I cannot begin to tell you the pride that I feel for everyone in Our Lady’s school community. Every one of you is a blessing and I am humbled to think that I have been just a small part of this wonderful place!

Every child I look at (and remember from years gone by) is, and has been, a real inspiration - in fact the quote below sums it up beautifully!

I have been humbled to know and work with every one of your children - past and present!

More goodbyes…

Last week our amazing Miss Benson - our music teacher, announced that she has been successful in her application for a full time music teaching position at Ripley St Thomas Academy. Ripley is a large school situated in beautiful grounds in the city of Lancaster. The school has a long and proud tradition. It is a very prestigious post Miss Benson will take up from September.

We wish her many congratulations on this wonderful new post, but tinged with sadness as we will be saying goodbye to a skilled, inspirational and much loved practitioner next week. Miss Benson has worked as a woodwind teacher at Our Lady’s for many years and both staff and children will be sad to bid her farewell. We do wish her every success in her new post.

School will have a new woodwind teacher from September and Miss Hope (who currently teaches some music to Reception class weekly) will be teaching weekly music lessons for all Key Stage 1 pupils from September.

End of year Leavers Mass

We will be holding our Leavers mass to celebrate our wonderful Year 6 pupils at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church at 9.30am on Tuesday 19th July and also to give thanks for God’s blessings on our whole school during this academic year.

Our Year 6 children will be leading this poignant mass and we will also be giving out our End of Year Golden Awards and our special Music Award to celebrate achievements throughout the school this year. It will be very special to be able to gather together as a whole school in this way once again. Families are very welcome to join us for this mass - but we ask that masks be worn by adults attending the mass on this morning.

PostedJuly 12, 2022

AuthorGuest User

“Each morning we are born again… what we do today is what matters most!”

Well, our last half term has begun… we have got off to a flying start with Year 6 off on their residential week to WaterParks Centre in the Lake District and many other classes beginning assessments to show the progress they have made in times tables, phonics etc; Following 2 years of lockdown chaos, this has been no easy task, but as ever, the children have risen to the challenges they have been given and have tried their best. We cannot ask for more!

We must first send congratulations to Mrs Murphy who gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl just at the weekend we broke for the holiday! Both mother and baby are doing really well! We also send all our love and prayers with Mrs Holden as she will shortly leave us for the birth of her baby. When this does happen, Miss Holmes (who has previously taught the class for several weeks) will step into Mrs Holden’s shoes and teach the children up until the end of the school year.

Caring for others…

Our Lady’s pupils always make us so proud with their care and support for each other and none more so than Evie and her sister Charlotte who, we have found out performed a selfless act for the benefit of the whole community.

Last year, Evie and Charlotte raised £400 for Highfield Road Park by having their hair cut and donating it to the ‘Little Princess Trust’.

The money has been used to fund 8 weeks of multi-sports on a Wednesday evening 5pm-6pm.

The club has now begun on Wednesday Evenings - and is completely free!

The girls did this so that everyone could have join the club so come on down and have a look (if you haven’t already!)

Well Done girls. An amazing thing to do!

A message from our new Headteacher…

Dear Parents,

We wrote to you last term to let you know that we had appointed a new Headteacher and promised to share further details.
We are now delighted to announce that from September Mrs Mannix will be taking over from Miss Haggerty.

Mrs Mannix joins us from her role as Headteacher at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Devon.
Please see below letter of introduction.

We hope that you join us in welcoming Mrs Mannix to our School family and Catholic community.

Best regards

Our Lady of the Assumption Board of Governors.

Dear Parents and families of Our Lady’s

I am looking forward to visiting before the end of the term and to returning in September as the headteacher of Our Lady’s.

I am an experienced headteacher who has worked across the South West in Catholic schools for the last 22 years.

I am someone who likes to be hands on; you will see me each morning as the children arrive into school and I will make time to know each of your children as individuals. I will spend time in each class base and work closely with stakeholders across school to ensure that I know what is happening, what is going well and what can be further improved.

I ensure that children feel safe and have the skills to flourish in their learning. It is also very important to me that children do not compare themselves and that each child feels valued and has a strong sense of their own worth. These are how we will know that faith values are truly alive in our school; each one of us is loved for who we are, and nothing can set us outside of God’s love.

I build and grow potential. I see my role as a support for what is going well and for what can be further improved. I won’t change things for the sake of changing things. I will watch, listen and ask a lot and I will be seeking to improve everything that can be improved.

I have continued to study and to develop my skills and the skills of all staff and will bring that enthusiasm and knowledge with me. I have had much success in building happy schools where children achieve well because of the skills and systems in place.

Having met with Miss Haggerty and the staff team and governors I feel honoured to have been selected as headteacher. I will work hard and smart with and for the children, staff and families of the school.

I very much look forward to meeting you in the autumn if not before.

Wishing you a very successful end to the term.

Yours sincerely,

Elaine Mannix

PostedJune 21, 2022

AuthorGuest User

Please take a look at this poster from Revoe Learning Academy. They are holding a coffee morning where local services will be there for both professionals and families to touch base, gain a greater understanding of services on offer and to access support should they need any help. RLA would love to welcome as many people there as possible.

Best wishes, Mrs Ormerod.

PostedMarch 24, 2022

AuthorGlynis Wilson

Like so many people this week, I have been BURSTING with pride at the achievements and efforts of the children at Our Lady’s.

Across school this week our amazing children have been expressing their unique talents and, most importantly, using them to serve, support and delight others’!

The week began with our Year 5 class who gave the most outstanding performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ on the Grand theatre stage on Tuesday 15th March. To say they were phenomenal was an understatement. They absolutely rose to the ocassion and both performances at 1pm and 6pm were outstanding.

Have a look at some more pictures on Y5 class news page

We then our fabulous Year 3 children who began their ‘Bits & Bobs’ pop up sale to raise money for Ukraine. Following a brainstorm with their teacher, the children had tried to think of ways they could try to help the poor families they had heard about on the news. Together they came up with an idea to make various items to sell to the rest of the school during the week and send whatever they raised to the Ukrainian Appeal.

None of us quite imagined how this would capture everyone’s hearts… and the children raised an incredible £655 by Friday.

We were so amazed at the children’s efforts we asked the Gazette to come and talk to the children about what they had done. They arrived on Friday and wrote a lovely and well deserved piece in the newspaper.

Read the whole article HERE.

And as if ALL of that wasn’t enough… we then had a wonderful treat on Saturday afternoon when many children from Our Lady of the Assumption performed together with Blackpool Symphony Orchestra at a spectacular concert at The Marine Hall in Fleetwood.

This was part of the Symphony Orchestra’s Centenery celebrations and they decided to showcase the wonderful musical talents of Our Lady’s children by a concert which highlighted a taste of the musical abilities of the children.

Our Year 2 children played glockenspiels beautifully to Ponchielli’s ‘Dance of the Hours’; Year 5 & Year 6 choir then sang the sea shanty “Wellerman” with the most amazing diction. The concert concluded with the school band playing alongside the orchestra to Copland’s ‘Hoe-down’ from ‘Rodeo’. The children were absolutely incredible and an absolute credit to their families and to our school. I must also give my heartfelt thanks to Miss Benson who rehearsed the children wonderfully for their performance - even writing the musical score for the whole orchestra for Wellerman. You are a star Miss B!

Thank you to all of the parents and families who came along to support them. It was a fantastic experience for all involved!

PostedMarch 20, 2022

AuthorGuest User

Here we are, at the beginning of another Season of Lent! I really think I am feeling my age as this seems to come around quicker every year!!!!!

The word ‘Lent’ is taken from the Anglo-Saxon and means ‘Spring’ or ‘Lengthening.’ Lent is that time of year when the days lengthen. The season begins on Ash Wednesday and culminates in the celebration of Easter. This coming Wednesday we celebrate Ash Wednesday. Key Stage Two classes will be attending the 9.30am mass in church where ashes will be distributed. Fr Frank will then come across to our school hall for a short Liturgy when our Key Stage One classes will receive their ashes.

Fr Frank and Fr Chris have produced a Lent Booklet which contains ideas for activities during Lent but also highlights the times of masses and services up to and including Holy Week and the Easter Triduum. Please have a look so that you know when and where these will be.

Family Music Concert

On Saturday 19th March 2022 we are delighted to have been invited to join the Blackpool Symphony Orchestra for their centenary celebrations.

BSO enjoys a special relationship with Our Lady of the Assumption RC Primary in Blackpool as their ‘Orchestra in Residence’.

Over the past ten years the orchestra has worked on a range of projects staging concerts in the school, joint performances in professional venues and opportunities for the school band to rehearse with the BSO music director. The orchestra rehearses on a weekly basis at our school, putting it at the heart of the community.

BSO's centenary concert plans for 2022 include a concert at Fleetwood's Marine Hall on Saturday March 19th, in conjunction with pupils from Our Lady of the Assumption, which is specially designed to introduce new audience members and youngsters, to the joys of live orchestral music.

Music will include highlights from Beethoven’s famous 5th Symphony , Mussorgsky’s Night on a Bare Mountain, 'Mars' from Holst's The Planets and many other classical favourites as we perform a joint concert with them at The Marine Hall in Fleetwood at 3pm on that day. (See the Gazette report HERE.)

For this concert we have children from Year 2 who will be playing their glockenspiels with the orchestra and also our Year 5 & 6 choir who will be singing a sea shanty with new orchestral pieces written by our own Miss Benson. We will then have our instrumentalists who will be playing alongside the orchestra.

Rehearsals together with BSO begin this week and we are all very excited for this event.

Tickets for the concert can be found at: Tickets - Wyretheatres.co.uk

‘Much Ado about Nothing’

As part of Our Lady’s work as a Lead Associate School with The Royal Shakespeare Company, Mrs Ormerod and Mrs McVey have produced some scenes with Year 5 for this years Shakespeare Playmaking Festival at The Grand Theatre Blackpool.

This is an amazing opportunity for the children as they get to perform scenes from Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ on the Grand Theatre Stage directed by an R.S.C. lead actor mentor.

We are all really excited to see what the children have produced.

You can book tickets HERE through Blackpool Grand Theatre website. Our Lady of the Assumption is performing at both 1pm and 6pm on Tuesday 15th March only. Other schools participating in the Lead Associate Schools Festival are performing on Thursday 17th March. The tickets cost just £10 for adults and £7 for under 18’s.

PostedFebruary 25, 2022

AuthorGuest User

Candlemas

Next week we celebrate ‘Candlemas’ or, the Feast of the Presentation on Wednesday February 2nd. It is a beautiful feast which reminds us, in the words of Simeon, that Jesus was born to be ‘a revealing light…’the glory of the peoples…’ For this reason, traditionally at least since the seventh century, candles have been blessed at Mass this day that will be used throughout the year, hence coining the term “Candlemas.”

The feast reminds us of our own baptism, where, we, too, received a lit candle from the paschal candle, at which the priest said, “You have been enlightened by Christ. Walk always as a child of the light and keep the flame of faith alive in your heart.” Therefore, as a light, each of us must bear witness to Our Lord. We must be the beacon that guides others to Christ.

How will you ‘Shine your light’ this week?

Our Year 2 children will be attending mass together on Thursday and I’m sure they will be showing their ‘shining lights’ to Fr Frank as he celebrates mass with them at 9.30am.

Half-Term Parents Meetings

We will be holding Parent Teacher Meetings again on MONDAY 21ST FEBRUARY 2022 - these will be held virtually, as they were in October. You should have received an email/text with the date, inviting you to book the time of your appointment slot. During these meetings your child’s teacher will be able to inform you of the progress your child has made as we come to the half way point in our school year.

If there are any difficulties in booking an appointment slot or you wish to ask any further information please do not hesitate to inform your child’s class teacher through the class email (yearx@our-lady.blackpool.sch.uk) or by informing the school office on 762833 or by email at admin@our-lady.blackpool.sch.uk.

Shakespeare News…

You may have seen in Year 5 class blog that the Year 5 children have been very busy this week exploring the Shakespeare play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’. The class will be putting together a performance of this play to be performed on the stage of the Grand Theatre! Mrs McVey’s class will perform alongside other associate schools across Blackpool and Wyre as part of the school’s role as Lead Associate school in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Grand Theatre. This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to work with R.S.C. practitioners and put all their acting skills to great use for this performance. We are all very excited for them and look forward to what they are able to produce with Mrs McVey and Mrs Ormerod.

Watch this space!

National Storytelling Week

This week is the start of National Storytelling Week and Blackpool Family Learning Team are hosting some lovely workshops which you and your children can participate in:

Storytelling Week event – Where the Wild Things Are story and puppet workshop

Thursday 3 February 4pm @ Central Library

Families can sign up in advance using the link https://bit.ly/FLStorytellingWeek There are also some further courses available:

Online workshops for parents to help to support children’s literacy and numeracy Free 90 minute workshops for parents from reception to Y6

Parents can sign up in advance using the link https://bit.ly/FLOnlineWorkshops

The Family Learning Team also have other really useful face to face courses which families can participate in. They are awaiting booking for these right now! You may find these helpful and details are on the posters attached or you can contact the team at: adult.learning@blackpool.gov.uk

Courses now booking include

Learn Together

Pirate Phonics

Family English

Family Maths

Family Cookery

For more info on any of the courses or to book a course for your families please get in touch using the links above.

Announcement…

I write to inform you that after nearly 20 years as Headteacher of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School, I will be retiring at the end of this academic year.

Looking back since I arrived as a new deputy headteacher in 2003, I have been privileged and humbled to work alongside such inspirational staff and Governors, and the learning community we have built together is filled with trust, openness and love. It is testament to the power of faith which has touched the hearts and minds of so many children, and continues to do so today.

I feel so very blessed to have spent the majority of my career and certainly my time as head teacher in such a beautiful, awe-inspiring community. Teaching has definitely been a vocation and I cannot thank God enough for bringing me to become a huge part of the family which is Our Lady of the Assumption.

This is a wonderful school. Staff are strong and we will continue to work together over the next 2 terms to ensure that every pupil achieves to the best of their ability. I can assure you that we are all completely focussed upon ensuring the very best for the children here and, whilst a change of Headteacher can be unsettling, the Governors and myself will be focussed on ensuring that we continue very much with ‘business as usual’, to provide the high standard of education that you, as parents, would expect from us. The commitment and passion of the whole team reflects the true service of our mission and shines brightest as it is challenged.

I look forward to seeing you at the various school events which we have taking place before the end of this academic year and I would like to thank you for the continued support of the school.

With kind regards

Miss M Haggerty

PostedJanuary 31, 2022

AuthorGuest User

Family Music Concert with Blackpool Symphony Orchestra

Next half term, we have joined together with Blackpool Symphony Orchestra to give our children a wonderful opportunity to showcase their musical talents in a concert together with the Symphony Orchestra.

The concert will be on 19th March at 3pm in The Marine Hall in Fleetwood. If your child will be participating in this event a letter will come out soon with further details.

Parent Teacher Meetings

Usually at February half-term, Our Lady’s would usually send parents a mid-term report on their child’s progress to date. As we have again had little opportunity to talk to parents due to risk assessments in school, we would like to hold another virtual ‘face-to-face’ meeting with all parents on our INSET Day - Monday 21st February.

This will give you all the opportunity to speak to your child’s class teacher and look together at the progress your child has made at this mid-way point in the academic year. It will also give parents and class teachers the chance to speak directly to each other about any questions/issues/worries either has regarding the children at this point in the year.

A link to book your time on this day will come out at end of this week.

Bikeability

Our Year 5 (and some Y6) children will be taking their ‘bikeability’ course next half-term. As most children who would be riding bicycles have undertaken (and passed) this course - a reminder that ALL people riding bikes to and from school should ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET to ensure their safety.

Many thanks.

PostedJanuary 26, 2022

AuthorGuest User

I can hardly believe that we have begun another year! Where does the time go to…? I sincerely hope that Christmas time and New Year was a happy time spent with families and appreciating all the gifts that we have been given (…and not simply the wrapped ones we received on Christmas Day) and I truly hope that 2022 brings you all happiness, peace and every blessing.

We have begun our new school term with eagerness and enthusiasm, following the example of the 3 wise men, following Christ’s inspirational light to lead us to all the possibilities of what we can achieve this year!

Attached is a presentation the children have seen in class this week, reminding us all of the new life and new possibilities Jesus offers us - not just this new year - but every day! You may want to watch it again with your family.

New Year - New You Assembly

Online Safety

I am also attaching January’s online safety newsletter for parents. This month it has some information regarding Fortnite and Tik Tok which will be useful to read.

Online Safety Newsletter

We hope you find these a useful resource to look at for latest information.

There is also a safety fact sheet which you may find helpful which gives further information about ‘Fortnite’s latest chapter (Chapter 3)!!!!! You can find this by clicking HERE

Human Relationships & Sex Education (HRSE)

HRSE Policy

A reminder to parents that Our Lady’s, as all schools, Relationships and Sex education (RHE) became compulsory in 2021 as part of our Personal, Social, Health and Relationships education curriculum. You can see from the policy and our vision that this teaching is rooted in our unique Catholic identify - it is called HRSE (Human Relationships and Sex Education as directed by the Lancaster Diocese). We recognise that as parents you are the first educators and through working in partnership together we can support children as they grow to be the ‘best versions’ of themselves.

OUR VISION for HRSE…

“At Our Lady of the Assumption, we are inspired by Jesus to be the very best we can be. We look after one another and show respect and love through our relationships with one another. Jesus is invited into our hearts. In the Beatitudes, Jesus invites us to lead a full life with him by explaining what makes people blessed or happy. This is about understanding how loving our neighbour enables us to be happy too. Therefore, having a good relationship with ourselves and the other people in our lives makes us grow and flourish, and we respect that everyone is a unique and beautiful part of God’s creation. We are all children of God, called to grow in love for him through the person of Jesus Christ and to spread the Good News through the action of the Holy Spirit”

The button below takes you to a comprehensive guide to the materials we will be using (Ten Ten) and how our vision as a Catholic school is embraced.

Ten Ten 'Life to the Full’ Parent Consultation/Tool

When you click on the buttons (above & below) you will be asked to join the school portal:

Our Username is: ol-assumption-fy4

Password: fish-chips-5

Ten Ten parent Portal - All programmes of study

As a school we have taken the decision not to teach the sex education parts of the programme, but understand that children will have questions related to this topic. We will teach puberty as a stand alone lesson when pupils are in Upper KS2 with the support of our school nurse. We will inform parents when this will take place. As you will see any lessons which discuss body parts, plant/animal reproduction, or life cycles are directly taught through science.

The information is here for your reference. As with any curriculum area, if there are any questions your child’s class teacher will be happy to discuss class curriculum coverage with you.

Latest COVID guidance…

COVID-19 infection rates are very high and the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly. Infection rates in the North West are now among the highest in the country. It is therefore vitally important that we all take steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection in the community to save lives and protect the NHS.

‘Quick Reference’ guide…

Covid Symptoms

· a new continuous cough — this means coughing a lot, for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours

· a high temperature

· a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

What to do if your child has symptoms

If your child develops any of the COVID symptoms above or tests positive on a Lateral Flow test please do the following:

¨ Keep them at home and do not send them into school. Call school as soon as possible to inform us of your child’s absence and the date of the test.

¨ Organise for them to have a PCR test as soon as possible and if that test is positive your child should remain at home. The isolation period includes the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you do not have symptoms), and the next 10 full days.

¨ People who live in the same household as someone with COVID-19 can also take a PCR test, as they are at higher risk of being infected even if they do not have symptoms. DfE

¨ If the test is negative and your child is not poorly they can return to school. Check if you and anyone else your child lives with need to self-isolate.

Whilst awaiting the PCR result, the child should continue to self-isolate. If the PCR test is taken within 2 days of the positive lateral flow test, and is negative, it overrides the self-test (LFD) test and the child can return to school, as long as the child doesn’t have COVID-19 symptoms. (DfE)

Changes from December

You may be able to end your self-isolation period before the end of the 10 full days. You can take an LFD test from 6 days after the day your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you did not have symptoms), and another LFD test on the following day. The second LFD test should be taken at least 24 hours later. If both these test results are negative, and you do not have a high temperature, you may end your self-isolation after the second negative test result.

To further reduce the chance of passing COVID-19 on to others however, if you end your self-isolation period before 10 full days you are advised:

· to limit close contact with other people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces

· to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and where you are in close contact with other people

· to limit contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19

· to follow the guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread

But are able to return to work/school taking sensible precautions.

You should however, follow this advice until 10 full days from when your self-isolation period started.

Visual examples of when to end self-isolation if you have had COVID-19 symptoms or have received a positive COVID-19 test result

Remember - always err on the side of caution to help to protect everyone in our community.

Parent Governor Vacancies

Our Lady’s Governing Board currently has vacancies for two parent governors. Being a governor can be very rewarding, do not worry if you have no experience in education matters as training and support are available from Blackpool Governor Services and your colleagues on the governing body.

Have you thought about becoming a Parent Governor?

Becoming a Parent Governor offers you the opportunity to make a contribution to the life and work of our school. Governors play a key role in the leadership commitment of the school and work together with the headteacher, staff and other governors to ensure that Our Lady’s provides a challenging and supportive environment for our children.

Who can be a Parent Governor?

All parents and carers of registered students are eligible to become Parent Governors. Every parent, whether or not you live with the student, is entitled to be nominated as a Parent Governor and to vote in a Parent Governor Election. Someone who has parental responsibility or day-to-day care of a student is also eligible to serve and to vote.

Parents/carers who have paid employment in the school or who are elected members of the Local Authority are not eligible to stand in these elections.

How long do Parent Governors serve for?

The usual term of office is four years from the date of appointment with a review meeting after the first year. If you choose to, you can complete your term of office even if your child has since left school.

How are Parent Governors nominated and elected?

If you would like to put your name forward please complete the nomination and application forms and submit a statement stating why you would like to be a governor (no more than 250 words). If more than one nomination is received, an election will be held and the ballot papers for this will be sent to all parents and carers.

If you are interested and would like to find out more, then why not contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Parent Governor nomination form

Finally…

On Thursday I joined our Year 3 & Year 4 children to celebrate the Epiphany with the parish; what a lovely way to renew and invigorate the soul. Fr Frank even taught us some Japanese! (ask your child about that one!) Father made us all think about how we are each using the gifts God has given us to be the very best that we can be; real food for thought. The Wise Men followed that star to find God’s true gift, that miracle in His only son. Like them, we have to find our way to Christ and we can only do that by spending time in His presence and discovering Him in the face of others.

Our Yr 3 & Y4 children were so reverent and prayerful and being with them for this lovely mass, was such a delight – thank you children! The only sad part of this lovely experience was that the rest of the school were missing… we normally all celebrate this feast day together as a whole community.

Despite the rain, wind and freezing temperatures, the children have returned with such enthusiasm and have engaged straight away with learning. It is uplifting to see such focus and problem-solving going on already and a real thirst to find out more.

I wish you all a safe and happy weekend…. whatever the weather may bring!

Miss Haggerty