As we began our last week of Spring Term Mr. Cunningham helped us to think about how important our actions and words are. He explained that once we have spoken them our words can not be ‘put back’ just like once cracked, an egg can not be placed back into it’s shell. Try as she might, our Year 5 pupil showed the school that this is impossible. We learn that it is God and God only who is able to reverse things that have happened. The story of Lazarus being brought back to life is a clear message of this. The story also tells us how even though we have complete faith in Jesus it is still hard, sometimes, to imagine what He is capable of.

This week all children have taken part in a Stations of the Cross pilgrimage. It was a very moving experience and children went on to respond through talk and writing showing a powerful development in their faith in Jesus Christ.

A very happy Easter from all of us at St. Peter’s. We look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 24th April.

We are having a busy Lent at St. Peter’s. We have been learning all about the importance of prayer, preparing and giving. Years 2 and R have celebrated liturgies with Father Jeremy and of course we had our Ash Wednesday celebration earlier in the month.

As a school we commit to raising money for CAFOD and know that some of you will have seen the children’s work in church.

The children brought in money from home to create scales for a fish. In one year group children ‘paid’ for scales to place on a fish. We had lots of activities across the school on CAFOD Fast Day. Please look at individual class blogs.

Year 5 incorporated their Lenten learning into their art lesson with Mrs. Pearson where they sketched these rather amazing fish (left).

In school we continue to spread Mr. Cunningham’s message that a little makes a big difference.

I would like to mention a Year 5 pupil who I feel particularly proud of this week. She was given £3 pounds by her mum to spend on whatever she wanted in Portsmouth whilst out shopping. She chose to spend her money on food and drink for some homeless people. She told me that one of the men cried. She has also had over 8 inches of her hair cut so that she could donate it to the Little Princess Fund. Well done Ashleigh! We are so proud that we can be involved in helping you to raise such wonderful, thoughtful children.

Big fish at St Peter’s Primary Waterlooville

Click here to see the latest CAFOD blog featuring St.Peter’s!

CAFOD

This Monday Isobel and Patrick from CAFOD came to see us to introduce the ‘Big Fish’ campaign. We will be helping CAFOD to raise money for fish farming in Zambia so that people in real need of resources can make big differences to their own lives. More details can be found on the CAFOD website.

Over the course of Lent children will be taking part in various fundraising activities which their individual teachers will tell you about. A CAFOD fundraising box will be coming home this week for each family. This can be used to collect money towards the fundraising or children may have their own ideas about how they can raise some extra pennies for fish in the next few weeks. Part of our commitment to our faith during Lent is to give alms and we encourage the children to think of small ways that they can do this. Isobel and Patrick will be sharing their Friday night fish and chips throughout Lent so that they can give the extra money to CAFOD. This will also aid them in their commitment to fasting during Lent.

Church Mission

Each Sunday at Church during Lent children will be able to collect either a jigsaw piece or a signature to confirm that they have attended Mass. During the last week of term, in school, children will be able to collect the final part of their jigsaw. For any children who have collected 4 or 5 jigsaw pieces there will be small prize.

Jigsaw pieces will be distributed to Sacred Heart and St. Edmund’s. We know that many children attend other churches and so for those children there will be a sheet available at school that they can take home and a parent or carer can sign to say that they attended church.

All jigsaw pieces or signature sheets must be returned to school between Monday 3rd April to Thursday 6th April to be checked and given their final jigsaw piece / pieces.

Lenten Prayer Bags

This Friday one child from each of our 14 classes will bring home a prayer bag. Inside the bag you will find a purple prayer cloth, a candle, a prayer book and a small cross. This will be an opportunity for you to pray with your child. Your child will be able to set out the prayer area and maybe even add to it with things from home. There will be a note book that you and your child can write a prayer in. Please return the prayer bag to school by the following Tuesday as it will be used during class worship. Obviously not all children in the class will get to have a turn at this time, however this is something that we would like to embed within our weekly worship throughout the year.

Weekly Prayer

Each week during Lent there will be a prayer card posted on your child’s year group blog. Please use this to help you to pray together as a family.

Ash Wednesday

We are very much looking forward to celebrating Ash Wednesday with Father Jeremy at 10.20 in the school hall. This is a special occasion when we prepare ourselves for Lent, say sorry for the things that we have done wrong and renew our promises to God.

Year 6’s Interview with Father Jeremy

On the 14^th of February, 7 Year 6’s interviewed our new parish priest, Father Jeremy. They questioned him about his life in priesthood and his background. We got some very thorough and in depth questions that were extremely interesting to hear. Here is some of the information that we gathered:

Q1) How long have you been a priest for?

A) I have been a priest for 41 years.

Q2) What is your favourite parable and why?

A) It has to be The Good Samaritan.

Q3) Why did you become a priest?

A) I became a priest because, when I was going to join Medical school, I heard a nagging in my mind from God that I should preach and spread the word as a priest.

Q4) What’s your favourite passage in the Bible?

A) Matthew 25:31-46 (The Last Judgement)

Q5) What school did you study priesthood in?

A) The English Priest School in Rome. I studied for 6 years when I was only planning to study for 6 weeks.

After the interview, the Year 6’s had a deeper understanding of our new priest’s life and background. We hope that he settles in well in our parish and community.

Written by Harriet Laybourne and Claudia Foster

Thank you Year 6! It has been great to get to know a little more about Father Jeremy!

We are exceptionally proud of three of our Year 5 pupils this week. They attended a ‘Speak up for CAFOD’ competition, bravely presenting speeches that they had prepared in their own time. Congratulations to Saoirse, Oscar and Isaac! Below is their account of the competition.

We are very proud of you!

In other news, Year 1 had a liturgy with families, friends and Father Vitalis. Please visit their blog for a more detailed account and photos.

Next Tuesday we invite families, friends and Father Jeremy to our Year 5 and 6 Mass. The Mass will be in the school hall at 10.20. We look forward to sharing our Mass all about how we feel God’s presence in our lives today.

Have a peaceful weekend!

We were delighted today to welcome Father Jeremy to St. Peter’s.

Year 3 and 4 were joined by families and friends to celebrate their Mass with Father Jeremy which was all about families.

Our 2 new altar servers did an amazing job of serving Father Jeremy. It was their first time of serving at St. Peter’s too! Well done Tia and John!

Following Mass, Father visited some of the children’s classes and was met by many questions in Year 1 and by a detailed character analysis in Year 4 who have been studying Neverland. Year 3 shared their favourite books with Father.

Thank you Father it really was a pleasure to welcome you!

We look forward to seeing you again on the 14th February for our Year 5 and 6 Mass. We hope to see as many friends and families there too.

Mrs. Luter

Today all children and staff, and some much appreciated helpers, walked up to Sacred Heart for our annual Advent Service. The children’s behaviour was outstanding with the older children holding the hands of a child in a lower year group. It is a long walk for nearly 500 people and think that you can expect some very tired children tonight!

At Church Deacon Mark and Father Kevin helped us to celebrate lots of Advent traditions, customs and stories. We also heard a snippet of Reception and Year One and Two’s Nativity performance. You are in for a treat! The choir sang beautifully as did the rest of the school.  Well done to our solo singers and to our flautists.

We also said a sad goodbye to Father Kevin as this will be the last time that we celebrate as a whole school with him. We wish him a happy move to his new parish. He will be greatly missed.

Tonight we have our Carol Service to look forward to. We will see you there.

It really feels like Christmas is just around the corner!

Best wishes,

Sarah Luter

Children at St.Peter’s were greeted by a sea of purple at school on Monday morning. The colour of preparation, penance and prayer in church. All prayer areas and displays have turned our thoughts to this new church year which begins with Advent. In whole school worship children were invited to think how they can prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus Christ. The children love preparing gifts and decorations but are also very reflective when they consider how to prepare themselves for Jesus.

Year 5 had a busy week last week with their first whole year group Mass at Sacred Heart. A kind parishioner took the time to email me to say how lovely the Mass was and how well behaved and reflective the children were. Thank you to all those who joined the children at Sacred Heart Church and to those of you who walked with the children.

Back to Advent… our Advent service which the whole school will attend will take place at the Church next Tuesday 6th December. This is a very special day of reflection and we very much look forward to celebrating this time together. The Carol Service is also at Church this year on the evening of 6th December. Parents are invited to the Carol Service. It is for KS2 children and their parents and would love to see as many children from years 3 – 6 there. Children to arrive at 5.45 for a 6 o’clock start.

In class this week all children are thinking about how we prepare for the coming of Jesus. Reception children will be finding out how we prepare for a new baby from, a tired but delighted, new dad Mr. Austin. Year 4 are turning their attention to the Jesse Tree and how it helps us to learn about the ancestry of Jesus. They will also be visiting the Chapel at Oaklands this week to help with this learning. Year 5 will be discussing the symbolism of the Advent wreath. From the symbolism of the shape of the wreath to the colour of each candle.

The busiest but most special time of year in a Catholic school!

Enjoy your preparations at home!

Kind regards,

Sarah Luter