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The Sign of the Cross

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  Catholics believe the cross is a symbol of Christianity Over the past two lessons, Year 1 have been exploring one of the most important symbols in the Christian faith: the cross . The children have approached this learning with curiosity, respect, and lots of enthusiasm — and we’re excited to share what they’ve been discovering. ✝️ Lesson 1: The Cross as a Christian Symbol We began with an I Spy Cross Hunt , looking closely at photographs to spot where crosses appear in everyday life — on churches, jewellery, buildings, artwork, and even in unexpected places. The children loved finding hidden crosses and talking about why they might be there. Learning the Sign of the Cross We introduced the Sign of the Cross , a short prayer Catholics say often. The children learned the simple movements: forehead chest left shoulder right shoulder And the words: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” We explained that this prayer reminds Christians of the Trini...
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Reception- Acts of service

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 Due to all the rain, the weeds and grass in our outdoor area were getting uncontrollable! We decided to get our scissors out and trim all the weeds and grass.  The children all worked together cutting and pulling the weeds out. We added them to our mud kitchen boxes for us to use throughout the day in our cooking.  Not only has this helped to keep our outdoor area tidy, but the children were building their fine motor skills when using the scissors, and building their bigger muscles when pulling the weeds out.  Great work Reception! 'This one is ginormous'- Logan  'Watch me pull this out the floor'- Johaan 'These ones are sticky'- Elaina  'We need to keep the area tidy'- Gideon  'We can't pull out the flowers, we need to let them grow'- Ethan 
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World Cultural Diversity Day organised by The Mini Vinnies

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 On Friday 22nd May 2026, we The Mini Vinnies celebrated World Cultural Diversity Day.  We asked children and parents if they would like to present some interesting facts about their culture and share any traditions,  photos, powerpoints and cultural clothes at our assembly that we held.  We had a lovely time, because everyone got the chance to learn more about so many different cultures.  We could not have done this without the help of some our parents who so kindly gave up their time to come and share their culture with the school in the assembly, Mrs Kenning - Spain, Mrs Prasanna - India, Mrs Stepegeu - Romania and Mrs Tumber who went over and above by arranging for these fabulous parents to come to the school and they put together a powerpoint to present.  Mrs Tumber also brought in clothes for the younger children to try on and musical instruments to play.  We all learnt so much about different cultures, traditions, food and dancing. This was such...
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Mission Accomplished: Year 5 Become Secret Agents to Explore South America!

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To introduce the continent, the children were transported into the world of international espionage. Working in teams, their first task was to establish their identities. We had some brilliantly creative agent team names such as ‘The mappers’ and ‘The Geography gang’.  The Mission: Unlock the Key Words The agents were handed a series of top-secret clues, but the answers couldn't be found on a screen. Instead, the children had to rely on their trusty tool: the atlas . To "crack the code" and unlock vital keywords linked to the continent, the teams had to successfully navigate and investigate: The Hemispheres: Discovering exactly where South America sits on the globe. The Surrounding Seas: Mapping out the massive oceans that border the continent. The Major Countries: Identifying some of the largest countries hidden within South America’s borders. It was wonderful to watch the children supporting each other, dividing up the clues, and cross-referencing their atlas indexes...
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Year 5's 'The Explorer Exhibition'

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As a culmination of our English work last term, we recently teamed up in groups to create an epic ‘Explorer Exhibition’ . The goal was to take everything we’ve learned from our class book and bring it to life in a creative, interactive way. The Explorer Exhibition wasn't just about recapping the plot; it was about digging deeper. Each group was tasked with diving into three main areas: The Main Themes: We explored the big ideas hidden within the pages—things like survival, friendship, resilience, and the beauty of discovery. Character Evolution: Characters don’t stay the same, and we tracked how our favorites changed from the very first chapter to the final page. It was fascinating to map out their growth, their struggles, and how the journey transformed them. Key Learning Points: We also looked at the bigger picture, connecting the book to the wider lessons we’ve tackled across the term. To make sure everything ran smoothly, every single member of each group had a specific role...
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Year 4 - London Trip

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 On Friday, the Year 4s had a fantastic day in London. We caught from the train from Chelmsford to Liverpool street and then went to Tower Bridge via the Tower of London. The Children were amazed to see both these sites and really enjoyed crossing the bridge and getting to look over the edge. We stopped next to the bridge for a snack and a break.  We then walked past some of London's famous sites to the Globe theatre. When we got there, we had a fantastic tour from our guide. She took us through the theatre and explain the history of the place and how played worked. We even got to see some of the actors warming up for their afternoon performance.  We then went across the street to their practice studios to do an acting workshop based on the characters of Macbeth. We went through different moments and poses for the different character. Our guide then took us through some games to build up to acting out the confrontation between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth.  After sitting...
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Reception- Culture Day

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 Miss Lowry along with the Mini Vinnies organised an amazing cultural day for the school. We learnt about the different traditions, clothes, food and dance of countries all around the world. We were very lucky to be able to hear from parents in our class about their home countries and traditions.  The children then learnt different dances from each country and got to practise around the hall, having so much fun!  Finally, the children were invited to explore different clothes and musical instruments from the countries. They loved dressing up and getting the opportunity to explore the different cultures.  Thank you to Miss Lowry, Mini Vinnies and the parents involved who made the workshop a great success. 
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🔥 The Great Fire of London - Year 2

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🔥Fire blazing 🔥 smoke billowing 🔥people panicking! Year 2 set the scene today by reenacting the Great Fire of London. First the recalled the main events using relevant vocabulary. Then they wrote key words on their own 'flames.' In the hall, they acted out the embers burning in the bakery before the fire spread across the city. People had to fetch buckets of water from the Thames!  The Mayor was less than helpful, denying them the use of fire-hooks. Samuel Pepys rowed across London to inform the King.  The wind and the wooden houses meant the fire spread quickly! It was chaos! Lots of buildings were damaged. Eventually the wind died down and the fire stopped. Back in class, they wrote a summary of the main events.  Next we will be making comparisons between London then and now, and considering what impact the Great Fire has had on society today.  Well done Year 2!
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Year 6 Learn CPR

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 Today, Year 6 took part in the BHF Revive School Training Programme, where they learnt valuable life-saving skills and the importance of acting quickly in an emergency. Throughout the session, the children explored the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack, and learnt how to respond safely if they discover an unconscious person who is not breathing. They also practised how to make an emergency call, work together as a team, perform CPR safely, and use a defibrillator confidently. The programme gave pupils the opportunity to develop important practical skills that could one day help save a life. Well done, Year 6, for your excellent participation and teamwork throughout the training. Scan this QR code to practice at home!
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Read for Good - please nominate us!

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As our friends at the charity Read for Good® will tell you, it's well established that reading for pleasure leads to significantly better outcomes for children – boosting academic performance, enhancing wellbeing, and fostering vital life skills like empathy. But reading for pleasure is in decline. In 2025, just 1 in 3 children and young people aged 8 to 18 said they enjoy reading in their free time* – a sharp drop over the past two decades. At the same time, the work Read for Good® do in schools shows that many school libraries are underfunded, outdated, and filled with books that fail to engage today's readers. Children who rely most on school libraries are often those most likely to be missing out. It's time to #rebuildthelibrary. Our annual prize draw is back to give five schools across the UK and Ireland the chance to win £1,000/€1,000 in National Book Tokens and fill their shelves with new and inspiring books. Nominate a school using the form below , and if yours i...
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Super Cyclists in Year 5

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Some of Year 5 have been lucky enough to participate in this Year's Bikeability workshops.  Over two exciting days, the children developed confidence and acquired new skills for cycling safetly on the roads.  They took part in safety workshops in the school grounds and then moved this into the local area - learning how to cycle safely on roads.  'We learned about the primary and secondary positions. The primary position is in the middle of the lane, not allowing cars to overtake you. The secondary position is near the kurb but not too close - allowing cars to over take you.' - Oscar  'We learned the ABCD of cycling. A - Air - making sure your tyres are pumped. B is breaks - ensure they are working. C is chain - make sure it isn't rusty and D is Direction - make sure the wheels are facing the right way.' - Angel  'We learned how to do U-Turns and signals when we were riding on our bikes.' - Elsa  'We learned that it's illegal to ride your bike on ...
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The Butterfly Lion in Year 3

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  Year 3 have been thoroughly enjoying reading the wonderful book The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo . Throughout our lessons, the children have been developing their VIPERS reading skills, helping them to become thoughtful and confident readers. Recently, the class focused particularly on the “Predict” skill. The children used clues from the text, character actions and illustrations to make sensible predictions about what might happen next in the story. To make this even more exciting, we introduced our very own “Predict-o-meter”! The children loved using the Predict-o-meter to show how confident they were in their predictions and to explain the evidence behind their ideas. I can't wait to hear how the book end, I hope it's a happy ending Cassius
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Reception- Visiting Blessed Sacrament

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 On Wednesday, Reception class took a walk down to Blessed Sacrament to see our learning in real life. We have been learning about the features within a church and were kindly welcomed by Father Paul and Clare into the church for a look around all the features. The children spotted the pews, altar and cross and found statues of Mary and Joseph.  'Joseph is holding the tools because he did building'- Grace Back at school, the children had the opportunity to 'fix' the church, by placing all the special features in the correct places, as well as labelling key features.  The children had a great time and loved being able to see their learning in person. A big thank you to the parents who were able to support us on the walk, as this would not have been possible without extra adults. 
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Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshows

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  The Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshows for parents/carers are just a few weeks away.  Please see below where they are taking place this term.     Date/time Venue South Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshow  – Monday 15 June – 9.30-12.30pm The Mill Arts and Events centre, Mill Hall, Bellingham Lane, Rayleigh, SS6 7ED Mid Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshow  – Wednesday 17 June – 9.30-12.30pm Silver End Village Hall, 3 Broadway, Silver End, Witham, CM8 3RQ North East Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshow  – Monday 22 June – 9.30-12.30pm Venture Centre,  2000 Bromley Rd, Lawford, Manningtree, C011 2JE West Essex SEND Local Offer Roadshow  -  Wednesday 1 July – 9.30-12.30pm Foakes Hall, 47 Stortford Road, Dunmow, CM6 1DG   The roadshows are all drop-in events and children do not need to have any sort of diagnosis for parents/carers to attend.
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Celebrating Year 6’s Hard Work and Resilience!

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This week, our amazing Year 6 pupils showed incredible determination, resilience and positivity during their SATs. We are so proud of the hard work and effort they have put in throughout the year, and especially during this important week. Their focus, perseverance and attitude have been truly inspiring. To celebrate all of their hard work, we spent the afternoon enjoying some well-deserved activities together. The children took part in football games, worked creatively to build a LEGO diorama inspired by The Nowhere Emporium , and enjoyed a delicious ice cream kindly provided by the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP). It was wonderful to see everyone relaxing, smiling and celebrating their achievements together after such a busy week. Well done, Year 6 — you have all been fantastic!
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🎨 Year 1 Art — Exploring Pastel Techniques to Help Our Earth!

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  🎨 Year 1 Art — Exploring Pastel Techniques to Help Our Earth! This week in Year 1, the children became real artists as they explored a range of exciting pastel techniques . We began by looking closely at how artists use colour and texture to bring pictures to life. The children experimented with: Blending – gently smudging colours together to make soft skies and smooth backgrounds Pointillism – using tiny dots to build up colour and texture Small strokes – perfect for fur, feathers and grassy areas Long strokes – great for waves, trees and bold shapes Layering – adding colours on top of each other to make richer tones Drawing and outlining – keeping shapes clear and confident The classroom was full of colour as the children practised each technique on scrap paper, discovering how different marks can change the mood and feeling of a picture. After exploring these skills, the children applied them to their own “Save Our Earth” and “Protect Our Wildlife” artwork. Using the ...
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Celebrating Sir David Attenborough

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On Friday 8 th  May the children celebrated Sir David Attenborough's 100 th  birthday! As one of our role models for our school value of service, we marked this occasion by wearing something green to school.  It was lovely to see so many children and staff take part. Eden Oasis led workshops for each year group and showed the children a variety of animals, teaching them some interesting facts about their habitats. Animals included a huge snake, a tiny armadillo and a tortoise! This was definitely the highlight of the day, as lots of excitement could be heard from the Hall! Each class also completed their own wildlife themed activity, from drawing portraits of Sir David to paint dye butterflies, scavenger hunts, habitat art and fact files. Year 6 are designing their own wildlife website which is fantastic! Even the music during lunchtimes 'Fun Friday' on the playground were all animal themed! Overall it was a great day and I hope that some children have been inspired by Si...
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🎵 Playing instruments - Year 2 🎵

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🎵Today Year 2 had a chance to use the glockenspiels to play along to a familiar piece of music - 'Count on me' by Bruno Mars. They learnt about the musical notes A-G and how the notes repeat. Then they took turns to practice playing the scale, and then the specific notes that would play along with the music (which were C-E-G-B-E-G).  They were quite accurate and kept the beat well, so it made a rather lovely sound when they played together!
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Incredible Art in Year 5 for David Attenborough

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Year 5 enjoyed celebrating David Attenborough on Friday - our school representative for the value of 'Service'.  Mrs Wiseman had planned a fun filled day for the whole school involving an animal workshop which they loved!  Along side this, each class completed their own pieces of work to commemorate his 100th birthday. Year 5 chose to complete some pencil sketches using shading to complete a half portrait.  The results were absolutely outstanding! The children took time to think carefully about the proportions of the face, to blend carefully and to choose different stengths of pencil to create their desired effect. They worked meticulously on the details and I am sure you will agree the results were phenomenal!  'You need to really concentrate to shade in the right places.' - Nicola  'Getting the symetry was hard, but, after you have an outline you can shade inside.' - Emil Nicola Emil Jashryl  Nathan Elsa  Janae  Harry  I will be posting som...
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Reception- RE learning

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 This week in RE, we have continued learning the story of Pentecost. The children worked together to act out the story starting from when Jesus died on Good Friday.  We waved our arms above our heads to represent the wind, twinkly fingers to represent the fire and then practiced speaking in different languages.  The children then went around to each other to share the news of Jesus and his miracles.  'This is the Holy Spirit'- Nina  'It's a miracle'- Ethan  'Jesus is the God of life'- Valentina 'It was a miracle, he resurrected and then ascended'- Elijah 
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Celebrating David Attenborough in Year 1

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  🌿 Celebrating David Attenborough in Year 1 (Marking his 100th Birthday!) Over the past two weeks, Year 1 have been completely immersed in the wonderful world of Sir David Attenborough as part of our English learning. Using Little People, Big Dreams: David Attenborough as our focus text, the children have explored his life, his love of nature, and the incredible work he has done to protect our planet. It has been a joy watching the children learn about someone who has inspired millions of people — young and old — to care for the natural world. 🌍 Learning All About David Attenborough Through pictures, discussions, and simple research, the children have discovered: Who David Attenborough is Why he is such an important figure How he has helped us understand animals and their habitats Why looking after our planet matters They have been practising their reading, writing, and speaking skills by creating fact files, writing sentences, and sharing what they have learned with their fri...
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