Welcome to Nazareth Class

Mrs Sewell & Miss Smith

 ^"In the sixth month, Gabriel (the angel) was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man called Joseph, from the family of David. The virgin was called Mary.

“Greetings, favored one!” said the angel when he arrived. “May the Lord be with you!” "

Luke 1:26-28

We are delighted to announce our Walk to School Winners for November! Throughout the month, pupils have been making an outstanding effort to walk, cycle, or park and stride on their journeys to school. Their commitment has not only helped them stay active and improve their fitness, but has also made a positive contribution to our environment.

By choosing active travel, our winners have:

• Reduced traffic and pollution around the school

• Improved their health and wellbeing through daily exercise

• Set a brilliant example of sustainable travel for our whole community

A huge congratulations to all the children who took part—your hard work is making a real difference. Keep up the fantastic effort as we continue to promote healthy, eco-friendly travel to school!

This week our class welcomed parents into school for our special Advent Liturgy Workshop, centred on the theme “Make Room for Others.” The children led a thoughtful and prayerful worship that reminded us that Advent is a time of preparation—not only for the coming of Jesus as a baby, but also for preparing our hearts to welcome those who need to feel safe, valued and included. We reflected on how the Holy Family themselves were refugees seeking shelter, and how we too are called to make space for others in our lives.

Following the liturgy, families took part in two creative activities. First, children and parents worked together to decorate a star for our class Advent calendar, each one representing an act of kindness or a way we can “make room” for others during this season. Our second activity was making a “Happy Holidays” card for a child in our class and his family, who are refugees and currently far from their wider family. This simple gesture helped us live out our theme in a meaningful and compassionate way.

It was a wonderful opportunity for our community to pray, reflect and create together as we begin our Advent journey.

In Nazareth Class, pupils have been strengthening their writing by using word wheels and thesauruses independently. Word wheels help children explore a wide range of related vocabulary, supporting them to select words that are more precise and expressive. Alongside this, the children are developing confidence in using a thesaurus to find effective synonyms that enhance the quality and variety of their writing.

These tools encourage pupils to think carefully about their word choices and help them produce richer, more engaging pieces of writing. We are delighted to see how confidently Nazareth Class are applying these strategies in their everyday English work.

As part of #RedWednesday, our school joined the global campaign led by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to stand in solidarity with people around the world who suffer persecution because of their faith.
Pupils and staff were invited to wear an item of red clothing as a visible sign of support and remembrance. During our worship, we also lit a red candle as a symbol of hope and prayer for all those who face hardship, discrimination, or violence for practising their beliefs.

Through this act of unity and prayer, we helped raise awareness of the importance of religious freedom and showed our commitment to supporting those who cannot worship freely.

As part of our anti-bullying learning in Nazareth Class, pupils took part in an activity called “The Wrinkled Heart.” The activity helps children understand the emotional impact of unkind behaviour and highlights the importance of treating others with care.

During the session, pupils shared examples of unkind words or actions. Each time an example was given, a large paper heart was gently crumpled to show how hurtful behaviour can leave lasting marks. Although the heart was later smoothed out, the creases remained, demonstrating that saying sorry doesn’t always erase the impact of our words.

The children also discussed the kinds of kindness and supportive behaviours that help everyone feel safe and respected. To celebrate our uniqueness and remind one another that differences should be valued, the pupils wore odd socks, joining the national Anti-Bullying Week tradition.

This activity encouraged empathy, reflection, and a shared commitment to building a respectful and inclusive school community.

Congratulations to these superstars for achieving their 25m front and back, an expectation that they need to reach by the end of Year 6 and have completed in the first half term of Year 5 - well done!

During Autumn 1 half term, as part of our focus on Creation and Covenant in Religious Education, our school community has been reflecting on the importance of caring for others and taking responsibility—values rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. Our Values Ambassadors, Lacey and Aria, took on the special task of choosing a class member who had shown these qualities in an exceptional way. After thoughtful consideration, they prepared a speech and proudly presented their nomination during our Star of the Week assembly. It was a wonderful opportunity to recognise and celebrate the positive choices our children make every day in living out our school values.

As part of our RE topic Prophecy and Promise, the children have been learning about Elijah’s journey to becoming a prophet and how he encountered the gentle whisper of God on Mount Sinai. They took time to reflect on where God was present, how both Elijah and God might have felt, and what this experience meant for Elijah’s faith and mission.

Nazareth Class celebrated their Class Mass on the Feast of St Josaphat. The Gospel reading told the story of the ten lepers, reminding us of the importance of gratitude. In his homily, Fr Alf encouraged us all to have an attitude of gratitude in our daily lives. The children read beautifully, showing their continued respect and reverence throughout the Mass.

On Remembrance Sunday, we came together to honour and remember all those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

We would like to say a special thank you to Jacob, our Head Boy, and Daisy, our Head Girl, as well as Mabel and Emily, who proudly represented St Mary’s at the Fleetwood Remembrance Service.

They joined pupils and staff from other local schools at the Memorial Park, where they paid their respects and laid a wreath on behalf of our school community.

We are very proud of the respect, dignity and pride they showed as they represented St Mary’s during this important occasion of remembrance.

In our Design and Technology lessons, pupils have been exploring how different shapes and structures affect the strength and stability of bridges. They have learned to identify stronger and weaker shapes and discovered how supporting shapes can help a bridge hold more weight. Pupils can now recognise and describe the differences between beam, arch and truss bridges, using triangles to create their own simple truss bridges that support a load. They have also developed practical skills such as measuring and ensuring beams are the correct size and carefully following each stage of the construction process. With guidance, pupils have completed their bridges to varying degrees of accuracy and finish, reflecting on their work to identify areas for improvement and reinforcing their designs where necessary.

Active Mile has become a popular activity the children have enjoyed this half term - 2 laps around The Mount equals a mile. The children are given ten minutes to see how far they can get. The children have to try and keep going, even if means taking it to a slower jog or walk and see if they can get further than the week before.

Look at our pumpkins - Year 4/5 have worked hard at home with parents to create their pumpkin character and we look forward to showing them all off in our Pumpkin Parade with the whole school.

The children in Nazareth Class have focused on developing their rolling techniques, strengthening dynamic movements, and enhancing balance and coordination. They have been encouraged to develop their teamwork while introducing a progression of jumping techniques and handstand preparations. Through activities such as bench work and paired balance exercises, the children have performed controlled movements, improve stability, and creates short sequences. Alongside physical development, they have also built observational and analytical skills, fostered a supportive learning environment that has promoted continuous improvement. Their successes have been measured by their ability to perform precise movements, collaborate effectively, and apply their skills confidently.

Congratulations to all our October winner of their WOW badge for coming to school in an alternative manner - cycling, scooting park and stride or walking. 

As part of our local history learning, the children set out to explore the rich Victorian heritage of Fleetwood. Armed with curiosity and keen observation skills, they went on a hunt to discover some of the town’s most iconic historical buildings and landmarks.

During their walk, the children visited the North Euston Hotel, discovering how it was once a grand stopover for travellers journeying between London and Scotland. They admired the town’s distinctive lighthouses, learning about their vital role in guiding ships safely into port. The group also explored Fleetwood Market, uncovering its long history as a bustling centre of trade since the 19th century, and visited the Fleetwood Museum, where they delved deeper into stories of the town’s maritime past and Victorian life.

Along the way, pupils learned about the architecture, purpose, and significance of each building, comparing how these structures have changed or stayed the same over time. The experience brought history to life, helping the children to understand how Fleetwood’s Victorian heritage has shaped the community we know today.

For more photographs of the Year 5 and Year 6 residential, please follow our school Instagram page 'stmarysfleetwood' or Zion class page.

Eliana, Darcey, and Lola thoughtfully led a beautiful class prayer and liturgy on the theme of commitment, inspired by the story of Abram and his faithful response to God’s call to leave his father’s house. Lola guided the class in the Five Finger Prayer, encouraging everyone to pray for others before themselves. Together, the children joined in saying the Glory Be, before being invited to visit our class prayer wall to offer their own personal intentions. It was a reflective and prayerful time, showing great reverence and understanding of what it means to commit to following God’s call.

As part of World Mental Health Day, our children took part in activities all about looking after their own wellbeing. We talked about how taking care of our minds is just as important as taking care of our bodies.

During the session, children explored different ways to support their wellbeing — such as spending time with friends and family, getting enough rest, being active, talking about their feelings, and doing things they enjoy.

During our final Walk through the Bible session with Lydia and Dave today, we studied the stories of Exile. The people of Israel made a special covenant (promise) with God. God promised to protect and bless them if they followed His ways.
But many times, the Israelites broke this covenant — they worshipped other gods, treated the poor unfairly, and ignored God’s prophets.
Because of this, God allowed foreign nations to conquer Israel and take the people into exile. It was meant to help them learn, repent, and return to Him.

On Wednesday 8th October, we had a very exciting visit from the Creepy Crawly Man! He brought along some fascinating creatures for us to see — including a stick insect, a giant snail, a cockroach, and even a snake!

The children had the amazing opportunity to hold some of the animals and learn lots of interesting facts about their habitats, diet, and how they survive in the wild.

There were lots of brave faces (and a few squeals!) as everyone got up close to the creatures. It was a fantastic hands-on learning experience that helped us all appreciate the wonderful diversity of living things in our world.

We joined Aid to the Church in Need’s worldwide campaign, “One Million Children Praying the Rosary.” This special initiative unites children across the globe in praying for peace and unity.

Gathered together in our Peace and Prayer Garden, in front of the beautiful statue of Mary, our pupils prayed the Rosary with faith and love. The Rosary is a powerful prayer that helps us reflect on the life of Jesus through the eyes of His mother, Mary. As we move through each decade, we say the Hail Mary and Our Father prayers while thinking about the special moments (called “mysteries”) from Jesus’ life.

By joining this global prayer, our children became part of a worldwide family of faith, praying for peace in our world and for all who are suffering. It was a wonderful reminder that even the smallest prayers, said with love, can help make a big difference.

“When a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.” — Saint Padre Pio

As part of our work on rounding we have practiced rounding to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000, as well as stretching to 10,000. The children played a game to create 4 and 5 digit numbers and rounding those. Some of the cards had symbols instead of digit cards which linked to a forfeit - 10 star jump, 10 knees to elbows and 10 touch your toes and knees.

During our Walk through the Bible session with Lydia and Dave today (6.10.25), we studied the stories involving ‘Kingdoms’ with books from Samuel and Kings and retelling the stories of: Samuel, Saul, Soloman, David, the divided Kingdom and the prophets that speak.

🌟 Congratulations to Our New Mini Vinnies and Eco Team Members! 🌟

We are delighted to congratulate Jude, Sasha and Mabel on being selected to join our school’s Mini Vinnies. After writing such thoughtful application letters, they showed a real passion for celebrating and leading the Catholic life of our school, as well as helping to guide Prayer and Liturgy. We are so proud of them for taking on this special role of faith and service.

A big well done also to Tiana and Isaac, whose wonderful Eco posters earned them a place on our brand-new Eco Team. They will be working together with others to help make our school more environmentally friendly and to remind us all of our responsibility to care for God’s creation.

✨ We are very proud of all these children for their commitment, creativity and leadership.

Every Friday we celebrate our amazing readers with Cake and Shake! Here are some photos of some of the children who read at least three times a week at home and recorded it so they got rewarded with a special treat. Regular reading builds vocabulary, sparks imagination, and helps children grow into confident, fluent readers. A huge congratulations to all the children who earned their Cake and Shake this week – keep up the brilliant reading!

As we continue in our Creation and Covenant topic, we focused on the next part of Abraham's journey. The children focused on the scripture of Genesis 18: 1-15 where Sarah and Abraham were visited by the three angels to share God's message of Sarah having a baby. The children created a freeze frame to show part of the story and reflected on how one of the characters felt.

In our second and third with Linda and Dave from BYSW, the children continued exploring the Old Testament. In week 3 we focused on: The Book of Joshua tells how God’s people, led by Joshua, entered the Promised Land. With God’s help, they won many battles, like when the walls of Jericho fell, and the land was shared among the twelve tribes. Before Joshua died, he told the people to always love and serve God.

The Book of Judges shows what happened after Joshua died. The people often forgot about God and did wrong things. Then enemies hurt them, but when they cried out, God sent special leaders called judges to save them. Some judges were Deborah, Gideon, and Samson. The people kept turning away from God, but He always forgave them when they came back.

The Book of Ruth is about a kind woman named Ruth. She stayed loyal to her mother-in-law Naomi, even when life was very hard. Ruth chose to follow God and was blessed with a new family. She became the great-grandmother of King David, and from her family line, Jesus was born.

Congratulations to Lacey and Aria!
They have been chosen as this year’s Nazareth Class Value Ambassadors.

In their role, they will:

• Watch out for children who are upholding our value for the half term.

• Lead by example by showing the value in their own words and actions.

• Work alongside Mrs Cross and the other ambassadors to explore ways they can make a difference within our St Mary’s family and the wider community.

We are so proud of them both as they take on this important role!

Nazareth Class on Wednesday 17th September enjoyed celebrating their first class Mass with Fr Stephen. The child read beautifully and were complimented on their readings by parishioners. The children were given the opportunity at the end of Mass to light a candle.

This half term, we are reading Street Child and as part of chapter 2 the children engaged with the events by working as a group to create a freeze frame scene.

To begin our place value maths unit, we have been learning about roman numerals - their value, the rules to follow and being able to convert to and from roman numerals to our number system.

The children had their first session with Linda and Dave from BYSW a Christian Charity that provide workshops for schools. They are becoming regulars in our school and we always enjoy their workshops. The children will have another 4 sessions with Linda and Dave as we continue to earn about the stories in the Old Testament.

In our classroom the children have been using our STOP and Pray prayer wall during our prayer and liturgy sessions so have some quiet reflection time with God on a prayer of their choosing:

S = Sorry

T = Thanks

O = Others

P = Peace

As we begin our new school year together, we have reviewed our St Mary's Way and what this means for us in our school. We follow four simple words, which when used, allows for everyone to get along and know the expectations - be ready, be kind, be safe and be respectful. The children wrote their own examples for each of these four rules and signed our class charter to show their commitment to demonstrating these expectations in and around school.

Nazareth Class (Year 4/5) is all set up and ready to go for the new academic year; we can't wait to welcome the children back for the new school year.