St Philip’s School Update

By Lucy Horne, Headteacher

Prayer Focus in St Philips

Now we are back in school, they are all

adjusting again to being back together

Children working on the mechanics of a go cart

The last few months have been challenging for many. A change in routine and restrictions on activities has been hard on all members of society and for children in primary school; this has been no exception. They have all had to change everything they know about school and outside activities and adjust to a very different way of learning.

Children at St Philip’s have been amazing in their resilience and adapting nature. Whilst home schooling, all families took on board the new regime and logged into the computer daily to meet their teacher, they took turns to speak, listened to their peers without interrupting and listened to lots of information transmitted through airwaves. They then completed work in their bedroom or their kitchen or next to their parents in the home office.

Now we are back in school, they are all adjusting again to being back together, to the noise levels increasing and the stamina of being in school and focused for full days rather than being able to take breaks when they choose to. Yes, children are resilient and yes they have been safe and cared for but we do not underestimate how this sudden imposed change will have affected some of our children. We are mindful that we need to walk before we can run in ensuring children settle back into school life before we start trying to ‘fill the gaps’ or ‘recover any lost learning’. This will all come in time, but, for now, we need to focus on our children having a strong sense of wellbeing.

Whilst children have not been in the school building, as a school, we felt it was very important for families to still feel connected to our school community. A large part of our school community is our faith. Each day whilst teachers met their pupils on the virtual classroom platform, they would share a prayer. This important act meant that staff and pupils remained connected in prayer.

A LARGE PART OF OUR SCHOOL

COMMUNITY IS OUR FAITH

Ash Wednesday took place during half term so, before we broke up for half term, teachers spoke with their class both at home and in school about Lent and the role that they play within the season of Lent. Children were invited to make a Lenten promise – this included an act of kindness, an act of giving or an act of sacrifice. When children returned to the classrooms in early March, they returned to prayer focus tables in the classrooms adorned with a purple cloth and their Lenten promises tied onto a bare tree branch. Canon David has sent us regular, child friendly Lenten Reflections too.

Fairtrade fortnight took place in February. As a school who has ‘Fairtrade’ status, it was essential that we still highlight the need for Fairtrade even though the children were not all in school. Teachers shared assemblies, activities and discussions about what Fairtrade is and why it is important to ensure we all support it.

Mr. Keith Caws, our Year 4

teacher, with pupils

St Philip’s children during an outside activity

Many of our children in Year 3 are making their First Holy Communion this summer. Their sessions with Canon David and the catechist group have taken place on Zoom for the start of the course. Their First Reconciliation, however, was able to be done in person. With the use of screens and social distancing, the children were all able to attend the Cathedral and meet with either Canon David or Father Charles to make their First Confession. They will continue their meetings regularly until they make their First Holy Communion in May.