With Christ at our side to guide us,
we shine in all that we do.

We Praise You God – Year 4 performing a dance for Gaudete Sunday

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The season of Advent is a time of expectation and preparation for Christmas, as well as remembering that Jesus will come again at the end of the world, as he promised.  Children learnt that the third Sunday of Advent is called ‘Gaudete Sunday’.  Gaudete is a Latin word for Rejoice.  It is meant to be a break midway through the season of Advent.  It encourages and reminds people of the nearness of Jesus’ coming.  On Gaudete Sunday, you will often hear the word rejoice.

Year 4 listened to the Scripture from Phillipians then sang the hymn ‘Rejoice in the Lord Always’ based on that Scripture.  They were then given the music and lyrics to John Burland’s hymn ‘We Praise You God’ and performed a dance to it.

You God’ then performed a dance to it.

Nursery Nativity

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Look at us all dressed up for our Nativity play. Don’t we all look fabulous!

Our Choir Shines at the Civic Carol Concert!

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We are thrilled to share that our school choir took part in this year’s Civic Carol Concert at Temple Park, bringing festive cheer to the whole community!

The event featured choirs from across the area and a live orchestra, creating a magical atmosphere filled with music and joy. Our talented pupils sang beautifully, filling the hall with the spirit of Christmas and making us all proud.

A huge thank you to our choir members for their hard work and dedication, and to everyone who came along to support them. It was a wonderful opportunity for our children to showcase their voices and represent our school at such a special occasion.

Well done, choir – you were amazing!

 

Bird Feeders

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This week in Eco Club, we learned how winter can be a difficult time for local birds, as natural food sources become scarce. Inspired by Laudato Si’ and our call to care for God’s creation, we thought about how small actions can make a big difference. By supporting local wildlife, we are living out our responsibility to protect and respect all living things that share our common home.

We used all natural, biodegradable materials to make our bird feeders to ensure that they do not harm the environment. To create our bird feeders, we mixed bird food and dried fruit with vegetable fat and pressed the mixture onto pine cones. We placed our bird feeders around the school grounds to provide a healthy food source for local birds and support them through the winter.

We had lots of fun creating our bird feeders, although it was very messy!

Star Academy Infant Nativity

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Our infants took centre stage in this year’s Nativity, “Star Academy,” and truly wowed us with their amazing singing and acting skills.

The children brought the story of the Nativity to life with confidence, joy, and creativity. Their hard work and enthusiasm shone through every moment.

A huge thank you to our incredible pupils, supportive families, and Mr Richardson, who wrote the play, for making this a magical event – you were all stars!

Christmas Cards for Elderly Parishioners

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This week in Mini Vinnies, we made special Christmas cards for elderly parishioners at St Bede’s Church. We talked about how some older people can feel lonely, especially at Christmas, and why it is important to reach out with kindness and love. By doing this, we followed Jesus’ example of caring for others and lived out the Mini Vinnies’ mission of service and compassion.

We painted Nativity silhouettes to remind everyone of the true meaning of Christmas. Our cards brought joy and comfort to the parishioners and helped us show care, solidarity and friendship within our community.

Year 5 Celebration of the Word

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This week, our Year 5 pupils led a Celebration of the Word on the theme of Hope, sharing their reflections on Advent with their families. The focal point was the Advent wreath, reminding us that this season is a time of waiting in joyful hope for the coming of Jesus.

Through readings, prayers, and a litany of rejoicing, the children explored what it means to wait with hope and purpose. Parents were invited to join in singing a joyful hymn and to write messages of hope to hang on our tree.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. May this Advent season fill your hearts with hope and joy!

Travelling Crib

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In Advent, as we wait and prepare for the coming of Jesus, the children have been invited to join our special project called ‘The Travelling Crib’.   Starting this week, each child will take turns bringing home a pack to share with their families.

This is to help us remember the journey Mary and Joseph made to Bethlehem, and as a family take time to stop and think about the true meaning of Christmas.

Children in KS1 will bring home The Christmas Story, while children in KS2 will bring home a book called ‘When the Stars Shone Bright, A Christmas Tale’ telling the Christmas story from the perspective of the three wise men.

Advent Calendars – preparing to receive God’s gift of love and friendship in Jesus

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As part of their learning in RE, Year 4 pupils discussed the different ways that Christians prepare during the season of Advent to receive the gift of Jesus at Christmas.  The children created Advent Calendars, with each door of the calendar having an act of kindness, love, friendship or a prayer suggestion.

Here are some photographs of the children creating and presenting their Advent Calendars:

Some of the children’s Acts of Kindness, Love, Friendship and prayer ideas were:

World Kindness Day 2025

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World Kindness Day is a special day that reminds everyone to show caring actions and treat others with respect. It encourages us to spread kindness through small, thoughtful deeds that help make the world a happier place.

In Mini Vinnies, we learnt that kindness means showing care, respect, and thoughtfulness to others. We talked about how small actions – like helping someone, sharing, or using kind words – can make a big difference. We also discovered that being kind helps make our school and our world happier, safer, and better for everyone. Showing kindness to others links to our Catholic Social Teaching principle, solidarity (showing others that we care about them).

The Mini Vinnies set to work creating a kindness challenge game that they could share with their friends and families. Each child challenged their friends to complete an act of kindness. The children gave out special kindness stickers to anyone who completed an act of kindness on the day.

© 2026 Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust.