Wishing you all a happy, peaceful, restful and holy Christmas, and a prosperous New Year for 2017, from all the staff at St Peter’s Catholic Primary School.

Thank you for all of the cards, gifts and good wishes that have been passed to the staff at school; each one is truly appreciated.

Don’t forget to read the December school newsletter for all the end of term and start of term updates you need.  A paper copy will go home with the children, and it is available on the school website via the quick link tab on the right hand side of the screen.

Looking forward to seeing all the children back for the new term at 8:50am on Wednesday 4th January 2017.

Mr R Cunningham

Headteacher

Well done to all of the pupils and staff at St Peter’s who rallied round today to run ‘A Mile for Maisie’ to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.  This service, funded entirely from public contributions, gave essential help when our Year 6 pupil needed to get to the teenage trauma unit at Southampton General Hospital at the start of November.  Our fundraising mile run today was our way of saying thank you in return.  Friday started with Mr Maxwell from Fry and Kent estate agents (other estate agents are available!) presenting a £60 cheque to Pets as Therapy when announcing the winners of their design a Christmas Card competition, as Maisie enjoyed visits from one of their pets in hospital whilst separated from her own dog Leo.  When Mr Maxwell saw 430 children in sports kit before him in assembly, he added another £60 to our Air Ambulance fund to get the ball rolling.  As I write we are still counting the donations from today’s event, and will add to that the retiring collection from our Carol Service on Tuesday night, so that a grand total can be announced next week.

Which takes me onto events earlier in the week.  The pupils of St Peter’s once again impressed as they conducted themselves impeccably on the journey to and from Sacred Heart and St Peter the Apostle Church, earning complimentary comments from members of the public.  Children from every year group made wonderful contributions to our Advent service, and I must thank especially the family volunteers who helped walk with the children for the service.  Then on Tuesday night the school celebrated what I hope will become an annual Carol Service at the church, brining together in one night and one place our Key Stage 2 children and families to set the Christmas spirit.  Add to that the amazing Year R nativity play, and we have had quite a busy week of it.

Of course, it doesn’t stop there, as next week sees two performances of the Year 1 and 2 nativity play on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, Christmas dinner for the children on Tuesday (best Christmas apron on for me to serve the gravy!), our pantomime Peter Pan on Wednesday and Christmas jumper day on Friday for the last day of term.

Still, all that is yet to come, and I need to get ready for tonight’s Friend’s of St Peter’s Winter Wonderland Christmas Party!  Mince pie anybody?

Mr R Cunningham

Headteacher

Okay, so I have to admit that Christmas is on its way, and nowhere more so than here at St Peter’s.  As I have worked in my office this week, I have heard the regular rehearsals in the hall of Year R singing away for their nativity play called ‘Christmas with the Aliens’ and Year 1 and 2 belting out the songs for their nativity performance ‘Christmas Counts’.  These are special events which live long in the memory of the children and their families alike, so if you are fortunate enough to be able to come to see any of the performances, prepare to be dazzled.  As I mentioned in a much earlier blog, I am conscious that not everyone is able to attend such performances due to work commitments, but remember that you do support your children wonderfully well by the preparation and encouragement you give in providing costumes, rehearsing lines, and listening to song practices again, and again, and again!

Not to be left out, our Key Stage 2 children have their Carol Service on Tuesday evening 6th December at 6:00pm at Sacred Heart Church.  I took the decision to use the parish church so that we had a space big enough to host a large number of people in one go and in quite some comfort.  Although this is principally an event for Key Stage 2 children and their families, please do not feel that younger siblings need to stay away, we just did not want to make families feel obliged to keep littler ones up if they are starting to tire at the end of term having done their own performances in the daytimes.  Everyone will be warmly welcomed, and having heard the music rehearsals today from my office, it is sure to set the right mood of anticipation and joy for the season of Advent.

The St Peter’s community will also take the opportunity of the school Advent service on Tuesday to bid a proper and thankful farewell to Fr Kevin Bidgood, as he will be moving to St Francis’ Parish in Ascot in the New Year.  We are all grateful for the faith, prayer and joy that he has brought into our school during his time as Parish Priest in Waterlooville.  We wish him well in his new parish, and look forward to some good tips for Royal Ascot in June!

Mr R Cunningham

Headteacher