Birstwith CE Primary School

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Birstwith CE Primary School Through Christian values we aim to provide a welcoming, inclusive environment where all can flourish

🍁 October Half Term 🍁As we reach the end of another busy half term, we’d like to wish all our children and families a lo...
22/10/2026

🍁 October Half Term 🍁

As we reach the end of another busy half term, we’d like to wish all our children and families a lovely and restful break.

Just a reminder that school will be closed tomorrow for staff training.

We hope everyone enjoys a well-earned week off, and we look forward to welcoming the children back to school on Monday 2nd November.

Have a wonderful half term! 🍂

Deepfakes can make it appear that someone has said or done something they haven’t, using AI to create increasingly convi...
21/10/2026

Deepfakes can make it appear that someone has said or done something they haven’t, using AI to create increasingly convincing fake images, videos and audio.

As this technology becomes easier to access, children and young people may encounter risks ranging from online bullying and impersonation to scams and fabricated explicit content.
Our latest guide explores:

• AI-enabled bullying
• Cloned voices and fake family scams
• Bogus celebrity endorsements
• Fabricated images and videos
• Extortion and digital blackmail

It also offers practical advice for parents and educators on recognising warning signs, protecting personal information and talking to young people about responsible AI use.

There was great excitement across the school when the Menwith Hill Fire Crew visited to talk about their vital role in s...
16/10/2026

There was great excitement across the school when the Menwith Hill Fire Crew visited to talk about their vital role in serving the community.

The firefighters captivated the children with real-life stories from their work, sharing how they have rescued Highland cows trapped in canals, helped free horses stuck in deep mud, and, most importantly, put their own lives at risk to protect and save others.

As part of the visit, the children learned valuable fire safety advice, including what to do if their clothing were ever to catch fire. They practised the important "stop, drop and roll" technique and gained a greater understanding of how to stay safe in an emergency.

The highlight of the afternoon was a live demonstration of the fire engine and its powerful hose. The children watched in awe as the crew showed how the equipment is used in real situations and, much to everyone's delight, a few children ended up getting rather wet!

It was an engaging, memorable visit that not only inspired the children but also reinforced the importance of fire safety and community service.

We have been delighted to welcome Reverend Scott into school to lead Collective Worship. During his visit, he explained ...
15/10/2026

We have been delighted to welcome Reverend Scott into school to lead Collective Worship. During his visit, he explained the significance of the different coloured robes worn by clergy throughout the church year.

The children were fascinated to learn that each colour represents a particular season or celebration in the Christian calendar. For example, green is often worn during Ordinary Time, purple during Advent and Lent, white or gold for major festivals such as Christmas and Easter, and red for Pentecost and saints' days.

Reverend Scott also shared an interesting fact: although there are eight liturgical colours used across the Church, he currently has robes in four of them.

The children were especially amazed to discover that gold robes are reserved for the most important celebrations and are only worn twice a year, making them particularly special. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn more about Christian worship, traditions and the symbolism found within church life.

A special thank you for Reverend Scott for taking the time to visit school and lead our Collective Worship.

Benefice of Hampsthwaite, Killinghall and Birstwith

AI companions are becoming increasingly popular with young people, offering conversations with virtual characters design...
15/10/2026

AI companions are becoming increasingly popular with young people, offering conversations with virtual characters designed to feel like genuine friends.

Platforms such as Character.AI, Replika and Snapchat My AI can provide entertainment and creativity, but their human-like interactions can also create important risks.

Our latest guide explores:

• Emotional dependency
• Harmful or unreliable mental health advice
• Oversharing personal information
• Inappropriate or explicit content
• Distorted expectations around real-world relationships
• Subscription and in-app spending pressures

The guide also offers practical advice on discussing AI friendships, checking privacy settings and age limits, encouraging offline relationships and reminding young people where to seek genuine support.

🌟 Please Share! 🌟Do you have a pre-school child due to start school in Reception 2027?Come and join us for our friendly ...
13/10/2026

🌟 Please Share! 🌟

Do you have a pre-school child due to start school in Reception 2027?

Come and join us for our friendly Stay and Play Sessions at Birstwith CE Primary School!

📅 Friday 20th November
📅 Friday 4th December
🕘 9.00am – 10.00am

Meet our staff, make new friends, explore our school and experience what makes Birstwith such a special place to learn and grow.

No booking required - just come along and join us!
Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with friends, family and local groups.

We would love to welcome new families to our school community.

Last week Classes 2 and 3 were fortunate to take part in a live assembly, Breaking Barriers: Celebrating Disability Spor...
12/10/2026

Last week Classes 2 and 3 were fortunate to take part in a live assembly, Breaking Barriers: Celebrating Disability Sport. Pupils were inspired by the remarkable story of Stef Reid, a Paralympic long jumper, broadcaster and disability advocate. Stef spoke about the life-changing trauma she experienced as a child when she lost her right leg in a boating accident. Rather than allowing this challenge to define her, she showed incredible resilience and determination, adapting to life with a prosthetic limb and eventually becoming one of the world's leading Paralympic athletes.

Stef went on to represent Great Britain at the Paralympic Games, winning a silver medal in the long jump and becoming a powerful role model for perseverance, courage and self-belief. She encouraged pupils to view obstacles as opportunities for growth and to never let setbacks stop them from pursuing their dreams. Even after retiring from competitive athletics, Stef continued to embrace new challenges, taking up ice skating and appearing on Dancing on Ice. Her inspiring message reminded us all that with determination, a positive mindset and hard work, barriers can be overcome and goals can be achieved.L

09/10/2026

Thank you so much Birstwith CE Primary School for such a joyful harvest service. It really did lift the spirits of everyone who was there. Thank you all for the contributions too for the food bank.

🍂 Harvest Festival Thanks 🍂A huge thank you to all the parents, carers, family members and friends who joined us at St J...
09/10/2026

🍂 Harvest Festival Thanks 🍂

A huge thank you to all the parents, carers, family members and friends who joined us at St James's Church, Birstwith for our Harvest Festival service this morning.

It was wonderful to come together as a school community to celebrate the harvest season and reflect on the importance of gratitude, kindness and helping others.

We would also like to say a special thank you for your incredibly generous donations. The amazing collection of food and essential items will be donated to Harrogate Foodbank, where they will help support local individuals and families in need.

Your kindness and generosity truly make a difference. Thank you for helping us demonstrate our school values in action and for supporting those within our wider community. ❤️🍎🌾

Benefice of Hampsthwaite, Killinghall and Birstwith

A polite reminder that we warmly welcome you to join us at St James’s Church, Birstwith, tomorrow morning, Friday 9th Oc...
08/10/2026

A polite reminder that we warmly welcome you to join us at St James’s Church, Birstwith, tomorrow morning, Friday 9th October, at 9:30am for our Harvest Festival.

Our wonderful PTA will be serving refreshments from 8:45am, so please do come along and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee before the service.

We look forward to seeing the Birstwith School community come together to celebrate this wonderful season of harvest and give thanks for all that it brings.

We hope to see you there! 🌾🍂🍎

Benefice of Hampsthwaite, Killinghall and Birstwith

Address

Wreaks Road
Harrogate
HG32NJ

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