Year 3 Pupil Led Liturgy

Year 6 RE Lessons - Prayer

Year 6 were learning about prayer in other religions (Islam and Hinduism). We compared it to prayer in our faith and discussed why it is important to us and for us.

Year 1 Prayer service

Year 1 were joined by Father Philip and our parents. We shared a prayer service based around pilgrims of hope. We had each decorated a footprint to show that we are following in the footsteps of Jesus on our journey in faith. We then laid this around our prayer area and shared our messages with each other.

Year 6 Liturgy and Prayer 

The children created shapes that they feel represented God.

Examples include:

Crosses

Crowns

Circles

Infinity signs

J for Jesus

M for messiah

Fish

Stars

KS2 Corridor Displays

Some lovely displays base don our half-termly Catholic Social Teaching (Years 4 and 5) and the children's favourite images of Christ (Year 6).

Jubilee Launch Day at St Joseph's - Pilgrims of Hope

The children and adults loved being part of the Diocese Jubilee Launch event at school. We are fanning the flame of hope, and thinking of how this Jubilee Year we can Pray, take part in Social Action and Fundraise! We all came together to watch the assembly as a whole school community.  

Jubilee logo artwork

Each class created their own interpretation of the Jubilee logo. Some even linked to the current style of their art topic such as pop art, weaving, pointillism etc. Please take a look at the slideshow below! 

The children enjoyed learning about the meaning behind the Jubilee logo, reading and praying the Jubilee prayer for schools, making our own class pledges and learning all about the symbolism that goes along with Luce - the Jubilee mascot. We have our own Luce in school (painted by the wonderfully talented Mrs Miles) to remind us that we are all Pilgrims of Hope! 

Luce has blue hair, blue eyes and wears a yellow rain jacket, which is coloured in reference to the flag of the Vatican City as well as a symbol for "journeying through life's storms". She carries a pilgrim's staff, which represents "the pilgrimage toward eternity", and wears mud-stained boots to represent "a long and difficult journey". Her eyes have highlights in the shape of a scallop shell, a traditional symbol of Catholic pilgrimage; her shining eyes were described as "a symbol of the hope of the heart". Luce also wears a multi-coloured World Mission rosary around her neck.

Simone Legno, Luce's designer, said that he hoped "Luce can represent the sentiments that resonate in the hearts of the younger generations".

Creative ways to pray - Our Prayer Stop

When we returned from our Christmas break, our Liturgy Leaders got together to think about how to design creative prayer stops to provide opportunities for spontaneous prayer. The children really enjoyed the origami activity and created a beautiful garden of Hope during their private reflections during the month of January. 

Year 6 Class Mass 

Year 6 celebrated a lovely class Mass with Father Philip. It was based on Family and Community, our Catholic Social Teaching for this half-term. The children read and sang beautifully and were joined by family members. A lovely way to start the new year together. 

Whole school Advent mass with parishioners and parents to celebrate the end of term and the season of Advent. The children sang and read beautifully.

Y6 children volunteered to sing at the Christmas Senior Lunch at the parish centre. They entertained the adults with their super singing, served the puddings and cleared away the plates and cutlery, all with smiles on their faces, spreading joy and love during this Christmas season. 

Whole School Advent homework for the season of Advent. Children and their families worked together to prepare and create one of our Advent homework activities. Together we are supporting and guiding each other in this time of preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ.

Child-led Liturgy in Y3. The children plan and prepare their liturgy and lead their peers in prayer and reflection during this season of Advent.

Adult-led collective Worship in Year Reception during the Season of Advent.

Children in Year Reception are introduced to the key vocabulary and symbols of Advent. 

Today we all wore purple (staff and pupils) to mark the very special season of Advent. We gathered together as a whole school to light the first candle on our beautiful Advent wreath and think about how we will prepare, stay awake and keep watch this Advent season.

Each Emmaus school has created a display to form our Advent journey. We absolutely love our offering! Take a look below. Can you guess what part of the journey we have?!

Catholic Social Teaching sharing assembly

Today we gathered together as Mr Wilkes and our children led us in a Catholic Social Teaching sharing assembly where each class spoke about how they have answered their ‘Big Questions’ about Stewardship and Dignity of the human person. Faith in Action!

Reception class learning about creating and doing activities in continuous provision

Parish Healing Mass

Year 6 were lucky enough to attend the Healing Mass at Our Lady and All Saints Church today where they got to observe the Sacrament of the Sick and people being anointed. They have been learning about the Holy Oils in school in preparation for when they will be anointed in Confirmation in January.

We joined together to show that it’s okay to be different and to stand up against bullying and discrimination during Anti-bullying Week by wearing our odd socks and doing lots of activities in class! 

Catholic Social Teaching link for this half-term: Dignity of the Human Person

"Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen."

Thank you to our wonderful Year 2 children for their amazing assembly today. They explained why we wear poppies and lead us in our Act of Remembrance.

Y3 Bible Group

The children led their first session of their EYFS and Y1 Liturgy today, linked to Sunday's Gospel and Jesus's message to 'Love one another'. The children were reverent and respectfully and the younger children loved learning the action hymn at the end.

Caritas Ambassadors

Our Call to Action for Stewardship of God's Creation

For our Autumn school action, the children noticed that lights were being left on in empty rooms around school, so they decided to create posters for under the light switches to help remind everyone to turn off the lights. 

“Creation is not a property which we can rule over at will; or, even less, is the property of only a few: Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude” Pope Francis

World Mental Health Day

Thank you to everyone who wore yellow and donated to World Mental Health Day. The children have enjoyed taking part in activities helping them to recognise the importance of caring for our mental health. Year 3 enjoyed playing "feelings charades"! 

Thank you to our families for their lovely feedback on our Harvest assembly.

"All the children were very well prepared and performed beautifully."

"The children spoke and sang beautifully. They looked joyful and confident. I really enjoyed it. Thank you!"

"Children looked very happy and spoke and sang confidently and clearly."

Thank you for the Harvest

Thank you so much to everyone who donated food, toiletries and money to support our Harvest festival, CAFOD and the local food bank! Year 5 did a wonderful job at their Harvest assembly too! They helped us remember to think about and support our brothers and sister who might not have their fair share around the world. 

Thank you for all your lovely feedback from our Y2 class mass.

"Well organised and intimate in the classroom. Father was very easy to identify with and good story."

"All went well. The singing and reading of all the children was beautiful. I’m very impressed."

"Intimate atmosphere and it was nice to see the children reading."

"It was lovely to be invited." 

"The children read beautifully and confidently. Father Philip made all feel welcome."

"The children read beautifully." 

Black History Month 

We have a lovely collection of books in the Key Stage corridor. Please speak to the Year 6 Reading Ambassadors if you would like to borrow one! 

Year 6 Stay and Pray

Parents and family members joined us for our Class Liturgy today focusing on the Rosary and taking time to pray. We made our own decade out of roses!

Mass Band

Our fabulous  new mass band are using their God-given talents to lead musical praise. We look forward to singing along with them at masses and assemblies.

The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary.

Mrs Mitchell and the Liturgy Leaders invite anyone who would like to join in with praying the Rosary in our Marian Garden each Wednesday in October. This week we focused on the Joyful Mysteries. 

"Hail Mary, full of Grace!"

Year 1 enjoyed a lovely prayer service with Father Philip and parents today. We listened to the story of creation and sang our praises to the Lord. The children then read out their prayers to thank God for his wonderful creation. 

Father Philip blessing our school and classrooms

We were so proud to watch our KS2 friends on the National Cafod Assembly, leading the key messages for the season of Creation to all the schools across the country. 

Our first mass of the new School Year was a wonderful occasion, with parents and parishioners joining us to pray for the year ahead and the birth of Mary, Mother to us all.

Parishioners and parents were keen to share what they loved about mass today...

"Lovely songs, lovely to see the children involved in the service."

"The children who took part in the readings and prayers did a wonderful job.
We were given a warm welcome!"

"The children were so respectful. Mrs Cangiano's guitar playing! The choice of music.
The children doing readings/ bidding prayers."

"Beautiful music and hymns, a really joyful mass and a lovely way to start the new school year with the children and staff."