The Light - July 2015

The Light

INSIDE: How our £150,000 refurbishment is helping pupils shine p4 Great outdoors p8

2015/2016

Sport Success p10

Magazine

St Clare’s Catholic Primary School, Wavertree

St Clare’s Catholic Primary School

Contents 4 Building blocks Investment of £150,000 brings dividends for pupils

6 Light of the Lord Worship is woven into school life, letting all reflect and rejoice

8 Learning journeys Our school trips produce memories to last a lifetime

10 Sporting success Medals galore at Catholic schools athletics championships

Contact Us St Clare’s Catholic Primary School Garmoyle Close Wavertree Liverpool L15 0DW t: 0151 733 4318

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Welcome ‘Let our talents shine...’

Our school prayer recognises how, just as St Clare was a bright light of God, we all have potential to excel in different ways, to shine brightly.

During our schooldays we explore our strengths and weaknesses as we grow physically, emotionally, spiritually and, of course, academically.

At times it is important to stop, look around and celebrate our successes - that’s what we aim to achieve with The Light, our new school magazine.

It is written for our school community children, staff and parents - as well as our wider community across Wavertree and Liverpool.

Headteacher

Our mission

St Clare’s - putting pupils first As a caring Catholic community we nurture every child’s talents - providing an enjoyable, high quality education to meet their spiritual, academic, physical and social needs.

Our children are encouraged to be respectful, friendly and to show sensitivity to the feelings of others.

High quality learning celebrates every child’s contribution. And, each child’s relationship with God is developed through prayer and celebration.

We also support our families, our local community and our staff, safeguarding the emotional and physical well being of all.

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Building blocks

£150K project helps pupils shine A major programme of building work has brought a bright, fresh look to many parts of the school.

The £150,000 investment includes the refurbishment of Nursery and Reception classes, new windows in the main hall, carpets for Years 3 to 6, flooring in Key Stage 2 and a new main reception area.

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St Clare’s Catholic Primary School

The entrance is fully secure and monitored by CCTV, ensuring safety for pupils and staff. Staff also benefit from a new dedicated staff room.

Outdoors we have made improvements, notably a £15,000 investment in the woodland area with new planting and pathways.

This green space is an important learning resource for St Clare’s and something not all inner city schools can boast.

This wonderful resource, which helps make learning fun and engaging, was partly funded by our Home School Partnership.

We have also worked in partnership with Liverpool City Council who have funded new pedestrian barriers on Garmoyle Close - bringing additional safety to families dropping off and picking up pupils.

There is also new willow screening in the Key Stage 1 yard, enhancing our safeguarding measures.

Headteacher Miss K. O’Sullivan said: “There has been a rolling programme of improvements over several years which has culminated in a better, safer learning environment.”

Home School Partnership

Our parents’ group meets informally to discuss ways of supporting the school.

During recent years it has helped financially with a number of projects, e.g. purchasing benches for the playgrounds and providing extra equipment for playtimes.

The Home School Partnership has also contributed in the past towards the cost of the Year 6 residential visit to Colomendy, the education and adventure centre in North Wales. The generosity reduced the amount that parents paid.

At Christmas the HSP provides the food for the children’s parties and pays for the KS2 disco and the entertainer for the Infant/Nursery party.

Acting committee members are Heidi Fearns, Ian Harvey, Alys Hurt, Vikky Jones, Gina Saunders, Lorraine Scanlon, Parminder Singh or email the Home School Partnership at stclareshsp@outlook.com Alternatively speak to Mrs Dickinson, Mrs Bowness or Mrs O'Neill in school or let Mrs Sefton in the School Office know and one of the committee members will contact you.

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Aiming high

to reach our academic potential

The achievement of our pupils is improving - with some key areas either meeting or exceeding national averages.

For instance, Key Stage 1 data for May 2015 shows Maths L2A+, Reading L2+ and Writing L2+ are all in line with national averages.

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We have made rapid progress with our Y1 Phonics screening: 2013 = 54%; 2014 = 64%; 2015 = 81% (national average 74%). Early years pupils are also showing improvement.

In Key Stage 2, Reading L4+ is at national average while Writing L5+ is above average.

The latest Ofsted inspection in December 2013 also confirmed an improving picture at St Clare’s.

Light bites

The report stated: “The latest robust and accurate school tracking data show accelerated progress being made by Year 6 pupils in reading, writing and mathematics, which enables school leaders to confidently predict higher standards of attainment at the end of this academic year.”

Food, glorious food

Work aimed at continually raising is supported by governors who Ofsted said have “evolved into a finely honed management body who want the best for all pupils attending the school.”

All our school meals are prepared and cooked on site by our expert, friendly catering staff from Food For Thought, a not for profit company with the aim of providing high quality homemade meals for our pupils.

From 1st September 2014 all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 have been entitled to a school meal free of charge to parents.

Finally, Ofsted noted that the school has “developed the curriculum well to interest and excite pupils and it contributes strongly to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.”

School Council

Each September ten pupils from Years 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 are elected to the School Council. They meet regularly to discuss issues that affect the whole community.

The teacher made learning fun...there was a sense of awe and wonder among the pupils who learned at a very fast rate because of outstanding teaching

Thank you to the School Council for your great work in 2014/15 - Dylan and Molly (Y2), Faith and Isaiah (Y3), Dylan and Grace (Y4), Chedu and India (Y5), and Molly Mae and Wayde (Y6).

Ofsted 2013

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Learning journeys outside of class are invaluable While much of the focus of our pupils’ learning is in the traditional setting of the classroom, lifelong memories and friendships are made during trips and playtime.

Day trips over the last 12 months have included Liverpool museums (Y5) and Liverpool Town Hall (School Council).

Pupils explore and share experiences, guided by teachers.

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St Clare’s Catholic Primary School

Reception pupils were helped in their study of pets by a trip to Pets At Home, Speke. One of the highlights of the school calendar is the annual Year 5 and Year 6 residential trip providing the benefits of outdoor learning for pupils of all abilities.

The school also regularly hosts interesting visitors, such as authors, theatre groups and performers.

Our Year 5 & 6 pupils learned outdoor and indoor skills designed to engage, educate and inspire during a three-day residential trip to Crosby Hall Educational Trust in Little Crosby, north Merseyside. Activities included bushcraft, shelter building, archery as well as tackling the thrilling conďŹ dence course

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Sporting success for our happy, healthy pupils Our pupils consistently achieve success across a wide range of sports as individuals and teams.

In the Liverpool Catholic Schools Athletics ‘Champion of Champions’ competition in July 2015 we achieved:

From football to hockey, matball and athletics our boys and girls excel.

Two golds (Y5 girls’ 600m and Y6 boys’ long jump); two silvers (Y6 girls’ high jump and Y4 boys’ relay); six bronze medals (Y6 boys’ 75m sprint, Y4 girls’ 75m sprint, Y4 boys’ 75m sprint), Y6 boys’ 135m sprint, Y4 boys’ long jump and Y5 girls’ long jump).

Sport teaches us important values such as discipline, team work, self belief, honesty, passion as well as helping us stay healthy and fit.

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Success at the Champion of Champions - July 2015

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Light of the Lord

Teaching a Catholic way of life Collective worship plays an important role in the day-to-day life of St Clare’s.

Either in class or as a wider group we gather regularly to worship God, to consider spiritual and moral issues, and for pupils to explore their own beliefs.

At the heart of everything we do is a determination to give our children the best chance of success in life whatever paths they choose.

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St Clare’s Catholic Primary School

Collective worship

Collective worship takes into account the religious and education needs of all who are involved in it: • Those who form part of the worshipping community in church • Those for whom school may be their first and only experience of church • Those from other Christian traditions • Those from other faith backgrounds Collective Worship is an educational activity or experience to which all can contribute, and from which all can gain.

PJs for the needy

The School Council ran an Advent appeal which raised £270 to buy 52 sets of pyjamas for children in hostels or care at Christmas.

Raising the roof

Our Gospel Choir - Circle of Voices sang Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral to help raise money for Action For Children charity. They sang two pieces and joined with other choirs from around the area for a grand finale. The choir also performed at the Merseyside Police concert at St Nicholas Church, near the Pier Head, Liverpool.

Jumpers for joy

The School Council introduced a new Christmas tradition for St Clare's everyone will wear a 'Christmas' jumper to school on the day we have our school Christmas dinner.

Pupils are actively involved in developing the Catholic character of the school by the work they undertake in fundraising for numerous charities for example Nugent Care, CAFOD and Zoe’s Place Hospice Archdiocese of Liverpool 2014

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St Clare’s Catholic Primary School

‘We can, because we believe we can’ © St Clare’s Catholic Primary School 2015 No photographs or other material from this publication may be reproduced without permission of St Clare’s Catholic Primary School, Liverpool

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Logos - © Sainsbury’s School Games p10 © Design and photography by Tick Media 2015 www.tick-media.co.uk - 07825 886809

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School Prayer Dear God, Thank you for our school, St Clare’s, Help us all to love and care.

Let our talents shine each day, We’ll try our best in every way.

Help us to grow close to you, In all we say and all we do.

Amen.