In the first three weeks of the spring term, pupils at St Peter’s have been very busy across the wider curriculum.  In the Reception Year the children were very excited to welcome visitors including a doctor, nurse, veterinary nurse and paramedic into the classrooms. They asked some fantastic questions and showed great curiosity about the important work these professionals do.

Year 3 have started a new music topic on samba. The pupils have learnt about where samba music comes from and what instruments they will be using over the term to learn how to play samba music. The children have already had the opportunity to play some beats on the instruments and can’t wait for what they will learn next.

Year 5 were visited by Katy Sexton MBE, a former Olympic swimmer for Team GB. Katy spoke about her achievements in swimming and how she got into the sport. She then spoke to the pupils about water safety ready for their class swimming sessions to begin.  Katy showed the classes what to do if they find someone struggling in the water, and what to do if they ever found themselves in trouble in open water.

Thank you to the St Peter’s staff for organising these great learning opportunities, and to the visitors who give of their time and expertise to teach our children.

Mr R Cunningham
Executive Headteacher

Whilst the Church is now in ordinary time, at St Peter’s that means a return to our usual routines of worship in school.  This week, pupils in Year 2 shared a celebration of the Word with their families, whilst pupils in Year 6 Penguin Class celebrated the sacrament of reconciliation.  The liturgical year has its cyclical motion, with times of great activity and times of regularity.  At St Peter’s, we work hard through weekly whole school Celebration of the Word, daily classroom prayers, and scheduled year group services to ensure that our faith is nurtured, encouraged and strengthened throughout the full school year.  With this in mind, please keep the pupils, families and staff of St Peter’s Catholic Primary School in your prayers during 2026.

Mr R Cunningham
Executive Headteacher

St Peter’s was able to raise £566.74 through donations made at their Carol Service and the selling of programmes at their Nativity plays in December.  The money raised will be donated to Motiv8, a life-changing youth support charity and organization operating in Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport, Havant that helps young people aged 9-25 and their families facing multiple, complex barriers. It provides one-to-one mentoring, youth hubs, and targeted support to reduce the risk of anti-social behaviour, crime, and disengagement from education. Thank you to all who contributed to these collections.

Mr R Cunningham
Executive Headteacher

As we returned to school on Monday 5 January 2026, the pupils at St Peter’s gathered for a whole school Celebration of the Word. The focal point of our worship was this nativity scene pictured below. I explained to the children that this porcelain crib, which I inherited from my grandmother when she died in 2006, is always the last item of Christmas decoration to be packed away in our house, staying on show right up to the Feast of the Epiphany.

I drew the school’s attention to the fact that in all the noise, colour and activity of Christmas, and indeed even compared to some of the intricate and decorative traditional Nativity scenes and paintings, the simplicity of this crib speaks volumes to remind us of what truly lies at the heart of the celebration. The power of the birth of Christ, and the message of love that it brings, lasts well after all the other trappings of the season have gone.

Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous 2026.

Mr R Cunningham
Executive Headteacher