are taking place next week..We are sure our children will enjoy the experience and we know it will help them with the move in September.
J Anderson

Gilly Rogers came into Swalwell to work with our Y6 pupils in a versatile and creative way. The main objective was to create high quality contemporary artworks to be displayed in school for everyone to enjoy.

Photographs
J Anderson

Update
What a marvellous morning we have had...the sun shone, pots were planted, the garden looked great, pupils were perfect and we learned lots from a lovely librarian!

Photographic link
J Anderson

We took part in a CPTV show at Newcastle: Live Theatre on Tuesday 28th June. We left school at 9:30am and returned at 3:00pm. Four children were interviewed about our Takeover Day, the rest of our Y6 pupils were in the audience. The pupils interviewed were videoed and this will be distributed to all schools involved and may be used by Live TV for other educational purposes. This was a fantastic opportunity for Swalwell children, and as always, they rose to the occassion and did us proud !

Please click here to see photos
J Anderson

We are involved in teaching programmes which involve collaboration between ourselves and teachers in our link secondary schools. Whickham School has Sports College status and many of our pupils who are going to Whickham in September will have already met Whickham School PE staff and taken part in activities. Y6 pupils transferring to Whickham after the summer were given the opportunity to participate in a Mini Games Challenge at the college on Wednesday afternoon . Our thanks to Mr Hampson for accompanying pupils and to Mr McCaughy at Whickham for arranging such wonderful events.
J Anderson

Pupils from Year 5/6 paid a second visit to Gateshead CLC where they all designed and created a wall hanging or standing clock based upon an appropriate theme. Children used 'Techsoft Primary Design',a laser cutter and a clock mechanism to create a workable product.

Photographic link
J Anderson

Year 6 pupils have begun the transition process that will help welcome them to Whickham School in September.
Students from Whickham visited Swalwell School to discuss any issues our Y6 pupils may have about the move to secondary school.
Sianna, Erin, Courtney and Jessica talked to our children and alleviated any fears they had.
Photographic link
J Anderson

Year 6 pupils who are moving to Whickham School in September were given the opportunity to visit their new school, to meet Dr Stagg and Mr Pickering and to take part in a super science session.
The visit helps to strengthen transfer and transition both within and between schools and focuses on continuity of learning.

Photographic link
J Anderson

It's that time of year again! The annual event where local schools are asked to help make Whickham Library Garden look fabulous for summer! Normally a member of staff from the library would bring out the necessary equipment to our school but this year we have been invited to take a small 'Gardening Group' to the library to plant up their hanging baskets in the library garden. Hannah, Jake P, Sophie and Thomas will represent our school at this wonderful event on Wednesday 29th June.
Photographs will follow.
J Anderson

Career-related learning for this age group is not about encouraging children to decide what they want to be when they grow up,it's about inspiring them to explore the world around them, to understand what's going on in the community and to prepare them for life.
At Woodhorn Colliery on Thursday our children looked at jobs of the past. They found out what life was like working down a pit, they took part in a Health and Safety workshop and discovered what the role of a housewife was all those years ago.
Our thanks to Vivienne Cunneen and Nicola Smith for organising such great events.

Photographs are in the gallery
J Anderson

Pupils from Year 5/6 visited Gateshead CLC where they all used 'Techsoft Primary Design' to develop design ideas for batch production. At a later date they will use a laser cutter to create a workable clock. Our thanks to Mr Mullen for delivery of a fantastic lesson.

Photographic link
J Anderson

We believe that introducing career-related learning at Key Stage 2 increases and widens pupils' education and career aspirations. We ensure that children have access to good quality information, advice and guidance and an awareness, knowledge and understanding of different types of employment.
Today our Year 5/6 pupils had a fabulous time at Gateshead College learning all about apprenticeships, qualifications and careers of the future. They discussed construction and links to renewable energy. This was followed by a visit to Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK in Washington where children were given a factory tour. They were shown around the production line and talked about the advantages of the new electric'Leaf ' (the world's first mass-produced zero-emission car)

Photographic link
J Anderson

Alison Ashton, an artist, came into school today to share her artistic skills with our Y5/6 pupils. The children used a variety of materials to make butterfly collages. Butterflies were chosen as they represent the transformation of Swalwell School . Everyone enjoyed the textiles sessions...A big thank you to Alison for a wonderful, worthwhile ,educational and productive day!

Photographs...Click here
J Anderson

Gillian Cook, a Gateshead Council Road Safety Officer came into Swalwell today to talk to our older children about the importance of taking care when crossing roads.The aim was to encourage the young road user to develop their own strategy for coping with the road environment and to understand the importance of making safe choices.
Topics covered included:-
Pedestrian Safety
Passenger Safety
Cycle Safety
Photographic link
J Anderson

As part of their topic this term Y5/6 have been researching the local history of Swalwell .They discovered that there were many pits in the village.They found out that Rapper Sword Dancing was originally performed by miners in pit villages and that Clog Dancing was introduced in the 19th century when miners and mill workers wore clogs. Kathleen Brown of Durham University was contacted and agreed to give our Year 5/6 children tuition in clog and rapper dancing .

Pupils have been tapping toes and heels to create dance steps and to help them to understand more about life in pit villages many years ago.

Photographic link
J Anderson

Year 5/6 have a number of educational visits occuring in the next few weeks.
The school is very lucky to be involved in these trips. They have only been offered to three Gateshead schools and we have been chosen because of our excellent work on Careers Related Learning.
The trips will focus around careers in the past and in the future.
Year 5/6 pupils will visit Gateshead College construction site (Team Valley) and Nissan Factory on Tuesday 14th June and Woodhorn Colliery (Ashington) on Thursday 16th June.
A celebration of the work covered and an awards ceremony has been planned for Tuesday 19th July at Gateshead College.
J Anderson

Y6 have been subjected to a week of testing. The papers have been sent away to be marked and it is hoped that the results will be available before the children leave Swalwell in July. Pupils have worked extremely hard and should be praised for their efforts. A big thank you to all parents and carers for support given at this crucial time and to Mr Hampson who has given children the confidence to do their best and to achieve to the maximum of their potential.
J Anderson

We had great fun at Heworth Grange City Learning Centre. Y5/6 pupils used I Pods,digital cameras and 'state- of -the-art' ICT equipment to monitor and record their own statistics; then create graphs and powerpoints to compare and explain their results. Special thanks to Mrs Martin from the CLC and to staff from Swalwell who accompanied the children on this worthwhile educational trip.

Photographic link
J Anderson

The sights and sounds of South Africa reverberated round Swalwell Primary School on Wednesday 4th May, when we welcomed a troop of tribal dancers.
Pupils were entertained in fabulous style when 'The Lions of Zululand' gave an hour-long performance of their traditional music and dance. The Zulu Warriors then enthralled the youngsters by running four workshops.
This was a fantastic opportunity for all our pupils to experience the art, dance and music of another culture.
We would like to thank all family, friends and carers who attended the special afternoon assembly. We are sure you will all agree that this exciting,international, colourful day which allowed our children to experience a taste of a completely different culture ended on an amazing high note.
Photographs can be seen in the website gallery...Click here

J Anderson

Year 5 were invited to take part in an Easter activity session at Holy Trinity Church.
Rev. A Thorpe and Curate Matt Tarling led the session on Wednesday 6th April.
Children were told the Easter Story in a very original way. Pupils visited work stations set up in church to show major events which took place at Easter. An exciting, interactive, hands on Easter lesson with fun, meaningful activities enjoyed by all !

J Anderson

It is with great joy we welcome back our Year 6 pupils today. They have been staying at Kingswood, an outdoor education and adventure centre. This experience has been a challenging, rewarding and enjoyable event for our children and staff .
Our thanks to Mr Melgar, Mrs Waugh and Mrs Lancastle -Smith for accompanying the children.

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J Anderson.

On Wednesday morning our KS2 classes participated in a marvellous music workshop delivered by Gateshead Music Services 'A' team.
Judith, Craig, David and Tom certainly hit the high notes with their educational, entertaining workshop on music and dance.
The children were introduced to a wide variety of music and dance from history including an
Elizabethan Dance, Morris Dance and Charleston. Pupils also did The Hand Jive and The Twist.
The session ended with a fabulous rendition of Bolero.
Photographs can be seen in the gallery.
J Anderson

Our Year 5 and two of our Year 6 pupils did us proud on Wednesday 16th March when they took part in a basketball tournament organised by Newcastle Eagles at Gateshead Stadium.
Six schools ( twenty one teams in all) participated.
One of our teams made it to the quarter finals and eight of our children were identified as talented and hard working players ... Jack G, Jake T, Jake P, Karl M, Leigh Ann, Amy, Courtney and Angel were presented with letters of congratulations from Newcastle Eagles and given the opportunity to continue playing basketball, free of charge, at a special session to be held in Gateshead Leisure Centre on March 24th.
J Anderson

As a follow - up to the Neighbourhood Pride project , Deborah and Steve from Gateshead Council, once again visited Y5/6 and asked them to produce posters to display around the community.
Gateshead Council were keen for our children to design a logo for Swalwell in Bloom and to create posters to encourage everyone to use litter bins.

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J Anderson

This afternoon Y5/6 welcomed parents and carers to a special assembly to showcase their talents and to celebrate the completion of the Neighbourhood Pride project .
All children performed extremely well and were presented with certificates from The Gateshead Housing Inner West Team.
Photographs click here
J Anderson

This year our Y6 children will be travelling to Kingswood Outdoor Centre in Northumberland on 28th March for three fun filled days of adventure and outdoor activity.
The cost of the visit is normally £160 - However we have been able to secure funding to offer this free of charge.
Mrs Lancastle - Smith, Mrs Waugh and Mr Melgar will be accompanying the children.
J Anderson

On Wednesday 16th February, Jessica, Sophie and Angel sang at The Dryden Centre Gateshead. These children should be congratulated for volunteering to help their peers sing and for becoming Swalwell's first ever Sing Up Champions.
Well done, we heard you were superb! Photographic link
J Anderson

Twenty eight children from schools in the Whickham cluster ( Gibside, Parochial, Clover Hill, Washingwell, Front Street and Swalwell) took part in a Forensic Science Day at Whickham School on 15th February.
Adam, Leigh-Ann, Britanie and Rachel represented our Y6 class. Children were re-assured that this was make believe, then the 'crime scene' was taped off and the young investigators identified clues and preserved evidence by taking notes, making sketches and collecting samples.
In small groups pupils investigated common forms of evidence: hair and fibres, blood samples, finger prints and other impressions left at the scene.
The workshop culminated in an end of session assembly with both Britanie and Rachel expressing an interest in becoming real-life forensic scientists in the future.
What a fabulous day!
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J Anderson

Seven children in Year 5 , Emily Birdsall, Hannah, Amy, Shay, Courtney, Emily Brown and Matthew have been presented with Gateshead Council's Bikeability Level 2 On - Road Cyclist Training Course Certificate . Pupils have learned where to position themselves when riding on the road and how to observe traffic, signal and manoeuvre safely. All pupils who took part in the training have gained in confidence and learned how to share the road with other users.
Whilst we want cycling to be an enjoyable experience, safety has to be of the utmost importance therefore we encourage you all to wear a helmet, check your bike regularly, be alert and be seen (wear reflective gear).

Mrs Anderson

Courtney, Karl, Angel, Amy, Matthew and Sara from Y5 did a magnificent job representing our school in a Mini- Basketball Tournament at Whickham School on Thursday 3rd February.
Special thanks to Mr Hampson, Mrs Wheatley and Miss Waugh for transporting children to and from the event.
J Anderson

Y5/6 visited Holy Trinity Church on Wednesday 26th January to find out what is inside a Christian church. Pupils walked to the church, met Curate Matt and made notes to use in R.E lessons this term.
Photographs on website..click here
Mrs Anderson

The Neighbourhood Pride project contains many elements which see the provision of environmental improvements whilst increasing community pride.
On Wednesday morning five children from Y5/6, Kieron, Emily, Courtney, Karl, and Angel, helped gardeners from Gateshead Environmental Services, to inject an element of design and texture into a dull, unattractive area at the top of Milton Road. The project focused on replacing an area of grassed land with a display of mixed heathers and conifers.
Our thanks to Eddie, Shaun, John and Michael for sharing their knowledge with our children... Everyone involved had a great time!
Photographs in the gallery ..Click here

J Anderson

Today, Mrs Corbett, a valued ex- employee of Swalwell School came into class to talk about the history of the school. Children took notes of important dates and events to use in future lessons.
Thank you, Mrs Corbett...You're a star!

More Photographs can be seen in the gallery
J Anderson

Hearing of the injustices carried out in some of the notorious 'Yorkshire Schools' where boys were dreadfully treated, Charles Dickens was inspired to create the story of Nicholas Nickleby.
Chris Connaughton presented Y5/6 with a humourous, intriguing account of the early chapters of this novel and followed it up with a variety of workshop activities which included:
A descriptive story, written against a deadline, about a journey through the Victorian streets.
A letter home, persuading a parent to collect their child from the "Yorkshire School".

Y5/6 had been studying playscripts in Literacy and found the performance to be both useful, accessible, moving and enjoyable.
A big thank you to all parents/carers/ who came to watch Chris in action ...feedback has been tremendous.
Click here to view photographs

J Anderson

As part of their ' Neighbourhood Pride' project, Year 5/6 were given the opportunity to tour Swalwell to visually assess the condition and quality of the estate. They made note of any issues or concerns and awarded a gold, silver or bronze grade on the appearance and condition of fences, gardens, flower beds, roads, paths and street signage.
On return to school their findings were collated and sent by e- mail to Gateshead Housing Company who will take appropriate action to remedy the identified issues
Photographs on our website... click here
A visit to Swalwell Fire Station completed the Neighbourhood Pride Project. Children were given a guided tour of their local station. Firemen took time out to explain about the equipment and apparatus used and the importance of being a fireman.
A big thank you to all at Swalwell Fire Station, we were made most welcome and our children were extremely well behaved ( as usual!) and excellent ambassadors for the school.
Photographs ..click here

J Anderson

Mr Hampson will be running a Y6 maths session for the rest of this term. It will run from 8.30 - 9.00am on either Tuesday and Thursday or Wednesday and Friday. The club will take place in Mr Hampson's classroom - children attending breakfast club will be admitted straight from there, other pupils will enter by the door outside the Y5/6 classroom.
It is important to notify Mr Hampson of the days you wish to attend so he can accommodate everyone wishing to take part.
Our thanks to Mr Hampson for running this club.
J Anderson

A big thank you to Jessica, Sophie, Angel and Jake P for volunteering to be our Y5 Sing Up Champions. The four will be helping other pupils to sing in school. They will have two training sessions in school and then on Wednesday 16th February they will sing at the Dryden Centre in Gateshead.
Photographic link
J Anderson