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

By the end of this unit, the children developed a secure understanding of key geographical and environmental concepts linked to oceans. They described the water cycle and explained how oceans are used for human activity, as well as how they help regulate the Earth’s climate and temperature. Pupils located the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and explored its importance, including the benefits it provides. They also examined the impact humans have on ocean environments and considered the consequences of these actions, alongside practical steps that can be taken to support healthier oceans. Through fieldwork on the beach, the children selected appropriate data collection methods, gathered information using tally charts, photographs and maps, and navigated their environment safely. Finally, they presented and interpreted their findings using tally charts and suggested ways to improve marine environments.

To end of Spring Term and time in Lent, the whole school took part in the Big Lent Walk in support of CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development). As a school community, the children walked 4km together, showing their commitment to helping those in need around the world.

We are incredibly grateful for any sponsorship you were able to give. All money raised will go directly to CAFOD to support vital projects providing food, clean water and support to vulnerable communities.

Once all donations have been collected and counted, we will share the final total with you.

Thank you to our families for their continued support and for helping our children to put their faith into action.

On Friday 20th March, St Mary’s School celebrated a very special occasion as a group of our children were commissioned as Ministers of the Word in a beautiful service led by Fr Stephen.

In front of the whole school community and their families, the children made heartfelt promises, committing themselves to serve God by sharing His Word with others. This meaningful moment marked the culmination of a five-week preparation programme led by Mrs Sewell, during which the children explored the importance of reverence, respect, and how to proclaim the Word of God with confidence and understanding.

Now fully prepared for their role, these children will serve as reading ministers during their class Masses and whole school liturgies, helping to bring Scripture to life for our community.

We are incredibly proud of their dedication and commitment to serving God and contributing so positively to our St Mary’s family.

During Lent, Nazareth Class were joined by Zion Class (Year 5/6) to take part in a special prayer hunt around the Mount, which was led by the Mini Vinnies. As we travelled to different points around the Mount, we stopped to read passages from the Gospel and reflect on their meaning. At each station, we completed activities linked to the reading, helping us to think more deeply about our faith and the importance of prayer during Lent. It was a thoughtful and engaging way to journey together and grow spiritually.

During Lent, our school community came together to take part in a moving and reflective Stations of the Cross. Each station was thoughtfully brought to life through creative 3D representations, carefully made by both staff and children.

These powerful displays illustrated each stage of Jesus’ journey on Good Friday, helping the children to better understand the events of that day in a visual and meaningful way. Every station shared an important message, encouraging all who visited to pause, reflect, and consider the sacrifices Jesus made.

Our Mini Vinnies, which includes four children from our class, played a special role during this time, leading The Way of the Cross service in church each week throughout Lent. Using the Stations created in school, they confidently guided times of prayer and reflection, where parents and parishioners were warmly welcomed to join us.

As pupils journeyed through the stations, they were given the opportunity for quiet reflection and prayer, deepening their understanding of faith and compassion. This shared experience was a wonderful example of our school community working together with our parish to explore and express the significance of this important time in the Church’s year.

On Friday 13th March, Nazareth Class were joined by Jerusalem Class for a special pilgrimage to Ladyewell. We began our journey by walking from the church to the Ladyewell House, preparing our hearts for prayer and reflection.

During our visit, the children took part in a beautiful Way of the Cross service using the outdoor stations in the gardens. As we walked from station to station, the children paused to reflect and pray, thinking about Jesus’ journey to the cross. Along the way, we also visited different statues in the gardens, taking time for quiet prayer.

The children then visited the Ladyewell Shrine of Mary, where they were able to spend time in prayer and fill their bottles with Holy Water. In the chapel, they wrote their own prayers, offering their thoughts and intentions to God.

We were very fortunate that Fr Stephen, our parish priest, was able to join us at the end of our visit to celebrate Mass together. The theme of the Mass was “Walking with Jesus”, reminding us that just like our pilgrimage, our faith journey invites us to walk closely with Jesus each day.

It was a very special and prayerful experience for everyone involved.

This year for World Book Day we are celebrating the inspiring book series Little People, BIG DREAMS, which tells the true stories of extraordinary people who all started life as ordinary children with big dreams.

Through these books, pupils explore biographies and non-fiction, discovering how real people overcame challenges and worked hard to make a difference in the world. The series introduces children to inspiring figures such as Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., and Albert Einstein. Their stories show how determination, courage and kindness can help people overcome barriers and achieve great things.

This theme also connects to our journey towards becoming a School of Sanctuary, where we celebrate that everyone belongs. No matter where we come from, our background, or the challenges we face, we all have the potential to dream big and make a positive impact on the world.

Through reading these inspiring biographies, we hope to encourage our pupils to enjoy non-fiction, raise their aspirations and remember that every great achievement begins with a dream. 🌟

In our classroom, worship is truly child-led. The children begin by choosing a theme that is meaningful to them. They then work independently to plan and deliver their worship, carefully selecting a Bible reading, preparing a thoughtful response, and writing a prayer that reflects their chosen focus.

This process encourages the children to think deeply about faith and how it connects to their own lives. Recent themes have included Creation, Love, and Forgiveness, with each group demonstrating creativity, reverence, and a growing confidence in leading others in prayer.

We have also been delighted to welcome visitors from Zion Class (Year 5/6), who have joined us to share their own worship. These opportunities allow the children to learn from one another and to celebrate faith together as a wider school community.

Nazareth class welcomed Heather from Ember and Blossom CIC who is currently delivering community-based art workshops to promote International Women's Day. 

You may recognise Heather from recent TV coverage as her work within our local community has been recognised by the Princess of Wales who personally invited her to Westminster Abbey to take part in the "Together at Christmas" event. Heather is passionate about community and togetherness which aligns perfectly with our school values. 

Her latest project - "Art for Purpose" - has been a wonderful opportunity for the children to explore their creative side whilst also celebrating strength, respect, kindness and positivity as part of International Women's day 2026. The children each created flags to represent the inspirational women in their lives and to share messages of support for others. There will be a community event on the 8th March which the children can take part in and display their art work.

To celebrate the beginning of Lent, we gathered together for our own Ashes Liturgy, as Ash Wednesday took place during the half-term holidays. Our liturgy was thoughtfully led by the Mini Vinnies, who helped us to reflect on the meaning of this special and important day in the Christian calendar.

During the liturgy, we learned that Ash Wednesday marks the start of the season of Lent — a time for prayer, reflection, and growing closer to God. Each of us received the sign of the cross on our foreheads with ash. This reminds us to be kind, to say sorry for our mistakes, and to try our best to follow Jesus more closely during Lent.

We have also written our Lenten promises on a pebble. These promises show how we will help others, choose kindness, pray more often, or give something up as a sacrifice during this holy season. Once completed, we are placing our pebbles in the Prayer and Peace Garden as a visible sign of our commitment and reflection throughout Lent.

We look forward to supporting one another as we journey together through this special season.

Our school community gathered for a very special Mass to celebrate our commitment as a School of Sanctuary. We were honoured to welcome representatives from local Christian churches, neighbouring schools and parishioners as we came together in faith, unity and shared purpose.

The celebration was a powerful reminder of our call to love our neighbour and to stand in solidarity with refugees and families who have come to live in our town. Through prayer, scripture and reflection, we reaffirmed our commitment to ensuring that our school is a place of welcome, safety and belonging for all.

As part of our celebration, our staff and families generously contributed to a food bank collection in support of those in need within our local community. The donations were presented and blessed during Mass before being delivered to the food bank afterwards. We are incredibly proud of the compassion and generosity shown by our school community, living out the Gospel values in such a practical and meaningful way.

Together, we continue to build a community rooted in dignity, compassion and hope, where everyone is welcomed and valued.

In this branch, Galilee to Jerusalem, our class have explored the life and mission of Jesus through key events from the Gospels. Children have learnt about Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, including his teaching, miracles and parables, and how these revealed God’s love and compassion for all people. The unit then followed Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, helping the children to understand the significance of key moments leading up to Holy Week. Throughout the topic, the children have reflected on how Jesus’ message challenges Christians today to live lives of faith, service and love for others.

Nazareth this half term have been learning tag rugby to develop key physical skills such as running, dodging and passing, while also building teamwork and game awareness. The non-contact nature of tag rugby makes it inclusive and safe, encouraging all children to take part, enjoy being active and play fairly.

The children were asked to design and make a pop-up book for a younger child, using mechanisms such as levers, sliders and pop ups. We went to see the year one children first to find out what they would like to see in our books, then spent some time designing them. We followed instructions to make the booklets, and added our designs and mechanisms. We had to think carefully about our audience, how to effectively use the mechanisms, as well as making them appealing to a younger audience.

A big well done and thank you to Sophie and Eliza, who led our worship beautifully on their chosen theme of Sacrifice. The girls gathered everyone together with the hymn Follow Me before reading from the Gospel and sharing the story of Jesus’ crucifixion. They thoughtfully planned reflective questions for their peers and ended the worship with a prayer, finishing with the class’s favourite song, Hard Fought Hallelujah.

Wednesday 28th January saw the whole school come together and be led in Mass by our Ministers of the Word to celebrate St. Thomas Aquinas, who was a very clever and kind man who lived about 800 years ago in Italy and became a priest and teacher. He loved learning and asking big questions about God, faith, and how to live a good life, and he wrote many books to help people understand God better. St. Thomas believed that God made the world and loves everyone, and that people can learn about God by using both faith (believing) and reason (thinking). He taught that being wise means choosing what is good and right, loving God, and caring for others, especially those in need. Because of his wisdom and gentle nature, he is remembered as one of the Church’s greatest teachers and a saint who showed that using our minds well is one way to serve God and others. 

As part of Galilee to Jerusalem branch in our RE curriculum Year 4/5 have been reflecting on what type of Messiah Jesus is and how he showed the type of kingdom God wanted through the miracles he performed and how he treated everyone including those who were poor, ill or cast out by society.

Wednesday 20th January saw Nazareth Class celebrating Mass with the parishioners of St Mary's where the children read beautifully, and as always, reverent. As part of our curriculum RE, we have been studying the Nicene Creed and what the means and why it is said. Although it is said in Mass on Sundays, we stood together in Church with Fr Stephen and parishioners and proclaimed the Creed together. 

During Spring 1, Year 4/5 children are taking part in Joy of Moving, a combined PE and PSHE unit that promotes positive and healthy attitudes towards physical activity. Throughout the unit, children have been learning about the importance of a healthy, balanced diet, using the Healthy Plate model to make informed food choices. Alongside this, pupils have participated in a range of physical games designed to develop resilience, teamwork and mutual respect, helping them to understand how being active supports both physical and emotional wellbeing.

Lola and Mabel planned and led a child-led worship on the theme of community. They independently organised the worship, beginning by gathering everyone together and sharing a reading about caring for one another. They engaged the children by asking thoughtful questions and inviting responses, encouraging everyone to reflect on how we support our community. They ended the worship with a meaningful go forth message, challenging everyone to help those we can in our school and wider community.

As part of their drawing topic, the children explored printmaking by carefully designing a print with thoughtful attention to composition. They experimented with a range of marks to build tone and create a sense of depth, developing their understanding of how artists use tone to make artwork appear more three-dimensional. The children then applied these skills to create an effective printing plate, drawing on their sketchbook experiments to refine their ideas. Throughout the process, they reflected on their work, making improvements to both their exploratory sketches and their final printed outcome.

At the start of our Drawing art unit, the children explored how lines and movement can be used to communicate feelings. Through expressive mark making, they experimented with different types of lines to show and emphasise emotions in their drawings. They studied and responded to the work of artists Elizabeth Catlett and Charlie Mackesy, using these artists as inspiration for their own ideas. The children then described their finished drawings and talk about how their work is similar to or different from the artists they have studied.

Autumn Term

For their Christmas activities, the children have taken part in the Santa Dash, glow-in-the-dark dodgeball, donkey rides, Christmas parties, and a pyjama film day. They also enjoyed a range of festive crafts, seasonal games, and music-filled celebrations that helped create a joyful atmosphere throughout the school. These activities encouraged teamwork, creativity, and festive spirit, giving the children the opportunity to relax, have fun with their friends, and make special memories during the Christmas season.

Our Christmas Carol Service is a special time for our school community to come together in prayer, song and reflection. This year, as we celebrate during the Year of Pilgrims of Hope, we are invited to think about journeys — our own journeys through life, and the journeys made by people around the world, whether in joy or in difficulty.

As a School of Sanctuary, our service reflects our commitment to being a place of welcome, kindness and safety for all. Through traditional carols, readings and prayers, the children will help us reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of compassion and hope.

At the heart of our celebration is the greatest sign of hope: the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. We remember Him as the light of the world, guiding us to walk with love, courage and faith.

A lovely visit to Emmanuel Church as part of our Advent celebrations. The children retold the story and even had a visit from a shepherd...the children made a Christingle, learning all of the parts and what they symbolise. Afterwards, they decorated a biscuit and lit a candle to reflect on Jesus being a gift, as the light of the world and placed it in the manger.

During Advent, each class takes part in the Posada tradition. A Posada box contains figures of Mary and Joseph, reminding us of their journey as they searched for shelter before the birth of Jesus.

Each night, the Posada box visits a different home within the class community. Families are invited to welcome Mary and Joseph, spend time in prayer or reflection, and think about how they can show kindness, generosity and care for others during this special season.

This tradition reflects key principles of Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the dignity of every human person and solidarity. By welcoming Mary and Joseph, children are encouraged to think about those in our world who may feel excluded, vulnerable or without a home, and to consider how they can respond with compassion and hospitality.

Through the Posada, we are reminded of the importance of opening our hearts to others and making room for Jesus by living out our faith through loving action.

This week, our Key Stage 2 pupils enjoyed a magical trip to the Pleasure Beach to watch the pantomime Cinderella. The children were full of excitement as they stepped into the theatre, and the performance certainly didn’t disappoint!

From dazzling costumes and lively songs to plenty of laughter and traditional “He’s behind you!” moments, the show captured the imagination of every child. Our pupils joined in brilliantly, showing fantastic behaviour and enthusiasm throughout.

Trips like this help bring stories to life, enrich our curriculum, and create wonderful shared memories. A huge thank you to the staff and volunteers who supported the visit—and well done to our KS2 pupils for representing our school so beautifully.

Our KS2 children enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner together, filled with festive music, delicious food, and lots of smiling faces. It was a lovely opportunity for pupils and staff to share in the joy of the season and celebrate as a school community.

This half term the children in Nazareth Class have explored the themes of prophecy, hope and God’s promises throughout Scripture. The children have learnt how God spoke through the prophets and how their messages prepared God’s people for the coming of the Messiah.

Through key Old Testament stories, including those of Isaiah and John the Baptist children discover how prophets encouraged people to remain faithful, make good choices and trust in God’s plan. They also explore how Christians believe these ancient prophecies were fulfilled in the life and mission of Jesus Christ.

This has helped the children to:

• Understand what a prophet is and why prophets were important.

• Recognise major prophecies about the Messiah and link them to Gospel accounts.

• Reflect on how God keeps His promises and how Christians are called to respond with faith, hope and courage.

• Make connections between biblical messages and how we live out God’s promise in our world today.

We are excited to share that the Library Bus has visited our school! Each class had the opportunity to board the bus, explore a wide selection of books, and choose new titles to add to their classroom reading corners.

The Library Bus helps us promote a love of reading by giving children access to fresh, exciting stories and non-fiction texts. Pupils browsed, talked to the librarian, and discover books that spark their curiosity and imagination. The books they selected will remain in their class reading corner for everyone to enjoy throughout the term.

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.

Science - Forces and Space

Nazareth Class love their science and show lots of enthusiasm every lesson. During our topic of Forces, we explored friction and decided that it was super important to help us slow down and stop...especially in a game of football! We learned that forces act in the opposite direction of an object and realised that actually forces, such as air resistance, can help to keep us safe. The children linked water resistance to themselves at their swimming lessons and understood why it was good to wear a swimming cap; making themselves more streamline helps them to swim faster like a dolphin. The children loved our topic of Space and turned into little astronomers. They were amazed at our Solar System and how it worked, to help us remember the order of the planets the children came up with their own mnemonics. We created our own Solar System and I think the children got a little dizzy as they were orbiting the Sun. As a whole, Nazareth Class had a lot of 'what if' questions so we did our research and found a fantastic program on Cbeebies called 'Hey You, What If?' which answered a lot of our interesting thoughts. 

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.