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Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Social Teaching (CST) underpins the work of the school and the principles are interwoven within our curriculum and wider school life. As members of the Catholic Church, we are called upon to preserve the dignity of all human beings, to care for creation and to reach our sisters and brothers in need. These principles form part of Catholic Social Teaching, a body of work developed by Church leaders over the centuries. Pope Francis emphasizes that it is our duty to work together to bring about a more just and peaceful world: to put love into action. At St. Bernadette’s we place great emphasis on the importance that our children can articulate the connection between Jesus’ teaching and doing good deeds. We teach our children about the importance of putting the needs of others before ourselves, respecting the dignity of all people and how we are stewards of God’s beautiful creation with a duty to do all we can to preserve it for future generations. We use the CAFOD CST characters with our children to help them recognise CST within lessons. The following video is useful to watch to become familiar with the seven principles: CST in the Science Curriculum Click here for an Overview of 'CST in the Science Curriculum' All of God’s creation is sacred and reflects something of who God is. Caring for this earth is part of what it is to be a Christian. The Catholic Church has a long tradition of teaching about the God-centeredness of the earth, which clearly focuses on the responsibility all people have for caring for creation. The golden thread of ‘Care of God’s Creation’ runs through each science unit which links to the CST principles of: The Common Good Stewardship This ensures children develop their environmental awareness and understanding of their role in protecting our God given planet. What does Scripture say? ‘Humans are commanded to care for God’s creation.’ Genesis 2:15 ‘Creation proclaims the glory of God.’ Daniel 3:56-82 ‘God loves and cares for all creation.’ Matthew 6:25-34 ‘Creation and all created things are good because they are created by God.’ 1 Corinthians 10:26 What does the Church say? Charity in Truth: Caritas in Veritate – ‘The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole…Our duties towards the environment are linked to our duties towards the human person, considered in himself and in relation to others.’ What does Pope Francis say? “Creation is not a property, which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude.” Laudato Si (24th May 2015) – ‘A scientific consensus says climate change is real and caused at least in part by human activity. A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system. In recent decades, this warming has been accompanied by a constant rise in the sea level and, it would appear, by an increase of extreme weather events, even if a scientifically determinable cause cannot be assigned to each particular phenomenon.’ Loving God, We believe that the world is for everyone. We thank you for the gift of Creation. Help us to take care of the planet and all people who live on it. Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is at the heart of our learning at St Bernadette’s, especially in Topic. Topic allows us to develop our historical skills, pursue geographical enquiry, express our creativity, and build valuable projects based on a purpose. However, CST allows us to approach these lessons from a wider viewpoint. We use the CAFOD CST characters with our children to help them recognise CST within lessons. Here are a few examples of where CST has been linked to our Topic lessons. A lesson focusing on how men and women were split in Athenian and Spartan society. Is it right for women to be told what they must do based on their gender? A lesson focusing on the invasion of Greece by Alexander the Great. How would God react to slavery? A lesson focusing on the Viking raids in Lindisfarne. Why is it wrong to harm our fellow man? A lesson focusing on WW2 evacuation and the Blitz. A lesson focusing on the birth of democracy in Greece. Is it right for only rich men to vote? A lesson looking at the impact of Gandhi on British rule. Why did he protest for people who were the most in need? A lesson focusing on the differences between rich and poor Tudors. What can we learn from these indifferences? A lesson focusing on rationing. Why was it important for all members of society to receive the same amount of food? A lesson focusing on natural disasters and how we can help those that have been left in disasters. How can we help those in need? In Year 2, the children learn about important people that have helped other. Including Florence Nightingale, Edith Cavell, and Mary Seacole. Why do you think these people gave up their lives to care for others? During Black History Month, we learn about inspirational black people. Why is it important we celebrate these achievements? A lesson focusing on climate and biomes. How has our impact changed God’s creation? A lesson focusing on the structure of rivers, mountains, and earthquakes. How can we better understand God’s creation? A lesson focusing on glaciers. What can the rising sea levels mean for God’s creations? A lesson focusing on sustainability; reduce, re-use, recycle. Why should we make small changes?

Prospectus I warmly welcome you to St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School. Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. At St Bernadette’s, we provide a safe, secure and happy environment where every child is supported and challenged to achieve their full potential. Our school motto, ‘Learn to Love, Love to Learn’, is at the heart of all we do. Our curriculum places Jesus at its centre and reflects Gospel values, nurturing a sense of purpose and faith in our children. We are delighted to share that our recent Catholic Schools Inspection report praised the exemplary behaviour of our children, recognising their deep understanding of Christian values. The report also highlighted that our staff are outstanding role models, creating a loving and nurturing environment where children are happy, confident and proud to be part of the St Bernadette’s family. We celebrate the uniqueness of each child, recognising every individual as created in the image and likeness of God. Alongside academic achievement, we offer a wealth of enrichment opportunities, encourage pupil leadership, and support the spiritual and social development of our children. Our talented and dedicated staff work closely with families, our parish and the local community. We believe that education is a true partnership and greatly value your involvement and support in your child's educational journey. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to St Bernadette’s. Miss E. Finnegan Headteacher Ethos St. Bernadette’s is much more than just an educational establishment; it is a beacon of hope and a place which has to offer: Children: The stability and enrichment they need to become well rounded individuals who are well prepared for the life ahead of them. Staff: A sense of fulfilment and achievement. Parents: A school which assists them in the religious formation of their children and offers them support and advice to develop their children socially, morally and academically. Implications Therefore we need to provide: Children: A broad and exciting curriculum which engages all. A safe and secure stimulating environment in which children are nurtured and supported. A set of moral values, which inform the choices they make. Staff: Quality professional development based on assessment of needs. Opportunities to network with other educational establishments. Parents: Up to date information on curriculum and pastoral matters. Opportunities to develop parenting skills Prospectus

Pastoral Support Please take a look at the following websites where you will be able to access support from various organisations if needed. BARNARDO’S – Support for children, young people and families in need. Contact details: www.barnardos.org.uk , Helpline telephone: 0121-550-5271. SHELTER - Housing advise and homelessness. Contact details: www.shelter.org.uk , Telephone helpline number 0300-330-1234 MIND - Adult support for mental health, benefits and housing. Contact details: Birmingham mind.org.uk, Telephone 0121-262-3555 Support for key worker practical advice for staying at home taking care of your mental health support for work, benefits, and housing talking to children about coronavirus how to talk to your anxious child or teen about Coronavirus and much more WOMEN’S AID - Provides front line domestic violence and abuse support to women and children in Birmingham and Solihull area. Contact details: https://bswaid.org/ Contact telephone number: 0800 800 0028 (freephone helpline)/   07891 492327 for anyone who would have accessed the drop-in centres. Any women at risk of homelessness as a result of domestic violence and abuse in Birmingham can call the Housing Options HUB. Telephone number:  0800 169 9604   EDWARDS TRUST - Support for Children and Families facing loss and surviving bereavement across the West Midlands. Contact details: admin@edwardstrust.org.uk Bereavement telephone: 0121-454-1705 CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE - Support for Children and Families facing loss and surviving bereavement. Open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm Contact Telephone number: 0808 808 1677 Email: www.cruse.org.uk BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S TRUST - https://www.@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY - Offer family telephone support for those living in Solihull - 5 days a week  Contact telephone number: 0121 779 1734 Email: socialsolihull.org.uk How best to look after your own and/or your child mental and emotional wellbeing on a daily basis How to talk with children about COVID - 19 and their worries relayed to it How to support children to engage with learning at home How best to maintain social connections whilst complying with social distancing How to manage behaviour that can be challenging or difficult to manage  FOOD BANK VOUCHERS - These can be obtained from school. Your local Children’s Centre will also be able to offer you advice and may sign post you to other appropriate organisations. We also know that lots of children will be over hearing adult conversations, listening to the news, and have access to social media etc. all of which may leave them feeling confused and frightened. Please have a look at these links with your children to help them understand about coronavirus, social distancing and self-isolation as they may benefit from a simple explanation; https://nosycrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Coronavirus_INSwith-cover.pdf Further support can also be accessed through: CHILDLINE- 0800 1111 SHOUT 24/7 - free text service for children- text to 85258 CHILDMIND HTTPS://CHILDMIND.ORG/ARTICLE/HOW-MINDFULNESS-CAN-HELP-DURING-COVID-19/ provides simple mindfulness activities to do with children PAUSE - is a drop in mental health and emotional well-being service for under 25s it is currently offering telephone support from 10 am - 6 pm 7 days a week for children and their parents. contact no: 0207 841 4470  email: askbeam@childrenssociety.org.uk OUR ROOTS CIC offers free telephone counselling (CBT or talk therapy) info@ourrootscic.co.uk Telephone : 0121 439 9045  For support, advice and information in a crisis please contact one of the following: - YOUR GP or out of hours service - SAMARITANS on 116 123 free 24hr support - POLICE -Call 111 (open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year) - SANELINE on 0845 767 8000 (open 4:30 pm – 10:30pm every day) - CALM HELPLINE 0800 58 58 58 open 5pm – Midnight 365 days a year

Pupil Premium Pupil premium is funding to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in schools in England. Evidence shows that disadvantaged children generally face additional challenges in reaching their potential at school and often do not perform as well as other pupils. DFE Guidance Pupil Premium Policy 2024/25 Pupil Premium Strategies 2024-27

St Bernadette's Curriculm Curriculum All learning experiences are planned to offer the broadest educational opportunities to pupils. Everyday offers opportunities to acquire new skills and knowledge. Learning is delivered through assemblies, visits, themed weeks, after school clubs, as well as through timetabled lessons for particular subjects. We employ a combination of setting and mixed ability grouping depending on the subject area. A range of strategies are used to motivate and address the needs of all learners. Whole class teaching, group work, paired work and individual study is used at appropriate times. Pupils are given the opportunity to take the initiative, make decisions, work co-operatively and sometimes independently, supported by the class teacher. Resources are varied and include textbooks, worksheets, audio-visual, ICT and interactive materials, all of which are intended to support learning. Curriculum: Student Life Foundation Stage Curriculum Developing creative, confident learners Children may enter Nursery in the school year in which they will be four years old and may start Reception in the school year in which they will be five years old. The Nursery and Reception Years follow the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, which is based on seven areas of learning: Prime Areas Personal, Social & Emotional Development Communication & Language Physical Development Specific Areas 4. Literacy 5. Mathematics 6. Understanding the World 7. Expressive Arts and Design In order for new pupils to settle into school, we ensure that the Nursery and Reception children have their own: Early lunch sitting Outdoor play area Induction day. Curriculum: Academics KS1 & KS2 Children in KS1 (age 5-7, Yr1 and Yr2) and KS2 (age 7-11, Yr3- Yr6) follow the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum Consists of: Religious Education Core Subjects (English, Mathematics & Science) Foundation Subjects (Art & Design, Citizenship, Computing, Design & Technology, French, Geography, History, Music, Physical Education) Delivery of these subjects ranges from discrete lesson time, cross curricular elements through other subjects and in dedicated curriculum days. Curriculum: Text Curriculum: List Intent, Implement, Impact Curriculum Maths Science Topic Computing English PE MFL EYFS

British Values Statement Promoting British Values The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.” As a Catholic Primary School we believe that everyone is made and loved by God as unique individuals, made in His image. Our Mission Statement and Catholic ethos embeds the foundations of British values: At St. Bernadette's Catholic School you will find us caring, hardworking and co-operative. We follow the ways of Jesus using our talents and gifts to make our school special. We show respect to all and welcome you. British Values & SMSC Policy British Values: About Us Democracy We encourage our children to actively take part in democratic activities, throughout the school. Each class has an annually democratically elected school councillor, who form part of the School Council which meet regularly throughout the school year. In Year 6, pupils vote for their Head Boy and Girl. These opportunities are used as an avenue to promote and teach about the democracy and electoral process. Children in Key Stage 2 are also given the opportunity to visit the council house in Birmingham and a group of children visit Parliament and Downing Street. Our local MP also visits school and brings their role to life through a question and answer session, annually, with Year 5 and 6 pupils. Democracy is also taught in the curriculum (e.g. through historical research of Ancient Greek civilisation and looking at how Historical figures influenced democracy). Pupils’ opinions are highly valued at St. Bernadette’s School and their views and ideas are sought via their school councillor and through the annual Pupil Questionnaires. The Behaviour Policy identifies both rewards and sanctions, both of which the children and parents (through our Parents’ Forum) have contributed to. There is a strong ethos of pupils volunteering in and out of school time. This includes activities such as Nursery Prefects, school prefects, rabbit prefects, buddy partners. adette's Catholic Primary School. We’ve created a safe and accessible environment where students are encouraged to discuss ideas, collaborate on projects, share their work and receive feedback with pride. We give students the foundation to reach their potential and gain confidence both academically and socially. British Values: Student Life Rule of Law The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country are constantly reinforced at St Bernadette’s. We have high expectations of behaviour in school and this is observed throughout the school. Our behaviour policy reflects our expectations and has been influenced by pupils contributing to our school rules, rewards and sanctions. Pupils have created an Anti-Bullying Charter, displayed in our dining hall. Pupils and parents have suggested rewards such as: behaviour badges, behaviour assemblies, Head Teacher, class and year band certificates, stationery rewards, star pupil and star table. Sanctions include missed play time or missed equipment time. Weekly discussions take place in class regarding behaviour and pupils self-evaluate their own and their peers performance and responsibility throughout the week. British Values: Text Individual Liberty At St Bernadette’s, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries from where pupils can make informed choices. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to do these safely, for example through our e-safety and PSHE lessons, Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record work, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular activities clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. Children are taught about personal responsibility, choices, ambition and aspirations. They are encouraged to have broad horizons and the opportunities provided include, theatre visits, theatre performances, musical instrument lessons, a rich breadth of PE in and out of the curriculum and art. Our school values its local environment and pupils are given opportunities to explore and visit the local recreation area, Eco Park and playing fields. During these visits road safety, stranger danger and life skills are reinforced. Children are taught the importance of keeping safe and taking responsibility for their safety on line and in reality. They are given opportunities to explore this through annual Life Bus visits, regular ICT teaching, NSPCC assemblies, emergency service visits, visits to Safeside and visits from our school nurse. British Values: Text Mutual Respect Mutual respect is at the heart of our Mission Statement. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own right and the rights of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect. Pupils are taught to respect their school, adults, peers, other pupils and themselves through our ethos, RE and PSHE curriculum and behaviour policy. Pupils are taught to have morals and will inform staff if they feel there is discrimination evident in school. Our school has strong links with a local school for children with a wide range of learning difficulties, encompassing moderate learning difficulties and increasingly more complex needs including autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs), behavioural issues, sensory impairment and language disorders. We celebrate the breadth of talents and support the needs that our own pupils have and children are encouraged to recognise effort and achievement. British Values: Text Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs Pupils demonstrate an understanding and awareness that people in school and our community have different faiths and beliefs to the individual pupil and to the Catholic faith. They understand that these differences are part of our liberty and should not be the cause of prejudice or discriminatory behaviour. We value our local community links and children annually visit a many places of worship. The children, each year, visit at least one place of worship. This has been timetabled so that children will visit a place of worship for each major religion by the time they leave our school. Our school celebrates and recognises many faith festivals and we encourage children and parents from a range of faith and cultural backgrounds to share experiences and knowledge with our children. We encourage our children to interact with children from other schools, through organised activities and events. There are clear procedures and guidance in school for pupils who demonstrate a lack of respect or racist behaviour. British Values: Portfolio

Altar Servers ‘Let the children come to me’. (Luke 18:16) Our altar servers play an important role in the spiritual life of our Catholic school community. Being an altar server is a valuable opportunity for our pupils to grow in their faith and to serve others at the Ch urch’s liturgy. As altar servers, they have the privilege of serving the altar, assisting with the preparation of the altar and communion elements, as well as performing other duties during the Holy Mass. They also help the congregation to pray by being good role models and setting a good example. We are blessed to have such devoted pupils, willing to serve the Lord, their school and church community in the worship of God in a prayerful and reverent manner. Any child who has completed the First Holy Communion programme can become an altar server. Please talk to Fr. Fretch if your child is interested in deepening their faith and fulfilling their vocation to serve others by becoming an altar server. School Altar Servers The Guild of Saint Stephen Our altar servers have recently been enrolled into the Guild of Saint Stephen. The Guild of St. Stephen is an international organisation of altar servers, founded in England in 1904 by Fr. Hamilton McDonald. The Guild has spread and developed since then, and is active in many parishes in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Altar servers take Saint Stephen as their patron saint. Saint Stephen is one of the first seven deacons chosen to assist the apostles in service (Acts 6) and the first martyr of the Church. The objectives of the Guild are: To encourage, positively and practically, the highest standards of serving at the Church's liturgy and so contribute to the whole community's participation in a more fruitful worship of God. To provide altar servers with a greater understanding of what they are doing so that they may serve with increasing reverence and prayerfulness and thereby be led to a deepening response to their vocation in life. To unite servers of different parishes and dioceses for their mutual support and encouragement.

Updates on the Corona Virus and it's impact on pupils, parents & staff. CORONA VIRUS - Updates and Information Risk Assessment Covid Catch Up Premium Remote Education Provision Blended & Remote Learning Covid Management Plan For the latest information relating to Corona Virus, please visit the Government website and World Health Organisation. https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public For any urgent queries regarding Corona Virus, you can contact the Department of Education Helpline using the contact information provided below. This is for Staff members and Parents. Department for Education Helpline: Phone: 0800 046 8687 Email:DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday) NHS Information: NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do. Use this service if: you think you might have coronavirus in the last 14 days you’ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see travelling advice you’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus enquiry@stberns.bham.sch.uk What are Covid 19 Symptons? The main SYMPTOMS OF Covid-19 are: - A new continuous cough and/or - Fever (temperature of 37.8 degrees or higher) - Loss of or change in, normal sense of taste of smell (anosmia) What is the mode of transmission? Covid-19 is passed from person to person mainly by large respiratory droplets and direct contact (close unprotected contact, usually less than one metre). These droplets can be directly inhaled by the person or can land on surfaces which another person may touch which can lead to infection if they then touch their nose, mouth or eyes. When is a person infectious? A person is thought to be infectious 48 hours before symptoms appear, and up to seven days after they start displaying symptoms. Are pupils at risk of infection? Pupils of all ages can catch the infection, but pupils make up a very small proportion of Covid-19 cases with about 1% of confirmed cases in England aged under 19 years. Pupils also have a much lower risk of developing symptoms or severe disease. If setting has been notified of symptomatic pupil/staff member, should the rest of the class/bubble be excluded? No, the class/bubble should continue to attend the education setting as normal. The symptomatic case should stay at home and follow the stay at home guidance: the staff member/pupil’s parents encouraged to get tested. Any siblings of the pupil attending the setting/staff’s household member should self-isolate for 10 days. Should a pupil/staff member come to School if a member of their household is unwell? No. If a member of the pupil’s/staff member’s household is unwell with COVID-19 symptoms then the pupil/staff member should isolate for 10 days starting from the day after the household member(s) became ill. If the pupil subsequently develops symptoms then they should isolate for 10 days from the date. Can the siblings of a pupil who is self-isolating because they are a contact of a case attend the education? Yes, other household members of the contact do not need to self-isolate unless the pupil, young person or staff member they live with in that group subsequently develops symptoms. If a pupil has Covid-19 symptoms, get tested and tests negative, can they return to the education setting even if they still have symptoms? If the pupil is NOT a known contact of a confirmed case the pupil can return to the education if the result is negative, provided they feel well, and they have not had a fever for 48 hours. Should close contacts of a positive case get tested? No, they are not required to get tested unless they develop symptoms during the 14 days of isolation. Key Worker Contact Form A message to all the children at St. Bernadette's

Collective Worship at St Bernadette's Collective Worship Collective Worship Policy At St Bernadette’s Catholic School, the children participate in communal acts of prayer and /or liturgical celebrations every day. Sometimes this will be in class prayer, other times it may involve children in the year band joining together in prayer or it may be in a key stage assembly or a whole school mass. Children are encouraged to learn a selection of traditional prayers in each year band, but are also encouraged to devise their own personal prayers. A list of prayers can be seen here for each year band. Prayers take place at the beginning of the school day, before and after lunch and again at the end of the school day. Every classroom has a focal point for prayer, which is appropriate to the liturgical season. Each classroom is also named after a Saint and the children learn about their saint and the lives they lead. Every year band will prepare a year band mass each month, which is held in school. We also have a key stage mass in school every term and a whole school mass which takes place at Holy Family Church every two to three weeks. Parishioners are invited to celebrate mass with the school and are asked to become prayer partners for children who are receiving the sacraments. The children are able to experience the liturgical Life of the church in many ways throughout the year, such as the Stations of the Cross during Lent, Rosary Club during the months of October and may and a Carol Service at Christmas. They also celebrate their Saint’s feast day and join in Mass, with their Sister school of Holy Family, during Holy Days of obligation. In addition to the children’s prayer life, the staff in school begin every meeting with a prayer. Different members of staff will lead the prayer, providing the staff with the opportunity to reflect on the Gospel Values. One training day every year is set aside for a staff retreat, with staff having had the opportunity to attend a retreat in Lourdes and Fatima in recent years. Father Fretch is our Parish Priest, who is a regular visitor in school. Sister Maura Halpin is also a regular visitor and together they support the children in the sacramental year bands of year 3 and year 6. They also visit the other year bands to support them in their RE lessons and in the preparation of mass. Collective Worship: List

All About our School Our School: List Head Teacher's Welcome I warmly welcome you to St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School. Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. At St Bernadette’s, we provide a safe, secure and happy environment where every child is supported and challenged to achieve their full potential. Our school motto, ‘Learn to Love, Love to Learn’, is at the heart of all we do. Our curriculum places Jesus at its centre and reflects Gospel values, nurturing a sense of purpose and faith in our children. We are delighted to share that our recent Catholic Schools Inspection report praised the exemplary behaviour of our children, recognising their deep understanding of Christian values. The report also highlighted that our staff are outstanding role models, creating a loving and nurturing environment where children are happy, confident and proud to be part of the St Bernadette’s family. We celebrate the uniqueness of each child, recognising every individual as created in the image and likeness of God. Alongside academic achievement, we offer a wealth of enrichment opportunities, encourage pupil leadership, and support the spiritual and social development of our children. Our talented and dedicated staff work closely with families, our parish and the local community. We believe that education is a true partnership and greatly value your involvement and support in your child's educational journey. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to St Bernadette’s. Miss E. Finnegan Headteacher Our School: About Us

We are delighted to announce that St Bernadette’s School has achieved the Live Simply Award, having successfully demonstrated that we are living simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the world’s poorest communities. The assessor stated: It was wonderful to hear how the children were able to relate the actions they have been taking to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and how we are entrusted to look after God’s world. It was lovely to hear how praying helps them to feel calm, peaceful, safe, happy and grateful. The action you have been undertaking to build links with the Aaran Court care home and with the local parishioners was lovely to hear about and it was clear the children are enjoying interacting with the older generation. It was great to hear about the fundraising you are doing to support young people in Rwanda and how one of the children is now at Manchester university studying engineering. The children were knowledgeable about climate change and how the world’s poorest countries are the most impacted, it was fabulous to hear of the initiatives you are doing to make a difference. It was very interesting to see the difference in energy usage during your “digital down day”. We have decided as a school to pursue the CAFOD Live Simply award. This is an opportunity for us to respond to Pope Francis’ invitation to “work with generosity and tenderness in protecting this world which God has entrusted to us.” To earn this award, we need to show as a school we are living: Simply- how we encourage our families to consume less in our daily lives. Taking the time to be more reflective, prayerful and considerate to others. In solidarity with the poor- being aware that other people might be experiencing difficulties, vulnerabilities, injustice or exclusion. Sustainably with creation- learning ways that can help rebalance our relationship with the environment. Remembering that God gave us this Earth for us to care for. We already do so much as a school to fulfil these objectives, but this year we have planned some special events which we will have a positive impact upon our global, local and school communities. The action plan is as below, some of the highlights are: Engaging with the vulnerable in our local community by writing Christmas cards to older people, inviting them in to watch our Christmas performances. Developing links with our local foodbank by taking collection of food and hygiene items from staff and children to donate regularly. Working towards the Oceans Friendly School Award, making concerted steps to reduce our waste in school and electing members of an eco-team to monitor this. Live Simply Action Plan Food bank collection This Lent we demonstrated how we can be ‘Generous and Grateful’ ‘Compassionate and Loving’ by inviting parents/carers to donate to a food bank that Mrs Buchannon had heard about The food bank is run by Teresa at the back of her café called Lily’s Tea Parlour. Every Friday a collection bin was placed at the Nursery and the gates at the front of school, with a list of items that were most needed. Mrs O’Brien, Mrs Robbins and Mrs Bchannon looked after the Nursery collection and Mr Wayne collected in the donations from the gate. Our parents/carers were extremely generous in donating plenty of items and these were then picked up by Teresa and given out to members of the community in need. We would like to give our thanks to all who felt that they could spare some provisions, especially at this time when costs of our own food and provisions is rising. Living in Solidarity We have been demonstrating our virtues of ‘Compassionate and Loving’, and ‘Generous and Grateful’ by inviting residents of Aran Court to our seasonal celebrations this year. On Wednesday 7th December 2023, we had extra members in the audience for the Christmas Performance of ‘Born in a barn’. The ladies and men really enjoyed their performances as can be seen below in the tweets and photos on the day. They loved getting to meet the cast of the play and our children were delighted to be able to get to chat to them in their costumes. The Wellbeing staff, Katie and Sharon sent us this lovely message when they got back to the home. We also had Year 4 making Christmas cards for the 80 residents of the home. "We had a lovely afternoon, thank you very much for inviting us. We felt very welcome in your school and your children were so well behaved too. Thank you for our refreshments - the ladies love a good cuppa!" When reception held their Easter Bonnet Parade on 29th March 2023, we invited the Aran Court residents in to watch the children proudly displaying their beautiful bonnets. Nursery and Reception were delighted to have an extra special audience. After the parade we invited our visitors to have tea and biscuits. As can be seen below they really entered into the spirit of the day and came with their own beautiful bonnets! Sharon and Katie who are staff members of Aran Court are pictured here having a well-earned cup of tea. They have always been delighted to join us in our celebrations. Our visitors also took a tour around our Easter egg competition entries and were really impressed with the effort put in to making the Religious Stories entries. We are also inviting the residents for an afternoon tea on Friday 26th May 2023 as this is our Vocations Day for the whole school. We will have some Mini Vinnies attending this tea, having a chat with them to find out more about their previous life, where they worked and just getting to know them better. Check back here soon for how this goes! Waste Management Results from the parent/carer environmental survey Many thanks for the replies to the environmental survey we sent out recently. We had 85 replies and this shows that there is an awareness and care for our local and world environment within our community. Below is a pie chart demonstrating how you consider single-use plastic when out shopping. Living Sustainably This shows there is a care towards using less but we all know sometimes the most convenient solution can be heavily plastic based eg, apples in a plastic wrapper or milk in plastic bottles. The pie chart above shows that it has sometimes been a decision for you to walk/take public transport instead of using the car. This shows you consider the effect of pollution on the air we breathe, and the cost of petrol makes this decision make sense. When asked what concerns you where you live 43 out of 85 people said litter/flytipping/waste management. It is all our responsibility to ensure we reduce our waste. When asked what your concerns were for the global environment some people said pollution. Some said plastic waste, others mentioned global warming/climate change. Our children are so environmentally aware and knew that we needed to do something as a school community about the plastic we dispose of. Although great efforts were made in our classrooms to recycle paper and card we did not have a dedicated recycling system in place for plastics. That all changed this academic year. Special plastic recycling bins were ordered and installed at key places within school. These were clearly labelled with the items which could be recycled within them. The Eco-wardens check the bins in their particular zone weekly and when these are full help Mrs Lennon empty these into the larger plastics bin for refuse workers to collect. Through the work we are doing for our Live simply award, the Eco-wardens and the Earth Ambassadors are all working together to help make our school more environmentally aware. We are grateful for your support to your children achieving this aim. Digital Down Day You may remember that on Monday 20th March, children and staff participated in Digital Down Day. During this day, teachers taught their lessons without laptops and interactive whiteboards, the staff in the kitchen switched off the ovens and served cold lunches and children arrived in bright clothing to light up our classrooms since the lights were switched off. We were so impressed with how this day was embraced by children, parents and staff members. We wished to highlight how making small changes to our everyday routines could have a massive impact upon our energy consumption and thus our impact upon the environment. The charts below show our electricity usage during the month of March. You can clearly see our reduced electricity usage on the 20th March, which was very similar to Friday 10th March – a snow day, where no children and a limited number of staff were in school. We are so proud, thank you for your support. The Eco-team

Spelling & Grammar In 2019 we introduced a new approach to our spelling teaching and learning using 'Spelling Shed'. This scheme has been created following key National Curriculum objectives and provides children with 100% coverage of the statutory and non-statutory spelling lists in each age phase. It is a fun interactive way to help children practise spellings via simple online games. From Year 2, pupils will also be given a booklet containing their spelling lists for the year (also available on the school website). Each week, children are set ten spellings. The words in their spelling list either follow a particular rule or relate to a certain sound, depending on their age and/or ability. They will be tested each week and should practise their spellings using both the booklet and the Spelling Shed website. You do not have to purchase the app – they can log in using the official website instead. There are four difficulty levels, which offer different levels of support. By playing the games, pupils earn points to buy items for their avatars. We will be able to monitor how much each child practises their spellings and will be able to address common areas of difficulty. Progression in writing: years 1-6 English Policy 25/26 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6