'Family is not an important thing. It is EVERYTHING.'

This week we celebrate 175 years of Catholic Education. Some of your great-great-great Grandparents might have been the first people to have learnt in a Catholic school. The mission of Catholic education is to grow the mind, the body and the spirit of each individual, according to the Gospel values. In school, being the very best version of ourselves is central to our being, but to also recognise that we are part of a much larger family than the ones we know and see on a daily basis. We are constantly aiming to walk in Jesus’ footsteps; bringing his kingdom alive here on earth.

We are part of a community of people of faith who all share and respect the same values and virtues. On Wednesday, we opened our classrooms to welcome you in and see where your children learn on a daily basis. Having the opportunity to see the classroom through the eyes of your child is magical and I know just how much they loved bringing you into their world. You will have the opportunity to discuss your child’s start to their school year on Friday 20th October on Parents’ Day. If you have any questions at all in the meantime, please do not hesitate to email the class teacher.

‘Books are uniquely, portable, MAGIC!’

We are passionate about reading and the joys that it can bring. A child who can read for pleasure and is interested in it, can access the curriculum fully. This week, the children have all been quizzing and setting their new AR reading level (I even saw a few parents having a go on Wednesday night). Next Wednesday, I want the children to be excited by reading once again. It is a few years since we have had an author visit school, and we cannot wait to welcome Dan Worsley to school next Tuesday & Wednesday. Dan is a local author and ex-primary school teacher who is passionate about creative writing. He predominantly writes for KS2 children, but will be offering creative writing workshops to our younger children too.

Dan will have copies of all six of his books (£5 each/cash only) available for purchase after school on Wednesday 20th September in the school hall. If any children in Year 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 would like to purchase a copy on the day, he will be happy to sign and personalise the pupil’s books. Dan is a KS2 writer, therefore some of his themes demonstrate this. Year 1 & 2 children may want to purchase a book and save it for a few years, to be read at a later date.

Our school library is missing a large number of books that was taken out last year. Please, please, please can you all have a really good look at home and see if any of our books have hidden themselves in and around your house.

Primary School Admissions

If you have a child who will be starting primary school in September 2024, the window is now open to apply. We are opening the school at various times for you to come and have a look around. Please see the poster for more details.

To apply for a primary school place, please click on the following link:

Lancashire School Admissions

If you have any questions at all, please do ring the office on 01253 726015.

Learning Role Models of the Week

Learning awards!

Demonstrating our virtues - intentional and prophetic!

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Year 6 - 99.1% Our whole school attendance this week is 96.8%.

As Autumn draws near, and the weather is changing, please ensure that all pieces of uniform are fully labelled. There is a tendency for the children to head out at breaktimes all wrapped up, then gradually lose layers as the breaktime unfolds.

Finally, this week we received the heart-breaking news this week that two of our former pupils have been involved in a serious car accident. They were such valued pupils, along with their siblings and parents, whilst in school and a big part of the Our Ladys family. We are praying deeply for their family and friends, sending much love and prayers for all who need it. Please keep them in your prayers and thoughts over the weekend and coming weeks.

God bless

'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God.'

What a wonderful week we have had in school. It was a joy to open the gates on Monday morning to welcome all of our children, and families, back into school. The beautiful weather has really helped! The first week in school is always about reconnecting and forming new relationships with the class team, finding out about what they are learning and discovering all of the new adventures that they will have during the year. On Monday, we gathered for our first assembly and thought about all of the families that we belong to - they are so different. But the one family that we all belong to is God’s family. This year I have given all of our family members one mission, to be kind! We are all part of creation and we need to be stewards of it by looking after each other and by being kind. I think we can do it!

On Wednesday 13th September, the classrooms from Year 1 - Year 6 will be open from 3.30pm - 5.30pm. Please collect your child from school as normal. You may want to go home and come back or simply stay and pop in at 3.30pm. The children are really excited about showing you their new classrooms and where they put their things. The teaching team will be on hand to answer any questions that you may have too. Miss Woodend has come back to school as our new SENCO and will be in the hall for any SEN questions. We really hope that you can make it! Please do check the class website pages too - there is lots of information on there.

With any family, it never gets smaller, in fact it only gets bigger! In July, we said goodbye to our Year 6 children who all headed off to their new high schools. Once part of Our Ladys, always part of Our Ladys. I was filled with immense pride when some photos popped into my email earlier this week. We are so proud of all of our children - just how smart do they all look.

As one group of children leave us, another group of children join us. On Wednesday we welcomed our Reception children into school for the very first time. 27 children entered the classroom for the first time, amazed at what they saw and the exciting adventures that they will face this year. It is such a big step, starting primary school, but all children have done so with a huge smile on their face. We could not be prouder of you all!

Believe it or not, but we are already looking ahead to next year, ready to grow our Our Laad’s family even more. If you have a child who will be starting primary school in September 2024, the window is now open to apply. We are opening the school at various times for you to come and have a look around. Please see the poster for more details.

To apply for a primary school place, please click on the following link:

Lancashire School Admissions

If you have any questions at all, please do ring the office on 01253 726015.

Learning Role Models of the Week

Learning awards!

Demonstrating our virtues - intentional and prophetic!

Office News

There is something magical in new beginnings and  the new school year is no exception. The excitement, anticipation and air of hope is almost tangible. As has always been the case, our school office doors are open to assist, guide and support you in whichever way that we can and I do look forward to working with you and your family this year.

This school year, in line with Lancashire County Council’s meal charges, school dinners for Years 3 to 6 are £2.50 per meal or £12.50 per week or £82.50 for this first half term. We do ask that payment is prompt.

Unfortunately there are a number of outstanding dinner  accounts from the previous school year. I will be sending reminder letters shortly as we do have to recover overdue amounts in order to balance our books. Your support here would be appreciated.

I would also like to ask that if there have been any changes to your contact details that you inform the office ASAP so that our system can be updated.

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Year 4 - 99.1% Our whole school attendance this week is 96.9%.

Back to School

All of the children have looked so shiny and new this week in their school uniforms. It has been nice to see the hoodies have been very popular, and along with the tracksuit, make our PE kit really smart. The hoodies are for PE kit days only. The school jumper and cardigan apply at the other times. Just a few reminders about our uniform policy:

  • For PE, the children need to wear trainers which are white, blue or black.

  • Hair needs to be tied back and if choosing to wear a headband, can this be in uniform colours too.

  • Some children have had their hair braided or dyed over the summer. Braids need to be plaited into the hair to avoid any injuries and dye needs to be removed.

Drop off and collection will remain the same this year:

Marsden and Harcourt 8.45am drop off Plessington and Bamber 8.50am drop off

Marsden and Harcourt 3.20pm collection Plessington and Bamber 3.25pm collection

The teachers will be sending the children out in this order at the end of the day. We really want to reduce the traffic around school, making it safer for our community. We have noticed a significant difference with this in the morning and after-school. Please be mindful where you park, especially near corners etc. And definitely not on the yellow lines or zig-zags.

When collecting your children, can I ask that you step back away from the classroom door. The teachers and staff are trying to get used to faces and for the children to be able to spot you. KS1 and Reception parents, if you can use the grass area - that would be great. Please can you communicate this message to other people who may pick your children up. We want a calm end of the day, free from any anxiety.

The website calendar has lots of important dates that you will need over the coming year; author visits and class assemblies are just two things that you will find on there. Please do keep a weekly check on the exciting things that are happening in school.

Many of our children attend breakfast and after-school club at St Thomas’ school. They are in need of some additional after-school staff. If you are interested, or know anybody who would be interested, please email stthomasasc@hotmail.co.uk

Enjoy your weekend with your families. Hopefully you may see a kite or two flying over the beach.

Mrs Gregan

"We all make so many new beginnings, there will never be an end."

“We all make so many new beginnings, there will never be an end.”
— Louise May Alcott

Welcome back to school for our new year together. There is always such a big build up to the summer holidays; I hope that you have managed to find some solace and rest, ready to start the new year together.

Over the past few weeks, the staff have been in school getting everything ready to welcome the children back in to their new classrooms. Change can often be unsettling, but we hope that with a familiar face in each classroom, the children will come back to school happy and feeling safe. The staff have worked incredibly hard to ensure that their learning environments are inclusive and engaging; ready to support the children on the exciting learning journeys that they will be experiencing this year.

We always talk in school about evolving. Are we doing everything that we can to meet the needs of our pupils? There are going to be some enrichment opportunities for the children throughout the year, which will really enhance the depth of learning that will already be taking place, as well as them being able to form relationships with other members of staff. Please keep checking the website each week so that you know what is coming up and can share the moments with your children.

Next Thursday, we will be walking to church as a whole-school community, ready to celebrate Our Lady’s birthday and start our new year together. We hope that you will be able to join us by walking down with us, or meeting us there to celebrate mass together.

Meet the Teaching Team

Each year we hold an induction night for parents to come and meet the teaching team, hearing all about what their children will be learning over the coming year. This year we are going to try something a little different. On Wednesday 13th September, from 3.30pm - 5.00pm, the classrooms will be open for you to come and have a look around with your child. We feel that it is important that your children share their new space with you, showing you spaces that are important to them and what they will be learning over the course of the year. There may even be one or two tasks for you to complete. The teaching team will be on hand to meet you all and to answer any questions that you may have. We hope that you will be able to pop in!

We look forward to welcoming all of the children from Year 1 to Year 6 on Monday. The same drop-off and collection arrangements will be in place. Our Reception children will be joining us on Wednesday for their phased induction into school.

God bless

Mrs Gregan

"If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it."

And so we have arrived at the end of the year. A year that has been full of precious memories and moments to be proud of. Sitting in church yesterday and seeing the vast numbers of people come to support the school like you did, it really took my breath away. I am so proud of our community this year. We have come together, moved forward and remained as strong as ever. There is so much to now look forward to next year. In our final assembly, I have challenged each of the children to be shining lights in our world - just like Jesus.

Our lovely Mrs Hodges

Over the past few days we have been saying goodbye to our wonderful Mrs Hodges. Today, in assembly, the children all presented her with their class made gifts and spoke about what they loved about her. There has been a steady stream of people in the office all day! Thank you from us all Mrs Hodegs for being you and for giving of yourself so selflessly. We are richer because of you. I am sure that Mrs Hodges will pop in next year from time to time. For now, we wish her the happiest of retirements.

“A heart is not judged by how much it can love, but how much it is loved by others.”

Each and every year, the staff team put on a wonderful show for the children as a thank you for all of their hard work over the year. This morning, The Wizard of Oz came to the stage. The staff team are unbelievable. They love your children so dearly and unconditionally. I am so blessed to work alongside them. Having read all of the report comments that have come in and the many emails that I have received, I know you think the world of them to.

Instead of the teachers and staff voting for the weekly learners of the week, the children in each class have voted for their learners of the year. Children who have gone above and beyond in their classrooms and showed such kindness. Thank you to all of these children for being such wonderful role models.

All that remains is for me to wish you all the most wonderful summer holiday. Thank you for your support throughout the year and we look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 4th September.

God Bless

Mrs Gregan

“Whoever listens to you listens to me" - Luke 10:16

In this week’s gospel, we hear about the benefit of listening. How Jesus used stories and parables to enable people to listen and access the messages that he was trying to share. Like any good teacher, Jesus knew the people who he was speaking to. He knew how they would respond, how they would listen and what would engage them. Sometimes we do an awful lot of talking when in fact, just listening is the key. It helps us all to have consistent messages and to come together in union for a common cause.

Last Saturday, members of our school and parish community came together to walk in St Annes Carnival, and what a lovely morning it was. We had families from Reception to Year 6 walk with us, waving flags and smiling to all. Thank you to everyone who walked, who waved, who smiled and who cheered. It was a very special morning and a lovely way for our community to come together.

The children are all bringing home their end of year reports today. I have loved every minute of reading just what journey each child has been on this year. Beyond the academic achievements, there is such evidence of confidence, resilience, friendships and independence; all of which need to be celebrated. Each and every child have been on their own journey, never to be compared to anyone else. Please do read the report carefully with your children and the information that is in the envelope too. There is an unbelievable amount to celebrate - I am incredibly proud of each and every child. They really are true gifts from God. Immense gratitude goes towards our staff team who have all contributed to the progress that your children have made this year. They really do love your children unconditionally; they provide challenge, comfort, support and humour - just when they need it the most. We may not always get it right, what human does? But we have worked with you, hand in hand, to ensure that your child is happy and safe; always reflecting on ways to do things differently.

We always like to receive feedback on the year your child has had in school, and their report. Please use the button below to do this. Thank you.

We are OPEN!

Yesterday, we opened the castle for the very first time. After a ribbon cutting ceremony, where Mrs Hodges did the honours, we spoke about how exciting this project was and how the children had been instrumental in its design. I think it is a big win! The children have spent the past few days exploring it, reading in it, acting in it and climbing. If the school Wi-fi is strong enough, you may just find me in there too!

Exciting Learners

I have really loved walking around school this week; the buzz of learning is so infectious everywhere I have been. From spaghetti bolognaise in Year 5, to stay and play in Reception, the final judo session for our Reception and Year 1 children and final parent interviews in Year 4. We have a wealth of knowledge with the professions that our parents do. Some of them, very kindly, came into school to share what they do with our Year 4 children as part of their geography unit of work.

Some tough questioning took place:

  • Can your job be dangerous?

  • Do you ever take your child to work?

  • How many years have you been doing your current job?

  • What is your favourite thing about your job?

  • How long does it take to get to work?

  • Where is the most exciting place?

Thank you to all of the parents who have given up their time to support the children’s learning.

Learning Role Models of the Week

Demonstrating our virtues

Learning Awards

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Year 1 - 99% Our whole school attendance this week is 95.7%. Much, much better than last week!

Office News

So much to say and such little space! We have endeavoured to reach each and every Y5 and Y6 parent to ensure that everyone could have the best allocation of Play tickets to suit their need. Tickets are still going out and we have only a handful left now. Please do contact the office ASAP if any more are needed.

Dinner money - there are still debts and we urge everyone to ensure that they are paid up to date by next Thursday - debts only roll forward to September and it’s not a good start to the year. We will be texting/ringing/writing as appropriate to urge parents to clear accounts in debit.

In September, in line with Lancashire County Council’s meal charges, we will be increasing our dinner charges for paid KS2 children’s meals to £2.50 per meal - £12.50 per week. We never like passing on increases but unfortunately we have no choice. Please remember, especially in these tricky times, if you feel that your circumstances have changed and you may qualify for free school meals, then come to the office and see Mrs Nel who will find you the appropriate form - it’s all very simple and LCC will then check your eligibility. It’s an entirely private and discreet process but it can help even if only in a small way.

Our Final Week

As we move into our final week of the year, there are still an awful lot of memories to be made. On Monday and Tuesday, our Year 5 and 6 children will be putting on their end of year celebratory play, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. There are still tickets available for all performances - do contact the office if you need one. We would love for our wider community to experience the play. The times of the play are:

Monday 17th - 6.30pm

Tuesday 18th - 9.30am and 6.30pm

Our Leavers’ Mass will be at 9.30am on Wednesday. We would really appreciate lots of help walking to and from church. It is a mass for our Year 6 children, Mrs Hodges and the Maj family, all of whom are leaving us this summer. Mrs Hodges has supported so many families, I am sure you will want to join us at mass for her and to say thank you for all that she has done.

Bamber has won the house points for this half term! Yellow can be worn on Thursday, our last day, to celebrate! Well done Bamber.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Gregan

'God loves us beyond comprehension, and we cannot diminish God's love for us.'

When Jesus ascended into heaven, he left his disciples on earth to bring the Kingdom of God alive. St Peter and St Paul were instrumental in establishing our church. They are the solid rock on which the Church is built, the origin of her faith and will forever remain her protectors and her guides. St Peter was the chief shepherd in whom Jesus trusted the most. On Thursday, the whole school walked down to church to celebrate this most special feast day. These wonderful role models have paved the way for our discipleship. Father Peter reminded us about the foundation that these saints left. They were not perfect, far from it, but they worked hard to bring the kingdom of God alive here on earth.

As we enter the final weeks of the school year, the children are thinking about the growth that they have had this year. What skills they have mastered, experiences that they have enjoyed; successes and areas for development. Next week, the children will be starting their transition into their next year groups. They will be spending time in their new classrooms, alongside their new teachers. This is a really important moment. Relationships are essential to feeling safe; the children need to feel loved and comfortable in their new environments. I am looking forward to seeing the children grow, just that little bit more, next Friday.

Learning Role Models of the Week

Learning awards!

Demonstrating our virtues - intentional and prophetic!

Office News

All is very hectic in the Office as we make end of year/start of new year preparations. We very much hope that you are all managing to keep up with all the dates and events happening. Please keep checking the website and class pages to ensure that you don’t miss anything.

We are still sending out reminders for outstanding payments - please help us in this as we have to balance the books! We are asking our Y6 leavers not to sign up to ParentPay for St Bede’s until we have organised any refunds if required, say for overpaid dinners and we will do this as we break up, the week ending 21st July.

Please can all Y5 and Y6 parents wanting tickets for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ensure that they have booked by next Friday, 7th July. Only when everyone has booked their initial allocation of up to 3 tickets, can we look at any spare ticket requests.

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Reception - 98.7% Our whole school attendance this week is 93.8% - a lot of illness has affected us this week

Sports Days

Is has been a week of two halves. We managed to go ahead with the Year 3 & 4 Sports Day at the beginning of the week, but the arrival of rain mid week meant we had to postpone the Year 5 & 6 Sports Day. Once again, the competing children were just wonderful. They have really embraced the house team element of the competition and then come into their own for the individual races. The community event has added to the atmosphere. Parents have even been creating their own house cheers! Well done to Harcourt who won the Year 3 & 4 event - however, it is still Plessington who are winning overall!

We will be making the final count of the Gym Jam Jog money on Monday, please can all sponsor money be sent in and we can then reveal the final total.

St Annes Carnival

Thank you to all of those parents who completed the form for Carnival Day. We have a good number of children who will be walking with the parish, representing our school. All children need to either wear full school uniform or their school PE tracksuit - sensible shoes are a must. We want to be smart and showcase our school really well. All children walking will be given flags to wave as their walk.

We are number 17 in the parade line up, meeting in between Ashton Gardens and the United Reform Church on Clifton Drive at 9.30am.

It is lovely to see the children in their summer uniform. I always like to see a flash of blue gingham or white shirt from children running across the field in the sunshine. Please can we all make sure that the clothes which the children are coming into school with are school uniform. Things like hoodies are creeping in and PE kit that is not our school PE kit. Shorts for girls needs to be of an acceptable length too. We will aim to run a uniform stall before we finish for summer so you can get items ready for next year. Top Marque have ordered the new school hoodies for the children, these will be able to be bought ready for September.

Enjoy your weekend with your families

Mrs Gregan

'Every moment is an opportunity to create a handcrafted memory to be replayed for years to come.'

In today’s assembly, we have talked about the gifts that we have been given to make the world a better place, the gifts that we have been given to bring to our school community. Our Year 6 children are currently completing their jobs around school, showcasing their gifts and sharing them with the pupils in other classes. They are excellent role models and clearly demonstrating what they have learnt throughout their journey in school.

This week’s been one of those weeks in school where we haven’t had a moment to breathe, but yet it’s been a week in which lots of marvellous memories have been made. On Monday, our EYFS children competed against each other to earn points for their house at their sports afternoon. Every child in nursery and reception took part, cheered each other on and tried their hardest. Thank you to all the wonderful supporters who made the afternoon even more special. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Wednesday might have been the Summer Solstice and the longest day - it certainly felt like the longest day in school! It was however so very special, a day filled with magical moments. The field was certainly filled with lots of eager runners in their pjs, taking part in the Gym Jam Jog. Sons, daughters, mums, dads, nannas and grandads all took part with the aim to raise money for our school funds. There were certainly some hungry tummies afterwards and toast was served to all children in classes. At the end of the day, we welcomed our new parents into school for their induction evening. It is a lovely feeling to see that our family is growing even more. So far we have raised over £1100 - with lots more sponsorship still to come in. Please keep collecting and bring it in early next week, it is so appreciated, especially as we know that times are tough. Each and every donation is massively appreciated.

Yesterday, Mini-First Aid came into school to deliver a course for our Years 1, 3, 4 and 6 children. It is so important that the children know what to do in an emergency. They now have the skills needed to look after themselves and look after others.

Creative Learning - D&T

Whenever things change in school there are always opportunities to look at whatever’s changed with fresh eyes and evaluate its impact. Having changed the DT and Art Curriculum for this year, I can see just how much the children’s knowledge will grow in these areas and how their skill sets will improve. However, we also need to look carefully at how we will implement this. This week I have had some lovely conversations about the food technology aspect of it and how we can make it easier for families, both logistically and financially. The £2 donation has been put in place to enable us to source the ingredients that your children will need, and hopefully prevent you from having to shop weekly for full recipes. There may be some things that your children will need and will be sourced by you, depending on what they decide to make, but the majority we will source and provide. There is some further work to be done in this area and we will continue to evolve and tweak things until we are happy with it - we are still very early in the process. We want our children to engage with their parents and families, discussing what they are cooking and gathering - sampling too if you are lucky enough to receive some at home. Thank you for your understanding and patience with our new approach. We will continue to aim to communicate clearly our intentions so that you are well-prepared and informed.

Role Models of the Week

Virtue Role Models

Learning Role Models of the Week

Office News

We’re still trying to ‘balance the books’ and chase for final payments to clear dinner accounts that are in debit etc. Please help us by responding - if we text you to say that there is a debt then we need it cleared on ParentPay as soon as possible. Really, dinners should only be taken if there is credit on the account and no one should ever be in arrears on their account. Our Finance Officer will be in before the end of term and we think we will be advised to tighten up on our debt procedures - it’s in everyone’s interests as we don’t like having to constantly chase for payment and it’s much better for you not to feel under pressure.

We always try and help if we hear from you that there are problems in making payment - if there should be any difficulty, we ask you to come and have a discreet word. It’s entirely in confidence, one or two people involved at most, and utterly discreet.

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Year 4 - 99.7% Our whole school attendance this week is 97.9%

Sports Days

Monday 26th June 1.30pm - Year 3 & 4

Wednesday 28th June 1.30pm - Year 5 & 6

If you are coming to watch and support, please enter the school via the gate on St Patrick’s Road. A member of staff will welcome you and explain where your child will be competing. We look forward to sharing these memorable events with you.

Our Student Council will be running a drinks stand at each event for you to purchase a cold drink and to raise some funds for our school. Please bring some change with you - unfortunately we do not have a card machine just yet. All drinks are £1.

This morning, I had the pleasure of being at the Swimming Gala with our Year 5 & 6 children. As always, they showed themselves to be wonderful ambassadors for our school. Thank you children. You swam beautifully and supported each other, and other schools. Well done!

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much

As mentioned above, there will be a lot of opportunities to get involved in school life this half term. On Saturday 8th July, St Annes Carnival will be taking place. There are a couple of ways in which we will be getting involved as a school and parish. Firstly, we have been asked if we would like to walk the processional route which we have accepted. The school will be combining with the parish to walk together. Many of the children will be representing their various clubs and organisations but we would really like a strong Our Lady presence. So far we have 28 children - which is fabulous. If your child is wanting to and available to walk this year with us, please can you complete the form below so we can gauge numbers for planning. We are waiting to hear the arrangements and will inform you as soon as we know.

There is also an opportunity to get involved in the St Annes Carnival 5k. Lytham St.Annes Road Runners are proud to bring you the St.Annes Carnival 5k and the 1.5k junior event. The Carnival 5k is a flat, fast 5Km race over an accurately measured course. The Junior race is flat and fast, perfect for a first time racer or as a fun run. Starting at 10.00am, on the prom close to the Lord Derby public house, the route is fully off-road and marshalled. Medals await all finishers.  Adults are welcome to accompany their child .

Click on the button below to book your place on the run.

With only a few weeks left until the school finishes for summer, we are trying to ensure that everything is in place for the new academic year. It is certainly a very busy time in school. We really hope that we see you at the upcoming events.

Enjoy your weekend with your families

Mrs Gregan

Sports Day Plans

After the lovely weather we have had of late, it was inevitable that it would break at some point - it is just unfortunate that is is breaking the week our foundation and key stage 1 sports days are planned. The weather over the next two days is very mixed with lots of rain and potential thunderstorms. We really want the children to enjoy the event, and parents and families too. The last thing we want is for the children to get wet and for them not to take part how they wanted because of the ground or the conditions.

I am hoping that the weather blows over quickly, as it often does. Today is a prime example for that.

A decision will be made if sports day will go ahead or not, at 11.30am each day and you will all be contacted. If there is a risk of rain or certainly thunderstorms are forecast, then the event will move the the reserve dates.

Thursday 6th July - KS1 New Date as trips are taking place during the week. This is the day when the least is on. Thank you for your understanding.

It is important that we give you as much notice as possible as I know many of you will be making work arrangements and some family members will be coming.

Fingers crossed it does go ahead - the children are really looking forward to it. Our student council are primed and ready to run the drink stands for spectators, so please bring some change with you to make a purchase and help us to raise money for the school environment.

No rain dances tonight please, only sunny and happy thoughts!

Mrs Gregan

'Those who don't believe in magic will never find it. Children believe in magic.'

This morning in assembly, we have talked about our new virtues that we are trying to demonstrate this half term, INTENTIONAL & PROPHETIC. We want our school community to make decisions with intention, to know what values they hold dear and to demonstrate these in a prophetic way through their actions and words. All of the children talked about their intentions in this final half term; what they wanted to strive to be able to do before they journey into their new classrooms. There is still a lot of time left to master those key skills. Why not ask your child just what they want to achieve in these final few weeks.

Mrs Gregan’s Week Around School

This week has been extremely busy but in a wonderful and enjoyable way! I have spent a lot of time with different groups of children who have all achieved extraordinary things. Our youngest children have taken part in judo for the first time. Our Year 1 children have completed their phonics assessments with such calmness. Our Year 4, 5 & 6 choir and dance troupe took part in Showtime at The North Pier. Despite the heat and the late night, the children were fabulous and behaved beautifully. Thank you to all of the parents who came to support and to Miss Drummond, Miss Liddell and Miss Bassett who prepared the children for this event. You may have noticed that we have had some new benches installed on the playground. Our Year 5 class were the first to use them for lunch this week after a trip to The Winter Gardens to listen to best-selling and acclaimed children’s author, Cressida Cowell. She was fabulous and told us all about her inspiration behind How to Train Your Dragon. We have 5 signed copies that we will be raffling in school next week - keep an eye out!

Please have a look at the photographs below and watch the videos of the performances.

Creative Learning - D&T

Miss Neves is currently revamping our Art and DT curriculum. She has researched tirelessly to ensure that we are giving every child in school the opportunity to be creative and to learn food technology skills. This week our Year 3 children have made fruit kebabs and Year 6 have been planning their ‘Come Dine with Me’ menu. I do believe roasted pepper soup is on the cards for next week. Over the next few weeks, the children will be needing a lot of resources; some of which you will need to provide from home (depending upon what we are making). The resources that are generic and are required by the entire class will be bought and sourced by Miss Neves. We are asking for a £2 donation from each child (Year 1 -6) for food technology this half term. This would enable us to provide all of the resources needed and we will not then be constantly asking for you to send things in. We will put this item on ParentPay later today. Thank you for your continued support, we could not do so much of what we do without you.

Role Models of the Week

Role Models who have demonstrated virtues this week.

Our Whole School learning Role Models for this week.

Office News

It seems so sad in my final half term before retirement to start with money but needs must, just to explain where we are at! At this time of year we are looking at transfers for our Year 6, inputting data for the Autumn intake of our new Reception Class to be, and the move up of all Classes in between. We will be looking to try and straighten all accounts etc for everyone to start a new school year with a clean slate. This means we will be sending out reminders, invoices etc within the next few days.

As regards Year 6, there will be some children who will finish the year with a credit balance on ParentPay from dinners paid for and not taken. I ask those parents to leave their ParentPay account here open and not transfer to St Bede’s until 1st August to ensure any unspent balances are returned. Please too may I ask any parents in Year 6 and all other classes to ensure any arrears owing are paid in ASAP.

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Reception - 100%! Our whole school attendance this week is 97.6%

Sports Days

Next week sees the start of Health & Happiness fortnight, and the beginning of our sports days. Typically, the weather is about to change, although I think it is currently too hot for the children so more temperate weather may be a blessing. There are reserve dates in place if they do not go ahead. Next week it is the turn of our infant children:

Monday 19th June 1.30pm - Nursery and Reception (Reserve date: Thursday 6th July)

Tuesday 20th June 1.30pm - Year 1 & Year 2 (Reserve date: Monday 3rd July)

If you are coming to watch and support, please enter the school via the gate on St Patrick’s Road. A member of staff will welcome you and explain where your child will be competing. We look forward to sharing these memorable events with you.

Our Student Council will be running a drinks stand at each event for you to purchase a cold drink and to raise some funds for our school. Please bring some change with you - unfortunately we do not have a card machine just yet.

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much

As mentioned above, there will be a lot of opportunities to get involved in school life this half term. On Saturday 8th July, St Annes Carnival will be taking place. There are a couple of ways that we will be getting involved as a school and parish. Firstly, we have been asked if we would like to walk the processional route which we have accepted. The school will be combining with the parish to walk together. Many of the children will be representing their various clubs and organisations but we would really like a strong Our Lady presence. If your child is wanting to and available to walk this year with us, please can you complete the form below so we can gage numbers for planning.

Don’t forget about the ART COMPETITION for Monday too. We need a formidable art team for the competition. Miss Neves is excited to receive you entries!

Our School Needs You!

We are currently looking at our wider curriculum for next year to ensure that the children have a wide range of knowledge in all areas. Part of this knowledge is experiencing enrichment opportunities to enhance their learning. This is where you come in! Are you involved in a job or profession that you could talk to our children about? Do you have a hobby or a skill that you could use in school? For example, our Year 6 class are currently completing a unit of work on photography. Could you just help out with our garden or with some small projects? Our school really does need you. Please can you complete the form below with some information then the teachers and staff have a pool of people that they can call on.

We finish the week with some lovely, celebratory news. We are delighted to celebrate the arrival of Miss Lavelle’s baby boy. We are sending much love to the new family and cannot wait to meet him. I am sure you will join us in our warm wishes.

God Bless. Have a lovely weekend and wishing all of the wonderful dads in our community, a very happy Father’s Day this Sunday!

Mrs Gregan

“Let your light so shine before you, so that all may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

And so we have arrived at our final half term in school for this year. In many respects it seems like it has gone in the blink of an eye, then again, so much has happened and has been achieved. Our Year 6 children will be giving their time generously to say thank you to the whole school community who has loved and cared for them throughout their time in school. Through working in their jobs around school, to meeting our new Reception parents for next year, to entertaining us with their end of year play, much fun will be had and more memories will be made. For our other children in each class, they will be ensuring that they have all of the necessary tools in their toolkits, gathered from their current year groups, before meeting their new teachers and looking forward to next year. Alongside all of the learning that is still to be achieved, we have sports days, health and happiness weeks, Gym Jam Jog and much, much more. Please keep an eye on the dates section of the website for everything that is going on. Our first Sports Days start on Monday 19th June for our nursery and reception children.

“Serve one another in love.”
— Galatians 5:13

When I talk about service, I am sure that you will agree that Mrs Hodges has been the ultimate servant of the community of Our Lady Star of the Sea. For over 30 years, she has loved each and every member, provided a listening ear, supported families when they have needed it the most and has been the go to person in school for nearly every kind of situation. It is certainly time for Mrs Hodges to have a rest and to retire to spend time with her beautiful family. As we say goodbye to our Year 6s in July, we will also be saying goodbye to Mrs Hodges. I know many of you will want to visit her this summer to thank her and to wish her well. I know that she will continue to visit us beyond her retirement. Once a member of the Our Lady family, always a member of the Our Lady’s family.

Mrs Nel has been appointed as our new office manager and will be taking over from Mrs Hodges in the office from September. As you all pop in over the coming weeks, you may see her in there learning the ropes and getting to grips with the nature of the job. Please do say hello when you see her.

Sun Safety

What fabulous weather we have had for our half-term holiday. It has certainly been appreciated. From looking at the weather for the coming week, and beyond, it looks like it is here to stay.

In order to protect the children whilst they are in school, please can you send in:

  • A good size water bottle that can be refilled during the course of the day.

  • A sun hat (preferably wide brimmed) that will protect them when outside.

  • A small bottle of sun cream that the children can reapply during the day. The staff in school cannot apply sun cream for safeguarding reasons. Please make sure your child is smothered in it before coming in, staff will then supervise them reapplying it. Each class can have a sun cream station! Just a small bottle or roll on sun cream is ideal - labelled with your child’s name. Part of our health education is sun awareness so this is a perfect learning opportunity.

  • No sunglasses please. These can be dangerous when the children are outside and playing with each other.

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much

As mentioned above, there will be a lot of opportunities to get involved in school life this half term. On Saturday 8th July, St Annes Carnival will be taking place. There are a couple of ways that we will be getting involved as a school and parish. Firstly, we have been asked if we would like to walk the processional route which we have accepted. The school will be combining with the parish to walk together. Many of the children will be representing their various clubs and organisations but we would really like a strong Our Lady presence. If your child is wanting to and available to walk this year with us, please can you complete the form below so we can gage numbers for planning.

We will also be entering the collaborative art competition as a school. Miss Neves will be putting together a team of artists to work together. Don’t worry if you aren’t selected, there is an opportunity to enter the event as a solo artist. Please have a look at the competition below for your chance to be a part of it.

Extra-Curricular Sport

It really is a Summer of Sport! There are some great opportunites to get involved, and hopefully represent the school teams. There will be clubs on at lunch time as well as after school Please visit the SPORT page on the website to sign up to the clubs on offer:

  • Year 5 & 6 cricket

  • Year 1 sports club

  • Year 5 & 6 swimming trials

Judo will also be taking place for Year 1 and Reception children. Text messages will go out for that club tomorrow.

Finally, please can I ask that the children do not use the trim trail after school at the end of the day. There are risk assessments in place for them during the school day, but not once the school bell has rang. Can I also ask that the school garden is too kept free. There are lots of times when the children visit during the school week and now with our lovely allotment there, they will be there even more. Thank you kindly for your co-operation with this.

We are really looking forward to spending the summer term with you all. Let’s hope that the end of the year is just as successful as the year we have already had.

God bless

Mrs Gregan

"Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.”

“The Eucharist is the sacrament of love: it signifies love, it produces love.”
— St Thomas Aquinas

Over the past two weeks we have seen our Year 4 children receive the body of Christ for the very first time. Together with Arthur in Year 6 and other members of the parish, the children received Jesus into their hearts, through a pure act of love. It was lovely to see the church so full for each occasion; filled with song, prayer and scripture. The Holy Communion is such an important event for the school and the parish together. Thank you to Father Peter for being so involved in the programme, for children and parents, and to Mrs Lyons, Mrs Nel, Mrs Webster, Miss Lavelle and Miss Hennessy who have supported the children every step of the way.

Feel the fear…and do it anyway

I have had the absolute pleasure of joining Year 6 on their residential week in Coniston. This photograph epitomises everything that I saw. Team work, cooperation, dedication, communication, resilience, courage and laughter.

We are so proud of this group of exceptional human beings. Throughout the week, the children have tackled new challenges and achieved new heights. The weather has certainly helped this week, it has been glorious. A huge thank you to all of the staff who have given up their time to support the children and take them away. We are grateful for your love and compassion.

Role Models of the Week

Our Whole School learning Role Models for this week - we will add Year 1 later on!

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Year 6! Our whole school attendance this week is 98.1%

Office News

We have news of 2 vacancies which have arisen in our lovely school workforce community.

We need a a Caretaker for 10 hours per week, Monday to Friday to open up school at 7am; there will be various ancillary duties with this job and the caretaker will work one hour in the morning and one hour, late afternoon and be responsible for locking up and securing the school building and the site.

We also need a cleaner for 10 hours per week to join our excellent cleaning team, which would then become a trio. Ideally we would have someone who could work 2 hours per day, Monday to Friday from 3:30pm.

Please let us know if you are interested. You can email to: head@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk and an application pack will be emailed back. f you have any problems with getting hold of an application pack, you can leave a message on our answerphone -01253 726 015 or let us know on 12th June when school resumes.

The lunch menu for Summer half-term 2 and the early autumn is now on the website.

Our School Needs You!

We are currently looking at our wider curriculum for next year to ensure that the children have a wide range of knowledge in all areas. Part of this knowledge is experiencing enrichment opportunities to enhance their learning. This is where you come in! Are you involved in a job that you could talk to our children about? Do you have a hobby or a skill that you could use in school? For example, our Year 6 class are currently completing a unit of work on photography. Could you just help out with our garden or with some small projects? Our school really does need you. Please can you complete the form below with some information then the teachers and staff have a pool of people that they can call on.

One of our wonderful Year 3 pupils is taking part in a production of the much-loved family musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Blackpool Grand Theatre between 31st May to 3rd June this coming half-term with the Blackpool and Fylde Light Opera Company (BFLOC). Tickets are still available for you to show your support and have a really good time at this show in one of the country’s most beautiful theatres.

This morning, we had a visit from the Scouts to tell us about all of the opportunities that will come our way! There is an open evening on the 12th June for all children to attend. Have a look at the flyer above for more information.

Miss Bassett has shared the most wonderful news this week with her class that she is expecting her second baby. I am sure you will join us as a whole school community in congratulating her and her family on this joyous news. I know the children have been very keen to be involved in the baby’s name. What an exciting time!

Have a wonderful half term with your families and loved ones. We return to school on Monday 12th June. Please ensure that you have checked the school calendar for dates of sports days and key events during the final half term in school.

God Bless

Mrs Gregan

"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself,"

Yesterday we went to church to celebrate the Feast of the Ascension. We know that Jesus had completed his work on earth and that it was time for him to return to his father in Heaven. As a school, we have been thinking about the work that we still have to complete. This may be work in our classes, ready for next year. Work as a human, to be the best versions of ourselves. We know that we are never done, but always looking for ways in which to grow.

It has been another big week for our Year 6 children in school. After finding out about the play last Friday, the children took part in auditions for their end of year play on Monday. What a cast we are going to have! They were superb. Then on Thursday, the children came into school in their smartest wear to be interviewed by myself and Mrs Harrison. The children will be carrying out jobs around school after half term. We are unbelievably proud of the confidence that has been shown.

The excitement continues next week as our Year 6s head off with some very kind staff for a week’s residential in Coniston. We wish you all a wonderful time! I am currently looking at some different options moving forward for our Year 5 class and their residential next year. I will be in touch in the coming weeks with more information.

Reception’s Campaign

When you are out and about this weekend, keep an eye out for our Reception Class’s wonderful art work. Whilst working with the Fylde Ranger Team, the children produced some posters to keep St Annes clean. We are so proud that they have been used across the Fylde in lots of different locations. What a great message from so many younger children!

See if you can spot them and take a photo of you with them! Send them in so we can set up a trail!

Role Models of the Week

Role Models who have demonstrated virtues this week.

Our Whole School learning Role Models for this week.

Our Weekly Attendance

Well done to Year 5 & Year 6! Our whole school attendance this week is 97.2%

Our School Needs You!

We are currently looking at our wider curriculum for next year to ensure that the children have a wide range of knowledge in all areas. Part of this knowledge is experiencing enrichment opportunites to enhance their learning. This is where you come in! Are you involved in a profession that you could talk to our children about? Do you have a hobby or a skill that you could use in school? For example, our Year 6 class are currently completing a unit of work on photography. Could you just help out with our garden or with some small projects? Our school really does need you. Please can you complete the form below with some information then the teachers and staff have a pool of people that they can call on.

Ten Ten is the resource we use in school to teach our HRSE programme. They are looking for STARS! Could you be the person that they are looking for?

This weekend Mrs Hodges celebrate a BIG birthday. We hope that the beautiful sunshine shines for the most beautiful lady.

Well done to Harcourt who have won this half term’s house points. Own clothes day for you next Friday.

God Bless

Mrs Gregan

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples." — Mother Teresa

‘The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. To others the same Spirit gives faith.’ 1 Corinthians 12: 7-9

Following the death and resurrection of Jesus, our attention moves to His ascension and the arrival of the Holy Spirit - the most beautiful gift that we have been given. In Year 2 this week, the children have been looking at the story of Pentecost and times when we have needed the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As a school, we talked about how we know the way home; we always have someone to guide us. This is the same as Jesus. His father was calling him home. He is ‘The Way, The Truth and The Life.’

Tomorrow, some of our Year 4 children will be receiving the gift of Holy Communion for the first time. Half of the children from Y4 will be receiving the sacrament tomorrow and the other half of the class, together with Arthur from Y6 and some children from other schools, next Saturday. We pray that they all understand the true significance of what they are about to receive. Please keep them and their families in your prayers at this very special time. Thank you to our wonderful staff who have supported the children at every step of their journey.

Our Year 6 children

There is a group of children (and staff) in school who have shown enormous wisdom, knowledge and courage this week as they have sat down to tackle their end of year assessments. Our Year 6 children have come into school each day, determined to show what they can do. The hall has been a hive of brain power as they have moved from one paper to the next; one area of learning to the next. Together with their teachers, they have seen that the SATs are just a snippet of who they are as a person. Throughout the year they have continued to learn the wider curriculum, only turning their focus to their assessments in Spring. SATs measure many things, but they do not measure a child’s compassion, humour, creativity - a whole host of qualities which our children possess in bucket loads. We could not be more proud of them all.

Now their attention turns to the end of year play and service with a smile. Next week, the children will be auditioning for roles in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and also being interviewed for a job around school, part of their mission of service, to ‘give back’ to their community. Together, alongside Year 5, the children will have a wonderful time, preparing for the play and working as one big team to put on an end of year spectacular!

Celebration of our community

Change is inevitable, and in school, change happens on a minute by minute basis. Whether this is because of how a child is feeling, the type of morning that we have all had or simply the weather - the daily climate of a school is changeable. What does not change quite so easily is the culture. At Our Lady's the culture of embedded relationships, striving to be the very best version of ourselves and the desire to provide the very best opportunities for the children in our care, runs through us all. The culture of Our Lady's is ingrained in all of us and it runs deep. There is no doubt that the past year has been a time of change, but a time of growth too. We have welcomed so many new members to our community; children and families, staff and governors.

When OFSTED arrived to inspect our school, I feel like they came at just the right time. It was lovely for me to be able to share our vision moving forward and for the inspectors to see just how special the community of Our Lady’s is. During my many conversations with them, they constantly referred to the children knowing themselves and knowing that they could and will make a difference in the world. They spoke about the comments that our parents and families had made, demonstrating the strong sense of community that we have. They spoke at length to staff about their expectations in school. We are ambitious and we have high expectations of ourselves and our children. We all want the very best.

I am absolutely delighted to be able to share with you the OFSTED report. When reading it, it is hard to sum up our school in just two pages, but what it does do is capture the very essence of our school. The children do skip into school each morning, with a huge smile on their face. This report is testament to each and every member of our school community. Please do not underestimate just how hard it is to receive this judgement; it is not given lightly, in fact the number of schools receiving it is rapidly reducing. It is a validation of what we do in school, and an assurance that we are on the right path. We will never be perfect, but what we are is a learning community which grows and learns together - always striving to be the very best version of ourselves. Enjoy reading. I hope you too share my enormous sense of pride.

Role Models of the Week

Role Models who have demonstrated virtues this week.

Our Whole School learning Role Models for this week.

Our Year 6 Superstars!

Year 1 Certificate Winners

Attendance

Well done Year 4 with an attendance of 99.6% this week. Our whole school attendance this week is 97.5%

Office News

In the office this week, we have been tip-toeing around in the mornings due to SATs tests in the hall and we’ve had some lovely little walks around the school perimeter, taking children to other classes when returning from appointments. It was a bonus to have those little moments outside enjoying the fresh air!

We are currently checking records to ensure we have the most up to date information and we will send you all a text tonight using the first contact number. We’re asking class teachers to mention this on their weekly class blogs too so, if you don’t receive a text by 5pm, you will need to ring us on Monday with an updated telephone number.

And so we are back into a 5 day week next week - with just two weeks left until half term. After half term, our final one of the school year, we have our annual sports days, Gym-Jam Jog and end of year play. Please keep an eye on the dates section of the website to see what is coming up. Just to put a smile on your face, please see our wonderful Coronation Celebration video.

God Bless

Mrs Gregan

'Our life spreads light when it is given in service. The secret of joy is living to serve.'

It seems that there have been quite a few historic moments in recent years - things have happened that we have never seen before and may never see again. Today has been all about the Coronation; the legacy which Queen Elizabeth left and the position that King Charles will be taking up. As a school we have looked at the role of the monarchy and how important our new King’s role will be; not just in our country but in the wider world. These occasions are ones which bring great joy and celebration - we really love a good party in school!

As well as looking at our new monarch, we have been thinking about role models of faith. People who lead by example and are a beacon of light to others. We have been honoured to welcome Miss Hornby back into school today to present her with something so very rare, but so very well-deserved. When Miss Hornby made her decision to retire, Mrs Hotchkiss looked at how we could recognise her tremendous commitment to our Catholic faith, and to our community. As a group, we applied for her to receive The Benemerenti Medal - a papal medal awarded for service to the Catholic Church. This medal is awarded by the Pope. We crossed our fingers (and toes), waiting for a response. When the response came, she had not been awarded this medal, instead her award had been elevated to that of Dame of St Gregory. This rare and special honour is bestowed upon Catholics, by the Pope, in recognition of exceptional personal service to the Holy See and to the Catholic Church, through examples which have been set in their communities. There are only 13 Dames in our Country - we are so incredibly proud that Miss Hornby is now one of them and we could not think of a more deserving recipient. I am sure you will want to join us in congratulating Miss Hornby. For someone who does not like awards or fuss, and has always seen her role as one of service, we felt that she needed a little bit of ceremony today. It was a great joy to see her receive her insignia and certificate, signed by His Holiness Pope Francis, with the whole school family all around her.

Our Coronation Celebrations

Here is a small selection of our celebration today. I will collate photos from all classes next week and post a big tribute next week. We send special thanks to Jacqui, Sharon and Heather in our catering team as they made around 215 picnics today which were greatly enjoyed by everyone outside and the delicious food in red, white and blue boxes, made it all seem such a treat as we tucked in and enjoyed being outside in the fresh air.

Over the past few years, the local primary and high schools have been working together to create a vision where we can support families further. Last week, I took two ambassadors to the launch of this vision - The Coastal Collective. Lytham Foundation have provided funding for us all to be able to source further support for the pupils in our care. Whether this is behavioural support, family link workers or speech and language, we want to be in the position where we can access support when we need it. I have attached a letter below that explains the programme in a little more detail and the job opportunities that we are aiming to create for it initially.

Role Models of the Week

Role Models who have demonstrated virtues this week.

Our Whole School learning Role Models for this week.

Attendance

Well done Year 3 with an attendance of 99.1% this week. Our whole school attendance this week is 98.1%

Have a wonderful weekend with your families and friends. It is a moment in British history which does not happen very often - enjoy celebrating, however you choose to do so.

God Bless

Mrs Gregan

'I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.' John 10: 10

This week is Vocation Sunday, and the Gospel is Jesus’ teaching about living ‘life to the full’. In school, we are looking at ways that we can be attentive to the things and people around us and then to make careful choices. We passionately want the children, in order to live their lives to the full, to grasp every opportunity which they are given and make careful choices about what they do. On Tuesday, our Reception class told us the story of their journey so far. They shared the choices that they have made, based on the attention which they’ve given to their learning. We were blown away with just how confidently the children spoke, and how much they have learnt so far this year. I actually think that the most learning which takes place in a child’s school career happens in Reception. We are all so proud of how you have started your school journey and cannot wait to see how you continue to grow.

I have been in and out of classes all week seeing what our children have been up to. I have had the pleasure of teaching some tricky maths concepts to Year 6; they are really working hard on their statistics knowledge. I have taught RE in Year 2; looking at the good news of Jesus’ death. I even popped into Year 5 to hear their debating lessons all about moral dilemmas. I have had such a lovely week.

For many years now, Mrs Hotchkiss has led a group of able and willing gardeners, down to our Shepherd Road allotment. They have grown a whole host of fruit and vegetables which have been sold to our school community. The children loved this opportunity, but it was only an option for a small number of our pupils. This has now changed. You may have seen that next to our environmental garden, there is the polytunnel, along with a number of raised beds. We have decided to bring the allotment garden to school! Last week, Mrs Hotchkiss started her lunch time gardening club with children from every year group. Please keep an eye on how the space will develop over the coming weeks and months.

‘God Save the King!

Just a reminder about our ‘Coronation Celebrations’ next Friday. Coronation picnics have been ordered for those children who have ordered one. Get those red, white and blue clothes ready! we want to make this a very special and memorable day for everyone in our school community.

Role Models of the Week

Unfortunately, I have not been in school today. I have been growing my brain on a course and have not been able to take the photographs of our certificate winners. We have also had two classes out on trips. I will make sure that the photographs are uploaded on Tuesday for you to share the celebrations.

Learning Role Models of the Week

Office News

Well it’s been a really busy week in the office. At this time of year we are busy looking to completing records as the summer term rushes by and we need to ensure that everything balances. Each year, a new class of children start in our Reception Class and a much loved Year 6 Class move up to High School so that’s almost 30% of our school population on the move. So much record keeping and account setting up goes on in the office.

This week we’ve been liaising with classes to check we have everyone’s next Friday’s (5th May) Coronation Picnic orders! Children are great at putting hands up to say they’d like something so, to be sure everyone is covered, we’ll be confirming orders today by text. As you know, KS1 meals are free and KS2 picnics incur a cost of £2.40. If your child has ordered and you DON’T want them to have the meal, please email us, to : bursar@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk OR ring us by noon on Monday on 01253 726 015

Weekly School Attendance

Well done to Year 1 this week - 100%. Our whole school attendance was 96.6%

Finally…

Thank you to everyone who has made a real effort with uniform in recent weeks. We have seen an increase in school uniform being worn - particularly on PE days - and the correct colour trainers too. Just a reminder that these need to be predominantly blue, black or white. You may have seen that the staff have been wearing school hoodies this year, and looking incredibly smart too! These hoodies will be available to purchase as part of school uniform for children ready for September. The school tracksuit will still be available, in addition, to be used as part of the uniform. Top Marque will stock them for purchase.

Have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend with your families. Let’s hope that the sun will shine and we all get a chance to relax. School will open again on Tuesday 2nd May at 8.45am.

God Bless

Mrs Gregan

“You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

The sun has shone this week and the brightness in the weather has been mirrored in our spirits. All of the children have been eager to come into school, often racing into class - it has been lovely to see. Today we launched our new virtues for this half term - attentive and discerning. Through the story of Doubting Thomas, we discussed how attentive the disciples were. They noticed the small things, as well as the bigger things. They noticed what was important and listened to what they were asked to do. Because of this, the disciples became discerning. They could start making careful choices about what was right and about what God had called them to do. This is something that we are striving to do this half term. We are striving to be attentive to the people around us and discerning in the choices that we are making.

For Lent, we sought to fundraise for CAFOD through an enormous amount of events and opportunities. From cake sales, to art galleries, to sponsored walks, the children gave of themselves freely for the cause. I am unbelievably proud to reveal that we have raised just over £2300 for CAFOD. Thank you all for your generosity and support.

‘God Save the King!’

These events in history do not happen very often - so let’s fully celebrate it and immerse ourselves in the pageantry of the occasion. On Friday 5th May, we will be having a CORONATION DAY in school. The children are invited to come in wearing red, white and blue - or even dress as the royal family, princesses or princes.

As part of the celebrations, we will be having a whole school picnic on the field and munching on a Coronation picnic prepared for by Jacqui and her team in the kitchen. Those children who normally have a school dinner on a Friday will automatically receive a picnic box. If your child does not have a dinner and would like one, they are priced at £2.40. Please complete the form below this weekend. We need to know numbers by Monday so a food order can be placed.

Corum Life Education

For the past two days, we have had Corum Life Education visit us in school. They have held a workshop with each of our classes and raised some really important issues that the children will face. From friendships, to making the right choices, to them understanding their bodies, the children have all benefited from direct time spent discussing subjects that they will experience. These discussions then contribute to the bigger PSHE picture in school. A leaflet is coming home with your child tonight to explain the programme. Why not ask them what they have remembered and discussed?

Role Models of the Week

Learning Role Models of the Week

School Virtue Role Models of the Week

Office News

We are trying to ensure that everyone is up to date with dinner money so please help us by checking ParentPay - we will send texts but please remember that we ask you to pay for lunches in advance as you would outside of school. It takes more time than we would wish to chase up arrears. We’re always here to help if anyone has a problem but do ask, otherwise it becomes an extra duty for us when we have already busy days. This is a particularly busy time as classes prpare to move up, our Y6’s prepare for transition to High School and we prepare for a new september intake for reception Class.

As a reminder, the dinner money for this half-term is £67.20 for 28 dinners (2 Bank Holidays). Dinners are still £2.40 per meal for KS2 children.

Just a reminder to look out for Dominic Sanderson this weekend, who will be running his 2nd London Marathon - on 23rd April 2023, St George’s Day and Shakespeare’s birthday. As you know, he’s running on behalf of a very worthy charity, Get Kids Going - for children who have disabilities, to help get them into sport. It’s still possible to sponsor Dominic if you’d like to and it’s on:

Weekly School Attendance

Well done to Year 2 this week - 100%. Our whole school attendance was 96.9%

Finally…

Unfortunately, we have had to postpone the planned quiz night next Friday. We just did not have enough numbers to make the event viable. We will look at another opportunity later on in the term to host a family event as it has been something which people have said they would be interested in. I know many of you said that you would have attended - I need to work on my advertising skills clearly. Watch this space for a future event.

Have a lovely weekend with your families.

God Bless

Mrs Gregan

"How much do you love me?' And Jesus said, 'This much.' Then He stretched out His arms and died.”

There are some moments in time that you wish you could capture and hold onto for eternity. This week has contained those moments. The sense of emotion which filled the hall each morning as we made our journey to the cross has been incredibly poignant. The liturgies which the children have shared with us all, celebrated Jesus’s arrival into Jerusalem, allowed us to be part of the intimacy of the Last Supper, made us reach out as Jesus was left alone in Gethsemane, cried out in despair at His Crucifixion and enabled us to see the hope and glory of Jesus’ Resurrection. Thank you, to each and every one of you for taking time to join us. Thank you for respecting the silence that we wanted to create as our children came into the hall. We hope that you have all found time to reflect and pray during this Holy Week.

“The Passion of Christ is the greatest and most stupendous work of Divine Love. The greatest and most overwhelming work of God’s love.”
— St Paul

It is hard to believe that we have reached the end of the Spring term. There is so much to celebrate and be proud of. Today, our Student Council announced the winners of the decorating an egg competition. The standard was incredibly high. The council particularly loved the ones that the children had made all by themselves, they could see the care and attention that had gone into them. A huge £128 for CAFOD was raised as a result of the competition. This will be added to the rest of the money that has been collected. Thank you for your generosity this Eastertime.

Our School Role Models

KS1 Certificate Winners

KS2 Certificate Winners

School Attendance

Well done to Year 4 this week - 99.7%. Our whole school attendance for the Spring Term is 96.63%

Office News

What a wonderfully busy term this has been and we have noticed so many more of you filling in the absence form online or leaving messages on the telephone or copying the office into emails to class teachers if it concerns children being absent. It helps us greatly as we have a legal responsibility to record all absences accurately. On the dinner front we have quite a few people whose accounts are in debit and we shall be following up next week with individual reminders. We can only serve dinners going forward if accounts are in credit. We have sent a general reminder out to KS2 families and please note, dinners taken on 6th April are not yet inputted onto ParentPay. If you do check the balance, please be aware that dinners taken on 6th have not yet been recorded so do add a further £2.40 for that day. Next half-term, there are 28 dinner sessions, - there are 2 Bank Holidays, on 1st May and 8th May. Dinners for the half-term will be £67.20.

Uniform

We are very much hoping that the Summer term brings with it much warmer weather. The sun has certainly started to peek through, giving us hope that brighter days are coming. I have attached the uniform PDF for you to have a look at below. Please pay particular attention to the colour of PE trainers.

Summer dresses/shorts are definitely a sign that the sun is out. There are lots of different versions of these now which are available to buy in all the supermarkets and shops like Next, M&S and Matalan. As long as they are blue and white, they should meet the uniform guidelines. Do try on summer dresses over the Easter holiday, any that are now too small, please bring into school as soon as we come back and we are going to put out a uniform stall, hopefully at the end of the first week.

Family Quiz Night

On Friday 28th April - 6pm - we will be hosting our first Family Quiz Night for the School Community, to be held at the Parish Centre. Soft drinks and snacks will be available to purchase on the night.

Please complete the Microsoft Form below if you are wanting to attend, indicating how many members of your family will be part of your team.

We do only have a specific amount of space and therefore we will not be able to accommodate all members of the school community - it is on a first come, first serve basis. Families will be contacted on Monday 17th April confirming your team. At this point, you will be able to pay for your tickets via Parent Pay. Tickets are £2.50 per person in your team.

We are in need of raffle prizes for the night. If you have any at home or you can donate any to school, please do. Or if you feel like you can lend a hand helping to set up the evening, please let us know.

Finally…

A new extra-curricular timetable will be launched after Easter, along with our Summer menu too. Judo will continue for a new group of children. If your child is in KS2 and has not taken part in judo this year but would have liked to, please complete the form below. I will then offer spaces to younger children if there are places available.

We will be returning to school on Monday 17th April at 8.45am and 8.50am. Thank you for all your wonderful support this term. It is always appreciated and we never take it for granted. Wishing you all a very happy and holy Easter.

Mrs Gregan

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

““I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.””
— Mother Teresa

When I stood up at my interview and spoke about why I wanted to lead the school at Our Ladys, I spoke about everything that the community is - who we are and what we want for our children. I spoke using the words from the prayer in our entrance, “If this is not a place where I can belong, where can I just be me.” This week has been a true celebration of us; our wonderful pupils, our dedicated staff, our committed governors and our supportive families. It truly is a place where we can all be.

Without doubt, our biggest champions this week were our beloved children. So many of them spoke to the inspection team to tell them what life was like at school. They discussed the opportunities that they had, the learning that they remembered, the skills that they have amassed and the journey that they had been on. For such small children, they spoke with great maturity. We are beyond proud of the children - the most wonderful ambassadors of our school. They are the reason why we do what we do.

We look forward to reading the final report, which will be with us in around 7 weeks, and sharing the findings with you all.

I could not have thought of a more special way to end our week than in prayer with our Year 2 class. This morning, the children shared the events of Palm Sunday with the whole school community. From the welcome that Jesus experienced when he arrived in Jerusalem, the noise of the crowd, to the knowing of what He knew he would soon face. It was incredibly poignant. We now move towards the Last Supper on Monday which will be led by our Year 3 children. We look forward to welcoming you into school to share in the passion of Christ with Year 3, 4 5 & 6. We hope that you can take the time as part of your own Lenten journey to reflect and to pause. The hall will be very still and quiet, each class will be there, following Jesus’ journey and it is so important for each child and adult to share the emotion with prayerful reverence.

School Council Easter Egg Competition

On Wednesday, the Student Council will be holding the Easter Egg Competition. Children are invited to decorate an egg - however they want - and bring it into school for judging. It is £1 entry for CAFOD.

There will be a prize for each class winner and then an ultimate prize for the overall school winner.

Can all sponsor money for class activities and Lenten boxes also be returned next Wednesday.

Thank you for your support!

Our School Role Models

Certificate Winners

Certificate Winners

School Virtue Holders

School Attendance

Well done to Reception this week - 99.3%. Our whole school attendance was 96.9%

Office News

We’ve had a little glitch on our ParentPay and have been unable to input Thursday and Friday’s dinners. We will rectify this by Monday - those families in debit know where they are at from last week’s texts and looking on ParentPay and we do urge you to go on the system by Sunday evening and pay for dinners owed plus £2.40 per dinner and add in for any dinners to be taken next week.

Jacqui’s Easter lunch is Wednesday for those who normally have it or have booked one as an extra that day. Free to KS1, £2.40 for KS2 children.

We are very proud of a member of our community, Dominic Sanderson, who will be running his 2nd London Marathon - on 23rd April 2023 -St George’s Day and Shekespeare’s birthday no less! You may have seen Dominic doing his training runs around the Fylde! He’s running on behalf of such a worthy charity, Get Kids Going - this is for children who have disabilities and to get them into sport. If you’d like to sponsor Dominic, you can do so on:

Finally…

We welcomed back today from leave, our caretaker Mr Malicdem whose wife has recently had a baby boy and we all send them our good wishes. Also we had the delight of seeing Miss Woodend who came to see the Y2 Palm Sunday worship, bringing in (to the office!) her precious 3 month old baby girl - some of us were lucky enough to get a cuddle!

Today we are saying goodbye to a pupil in school, Jiana. We have loved having you as part of our school family and wish you all the very best as you start your new adventure. Once an Our Lady’s child, always an Our Lady’s child and forever part of our school family.

Just a reminder that we finish for the Easter holidays next Thursday, 6th April. Marsden and Harcourt will be collected from class at 2pm. Bamber and Plessington will be 2.05pm. We wish each and every one of you a very peaceful and restful weekend.