Author: Mrs Thompson

What a half term it has been! We have been so pleased to welcome the children back to school on 8^th March. Since returning to school, our weeks have been jam packed with lots of learning! A big thank you to Ms McCarthy for stepping in whilst Miss Battams was on jury service.

In Maths this week, we have been revising our number bonds and complements to 100. We also made our very own board games in pairs. Today, we shared them with the class and were able to play other pairs’ board games.

In English, we finished our learning about the short film El Caminante and started a short piece of learning based on the book, Mr Bunny’s Chocolate Factory. We enjoyed learning to empathise with the chickens working at the factory and writing a letter to Mr Bunny for better working conditions to lay Easter eggs.

We concluded our RE learning about Lent this week. We look forward to learning about the Pentecost in the new term. We also enjoyed live streaming an Easter mass as a school today too.

Have a very happy Easter and a relaxing break,

Miss Battams and Ms McCarthy 🙂

This week the children were challenged to complete 4 tricky challenges. The class were very enthusiastic and enjoyed completing them.

In English we are looking at the story Here Comes Mr Postmouse. We looked at the journey of mail. We shall be spending next week writing letters.

In Maths, we are securing our understanding of Numbers to 40 and making sure we have a good understanding of place value.

We have continued our topics on The UK and Plants. The children have each planted a flower each and various vegetables. They are keeping a diary entry of their flower to watch it grow.

The class looked fab all in red. Thank you for supporting Comic Relief.

After Easter, I shall be setting home learning every Friday which can be found on our Google Classroom. It shall consist of spellings each week and a topic based activity every couple of weeks.

Next weeks challenges:

Thank you for all your continued support,

Miss Perry

With our last week of remote learning complete, we are so looking forward to welcoming all the children back into school. We are so proud of all that you achieved remotely, and it is evident that you have worked really hard during these tricky times.

This week, we celebrated World Book Day. It was great to see some the animal bookmarks you created and the unusual places and nooks that you like to read in. We also enjoyed seeing all the other assignments you have completed at home too. 

Don’t forget your PE kit for next week, normal PE lessons (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons) will resume as normal next week. 

Miss Battams and Ms McCarthy 🙂

Life, especially family life, or life in school, is full of opportunities for self-giving.

When children are young, parents have to do everything for them and sacrifice their own needs for those of their children.  The quality of the parents’ loving care lays the foundation for their children to grow into people capable of giving love to others.

When parents are old and infirm, they become dependent on their children to look after them.  So, life is a cycle of being cared for and caring for others, of dependence and independence, of receiving and giving. Self-giving is essential if individuals and relationships are to grow and develop.

REVEAL

Lent is the season when Christians practise both giving and giving-up, to identify with the complete self-offering of Jesus which is remembered in the liturgy of Holy Week and the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil).

In his Gospel, Matthew makes it clear that in loving and caring for other people we are loving and caring for Jesus.

Word of God

“For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick, and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?  And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?  And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’  And the king will answer them, ‘Truly, I tell you, as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’” 

Matthew 25:35-40

Catechism of the Catholic Church

“Lent: By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert.” (CCC540)

“The seasons and days of penance in the course of the Liturgical Year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church’s penitential practice.  These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works).” (CCC1438)

No one was an eyewitness to Christ’s Resurrection and no evangelist describes it.  No one can say how it came about physically.  …although the Resurrection was an historical event that could be verified by the sign of the empty tomb and by the reality of the apostles’ encounters with the risen Christ.  It remains at the very heart of the mystery of faith as something that transcends and surpasses history.” (CCC647)

Prayer and Reflection

Lord, when I am hungry 
give me someone to feed; 
When I am thirsty
give water for their thirst.
When a burden weighs upon me 
lay upon my shoulders
the burden of my fellows. 
Lord, when I stand
greatly in need of tenderness,
give me someone who yearns for love.  May your will be my bread;
Your grace my strength; Your love my resting place.

(Quaker prayers, Peace and Service, The Society of Friends)

What a wonderful week we have had returning from half term! We hope you enjoyed the break and are well rested.

We have had lots of quality learning turned in this week, we are so impressed with your work ethic and resilience. We are so looking forward to welcoming you back to school on 8^th March.

In Science, we have been focusing on animals including humans. Before half term, you created menus for wild animals such as lions, leopards and monkeys. These menus had to encompass a balanced diet as, like humans, animals need a balanced diet to survive. Here are some of the menus you created:

We have also enjoyed reading your police reports as part of your English learning about the book ‘Tuesday’, and seeing your learning on lengths and perimeter. Please keep up the hard work, we really appreciate all your efforts at home and in school.

Miss Battams and Ms McCarthy J

What a wonderful week of learning we have seen to round off a half term of remote learning! We know the past six weeks have not been easy, but we are incredibly proud of all that you have achieved. 

This week we focused on Asia as part of a whole Geography day. In Year 3, we learnt about Sri Lanka. From learning about traditional folk tales in guided reading to coconut cookery in DT, we really embraced all things Sri Lanka. Here are some pictures of the traditional folk masks we made as part of our Art and DT learning this week:

Again, well done everyone for your remote learning efforts. We hope you have a well-deserved break over the half term. 

Miss Battams and Ms McCarthy 🙂

This week, we have seen some amazing remote learning from across the curriculum. From role plays in RE, to imaginative poems in English and delicious vegetable tarts in DT, it’s been great to see what you have been getting up to remotely. Have a look at the gallery below to see some of your examples of remote learning:

We also focused on Children’s Mental Health Week this week too. The theme this year was ‘Express Yourself’. It was great to see how some of you express yourself. From playing the piano, to drawing or having a kick about in the garden, there were lots of creative ways to show how you express yourself.

Don’t forget that we have a whole class Google meet on Thursdays at 2pm for around 30 minutes. If you are experiencing any technical issues with Google classroom, please email the help desk with your query on: [email protected]

Finally, we wanted to share how proud we are of you all. We have really enjoyed looking at your assignments and understand that remote learning can be challenging. We look forward to seeing you all soon. 

Miss Battams and Ms McCarthy 🙂

Being thoughtful for life, for people and gifts, is a vital part of our relationships with one another.  When praise and appreciation are experienced, we are enabled to relate on a deeper level.

Word of God

Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there among them. 

(Matthew: 18:20)

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Believers who respond to God’s word and become members of Christ’s Body become intimately united with him: “In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe, and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his Passion and glorification.”  This is especially true of Baptism, which unites us to Christ’s death and Resurrection, and the Eucharist, by which “really sharing in the body of the Lord, … we are taken up into communion with him and with one another.” (CCC790)

The inexhaustible richness of this sacrament is expressed in the different names we give it. Each name evokes certain aspects of it.  It is called:

Eucharist, (Thanksgiving) because it is an action of thanksgiving to God.

The Lord’s Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his Passion.

The Breaking of Bread, because Jesus used this Rite, part of a Jewish meal, when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, above all at the Last Supper.  It is by this action that his disciples will recognise him after his Resurrection.

The memorial of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection.

The Holy Sacrifice, because it makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Saviour and includes the Church’s offering.

Holy Communion, because by this sacrament we unite ourselves to Christ who makes us sharers in his Body and Blood to form a single body.

Holy Mass, (Missa) because the liturgy concludes with the sending forth (missio) of the faithful, so that they may fulfil God’s will in their daily lives. (cf 1328-1332)

Prayer and Reflection

Lord Jesus Christ,
in you we know the love of God.
When we gather together in your name
we experience the marvel of your loving presence 
which challenges us to live for one another.
Help us to follow your example
so that we may never become complacent. 
Help us to listen to your constant call to us 
to continue the work you began,
you who lived and died for us.
Grant this through your Spirit of Love. 
Amen.
(Prayer for Unity of Christians)

This half term’s learning in RE will be about journeys. The experience of community is an essential and enjoyable part of life for people of every age and faith. The cycle of a year and the span of a lifetime contain occasions for regular celebrations as well as unexpected surprises, when people want to celebrate with family, friends and communities.

The Church’s celebrations are community occasions. On Sundays, the parish family gathers together. It is a time to remember how much there is to celebrate; a time to say thank you; a time to know that God’s love is offered and made visible here and now in Jesus and in people.  Sacraments are more formal special moments: signs of ‘God-with-us’, who journeys with his people; signs of strength and blessing for life.

Word of God

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen the salvation which you have made ready in the sight of the nations; a light of revelation for the Gentiles and glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:25-32)

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the Sacraments. There are seven Sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. (CCC1210)

The feast of the Presentation of the Lord (2 February) marks a thanksgiving celebration for a first-born son.

All those concerned with education should work and plan together to ensure that the children, besides having some idea of God and the supernatural, should also, in proportion to their years and degree of maturity as persons, have some experience of those human values which are involved in Eucharistic celebration: for example, acting together as a community; exchanging greetings; the capacity to listen, to forgive and to ask for forgiveness; the expression of gratitude; the experience of symbolic actions, conviviality and festive celebration.

Prayer and Reflection

Lord, you fulfilled the hope of Simeon who did not die
until he had been privileged to 
welcome the Messiah.
In Sacramental Celebrations we meet the Risen Christ. 
May he continue to give us life.
Amen.