Dear Parents and Carers,
This week has flown by with only 4 days due to the bank holiday!
To celebrate May, the month of Mary, Year 1 led a beautiful Marian liturgy for the rest of the school on Tuesday afternoon. They shared a joyous, sung echo version of the Hail Mary with us. The rest of the school complimented them on how confidently they spoke, how they enjoyed the information they shared with them about Mary and how lovely their singing was! They gave each class a flower made with recycled paper to take back to their class prayer tables.
We have an increasingly large amount of lost property in school that is unnamed. Please check your child’s clothes are named so that they find their way back to you – if you use name stickers – are they still on? Please help us by encouraging your child to take responsibility for their belongings.
Next week is SATs week for our Year 6 pupils, and we would like to take a moment to celebrate just how hard they have worked to get to this point.
To our Year 6 children: we are incredibly proud of you. You have shown determination, resilience and maturity throughout the year. SATs are just an opportunity to show what you already know — they do not define you or all that you can do. Do your best, take your time and remember that we are all quietly cheering you on.
To our parents and carers: thank you for the encouragement and support you give at home. A calm start to the day, plenty of rest and reassurance will make all the difference. Please remind your child that these tests are only one small snapshot of their learning and that they are valued for so much more than test results.
We will ensure the week feels positive, calm and supportive, with familiar routines and staff on hand to encourage the children throughout. By this time next week, it will all be behind them!
Well done, Year 6 - we believe in you! 🌈✨
On Tuesday, St. David’s class (reception) are leading a Collective Worship for the whole school and their families at 2.45pm. Do come along if you can.
Then, on Thursday, Year 3, 4 and 5 will be joining the Parish for Mass to celebrate the Ascension.
God Bless,
Mrs. O’Donovan
Learning in school
Reception
In Reception Class we had a visit from some aliens! The children enjoyed investigating the incident and hunting for alien words around the class. We also had some very messy 'alien goo' to explore. This activity generated a lot of excitement and lots of fantastic, independent reading and writing; we hope that the aliens will come back to visit us again soon.
Year 1
In Year 1, we finished our unit on animals by pretending we were Jane Goodall and going out into the 'wild' to observe chimpanzees and their behaviours. Of course, we had to make our own binoculars first! We have continued our science learning by examining plants all the way down to their roots, labelling all the parts as we studied them. In writing, we made our own 'alien' words poem as a class. We created our own Dr Seuss-style characters and hid around the classroom before writing a rhyme about our character and location - there was a wesk under the desk and a wenpot in the penpot! For the full version, Year 1 have proudly displayed their book in the library.
Year 3
Year 3 have had a busy half term, working hard on their overall presentation, in all subjects. Year 3 thoroughly enjoyed the 'Light and Shadow' investigation. They investigated how the distance of a light source affects the size of a shadow. As a follow-up activity, Year 3 worked their socks off and wrote some excellent letters in the role of scientists to KS1 explaining the investigation and their knowledge of the topic. This week in Maths, children were investigating capacity.
Year 5
In Science, year 5 have been working in teams to explore how to make a strong catapult that moves an item the furthest distance. They displayed great teamwork skills and worked together to problem solve.
Year 6
This half term's RE learning began with Year 6 preparing speeches to debate the question, 'Was the trial of Jesus of Nazareth conducted fairly?' The children spent time going through the facts of Jesus' trial and explored where some of the laws of the time were broken, both by the Jewish leaders and by Jesus himself. This led to some very interesting speeches! Their hard work culminated in a mock trial with a judge and jury who (after much deliberation) determined that the trial was conducted unfairly. Well done Year 6 - we were very impressed by your enthusiasm and well-written speeches.
Safeguarding - Online Safety
This week’s Wake Up Wednesday focuses on supporting neurodivergent children navigate the online world. Neurodivergent children are often drawn to technology, so early, supported experiences online are key. This guide explores how adults can model positive digital behaviour, set age-appropriate limits and create open, judgement-free conversations about online safety. It also highlights the importance of balancing screen use with offline activities to support wellbeing and development.
It also unpacks emerging challenges, including AI-generated content and the blurred lines between real and simulated interactions. With clear, practical advice on boundaries, critical thinking and safe communication, this guide helps educators and families build confidence in supporting neurodivergent children to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.
Attendance
On Wednesday, the Inclusion Officer from the local authority was in school to look at school attendance data. Raising our attendance and decreasing lateness continue to be targets for us.
Please remember:
We were really pleased to see we had 99% attendance on Thursday – can we reach 100%?
School Development Fund
Free Year 1 and 2 Girls Sports Event at St. Catherine’s in Bramley
Join us for a morning of multi-sports fun! Get active and develop agility, balance and coordination while making friends. This event is specially tailored for Year 1 and 2 girls who are excited about sport and keeping active.
Join us on Friday 22nd May 2026, from 9.00 AM to 12 PM at St Catherine’s Prep School. Enjoy a day filled with multi-skills activities, fun races and new challenges. An excellent opportunity to learn in our beautiful grounds.
To reserve your spot today, please complete the booking form here https://forms.gle/c431Zuyg413HMpfZ7 or via the QR code on the attached flyer. Don't miss out on this fantastic FREE opportunity to enjoy a morning of multi-sports!
Our Club Leader is Lisa McGuigan, Prep Director of Sport.
