The season of Advent has been well and truly begun by the girls and boys who make up St Peter’s School Choir.

The choir sang at two events in Waterlooville town centre – the switching on of the Christmas lights and the Christmas Market (pictured here).

Previous to these two events, the choir joined pupils from other Catholic primary schools in the Portsmouth area to record a Christmas Card Video which will be sent out on behalf of the Edith Stein Partnership of Catholic Schools. Next on the choir’s schedule is to perform at the school Carol Service on Wednesday 18th December at 6:30pm at the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Peter the Apostle on London Road in Waterlooville, before finishing the term with and afternoon performance for the residents of Oaklands Care Home on Stakes Hill Road just opposite the school.

Well done to all of the pupils involved for their hard work, and thank your to Mrs Knight and Mrs Moore for all they do in practicing with our singers and arranging such exciting public performances.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

St Peter’s is in its final month of its 60th Anniversary year, or Diamond Jubilee.  It has been a year marked with various celebrations, such as St Peter’s Fest, a commemorative booklet for all pupils, the sale of jubilee merchandise, a Feast Day Mass, the opening of a school time capsule from 1989 and the burying of a new one to be opened in 2049. 

The year of special events sum up just what it is that makes St Peter’s so special.  Staff were creative and dedicated in how they helped the pupils to understand, appreciate and celebrate the anniversary, be that through work done in the classroom or behind the scenes.  Volunteers gave willingly of their time to create fun and memorable events that will live on warmly in children’s experience of St Peter’s. Links with our two local parishes remain strong, and the values with which we raise, educate and love the children in our care have remained constant over the 17 years I have been associated with the school (I was a parent of pupils long before taking on the Headship 8 years ago).  So, ahead of the season of Advent and the celebration of Christmas, I would like to express great thanks to the staff, volunteers, pupils and families who have made 2024, our Diamond Jubilee year, so special for St Peter’s.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Well done to the Year 1 pupils at St Peter’s who led this year’s initiative on collecting gifts as part of the annual Operation Christmas Child appeal.

Year 1 at St Peter’s collected over 40 shoe boxes full of toys, games, craft materials, toiletries and winter essentials to be sent to children around the world who may otherwise receive no gifts at Christmas.

We are fortunate to be able to combine forces with Oaklands Catholic School and Sixth Form College to send off a bumper collection of Christmas gift boxes in the most efficient way possible. Students and staff at Oaklands were delighted to be able to host some pupils from our Year 1 to help load the boxes and send them on their way to those in need around the globe.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

St Peter’s is bringing to an end its year of celebration to mark the Diamond Jubilee of the school.  Back in the summer term, a time capsule which was buried on the old school site in 1989 was opened in a special assembly.  This contained a list of the prices of sweets, crisps and drinks at the time, a local newspaper, and lists of children’s favourite TV shows and music groups. 

For the time capsule that was buried this month, a pupil vote led to the inclusion of the school’s Diamond Jubilee memento booklet, a whole school photo, our school uniform, stamps, coins and a photo of King Charles III.  Also included in our 2024 time capsule were letters from Year 6 about life in the school and our Diamond Jubilee celebrations, along with pictures of the summer school show The Wizard of Oz.  Each class was then asked to choose their favourite book, and a copy of each was included in the time capsule.  I wonder what the children and staff of St Peter’s will think of our choices when the capsule is dug up in 2049!

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

With autumn setting in, the girls and boys at St Peter’s are being encouraged to turn to a good book when the nights draw in and the weather takes a turn for the worse.  As well as having weekly library lessons and daily class story-reading in school, the library at St Peter’s remains a traditional lending library.  Staffed by our very own dedicated librarian Mrs Porter, ably assisted by a fleet of junior librarians, pupils can borrow books on all topics, fiction and non-fiction, to take home and read for pleasure. 

And, with lovely displays in our library such as the one in this picture, who would be tempted to put the gardening to one side and settle down with a book instead!

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

On Sunday 20 October, a School Uniform Mass was held at Sacred Heart and St Peter the Apostle to recognise the work done by all schools within our Pastoral Area and as a way of recognising Education Sunday.  Well over 50 pupils and students ranging from Year R to Year 11 attended Mass in their school uniforms to represent their schools, both Catholic and non-Catholic, in our parishes.  It was a particularly special event as for St Peter’s as it formed part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for the school. The parish was kind enough to provide a cake to add to the celebration, with myself and Chair of Governors Liz Holford shown here on cake-cutting duties.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

At the beginning of each October, World Teachers Day is a chance to recognise the incredible work done by teachers in all of our schools.  At St Peter’s, and right from the very start of my Headship, I have made clear that every adult who works in the school is a teacher, regardless of their official job title.  We hold the view that all adults have something to teach children when they are working together in our school, just as all adults at St Peter’s recognise that children can themselves teach us and each other lots about the wonderful world in which they live. 

To mark World Teachers Day, local facilities management company Citrus Services kindly offered to St Peter’s a selection of sweet treats and fruit for the staff room, and £100 in Amazon vouchers to spend on a staff wellbeing item which can be put to shared use for all colleagues in the staff room.  Thank you to Coralee from Citrus Services for visiting St Peter’s and donating these kind and much appreciated gifts.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

Thursday 17th October 2024: 9.30 – 11.00am

Tuesday 22nd October 2024: 1.15 – 2.45pm

Wednesday 6th November 2024: 9.30 – 11.00am

Monday 11th November 2024: 1.15 – 2.45pm

Wednesday 13th November 2024: 6.00 – 7.30pm

To book into one of our Open Events, please email d.champion@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk or call 02392 262599. Please arrive for the start time of the events listed above for a presentation by the Headteacher Mr Cunningham before a guided tour of the school.

Well done to the pupils of St Peter’s who raised £349 for CAFOD during the recent Harvest Family Fast Day by coming into school in their own clothes with the theme of “Wear it bright!”.  The school was a riot of colour, and the children included in their learning plenty about how CAFOD helps the poorest and most vulnerable around the world.  Thank you to all the families of the school community who gave their support to this fundraising initiative.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

The staff at St Peter’s raised over £190.00 by hosting a MacMillan coffee morning at the end of September.

Taking a break from a very intense Inset Day, colleagues joined together for some lovely treats, all served on the best china,  to donate money to a great cause that gives incredible support to all those affected by cancer. The cakes and crockery were provided by www.anenglishtearoom.com .

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher

On Wednesday, part of the school’s EARA (equality and rights advocates) group took part in a Climate Unity Conference with other schools in Hampshire, under the guidance of Miss Sheppard. The conference was part of Hampshire’s Climate Unity Project, raising children’s awareness of global issues effecting the environment.

During the conference, the children discussed different environmental issues brought to them by Hampshire Wildlife Trust. They worked as a group to identify solutions to each issue and it was interesting to see the range of different solutions suggested by each school.

Next, they were introduced to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, who ran a workshop on elephants. The children worked together using waste materials to create an enclosure to keep these animals from eating crops. Ideas the children encompassed in their models included: loud noises, fences, alternative food sources and other things to scare off the elephants.

Finally, the children had the exciting opportunity to use a program called Lyfta, where they were able to zone in on an area of Cornwall and a man carrying what looked like an Easter Island statue! After discussing their initial thoughts on what they saw, they then watched a video where the man was seen beachcombing and using what he found to make sculptures and artwork.

The conference generated lots of food for thought of how we can protect the environment locally and globally and the children look forward to actioning some of their ideas in the future.

Mr R Cunningham
Headteacher