“Christ is at the Heart of this Roman Catholic School.”

Sacred Heart Mission Statement

Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School

Central Drive, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3DU Tel: 01942 634681 / Fax: 01942 634682

E-mail: office@sacred-heart.bolton.sch.uk Website/cLc: www.sacred-heart.bolton.sch.uk/cLc

Sacred Heart Parish Website: www.sacred-heart-westhoughton.org.uk

Headteacher: Mr. Martin Johnson B.A. (Hons.) Q.T.S. NPQH Deputy Headteacher: Mrs Catherine Parkinson B.Ed. (Hons.) NPQH

Chair of Governors: Mrs Mary-Anne Yearn

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Levels 1, 2, 3 & 4

16

th February 2012

Dear Parents, Children, Staff & Governors, WEEKLY NEWS

This week’s theme is: ‘I try to use words that make the world a better place’. We are challenged to find as many words as we can that make others feel better... In St Luke’s Gospel we are reminded of the impact of words such as ‘thank you’: One day Jesus went up to Jerusalem and while he was on his way, he went into a little town nearby. Ten people with a terrible skin disease came out to meet him there, and they moved across to him, saying, “Please help us, Jesus.” When he saw them, Jesus said, “Go and see the priest.” So they did, and as they were on their way, their skin was healed. One of the ten came straight back to Jesus and he praised God at the top of his voice and said to Jesus, “Thank you, Jesus, Thank you very much.” The other people who had been healed didn’t come back to thank Jesus for helping them. Jesus said to the man who had said,” Thank you.”, “Didn’t all the others get better as well? Or have they just not bothered to come and say thank you? I wonder why you are the only one who came back. Stand up my friend,” he said. “God loves you and is happy for what you have done.” Our challenge: How many such words can we think of and use? RIGHTS RESPECTING SCHOOL: You have the right to life. Governments should ensure that children survive and develop healthily.

[UNCRC, Article 6]. 5Ws – Witness : (Welcome – Word – Witness – Welfare –Worship ).

This week we continue to consider how we together as a community. This is implicit to our mission as a Roman Catholic

faith family. In context: Scripture: ‘And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole of creation.” ’ Mark 16:15 Vatican II: ‘...We must remember that teachers and educators fulfil a specific Christian vocation and share an equally specific participation in the mission of the Church, to the extent that ‘it depends chiefly on them whether the catholic school achieves its purpose’. The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium “Education is integral to the mission of the Church to proclaim the Good News. First and foremost every Catholic educational institution is a place to encounter the living God who in Jesus Christ reveals his transforming love and truth (cf. Spe Salvi, 4). This relationship

elicits a desire to grow in the knowledge and understanding of Christ and his teaching. In this way those who meet him are drawn by the very power of the Gospel to lead a new life characterized by all that is beautiful, good, and true; a life of Christian witness nurtured and strengthened within the community of our Lord’s disciples, the Church”. HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI, University of America in Washington, D.C., Thursday, 17 April 2008. “When I invite you to become saints, I am asking you not to be content with second best. I am asking you not to pursue one limited goal and ignore all the others.... The key to it is very simple – true happiness is to be found in God. We need to have the courage to place our deepest hopes in God alone, not in money, in a career, in worldly success, or in our relationships with others, but in God. Only he can satisfy the deepest needs of our hearts.” Pope Benedict XVI, 17

th September 2010, London.

So that our school is authentically and distinctively Catholic we are called to be a witness community: WHOLE SCHOOL:

Giving witness to a loving God who is the centre and way of life for all Recognising that God is with us in every aspect of school life Adults who see and express their roles in school as co-creators with God and as part of the redemptive activity of Christ in all

aspects of school life Adults and pupils witnessing to the Mission Statement of the school which informs everything and is explicit in policies and the

lived experience of the whole community Adults as role models of the school’s mission and values and as key promoters of the ethos of the school for the pupils and the

school community’s witness to the wider community Witnessing to the values of the Gospel such as reconciliation, compassion, justice, liberation, service, stewardship in every

aspect of school life and in policies at all levels CURRICULUM:

Placing the pupil at the centre of the school’s Mission rooted in the life, story, teaching, vision and living tradition of Jesus Christ and his Church as the foundation of everything

Involving the pupils in the development of and regular reflection upon of the school’s Mission Statement Nurturing, supporting and challenging the pupils to live out and to give witness to the Mission Statement in their everyday

experience of school life and by developing their sense of responsibility to play their part in caring activities for good causes in the wider community

PUPIL EXPERIENCE:

Preparing the pupils to be agents of change and of social transformation at the service of the common good Creating a creative, relevant and innovative opportunity throughout the school to promote a culture of confidence in witnessing

to Christian beliefs and values Building community within school as central to everything whilst reaching out to the wider community, locally, nationally and

globally at the service of the common good Witnessing to an earth care ethic and the care of all God’s creation by becoming good stewards of Creation

TORCH RELAY OF PRAYER: We are looking for ideas for an innovative way to travel to St Bernard’s with our Mexican Olympic Torch

relay of Prayer later in the term. If you have any transport that would provide an unusual focus for our travel, please contact Mrs Byrne. FILM DAY: We all had a fantastic experience yesterday as Colin Wells and Marlowe Hurst returned to

school for our second Interaction Film experience. Children were confident camera and boom operators and thoroughly enjoyed their performances. Thank you to parents who supported this curriculum day by sending children in with appropriate costume, especially to Mrs Porcu who has helped us out with her sewing machine – and in the week of the opening of her new shop on Market Street! Thank you Class 5A families who collected an hour late at last minute to support our delayed schedule. Our appreciation also extends to Ted Wisedale from the History Group, who joined us for film day and helped throughout with the production and filming. We look forward to continuing to work with the History Group. I am sure you will agree that our Context for Learning Challenge curriculum continues to grow in success and that the themes we have explored have captured the imagination of our children since we revised the curriculum in September 2010. A lot of effort goes in to ensuring that our creative curriculum works well at Sacred Heart, and I extend genuine thanks to all our staff who make a big difference. Well done!

The DVD will arrive in school in due course when it has been edited and cut together by Colin. Images of our experience will be uploaded to the cLc. We are already planning our C4LC curriculum for next year, and we will travel back 370 years to the English Civil War in Westhoughton for our next film day experience.

RADIO @ HEART: Our radio station is due to be delivered during City of London week – and we will begin broadcasting soon after.

What name ideas do you have for our new station?

HISTORY WALK: Thank you to the Westhoughton History Group who led our Y3/4 pupils on a walk last Friday, our children visiting the

site of the Rowe and Duncough Mill. http://www.westhoughtonhistorygroup.org.uk/

ARTSMARK: Our Artsmark Assessor, Ann Brian, visited school yesterday, and was extremely positive about the evidence we had

submitted towards this standard. She took part in a learning walk, led by our Y2 pupils, interviewed members of the Pupil Voice School Council, Governing Body and staff, and spoke to Carol Aspinall, our School Link Professional. It was recognised that the award is important in validating work which is part of day-to-day operation, as a form of praise for the hard work that goes on at school, as well as a method of ensuring continued development and innovation in the curriculum. Miss McGlade, our Arts leader, was also congratulated for her compilation of the application – well done! The report will arrive in due course and be published on our newsletter.

DINNER MONEY: Payments for next half term, 27

th February – 3

rd April 2011, made payable to BMBC, are now due: £33.75.

Please ensure all dinner money is kept up to date and sent into the school office in a clearly labelled envelope, if your child wishes to change their meal arrangements they can do so at the start of a new half term and a letter needs to be sent into the office making them aware of the changes. SPRING 2 SNACK: Snack orders and payment for Spring 2 term are now due: £8.00. A separate letter was issued last week.

PARKING: It is very important that no one parks on the pathway leading to the main school entrance / staff car park. This access route

must be kept clear. GOAL BOTTLE TUNNEL: We still need lots more 2litre round plastic bottles – in all colours. Please collect them and send into school.

ENVIRONMENT SNAKES AND LADDERS: This week as part of the Pod task, we were all invited to work with our class

to create a snakes and ladders game with eight ‘ladders’ we love about our locality, and 8 ‘snakes’ that we want to

improve. Each class chose a different locality – our school, church, streets, town and borough… Our eco-warriors will

create a school game board with the best snakes and ladders from each class. RAG BAG: Our RagBag bin was emptied recently, earning us £21. It is important that all items placed in the bin are in a securely tied

plastic bag. Many items had been placed straight into the bin and were unable to be weighed in as they had become damaged. If you have cleared out your wardrobes etc, please send in items for the collection. http://www.rag-bag.co.uk/

LONDON WEEK 2012: The sequel to our successful creative learning KS1 & KS2 , entitled will take place week beginning 12

th March, led by a team of beginning teachers from the University of Cumbria. They will visit us

tomorrow, 17th

February, and on 2nd

& 9th

March.

Invasion Week City of London Week

LIBRARY VISITS: Promoting reading and love of literature impacts on children’s wider curricular successes. Miss Dewhurst has

arranged visits to Westhoughton Library over the coming weeks for all our KS1 & KS2 pupils, who will join the library if not already members, and explore the facilities on offer. We will introduce a reading challenge – with cards stamped by the librarians when books are changed. Prizes for the challenge have been sponsored by FAST. LIBRARY COMPETITION: Children are invited to design a new book cover for their favourite book or write a poem about reading.

Please give all competition entries to Miss Dewhurst by World Book Day on Wednesday 1st March.

SPORTS NEWS: Last Thursday, a group of our UKS2 pupils took part in an athletics event at Westhoughton High School. The pupils

selected from Year 5 & 6 faced fierce competition, winning several track and field events along the way including both the girls and boys 6 relay event. Sacred Heart finished the event in a very respectable third place (only 5 points below the winners).

Yesterday, our LKS2 pupils participated in a football tournament at Bolton Lads & Girls Club –Unfortunately our boys missed out narrowly on winning the tournament, finishing in second place.

Mr McMahon and Mr Tipton would like to thank all our athletes and footballers who participated in these tournaments over the past couple of weeks – you were a credit to the school. RECEPTION ADMISSIONS 2012: With our admission number set to be 60 for September 2012, the Local Authority have just sent us a

long list of applicants. Governors must now prioritise this list according to our admissions policy. If your child is due to begin this September, and you have received a letter asking for relevant paperwork, this must be provided within the next week. Should 60 pupils be admitted, it is extremely unlikely that anyone going to appeal will be granted a school place for their child as there is a national 30 pupil per class limit within KS1 that would then be exceeded. WELCOME… to Mrs Geraldine Ratcliffe who has completed some days as our relief Lunchtime Supervisor over the last week.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! To Mrs Cody who celebrated her birthday with us this week. We sang to her in a special gathering today.

YEAR 6 NATIONAL ASSESSMENTS - SCIENCE: We were informed this week that our Y6 pupils will take part in the Science

sampling tests this May. Science tests have been administered in a random group of schools since 2010. Y6 children will begin their Science revision programme after the half term break.

SACRED HEART FAMILIES AND SCHOOL TOGETHER - FAST - Registered Charity No. 1131994 BONUS BALL: If you are interested in joining in with the competition please either give your name and contact to Fr.

Michael or to the school office marked Bonus Ball - FAO Ann Blezard. (£1 per week-prize £25). We now have a few numbers available. Winning number: 06 – Saturday 11

th February.

NEXT FAST JIGSAW MEETING: Tuesday 13

th March, 7pm, Parish Centre. This will be the AGM. The agenda will be published ahead

of the meeting date. Draft minutes of the last meeting are attached to this newsletter.

PLANNED FAST EVENTS:

Film Night – Friday 9th March, 6-8pm.

Own clothes day – Monday 19th March – Egg donations.

Easter Egg Bingo – Friday 30th March, 6:30pm.

Ladies Night / Fashion Show – 26th

April, 7:30pm. SACRED HEART WALKING GROUP: Walks planned for the coming weeks –

03/03/2012: Rivington Lower Barn, 10am. 31/03/2012: Anglezarke Reservoir.

Contact John Clare for more details: 07740929051 / Walks@ClareNSL.demon.co.uk VOUCHERS & TOKENS: School is collecting all vouchers and tokens, including Nestle box tops for books, Sainsbury’s Active Kids &

Tesco vouchers. Please send them into school. Our collection boxes are in the garden corridor.

WORLD EDUCATION GAMES: The world education games period opens in March with World Book Day, and the

World Spelling, Maths and Science days. http://www.worldeducationgames.com/ World Book Day book tokens will be World Book Day is on 1

st March and children are encouraged to bring in their favourite sent out with a separate letter.

book to tell their class about it. Some children will be asked to talk about their book in the praise pod.

PROJECT HOPE PALESTINE: Last Friday our LIFTED

representatives spoke to Adham Khalil in a Skype call. We were thrilled to use this technology to speak in a video-conference with Adham, who we have been working with since 2008. This helped to

plan how our LIFTED Pupil Voice School Council peace & justice

fundraising will be best used to help the children of the Gaza Strip this year. We agreed to take part in a rights and responsibilities singing project with the children of Palestine – more details will follow. [SKYPE: ‘TheJourneyMatters’]

FAIR TRADE FORTNIGHT [27

TH FEB – 11

TH MARCH]:

http://step.fairtrade.org.uk/ SACRED HEART INVITES YOU TO ATTEND THE BIG BREW FAIR TRADE TEA AND COFFEE MORNING!

Next half term Sacred Heart will be taking another step to help families in the developing world during Fairtrade Fortnight by holding a Big Brew event. Everyone is invited to attend our Big Brew event on 5

th March, from 9am. Pupils will be serving free

cups of Fair Trade tea and coffee and delivering a Fair Trade presentation to share what they have learnt. Our Fair trade stall will be open for you to visit - selling a variety of fun food and gift items, ideal for Easter - alongside a Fair trade cake stand. Finally, there will be a fun raffle and Fair trade quiz with Traidcraft prizes for all of the winners! If you would like to attend please write your name along with the names of anybody else you wish to invite in the teapot invite attached and return it before Wednesday 29

th February.

Many thanks and I hopefully look forward to seeing you there! Miss Bukhari. CRUCIAL CREW: On Monday 27

th February, our Y6 children will visit Crucial Crew for an afternoon of personal and safety education.

PEER MEDIATORS AND PLAYGROUND PALS: Congratulations to our new LIFTED Friendship Squad of peer mediators and

playground pals who have been commissioned following their training, and will shortly wear their special coats to be visible on the playground:

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS: 13 FEBRUARY

POD – NATIONAL NESTBOX WEEK – visit THE POD for bird boxes planned for the Olympic site.

16/02: Y6 Masterclass, 3:45-4:45pm. 17/02: City of London Week teachers visit school. 17/02: 5S Assembly, 3pm. 17/02: School closes for half term, 3:35pm.

20 FEBRUARY SPRING HALF TERM

21/02: Shrove Tuesday. 22/02: Ash Wednesday. Lent Begins. 26/02: First Sunday of Lent.

SPRING TERM 2

27 FEBRUARY

FAIR TRADE FORTNIGHT INCLUSION PROGRESS MEETINGS

STLB 20: I try to appreciate the beauty and the wonder in the world around me. 27/02: STLB Collective worship, 9:10am.

LIFTED Pupil Voice School Council, eco-warriors & fair trade meeting, 9:10am.

27/02: Y6 Crucial Crew – afternoon. 27/02: SHARE: Parent Voice Partnership Meeting, 3pm. All parents welcome. Focus of meeting – 5Ws. 27/02: Staff meeting, 4-5pm. 28/02: Y1 Mass, 9:30am. 28/02: LMT meeting, 4-5pm. 28/02: Reception & Class 2B SHARE AWD Reviews. 4-5pm / 6-8pm. [Parent/Child/Teacher meetings]Note revised date. 29/02: The Big Sing Collective Worship, 3pm. 29/02: Final date for Eco-Schools Green Flag application. 01/03: World Book Day 2012 01/03: St David’s Day. 01/03: Happy Birthday Mrs Buckley! 01/03: Reception Lenten Service, 2:30pm. 01/03: Y6 Masterclass, 3:45-4:45pm 02/03: Women’s World Day of Prayer / Lent Fast Day. 02/03: City of London week preparation day. 02/03: 2pm – RMG Admissions committee. 02/03: Famous for a Fortnight, 3pm. 03/03: Session 4 of 6 - Sacramental Programme Catechist meeting with children, 9-10am, Parish Centre.

5 MARCH MARCH THEME: Lent – a time to help others. STLB 21: I know that it is ok for me to make mistakes.

FAIR TRADE FORTNIGHT POD – MARCH WINDS WEEK – WILL WIND WORK ACTIVITY – ROOM 2 GROW WEATHER STATION ACTIVITY FOR ALL CLASSES.

05/03: STLB Collective worship, 9:10am. 05/03: BIG BREW FAIR TRADE TEA AND COFFEE MORNING. All welcome. 05/03: World Spelling Day 2012 05/03: No staff meeting in lieu of AWD reviews. 05/03: Sacramental Programme parents’ meeting 2 of 3, 7:30pm, Parish Centre. ‘Reconciliation’. 06/03: World Maths Day 2012 / MATHS INVESTIGATION DAY 06/03: Y2 Mass, 9:30am. 06/03: OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY OF PRAYER – Receive torch from Holy Family, New Springs, and take to St Bernard’s, Ladybridge. 06/03: LMT meeting, 4-5pm. 07/03: World Science Day 2012 07/03: The Big Sing Collective Worship, 3pm. 08/03: Happy Birthday Mrs Dalton! 08 & 09/03: Bolton Headteacher’s conference – MJ/CP. 08/03: Note that there is no Y6 Masterclass today. 08/03: SHARE AWD Reviews, 4-5pm / 6-8pm. [Parent/Child/Teacher meetings] Note revised dates for Classes R & 2B 09/03: City of London week preparation day. 09/03: 4C Assembly, 3pm. 11/03: Happy Birthday Mrs Caulfield!

Contribute: A Contribute question for our teachers and Governors, and anyone else who would like to offer suggestions ~ "During such challenging times, what can Headteachers do to help classroom teachers gain confidence, improve and flourish?" Mr Johnson will take part in a ‘live’ learning conversation along with a panel of Bolton Headteachers, at the Headteacher Conference on 9

th March, facilitated by Clive Taylor, Consultant Facilitator and National College for School Leadership Associate, (North).

Send your ideas to head@sacred-heart.bolton.sch.uk Thank you for your continued support as we together.

Enjoy half term! Yours sincerely,

Mªa [Œt[i[n JªŠh[n¡]on Catherine Parkinson

Hâ]a]d[·e]a]c[«e[r Deputy Headteacher

We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors ...but they all have to learn to live in the same box.

FILM DAY PHOTO STORY:

BULLETIN: