"The ability to triumph begins with you.... Always!"

So many achievements…

What an exciting and eventful week we have had at Our Lady’s this week.

We have seen the children triumph in a variety of different areas and shine in all that they do. We are so proud of their wonderful achievements.

In particular over this last few weeks our amazing High 5 Netball squad have won strongly in 5 out of their 6 matches against other primary school teams. Huge congratulations to them and to Miss Dixon who has spent many weeks coaching the team!

We have also had a tennis coach who has worked with classes this term.

Following this, 4 children from Year 3 and Year 4 were chosen to represent Our Lady’s at a Blackpool tennis tournament. Lennon, Lila, Gabriella and Vinny all took part and won the tournament! Another amazing achievement and this means that the children will then have the opportunity to represent Blackpool at the Lancashire Year 3-4 Mini Tennis County Final 2019!

Our Winning Team!

This is due to take place on Friday 21st June in Preston. Well done to all the participants and we wish you lots of luck for the final in a few weeks time!

And the successes don’t even end there……

On Tuesday evening Blackpool Music Service held their annual ‘Pop Idol’ competition for singers from KS2 to KS4. Jessica from Year 6 went for a school audition and was chosen to represent Our Lady of the Assumption at the nail-biting final.

There was a lot of stiff competition. The standard of the singers was very high. We sat right until the end when the winners were announced…. and Jessica was awarded First Place out of all the Primary singers!

It was a fabulous night and huge congratulations to Jessica for a wonderful performance!

KS2 Pop Idol Winner 2019 with judges Ged Mills and Scott Gallagher

Shakespeare Ambassadors

Our wonderful Shakespeare Ambassadors went on a very important trip on Monday 20th May.

They were asked along with Ambassadors from the other Associate Schools to present some of the important work they had been doing in their schools to The Royal Shakespeare Company Education Leads at The Swan Theatre in Stratford. The children travelled down on a coach and, following their wonderful presentations to the Directors, they had workshops with some of the RSC Actors, a stage tour, a costume tour and a visit to Shakespeare’s Birthplace.

The Directors were delighted and amazed at their wonderful presentations and Mrs McVey and Mrs Ormerod were very proud of all the Ambassadors.

Well Done to you all!

Other News….

We held a KS1 ‘Bring a teddy to School’ Day yesterday - organised by Mrs Hodgkiss and our School Council.

KS1 children had a lovely day and have raised some money for the great cause of CAFOD. See the pictures on our ‘Pupil Voice’ page

Many of our Year 3 children are currently undertaking preparation to receive their First Holy Communion over the coming few weeks. Some children have actually made this exciting step in their faith journey and received First Holy Communion at Our Lady’s Church last Sunday 19th May. Others will receive the Sacrament at St Cuthbert’s Church and another group are receiving sacrament at Our Lady’s Church this coming Sunday at 10.30am mass.

We are so delighted for all of you and all of the children taking their sacraments at this time.

Half-Term

Just a reminder that we break up today for our half-term holiday. School will return at 8.45am on Monday 10th June. I’m sure this will be yet another very busy term as we prepare for the transition of the children to their next year group, prepare for our Year 6 children moving onwards to their new high school on the next stage of their learning journeys, and also get ready to welcome our new intake from September.

From September we will also have a few staffing changes in school.

Mrs Ormerod will be out of class undertaking a role of SENCo from September for a year. Miss Slater will be teaching Year 6 from September and we will be welcoming a new teacher for these next 12 months who will be teaching Year 4 from September. Her name is Mrs Cunningham-Kay and we are delighted to welcome her to Our Lady’s School Community.

We have further exciting events to look forward to in the next half term, including a Blackpool Spelling Bee, a choral speaking competition, our Lancashire tennis finals and lots more!

We wish you a lovely half-term and look forward to seeing you again on June 10th!

Charity Race Night - 10th May- tickets still available!

Please see poster for our up and coming Charity Race Night in aid of Amy Sanderson & family.

We still have tickets remaining. These are available from church, at the school office, or from any PTA members.

Hope you can come and join us for this wonderful event!

'For it is in giving that we receive...' (St Francis)

What a wonderful gift we have… to be able to give to others!

Our Lady of the Assumption has such a wonderful supportive community, who are always so willing to help and care for each other in difficult times. This has been particularly visible through everyone’s outpouring of love and support for Amy (Y1) and her family during the diagnosis and treatment of her illness.

Unfortunately Amy still has to undergo a long journey of treatment and her family are a real inspiration to us all in their positivity and deep faith - shown in the strength to continue with all they do.

We are therefore asking again, as a community, for us to continue to remember the family in our prayers and also to try to offer some support through a ‘fundraiser’ which has been organised.

Parishioners and PTA have come together to organise a ‘race night’ which will be a great social event for parents, friends and local community as well as a way to raise some much needed funds for Amy’s family.

You may have already seen the posters - or have been given a flyer (if not - please check your child’s bag!) with details of this wonderful event. It will take place in the school hall on Friday 10th May. Doors open at 6.30pm and first race will start at 7pm. Cost of a ticket is £5 and will include food, and entry to a prize draw.

It would be a lovely way to support Amy and her family and have a lovely evening too. Hopefully you can join us for this great event. Tickets are on sale at church and from school office.

“A little while longer "..and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.”

We come closer to the final week of Lent and as we break for Easter this week, the school remembers the Journey of Jesus on his darkest days.

We will join Jesus on his journey as we reflect upon, and put into words and images, the events of that first Holy Week. This begins with KS1 who show us the joy of that first Palm Sunday as Jesus rode into Jerusalem with the exuberant crowds following Him. The children will present their beautiful Liturgy in church this afternoon at 2.30pm.

Each remaining morning this week, our other classes will guide us upon a reflection of each day.

On Tuesday morning Year 3 will show us Jesus’ Last Supper with His Disciples.

On Wednesday morning Year 4 will show us the torment Jesus was in at The Garden of Gethsemane.

On Thursday morning Year 5 will depict the Crucifixion and death of Jesus - we will leave the hall in silence on this day.

On Friday morning Year 6 will lead us in a reflection of Holy Saturday and Jesus’ great triumph over death on Easter Sunday.

Each of the reflections begins at 9.10am in our school hall. You are very welcome to join us for these if you can.

Friday ‘Lenten Challenge Mass’

This Friday will be our final Lenten Challenge Mass. The mass is at 8.10am in our school hall.

It would be wonderful, if you haven’t been able to join us for any of our Masses during Lent, to try and come along to this final mass. Please do try and join us if you can! It would be a wonderful way to end our Lenten Journey together as a school community with parents, children, parish and wider community celebrating the Eucharist together before Holy Week.

Lent News

Friday ‘Challenge Mass’

Challenge Masses begin this week - Friday at 8.10am. We have given children the challenge to ‘do something extra’ during Lent this year. Please try and come along to mass for the next 3 Fridays - a great way to prepare ourselves for the final few weeks of Lent! We would love parents to be able to join us for these masses and a quick brew afterwards!

Mothers Day Tree Planting

On Mothering Sunday we will be getting together following 10.30am mass to ‘dedicate’ and plant a tree sapling on the school grounds. Come and join us at 11.30am for some tea/coffee, cakes (you can bring a spade/fork & your wellies too!) - you will be able to plant and dedicate a tree for Mum or someone special. Hope you can come and join us!

Lent Reflections

As we usually do, leading up to the events of Holy Week the children will be presenting their reflections on the events of the last days of Jesus before Easter.

Monday 8th April - Key Stage 1 ‘Palm Sunday’ Liturgy 2.30pm in church

Tuesday 9th April - Year 3 Last Supper reflection 9.15am - school hall

Wednesday 10th April - Year 4 Garden of Gethsemane reflection 9.15am - school hall

Thursday 11th April - Year 5 Crucifixion reflection 9.15am - school hall

Friday 12th April - Year 6 Resurrection reflection 9.15am - school hall (Challenge mass 8.10am in hall - parents can then stay for a tea/coffee before assembly)

Easter Break

A reminder that we break for Easter at 2pm on Friday 12th April. There will be no after school club on this day. We return to school after the Easter Break on Tuesday 23rd April at 8.45am

Parents: Some reasons why it’s worth having ‘that online-safety chat’

‘73% of pupils trust parents on online safety, but only 56% talk about it more than once a year’

‘2 in 5 pupils have never told anyone about the worst thing that has happened to them online’

‘But of those who did, 71% chose to tell a parent or carer’

There are constantly new sites apps, downloads, pop-ups etc which will target children (and adults) . Given the real threats which young people face online - it is more important than ever to be having regular conversations with your children about being safe and responsible and talking to you openly about their worries and concerns of items seen online.

SAFEGUARDING LINKS

BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47359623

Thank you for your support

"For it is in giving that we receive..."

In our last few days before the excitement of Christmas, it is worth spending some time reflecting upon the real ‘spirit of Christmas’ - the love that Christ brought to the heart of each one of us!

There is no greater way of seeing that than through our wonderful children - in seeing a child going to help a Reception child with their coat, helping and supporting each other if someone is finding work tricky, holding a door open for someone, or (my favourites!) hearing a ‘Good Morning’, or a ‘Thank You’, or a ‘You’re welcome’. These really are the gifts that Jesus brought us - and hopefully we can spread more of these good manners and good cheer everywhere we go this Christmas!

The children have really shown their understanding of the True Meaning of Christmas in the wonderful ways they have rehearsed and presented their nativities and concerts. They have made us all so proud!

I am also humbled by the way our whole school community has pulled together to support Amy and her family, during what must be an incredibly difficult time for them. You have all shown your love and care in so many ways and I know the family are truly astounded by all the love you have shown them.

We still have our Fun Run (Santa Dash) tomorrow morning from 8.45am (proceeds going towards Amy and her family/Christie’s Hospital) so we hope as many of you as possible can come to join us on our ‘dash’ around the school field (or KS2 playground - if it’s too wet!) The children are expected to come in PE kits for the day (Trainers definitely needed!) and can wear their Christmas jumpers over the top if they want to! Our PTA and Kitchen Staff are providing a ‘bacon buttie’ & hot chocolate for the children after their run and if parents can stay - their will be hot drinks on sale in the playground!

We have also been given 3 Christmas Food Hampers by St Bede’s… if anyone knows of any families who could make use of one of these, can you please let us know at the school office. They are there ready to be collected - so please take one!

A last reminder for our mass at 8.15am on Friday 21st December. This would be a wonderful way to come together to offer our prayers for Amy and her family and we will have tea, toast and mince pies after the mass - please come and join us if you can!

We will break up at 2pm on Friday 21st - and there will be no After School Club on that day. We return to school on Tuesday 8th January at 8.45am.

I wish everyone a happy, and joyful Christmas and New Year and my many thanks again for all your support.

M Haggerty

Advent - a time of reflection and hope.

We are now well and truly in the Season of Advent and have begun our preparations to receive Jesus into our hearts…

On Friday we had a beautiful morning of reflection and contemplation, where we all spent time with Jesus, preparing ourselves for his coming as a baby at Christmas.

We will continue with our preparations with an Advent mass each Friday morning for the next 2 weeks. These masses are meant to be a ‘challenge’ for us - to really stop and spend a while with Christ. The masses will begin at 8.15am for the next 2 Friday mornings in our school hall. Then we will have refreshments, toast and mince pies to enjoy following mass.

It would be wonderful for families to come and join us for these masses - a truly wonderful way to prepare for the Lord!

Come and join us for our Advent Masses…

Friday 14th December & Friday 21st December 8.15am in school hall.