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

May 13, 2022 Jan Hornby

Prayer

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

A week to be proud of!

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

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

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

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

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

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

Office News

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

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

Attendance

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

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

God bless,

Miss Hornby

Wednesday Word

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

May 6, 2022 Jan Hornby

Prayer and Almsgiving

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

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

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

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

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

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

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

Office News

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

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

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

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

Attendance

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

Finally

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

God bless,

Miss Hornby

Wednesday Word

To understand everything is to forgive everything...

April 29, 2022 Jan Hornby

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

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

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

Prayer and Almsgiving

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

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

Office News

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

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

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

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

Attendance

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

Finally

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

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

God bless,

Miss Hornby

Wednesday Word

We are the Easter people and Alleluia is our song …

April 22, 2022 Jan Hornby

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

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

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

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

Almsgiving

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

Online Safety

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

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

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

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

Office News

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

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

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

Attendance

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

Induction for new Reception Parents 2022

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

Finally

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

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

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

Help me to see everyone as someone whom

you are inviting me to help in some way.

Make me generous enough to answer that invitation…

Amen.

God bless,

Miss Hornby

Wednesday Word