News from Mrs Brocklesby

Tomorrow at 10:30 am, we are delighted to celebrate a special moment in the lives of some of our year 3 and 4 children at Saint Wulstan’s Church as they make their Reconciliation. This sacred sacrament marks an important step in their faith journey, as they experience God's mercy and forgiveness.

We invite the whole school community to keep our children in your prayers, that they may grow in grace and continue to walk in the light of Christ. May this day be filled with joy, reflection, and a deeper connection to their faith.

I would like to thank Father Richard, Mrs Tasker, Mr. Dudley, Mr. Tasker, Mrs Freitas and Mrs Warnett for preparing the children.

This year the children have decided to support Father Hudson's  Caritas Pledge £1 event by organising a few events. You can take part by attending the Mother's Day afternoon tea (tickets available from the school office), guessing the name of the chick or guessing how many chocolate eggs are in the basket (children can buy tickets daily from the Minnie Vinnies). Father Hudson's Caritas is a charity that provides vital services to people in need, including support for children, families, and older people. The Pledge £1 event is an initiative where we can all commit to donating £1 (or more) to help fund these services.

News from Mrs Warnett

Reception and Year 1 

Reception and Year 1 enjoyed a wonderful visit to Hayes Farm on Thursday. The children got to explore the farm, hand feed the chickens, stroll through the orchards and observe the cows.  They were able to ask Farmer Stuart lots of questions and share some of their learning of farms from their Geography lessons. The children have been thrilled that the caterpillars have arrived and are eagerly await their transformations into butterflies.

Years 2 & 3

Year 2 and 3 have been developing their sculpture skills in art this week, using small scale designs to practice their skills of folding materials to create different shapes and effects. In maths, the children have started learning about length and have enjoyed measuring different objects around the room. They especially enjoyed measuring with metre sticks! In English, the children have started to learn how to use a dictionary and worked on their understanding of alphabetical order. They managed to use this skill to find the meaning of some tricky words in their dictionaries. In RE, the children have been working on the concept of forgiveness, especially those children in the class who will be doing their First Reconciliation this weekend. We will keep those children in our prayers. The children discussed times in which it is easy to forgive and times when it is hard. They said that it is easy to forgive children in Reception as they are just so lovely and sweet! 

Year 4

What a wonderful week the children have had this week. On Monday, some of the children competed in the CTA Netball Competition. The children showed confidence, resilience and great teamwork as they competed against other Year 4 teams. In maths, children have been converting units of measure (m and km) and measuring the perimeter of rectilinear shapes using their knowledge of shapes and times tables to help them. The children produced some lovely narratives in their English lessons as they retold a part of Beowulf. They worked hard on the presentation of their work and also tried to add speech, short sentences and appropriate verbs to their writing. In PE, children developed their slap and push passing technique and began receiving the ball while moving. The children are looking forward to developing this further next week. Finally, the children has a really lovely day for their 'Saxon Day' at Bishops Wood. The children developed their understanding of Saxon life by experiencing a variety of activities such as metalworking, pottery, weaving and shelter building. We then used these wonderful experiences to help us in our history lesson looking at what we can learn about the Saxons through artefacts. 

Year 5

This week Year 5 have been starting new areas of focus in writing, maths and Art. In English, the children have been reading Greek myths, with a focus on Icarus. They will delve deeper into this story next week and begin to further develop language and description to eventually retell their own version of the myth. In Art, Year 5 have started to look at the impact of the Space Race in the 1950s and 60s and how this influenced many artists at the time. They started this by looking at a piece of art called ‘Family on the Moon’ and considered what they could see, discussed how they thought the artwork might be created and also whether they liked the artwork themselves. As Scientists this week, the children looked at how different mixtures could be separated, looking at the methods of filtration, sieving, evaporation or by using magnetism. In the classroom, Year 5 are observing what happens too a dish of salt water over time. They will record their findings next week. Maths has been particularly successful this week for the Year 5 class. They have been learning about percentages and how these can link to fractions and decimals. Miss McGowan has been so impressed with their work on this and all children achieved brilliantly in their end of unit assessment. The children ended the week as Historians, exploring and evaluating a range of evidence and sources to consider reasons for the Peloponnesian Wars. The children looked at statements about the war and then used the sources to decide whether they agreed or disagreed. Well done Year 5, another fabulous week!

Year 6

It has been another busy week for Year 6. They have just finished their unit on area, perimeter and volume and are looking forward to consolidating their knowledge on statistics. In English, they are reading Leila & the Blue Fox, a story about a girl named Leila who travels to Norway to visit her mother. Leila's mother is a scientist stationed in Norway, where she is studying and tracking a rare blue-grey fox. In Science, the children have been learning about the main parts of the heart and their functions. They have explored how the heart pumps blood throughout the body, the roles of the atria and ventricles and how the circulatory system supports overall health. They are also gaining a deeper understanding of how the heart works to ensure the body receives the oxygen and the nutrients it needs. In History, the children have been learning how Egyptian kings and queens were believed to become gods. They explored the concept of divine rulership in ancient Egypt, where pharaohs were seen as both political leaders and gods on earth. The children studied the role of the pharaoh in society, the religious beliefs surrounding their divine status and how this belief influenced Egypt’s culture. The highlight of the week was on Wednesday when the children took part in the Sportshall Athletics Competition. They had an exciting time competing in a variety of events, including the 6 Parlaaf relay, where teamwork and speed were key. They also enjoyed the Over and Under relay, which tested their agility and coordination. In addition to relays, the children participated in the soft bounce event, where precision and control were essential and the javelin competition, where they showcased their throwing skills. The children displayed excellent sportsmanship throughout the competition, supporting each other and competing with determination, making everyone incredibly proud of their efforts. Next week: Alton Castle Residential. Everyone is buzzing!

Our school Mini Vinnies would like to invite mums, aunties and grandmas to have tea and cake with their children to celebrate Mother's Day.  We ask that only one adult attends per family so that we can accommodate as many families as possible in the hall.  This will take place on Thursday 27 March from 3.30pm-4.30pm.  There will be a selection of scones served with a choice of tea, coffee and squash for the children.  Tickets must be purchased in advance. (Adults £3 Children £2).  All money raised will be donated to Father Hudson's Caritas Society.  Tickets can be purchased from the school office (cash only).  Places are strictly limited and will be a first come first serve basis.  The last day to buy tickets will be Wednesday 26 March.

This year, we will once again be hosting the very popular 'Decorate an Egg Competition'.  Please bring  your creations into school on Friday 11 April.  All entries will be displayed in the school library.  One entry per child.  Please make sure that your child's name and class are clearly marked on their entry.    Prizes to be won.   Good luck!

Wednesday 26th March is Worldwide Epilepsy Awareness Day. In order to raise awareness and funds for a charity that has supported some of our families. The Daisy Garland, we would like the children to wear purple on Wednesday 26 March 2025 and bring in a donation to school to support this wonderful charity. Money that is raised by and for The Daisy Garland goes towards funding life-saving monitors, family support groups and their Daisy Garland Ketogenic support. For more information, click on the following link: The Daisy Garland

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.

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