Explore Lectures

As you are aware, we are celebrating the value of Intellect this year. When we speak of ‘Intellect’, we strive to explore different spheres and topics beyond the curriculum – and just for the sheer joy of it.

Under this guise, we have organised a fabulous series of lectures on a vast and diverse range of topics to run throughout the rest of the academic year. Our eminent and exciting speakers will aim to stimulate curiosity and encourage us all (parents, friends, family and staff) to explore something new.

The lectures will take place on Monday or Tuesday evenings, starting in January. They will be held in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre and are open to all, free of charge. Nibbles and drinks will be served from 5:30pm for a 6pm start and a 7pm finish.

King Fest!

It was wonderful to welcome all our school community to celebrate the King’s coronation at our King Fest event last Friday afternoon. What a wonderful way to start off the coronation weekend! We would like to extend a huge thank you to FOST and our EDI team who made the whole thing possible.

Music News

Musicians of the Week

Year 3 Liberty C for singing to the class so beautifully. We truly enjoyed it, thank you.

Year 4 Matilda G for always trying her best and producing excellent work.

Year 6 Evie B for fantastic harmonising and leading the sopranos in Chamber Choir.

Thank you

Thank you to Alana who played her harp for us in our celebration assembly this morning.

Music Lessons & Instrument Hire

We have some spaces for one-to-one lessons and have some instruments that can be hired from the school. If you would like to try out any instruments or need any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs Harris c.harris@st-teresas.com

Sports News

Canoe Club

Canoe Club starts on Monday 15th. If you have signed up, please keep an eye out for an email with further information about what your daughter needs to wear and a consent form that needs to be completed.

STASH– Summer Holiday Camp

STASH will be going ahead this year and will start on Monday 10th July and finish on Friday 14th July. It will be open to all children in Years 3-6. Keep an eye out for the sign up forms over the next few weeks.

Fixtures (week commencing 15th May 2023)

Saturday 13th U8-U11 tennis v ND (H) 9.15am and 10.15am

Tuesday 16th U10A-D cricket v St George’s (H) 2.15pm. U11A-D cricket v CLFS (A) 2.15pm

Thursday 18th U11A tennis v Hawthorns (A) 4.15pm

Friday 19th U8A-D cricket v St Cat’s (A) 3pm. U9 tennis v Manor House (H) 2.15pm

Saturday 20th U11A cricket festival @ St George’s. 9am. U8-U11 Triathlon @ GHS. 2pm.

We are looking forward to seeing those of you who have signed up to our drills and skills event on Sunday 14th May!

This is a FREE event open to all players from Years 2-11 and is a great opportunity to get on court and have a hit with our fabulous coaches.

There will be a BBQ running at the clubhouse for players and parents to enjoy! Reminder of timings for the event:

11-12pm Years 7-11

12-1pm Years 2-6 *We are delighted to open this event up to Year 2 players!*

Men’s Tennis Group

ESTA is delighted to introduce a Men's Group to its programme running on MONDAYS (no longer Wednesdays) at 7:45-8:45pm!

Sessions will take place at St Teresa's for 7 weeks from 15th May until the end of term. Players should be of an intermediate standard.

If you are interested, please contact Kirsti at esta@effinghamschools.org or on 07980 604372.

May Half TermTennis Camp

We are excited to be running a tennis camp at ESTA from Tuesday 30th May-Friday 2nd June. Please note the timings as follows:

9-12pm Years 2-4

9-12pm Performance Camp (invitational)

1-4pm Years 5&6

1-4pm Years 7-11

Camp days are priced at £39 per player with a 10% discount for the full week option. Please contact Kirsti to sign up or for more details at esta@effinghamschools.org

This Week

Nicknames can be strange things. Very often a single, unexpected or unusual event results in a nickname being given, and that name can stick for years.

Nicknames, and the reputation that is often associated, can last for months, years, decades and, in the case of our Gospel reading today (John 20), millennia!

We reflected this week on the character of Thomas who famously was not present with the other disciples on Easter Sunday when Jesus first appeared to them in the Upper Room. Thomas reacted with disbelief to the news, so enthusiastically conveyed by his friends, that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. ‘Unless I see the hands in his feet and place my hands in his side, I will not believe,’ says Thomas, with such confidence.

We can only imagine, Thomas’ reaction the following week when Jesus once again joins the disciples. Perhaps we can imagine him cowering at the back of the room as he realises that all his confidence was misplaced. Yet Jesus approaches Thomas directly and, we can imagine, shared his peace most particularly with this confused soul. ‘Here, Thomas, see the holes in my hands and in my side. Doubt no more and believe!’

For centuries Thomas’ nickname seems to have been sealed at this moment. And yet what follows is far from a moment of doubt, as with renewed conviction Thomas is the first to declare Jesus as ‘Lord and God.’

While we are certainly called to make that same declaration, perhaps we can also learn from this episode. We, like Thomas, all too often make mistakes, sometimes serious ones. And yet we are all able to change, to leave those mistakes behind us and to step out anew, often in an entirely different direction. There is a deep injustice that Thomas is so often referred to as ‘doubting’ - surely, ‘believing Thomas’ would be a far better title after his first great declaration of faith.

As we remember this great turn around, let us also recognise those times when we too easily label others - and ourselves!too quickly, without recognising that we are all forgiven those past mistakes, and are all called, equally, to forgive!

Booking System st-teresas-equestrian.ecpro.co.uk

Or

We hope that you have had a good week.

As the weather has become unpredictable, please make sure your child brings a raincoat for riding. It has been very warm and wet this past week!

If there are any school trips or events that your daughter will be doing instead of riding, then please let the office know by phone or by email. As if you wish to cancel a lesson, we do require 48hrs notice or more in order to offer credit. Any later and we are unable to fill the slot with a rider for a catch up lesson or off the waitlist.

May Half Term

The half term dates are available to book! Have a look on our online site to book your spaces now!

Last Wednesday, the saddler came out to see the horses to make sure their saddles fit and were comfortable.

The Open Morning on Friday went really well with parents coming to see the equestrian facilities.

And King has settled in really well and is enjoying life at the stables!

The horse of the week is Bobby!

~ Libby C

We wish you luck in the next competition!

SAVE THE DATE Get ready, steady Summer

Thank FOST it’s Friday coffee morning on 26th May will have a Well Being theme to get us ready physically and mentally for Summer! Please diarise and watch for further details…