St Pius X Catholic Primary School

  Today marked our final celebration assembly before the Easter break, and what a wonderful way to end the term!  The children took part in a fantastic Easter bonnet parade, enjoying the sunshine and music as they proudly showcased their creative designs. Each teacher had the difficult task of selecting a winner for their class, and we were amazed by the effort and imagination on display. Alongside the bonnet competition, we also announced the winners of the St Pius X PA fundraiser. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed - funds will be used to purchase school equipment.  Wishing all our families a joyful and restful Easter break! 🌷🐰✨

As part of our Easter celebrations in connection with DT we have been developing our sewing skills.  To begin we began playing with larger needles and threading them with wool. This was fiddly for us but we were all able to thread the needle. We then used wool to thread over the cross images to make some beautiful Easter gifts for our family.  We then went further with our DT skills and learn some more intricate stitch skills. We looked at how to complete a running stitch and a back stitch.  'I really liked doing sewing, now when I get home I want to do more.' - Anna  'It was fun doing something that I had never done before.' - Lisandra  The children were given a sewing grid to practise their stitch types. They were set the challenge to use the running stitch and back stitch to design a beautiful pattern using different threads.  'I enjoyed it even though I made a lot of mistakes.' - Noel 'My favourite stitch we learned was the back stitch as it has a reall...

Amazingly, all ten caterpillars have grown and now attached to the lids, creating their cocoon. In the next few days they will be transferred to the butterfly habitat (net) to complete their transformation. Hopefully the children will be able to see the butterflies when we return after Easter, before we release them!

Today we studied Van Gogh 's famous ' Starry Night' painting. We used observational skills, looking closely at the picture before comparing it to other artist's versions: "I can see buildings," - Jayan "The tree is big because it's closer and the buildings are further away so they are smaller!" - Ajooni "The sky looks like waves," - Alex "There is blue, white and yellow....there are different blues in the sky," - Olivia "There are dashes, " - Jessie "I can see a bit of green, " - Norah "I like the reflections," - Aisling "The houses are like pumpkins, they are glowing," - Cassius Then we experimented and practised using Van Gogh's trademark patterns, mixing blues, yellow and white. Look out for our masterpieces after Easter!

Mini Vinnies Meeting Today we had a very busy meeting. We wrote to Marie Goldman MP asking her if she would raise the issue of the temporary measure of government support given to refugees of 56 days to find permanent accommodation. We, as part of the SVP, have said that we would like to see this made permanent to give all refugees a hope of a brighter future, one that is safe and secure in knowing that they will not end up homeless. These are our ‘door hangers of hope.’   We sent these with our letter to our MP, they include some of our own promises on how we can bring hope to others. We have been in touch with a local nursing home and homeless charity and we will be meeting with them soon to see where we can help in our community with acts of kindness.  We will keep you posted!! In our next meeting we will be bringing our fundraising ideas!    We have a lot of great ideas so watch this space! Hannah Communications Officer

Wonderful Wisdom Club  Yesterday, Year 3 had a visit to our friends at The Wisdom Club, a local community club.  Over the years we have often visited the club and in that time we have made many friends. Year 3 had a wonderful visit, they sang some of their Easter Production songs to the members and then had a lovely time sharing some of their favourite work, such as Art, English, Maths and Science. There was lots of laughter and fabulous conversations between the different generations.   The Wisdom Club made the children so welcome and a great time was had by everyone!!  The children enjoyed the biscuits, drinks and sweets also!! We can't wait to visit again! The children said of their visit:; 'I found out one of the members was my First Holy Communion teacher,' said Ambrose. 'I liked talking to lots of different people and I really like singing.  When I showed a lady a picture of the earth in my book she pointed to where she used to live.'  (Florence)...

Today the girls’ netball team got to show off their new kits. It's been a long time coming but finally they were able to play looking fabulous in their new St Pius netball dresses. The hosts were Danbury Park Community school and the match was close throughout. The girls’ confidence shone from their warm up to the end whistle, unfortunately ending in a 6-4 defeat.  Grace, today's captain said,  "It was exciting and a close game. I am very proud of the team." A special shout out to Jessica who was voted players player by the opposition. "It was good that we scored lots of goals" Leeya "It was fun and exciting " Rina "It was very lovely when our team scored a goal" Emma "I scored!" Estera The girls communicated and supported each other well, with some great movement,  passes and shots at goal. Well done girls!! I am looking forward to the next match after Easter.

On Friday the Year 2 class represented St Pius at the Infant Music Festival at Christ Church in Chelmsford. They have been learning their songs, dances and lines for a few weeks for 'The Litter Muncher' performance, collaborating with other local schools on the day. Year 2 did fantastically well, adjusting to some last minute changes and rising to the challenge! Thanks to those parents who were able to watch and support.

This week the children had the chance to decorate their own gingerbread men. Using coloured icing pens they gave their gingerbread eyes, a mouth and buttons and all sorts of colours. They had to be careful not to mess up the icing as the gingerbread men aren’t too big so they had to be intricate with their decorating, whilst squeezing the tubes at the same time. The children took their time to make theirs as colourful as possible. They also had to be patient as they could only be eaten after lunchtime! “It smells like ginger “ Anishka “I’ve had a gingerbread house before” Noah “I’m going to put a bow tie and glasses on mine. Using the icing pens is easy.” Theodor “They are so cute” Aiden “My Daddy says, if it smells good it tastes good. These smell delicious!” Olive “My gingerbread man is so colourful” Coby This afternoon the children ate their gingerbread men and gave us the thumbs up! “It was soft and yummy” Chenai “It was delicious and yummy!” Urane Also last week we made some Mothe...

 This afternoon, Year 3 had the exciting opportunity to learn different cultural dances as part of their afternoon activities. It was a fun and engaging experience that not only allowed the children to discover new cultures but also provided them with a fantastic workout! At the end of the session, the children couldn’t stop talking about their favorite parts of the afternoon—whether it was mastering a tricky move or laughing with friends as they tried something new. It was clear that everyone had a fantastic time, and they left the session not only feeling more connected to different cultures but also with big smiles on their faces from the fun and fitness they’d experienced. That was so much fun but also a bit challenging Heavenly

  The latest edition of Youth Matters is out now!   Read the March 2025 Edition In this issue you will find:  An introduction to us: SEND and You SAY This edition's Hot Topic: Youth Views on Transitions Introducing: Listening Partnership Events and Useful Information

 Year 5 were tasked with the litter picking around school this week.  Each week, a different class has this responsibility. This is part of our whole school sustainability plan and also our 'Pilgrims of Hope' project across the school.  The children showed reciprocity as they worked as a team to help clear up our school grounds! Considering, Year 2 had done this last week - we were quite surprised with how much litter we found. This also encouraged us to think about making sure we are putting our own litter in the bin!  'I liked helping our environment.' - Ivy  'It was fun to do this, it was good to clean up our school.' - Cody 

Our English unit has concluded with Year 2 reading the fables they have written to the children in Year 1. After learning about traditional and modern fables, Year 2 set about planning their own 'story with a lesson.' They considered the characteristics of animals that might suit their story, such as a brave lion or a timid mouse. After editing their ideas and checking for accurate punctuation, exciting vocabulary and the all important 'moral of the story,' the children made their stories into a book!

On the 18th and 20th March, Year 3 and 4 perormed in the Easter production (Hosanna!). It was a roaring success and all the pupils did themselves proud. The singing was beautiful and enthusiastic, including a couple of excellent solos from Elodie and Jashryl. Year 4s really threw themselves into their acting and gave some brilliant performances. Together they really brought the Easter story to life. The Year 3s sang in the chorus while the Year 4s performed the roles. They both contributed to making and paiting the props.  Well done to both year groups, they should be very proud of themselves. 

WW2 Rationing and Baking As part of our ongoing study of the WW2 Home Front, the class explored the concept of rationing by creating a Pear Crumble using a WW2 recipe. The cooking activity allowed pupils to experience the challenges of cooking with limited ingredients while developing practical cooking skills. They enjoyed using various kitchen tools to prepare their crumbles, gaining a deeper understanding of wartime food rationing and its impact on daily life. Well done Year 6! 

  On Wednesday 18th March, Year 6 went on an exciting school trip to the Imperial War Museum Duxford. From the moment we arrived, we were surrounded by incredible aircraft, tanks, and exhibitions that brought history to life in a thrilling way. We started our visit with a guided tour of the WW2 aircraft where the children explored and then created documentaries about the WW2 planes. It was amazing to hear how these aircraft played a crucial role during wartime. We explored the Battle of Britain Exhibition, where we learned about the brave pilots who defended Britain during World War II. Seeing the planes they flew and listening to real stories of their experiences made us truly appreciate their courage and sacrifice. We also explored the Land Warfare Hanger and Ameri, where we saw tanks and military vehicles used throughout history. Walking through the recreated war trenches gave us a real sense of what life was like for soldiers on the battlefield. We also took a walk on Concorde!...

 This half term year 3 have been following the mighty oak programme, which aids the children in learning how to speak in front of an audience. The Mighty Oak Programme is a powerful tool for nurturing young public speakers. Through its supportive, interactive approach, Year 3 students gained confidence, improved their communication skills, and developed a love for speaking in front of others. Public speaking is a skill that will benefit them for years to come—whether they’re presenting in school, speaking to a group, or simply expressing their ideas clearly and confidently in everyday situations. As the children continue to grow, they will carry the lessons learned from the programme with them, becoming strong, confident communicators ready to face the world. I really enjoyed speaking in front of the class and using my helping hands -  Soriyah

  Join us at the SEND Roadshow in Chelmsford! Date:  Tuesday, 25th March 2025 Time:  Drop in anytime 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM (all ages) 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM (0-5 year olds) Quieter times:  Prefer a quieter visit? Pop in after 11:30 AM or in the afternoon. Location:  Hamptons Sports and Leisure, Tydemans, Beehive Lane, Great Baddow, Chelmsford CM2 9FH Cost:  FREE   What to Expect: Have questions about your child's needs and the best support available? The SEND Roadshow brings together a variety of professionals under one roof, including local support groups, education professionals, health teams, and social care teams. You can: access support and information understand the different services available discover local support, such as parent groups and inclusive activities attend free talks   Special Afternoon Session for Ages 0-5:  The afternoon is tailored for younger children, with interactive story times and activities run by Essex Libraries.  ...

 This week in Year One, our focus text has been 'Katie and the Sunflowers' . Miss. Flanagan brought a bouquet of flowers in to class and the students used watercolour paint to create an observational painting. We focused on colour mixing to dsicover secondary colours. Then, students wrote sentences describing the flowers using amazing adjectives! We linked this to our current IPC unit 'Green Fingers' as we are learning about the differences between garden plants and wild plants! Great work Year One! We have some amazing artists! "These are garden flowers. I know this because they were grown somewhere on purpose to be sold in a store" - Isla "I mixed red and yellow to make orange" - David "These are garden flowers, not wild flowers. You need to buy seeds to plant these types of flowers" - Catherine "Flowers grow in the spring. Some garden flowers can grow inside" - Mia "Wild flowers start to bloom in spring" - Gianni ...