Every so often, I have to attend meetings that are run by the diocese; this week was one of those weeks. On Wednesday, I was asked to attend the annual Headteacher’s Conference of Lancaster Diocesan heads up in Kendal. With the rain pouring, and the wind blowing, driving along the M6 was not a pleasant experience - especially when I knew that enrichment was taking place in school. But, I had the most wonderful centering day. Life is so hectic, school can be so busy, that time is sometimes needed for reflection. On Wednesday, along with all of the other Catholic leaders, we explored what it meant to be a leader of a Catholic school. What was important to us; what made us unique and what was our purpose. Above anything, we reflected on a quote that Pope Benedict said, “A good Catholic school should help all of its students to become Saints.”Can you imagine a school like this? I am pretty much sure that is something that we are always working towards. By following our Jesuit virtues and by living out our mission statement in everything we do; “You are Precious in my eyes” we are aiming to create the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Harvest Offerings
Thank you to each one of your for your generosity with our Harvest collection this year. This morning, we took a small selection of it down to church to show what we had been collecting, the rest will be collected on Monday from Fylde Foodbank. I know that our Mini-Vinnies have some wonderful ideas about how we can further support those in need. Thank you once again.
Learning Role Models of the Week
Learning role models of the week
Virtue butterfly award winners
It has been really lovely to share our celebration assemblies with families over the past half term. So many of you have said how lovely it is to be part of school life and pray with us on a Friday. The culture of a school is so important, it is what makes us who we are, and it has to involve everyone. Thank you for taking time to be part of it all.
Please do not forget to download the MyHappyMind Parent App. They are offering a fantastic prize to the school that demonstrates the highest levels of parent engagement using our Parent App. This prize will not only enhance our school’s resources but also foster even greater parental involvement in supporting your children’s education.
The competition runs from now until Friday 25th October.
Parents’s Meetings
After a few technical glitches last week with School Cloud, we are back up and running with 75% of pupils having had an appointment made. Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. If you haven’t yet made an appointment, please do. Class teachers will be contacting those who haven’t next week.
The available appointments will be on Friday 18th October from 8.30am - 5.20pm. Appointments can be booked from 4pm today by clicking on this link:
When it asks you to input your child’s class at login please input the following:
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
When booking, it is crucial that you use your child’s legal forename and surname – those recorded on our school management system. If any part of your child’s name is hyphenated, again it needs to be so when typing in their name. Your own name on Sims is now recorded with one of the following titles Miss, Mrs, Mr or Dr. The system will also ask for an email address so that a reminder can be sent out. If you are having any problems, please do email Mrs Nel on bursar@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk and we will help you next week.
Fundraising in School
Fundraising is central to the survival of any school. With decreasing budgets, we need to make sure that we are constantly looking for ways in which to fundraise for our school; but with minimal impact on families. We also know that times are hard and on the run up to Christmas more so. Charity work is also at the heart of our Catholic Life. As you know, we have been supported by Lytham Foundation to build our canopy area for Forest School which will be going up next week. But we have now set up an easy fundraising page. Easyfundraising partners with over 7,000 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won't cost you any extra. The cost is covered by the brand. It links to any online shop - all you need to do is to download the app and create an account. Every time you shop online, it will ask you whether you want to link. Please do! It is of no extra cost to you - but it a fundraiser that is supplemented by the brand. By clicking on the button below, it will take you to our cause page. I will update the details next week, but we will be using this to continue to develop the area outside.
In the run up to Christmas, we will also be bringing back the old Our Lady raffle as well as the Christmas Bake Off! We will be on the hunt for amazing donated prizes; so please get thinking and collecting!
Office News
As we look ahead to next half-term, the new extra-curricular clubs are up and running to be booked on News Around the School & the Sports page of the website. Please do book a place if you would like your child to take part. As was explained in the blog last week, our new kitchen extension will start to be built; you should see some bricks being laid when you return. I have received the planned programme this week. The build should be in place for both Autumn 2 and Spring 1, with the kitchen reopening following February half-term. Whilst the initial building stage takes place, our kitchen will remain open and the team can continue to cook meals from school. There will be some changes to this menu due to certain regulations, but I am meeting the team next week to know what this will look like. Once they then knock through into our kitchen, Jacqui and Mirium will re-locate over to St Thomas’. From here, they will prepare our lunches which will then be transported over. There will be quite a bit of change here, but still just as delicious! Please do not worry, once we have sat down and discussed the menu next week, we will communicate it to you. Unfortuantly, there will be no sit down Christmas Dinner this year, but I know Jacqui has something up her sleeve to still be just as festive. Next half-term is a really long one - 8 full weeks in school. Therefore dinner money will be £100. 40 dinners payable at £2.50 each.
During the planning meeting with the contractors last week, I did bring the nativities to their attention as on the performance days, they will need to be really quiet. I was assured that if we needed any extra carpenters then they could provide!
Our Weekly Attendance
Mental Health is such a big talking subject at the moment. Here in school, we are really trying to be proactive rather than reactive. Yesterday was a celebration of all things yellow as we celebrated World Mental Health Day. Our friends at Excel Fostering also dropped some goodies off for the staff team too. Due to your donations, we managed to raise £200.24 for our new Parent Library which will be filled with resources that link into what we read in school; creating consistency and commonality.
Finally, well done to Bamber and Harcourt who won this half-term’s house points. You now earn a house colour day next Thursday. Don’t forget about our proud cloud in school. We are so proud of the things the children do beyond school that it is important that you share them with us. Please do send them in.
Have a lovely weekend
Mrs Gregan