๐ Newsletter 01.12.2023
Mr J Sharp
Looking Back and Forward
The image above gives an idea of what our previous school (1854 - 1964) would have looked like on All Saintsโ Street.
As you may know by now, I find the history of our school, our church and Newton Heath fascinating. However, this doesnโt mean that we are stuck in the past at All Saints.
Just recently we have updated some of our IT, and with the installation of LED lighting in the next couple of weeks, we are taking further steps into the future.
There are certain things that donโt (and I hope wonโt) change, in that the children are treated as individuals, shown care, provided with safety and security and challenged to be best they can be.
Teaching and learning principles donโt really change either. Find out what they know, show them how to do it, get them to practise, feed back improvementsโฆand repeat. However, within these things, there are always changes in delivery. At the moment it is AI (artificial intelligence) which is being developed, but we must ensure it doesnโt lead to artificial learning.
NEWS AND UPDATES
A short animation about the people who help us make safer journeys and support people after a road crash.
Parent Portal
Use this for updating contact details, child medical information, permissions, payments and seeing your childโs reports.
๐ฒ Please ensure we always have correct contact details ๐ง
๐จ ๐จ ๐จ ๐จ ๐จ
๐ฒ Please ensure we always have correct contact details ๐ง ๐จ ๐จ ๐จ ๐จ ๐จ
Good Attendance Draw!!
Donโt forget, for every week that your child has an attendance of 96%+, they are allocated a digital ticket for a draw that will take place every half term. The more weeks with an attendance of 96%+, the more chances to win!
Services and Events
Parish Sung Eucharist Sundays 10am - 11am
Sermon, music and Holy Communion
Place of Welcome Thursdays 10am - 12pm
Time for a brew and a chat
More information from Father Andrew can be found here
Messy Church
It typically includes a welcome, a long creative time to explore the biblical theme through getting messy; a short celebration time involving story, prayer, song, games and similar; and a sit-down meal together at tables.
Community News and Support
Scroll through the items below
World Festivals and Celebrations
Advent means โComingโ.
It heralds the start of the Christian year, and commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It is often celebrated by lighting the first candle in the advent crown โ a circular wreath of greenery. A further three candles are lit on subsequent Sundays, culminating with the Christmas candle on the 25th of December. Together these signify the transition from darkness to light, the light of Jesus coming into the world.
There are several ways that Advent is counted down but the most common is by a calendar or candles. There are many types of calendars used in different countries. The most common ones in the UK and USA are made of paper or card with 24 or 25 little windows. One of these is opened each day in December and a Christmas picture is displayed underneath.
For Christians Advent is a time of preparation for and reflection on the mystery of the incarnation. It is observed through private prayer and self-discipline and its aim is to ready the believer for celebrating at Christmas the miracle of Godโs taking human form.
Article 12: Respect for Childrenโs Views
One of the things the UNCRC does is to make it clear that human rights apply to children and young people as much they do to adults.
Children and young people donโt have as much power as adults. They canโt vote, and they donโt have as much money. But Article 12 says they still have the human right to have opinions and for these opinions to be heard and taken seriously.
It says that the opinions of children and young people should be considered when people make decisions about things that involve them. Their opinions shouldnโt be dismissed out of hand on the grounds of age. They should be taken seriously, with their evolving capacities taken into account.
Article 12 also says children and young people should be given the information they need to make good decisions.
Piano in Need of New Home
As we move back into the hall, we have decided that it would be best to find a new home for the piano.
It is rarely used in school as we use different ways of accompanying singing compared to the past where a teacher would always be playing the piano.
The piano does work and with a good clean and some TLC it could be useful to someone. We are happy to donate the piano for free on a first come first served basis, but the person taking it would need to arrange collection (remembering how heavy pianos are).
Please contact Mrs Mason in the office if you are interested.
I was delighted to see parents and carers able to come in to school for meetings with the teachers this week. These meetings are so important in sharing vital information about each child is progressing in school, and also for us to learn more about each individual.
I was also so happy to watch Year 6โs brilliant class assembly yesterday. They are the first class to host one in the hall this year, and made excellent use of our new interactive screen to showcase their amazing learning. One particular thing that impressed me (amongst many others) was the standard of their artwork. I definitely would like to share some of these in the next newsletter.
Even with the bitterly cold weather at the moment, there are a number of visits coming up. Year 6 are currently spectators at a Taekwondo event, Nursery are going to theatre and there are Experience Christmas events at Heathfield Church for Years 3 and 4 too.
As it is the 1st December, Christmas decorations are going up in school and the countdown begins (if it hasnโt already started for many) to the festive holidays. It is always a busy time of year with lots going on in school and at home, and we will be focusing on the messages of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that each of the four Sundays before Christmas represent. Whatever anyoneโs personal beliefs, I canโt imagine that there would be disagreement about how important these values are.
Thank you for your continued support.
