Good afternoon,

Next week, we enter into Holy Week where we commemorate the passion and death of our Lord. Our children have already started working on some fantastic art-work of the Stations of the Cross in St Chad's Cathedral. We will be sharing a video of this art-work with prayers next Thursday.
We will also be: joining Father Lamb in a whole school virtual Mass at 9.15 am on Wednesday; joining in an interactive scavenger hunt at St Chad's Cathedral and celebrating how 'attentive and discerning' we have been throughout Lent.

We are extremely proud of how hard ALL pupils have worked in school this week. On Monday morning, in our whole school virtual celebration assesmbly, the following children will be receiving a certificate for their fantastic efforts:

Further to our consultation regarding the new statutory curriculum subject, Relationship and Health Education, we are pleased to let you know that our school has decided to adopt the programme, Life to the Full, produced by the Catholic educational organisation, Ten Ten Resources.

The Life to the Full programme is based on the structure of ‘A Model Catholic RSE Curriculum’ by the Catholic Education Service. This model curriculum was highlighted as a work of good practice by the Department of Education so we therefore have confidence that the programme will be fit for purpose in supporting the growth and development of your child.

Life to the Full is much more than a series of lessons. It is an entire platform of creative resources that will engage, inform and inspire our children and, indeed, you as parents. This includes interactive video content, story-based activities, employing a wide range of teaching tools, original worship music and an accompanying programme of classroom prayers.

In addition there will be an online parent platform so that you, as parent and carers, can engage with the teaching and deepen the experience for your child. To access the online parent platform please visit: www.tentenresources.co.uk/parent-portal

School Username: st-ambrose-dy10

School Password: custard-111

Your child will have come home today with a short document that will help to give you an overview of the structure and content of the programme. This can also be viewed below.

Life to the Full is intended to be partnership between home, school and church. We know that you already do a fantastic job and we see our new programme, Life to the Full, as a means to further develop, support and enrich the partnership between home, school and church so that your child is fully supported.

We will be holding an information Zoom meeting for parents on: Monday 26th April at 10am and 5pm. Please note that you only need to attend one of these meetings and details will be send out nearer the time.

This week we received a gift from a group of green-fingered garden lovers in Kidderminster. Miss Crumpler and Year Two were delighted with the seeds and plants. They are going to grow the seeds and plants in our Prayer Garden. I look forward to sending you photos over the next few weeks. If you would like to find out more about the group visit the link below.

Please click on the link below to take you to the article featured in the Kidderminster Shuttle about the Green-fingered group.

This week our children have been living out the three principles of our Behaviour Policy to Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Safe. I have continued to be really impressed with children making the right choices around school for themselves without being  prompted and reminded. I will be holding zoom meetings for parents to update you about Saint Ambrose School principles:'Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Safe.'

Zoom meeting for parents Tuesday 30th March 10am or

Zoom meeting for parents Tuesday 30th March 5pm

Please note you only need to attend one meeting and zoom codes will be sent out on Monday.

On Thursday, Father Lamb came over to speak to Year 6 and Year 2 about the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, especially during the season of Lent. He encouraged us to spend time thinking about what improvements we could make in our lives by examining our conscience and taught us that in this Sacrament we receive God's mercy and forgiveness.

This half term, we are focussing on the virtures: attentive and discerning. We are growing to be attentive to our experience and to our vocation; and discerning about the choices we make and the effects of those choices. Please do let us know if your child shows these virtues at home by emailing Miss Holtom: year6@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk. Thank you

Do you know of any prospective parents who may be interested in their child joining us in September? If so, please do encourage them to call school for more information and encourage them to follow us on social media. 

We are also looking to promote our school further. Please review us on google if you have a google account and we would be very grateful if you could send us a testimonial which we can add to our promotions work and website. If you are happy for us to share your testimonials please follow the link provided on the news section of our website.

Each Wednesday at 2.45pm, starting next week, Miss Brewer will be sharing a story with Reception children and we are inviting you to join this at home on Zoom too. If you have young children at home or know of any other families who would like to join us for this please share the following details:

Meeting ID:4974976598 Password: ambrose123

Please click on the YouTube link below to view a short video about getting into teaching. You can also access more information by clicking on the following link

https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/explore-my-options/teacher-training-routes/school-led-training/school-direct-salaried

West Mercia Police are asking Primary aged children to make Easter bonnets and sent us the photo of them wearing it for the competition.

Start date 1^st MARCH

Entries in by 28^th MARCH

Winners announced on 1^st APRIL

Name, age and year group.

Parent contact details and consent for use of social media.

There will be prizes for a few different age ranges. 

Please send your photos to Kidderminstereast.snt@westmercia.pnn.police.uk with the above information by the deadline of 28^th March 2021.

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

We are now set-up for online payments via Parentpay and all payments to school will need to be made online after Easter with the exception of School Lunches. Letters were sent out to all parents with set up and individual user details and we have re-sent the letters today for thos parents who haven't already activated their accounts.

Please can we ask that upon receipt of your letter you activate your account as you will not be able to book any clubs, trips or other activities without doing so.

Until the end of term, children can have a packed lunch at school with a choice of cheese, ham or tuna sandwich filling. Children in Reception, Y1 and Y2 do not need to make payment nor do children in receipt of free school meals. If you would like your child to have a packed lunch and they do not fall into the above categories you must notify the school office of their sandwich choice and make payment of £2.30 per meal.

Hot dinners to be phased back in after Easter. Anyone who had paid for hot dinners before lockdown will have a credit balance.

We have sent out menus for after the Easter break and would be grateful if everyone who would like a meal (universal free school meals, free school meals and paid meals) could complete the menu and return to the school office. If we do not receive a menu for your child we will assume that you do not want them to take a meal and you will be supplying your child with a packed lunch from home

Please contact the school office should you need further clarification or support with this.

If your child has a food allergy or intolerance that has been medically diagnosed, please can you complete and return the form below. Even if your child only takes school dinners occassionally or on themed days it is imperative that Class Catering have this information so that they can create a bespoke menu if and when needed for your child.

Please click on the link below to access the Spring Edition of raring2go. 

Please see the flyers below detailing webinars for you to access. These webinars are produced and delivered by the children's charity, Barnardos.

Maybe you have heard about the online courses for parents, FREE for residents in our area?

The Solihull Approach (NHS) have launched a NEW online course!

How do I access?

www.inourplace.co.uk

 What’s the code?

Ø  If you haven’t used it already here is the access code for all the online courses (funded for residents of Worcestershire): SOLIHULLKPPROVWHWCS

Ø  If, like many parents, you have already used this code, log into your account here and this course will be ready in your dashboard to start whenever you are ready.

 Can I tell my family and friends?

Absolutely! Share the news with other families in the area so that they too can take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.

 How long is it?

There are 7 modules which each take about 5 minutes to complete and will benefit from time to digest in between. 

If you like this…

…you might like the bigger ‘Understanding your child’ or ‘Understanding your child with additional needs’, or other courses in the series. www.inourplace.co.uk

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.

Please see the following covid documents from Public Health.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Brocklesby