Reminder - School will be closed next Friday, 14 February, as it is an Inset Day.

Message from Mrs Brocklesby

Following the Catholic School Inspection which took place at St Wulstan’s Catholic Primary School on 16th and 17th January 2025, I was delighted this week to share the report. The Catholic School Inspection superseded the Section 48 Inspection from 1st September 2022 and is a much more stringent inspection.
We are delighted that St Wulstan’s secured a ‘Good’ judgement for overall effectiveness, an Outstanding judgement for Catholic life and mission and Good judgements in Religious education and Collective worship.
It is wonderful to read so many positive comments about our school in the report, such as:

‘Pupils willingly embrace their responsibilities to help others and state that, ‘as disciples of
Christ, we try to reach as many people as possible.’

‘Staff describe the school’s mission as ‘infectious’ and are fully committed to its
implementation and the school’s work in the local community.’

‘Attainment in RE is at least in line with core subjects and often exceeds them.’

‘Staff are committed to the school’s prayer life and are skilled in leading prayer and
supporting pupils to lead their peers.’

I would like to thank you all for the part that you have played in this achievement and for your continued commitment to St Wulstan’s

Message from Mrs Warnett

Reception & Year 1

Years 2 & 3

Year 2 and 3 have particularly enjoyed their dance lessons this week. Developing their communication skills, the children have worked in small groups to create movements to songs and poems. They especially enjoyed Status Quo's, 'Rockin' All Over the World'! The children thought hard to ensure that their movements reflected feelings and emotions rather than using noises or words to convey these. Well done! In RE, the children have been reading different stories about miracles and had a lovely time acting out 'The Wedding at Cana' as a class. Children enjoyed their celebration together, especially raising a toast to the bride and groom! In English, the children have continued enjoying reading Paddington, working on using apostrophes for possession and contractions this week. This can be tricky, but the children thought very carefully about this new learning. In science, the children have been developing their investigating skills to find out what makes a ball bouncy. Applying their knowledge of materials, the children have made super predictions and shown great reasoning in their discussions. Their discussion skills have developed in history as well, as they learn how to use 'Agree/Build/Challenge' in class debates. We have been so impressed at the maturity and thoughtfulness the children have shown in these discussions.

Year 4

Children started the week in a positive manner by thinking creatively using our class text 'Beowulf' to compose sentences using interesting openers. They enjoyed trying to create a piece of writing that created tension and frightened the audience. In maths, the children have transitioned from informal methods to formal written methods in multiplication. Children enjoyed comparing different methods and deciding on which ones suited them best. As historians this week, the children developed their chronological knowledge and use of sources to learn about the Scots, Picts and Anglo-Saxon migration to Britain. The children were applying their prior knowledge of our country to suggest reasons for wanting to move to Britain. In computing, the children have been using search engines to effectively search for answers. The children discussed how using key words and removing punctuation still allowed them to retrieve the correct information needed to answer questions. In PE, the children are finalising their 'Roman' themed dance in preparation with sharing it with other classes next week. The children have embraced their creative movements and knowledge of the Romans to create some excellent motifs. This morning, Year 4 celebrated Mass in the classroom. The theme of the Mass was 'The Good Shepherd' and the children read their readings and prayers beautifully. Finally, the class had their final swimming lesson this afternoon. There was great excitement as they had to wear pyjamas in the water and replicate some basic self-rescue techniques. The children have really worked hard over the past two years to become more confident and capable in the water and their efforts have not gone unnoticed by the swimming instructors. Well done!

Year 5

At the end of another busy week, it is always brilliant to reflect on all of the amazing things the children have achieved, and this week is no exception! As geographers, the Year 5 children have been investigating whether mountains only start at sea level and have been finding out where the largest mountains in the world are. Following on from their BIG QUESTION in Science last week, the children began to dig deeper into their data to think about what the numbers really show them and what it means in relation to their enquiry question. The children also thought about what they would do differently if they were to repeat the investigation again and what results this might bring. In PE, the children have been using equipment to explore over and under and to think about how they could bring together all of the movements they have been developing so far, to move with consistency and control. The children also had to apply this in dance where they began developing short sequences using action / reaction to tell the story through their movements. The children finished the week practising their French speaking and writing skills by writing dates and in DT, the children were introduced to a Micro:Bit and used them to code, creating a flashing heart and a scrolling name badge – very impressive Year 5!

Year 6

This week, the Year 6 children continued their artwork, drawing inspiration from both the Maya civilization and the modern artist Dan Fenelon. They developed spirit companion symbols to represent themselves, creating drawn tiles filled with lines, patterns, and colours. The children explored the use of symbols in art, learning how to incorporate elements from Maya art alongside their spirit companion symbols and any other personal symbols they had envisioned. They are looking forward to sharing their artwork soon. In History, the children have been learning about the first writing systems, exploring how ancient civilisations used symbols and glyphs to communicate. This knowledge helped to deepen their understanding as they created their own symbols in art, connecting their creative work with the rich history of early writing and storytelling. In Science, the children conducted the brightness experiment, where they tested how the number of bulbs affected the brightness of the circuit. To ensure valid results, they carefully assessed these factors. While building their series circuits, they double-checked that all components were connected correctly. They also created detailed circuit diagrams for each setup and meticulously observed any changes in the brightness of the bulbs as they adjusted the variables. It has been a busy and productive week, Year 6!

Parents' Evening - 12 February 2025 from 3.40pm - 5.00pm

Parents' Evening - 24 February 2025 from 4.30pm - 6.30pm

If you would like to make an appointment to meet with your child's teacher, please do so via your Arbor account.  If you would prefer a virtual appointment, please contact the school office.  If you require a reminder of your Arbor login details, please contact the school office.

At St Wulstan's, we are committed to minimising missed educational opportunities. We firmly believe that a strong community is one where all our children are present in school, on time, every day unless they are too unwell to do so. By adhering to this principle, we not only impart valuable life skills and help to foster enduring friendships, but we also prepare your child for future success. We will be launching a new reward in school called 'Attendance Achievers' - a scheme where at the end of each month, we will celebrate pupils who are showing an achievement within attendance such as improved attendance, improved punctuality, sustained excellent attendance etc. The children who receive an 'Attendance Achiever' reward will receive a certificate and will be able to choose a prize from the prize box!

If your child is due to start school in September 2025 (and was born between 1 September 2020-31 August 2021) the closing date for applying for a place was 15 January.  However, you can still apply for a late application by visiting www.worcestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

If you require assistance, please contact Mrs Brown in the school office.

St Wulstan's has signed up to the Asda Cashpot - a scheme where Asda will donate a percentage of your shop to your chosen school. If you would like to choose St Wulstan's as your school to donate to, click on the link below to find out more.

Cashpot for schools (asda.com)

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive universal free school meals.  However, based on your income, you may be eligible to a different free school meal type. This can be applied for even when your child is still in Reception, Years 1 & 2.  This entitles you to a free school meal voucher during the holidays and also continued free school meals until the end of Year 6. If you think you may qualify for these, please contact Mrs Brown in the school office for a form or visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk or contact the team on 01905 845280.  They will require your date of birth and national insurance number to check whether you are eligible.

Dates for your diary