What a super week we have had.

I have thoroughly enjoyed spending quality time with the children in a new club led by the children for the children. CAFOD Club is the newest addition to the school week, alongside a return of Reading Club and Chess Club. All of these are afternoon clubs but they are the discreet things that make our school run like clockwork.

Miss Taylor has been hiding a big tin from me since I started at St.Francis’ and I was horrified that its contents had not been put to good use-until yesterday!

Inside the tin are many different badges and pin badges for the children to wear. This triggered a discussion for even more new clubs and roles in school. Children are great organisers and they love to do it. Mr.Gilmour is going to arrange sports captains next week and I am excited to be giving more star awards out soon. Children have been creating posters and sign up sheets for the new clubs and I know they will be fantastic at running them. Our Welcome assembly was gorgeous. Year 6 led the assembly and Year 5 buddies gave out certificates to their buddies.

The school band were amazing this afternoon and we even had little Dingle Dangle Scarecrows, who sang and performed brilliantly. Well done to children in every year group and well done to readers. Year 5 prayers were wonderful. Thank you to all who donated cakes to sell for Macmillan Cancer Appeal and food donations. We will send the food to Ingol food bank soon.

Yesterday, I took two children to Our Lady’s Catholic High School for our annual Year 7 Welcome Mass. It was great to see the Year 7 children so settled and happy…I also saw staff and children from our small school cluster group. You may remember the Year 3 Open Air Mass we held at our school in 2015. We planned and led a whole day of activities based on Creation and then we had an open air Mass and invited children and staff from eight other schools. Our children still join together with the children from the other small schools. We had a day at St.Mary’s Lea Town not too long ago. This was to learn about world religions and we have plans for every year group to take part in joint trips throughout this school year.

We said a fond farewell to Mrs McDade today. We send our love, prayers and thoughts with her as she embarks on a new adventure in life. She will always be part of our St.Francis’ family.

Have a lovely weekend everybody.