DATE: Friday 5th February 2021

Good afternoon,

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

EMMAUS CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY

On Monday St Nicholas Owen and St Catherine of Siena Catholic MACs officially become the larger Emmaus Catholic Multi Academy Company.

We are delighted to welcome our staff, children, young people and families, of the following schools, into the Emmaus Catholic MAC community:

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School Our Lady and St Hubert’s Catholic Primary School St Ambrose Catholic Primary School St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School St Mary’s Catholic Primary School St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School St Philip’s Catholic Primary School St Wulstan’s Catholic Primary School Hagley Catholic High School

The name Emmaus symbolises that we are all on a journey with our Lord, whether it be St Nicholas Owen and St Catherine of Siena MACs coming together, the children and young people in our schools on their education and life journeys, or other schools preparing to join us in the future.

You will also see that we have a new logo mark which forms part of the Emmaus Catholic MAC brand. The logo mark comprises three main elements; the spiral device, the breaking of bread and the ellipsis device (three dots).

The journey to Emmaus is represented with a distinctive spiralling path in the shape of a lower case ‘e’ that suggests movement and progression. The three sections represent the three travellers spoken about in scripture, one of whom is Christ.

At the journey’s end, at the centre of the logo, sits a representation of the bread and wine. This reminds us that the disciples recognised Christ in the breaking of the bread.

The three dots are also symbolic of the three travellers and represent the continuing nature of the faith journey with Christ at the Centre.

Please see below a letter and prayer card from Jo Griffin (Chair) and Suzanne Horan (Catholic Senior Executive Leader) of the Emmaus Catholic Multi Academy.

STARS OF THE WEEK

We are so impressed with all the learning that is taking place in school and remotely at home. The following children will be receiving a certificate for their fantastic efforts this week. Children in school will receive their certificates on Monday and children at home will receive theirs in the post. Well done everyone.

Year Group Star Learner in School Star Learner at Home
Reception Harriet Noah
Year 1 Parisa Joseph
Year 2 Lydia Solly
Year 3 Jaime Louie
Year 4 James Jacob
Year 5 Jayden Amelia
Year 6 Hubert Poppy and Harry

CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

Well done everybody for making it through another week of lockdown. This week marks National Children's Mental Health Week and it could not have come at a better time. Pupils at home and at school have taken part in various activities that have helped us all to  explore different ways of expressing ourselves and creative ways to show our feelings and ideas. Please visit the Emmausmac.com and click on news and updates then Blog. You will then be able to read about the activites St Ambrose, St, Mary's and Hagley High School have been involved in this week.  

This week at St Ambrose, for Children's Mental Health Week, all pupils learning remotely and in school all watched Oak Academy's Virtual Assembly about expressing themselves and throughout the week were set activities to do just that! Everyone was also encouraged to take time for themselves and to reflect on how they are feeling. All children were asked to draw a heart and colour it in to reflect their thoughts and feelings. Here are some of the heart pictures we received:

Reception

We made sure we took time for ourselves this week and expressed how we were feeling.  

In school we expressed ourselves by dancing to our favourite music. At home we went outside and had family time. We designed our own hearts to reflect how we were feeling. 

​Noah- 'We did exercise together.'

Olivia-'I had fun scribbling and I enjoyed drawing things that make me happy.'

Year 2

Year 2 have learnt about the importance of recognising our feelings and emotions. We spent time to look after ourselves and having fun.

“Because grey crayon from our story The Day The Crayons Quit drew big pictures we have to be quiet and just scribble on the piece of paper. This was relaxing because of the noise of the crayon”.

“We drew a picture of ourselves using letters in our name.”

“We drew a picture of us and said what animals we wanted to be. I wanted to be a female lion.”

“We drew a smiley face and we had to write something that makes us smile. Watching movies makes me smile.”

Year 3

Year 3 really enjoyed their Mental Health and Wellbeing Wednesday morning activities!

Year 6

We had a lovely day taking time for ourselves. Some of the other activities we completed were: to draw ourselves as a superhero thinking about what powers we might have; to consider what animal we would choose to turn into for a day and to draw some of our favourite memories.

MASS: Wednesday 3rd February

Reception and Year 1 joined in with Mass virtually this week and listened very carefully to what Father Lamb spoke to them about. 

WELL-BEING WEDNESDAY: LIFE SKILLS

On Wednesday, 3rd February, we all spent time exploring future careers that may be available to us as part of our school's tailored life skills curriculum. Reception had the opportunity to be artists, Year 1 had time to learn about people who help us, Year 2 were lollipop ladies/men, Year 3 had a go at being weather presenters, Year 4 had time to experience being lunchtime supervisors, Year 5 to be photographers and Year 6 to be teachers for the day.

Reception

Reception children became Artists for the afternoon. They went outside and created pictures using natural materials.  Unicorns, a sun, a zoo, a butterfly, flowers and faces to name just a few. 

Year 2

Year 2 have been learning how to be a lollipop person and all about road safety.

 

“I was holding the lolly pop stick that made the cars stop so that the people can cross the road.

“I liked being the cars”

“You have to put the stick down on the floor to let the person cross and the car stops.

“The lollypop people are good because they stop people getting hurt when they are crossing the road.

Year 3

For Year 3's life skills afternoon they had a challenge to be a Weather Presenter!
 
They started the afternoon with a talk from a governor who used to be a Meteorologist!  Then they had a challenge to create their own weather report!  Some children wrote their reports and some children recorded their reports!
 

Year 4

Year 5

In Year 5, for our photography life skills, we focused upon four different photography styles including landscape, portraits, still life and self-portraits. We looked at different artists and had a go at recreating particular styles.
 

Year 6

Year 6 started off their Life Skills Challenge by Miss Holtom teaching everyone learning in school and at home remotely to draw a penguin by drawing around their hands. They were then challenged to be teachers themselves and had to either film themselves teaching a skill or actually teach someone how to do something. We had a whole range of skills being taught e.g. how to make a smore, how to train your dog, how to do the splits, how to draw a cartoon character, how to do certain football skills - the list was endless. We certainly have a few potential teachers in the making! When everyone is back together they will have the opportunity to be Mrs Brocklesby - a headteacher for the day!

BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK - MARCH 2021

WE CAN LEARN TO BE...

It is a month before will be celebrating Science Week at St Ambrose Catholic Primary School both in school and at home on wellbeing Wednesday (10th March). Keep your eyes peeled for updates in the future. For now I am excited to let you know that the theme for British Science Week 2021 (5-14 March 2021) this year is: ‘Innovating for the future’. An innovation is a new idea, method or way of doing something.

Over the next few weeks please can you start collecting items for junk modelling like clean yogurt pots etc. Always ask an adults permission before you use any materials to make sure it is SAFE.

Zoom in, Zoom out activity from Explorify:

Have a look at the picture below

  • What do you think the image is and why?
  • What does the image remind you of and why?

Email your guesses into your class teacher.

We will reveal what this picture is on the newsletter after science week.

VALENTINE'S BAKE OFF

To end the term we will be hosting a virtual valentines bake off. Please send in a picture of your child's entry by no later than 1pm on Friday 12th February. These will be judged and prizes awarded for each year group winner. 

We look forward to seeing your amazing baking creations!!

FOODBANK DONATIONS

Worcestershire Children's First have received a plea from the Big Local, please see the flyer below. If you would like to donate, please find the details on the attached flyer.

THIS TERM'S VIRTUES: GRATEFUL AND GENEROUS

This half term, we have been focussing on the virtues grateful and generous. We have been growing to be grateful for all our gifts, developing them to the full so that we can be generous in the service of others. On the last week of term, we will be celebrating those children who have demonstrated these virtues at home or in school. Please do let us know if you child(ren) have shown these virtues at home so that we can reward them with a certificate and a mention on our newsletter. Please email the Miss Holtom: year6@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk with the name of your child and perhaps a few words about what they have done that has impressed you. Thank you.

PARENTS EVENING

On Monday 8th February, class teachers will contact parents of all children who are working remotely. Appointments will be via telephone or Teams and can now be booked via the SchoolLife app. Appointments for children who are working in school will be on Monday 22nd February and again can also be booked via the app.

WEDNESDAY WORD

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

LOCKDOWN LUNCHES AND MEAL PLANS

Change4Life have created recipes and shopping lists for families which can be used to create lunches for around £15 each week. Please click on the link below to access this information.

RARING2GO

Please click on the link below for the winter edition of Raring2Go.

GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF CORONA VIRUS

Latest update on testing and isolation periods.

  • If a child or member of staff tests positive, they now have to self-isolate for at least 10 days, even if they feel well.
  • If they are NOT a known contact of a confirmed case they can return to school if the result is negative, providing they feel well and they have not had a fever for 48 hours.
  • If they are a contact of a confirmed case, they must stay off school for 14 days isolation period, even if they test negative. This is because they can develop the infection at any point up to 14 days after being in contact a confirmed case. This would apply to pupils and staff who have been in a bubble with a positive testing child.  School Leadership will decide which members of staff have come into close proximity with the bubble and therefore also need to self-isolate for 14 days.
  • Please be aware that anyone admitted to hospital is likely to receive a test for Covid, whether they are showing symptoms or not.  
  • Covid symptoms are now being classed as: a persistent cough, high temperature, and/or loss of taste and smell.
  • No action needs to be taken as a school until a test result is shared with us.

Please also note that we cannot request test results, parents have to approach us with results.

KEEPING IN TOUCH

As we are unable to hold face to face meetings between teacher and parents we have set up year group email addresses for you to communicate with staff. Please note that emails received after 6pm will be answered the next working day and none over the weekend.

General enquiries: office@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Reception: Reception@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Year 1: year1@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Year 2: year2@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Year 3: year3@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Year 4: year4@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Year 5: year5@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Year 6: year6@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Kind regards,

Mrs Brocklesby.

Emmaus CMAC
St Ambrose Catholic Primary School Ofsted
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