There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all.'

This week Miss Brewer has spoken to everyone during Assembly about an exciting new reading initiative. Every week now from Monday- Sunday all children who read 5X a week will be entered into a weekly raffle with the chance of winning a £5 voucher. The first raffle will be drawn on Monday 7th February based on reading from Monday January 31st-Sunday 6th February. 

I am really pleased to let you know that after my request in the newsletter the illustrator Lolita Skura is going to be working with us later this term.  Please check out her website lolitaskuraallen.com. Our aim from March is to start holding different events in our library to celebrate reading at St Ambrose. If you know an idea to promote reading at Saint Ambrose please contact ebrocklesby@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

The Church is currently following a directive from Pope Francis to focus on reflection and sharing of the whole church. Pope Francis states,

"By walking together, and together reflecting on the journey made, the Church will be
able to learn from what it will experience which processes can help it to live
communion, to achieve participation, to open itself to mission."

At Saint Ambrose we aim to enable families to experience the wide parish Community and for us to reflect and learn please complete the survey, see link below. The results will be shared with the parish to enable us to grow and learn together.

PLEASE EMAIL ebrocklesby@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk if your son (years 4-6) would like to train as an altar server or your son or daughter (years 3-6) would like to read at Parish Masses.

Father Lamb extends a warm welcome to all families to continue to attend Mass. Please click on the link below which will take you to the Parish website where you can view newsletters and get information on Mass times.

On Monday all children will receive an invitation to sign up to Planet Super League.

Planet Super League is a website which has environmental activities for you and your child to do.

 How do I get involved?

There are over 100 activities to do on the Planet Super League website, including:

• Trying a meat-free meal
• Active travel to school, work or the shops
• Making posters to remind people to turn off the lights

 There are activities across several categories, some educational, some fun, some impactful and others simple and effective everyday behaviour changes.

On Monday morning, we will be celebrating children from each class who have followed our Catholic Mission: 'we do our best by following Jesus' in our Celebration assembly. The children receiving a certificate are:

This week, Miss Holtom challenged the whole school to think about our Catholic Mission: 'We do our best by following Jesus' and what this means. Each class worked together on a class thought-shower about what doing their best by following Jesus looks like and we were really impressed with their ideas and their understanding. Our pupils know we need to help one another and help others who are less fortunate than ourselves by supporting different charities. They know that they need to be kind to one another just like Jesus was kind to everyone he met and they understand that they need to teach others about their faith just like Jesus taught us about God. Take a look at some of their work:

On Wednesday afternoon, Year 3 were 'curious and active' in a special Mass with Father Lamb.

This term, Father Lamb has kindly offered to celebrate Mass with our pupils where he will go through each part of the Mass with the children and answer any questions they have about it. This will enable all pupils to show the virtues of being curious and active and will be a wonderful opportunity for them. Unfortunately due to current COVID guidance parents/carers will not be able to attend Mass with the children.

Please see the assembly dates below for this year:

Here are the January – March 2022 New Family Learning Courses that are being delivered by Worcestershire County Council. The courses start at the end of January so please book a place quickly as they do fill up.

Parents and carers living in Worcestershire can attend any course below for FREE with the following eligibility:

• FREE if they are unemployed and on benefits or they earn less than £17,000 per year.
• FREE if their child receives a Free School Meal or is known to their school SENCo.
• FREE if any of these courses would improve their health and wellbeing.  

All Family Learning courses can be found at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/courses and you will need to book your places online ASAP before the end of January in order to enrol with time to start each course.

Family Learning January 2022 Courses:

Cook with your Family for Parents and Children Sundays 3.30pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/CookWithFamily

Maths in Early Years for Parents Wednesdays 1pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/MagnificentMaths

Phonics in the Early Years for Parents Wednesdays 10am online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/PhonicsEarlyYears

SEND – Managing Mindfulness Tuesdays 7pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/ManagingMindfulnessSEND

SEND – Strategies for Positive Behaviour Tuesdays 6pm in Fairfield Centre, Warndon Worcester

https://rebrand.ly/SEND-PositiveBehaviour

Maths in Key Stage 2 & 3 for Parents Mondays 7pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/MathsSecondarySchool-FL

English in Key Stage 2 & 3 for Parents Tuesdays 7pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/EnglishKeyStage2and3

Family Wellness Course for parents and carers Mondays 10am online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/FamilyWellness

Communicating with Deaf or Hearing-Impaired People Mondays 7pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/CommunicatingWithDeaforHearingImpaired

Art for your Child – Ideas for Parents Thursdays 7pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/ArtForYourChild

Art for Parents and Carers Thursdays 1pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/ArtforParentsandCarers

Art in Key Stage 1 and 2 for Parents Thursdays 11am online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/ArtKs1and2forParents

SEND – Understanding Dyslexia Mondays 7pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/UnderstandingDyslexia

English & Maths in Key Stage 1 for Parents Wednesdays 1pm online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/FL-EnglishandMathsKeyStage1

Cooking Creatively Tuesdays 10am online via Teams

https://rebrand.ly/CookingCreatively 

Please Book your place online at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/courses or ring 01905-728537 for support in booking on.

All courses are FREE if:

You earn Less than £17,000 per year

You are unemployed and on benefits

Your child is known to the school SENCo

Your child receives Free School Meals

Your Health and Wellbeing would be improved by taking a course

Please ensure that your child comes to school in their correct P.E. kit. The P.E. uniform is as follows:

• Black shorts, black leggings, black track suit bottoms (unbranded if possible)
• Maroon round neck T-shirt with embroidered badge
• P.E pumps or black trainer

PLEASE NOTE: P.E. HOODIES CAN ONLY BE WORN ON P.E. DAYS.

Please follow the link below to access this week's Wednesday Word.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Brocklesby