RISE MAGAZINE LENTEN TERM 2024

NEWS & EVENTS

Our Lady of the Magnificat Multi-Academy Company

PRAYER:

God of all wholeness, heal our hearts of all that prevents us responding to our sisters and brothers excluded by poverty and prevented from living a full and healthy life. This Lent, may we: implore justice through our prayer, stand in solidarity through our fasting, and reach out through our giving. Send your life-giving power to revive the weary, restore the broken and renew the face of the earth. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. -CAFOD LENTEN

CHAIR OF DIRECTORS INTRODUCTION MESSAGE

During the season of Lent, our pupils, students and staff focused on deepening their relationship with God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Each of our schools found creative ways to raise funds to support those in greater need. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to thank all of those in our Multi-Academy for their efforts and also all of our families for so generously supporting them

My fellow Directors and I are also delighted that pupils and students chose such a wide range of charities to support. One such charity is Father Hudson’s Care, the Diocesan Social Care Agency Father Hudson’s supports the elderly, offers practical help to refugees and asylum seekers and provides shelter and a safe environment for those suffering from homelessness. The charity also offers a successful post adoption programme and is a fantastic embodiment of the Catholic ethos

It is truly heart-warming that we reached out through prayer and almsgiving to those experiencing hardship, poverty and trauma in their lives.

In addition, our schools’ preparations for the great feast of Easter and the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ were also very impressive. There were special liturgies, assemblies and prayers in the final days of the Lenten term, enabling all of our students to better understand and appreciate the cornerstone of our Christian faith.

Thank you to all of you who contribute so graciously and selflessly to the faith life of our schools.

Mrs Yvonne Brennan

“This Lent, may we: implore justice through our prayer, stand in solidarity through our fasting, and reach out through our giving. ”

Mrs Yvonne Brennan

Chair

of the Board of Directors

Maya Mason’s Brave Battle

Impressive Pupil Given Prestigious Cancer Research UK Award

Maya Mason, a pupil of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic First School, has been awarded with the prestigious Children & Young People Star Award by Cancer Research UK.

Maya has been diagnosed with a soft tissue cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite the challenges posed by her diagnosis, Maya's resilience has been nothing short of inspirational - and her remarkable achievements have not gone unnoticed. Maya's efforts caught the attention of Cancer Research UK and they presented Maya with The Children & Young People Star Award in recognition of the perseverance and dedication Maya has shown to herself and others since her diagnosis

Paula Young, Cancer Research UK Spokesperson for the West Midlands, said: “Maya is an absolute star who has had to cope with so much more than most adults, let alone children, have to deal with in a lifetime. It’s a privilege to be able to celebrate her courage with a Star Award.”

Maya's mother, Hollie O'Connor, nominated Maya for the award

Hollie has been by Maya’s side every step of the way. During the challenging initial stages of treatment, both Hollie and Maya leaned on each other for strength, navigating the difficulties of the past year together. Maya has always had a smile on her face. Maya even uses hospital visits to show off her talents as she impresses the hospital staff with her gymnastics skills

Maya is now back at school with her friends and teachers and continuing with her gymnastics

Staff and students at Our Lady of the Magnificat view Maya’s journey as inspirational.

We take huge pride in Maya’s bravery and resilienceshe is a role model to us all.

Newsflash: Magnificat has a Star School

Our Lady’s Catholic Primary named a ‘Star School’ on BBC Radio’s CWR Breakfast Show

In a recent feature on BBC Radio's CWR Breakfast with Phil Upton, Our Lady's Catholic Primary School in Alcester was highlighted as a ‘Star School’.

Throughout the feature, the spotlight fell on the school's atmosphere, where pupils, teachers, and parents form close support systems that foster a sense of belonging and trust.

Dan Sambell, from BBC Radio’s CWR Breakfast show visited Our Lady’s on February 2nd to interview Mr Breslin, the school's Principal, and four enthusiastic pupils, where they took centre stage, proudly representing Our Lady's and sharing their experiences with listeners Among the many topics discussed was the unique charm of the school's small size, which the children fondly praised for bringing pupils and teachers closer together as a community.

When asked about their favourite things about the school, the students replied that they love "The gardening club, being a part of the community and how everyone is really friendly to each other".

The children also emphasised their appreciation for the friendly atmosphere at Our Lady's, noting how everyone is really friendly to each other. They spoke of the warmth and inclusivity that permeates the school environment, where kindness and mutual respect are valued and celebrated

Listeners were touched by the students' heartfelt reflections on the positive aspects of their school experience, which underscored the importance of community, friendship, and a supportive learning environment Mr Breslin echoed their sentiments, emphasising the school's commitment to providing a nurturing space where every child feels valued and supported.

As the radio feature came to a close, there was a palpable sense of admiration for Our Lady's Catholic Primary School and the tight-knit community it represents. The children's heartfelt testimonials served as a reminder of the profound impact that small class sizes and close relationships can have on a child's educational experience

Looking ahead, Our Lady's Catholic Primary School remains dedicated to nurturing its community and providing a supportive environment where every child can flourish With its recent spotlight on BBC Radio's CWR Breakfast, the school continues to inspire and uplift all who are touched by its warmth, inclusivity, and unwavering commitment to excellence.

One of Our Lady’s Higher Level Teaching Assistants, Michelle Hastie was also highlighted on the radio show as a ‘Star Staff’ member She was nominated by the children and staff at Our Lady’s, for always being kind and caring. The children explained how “She is always there for us when we need her, she is like a parent in teacher form”.

Lending a Hand: Lenten Charitable Endeavors

Lenten Prayer Bag Creations

St. Peter's Catholic First School’s Lenten Charity Drive Brings The Community Together

At St Peter’s Catholic First School last term, the pupils were encouraged to not only "give something up" for Lent but to also "do something extra" and dedicate more time to Prayer.

Kevin, from Father Hudson's Care, the social care agency for the Birmingham Archdiocese, joined the pupils at St Peter’s in an assembly to talk about The Good Shepherd Appeal. Pupils were encouraged to collect money during LENT in their Good Shepherd Appeal Bag.

Their Lenten Prayer bags were sent home and they also had the opportunity to attend Prayer and meditation sessions in Peter's Pod during their lunchtime, and make prayer chains to share with St. Thomas More and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Fundraising With Flair

St. Bede's Catholic Middle School Hosts An Energetic Fundraising Event For Lenten Charities

Pupils at St Bede’s Catholic Middle School had an amazing day raising money for Lenten Charities They planned, designed and set up stalls selling cakes, sweets and other treats as well as stalls with games for pupils to play, knitted goods and a ‘Guess the name of the teddy bear’ stall.

This is a day that St Bede’s pupils love and remember long after they have left the school and it has the added bonus of raising money for charity The charities they chose to raise money for this year were Ronald McDonald House, Dementia UK, CAFOD and SVP; they raised a total of £2,673.50, to be shared equally between the four charities.

A look back into the term Eco-Adventures Seasonal Reflections Holocaust Memorial Day

Thank you to all of the Year Five & Six pupils at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Studley, who joined Mr. Finnegan and Miss Brindley at the Heart of England forest as part of the St Mary’s Tree planting project. In total, the team managed to plant 205 trees!

CelebratingMardiGras

In preparation for the Lenten Season, St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School led a 'Mardi Gras' celebration filled with vibrant colours, lively music, and festive activities.

Saturday27thJanuary2024

Pupils got busy creating their own masks, which they were excited to show off at the end of the day!

After the celebrations came to an end, the spirit of celebration lingered, as the children prepared for the season of Lent.

They celebrated this together on Friday 9th February by creating masks, dressing up in bright colours, getting involved in lots of fun festive dances and much more!

This carnival is celebrated across the world by Christians to mark Shrove Tuesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season Children were invited to come into school wearing the colours purple, green or gold and/or a carnival accessory or clothing. Throughout the school day, the children explored this tradition through activities including creating their very own masquerade and learning the religious meaning of this festival.

The children across St Mary’s Catholic Primary school in Studley contributed to the creation of symbolic birds for this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day instillation in Redditch. This was made possible through the dedicated coordination of Mrs. Emily Tyrrell, who led their school's response to this sombre yet vital event.

The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day was “Fragility of Freedom” On HMD 2024, we can all reflect on how freedom is fragile and vulnerable to abuse. As a community, let’s pledge not to take our freedoms for granted, and consider what we can do to strengthen freedoms around the world

At Redditch Library a piece of community artwork has been createdof birds, fragile but free and escaping from a cage

Holocaust Memorial Day is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur

Reflecting on how fragile freedom is, we should not take it for granted, and consider what we can do to strengthen freedoms around the world.

The Latest: St Marys, Henley

A Glance Into The Recent Events

From Henley’s Busy Lenten Term

Pupils at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Henley took part in their first cross country event and we had some brilliant results. The Year Four and Five pupils took part in the Multiplication Cup. They were up against 60,000 players across the country and placed among the top 100 as a class! There were also individual pupils who were placed in the top 50

Their peer mediators, who are part of the school council, organised a mad hair day in order to raise money for a Buddy Bench for their school playground. The children raised a great amount of money and the bench is on its way!

St Mary's also took part in the Big Lent Walk for CAFOD. The goal was to walk 200km. On Wednesday 20th March they held a whole school walk around Henley to add to their mileage and they demonstrated lots of acts of kindness on the way, raising lots of money for CAFOD!

Adventure

at St Benedict’s

Year Seven’s Residential Expedition To The Pioneer Centre In Kidderminster

Year 7 students at St Benedict’s Catholic High School had their first residential at the Pioneer Centre near Kidderminster earlier in the term. Students were able to develop new skills and conquer fears as well as making lots of new friends!

As part of the 3 day residential, they tested their limits by taking part in abseiling, high ropes and other critical thinking games. It was also a perfect opportunity for students to reflect on their first 6 months at St Benedict’s and make new friends with those from their year group they may not have met or spent any time with before

Everyone had a fantastic few days and all returned to Alcester very tired!

Chick watch in Oak Class!

Easter Preparations Take Flight: Broadway Begin with Hatching Chicks

Recently, Reception children in Oak Class, at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Broadway, had the incredible opportunity to witness the fascinating hatching process of chicks They received ten eggs, snug and warm in an incubator.

The children learned about the development of a chick, discovering that it takes twenty-one days for them to grow and mature inside their protective eggshell. The children were amazed to learn that the yellow yolk inside the egg provides food while the chick is developing within the egg.

Oak Class were lucky enough to see a total of seven chicks successfully use their egg tooth to pip at the eggshell and emerge into the world They then used their detective work to figure out how many hens and cockerels there were In the end, there were two hens and five cockerels This distinction became evident as the hens displayed brown feathering, while the cockerels were distinguished by their lemoncoloured feathering.

After patiently waiting for the chicks to dry and develop their fluffiness, they transferred them to the brooder box. The children then tended to their needs, ensuring they had crumb food, clean water, and comfortable bedding. They also had the opportunity to handle and interact with the chicks

As part of their Understanding the World curriculum, the children explored the complete life cycle of a chicken, looking at the four stages: the egg, hatching, the chick, and the chicken

The class were shocked at the rapid growth of the chicks and documented their progress through observational drawings. They examined their developing feathers, eyes, beaks, and claws Some of the children even created birthday cards for the chicks!

Moreover, in their literacy lessons, they expanded their vocabulary by looking at descriptive words to describe the chicks first-hand. From "wet" to "fluffy," tiny" to "cute" and then used these words to write captions

As a school community, they were all delighted that the chicks have found their forever home at one of St Mary’s family’s smallholding farms. We look forward to hearing all about their continued developments

Lenten Reflections and Easter Inspirations

Embracing The Season: Lenten Activities at St. Thomas More Catholic First School

We have learned about the festival Mardi Gras, and it is celebrated when we have Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. The classes made gold, purple and green crowns and Mardi Gras masks. During this time of Lent the prayer tables and the Prayer Pod has turned to purple. The whole school are raising money for Fr Hudson's Care to help adults and children who are in need

Every class have written prayers and for Lent for the children in another school to read out every day. We have all been joining in with Dan and Emily from One Life Music, listening to readings from the Bible and singing hymns

Written by Leon, Amelia, Ola, Hanna W, Hanna Z, Lincoln and Olivia-Rose, Chaplaincy team 2023-24

In preparation for Easter during the season of Lent, St Thomas More dressed up in colourful clothes to celebrate Mardi Gras with activities, used their Prayer Pod for individual prayer offering up their Lenten promises, created prayer chains as part of a collaborative project with St. Peter's Bromsgrove and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Redditch, made gift bags containing prayer chains to offer and share with other schools in Prayer pod, made Lenten promises and sacrifices on the classroom prayer tables, taken part in the Open Lent One Life Music with Dan and Emily and joined in with Father Hudson’s collection bags which the children brought in through the season!

"I love the Open Lent shared Prayer and Liturgy because it makes me feel so calm" -Andrei

"My prayers are inside, I love the prayer box" -Layla

Holocaust Their Family Me And Us

Trinity Catholic School’s History Research Group Students Excelled In A Holocaust Education Project, Presenting Alongside Robert Rinder MBE.

‘The Holocaust, Their Family, Me and Us’ is based on the award-winning documentary series “My Family, The Holocaust and Me” wherein Robert Rinder MBE helped his mother Angela Cohen MBE and fellow British Jewish families to trace the story of their family The documentary features stories from across Europe and considers both the deeply personal history and its national relevance today.

The project aims to support students in developing their in-depth knowledge and understanding of one of four stories told through the documentary. In addition, students are tasked with a series of activities and challenges which encourage them to consider the significance of the Holocaust in both their individual lives and the wider school context Trinity students joined the project last year and have been following the family story of Robert Rinder MBE.

At present 250 schools across the country are involved in the project To recognise the commitment and contribution that Trinity’s History Research Group have made to the project, Trinity were one of only 5 schools invited to take part in a showcase for the project at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy, where the project began Students took part in a range of workshops throughout the day.

The day culminated in the students giving a presentation about their work and project journey to the VIP, guests including BBC and Wall to Wall Media, the families involved in the original documentary and University Professors

The day gave them all an opportunity to shine and show their talents and capability. This was reflected in the positive feedback the students received.

Seasonal Preparations

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School In Evesham Lock Away ‘Alleluia’ For The Term

To begin their Lenten journey at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Evesham, the children gathered together for Prayer and Liturgy. During Lent, we do not hear or use the word ‘Alleluia’, so they took the word, put it inside of an envelope and took it to Mrs Resende, their Office Manager, to lock away in the safe for a few weeks, until the Lenten Season came to an end

Throughout history, the Church has developed various customs and practices of the liturgical calendar The omission of "Alleluia" during Lent is one such tradition that has been passed down through generations of Christians

After Easter, they retrieved this word, which means ‘God be Praised’ and they would be able to once again include it when they gather for their prayers and liturgy.

Connecting Prayers in Paper Chains

Our Lady Of Mount Carmel First School’s Lenten Paper Chain Blessings

Pupils at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic First School started the Lenten season by making prayer paper chains which they sent to St Thomas More Catholic First School. They were passed around and shared among the children throughout Lent. These chains brought the pupils together in prayer adding a special touch of spiritual unity to their Lenten journey.

As part of their ‘Looking to Others’ preparations, they came together in year groups to decide on how the children wanted to raise money and who they wanted to raise money for during their Lenten Charities Week. Following lots of discussion, each year group chose the following:

Reception chose the Batchley Support Group, Year One chose The Basement Project, Year Two chose Maya’s Arc, Year Three chose Batchley Support Group and Year 4 chose CAFOD

@SaintAugustine'sCatholic HighSchoolAndSixthForm Redditch

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SOCIAL SNAPSHOT

TheWoodpeckersledtheirclassprayer andliturgyreflectingontheseasonofLent andtheimportanceofforgiveness They sharedthestoryofZacchaeus Theythen thoughtabouttimestheyhavemade wrongchoicesandhowGodalways forgivesus Welldonetoallthechildren forleadingusinsuchaprayerfulwayand thankyoutoalltheparentswhojoinedus #prayerandliturgySTP

Wow thechildrenhavebeensuperbusy makingfantasticbookrecommendation posters,creatingbeautifulartworkforbook frontcoversandevenwritingtheirown fantasticstories GreatworkOLST!Everyone issuchastar #WorldBookDay2024

TeamPREvisitedCoventryCathedral totakepartinthe 'GodandtheGood' CandleConferencewithinternationally acclaimedtheologianDrPeterVardy Whatafantasticopportunityto experiencehiswisdomfirsthand!

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Academy

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