Where does the light come from in your life? - Castlerigg Day 2

This has been a key message for us today at Castlerigg - Where does the light come from in your life? Yesterday was all about how we shine our light and today, reflecting on others and what we are grateful for in our lives.

Before bed last night, we had the most incredibly experience - night time prayer. The chapel here at Castlerigg is the old stable building, which is perfect as we prepare for the arrival of Jesus this Christmas. Daisy, the youth worker here, took us through a section of prayer and used the story of Narnia to illustrate it. Here she compared the character of Aslan to Jesus Christ, who too sacrificed himself for the good of his friends. It was incredibly moving and it took me a while to recover after; as you can tell from the images below. We then snuggled up and listened to a bedtime story from Lily. A rather lovely end to our first day.

This afternoon we headed off to the lake for some much needed reflection and fresh air. The children found out about places of interest in Keswick, headed to Derwent Water to skim stones then wandered to Fitz Park for some time together. It was so lovely to take in the views of the lake and spend some time in God’s world. The children were great.

After a delicious tea of pizza, wedges, salad and fruit, we are now getting ready to settle down for mass in the chapel. The children have written bidding prayers and are ready to sing.

Enjoy your night and we will see you tomorrow. We are departing at 2pm so should be back at school for 4pm - we will keep you posted!

Year 6 Weekly Blog ‘Autumn tells is the season that teaches us that change can be beautiful’

I can’t believe we have come to the end of our first half term in Year 6! It has gone by so quick, but what a start Year 6 have made. They have all grown so much in the last few weeks, developing their independence and reflecting on the areas they know they need to wok on- we couldn’t be more prouder of them. Make sure they get lots of rest this short break, so that they are ready and raring to go for another busy, run-up to Christmas. It has been so lovely to talk to you all at the parent’s meetings, celebrating the successes of each one of them.

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Year 6 Weekly Blog - "Small seeds of Gratitude will produce a harvest of hope"

Harvest is a time of thanksgiving and gratitude; to thank God for the things we have and all that God has given to us. Our liturgies this week have been centred around this and our RE this week looked also at the smallest seed- the mustard seed. Year 6 have been reflecting on the parables that Jesus shared with us that taught us about the Kingdom of God and how this can start off so small within us, but as we love and follow in Jesus’ footsteps this can grown in to something more powerful.

This week we had a beautiful litrugy led by a number of children, all about the courage that God gives us…


When I reflect on the week, I am so proud of the amount of learning Year 6 are getting through. They are working so hard and trying their absolute best in every lesson! The big push has been reading this week, as there were a number of pupils that are not reading or quizzing regualrly enough, and the children have responded really well to me setting them targets when they should be quizzing by- please encourage them at home to relax and have quiet time out with a book!

In our English lessons, we are loving our class novel and seeing how the mysteries unfold. We have written diaries in the perspective of the main character and next week they will get feedback on this, but I have had a quick look and I am excited to get reading! In History we have been looking at the highs and lows in Catherine Aragon’s life, making our very own human graph and even looking for evidence in a letter from Henry to Anne Boleyn- was it a love letter?


My Happy Mind

This week in our My Happy Mind session we had some fun, using our knowledge of the three parts of the brain: The Hippocampus, Amygdala and the Prefrontal Cortex. We played a game of ‘TEAM-HAP-SNAP’, seeing who was first to match all the characters working together!


Kidsafe

This week, we have completed our 5th and final Kidsafe lesson, before our recap in summer term, about hearing parents/carers arguing. Please click the button below to find out more detail about this lesson.

Please click the button below to find out more detail about this lesson.

Year 6 had a great afternoon at enrichment with Mr Cornwell for the ‘BIG QUIZ!’ …


Delving deeper through talk …

What is the Kingdom of God? Can you retell one of the parables and explain its meaning?

My Happy Mind…

Why is it important for all three parts of the brain to work together?



Helpers in the mornings:

This week Year 6 will only be helping on Thursday and Friday. We have the following children helping to take the younger children to their class:

Liam Luke Cora Ella



 Castlerigg:

Thank you to you all for getting in the medical forms- all information has now been sent off. Children will find out next Thursday who they will be sharing rooms with etc. Castlerigg have confrimed they do not need the actual duvet- children just need to bring a single duvet COVER or a sleeping bag. I will post the final details that you need to know, confirming times and reminding you of anyhting they need to bring on the blog next week- it’s getting exciting!


Leading Learners

Well done to Elsie and Gabriella and this week.

Elsie, you are such a reflective learner Elsie and this is what makes your work fly! You lsiten to feedback and respond, trying hard to improve all the time. We love the way you can also independently reflect on your own work without promting, always eager to edit and use that purple pen!

Gabriella- you have impressed us this week with how hard you have tried to complete your work, no matter how challegning you have found it. You have kept on going, not given up and all with a smile on your face! We see how hard you are trying Gabriella and we are so proud.

Attentive and Discerning butterflies

This half term we will be on the lookout for all the children that are attentive in the way we look at the world and in others, taking the time to notice the big and the small things each day. We will also be spotting children who are discerning, who choose the right decisions with integrity. These children are the role models of the school. This week we thank Archie for being attentive and discerning to help others.

Lunch Time Awards …

Marvelous Manners awards … Isaac

Role Model of the week … Sophia


Notices

  • Please do visit Mrs Gregan’s blog for important information.

  • Have you booked your tickets for the dance show?

  • Could you please collect and bring in to school boxes, egg cartons, tubes (not toilet roll) - basically anything suitable  for constructing  their models in DT next half term!

  • Have you booked your parent’s day appointment for next Friday? Don’t forget we break up for October Half term on Thursday.

  • please encourage children to complete homework on time and handed in on Wednesdays- it is great preparation for High School

Year 6 Weekly Blog - "No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted."

Kindness doesn’t cost anything, it is something that we can all give and it makes our world a better place. This week, in our council meeting we shared the acts kindness we have seen within our class and celebrated those children. Another one of the Kingdom of God values. Seeing little acts of kindness around the classroom and on the playground throughout the week has been really lovely, and of course being active in the choices that we make. We have even started a kindness jar, where we add the acts of kindness we see throughout the day and share these with everyone.

Read more

Year 6 Dance Festival

Historically, the dance festival has always been operated across Year 5 & 6, sometimes Year 4, but this year, we are just doing it with Year 6. With Mrs Harrison being our dance specialist, we want to maximise her time - whilst also giving the children a really special experience. We have never used 30 children before, but this is the year, and seeing how much they have enjoyed Shakespeare in recent years; I think they will love it. Below you will find all of the information regarding the performance and when it will be - Tuesday 26th November . Tickets for it go on sale today at midday - these will be direct from The Winter Gardens. The button below will take you to their website.

The theme this year is magic - which we know will inspire them all - and just have fun!

Samlesbury Hall Visit

This half term in History we are learning all about the Tudors and even writing our own biographies of Henry VIII! To aid this learning, we have arranged to take the children for a visit to the historic stately home ‘Samlesbury Hall’ on Wednesday 2nd October where we will spend the day there and be took on a tour around the grounds. We have added the cost of this trip to parentpay, the cost of the visit in total is £18.50. We will be leaving school at 9:30am so children need to arrive at usual time and will arrive back in time for normal collection. Full school uniform need to be worn please, and there may be an opportunity to have a play in the park if it stays dry, so please make sure they bring a coat.

As the trip is only next week Jacqui needs to know those who need a school packed lunch ASAP. Please fill out the form below whether you do or do not wish for a school packed lunch.

Year 6 Weekly Blog 20.09.24 - "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

This week’s liturgy and reflection has been focused around the word ‘servant’. On Wednesday, through the Wednesday Word, we first heard this weeks gospel, Mark 9:30-37, where we hear the disciples arguing over who is the greatest. We then reflected further in our liturgy on Thursday, on Jesus’ response: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” We reflected on how we can serve others in our roles around school and how we can put others before ourselves.


 

Collaboration is key - especially in Year 6! This week we have collaborated and shared in every lesson - this has helped us to learn from each other. We have collaborated in our PE playing games of cricket, putting together freeze frames for the prologue of our class novel (see photos below), in our practicing of the assembly and most importantly getting to grips with our new roles around school . Alongside this, we are striving to be attentive and discerning, questioning the world around us and actively making changes where needed. Here is a snapshot of our week…

This whole notion of collaboration will stand us in good stead as we move forward as a class. Earlier this week they each received their positions of responsibility and what a great start to the year they have made! They came back to school on Wednesday ready and raring to go and they have worked together beautifully, what a team they make. It was so wonderful to see how they each celebrated one another! You will see this in full force on Tuesday 24th September 9am for our class assembly. Please make sure they are practicing their lines and song for next week- thank you.

It was lovely to see so many of you there for the Year 6 induction evening on Wednesday. This is such a crucial year for your children and we must work together to ensure each of them reach their full potential and have a real sense of achievement this year. If you would like to refer back to the induction presentation at all, then please feel free to access on the button below:

This week, we have done our second kidsafe lesson. This week it was all about the nature of bullying. We learned the acronym STOP Several Times on Purpose. We thought about how bullying can make us feel and what to do about it. Please read the following letter to find out more information:


My Happy Mind this week’s focus on what we can do to relax our brain and keep it healthy! We looked at many different strategies and discussed how this helps our brain to be healthy. This week our 3 goals were to 1) do happy breathing as we come in from play times 2) drink more water 3) gratitudes. Our Happiness Hero : Elsie has helped to remind us to do all these things this week! I wonder who our Happiness Hero will be next week …

Science with Miss Drummond:

Today we revisited electricity, we discussed that static electricity is produced when electrical insulators rub together. Opposite electrical charges(positive and negative) will attract whilst similar electrical charges (e.g. positive and positive) will repel. We rubbed balloons on our clothes and hair then drew and labelled a scientific diagram to explain our findings: there is an excess negative charge on the balloon and an excess positive charge on our hair. Opposites attract so our hair moves to the balloon. Can you remember what are the features are of a correctly drawn scientific diagram?


Delving deeper through talk …

How are you going to serve others as part of your role and responsibility around school?

My Happy Mind…

What strategy are you going to focus on to keep your brain healthy and mind relaxed?


Helpers in the mornings:

This week we have the following children helping to take the younger children to their class:

Rafe Sophia Rex Millie
 

Leading Learners

Well done to Luke and Esther this week.

Luke- Focused Cooper Crab- Thank you Luke for being so focused, doing your best and being ready to learn! Your effort with your presentation is a delight to see!

Esther- Enthusiastic Bobby Bee and cooperative Roger Robin- Esther you are always full engaged in every lesson and you approach all tasks, no matter how difficult with a smile and positive attitude!

Attentive and Discerning butterflies

This half term we will be on the lookout for all the children that are attentive in the way we look at the world and in others, taking the time to notice the big and the small things each day. We will also be spotting children who are discerning, who choose the right decisions with integrity. These children are the role models of the school. This week we thank Ruby for being attentive and discerning to help others.

Lunch Time Awards …

Marvelous Manners awards … Michael

Role Model of the week … Roseanna

Reminders

·   ·     Please return St Bede’s admissions forms from last week if you have not already.

·         It is our class assembly on Tuesday 24h September.

·         Please encourage children to complete homework on time and handed in on Wednesdays- it is great preparation for High School

Have a lovely weekend with your family.

Mrs Harrison, Mrs Webster and Mrs Carter

Annual Flu Vaccination

This vaccination is recommended to help protect your child against flu. Flu can be an unpleasant illness and can cause serious complications. Vaccinating your child will also help protect more vulnerable family and friends by preventing the spread of Flu. There may be a rebound in Flu levels this coming winter following low levels in the past 2 years. The vaccination is free and is a quick, simple, painless spray up the nose. Our vaccinations in school will take place on Monday 14th September.

Please complete the online consent form.

If you DO NOT wish your child to be vaccinated for whatever reason please complete the form stating NO and the reasons.

Online Consent Form: 

Use the link below to access the online consent form and enter the unique school code with BP in capital letters - BP119627

Please inform the School Vaccination Team (Not School) of the following:

 •           If your child has steroid tablets prescribed two weeks prior to vaccination.

•           If in the few days prior to vaccination your child has been wheezy.

•           If after consenting you take your child to your GP surgery to receive their vaccination

 It is your responsibility to contact the school vaccination team to ensure they do not receive the immunisation again. Our contact details are:

 Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde: 01253 951984 Morecambe / Lancaster 01524 519430

Year 6 Weekly Blog 06.09.24 'Be brave, take risks and allow the unexpected'

Welcome to Year 6!

What a week we have had! There has been such a warm and friendly buzz of excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm over the last two days in Year 6. We could not be happier with how the children have returned to school for their final year at Our Lady’s. We have spent a lot of time over the past two days talking about leadership and our vision for the year ahead. We have shared a beautiful story with the children called The Invisible. A tender story about how we all belong in the world. Please click on the button below to read the story

Read more

Welcome to Year 6 2024!

We can’t wait to welcome you all back to school for a VERY exciting year, full of challenges, fun learning and service. What is even more exciting is that the Year 6 block has been fully redecorated just for you, we can’t wait for you to see it! We are now just in the process of getting it all ready for your arrival and I know as soon as you come through the door, you are going to make such wonderful leaders of the school. This is your final year at Our Lady’s- let’s make it the best one yet, where we achieve everything we are capable of, love and celebrate one another and serve the school through inspiring all of our younger pupils. Don’t forget to send all of your House Captain Speeches in, your deadline is Thursday 5th September!

Next week we will be focusing on our leadership roles within school and how our two new virtues (Attentive and Discerning) will be at the centre of these roles. We will be applying for the jobs we would like, looking at how WE can make a difference in our school and looking at some inspirational leaders of the past.

Don’t forget to come equipped with your own pencil cases, making sure you have all you need in there but please make sure they are small enough to fit in your trays at the end of the day.

Indoor PE days will be on a Tuesday. On these days you need to make sure you wear tracksuits but also have a pair of shorts either under your trousers or in your bag to get changed in to.

We will not be starting Indoor PE the first week back.

Outdoor PE is on a Monday, our first one is on Monday 8th September.

Art in on a Friday- please remember to bring in your art tops to stop your uniform from getting paint on- we will keep this in our trays.

Homework- will go out on Thursday afternoons and will be due in the following Wednesday.

Induction information will be sent out next week, so please look out for when it will be. You will be able discover more about the exciting opportunities and topics that they will be learning during their time in Year 6 and we can answer any questions you may have! More information, such as important forms that will need completing will be available soon so please do keep checking the Year 6 page.

Important Notices:

Please make sure all coats and school uniform is labelled- let’s get off to a good start.

Don’t forget to keep those house captain speeches coming in!

We can’t wait to see you all on Tuesday and hear about your holidays!

We will welcome Marsden (Kenilworth Road entrance) and Harcourt (St Patrick’s Road entrance) at 8:45am and Bamber (Kenilworth Road entrance) and Plessington (St Patrick’s Road entrance) at 8:50am.


Enjoy your last week of the holidays and we look forward to seeing you in Year 6,
Mrs Harrison, Mrs Webster and Mrs Carter

House Captain Videos ...

Use this summer wisely to prepare and film your House Captain speeches …The children are to film a House Captain speech ready to show the younger children in the second week back in September. The children will be familiar, from watching them over the years, of great examples of effective speeches all made by previous Year 6 children. The speech needs to be inspirational, directed at the younger children, unique to us and enjoyable to watch, but must give us/ show us the reasons why they should be voted to be the next leader of their house! So remember to share your qualities, talents and the reasons why you would make a great House Captain! Could all videos please be emailed to Mrs Harrison within the first week back in Year 6. Remember, if you want to be considered as head boy or girl, sports captains as well as a potention house captain, then the video is crucial.

 

k.harrison@ourladystarofthesea.lancs.sch.uk

Hope you are having a wonderful summer and see you in Year 6!

Year 6 Weekly Blog 'It's the Final Countdown!'

Not long now until ‘THE GREATEST SHOW’- we can’t wait for you to see it …

It has been another busy week next week, with the play. Most of you have ordered and received your tickets now. The show starts at 6:00pm and will be approximately 2 hours long. The children need to arrive at school at 5:30pm, to get changed in to their costumes. They all look fabulous in their outfits, thank you so much for making such effort. Here is a sneaky peak at rehearsals …

We had such a wonderful afternoon at Blackpool Showtime Museum. It was very exciting getting the double decker bus, and I am sure you heard about our attempt to have a picnic on Blackpool front… we had some very cheeky seagulls swarming in on us to try and take a bite, so we quickly changed the plan! The museum in itself was fabulous and we learnt so much about Blackpool’s History!


Year 6 have been wonderful on their jobs around the school, getting fully involved in their classes activities and learning. Some going above and beyond, by squeezing in to nursery pirate costumes- don’t they look great…

On the last day (Friday) we thought it would be lovely if the Year 6 parents came to collect your children at the later time of 2:15pm, this gives more time on the playground to say your goodbyes and to take any pictures that you may want to take of their final day at Primary School.

We are all looking forward to the leaver’s day out next THURSDAY! It is imperative that all children MUST have a bag with them, containing plenty of fluids, a snack, hat and sun-cream/ waterproof coat dependent on the VERY unpredictable weather. We will be out ALL day, come rain or shine, so haven’t the right things is so vital! They are able to wear their own clothes on this day, leavers hoodies might be nice for pictures? Sensible shoes for walking must also be worn, as we are doing ALOT of walking! Cost for the day, the golf, chippy lunch and ice-cream is now on parentpay. We are charging just £6 for this, as the PTFA are subsidizing part of the cost.

Reports have come home today with the children, I hope you enjoy reading and reflecting on them, they have so much to celebrate from their time at Our Lady’s but like everyone, always something to take away and learn from. The most important part of your child’s report, is the one written by us, as their teacher. We celebrate the WHOLE child, not just their performance on one day, so please let this be your focus and not the SAT’s results. SAT’s results are in the pack, so please have a good look at them along with the explanation- the standardized score on reaching expected for all papers was 100. Remember, results from a test never define you as a person, just look at what they have all achieved this year- there is so much to celebrate and be proud of!


Well done to Poppy and Leo

Wow Poppy, our eyes are drawn to you while you are on stage. Your enthusiasm, confidence and delivery is infectious. Thank you for working so hard on your character, and doing your absolute best on stage! You know every single word of the songs and remember all of the dance moves- we are so impressed!

Leo, you are such a gentleman and an absolute pleasure to work with in the hall, as you push yourself daily out of your comfort zone to give your very best and you are doing amazing! We are so proud of the confidence you are showing! You are also such a help setting up the hall and always ready to offer your services. Likewise, in the classroom, you show great independence and focus- what an all rounder! Thank you.

Grateful and Generous butterflies

This half term we will be on the lookout for all the children that are grateful for their own gifts, the gifts of others and the blessings of each day. We will also be spotting children who are generous, who use their gifts to help others. These children are the role models of the school. This week we thank Jay for always being generous with his own gifts to help others.

Lunch Time Awards …

Marvelous Manners awards … Alex

Role Model of the week … Charlie

This week we have the following children helping to take the younger children to their class:

Harvey Leo Edi Jay


Final Notices:

PLEASE BRING X2 PLASTIC BAGS IN TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY READY TO BRING BOOKS HOME

Spare school shirts (not to be worn) for signing need to come in to school on Wednesday 17th July and be kept in trays until ready for signing.

THE GREATEST SHOW PERFORMANCE: Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th July at 6:00pm. Tickets now are on sale!

DVD’s of the performance are now on sale via parentpay!

Leavers Mass Wednesday 17th July 9:30-10:30am

Thursday 18th July- The leavers day out

Friday 19th July- Break up at 2pm.

Have a lovely, restful weekend.

SHOWTOWN YEAR 6 TRIP

On Wednesday 10th July, we will be setting off late morning to catch the bus in to Blackpool. We will then be having a picnic on Blackpool front, so fingers crossed for nice sunny weather (we have a back up plan just in case). Children need to be in full school uniform, coats as a precaution, packed lunch unless you have opted for the school packed lunch and a water bottle. If children put their lunches in disposable bags, this will mean we can dispose of them and they won’t be carrying it round all day. No fizzy drinks please. We will be catching the bus back and this is due to arrive at 3:34pm in St Annes, which means we will be back at school at approximately 3:45pm. This is dependent on traffic and room on the bus, but if we will be later you will be informed by text. Thank you.

Year 6 Weekly Blog ‘If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change’.

In our liturgy this week we read Mark’s gospel, when Jesus went back to his home town, he wasn’t accepted - he was despised and people questioned why he had come. We reflected on how Jesus may have felt and tried to put ourselves in his shoes, if we came back to our school and was treated this way. We talked about the importance of making everyone feeling welcomed and valued. This links beautifully to our school project- all classes have been asked to reflect on what a star in our school looks like and how they will behave. The children have done some beautiful work to show this, take a look at our board …


What a busy week we have had in Year 6. We’ve managed to keep all of our learning going whilst finally finishing our play! Next week we will be running all the way through, making small changes and improving what we have done- maybe even adding a dance in! There are still some children not fully familiar with their lines, please spend time this weekend going over their parts, making sure they know all their lines off by heart with the right expression. They have had their scripts for 6 weeks now and there is only one week to go! Most have booked tickets now, so these will also be sent out later next week.

Not all costumes are put together yet and we are having a big try on early next week, could I please ask that anything they need to bring from home is brought in to school for Monday? Thank you.

This week we have continued our learning in Geography and History. Our transition learning continues and on top of this transition preparation, all children have now been for a visit to their new high school and all have come back positive, looking forward to their new chapter, with of course some nerves. We have spoken in class about these feelings and how we need to share them with the people around us. We will of course, be discussing this in more detail over the next two weeks…

Leavers Day

As we approach the final two weeks of the school year, the celebration of our Year 6 children is at the forefront of our minds. Over the past 7 years, the children have grown into young people who are ready to fly. Young people who know how to be the change that they want to see in the world. They could not have achieved this without the love and support that they received from their school community, and more importantly, their family. For this we thank you.

On Wednesday 17th July, the whole school community will come together at the Leavers Mass to celebrate the class and their journey through primary school. This will take place at 9.30am in church.

The following day, we will be going out for the day for part two of the celebrations! They will be walking down, along the beach, to Fairhaven Adventure Golf and Adventure Playground, where we will stay and have lunch and games for the afternoon. We will then head back to school for the end of the day.

Details and payments for this day out will be given out to you next week and we will finalise arrangements-what your children needs to wear and bring with them on the day.


Delving deeper through talk …

What are you most looking forward to as you move on to high school?

How do you feel about moving on to high school?


Well done to Dominic and Molly-Ann

Dominic, you are such a calming influence on our class. You get on with your work independently, quietly and calmly. Thank you Dominic for being a great role model within the classroom and always doing what is asked of you.

Molly-Ann- This week your positive attitude towards your learning has really shone though. You are working hard independently in class and we loved seeing how enthusiasticc you were about your transition day at St Bede’s.

Grateful and Generous butterflies

This half term we will be on the lookout for all the children that are grateful for their own gifts, the gifts of others and the blessings of each day. We will also be spotting children who are generous, who use their gifts to help others. These children are the role models of the school. This week we thank Rosa for always being generous with his own gifts to help others.

Lunch Time Awards …

Marvelous Manners awards … Matilda

Role Model of the week … Ruby-Lily

This week we have the following children helping to take the younger children to their class:

Matilda Iris Tabby Nicola


Final Notices:

Blackpool Showtown School trip to please be paid on ParentPay.

Have you filled out the following form about lunch for our school trip?

THE GREATEST SHOW PERFORMANCE: Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th July at 6:00pm. Tickets now are on sale!

Friday 12th July Dominic’s Fundraiser Sports Afternoon- sponsor forms have now been sent out to help raise money for Royal Manchester’s Children’s Hospital. The whole school will be out for the afternoon, taking part in numerous sporting activities, all led by year 5. There will also be a cake sale in the morning and tombola!

Leavers Mass Wednesday 17th July 9:30-10:30am

Thursday 18th July- The leavers day out

Friday 19th July- Break up at 2pm.

Have a lovely, restful weekend.