"She is more Mother than Queen." --Saint Therese of Lisieux,

Another very busy week in school - no matter where you visit, there are children diving into learning! They are also devoting time spiritually to Mary - our Mother. All round the school I’ve spotted classes sharing the Rosary together. One lunch time I even heard some friends in the worship area having a prayerful moment in a little worship station we created - Mary’s statue taking pride of place. Next Monday the children from Year 1-6 will be walking to Church to celebrate Harvest with the parish. The school choir will be performing a song they have practised during their Thursday evening sessions. If you would like to walk down to Church with us, please come into school straight after drop off as we will be setting off promptly.

We had a wonderful treat on Tuesday when Year 4 produced a super assembly! The children taught us about seed dispersal! Not only that, they also explained, through drama, what it takes to be a creative learner. We have 8 learning characters in school - Creative Kiki Chameleon is one of them and she is very imaginative and innovative! From the very beginning of Reception we teach the children all about the characters and how their behaviours help them, and us, to become really good learners. Find out more by pressing on the link below - this will take you to our “Learning Community Page”.

On Wednesday, the children looked very smart for their annual school photographs and in the afternoon our Year 6 children became tour guides as they showed prospective parents around school. If you would like to look around, please pop into the office or ring us on 01253 726 015 and book a tour for our second and final visit on Wednesday 2nd November 2-3pm

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Parent Governor elections

““The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.””

— Coretta Scott King

When we advertised that there were two vacancies for parent governors on our governing body, I did not think that we would receive so many applications or that I’d have so many lovely conversations with people who want to make a difference to our school and the children we serve. My heart has been warmed by reading the biographies that our applicants have put together. There is a real sense of wanting to contribute in a positive way to the growth of our school.

I have received 8 applications and so now, the election process can begin. I have attached the eight biographies which you can access by pressing the button below. Please scroll through the two pages and read them all in their entirety. On Monday, the eldest child in each family will receive a small brown envelope with two ballot papers in it, one for each parent to vote. Please do vote for who you want to elect, pop the paper back in the envelope, sealed and return it to school. Each classroom will have a ballot box in it, there will also be one in the office if you want to post your vote personally. This is a wonderful opportunity for our children to learn about democracy too!

The ballot boxes will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, after this date they will be closed for counting. Our wonderful applicants will be informed of the outcome by the end of next week and the result will be announced in our final newsletter of the half-term. Please do vote and get involved in the process.
We will always be a community walking hand in hand for the greater good of our pupils and our school community.

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Parents meeting - Friday 21st October ( Year 1 - Monday 17th October)

You are invited to book an online appointment to meet your child’s class teacher.

Thank you to everyone who has already booked (68% have already done so).

Please click on the link below if you still need to book.

Below the link to book is a guide to what to do on the day - you may want to print this out before Friday especially if you are new to this system

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Office News

We are so nearly at half term and are going to make a final plea for dinner money accounts to be brought up to date by the end of next week. When we come back after half-term, we have 37 sessions leading up to Christmas and the Dinner money for the half-term will be £88.80 for KS2 dinners. Dinners are still £2.40 each and £12 per week.

We’re making a plea to Y4 and Y5 musicians to remember their Wider Opps. musical instruments next Monday – if they are forgotten , we have to ring or text parents, ask them to come in with an instrument and it can, we know, be very stressful for them to come rushing in in the middle of the day. Sometimes too, it’s quite hectic for us as situations arise to which we have to respond and minutes then tick away before we can deal with the forgotten instruments. So please children, get those instruments ready to bring in when you’re preparing for school on Monday mornings!

Finally the parking – we’ve had quite heavy complaints this week from neighbours and others who are really concerned about people parking dangerously and over double yellow lines and places where they ought not to be. This is a serious safety concern, we can’t let someone get injured or worse before we tackle this. We each and every one of us have responsibility for our own and one another’s safety. It is not neighbourly to park across people’s driveways. The situation has definitely deteriorated since our start and pick up times moved a little closer but we rely upon you all to park legally and considerately and if you have to park further away to park safely then please do so. We understand that complaints are being made to the Police but it shouldn’t come to people risking fines etc, we should be able to police our own behaviour in this matter. We thank you so much for your support in this matter.

Attendance Week 6

Well done Reception 100%!

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NEWS BEYOND THE SCHOOL:

Don’t forget the “Family Cinema Club” on Friday 28th October 1pm in the Parish Centre showing Disney's Spooky Buddies

For more Parish events please click on the link below.

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Wednesday Word

Here is the Gospel to share with your family - there are three Sundays to cover half term.

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Have a wonderful weekend and please remember the children break up next week on Thursday 20th October (normal times) for half term - returning on 31st October.

"Each person must live their life as a model for others"

Here at Our Lady’s, our role model is Jesus. We recognise that we are His hands and feet here on Earth. Year 2 performed a beautiful assembly this week during which they shared how to be a wonderful, caring, and compassionate role model and follow Jesus’ example. Thank you to all the parents who came along. Wasn’t the singing truly joyful and wonderful- there is a little film on their blog! Next week, Year 4 will be performing their assembly, at 9:10am and 9:35am. I had a sneaky peek today and it looks as though some science will be involved!!

In today’s celebration assembly, we learnt about the Rosary and said one decade together. Children will now have the opportunity to come to the worship area with their rosary beads, to pray. We have prayer passes which are used for this area, just a few children visit there at a time, which allows time for quiet reflection. It is a joy to see how the children behave so beautifully in there and with such reverence.

I believe there are developments in the “fruit and vegetable” mystery saga taking place in Year 1. The children have discovered that the EVIL PEA was responsible for the devastating scenes in class last week! Will he pay for his crimes? Year 4 have begun to read “Charlotte’s Web” together and they are hooked! Year 5 continue to explore Ancient Greece and Year 6 have worked hard on those fractions! Please visit your class blog for a celebration of the learning and any important messages which your teacher may have.

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Important Information:

You are invited to book an online appointment to meet your child’s class teacher.

Thank you to everyone who has already booked their Parents appointment. Please ensure you have clicked on the correct link below. If you have a problem Mrs Hodges, in the office, is very happy to help.

Parents’ Day Friday 21st October (except Year 1)

Year 1 Parents’ Day - Monday 17th October

Please make sure that your details are accurate and please type the legal names used to register your child (thank you).

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OPEN AFTERNOONS

For prospective parents of children for Reception class, September 2023, we have two open afternoons here at school. These will take place on:

Wednesday 12th October 2022 2pm - 3pm

Wednesday 2nd November 2022 2pm - 3pm

Our Year 6 children will take small groups of parents on a tour through the school. Visitors will see the children and teachers busy learning together and are very welcome to gather at the end of the tour and ask staff who will be waiting, any questions about the application process.

Please ring the School Office on 01253 726 015 to book a time slot (15 minute intervals) for a tour - we have appointments at 2pm, 2:15pm, 2:30pm and 2:45pm on both days..

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Your School needs YOU! Are you interested in becoming a Parent Governor?

Our Lady Star of the Sea is a special community which is built on love and trust, made up of our children, staff, parents, the parish and the school governing body.

Our governing body works tirelessly to support and nurture the school vision, providing a platform on which we can build, to move forward, grow and ultimately flourish, keeping the school mission statement, ‘You are precious in My eyes’ at the centre of all actions and decisions. The governing body is made up of volunteers who work together with the head teacher to improve education and all other aspects of school life, building work, safety, safeguarding, our budget etc!

Due to changes within the governing body, there are now two vacancies for parent governors and we hope that any interested parents will come forward.

Are you someone who:

• Wants to make a positive difference to the experiences of our children

• Works well with other people and can work as part of a team

• Has some time to spare to attend meetings within the term (usually 2, held early evening)

• Is ready to learn and open to new ideas

• Is willing to give something back to our school

You don't need any formal qualifications, you'll get full training and support to make sure you are fully equipped to carry out the role successfully.

If you are interested in applying for the role of Parent Governor, please write a short biography (no more than 150 words) stating who you are, a little about yourself, any experience or skills you could bring to the governing body and why you would like to be a governor at Our Lady Star of the Sea. Please send this to Mrs Hodges at

bursar@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk by Thursday 13th October. Once we have the nominations in, and depending on the number received, we can arrange an election process in which parents and guardians will be eligible to vote.

We look forward to hearing from interested parents; this is a role in which you can make a difference so please do think about applying to become a Parent Governor.

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Office News

Urgent Parking Plea We have had notification from a kind and concerned neighbour and it’s been flagged up this week by many parents in our community that there is some dangerous and irresponsible parking taking place before and after school. Please DO NOT park on the zig zag or the double yellow lines. Our staggered approach helps with congestion - but we rely on each person recognising that the safety of the children, indeed the safety of all in our community, comes first. Thank you so much as always, for your support in this matter.

School Photographs - please remember that Tempest Photography will be in school on Wednesday morning 12th October and alongside Reception Class and Year 6 group photographs, they will be taking individual photographs and siblings in school.

Attendance

Well done to Year 4 with 100% attendance this week!

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Wednesday Word

Here is the Gospel for this week to share with your family

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NEWS BEYOND THE SCHOOL

Book this free parish event into your diary!

Family Cinema Club - Friday 28th October 1pm in the Parish Centre. Showing: Disney's Spooky Buddies

For more Parish events please click on the link below

Dance Festival - children form our school will be taking part!!

Harvest Mass at Church - Monday 17th October (9:30am)

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We wish you a very happy weekend with your families and hope that you will have some peace and rest!

"Compassion is the wish to see others free from suffering" Dalai Lama

What an end to the week! We had biblical rain this evening - none of us escaped!

The rain however did not dampen our enthusiasm for learning. I bumped into a group of very concerned Year One children this afternoon, they were on the hunt for a criminal. Someone had entered their classroom overnight and squished and nibbled the fruit family! They had made some excellent ‘Wanted’ posters - they are all over schoo! - I’ll let you know if they catch the culprit!

On Tuesday our lovely Year 6 performed a very thought provoking assembly sharing their vision of a school full of warmth and care. It was something we strive to achieve every day. Thank you Year 6. Later that day, there was much excitement as our older children went off to play football and netball. Everyone gave their absolute best and I believe there was an impressive victory for the footballers - Mrs Gregan was very excited!

Next week, on Tuesday 4th October, our Year 2 children will be performing their assembly (9:10/9:35) and we can’t wait to see what they will come up with.

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Now brace yourself for a list of important information:

Parents Day Friday 21st October (except Year 1)

-you are invited to book an online appointment to meet your

child’s class teacher.

Year 1 Parents Day - Monday 17th October

Please make sure that your details are accurate and please type the legal names used to register your child (thank you).

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Harvest Mass-

The children will be celebrating Mass with the Parish on Monday 17th October 9:30am. Before we attend this service we try to collect foods for the many in need in our community. We have contacted our local food bank and they gave us a list of items which would be so gratefully received. Each class has been given an item and together we hope to collect them and make a display of our produce in our worship areas in class.

Please see the chart for your class item - all donations are so appreciated especially in these tough times.

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TEMPEST PHOTOGRAPHS

The children will be having their photographs taken in school on Wednesday 12th October. The children will have an individual photo and another with their siblings who attend school. Reception and Year 6 will have a whole class photograph to mark the beginning and end of their school journey at Our Lady Star of the Sea.

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FLU VACCINATION WEDNESDAY 19TH OCTOBER

You will have received a text message this week about the Nasal Flu Vaccine. The booking for this is on each class blog page. We always have a really good take up for this vaccination - flu is such a nasty illness. Please do let us know if you have any problems with the booking - those who’ve reported back so far said that they found it very straightforward but let us know if you have an issue.

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WEDNESDAY WORD

Here is the Gospel of the week for you to share as a family and a little reminder too that October is the month of Our Lady. In school, dedicated as we are to Our Lady Star of the Sea, we will be praying the Rosary. The children have been asked to bring in their Rosary Beads.

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OFFICE NEWS

We have had some lovely interactions with parents this week and it was our great joy to see so many Year 6 parents come in and enjoy the wonderful assembly. It’s so long since parents came in that we just need to remind you of our safety and safeguarding protocols in school and we ask parents please not to bring drinks in. In line too with our mobile phone policy, all phones must be switched off on school premises. Thank you for this - we don’t like to be constantly reminding everyone and policing these rules when we are so happy to be welcoming you back in!

On another note with dinners, there is no doubt, the numbers of dinner arrears have fallen for which we are very appreciative. After the recent entries we’ve made on our section of the newsletter about arrears, we are texting anyone in debit to explain that if accounts are not in credit by Sunday evening/first thing Monday morning, pre school, we will only serve further dinners when the situation is rectified. If anyone has any problem, they can always call us in the office for a discreet word - we wouldn’t want to see anyone in distress but we have been asked by LCC to tighten up as our debts were running too high.

Attendance - Year 5 winners with 99%

Every day matters

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NEWS BEYOND THE SCHOOL

Family Parish Gathering this Sunday after 11 o’clock mass.

Press on the Parish link below to find out more.

Why not join a local Ramble for charity. We will be coming to school in our pajamas in November to support our local children at Brian House too!

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Have a restful and family filled weekend. Can you believe that tomorrow is 1st October and we are well and truly into Autumn now. God Bless you all.

'I’ve grown most not from victories, but setbacks. If winning is God’s reward, then losing is how He teaches us.' – Serena Williams

It was a strange but poignant start to the week. We hope you were all able to reflect in your own way on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the historical events we witnessed.

On Tuesday, it was lovely to see all the children coming to school, all bright and breezy and full of enthusiasm. What made it very special was the arrival of our new Reception children all coming together for their first week of full days. Thank you to all the brothers and sisters who excitedly led their siblings round to Mrs Hartley and another thank you to our four lovely Year 6 helpers who manned the gates this week - helping guide and support. I know these small acts of loving kindness will have made school feel welcoming and safe to our newest and youngest children.

I had the privilege this week of attending every class council. I have watched the new class councillors guiding their peers in interesting and thought provoking discussion. I went along to ask the children to help me write “golden rules” for our playtimes. It was clear that we needed slightly different rules in relation to the trim trail depending on the age of the class. However, we did agree on shared rules that help us keep the playground feeling safe and fun. Not only did I enjoy the council sessions I have witnessed a great deal of purposeful and exciting learning. Reception have leant routines, Year 1 and 3 are all excited about maths. Year 2 are making graffiti in art, Year 4 are getting lost in words, Year 5 are playing rugby and rounding numbers and Year 6 are practising their assembly for next week!

Talking of assemblies, why not watch the inspirational film we shared together in assembly this morning! It made us all think deeply about the two virtues we are seeking to practice, love and compassion.

Finally, thank you to all the parents who came along to the Key Stage 2 Induction Evening - it has been wonderful to have parents in school. Please remember every member of staff is here, ready to help with any question or concern.

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OFFICE NEWS

It’s been a busy week as always in the office, getting new routines up and running. We’re sorry to have to mention dinner money again as we still have people starting the week in debit. We’re so grateful to the many people who pay on time and are always in credit. If you receive a text about overdue dinner money, please can you ensure that the arrears we text you, PLUS next week’s dinner money, are paid by first thing Monday morning. Hopefully they will be - we’ve explained previously in our Office News that LCC Finance Office said we had to suspend dinners if they were in debit and we will have to start doing that next Friday and ask anyone whose child is in debit to bring a packed lunch on the following Monday. As always, we are sensitive to anyone in need and you can always approach the office if there is a concern.

Please can we thank you so much for all the efforts you are making to ensure that your children have everything they need for the day. We are getting far fewer forgotten things being brought in and far fewer phone calls being made to enquire about clubs and groups and activities so we think you are all doing a great job, keeping up with class blogs and the newsletter. Well done everyone! Have a lovely weekend.

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Attendance

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OPEN AFTERNOONS

For prospective parents of children for Reception class, September 2023, we have two open afternoons here at school. These will take place on:

Wednesday 12th October 2022 2pm - 3pm

Wednesday 2nd November 2022 2pm - 3pm

Our Year 6 children will take parents on a tour through the school. Visitors will see the children and staff busy learning together and are very welcome to gather at the end of the tour and ask any questions about the application process.

Please ring the School Office on 01253 726 015 for a time (15 minute intervals) for each tour and we have appointments at 2pm, 2:15pm, 2:30pm and 2:45pm on both days..

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News Beyond the School

Job Vacancy : St Thomas’ Breakfast and After School club. The job involves working at both clubs (before and after school, hours to be arranged). If you have a child at school they can attend the club at no cost. Previous employment with children is desirable but not essential. To apply, text Mrs Sayer 07757 360 397

Please check out the Parish newsletter on the button just below this school post. Here you will find all the events taking place in the coming few weeks. These include:

Quiz Nights

Coffee mornings

film club

Parish Family gathering Sunday October 2nd 12:00pm

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The gospel of the week to share as a family

From all the staff, do have a peaceful and happy weekend. Saturday looks like a better day than Sunday when showers are forecast. Hope that you can have some relaxing time with your families, enjoying the start of autumn.

“Being of service to others is what brings true happiness.”

What a wonderful and busy week we have had in school. The children are settling in brilliantly and there is a great deal of learning taking place. School will be closed on Monday as a mark of respect to our dear late Queen. Monday will offer a unique opportunity for the children to see some of the historic traditions and customs that make our nation so distinctive. We can also practise being compassionate as we stand with our fellow citizens and the Royal Family, saying good bye to someone who was deeply loved.

Our annual leadership assembly took place today. Inspired by our Queen, the Year 6 children took on a wide variety of responsibilities. They will have the opportunity to fulfil the roles awarded to them, leading our community and sharing with the younger children a deeper and growing understanding of our school ethos. Congratulations Year 6, the staff are all excited about working alongside you.

I was asked this week if there was a special mass for the Queen in church at the weekend. There is Mass on Monday at 9:30am and I know that at each Mass Father Peter has shared a beautiful prayer for Her Majesty - I have placed it at the bottom of this letter. We have also moved the Parish Newsletter to our Discover page so that you can easily find out what is happening in our Parish family.

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Our Reception children, who have had a wonderfully creative week, will be joining us full time from Tuesday. Mrs Hartley has created a very comprehensive class blog for all Reception parents. Here you will find everything you need to know for next week and a super film!. In the hall we have a marvellous display - each new child has painted a self portrait - there are 30 smiling faces!

Please visit your child’s class blog for information about: learning, clubs and awards. Please note that football practice will take place after school on Tuesday. A quick thank you too to all the parents that joined us in Key Stage 1 for the induction evening. We look forward to welcoming Key Stage 2 parents this coming Wednesday at 6:00pm.

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OPEN AFTERNOONS

For prospective parents we have two open afternoons here at school. These will take place on:

Wednesday 12th October 2022 2pm - 3pm

Wednesday 2nd November 2022 2pm - 3pm

Our Year 6 children will take parents on a tour through the school. Visitors will see the children and staff busy learning together.

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Office News

URGENT - SAFETY NOTICE

Please be aware that no one, other than Staff, should be walking through our Staff Car Park. The small gate on Kenilworth Road which leads directly to the Office will now remain open should you need to visit School or if you arrive after the entry gates have been locked.

Please ensure that you are able to attend our KS2 Meet the Teacher Evening on Wednesday 21st September at 6pm. This is such a useful occasion at which you can hear about plans for the year, ask questions and get all information needed to help support your child on their journey through their new year group. We always ask, if you have a child in Year 6 and a clash of meetings, please attend the Year 6 meeting and we’ll do our best to fill you in on whatever has been missed in another class.

We’re very grateful to the many parents who sorted out dinner money this week. Unfortunately, we still have some arrears but hopefully these will be settled this weekend.

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Attendance percentage

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Year 5 and 6 Parents

There is another meeting next week for parents of Year 5 and Year 6 children and this is at St Bede’s from whom we’ve only just heard regarding an Open Evening there from 6-8:30pm next Thursday. Their Head teacher, Mr Marsden will address prospective parents at 6:30 and 7:30 in St Bede’s School Hall.

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News beyond the school

Please read the Parish News Letter. Here you will find information about services; food banks and social events. Speaking of social events, The Royal Shakespeare Company will be performing at The Grand Theatre in Blackpool 29 Sep - 1 Oct . This is a Close Encounter production of Twelfth Night - especially produced with children in mind. Click on the image to link to the box office

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Please enjoy time with family during this historic weekend.

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Almighty God, You are the author and sustainer of all human life; grant that your servant, Elizabeth our Queen, whom you granted a long and happy reign as Monarch of these lands may be forgiven her sins and rewarded with that eternal life promised to all those born again in the water of baptism and power of your Spirit. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit God, forever and ever.

Amen.

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“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” – Martin Luther King, Jr

It is hard to know what to write. The news of the passing of our dear Queen Elizabeth II has been felt so deeply since its announcement. We have celebrated her life today in assembly- a life full of humility and service. Our children have respectfully honored her in song and prayer.

May she rest in peace.

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The end of the week has felt sombre and reflective, in contrast to the beginning when the children returned to school full of joy and enthusiasm. Friendships have been re-established and routines are in full swing. We have welcomed new staff to the family too, the children have embraced each new adult, making everyone feel appreciated and valued. On Wednesday we welcomed our new Reception children. Our Early Years Team have loved getting to know each child and I witnessed some wonderful play. Mrs Hartley was teaching the children all about our learning character Roger Robin who works and plays wonderfully with others. It was clear from the obstacle course recreated in Reception that the children were working hard as a team. At the other end of the school, Year 6 have been busy writing letters to the Head teacher in response to the call to serve our community.

On Thursday, we came together to celebrate Our Lady’s birthday at Mass. It was the first time we have been able to start our new school year with a Mass at church since 2019. It was lovely to begin the year alongside our extended parish family. I must tell you that at the end of Mass a member of the congregation came to express his gratitude to the children for their beautiful reading and singing. He also praised their behaviour which was impeccable.

Next week we welcome parents in Years 1 and 2 to our induction evening (Wednesday 14th at 6pm). This is an opportunity for you to visit your child’s classroom and to meet their new teacher. It would be lovely for you to meet our new staff - making your self known, they would really appreciate your presence. Key stage 2 meetings for Year 3-6 will take part the following week (Wednesday 21st at 6pm).

As we do every year, we ask you to complete an updated Medical Form, Consent Form and a Home School Agreement. These are going live today on your child’s class blog. If you have more than one child please can you ensure that you complete the form on the correct class page - they are collated in class groups. This would avoid any child popping up on a form in the wrong year group! Thank you.

Finally, clubs begin next week: dance, football, netball and choir. Please read your class blogs carefully for year group eligibility, dates and times.

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Office News

It’s been so lovely seeing the children back and this year we’ve had the joy of welcoming in our new Reception parents when they arrived to have meetings with Mrs Hartley. Everyone has been so good at leaving messages on our phone and reporting absences on the form, it’s been a great start.

School dinners this year have risen to £2.40 each or £12 per week, if taken daily. The charge for this half-term is £81.60 up to and including 20th October. Sadly, we have come to the end of our first week and 36 people are in debit already, 10 of those debts having carried forward from summer term, despite reminders.

We cannot emphasise too strongly that dinners MUST be paid for in advance and our Finance Officer from LCC says we must not allow dinners to be more than one week in arrears before we suspend the account. Please can we ask you to support us in this - we will text you the amount outstanding as at today and please pay any arrears PLUS next week’s dinner payment by Sunday so that you are in credit for the new week. Unfortunately it is simply not enough to pay arrears and then have a dinner on Monday without payment. Also, please know that if anyone is in difficulties, they must come privately to speak to us - any conversations we have are in strictest confidence and only known to the Head and ourselves.

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Attendance

This week the average total class attendance figure is 98.7% and is well within our hoped for aim of between 97 and 100% attendance for each class. Reception Class and Y5 have 100% attendance and the lowest attendance figure amongst our year groups is 96%. Parents you should be so proud! You’ve brought your children into school, so punctually, so smart and keen and ready to learn - you could not have given them a better start and it is so appreciated.

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Family Prayer

The Gospel this week is the Lost Sheep. An opportunity to reflect on God’s deep love for each of us no matter how far we travel away from him.

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News Beyond School:

On Sunday October 2nd there will be a Parish Family Gathering following the 11am Mass - all families are so welcome.

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God Bless all - have a lovely weekend - from all the staff here at Our Lady Star of the Sea.

Welcome Back - a new year begins!

We cannot wait to open the gates on Monday morning, to welcome back our school family. All of the staff are excited to see the children, listen to their news and begin their learning journey together. This half term, our virtues are compassion and love. Through discussion and reflection, we will be striving to understand what each of these qualities are and how we can use them to be the very best versions of ourselves. We want to bring the Kingdom of God alive here on earth.

Our new Year 6 will be leading our community in service and love. It will be great to see how they have grown and how they will develop into the beautiful, young people that we endeavor to create. At the opposite end of the school, a new journey begins. We are really excited to be widening our school family and embracing our new Reception children.

On Thursday, most of the school will be attending Mass at 9.30am to celebrate Our Lady’s birthday - why not join us?

The school gates will open at 8.45am for Harcourt and Marsden and 8.50am for Bamber and Plessington. Mrs Hotchkiss and Miss Brisco will be on hand to welcome the children and point them in the right direction as they head to class. Please click here to familiarise yourself with school organisation.

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Sharing a love of reading

Following the pandemic, we had to re think how our library would operate. As a result, books went into classes and children could access them from there. This was a positive as children were able to have conversations in their classes. However, our library system has required a complete overhaul which has taken place this summer. It is clear that a number of books are still missing and we would love you to have a little root at home to see if any of them have escaped there.

The children will be able to access school books soon, once the library and scanning system is back up and running. In the meantime, the children are able to bring reading books in from home to read when they have time in class.

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All of the teachers will be putting a lovely blog on their class pages to welcome the children. Please visit them to find out any important information and to get a sense of what life will be like in their new classrooms. Don’t forget, Induction Nights are approaching! Why not visit the school calendar below to see what else is happening, including class assemblies.

We look forward to walking hand in hand with you as we continue to grow our school community.

Mrs Hotckiss and Mrs Gregan

Thank you...

These last two weeks have been incredibly emotional and I have been overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness and kindness which have been showered over me. On Monday evening, seeing so many of you in church touched my heart; for me it reflected just what our community has grown into. A place where we are all loved, all supported and all truly valued.

I have tried so hard to chat with each of you and have failed miserably. However, I really do want each of you to know that it has been such a privilege over these last twenty years to be part of this wonderful place that we have created together. There is nothing more powerful than people working together in partnership, sharing the same values and ensuring that we take everyone with us on our journey. What a journey this has been! I have so many memories which I will take with me and all of them relate to people: children, parents, staff and governors.

I will never forget your generosity and kindness and I will leave you with a poem I wrote and read out at Mass on Monday… The community that is Our Lady Star of the Sea…

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Finally

Yes, I know there is always a finally! Today I have been moved to tears so many times as we shared my last pantomime and had such fun! At the end, the children and staff had planned a whole school flash mob to Dancing Queen without my knowledge; at this point it was impossible to stop the flow of tears. It was magical to see the whole school dancing and singing in unison. This moment will live with me forever.

We also said an emotional farewell to our Year 6 children who spent lunchtime entertaining us with songs from Mary Poppins. These children have been such a wonderful group and we know they will be missed…

And so… goodbye from me and thank you… I couldn't have done it without you!

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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At the end of the day ‘love maketh the child’

What an emotional week! To have the opportunity to share such a special two nights with our Year 5 and Year 6 parents as we travelled to Cherry Tree Lane felt like such a gift. For the last two years we have been unable to do this and it has been such a loss. Never again will we take it for granted that the play just happens. It seemed so apt this year to choose Mary Poppins; this beautiful story which seems more relevant today than ever, made us all stop for a moment and think about the choices we each make. It is a story which Bert loved relating as it has a real moral, containing important lessons for us all, and didn’t Bert do it well!

We have performed plays for the last 17 years and every year I think that nothing can surprise me and again, as with every time, the children perform, I am completely astonished and overwhelmed! The talent and gifts of every single child shone so brightly as they performed; the comic timing and characterisations were truly a joy to behold and had the audience laughing and crying! With each performance the children held their audiences for 120 minutes, which passed by with such speed. In such intense heat in our non air-conditioned hall, this was a feat in itself! 

Children, I am so proud of each and every one of you; you were all truly amazing! I do expect to see a number of you finding your way to a stage somewhere in the future; dream big!

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Oh, my goodness how time flies! I can't believe we're heading next week into our final three days; where has the year gone? As always at this time, it's lovely reading every child's end of year report to see just how much progress each one has made. I have been so impressed this year with so many of our children who have worked hard, enthusiastically embraced each learning opportunity, and taken themselves on a journey of self-discovery. There is so much to celebrate in every year group and I'm sure, like us, you are very proud of your children.

Despite the challenges of the last two years, our Year 6 children as a whole group have exceeded the school targets set for them, with the majority of children achieving the expected standard for the year group and some working at greater depth within that standard. We are incredibly proud of them all. Watching them continue to support the school as they complete their summer work experience around classrooms, demonstrates just how far they've travelled. They have all given their best and as we always tell them; their best is always good enough! We will be celebrating their time at school next Tuesday at 9:30am at Our Lady's Church. This year we have many parents whose youngest child is going up to High School and so we will be saying goodbye to families also which makes us very emotional as they have been part of our community for so long. Once a part of Our Lady's though, always a part!

Something we already knew…

You only have to walk into our Nursery to know it is a place where children can feel secure and confident to be themselves. Once inside, the magic begins as learning envelops you from every corner and suddenly you are pulled into a story or asked to negotiate an obstacle course or taken off to a settee to sit down to be offered an imaginary cup of tea! It was no surprise when Ofsted turned up three weeks ago that the inspector found herself being lost in the learning too. We are always so proud of the inspirational practice in Nursery but it is always welcome to hear a visitor talk about the setting with such warmth and hear that they’ve recognised what a truly special place it is. Why not see for yourself and read the report here

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Office News

We would like to make our final piece one in which first and foremost, we thank you for all your kindness, lovely interactions, cheering words etc because they do make a difference and it is always a pleasure to have contact with our lovely families. We appreciate your forbearance and understanding especially at hectic times.

We’re only going to flag up dinner money by saying that our debtors are now in single figures and we ask for all accounts to be cleared by the end of term please. Our Finance Officer has rapped our knuckles yet again and said we have to suspend dinners the first week an account goes into debit. Next term’s dinners will cost £2.40 per meal or £12 per week, sadly we’ve had to raise the cost in line with LCC charges. We’ll put some a form on over the holiday for you to choose meal patterns if you are going to book hot dinners for next term.

We are very much looking forward to seeing you on Monday at our celebratory Mass for Miss Hornby. Mass starts at 6:30pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea and will be followed by tea and a cuppa and cake at the Parish Centre. We are immensely grateful to families from Yrs 3, 4, 5 and 6 who are baking for us, you are simply wonderful and we can’t thank you enough at such a busy time. Please can we ask that all cake donations are taken to the Parish Centre on Monday from 3:20pm up until just before Mass. If anyone has any problem please ring us in the office on 01253 726 015. Many thanks

Attendance

This year our attendances have been lower than our annual norm which is 97+% and the average class attendance for the year is 95.3%. We know that the drop is due to a variety of factors, all covid related whether it be illness, or more than usual holiday absences where parents have taken leave due to previously cancelled holidays. We have understood and tried to be as fair as possible, regarding potential penalties etc. Next year we think that the Government will be looking hard at attendance. We appreciate the great efforts you have all made to bring children into school; it’s not been easy in the aftermath of a pandemic which has still had the capacity to cause us many issues in recent times due to staff illness. This year and by the narrow margin of 0.2%, Years 1 and 3 have the best attendance at 95.9% with Year 6 in 3rd place with 95.7%. Well done everyone.

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The joy of a concert

What a lovely afternoon we spent with our Year 4 children and their families this week! The children performed a repertoire of singing, body percussion and recorder music, under the skillful conducting of Mrs Maddocks, our music teacher. It was such a joy and demonstrated just how much progress the children have made over the year. There was real skill and talent on show. I know that the families loved every minute. Well done children, what a wonderful concert. Next year this group will be transferring to the clarinet, such a beautiful instrument. We can’t wait to hear them this time next year!

Finally

On Thursday we gathered for a whole school assembly, it really has been so long since we have all been in the hall together; such an emotional moment and so special hearing all the children singing together! We thought about how we had each grown and which of our school virtues we had truly embraced and demonstrated. The wining House this half term is Harcourt (blue) and they will enjoy their day of wearing their House colour own clothes on the final day (Wednesday 20th July). 

We look forward to spending our final three days of the school year with you. At this time of year, everything whizzes by so fast but these final days are so important as we celebrate and sign off the year, and bid farewell to our leavers, the children and the adults. We know that, like the Magic Faraway Tree, everything will have moved on in September, new Reception children in, each class moved up into a new year group and our current Year 6’s taking their first steps at High School, not to mention new teachers enjoying their first days as part of our school team. It’s wonderful to contemplate all that has been achieved in the school year that we are completing and to excitedly look forward to the journey ahead. At the same time, I hope there will be chance next week, just to be in the moment, to absorb and celebrate and enjoy all the special things we have and are together as a community…

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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When words fail, music speaks...

My goodness, another very busy week but one full of fun, laughter and such joy! It is said that music is the language of the heart and you only have to walk through school at the moment to know this is true. Every song heard from the hall as Mary, Bert and all the cast raise their voices with such enthusiasm, brings a smile to your face; you can’t fail to sing along and tap those feet. It’s such a wonderful story too, one which makes you really consider what is important in life. Such poignant scenes which get you thinking about yourself and the actions you take.

Just like our school virtues; my how challenging these are! But then as we always tell the children, becoming the best version of ourselves is not easy, in fact it is a life’s work. Poor Mr Banks, he doesn’t realise what he has missed until he’s made a catalogue of mistakes… and you know the rest…

I know how much everyone wants to see Mary Poppins and I really wish we had more room in the hall, that we hadn’t been hit by a pandemic and that we had time to put on more performances. Despite all adversity and many frustrating constraints, we feel such gratitude at being able to welcome a live audience. We have looked at numbers as everyone has been given their allocated tickets and we can now offer Year 6 families one extra ticket each. This seems the right thing to do as this is their final performance whilst our Year 5 children will be able to enjoy another play next year.

So, for any Year 6 families who would like another ticket please click here and order 1 extra ticket. You will then need to pay on ParentPay for your ticket to be released.

Sadly, this year will be Miss Mallinson’s final play at Our Lady’s as she is leaving us on Tuesday following the final performance. She has worked alongside us for the past eight years and we can only thank her and wish her well; she has definitely brought music to life. Thank you, Miss Mallinson, we will all miss you.    

We also said goodbye to Madame Jefferson this week as she retires after forty years of teaching. She has worked at Our Lady’s for fifteen years, providing all children the opportunity to fall in love with French. We will miss you too Madame Jefferson.

Amidst all the goodbyes and rehearsals children have continued with their exciting learning. After much reflection they are now working hard on their identified areas and are trying desperately to reach their goals. I know they will all continue with this over the summer, ready for next year.

Reading reports over the last two weeks, I have been so impressed with the self-knowledge that children have demonstrated. I know you will enjoy reading their reports and reflecting with them.

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Looking forward

Today all the children have been told who their new teacher will be next year; there were a few surprises as we have new teachers joining us next year and some familiar faces returning to classrooms. Next week, each class will be visited by their new teacher so that they can begin to start that important relationship.    

We do have so much to look forward to. Reports will go out on Thursday next week and will include various pieces of information for next year. Please spend some time looking at the information included so that you can celebrate the year but also look ahead to September.

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Office News

We are definitely running out of time and of term but we are keeping busy until the end, trying to fit everything in! Please can you help us by responding to messages about unpaid dinner money etc - it does so help.

Reminding Year 5 and Year 6 Parents re the Play that there will be a Digital Film version available online once Ed of ‘The School Play’s The Thing’ has done his magical editing - every year he has complimented us on our productions, even bringing family along as paid audience members when tickets were more freely available, so impressed was he! If you wish to purchase a digital film copy, please go onto ParentPay to order. If any parents from other classes wish to purchase, please let the office know as we can add your name onto the list.

We are still collating numbers for Miss Hornby’s Mass of Celebration and Thanksgiving - we would appreciate it greatly, if you haven’t already, to fill in the form attached here, to let us know if you are able to attend - it is at 6:30pm on Monday 18th July at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church and afterwards there will be a cup of tea at the Parish Centre.

Attendance

This week, attendance has ranged from 90.6% to 98.6% which was the attendance percentage for our Reception Class! Well done children, we still have some pockets of illness in classes and are hoping that germs will soon be banished and that we have as many children in as possible for our final days.

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A tree from Our Queen

This afternoon we were visited by a representative from Fylde in Bloom who delivered our Platinum Rowan Tree to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II which we promptly planted with the help of our Student Council and our Head Boy and Girl. As you can see The Queen joined us for this special occasion.

Finally

I hope that you all manage a restful weekend with your families and have some time to relax together. The Lytham festival is still drawing crowds and the weather has been a little kinder this week, many people have enjoyed the wide variety of shows. As we enter our final 8 days of this year we are all taking a deep breath as there is so much to fit in. The question is, Bob the Builder style, ‘Can we do it?’ 'Yes we can!’

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others…

After a lengthy and rigorous recruitment process I am pleased to inform you that the Governing Body have appointed Mrs Gregan to take over as Headteacher of Our Lady Star of the Sea, following my retirement.

As you know Mrs Gregan has worked at Our Lady’s for the past twelve years and over the past six years she has been part of our leadership team. She knows, and has shared the journey we have taken as a school and understands the importance of working in partnership with yourselves in order to keep growing our very special school. I have no doubt that she will continue with the journey we are on and take Our Lady’s to a new and exciting place. She has the passion, drive and faith to place this next part of her career in the hands of God to ensure that the school continues to be a place where Christ can inspire us all to ‘become the best versions of ourselves’. 

As Mrs Gregan is currently on maternity leave her new post will commence in January 2023 on her return. In her absence Mrs Hotchkiss, our Deputy head, will take on the role of acting Headteacher during the autumn term and will ensure that the school community continues to flourish and grow. She looks forward to taking on this new challenge and working closely with you all.

Our experienced Governing Body will support both of these staff members as they commence their new roles. Please click here to read a letter from Mrs Dee Hills, our chair of Governors.

Now that decisions have been made we can plan ahead and begin to organise key transition points which will ensure that every child is secure in the knowledge of where their own learning journey will be taking them next year. On Friday 8th July their current class teacher will confirm who will be teaching them next year and then during the week beginning 11th July their new teacher will join them as part of their present class for one or two lessons so that they can begin the process of getting to know them. 

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Meanwhile!

What another exciting week! Inside the hall there is so much activity going on and we are getting glimpses of our play, Mary Poppins, and hearing some beautiful melodies as our upper juniors rehearse their lines and sing their hearts out. It's going to be a wonderful show and, most importantly, the children are enjoying putting it together along with Mrs Harrison. I watched scene seven on Wednesday and was nearly knocked over by three very enthusiastic jockeys who were simply supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!

We are thrilled that we will be able to welcome a real audience to watch this year but remain constricted due to the ongoing high virus rates and the size of our hall. With only two performances we will have to limit ticket sales to 3 per child at £4 each, across both performances. I know this will be disappointing for many of you as I know how family members enjoy these special moments, however we have to put the safety of everyone first. We will be also producing a film of the performance which can then be shared with those family members who have missed out. This film will be produced digitally. and will cost £12, orders have to be received and paid for by July 4th. To order your allocation of tickets and film please click here.

New Starters

On Thursday evening we had the pleasure of welcoming the families of the new starters for September - many are already familiar faces and some are new to us and new to our school family. It's such a privilege to have parents entrust their child to our care and we love meeting everyone on this induction evening. Our staff were there to greet our new parents who had the chance to sample delicious food from our kitchen and visit so many different areas of the curriculum. The Reception class team were on hand to talk to parents and pass on important information. A highlight of the evening was listening to Ava and Clayton, our head girl and head boy speak to parents about life at Our Lady's and hearing their reflections on their own school journey. When parents are preparing for their child to start Reception, it's lovely and hopefully reassuring as well to meet some of the Year 6 children who are about to leave us and take the next stage of their education journey up to high school. This was a beautiful evening, thank you parents for being so enthusiastic, we hope you found the evening useful.

Gym Jam Jog

Today we have brought the week to a conclusion with a combination of fun and health as we've completed our Gym Jam Jog. It was such a glorious event with a real community spirit, we’ve so missed these events, the children have loved every minute .

The children arrived from 8am onwards with great enthusiasm as they ran around the field with their friends, all trying to beat old records; I do believe that some even reached the golden 100! With great support from parents and grandparents, some even took to the field themselves - there were smiles everywhere. This was followed by toast in class. We are now in the process of collecting all sponsorship monies so once collected from your sponsors, please can you pay on ParentPay or send back to school. All money raised will help us to build that castle and it will always be remembered that we did this together with our Gym Jam Jog!

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Office News

We are busily trying to finish off this year’s tasks - (we have a long way to go yet), and start next year’s as there is always much to attend to at this time of year and oh how we value your support - parents are very thoughtful and it is so appreciated.

Next Friday, we will be putting a form on the website as you are all invited, along with your families to Miss Hornby’s Mass at OLSotS Church, celebrating her time with us and praying for a happy, healthy and adventurous retirement! Our celebratory Mass will be on Monday 18th June at 6:30pm and it would be lovely to see you there and afterwards at the Parish Centre for a cuppa and a cake! We do need you to fill in next week’s form on the newsletter if you can come as we need to have an idea of numbers. The staff are taking a lot of tissues, Miss Hornby means so much to us all and whilst joyful for her chance to finally have some time for herself, we are sad because we will miss her greatly. Every year end is a poignant time for us as we say ‘au revoir’ to our Year 6 and any other leavers, this year it will be even more so. We have faith though, we know that as God closes one door for us He opens another. Miss Hornby has taught us that our mission is centred in Christ and it will continue as we are guided by new leaders. I can share with all of you that, from the day I met her, twenty years ago, Miss Hornby’s mission has been to get as many children as possible to heaven and alongside that she has nurtured and developed her staff and wanted each one of them to fly higher and higher. We are all in good hands!

Attendance

This has been a challenging week on the health front with pockets of covid and other nasty germs striking where least expected. It’s as if having had some time off and fewer people to infect, viruses have come back with a vengeance but we are being careful and vigilant. Our highest attendance this week was in Year 5 with 97.3%. Parents have been so supportive of attendance this year - we’ve all missed chunks of time through covid and it has been so good to slowly ease back towards more ‘normal’ times in school, having small assemblies etc.

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Returning Home!

What a lovely surprise it was when four of our past pupils returned to school on Thursday to say hello before enjoying their Year 11 prom. They arrived at the main entrance with huge smiles and heads full of happy memories wanting to take in their old primary school. A tour was definitely needed and in every classroom they remembered something with great fondness. It was a delight to spend time with such fine young gentlemen who I’m sure you’ll all agree looked rather dapper in their suits! We hope you enjoyed your evening gentleman and danced the night away!

Finally

It really has been another lovely week in school. With so much to fit in, it feels like we haven’t stopped but there is such joy in this busyness. Today we shared assemblies together and reminded ourselves of just what Jesus did for each one of us. We then reflected on how we can truly become His hands on this earth. Listening to the children sing with real understanding of the words in each hymn makes me realise just how much their faith is growing on a daily basis. Next week on Wednesday we will be joining the parish to celebrate the feast day of St Peter ad St Paul at 9:30 mass. Please join us if you are able.

I hope you all enjoy a restful weekend and have some time to relax. It is Lytham Club Day tomorrow and I hope that it will stay fine so that you can enjoy the procession with your families. It’s been a very busy June with the Platinum Jubilee and other events, July looks rather busy too, so do try and have those moments of rest…as a Priest friend once said, ‘Take time to let the cream rise to the top of the bottle!’.

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better people…

My, what a first week back! We really have celebrated the Queen and had our own special party in school. Within classes children have explored our Monarchy and looked at the history of our Royal family. Whilst doing so they have reflected on the qualities required to be such a successful leader; many of our virtues appeared in these discussions which have made us all realise how important it is to work hard on developing each one. This term we will be trying hard to be both attentive and discerning, thinking hard about the choices we make and the effects of those choices on others; something the Queen has had to do continuously throughout her reign. It was a joy to be able to bring all this learning together on Wednesday with our red, white and blue day. It was such a delight to be able to unite as a whole school outside for our afternoon of celebration, starting with a rendition of God Save the Queen, very patriotic. Then seeing all the children mixing, laughing and having such fun as they danced and played games really was a reminder of what we have missed over the last two years and that we always have to be grateful for our community, and never again take things for granted.

Our Jubilee Picnic was very successfully catered by Jacqui and her team and it looked very jolly in the individual red white and blue boxes - thank you Jacqui and team - we ended up with a record number of dinners for this first week back. It was a pleasure on the day of the Jubilee to have a book about the Queen and our country provided for each child in school which we gave out along with a specially minted Platinum Jubilee commemorative coin which was provided by money raised over time by the whole school community. Reminders in years to come of a very special time.

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The learning continues…

The children have slipped straight back into their learning and it has been a joy seeing them using their retrieval skills to access prior understanding and then jump to those next steps with confidence. This time of the year is always a time when such progress can be seen and the children themselves can see just what they have achieved and what they need to continue to develop over these last six weeks. They have all been reflecting and writing their section of their annual report, thinking about their successes and what they need to do next, and most importantly what they have learned about themselves. There is such determination to achieve those final goals.

Office News

We are on a final countdown now for the completion of the school year with paperwork for Year 6’s transitioning to secondary and preparing for a new Reception class to join us in September. Mrs Hodges is now minus her shoulder sling but still slowly typing her way through documents! Any help in terms of cutting down work is appreciated as we want to ensure that everything is ready to complete the year and be ready for next year. So please do bear with us when we chase for outstanding dinner money payments etc - it does take time out of a busy schedule and we have to make sure that we have no outstanding debts for the end of the year. Similarly we want to ensure that if any of our Y6 leavers have overpayments on their accounts, we will refund these by the end of term.

Please can we confirm the date for Miss Hornby’s Retirement Mass which will be at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church on Monday 18th July at 6:30pm. We will be inviting you all and checking numbers nearer the time as there will be a cuppa and a biscuit afterwards at the Parish Centre.

Attendance

All classes had a minimum attendance of 96% upwards this week with Year 6 at 99% so it was lovely having such good numbers in after the half term holiday. Frighteningly we only have just over 5 weeks (and 3 days!) left of the summer term - where did our year go?

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Finally

It has been lovely to finish the week with such beautiful sunshine! Let’s hope this continues through to next week when we will be holding our Sports afternoons. The children are all very excited to welcome you back to these much loved events. The question is, which House will be victorious this year? Please check the calendar to confirm when your child is competing. We are starting with our youngest children on Monday (Nursery and Reception) at the slightly later time of 1:45pm.

Enjoy the weekend and have some relaxation with your families. After all the busyness of the Jubilee Weekend (many of you looked to be having a wonderful time in Ashton Gardens) it will be good to have a little bit of peace especially if the weather is good.

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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‘Love one another as I have loved you…’

Prayer

As we gathered today we thought more deeply about Jesus’ commandment and realised that Jesus isn’t just asking us to be loving but to go that extra mile and be selfless in our own actions. He wants us to have no barriers to who we love, He just wants us to value each other and show that value through our actions. On the surface this seems so easy but Jesus’ Word always makes us think, reflect and bring about change. Throughout this term we have all been trying to make our actions reflect the work Jesus is calling us to do and our two virtues of Eloquence and Truth have been supporting us. Next half term we will be exploring our next two virtues of being attentive and discerning:

St Ignatius tells us that we need to be attentive to the big and the small things, to the responses of other people, to the stirrings in our hearts, and to the preoccupations that thread their way through our lives.  Being attentive takes practise; it is much easier to rush from one thing to the next, taking little time to notice anything.  Once we develop the habit of being attentive, we can begin to discern what is good for us and what is not; and what God calls us to be, and to do.

This will definitely be a challenge for us all as we go about our busy lives!

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So much to celebrate…

Today as we end this half term, I would like to thank you for your continued support in helping to make Our Lady Star of the Sea a special place in which children can learn. Watching our Reception children over this last week as they have travelled through their continuous provision has been a pure delight; I can't believe just how they have grown over the year, they are learning with such curiosity and confidence. Children, you should be so very proud of all your achievements and there's still six weeks to go!

This week our Year 6 children have been enjoying their time on Lake Coniston and I have to say all reports have delighted us with anecdotes about wonderful children who really have been real ambassadors of Our Lady's. The staff up there have said that so many of the children have overcome challenges and surpassed all their own expectations throughout the week. Mrs Gregan and I enjoyed a lovely day with the children on Wednesday and Mrs Hotchkiss switched places with Mrs Harrison, stepping right into the high climb! The smiles and laughter really summed up just what a marvellous time they are all having. I have to say I could have quite happily stayed. I am sure there will be many stories to hear on their return! If you would like a little taste of their experience do visit the Year 6 area and look at the photographs and read those nightly blogs. Thank you, Year 6 for making us all so proud; we have missed you all just as I know your parents have!

Farewell

Today we have said goodbye to Miss Woodrow who has worked alongside us all for 15 years. She has secured a new role at Mayfield school and is looking forward to a new challenge. We will all miss her but wish her well and hope she will take a little piece of us with her as she continues to grow.

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Office News

Next half-term, our final half term of the school year, is a 33 day half-term and so full dinner money for this will be £77.55. As you know, we have the Great Big Jubilee Picnic coming up in our first week back and you’ve been asked to fill in a form on the website if your child doesn’t normally have a school dinner. If you’ve booked that day (it is Wednesday 8th June) as an extra, KS2 children will need to have £2.35 to be paid onto ParentPay under dinners. There is no special heading for it!

Separately on dinners, we are bringing this week’s registers up to date on Monday (the Office are in at certain times during half-term but only available, intermittently through email) and will send out reminders for any unpaid dinners for this half-term.

With only just over 6 weeks of the school year to go when we return after the holiday, we really are anxious that you catch up with all dates as mentioned elsewhere because it will be a very busy time. The sports days are spread out during the second week of the half-term so please ensure that they are in your calendar. We don’t want anyone to miss as we know how much these days mean to you all and of course to the children!

During the first week back, the office will be sending out to every family in school and Nursery, an invitation to a leaving Mass for Miss Hornby which will be held on Monday 18th June 2022 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church at 6:30pm. We hope that many of you can make it, we are thinking of various celebrations we would like to have within school but it will be the Mass which is dearest to Miss Hornby’s heart and she would love to see as many as possible of us there. We have been asked by many people about collections, we know how Miss Hornby feels, so will not be making any - what we can say, from our experience here, is that if you would like to send her a letter or card, just telling her what you feel about her, the school or just good wishes, that would mean everything to her. We are going to collect in such cards or letters in the office and have already received one or two and they will go straight to Miss Hornby at the end of term. For her, the headship of this school is and always has been, about service, to the school, the children, the staff and the wider parish and local community and we here in school have felt this so keenly as Miss Hornby has been available and at any time to each one of us.

Attendance

These are our half-term percentages and we are hoping very much that our final half-term figures will be even higher. Everyone is trying so hard and we greatly appreciate all your efforts to encourage good time-keeping and good attendance. As always, we feel greatly supported by you all and it is no accident or coincidence that schools with high attendance are generally schools in which the children achieve well according to the benchmarks set for them by government. Our reason for wishing to have regular attendance is that children are always more settled and comfortable in their learning if there are no gaps but we always understand when illness or unavoidable circumstances prevent them being in school.

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This has been another successful half term and watching the children take such strides forward as they immerse themselves in exciting learning continues to be inspiring to us all. It is hard to believe that we only have just over six weeks left when we return to school; but I'm sure they will be weeks full of great opportunities and fun.

Please take a good look at the calendar over the holidays as there are events coming up, including sports afternoons which we would hate you to miss.

I hope you all enjoy a lovely two weeks with your families. Let's hope that the good weather will continue and that you will all have a much needed rest and relax with your loved ones. Do enjoy celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee if you get the opportunity - none of us are likely ever again to get the chance to celebrate such an event. Of course we shall be having our own celebrations and tributes to Her Majesty during the first week back and Nursery have enjoyed a lovely tea party this afternoon!

We look forward to welcoming you all back on Monday 6th June.

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.’

Prayer

As we gathered this morning we thought about Jesus, The Good Shepherd. This familiar image of Jesus reminds us that Jesus came to find the ‘lost ones’ and to heal, care for, love and restore them. We thought about how Jesus is our guide and how he is always there for us and in times of trouble or upset we can pray to Him for his comfort and support. We are all called to have faith and to trust in Jesus and it is through this we find that inner strength to trust ourselves.

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A week to be proud of!

This week our Year 6 children have been sitting their end of Key Stage assessment tests which they have all taken calmly in their stride. I've been so impressed by their focus, concentration and hard work, all of which have enabled them to approach each test with quiet confidence. The children have been a fantastic team, well done Year 6, you have all worked extremely hard, given of your best and we can ask for nothing more!

Now the hard work really starts as we ask our oldest children to give something back. As soon as the tests were finished the children were all eager to discover the name of the end of year play. There was great excitement as Mary Poppins was revealed. With no time to lose, a song was learned along with part of a scene as the Year 6 children were auditioned; what a group of talented actors we have, it was so humbling to see the confidence! Luckily this play provides so many wonderful parts which I am sure will be embraced by the whole team as they work to put on a performance of a lifetime. I can’t wait for rehearsals to begin; you will all be in for such a treat! Today after applying for their preferred jobs which will enable them to take on an extra responsibility around school, Year 6 have been through their first interview! Wow! Such mature answers given to some probing questions, truly demonstrating how much each child has grown over their time at Our Lady’s.

It is always a joy to see the children blossom at this point in the year as they use all the skills they have developed to extend their own learning and 'consider the possibilities'!

After such a busy week all the children are now looking forward to Monday morning as after packing their bags this weekend they will be heading off on their residential trip to Lake Coniston. There is much excitement and anticipation and I'm sure they will bring back many funny stories! The children will be leaving school at 9.30am therefore we are asking that they arrive at school at 9am (no earlier please) and enter school via the small gate opposite the office on Kenilworth Road. It is crucial that any further medical needs and medicines are provided and the correct form given to the teaching team on arrival. For further information please visit the Year 6 blog.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

On June 8th we are celebrating in style with a Red White and Blue Day. At lunch time we will enjoy a whole school picnic outside on the field (let’s pray for a sunny day!). Jacqui, our school cook, has ordered special lunchboxes which will be filled with a picnic feast. If your child already has school lunches you need to do nothing. However, if your child normally brings their own packed lunch you can order a special picnic box by pressing here and completing a form. This must be paid for in advance on ParentPay at a cost of £2.35. Forms need to be completed by 6pm on Friday 13th May.  

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Office News

This is a very busy time in the School Office as we start to prepare for a new school year set up whilst ensuring that everything is completed for this year. It’s been lovely, coming back in, having had shoulder surgery and the kind enquiries from colleagues, children and families have been really heart-warming. Thank you.

Dinners taken will be shown up to date by the end of today and there are some accounts which really need looking at by families as we only have a week before we finish this half-term. There are no reasons why anyone should actually be owing us money - if dinner accounts are in credit, please have your KS2 child order a dinner, if not, please don’t as going into arrears turns us into debt collectors. This really isn’t what the office is meant to be about!

Attendance

With the penultimate week of this half-term ended, we are inching forward on attendances which, overall, are going up. Y6 go to WaterPark next week, and busily worked through their SATs tests all week. They very nearly achieved a 100% attendance too, well done to everyone!

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Finally, it is hoped that the weather will be a little warmer this weekend; we can all do with some extra sunshine and of course we hope for great things next week for our Y6 children who will be enjoying Monday to Friday near Lake Coniston, a beautiful part of the world. I don’t know if anyone watched the Platinum Jubilee Pudding Programme last night but the competition winner whose Pudding was chosen as the winner and ‘fit for the Queen’, hails from Southport. Perhaps we all need to have a practice at making her concoction, a St Clement’s Lemon trifle with Amaretti biscuits, it looks delicious!

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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Sometimes we know what to do but lack the courage to do it.

Prayer and Almsgiving

This week we have reflected on how Jesus knows us and is always there to help us to heal. When Jesus showed himself for the third time to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias he asked Peter, “Do you love me?” He asked him this three times which reminded us of how Peter had lacked the courage to stand by Jesus, his friend, during Jesus’ darkest hour, denying him three times. We have thought about what we would have done in Peter’s shoes and have come to the conclusion that like Peter, we too can lack the courage to make the right choices, particularly when those choices impact directly on ourselves. We have thought about how we can make sure our words and actions carry the love of Jesus to others.

We have now completed our collection for CAFOD and have managed to reach our £1,000 target. Thank you to those of you who gave again so generously, we know your kindness will make a difference to others.

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The shorter week has caused confusion again as over the last four days Tuesday became Monday and Wednesday became Tuesday and suddenly we have arrived at Friday again! We've packed so much into the four days I think everyone is exhausted! Our Year 6 children have been particularly focused and we couldn't ask them to work any harder than they have, each one of them has striven to do their very best. They're all ready to shine next week and, with a helping of early nights and a good breakfast inside them, I'm sure they'll all bounce into school each morning! Please keep this group of children in your prayers.

Elsewhere in school learning has thrived with stories of Aladdin, further spider investigations, lots of multiplying and dividing and so much more… The children continue to show such enthusiasm for learning new knowledge and skills and are retrieving information to make new connections. With only two weeks left before our half term break they are all striving to reach those targets ready to set new goals in the final half term.    

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

As you all know this is a very special year as Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of service. For 70 years Queen Elizabeth has played an instrumental role in the events, people and places that have helped shape the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. During this time she has been patron to hundreds of charities and organisations and 14 Prime Ministers have served during her reign. Her years on the throne have been such a testament to her resilience and service.

Whilst you will all have your own celebrations planned, within school we are planning to celebrate The Queen’s reign once we return from half term. Teachers and children will be exploring the last 70 years together, celebrating key milestones. Then on June 8th we are celebrating in style with a Red White and Blue Day. At lunch time we will enjoy a whole school picnic outside on the field (let’s pray for a sunny day!). Jacqui, our school cook, has ordered special lunchboxes which will be filled with a picnic feast. If your child already has school lunches you need to do nothing. However, if your child normally brings their own packed lunch you can order a special picnic box by pressing here and completing a form. This must be paid for in advance on ParentPay at a cost of £2.35. Forms need to be completed by Friday 13th May.  

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Office News

Illness has finally hit the office this week after months of dodging germs and COVID. Mrs Shields is the last woman standing and doing a sterling job handling the work of three people! Thank you, Mrs Shields.

Hopefully on Monday we will be back to full capacity and able to complete those important tasks which are lying in wait. Thank you for your patience this week.

Please can you help us further by ensuring your ParentPay accounts are up to date. Paying for lunches in advance really does help us greatly and will avoid Mrs Hodges having to make phone calls on her return.

We would also like to thank you for continuing to communicate any absences with us swiftly by completing the absence form or leaving a message, this really is saving us a lot of time in the morning.

Attendance

With those germs circulating, attendance still remains below where it would normally be but we know everyone is trying their best to be present. Well done to Y4 this week; nearly a full house!

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Finally

As we approach the weekend, let's hope to have some sunshine and fine weather throughout to enable us to enjoy the time with our families and friends. Last week's three day weekend was a great bonus but even 2 days off can give us time to relax and appreciate our lovely surroundings - we are truly blessed to live by the sea!

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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To understand everything is to forgive everything...

My goodness time really is flying by! We've had a lovely two weeks back at school with so many exciting learning opportunities and watching the children strive to reach their challenging targets has been inspiring.  Our Year 6 children are really stretching themselves as they prepare for their assessments; there is so much problem-solving going on! At the other end of the school it has been a complete joy to read such descriptive independent writing as our Reception retold the story of Jesus’ resurrection. They loved having their own books to write in as they combined their understanding of events and knowledge of words. These have found their way to a beautiful display in the hall.

Year One and Year Two children are also making such progress with both their story telling and reading. It was lovely to spend a a little time today seeing just how well our Year 1 children could predict, and then turn these predictions into ideas and finally writing. This love of ideas and words is such a solid foundation on which to build . Thank you too, for spending time practising these skills at home - it truly is the best gift that you can give to your little ones - and it lasts forever! 

Talking of little ones, this week we have all celebrated a new arrival as Mrs Gregan’s baby daughter arrived quite unexpectedly on Tuesday evening. Both mum and daughter are doing well and have returned home to join the rest of the family. We received a visit on Wednesday and were formally introduced, the Year 6 class all left school smiling.

Prayer and Almsgiving

As we continue to travel through Easter we are trying hard to be those Easter people with faith. Today in assembly we considered Thomas and his dilemma. He found it so hard to have the faith he needed and only believed once he had seen for himself. The children thought about what they would have done and understood why Thomas found it so hard. This is our challenge today, and in delighting in what we know is the truth, our faith can truly grow.

We have one more week in which to complete our collection for CAFOD which now stands at £982, so we are very nearly at our target. There is still just time to donate and we thank you for your generosity which we know will make a difference to others.

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Office News

What a week in school and we are so joyful, as mentioned elsewhere in the newsletter, to have Baby Gregan now in our midst and also a wedding tomorrow for Miss Lavelle.

Mrs Hodges in the office had shoulder surgery at the beginning of the week and so again, please could any office emails be sent either through the school website or to Mrs Shields on: h.shields@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Mrs Hodges is currently sporting a supportive shoulder sling in a fetching shade of Our Lady blue!

We wish her a quick recovery so that she can return to work. In her absence it would be incredibly helpful if all dinner monies could be paid in advance and ParentPay accounts kept up to date. This would save both Mrs Shields and Miss Hornby time during what is fast becoming the busiest time of the year so far! Thank you.

Attendance

Attendance

All classes this week have attendance figures which are well into the 90’s which is great as there are so many wonderful learning opportunities and events taking place in what is the final term of the school year. The better weather is a joy for us all and just seeing the children out there on the playground, full of beans and enjoying themselves, brings smiles to all our faces!

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Finally

This weekend we are looking forward to celebrating Miss Lavelle’s wedding as she enters into married life. We hope she will be blessed with only happiness as she makes her vows on Saturday and a little sunshine would be most welcome too. We send her all our good wishes and hope she enjoys a beautiful day…

I hope you all find your little piece of sunshine this weekend too.

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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We are the Easter people and Alleluia is our song …

I hope you've all enjoyed a lovely Easter with your families, with that glorious Easter sunshine! The staff have had a well-deserved rest and have arrived back at school ready for the new term, although we do still have some illness lingering.

The children too have bounced back into school and are clearly ready for their new challenges! We are now charged to rejoice in the Easter message and share Jesus' good news, with everyone we meet on a daily basis. We gathered on Tuesday to reflect on Holy Week and the immense sacrifice made for each one of us. We thought about how we could become the hands of Jesus every day and each one of us made a promise to change at least one thing to become ‘better versions of ourselves’. Now the hard work begins.

Our two new virtues of Eloquence and Truth will be woven into all our learning during this short half term:

My ability to speak competently my own language, and the languages of others, is fundamental to my growth and confidence as a social human being. This is eloquence. However, being able to speak well is not much use if what you speak is not worth saying.  Eloquence must be used in a truthful way – to speak truth about myself and others, about relations between people, about the world, and about God.  Education is the search for truth and the eloquent articulation of what we discover.  As Jesus tells us, “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Almsgiving

As you know, throughout Lent, we have all taken our own journeys as we have walked against hunger, trying to raise as much money as we can for CAFOD. Final totals have fallen just short of our target. At the moment of writing this we have raised £964 from donations. We are so hoping that we may receive one or two more donations to help take us over the line to reach our £1000 target. If you didn’t manage to donate before Easter and are able to do so, please put it on ParentPay to add to our collection. Every penny is so appreciated.

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Online Safety

Unfortunately, we have returned to school following the holidays having to support groups of children to navigate through their online experiences. This has taken a huge amount of time, to listen, to discuss and to problem-solve. On reflection, I feel that the pandemic has forced many of us, adults and children alike, to stay in contact with friends via social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok. These platforms have provided essential lifelines, making communication easier, providing a feeling of connectivity to others and reducing isolation.

However, we are finding that without guidance and left unchecked, children have created large chat groups within which the normal etiquette of every day face to face life has been lost. With only text to read, the normal nuances of reading body language and tone, through seeing reactions are difficult and comments made can often be misinterpreted or said with a flippancy which makes an individual feel uncomfortable and at times deeply hurt. It is no surprise to find when discussing online behaviour in classes that most children say that they have felt hurt, belittled or devalued at some point over the last year, and yet, have not always sought support from a trusted adult. Children also talk about an overwhelming pressure from themselves or their peers to be involved in group chats to avoid a feeling of not being part of something; having a fear of missing out and then feeling isolated.

When we compare these online issues with issues which arise in the playground, with face to face interactions we find the latter a far safer environment where children are far more in tune with how their actions impact on others. In person, in the classroom or the playground, they adjust their tone and language and proactively address injustice and seek a trusted adult’s support when they need advice or help with finding a solution. This process encourages children to take responsibility for their actions and to develop healthy relationships. Unfortunately, this process and behaviour is not always replicated online.

Whether we like it or not, online communication is here to stay. The question for us as adults is how can we support the children to be more courageous and not be swayed by peer pressure, to recognise when conversations are unhealthy and to understand that, just because we think a comment is funny, it doesn’t make it acceptable when it devalues someone else. There are no easy answers and this is something we are continuously grappling with in school. However, one thing is clear, children of primary age are not equipped to spend large amounts of time on social media groups without the guidance and support of a trusted adult. I would urge every parent to scroll through conversations on their child’s phone regularly and consider if they are happy with what they find. If nothing else, this would be a good place to commence an open conversation and provide the guidance needed, which in the long term could prevent children making ill-informed choices which could place themselves or others in unsafe situations which cause anxiety and hurt.

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Office News

We’ve been asked to remind everyone please NOT to use their mobile phones whilst on school grounds. Several members of staff saw one or two mobile phones in use during the week. Challenges were not made on these occasions as no-one wanted to embarrass parents in front of others but we must reiterate that in future, if phones are spotted in use, we will have to ask people to put them away immediately. It is part of a policy which you have all signed up to as part of your licence to come on to school property and we have to take it very seriously as it is part of our safeguarding policy.

We’re just bringing this week's dinner registers up to date. We are asking those people whose children’s accounts are showing that they are in debt, please to bring them up to date on ParentPay this weekend. Dinners are still £2.35 per day.

On a more cheerful note, we’ve been visited this week by two lovely babies, accompanied by their Mums; we’ve seen Arlo and Miss Lane earlier this week and Amelie and Miss Edmondson today. We managed, as a staff, to have the briefest lunchtime baby shower for Mrs Gregan and we were all delighted to have a real life baby with us for a short while!

Attendance

Attendance has varied between classes due to illness, but we are very impressed with Year 4 who managed an attendance of 99.2% this week. We hope, as the days lengthen and the days get warmer, that everyone will feel fit and well so that all can enjoy the fabulous outdoor opportunities which this Summer term affords.

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Induction for new Reception Parents 2022

We now have our list of new children for September 2022 and are greatly looking forward to welcoming parents on Thursday June 23rd at 6pm to our Induction Evening. This is an opportunity for parents to meet the staff and governors as they prepare for their children to commence their school journey. We are so pleased to be able to complete Induction in person this year as we know how difficult it has been during the pandemic for parents who were not able to see the inside of school properly or meet Staff before their children started. The trust you placed in us and continue to do is humbling, thank you.   

Finally

Many of the children have been sharing their holiday experiences with me and clearly there were a lot of holy families over Easter! Not to mention plenty of chocolate enjoyed afterwards! I really do hope you’ve all managed to be uplifted and feel ready for another term. We have lots of things planned so please keep an eye on the school calendar.   

In line with our Easter mission I leave you with our Easter prayer…

Jesus, fill me with your spirit of love and service.

Help me to see everyone as someone whom

you are inviting me to help in some way.

Make me generous enough to answer that invitation…

Amen.

God bless,

Miss Hornby

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