Hello Everyone!

After a busy couple of weeks where I am sorry to say that I did not find time to write my weekly blog, I am now back into the routine and raring to go with a couple of big announcements.

Firstly, may I launch the very first (of many!) St Peter’s Phone Call Fridays.  Unlike teenagers in secondary schools, the vast majority of our pupils do not own mobile phones, and nowadays most children and teens who do own them don’t actually use them for making calls.  But this needs to change, and we can make that difference for our children.  I would ask that at least every Friday, you take the time to allow your child to call up, or if you have the facility Face Time, one of their friends for a proper conversation and catch up.  This is not messaging on Roblox or Fortnite (which primary aged children should not be playing anyway), but a chance for a natter and a giggle with friends.  If parents are willing, perhaps some more numbers can be swapped between adults so that more and more children have the means to have conversations each Friday.  Obviously, sharing numbers is entirely at a parent’s discretion and should only be done between adults using adult and not pupil phones, with the usual sensible safeguarding measures in place.  However, the gradual building up of some trusted communication networks could be a great way to help the children feel a part of St Peter’s even when we are forced apart.

Secondly, the show must go on!  Friday 3^rd April 2020 is in the calendar as the Friends of St Peter’s UV Disco.  The Year R and Key Stage 1 disco was scheduled for 4:30pm to 6:00pm, and the Key Stage 2 disco from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.  Just because we are not in school doesn’t mean that we can’t all have our own discos and celebrate the end of term at home.  So, next Friday afternoon, the tickets are free but the location is your place, wear something super bright to glow in the dark, shut the curtains, turn the volume up to 11 and get your groove on!  The more people we can have partying at the same time the better – you could even combine it with Phone Call Friday to contact friends and party together at a distance.  Now we all know that the best part of a school disco is the sweet stall and the snack bar, so during your one essential shop next week see if you can sneak into the trolley some hot dogs or pizza, some fizzy jelly sweets as a treat, and a bottle of soft drink in any un-natural looking colour that takes your fancy.

Finally, a big thank you to all families who have offered words of encouragement to the staff at school during these testing times.  We have worked our hardest to maintain a sense of normality for the pupils before and after the enforced school closure, and we will be stepping up our home-school contact and on-line presence in the coming weeks as we settle into new ways of working.  To an individual the pupils have been brilliant during these past few weeks since returning from the half-term break, serving as a real credit to you their families in how they have behaved and responded to some unprecedented upheavals.

I hope that everyone is able to enjoy a restful and fulfilling weekend.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Well done to all the children who dressed up to get involved in World Book Day.

Don’t forget the bedtime stories are still avaiable on the school website.

And well done to the staff for joining in so well…

Mr R Cunningham

Headteacher

This week pupils and staff at St Peter’s school received ashes to mark the start of Lent.

On Ash Wednesday, Miss Keogh (Lay Chaplain at Oaklands) and I visited the Year 1 and Reception classes to explain the reason for the distribution of ashes, and administer ashes to each child and colleague in the class.

Next, pupils from Years 2 to 6 gathered in the hall to hear the Gospel reading on Christ’s temptation in the desert before the beginning of his ministry here on earth.  The pupils were then asked to commit to actions or behaviours that would, during Lent, go the extra mile to reach out to those in need or those lacking friendship, love or happiness.  Finally, Miss Keogh and I distributed ashes to the 300 plus pupils and staff in the service, pictured below.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Well done to the pupils who have recently represented St Peter’s in inter-school competitions.  Pupils from Years 4 and 5 took part in a Maths Challenge at Crookhorn College, showing the range, depth and adaptability of the mathematical skills they have learnt over time at St Peter’s.  Equally, 26 pupils from Year 6 took part in a Sports Hall Athletics competition at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth in the week before half term.  Each competitor gave up lunch times to practice, and competed extremely well against other children in the area.  We are grateful to Oaklands for lending us a vital selection of indoor athletics equipment to help with training.  Thanks go especially to the staff who made the pupils’ participation in these events possible – just two small examples of why the pupils and staff at St Peter’s now deserve a well-earned half-term break.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Friday at St Peter’s saw a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, as we held the second of our three annual STEM days. Year 6 were bridging gaps with their own colossal designs, Year 5 used spaghetti (uncooked!) and marshmallows to make space shuttle launch towers, Year 4 built a range of global habitats and ecosystems, and Year 3 were testing different boat designs made of tin foil. In Key Stage 1, Year 2 pupils used their computing skills to do some re-design work for Google before producing information on bees and pollination, whilst Year 1 investigated what different animals ate by researching herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. Finally, and not to be left out, Reception children followed recipe instructions to make their own cookies. Check out the class blogs over the coming days for reports and pictures of these stunning STEM studies.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Father of mankind, Lord of history, bringer of peace,
watch over Europe, the whole of Europe, all of her nations.
Europe to whom you have sent philosophers, legislators, wise people,
forerunners in faith of your Son, who has died and has risen again

Watch over these peoples, evangelised by Peter and Paul,
by the prophets, by the monks, by the saints;
blessed by the work of the humble,
and touched by the voice of the reformers.

Watch over the peoples united by so many ties
but also divided, over time, by hatred and war.
Help us in working for a Europe of the Spirit
founded not only on economic agreements,
but also on human and eternal values.

A Europe capable of ethnic and ecumenical reconciliations,
ready to welcome the stranger, respectful of each person’s dignity.
Grant that we assume our duty with hope
to inspire and promote an understanding among peoples
which ensures in all the continents justice and bread,
freedom and peace for all of your people.

Adapted from a prayer by Card. Carlo Maria Martini

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Congratulations this week go to our pupils in Early Years for celebrating their first Year Group liturgy at St Peter’s.  All of the children from Miss Deacon’s Seahorse class and Mrs Conlon’s Starfish class welcomed members of their family in to share in worship on the topic of kindness.  The pupils acted out the parable of the Good Samaritan to show how Jesus taught us what true kindness towards others looks like.  This was followed by the world premiere of an amazing “Early Years Films Production” of examples of their kindness to others in school, which was projected onto the big screen in the hall.  Finally, the pupils showed through pictures and words what they could do to be kind to others in their daily lives.  Thanks go to all of the Early Years staff for the hard work that went into preparing the Liturgy, to lay chaplain Miss Keogh from Oaklands for supporting the worship, to Fr Jeremy for visiting the children and offering a blessing, and to all of the family members who were able to join us on a crisp and frosty January morning.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

This week the pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 were lucky enough to have a visit from an inspirational speaker by the name of Chris Lubbe.  His life began in the rural surroundings of Port St Johns, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.  At high school, he discovered he had a gift for speaking, and led students in protest against the unjust system of ‘apartheid’. This action was to set him on a collision course with the ‘apartheid’ regime, and he has spent the rest of his life involved in the relentless struggle against discrimination.

When the ‘apartheid’ regime ended, Chris found himself by chance being selected as a body guard for Nelson Mandela by the great man himself.  In that role, he had the honour of meeting some of the greatest world leaders including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, President Bill Clinton, Her Majesty the Queen and Pope John Paul II.

His purpose now is to inspire positive change and to help others discover their own purpose in life. He believes that each of us has an in-built ability to make a positive contribution to the world, and works hard to imbue that in every group to which he speaks.  He shares his life story and the unique story of South Africa’s transition from ‘apartheid’ to a democracy. It is a story of determination and resilience which is a tribute to the thousands of South Africans who have gave their lives in the pursuit of freedom.  The key themes from his message are determination, courage, perseverance, persistence and the power of forgiveness, centring on the power of unconditional love and the true meaning of humanity, known as ‘Ubuntu’ in Zulu.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

The start of the new term heralds the start of new topic learning in each year group at St Peter’s.  During the first half of the spring term, Year R children will be getting creepy crawly with mini-beasts, Year 1 children will be researching toys past and present, and Year 2 pupils will be taking ‘one small step’ as they learn about the moon landing of 1969.  In Key Stage 2, Year 3 are trekking off to the rain forests for their topic work, Year 4 are ‘island hopping’, and Year 6 are about to embark on adventurous activities with an assault on Mount Everest.  Finally, Year 5 are blasting off into space for their topic, which they launched with a trip to the Winchester Science Museum this week.  Thanks go to all the Year 5 staff and the parent helpers who made the trip possible in the first week of a new term.  Take time over the coming weeks to speak to your children about their topic learning, and visit year group blogs, to get an insight into the broad curriculum on offer here at St Peter’s.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Happy Christmas from all the staff at St Peter’s Catholic Primary School.

Thank you for all of the kind words, thoughtful cards and generous gifts.

With our very best wishes for a restful holiday and a prosperous 2020.

Mr R Cunningham

Headteacher