Ash Wednesday – We begin our Lenten Journey

By Miss R Corkerry17th February 2021

Today marks the beginning of our Lenten journey. Next week, when we are back to learning, we will be having daily reflections about this special season which will be accessed through Google Classroom. Please find below a copy of the Lenten calendar from Walk with Me, do your best at home to live out some of these daily challenges.

Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of reflection where we reflect on who we are and the people we aspire to be. Today and in the coming weeks, we aim to focus on our relationship with God, often through choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of ourselves for others. As we think about these promises, let us think of making a true sacrifice as an individual or as a family to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

This special time marks the beginning and the end. We came from love, we live in love, we return to love. May our Lenten journey as our All Souls’ family be a sharing of this love with all creation by opening our hearts to Him in trust. May our Lenten promise focus on creating in us quiet places where God can refresh and heal us, and we can come and rest awhile.

May we remember that ‘we are dust and to dust we shall return.’

 

A HUGE thank you!

By Miss R Corkerry13th December 2020

A massive thank you for all of your kind donations for the local care homes. We were completely blown away by the sheer amount of treats from all of you, as were the care homes. All of the hampers were dropped off, with the letters and cards, on Friday and every single care home asked us to pass our thanks on. Due to your generosity, we have made someone’s Christmas a little brighter.

Thank you!

Donation Drive for local care homes

By Miss R Corkerry9th December 2020

Our Christmas cards and letters have been written ready to send to 6 of our local care homes. We are hoping to put together a little hamper for each care home to give them a special gift and hopefully bring a smile to a face or two but we need your help to do that.

Whether it is a box of mince pies, packet of biscuits, some chocolate treats, shower gel or other toiletries, anything you can donate would be gratefully received to send to these care homes.

Please send any donations in with your children on Friday (11th December) so we can deliver them to the care homes in time for Christmas.

Many Thanks in advance for your support x

The Month of the Holy Rosary

By Miss R Corkerry22nd October 2020

As the month of October draws to a close we shared in a whole school prayer service, via Zoom, to pray the Rosary together.

We reflected on the Luminous Mysteries, meditating on these Mysteries of Light work to bring us a deeper understanding to the life of Jesus. They fill in the spaces for the lesser known areas of the childhood of Jesus and His suffering and death on the cross.

Five brilliant readers from Year Six treated us to the readings of scripture of these five mysteries and the other classes joined in with prayer and reflection.

It was a joy to see all the year groups from Reception through to Year Six sharing in such a special prayer.

What can you do with a stick?

By Mr T Rolison29th September 2020

Using the power of their imaginations, Year 4 created a whole range of stick-related-activities within the Forest School this week. 

 

We had: -a bow and arrow

-a very handsome mustache

-a pull up bar

-a pick-axe

-a tug of war

and even our very own stick delivery service!

Year 4’s back at school!

By Mr T Rolison20th September 2020

Welcome back to the new Year 4 class!

It’s been brilliant to see all of Year 4 returning cheerful and ready to get stuck in to the school year!

On return to school, we were quick to make use of the rare September sun – with plenty of time spent outdoors in the first week. We even managed to get some ice lollies shared out!

Our first foray into the forest school for the year was to find and bury an acorn. We’ll check up on these soon-to-be plants through the year and see if any pesky squirrels managed to find our buried treasure.

On beginning our new R.E. topic of Creation, Year 4 held a prayer service celebrating the creation we find everyday around us within our own school grounds.

Further updates will be coming each week, so keep your eyes posted on the blog for news!

 

Reading Resource

By Miss R Corkerry8th May 2020

A few parents have been asking about reading and additional books. Unfortunately sending more books home isn’t something we are able to do at the moment however there is a comprehensive site called Reading Eggs that you can access from home.

https://readingeggs.co.uk/

The site is normally charged however they have a 30 day free trial for parents that will hopefully be able to assist with reading at home. All that is required is an email address for access and it will then ask you to set up a profile for your child/children.

Once you have activated your account your child will need to do the placement test (on their profile) this will show the level they need to begin at. For each level there are different activities, lessons and books that the children can read online. There are word recognition activities, reading comprehension and lessons they can complete.

The children work through the level with a map and when they get to the end of the activities and books there is then the chance to move onto the next level.

With the books you can choose between a ‘read to me’ function where the book is read aloud to them or the child reads the book out loud themselves. For those that are just beginning to read or struggle with some vocabulary it may give them a bit of confidence to have the book read to them first and then for them to try it themselves.

It is a good resource to use and as it is free to access for a short while it may be worth setting up an account if you feel your child is not reading enough or could benefit from more reading activities and practise. It is for all ages from 3 up to 13 years.

Alleluia! Alleluia! He is Risen!

By Miss R Corkerry12th April 2020

Easter is the greatest and the most important feast in the Church. Today is a day of joy and celebration for Lent is over and we welcome Easter with happy and humble hearts. It marks the birth of our eternal hope. Jesus gave up His life for us, and from the grave He was raised to life again on the third day. New life rises from the ashes of death.

Today we are celebrating Christ’s victory over all burdens, the gift of eternal life for all who believe in Jesus. Every day, we are now given the chance to rise from the ashes of sin and guilt and can be refreshed and renewed. Remembering that Jesus still loves us and will continue to give us the strength we need.

The main and most important message of Easter is that nothing can harm us – not pain, sin, rejection, betrayal or death – because through believing in Christ we believe that he conquered all these, and we too, can conquer them if we continue to put our faith and trust in Him.

Lord, help me to remember your sacrifice and Resurrection. Help me to let you transform every cross, hardship, worry and burden in my life into joy. Lord, may your joy fill my life and be my strength in all things. Jesus, I trust in you. Amen

May God keep you and your families in his hands throughout this Eastertide. Wishing you a happy and safe Easter, love all the staff at All Souls’ xx

Hosanna!

By Miss R Corkerry5th April 2020

The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road.

The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David;
blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord;hosanna in the highest.”
Matthew 21:1-11

Today is the beginning of Holy Week, the most special week in the Church’s calendar. We remember and follow the way of the cross, the journey Jesus took in his final days here on Earth. As we move through this week together it is important to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and reflect on what we can do to make sure we are valuing this sacrifice.

The story of Palm Sunday tells of how
people removed their cloaks and spread them out in front of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem on a donkey. From humble beginnings, born in a manger in Bethlehem to a King recognised by the people.

Everyday we wear our cloaks to face the world sometimes our cloaks hide who we actually are, the things that we say or the actions that we take. As we come to worship may we lay down our cloaks and disguises, at the feet of the One who sees us we really are, Jesus. May we offer our thanks and praises to Him with open hearts, truthful words and joyful thoughts.

Take some time today on your own or as a family to reflect on this and see if you can live stream a mass either locally or internationally to celebrate this day with our Catholic community.

Sending thoughts and prayers to you all.

Year 3 and 4’s Mother’s Day Lunch

By Laura McDonagh19th March 2020

Thank you to all of the mums, aunties and nans who came and celebrated Mother’s Day with their children today. It was a lovely atmosphere in the hall and the children really enjoyed sharing their lunch with you.