ð Newsletter 15.12.2023
Mr J Sharp
Spreading Joy
Our Urban Crew visited Duncan Edwards Court retirement home this week to spread some Christmas joy with the residents.
The Urban Crew do a lot of community work through the year, so as well as gaining valuable skills and confidence, they are making a great contribution to the whole of Newton Heath.
They were fantastic ambassadors for our school and I imagine it will have been a highlight of the week for the residents.
A number of our Pupil Chaplains also went to a special service hosted by Christ the King children this week. It is great that our local schools can create shared experiences and support each other too.
One of the advent values is âHopeâ, and I think the actions of our children, and those of children in other the local schools, gives me great hope that the future is a positive one.
Well done everyone.
NEWS AND UPDATES
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âąThe playground gates are locked a few minutes after 8.50am which is the latest any of our classes start in the morning. If your child arrives around 9am, they are already 10-15 minutes late. âą
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âąThe playground gates are locked a few minutes after 8.50am which is the latest any of our classes start in the morning. If your child arrives around 9am, they are already 10-15 minutes late. âą ðĻ ðĻ ðĻ ðĻ ðĻ
Good Attendance Draw!!
Donât 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
Keeping our Hands Clean
As we go into winter, common illnesses can keep children and teenagers away from their classmates and studies. One of the best things we can all do to avoid illness is to practice good hand hygiene.
Good hand hygiene helps stop infections from spreading, which means less disrupted learning time.
Teach your child to wash hands properly for 20 seconds and stay away from others when sick. The e-bug resources for all ages can help you to explain and discuss hygiene habits â and why they are important - to your child or teenager.
To avoid catching bugs or passing it on to others wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water. This is most important following an episode of diarrhoea or vomiting, after using the toilet, before eating or preparing food, after changing nappies, as well as cleaning up vomit or diarrhoea. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers are not effective against some infections.
Anyone who has diarrhoea and/or vomiting should stay at home. Do not return to work or send children to school until 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped and do not visit your GP or hospital while symptomatic. If you are concerned about your symptoms, talk to your GP by phone, contact NHS 111 or visit the NHS web pages. For useful handwashing tips please have a look at the following NHS video
Free behaviour support resources for schools and families
Have you heard of My Family Coach? It's an incredible free platform for schools and families for help and support with all areas of behaviour, school and family life.
The platform includes over 50 hours of free support content from the experienced team here at Team Teach. There's articles, podcasts, videos, ebooks and quarterly online parent classes that you and the families you support can attend and watch on-demand as well.
It's all available 24/7 and completely free!
World Festivals and Celebrations
YULE - Pagan (22nd December 2023)
Yule is the time of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, when the sun is reborn, an image of the return of all new life. Heathens celebrate Yule for twelve nights and days, starting the evening before the Winter Solstice (called Motherâs night) when they think of their female ancestors and spiritual protectors. The night heralds the beginning of the major holiday in Heathenry.
Yule, (pronounced EWE-elle) is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, the sunâs ârebirthâ is celebrated with much joy. On this night, the rebirth of the Oak King is celebrated, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth. From this day forward, the days become longer.
The summer and the winter solstices are classic examples of the wheel of the year, marking the end of one phase and the beginning of another. The key aspect of Yule is the spirit of hopefulness that the lengthening days bring, with their reminder of how much there is ahead to celebrate and enjoy.
Article 15: Setting up or joining groups
Article 15 of the UNCRC makes it clear that â like all people in the world â children and young people have the human right to freedom of association. This means that they should be free to:
- meet individual people and groups of friends,
- set up an organisation,
- join an organisation, and
- take part in peaceful protest.
The right to freedom of association is relevant when children and young people act as human rights defenders.
Nursery Trip to the Z-Arts Centre
I was absolutely delighted that the Nursery children had the opportunity to go out on a visit to the Z-Arts Centre this week. It can be daunting taking the youngest children out of school, but the staff have planned and managed the trip really well, and the children really enjoyed the show.
The children went to see Twinkle Twinkle, which is a heartwarming, adventure in melody and light, made especially for very young audiences for Christmas by an award-winning team of artists. The show features brilliant puppetry, magical interaction and a gorgeous original score.
Well done Nursery on your first trip of many to come!
At a time of hope and light entering the Christian world, we are now literally brighter in school this week. Using our efficiency grant, we have replaced all 135 lights with LED fittings. So not only is the school brighter, we should be saving thousands of pounds from our electricity bill, and therefore releasing more money to go on things more directly associated with the childrenâs learning.
Well, here we are at the final week of 2023 in school and it is probably one of the busiest. Carols on the playgrounds, nativity performances, Christmas dinner, Christmas parties, Carol Service and an early lunch on Friday before finishing at 1.30pm on Friday. It can be a challenge for the children (and the adults) managing all the changes in routine and excitement, but I hope everyone has an enjoyable and uplifting week before the 2 week break.
Have a peaceful and enjoyable weekend.
Thank you.
