Easter is a movable feast; unlike Christmas it does not occur on a set date each calendar year.  The date of Easter is decided more by celestial and planetary patterns, falling each year on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.  (Remember that, it is bound to come in a quiz sometime!)  It is because Easter is so late this year, falling on Sunday 20 April 2025, that we have the strange sensation of finishing the term with 2 weeks of Lent still to go, and coming back to school on Tuesday 22 April the day after Easter Monday.  In other years, we have worked right up to Maundy Thursday and been able to mark the start of the Easter Triduum and Passion of Christ with a very reflective service on the last afternoon of the spring term.  Not this year though.  However, we did get to mark Ash Wednesday in school (as this can often fall in the spring half term), and when we return Easter will still be fresh in pupils’ minds for a whole school worship on the morning of Tuesday 22 April.  So, for now I wish you all an enjoyable holiday when it arrives at the end of next week, and also wish you a very happy celebration of Easter when it comes in late April.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

This week at St Peter’s saw the pupils of Reception Year host their first Celebration of the Word (Liturgy) in school.  Of course, this is not the first time they have welcomed families into school, as Year R put on incredible Nativity plays in December.  Fr James joined the pupils in class before the Celebration of the Word, and was present in the hall when lots of parents, carers, grandparents and little brothers as sisters joined in a worship based upon how to meet the challenges of Lent.  Fr James showed us pictures he took in the desert on a recent stop-over in the Middle East, helping the children to understand how Jesus made space to hear God’s voice before starting his ministry.

All 60 pupils in Year R were wonderful in leading the celebration through prayer, and singing two wonderful praise songs with actions thrown in, showing off to their families just how far they have come in their first six months at St Peter’s.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Please help St Peter’s Catholic Primary School support the local Stella Maris Easter Egg Appeal by donating Easter Egg treats to seafarers in our local ports over Easter.

Stella Maris, the Catholic charity that supports Seafarers, is planning to give chocolate treats to crew aboard ships in ports along the south coast over Easter. There will be many hundreds of seafarers passing through our ports and far away from home this Easter. It can be a very lonely time for them. The Port Chaplains are asking for any chocolate Easter Egg donations. Please give your gifts to your class teacher or the school office by Friday 28th March 2025. The Southampton, Fawley and Portsmouth Port Chaplains will deliver your treats to the ships.

Thank you for any generous donations you are able to offer.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

This week, 8 pupils from St Peter’s were hosted by students from Oaklands Catholic School for training in how to become Catholic Social Teaching (CST) Ambassadors.  This was very much a student-led initiative, the first in a number of sessions to be run with the aim of deepening students’ knowledge of CST and consider how it can be lived out in practical ways. The session also looked at leadership skills, where the Oaklands students coached the St Peter’s pupils on how they can guide their school peers in worship and practical acts centred on CST.

Our thanks go to the Oaklands staff who facilitated this session, Mrs Newbiggin and Mrs Semple, and of course to the Oaklands Student CST Leaders.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher