WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL !!

 WE ARE SO GLAD THAT YOU HAVE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE VERY TOP OF THE SCHOOL!! 

We are sure that you will enjoy your final year at Holy Family School, and we want you to know that we are always here to support you throughout Year 6 - every step of the way!

We know that you will really love this year at school and be ready for the journey to secondary school.

Let's make this the best year ever.

Mrs Rackliff and Mrs Collett.

Surprise Visitors!

Year 6 had two surprise visitors today from Helen Court Care Home. Two of the residents who had listened to their carol concert before Christmas, had put together a little video of the childrens performamce and wanted to show it to them.

They came into class to say hello to the children and to express their thanks again for the lovely visit and how much it meant to them.

The video of the children and some of the residents in availble by clicking here.

CAFOD Mission Together

in preparation for Advent, Y6 opened up day 5 today and it talked about scripture, and how we are waiting patiently for Jesus’ birth. We sang the song ‘We are Waiting’ in preparation.

GET CREATIVE FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

Yay Jude!! A fantastic achievement - with your winning entry.

THe children were all asked to produce a poster showing what Chimate Justice means to them. Climate change is the most urgent crisis facing our world. What's often overlooked is that it's also a human rights crisis which affects inequality and justice across the globe. The posters were sent to Cafod, who are then forwarding the winning posters to the Houses of Parliament for an exhibition.

We are hoping that the posters will then be sent to Dubai for the COP 2023  meeting and be displayed there.

Head Team 2023

Well done to our new Head Boy & Girl and their deputies! 

A number of children from class applied for the positions and after having an interview with Mrs Kelliher and the Chair of Govenors Mrs Wright, the candidates  below were chosen.

There was a lot of deliberation taken by Mrs Kelliher and Mrs Wright and they said that all the canditates came across very professionally. They should all be very proud of themselves.

Remembrance Day

Foundation are not only years 6's reading partners but also their prayer partners. So for Remembrance Day the two classes got together and  had a mini prayer service. 

They all sat around the candle and Year 6 sat and talked to Foundation about what Remembrance day is. They all observed the minutes silence beautifully, not a sound could be heard. Then went off into little groups and discussed a prayer that they could say together.

They all came back together to share their prayers.

Year 6 Retreat to Holy Family & All Saints Church - Witham

On Tuesday the children went to our parish church for a retreat day. It was filled with reflection, mindfullness and an understanding that God is forever at the centre of our lives and is always ready to listen to us.

The children started the day with reflection, then a scavenger hunt in the church. This was followed by various craft and prayer activities. Then they had lunch. After lunch the children prepared for mass by writing their own bidding prayers, learning how to alter serve, flower arranging and signing a hymn. The mass was beautiful.

The children were so very well behaved and this was commented on by all the helpers at the church that day. 

Well done!

Councillor James Abbott-Green Party

The children had a visit today from James Abbott, a member of Witham Green party. He chatted to the children about methods of recycling that are done within the town, and ways that the children could get better at recycling at school and home. He discussed all the things that are picked up by the Witham Wombles as they litter pick throughout Witham, and explain to the children ways that they could get involved. The children asked many insightful questions and were a credit to the school. Well done year six! 

Prayer Partners

Year 6 this week were paired up with their Year 3 Prayer Partners and they had some time togather getting to know each other, and praying together. They decided whether they were going to pray for the World in general, or maybe someone in their lives that needed their help. It's a chance to learn new prayers, or create their own. As small time of reflection for others, in the busy world we live in today. 

Judaism week

In Year 6 the children were looking into Yom Kippur. They learnt about how the Jewish people celebrate this holy festival, what it involves and how how they celebrate it at home and in Synagogues around the world.

They then had to write up their findings from all the notes that had been taken, and colour in they Synagogue. 

BIKEABILITY! 

Well after 3 days the children have now finished their training course and have either acheived their level 1, Level 2 or both.

Each group was assessed in the playground on how stable they were and how proficient they were handling their bikes. Then if they were suitable they progressed onto the roads and learn't important safe handling/riding skills that will help them when they transition to secondary school ( and will help with their cycling for life!). Thanks to SaferEssex and Essex County COuncil for supporting our students in this.

AROUND THE WORLD DAY - NEW ZEALAND 

The year 6 had great fun today learning the Haka dance with their Foundation partners. The children practiced the moves and then put the whole dance together.Click here to go to the video of their dance! I hope you enjoy it as much as the children did.

The year 6's then came back to class and investigated tribal Kowhaiwhai Patterns which represent Maori history. They each had a different pattern and investigated the tribes behind each pattern, what it represented and  what part of New Zealand this tribe came from. Once they had completed the colouring their tribal patterns were made into bookmarks.

They then researched the Haka dance, and wrote up information all about it for their Around the World books.

Witham Walk

The children covered a umber of subjects when they went for their Witham Walk today. In History & Geography they are studying WW2. To incorporate this in their Computing lessons they have been researching the life of Mr Lee a resident of Witham, who grew up living in Midland Bank (now Valero Lounge) during WW2.

The children have created digital maps of how Witham looked in WW2, and this was their time to investigate how the buildings have changed.

We then went onto the War Memorial so the children could see the soldiers who died for their country. We also could see that some of the solidiers names are given to some of the roads we live on today.

READING PARTNERS - WATCH THIS SPACE

The excitement in class was off the scale this morning as the children got ready to find out who their reading partners were. After break they all went out under the willow tree and were introduced to each other, then they all set off across the field for a good chat and to find out more about each other.

Photos will be placed on here next week when all mthe children are in and have been told who they are paired with!

CAFOD - LIVE SIMPLY 

This week we have started our LiveSimply journey. The Chaplaincy Team along with the Eco Council prepared and led a whole school assembly informing our school community about our Catholic Social Teaching commitments - this week we focused on 'Stewardship'. Together as a school, each class pledged ways that they could 'own' their environmental footprint and help to make the world a cleaner and greener place.  Each class has a Live Simply Certificate to help them along this journey.

The Year 6 Class of 23/24 all had a chance to interview for a chosen role in school. This role  and interview/speech process is a stepping stone towards the leadership roles of Head Boy/Girl & Deputy Head Boy/Girl. Many of the children approached this with a level of maturity and excitement.

We are pleased to announce that thee children have been awarded for the following roles:

GODS PLANET Workshop

What a fabulous day the children had today, learning all about the planet we live in, the way God created it and how we can nuture, love and look after it now and in the future.

They had an interactive workshop in the morning delivered by the wonderful team 'Rise'. They really got the children moving and singing. It was a great way to start the morning.

Then they  watched informative videos on the 'Great Floating Garbage Patch' - a 620,000 sq mile patch of floating plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean. This floating 'island' is starting to affect the human food change, and by changing our habits with single use plastic, we can hopefully reverse this worrying trend.

The children made posters that showed everything that's wrong with the world, and how they pledge to change it.

Click here to take you to some video's of the workshop in action.