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In participating in CAFOD’s Big Lent Walk, we not only raised funds for those in need; we showed our support for our global neighbours' human dignity and solidarity. We also had an assembly with CAFOD and they joined us in classes to complete activities that helped us learn about how our action can help make a difference.

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Year 5 pupils engaged with our local MP at the Senedd, discussing challenges faced by our community while helping to pack parcels and support Brynmawr Rotary Club

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Year 5 pupils engaged with our local MP at the Senedd, discussing challenges faced by our community while helping to pack parcels and support Brynmawr Rotary Club

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In the Spring term, our pupils working in collaboration with Brynmawr Rotary Club, focusing on supporting their Food and Baby Bank. Learners helped in organised donations and packing food parcels, making a real difference in our local community. We held a collective worship assembly, emphasising the need to look beyond our own needs, focusing on the principles of Human Dignity and Solidarity.

In addition to this,our Year 5 pupils engaged with our local MP at the Senedd, discussing challenges faced by our community and taking part in debates. This experience not only enhanced their understanding of local issues but also fostered a sense of responsibility and empathy among them.

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What a delightful day it was when Year 2 and Year 6 came together to chat about vocation at the church! The atmosphere was buzzing as the younger pupils were eager to learn from their older peers. Together they gathered around Father Henessey, who was more than happy to share his experiences.

The pupils had prepared questions, ranging from “What made you choose this vocation?” to “What’s your favourite part of being a priest?” Father Henessey answered each inquiry with warmth and enthusiasm, captivating the students with stories from his own journey.

Year 2 listened intently at the tales of community service and the joy of helping others, while Year 6 took notes, thinking about how they might apply these insights to their own future paths. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity for both year groups to connect, inspire one another, and deepen their understanding of vocation!

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As we embraced the season of Advent, we once again connected with our community. Our pupils visited a local care home, where they shared the joy of singing Christmas songs, playing games, and taking part in arts and crafts.

Doing this not only brought smiles to the residents' faces but also deepened our understanding of our values of being Compassionate and Loving to others and being Grateful for what we have and Generous with our time during Advent.

It was heartwarming to see our children embodying these values, reminding us all of the true meaning of this

special time of year.

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During November, our pupils participated in the town Remembrance Day service held on the square at the War Memorial. This significant occasion allowed our pupils to engage with the local community and honour the sacrifices made by many. As part of the service, our pupils read a poem and laid a wreath on behalf of our school and parish.

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We lived out our virtues of being Generous and Grateful and collected food and donated it to our local food bank. We then had a talk from the lady who runs the food bank about how it is distributed and given to those who need it most.

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The Month of The Holy Rosary- Pupil Prayer Packs

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The Month of The Holy Rosary- Pupil Prayer Packs

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Throughout October, as part of the Month of the Holy Rosary, our Year 3-6 pupils took home Rosary Prayer Packs.

The Rosary is a lovely way for families to join together in prayer, reflecting on the lives of Jesus and Mary.

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Charity Selection Data & Responses 2024/25

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Charity Selection Data & Responses 2024/25

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During our Mission Statement Week, we reflected on how we can embody our mission of "Sharing" what we have with others. This was a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to reflect on the importance of being grateful and generous and doing what we can for those who need it most.

As part of this initiative, pupils conducted research and held a vote to select charities for our school to support. The suggestions for these charities were based on feedback received from parents via our previous charity selection form. We then shared our voting form with parents and carers through Dojo, allowing you to participate in the decision-making process alongside us.

The top three charities selected were CAFOD, RSPCA, and Noah's Ark. During the Autumn term, we proudly raised funds for CAFOD by participating in Brighten Up Day. In addition to our fundraising efforts, we showed our support for the community by collecting food items for a local food bank, reinforcing the principles of sharing and caring that lie at the heart of our mission. We extend our gratitude to all parents and carers for their involvement and support throughout this important initiative.

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During the Advent season, we wanted to create a special opportunity for parents and carers to fully immerse themselves in the school experience. To do this we organised a PACT session in each year group around the topic of Advent.

A PACT session is a unique chance for parents and carers to actively participate in their child's education, while building a strong connection with our school community. We believe that together, we can make a real difference in our children's lives. As part of the PACT session, parents had the option to join in a Collective Worship, fostering a sense of togetherness and spiritual growth.

It was a wonderful way to embrace the true meaning of Advent and reflect on the joyous season. Both, staff and learners were excited to share this special experience with our families. Afterwards we shared a survey link on ClassDojo to get their thoughts on the experience.

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Reflection on Catholic Life and RE Newsletter Autumn 2024

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Reflection on Catholic Life and RE Newsletter Autumn 2024

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Catholic Life and RE Newsletter- Autumn Term Reflection

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Pupils spent time finding out about different charities and how they support people in our community and beyond. Pupils in PS3 presented what they had found out to their peers and then pupils voted for the charities we wanted to support in this school year.

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Year 4 had lots of discussions about the different parts of our mission statement and how we could live each part out through our lives in school, at home and in the community.

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We talked about our schools mission statement in Nursery. We decorated our mission statement in our books and we were working, praying sharing and learning together in class. We also practised making the Sign of the Cross and said our prayers during the day.

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At St. Mary’s R.C. Primary School we work, pray, share and learn together in a supportive environment in partnership with parents and parish to ensure that each child develops academically, spiritually, physically and socially.

Children are valued as individuals who are made in the image and likeness of God and encouraged to strive for self improvement whilst remaining sensitive to the needs of others.

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Our Vision statement developed in collaboration with staff, pupils and school community. 

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At St Mary’s R.C. Primary we,

Recognise that children succeed best in an atmosphere where they work, pray, share and learn together with the example of Christ at its centre.

Welcome and cares for everyone, promoting strong links with and supported by home, parish and community.

Celebrate our achievements in all activities and recognise and rejoice in the talents of others.

Respect the uniqueness of each individual and cater for their particular needs.

We aim to:

To create a caring Catholic Community in which the Catholic Faith is put into daily practice and in which Catholic Doctrine and Principles are explored.

To deliver a relevant, differentiated and stimulating curriculum which offers equal opportunity for self improvement through raising standards allowing all to succeed.

To involve both the parents and the parish in the education of the children.

To foster positive attitudes to learning and self-development and to encourage high expectations.

To develop concerns for all and an understanding of how an individuals actions affect others.

To promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

To work with St Albans R.C. High, Blessed Carlo Acutis School and Brynmawr Foundation Schools to ensure that the children are well prepared to continue on their learning journey.

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A thank you letter from Hospice of the Valleys

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When voting for charities to support, Hospice of the Valleys received 38.2% of the vote. As a school, we took part in a non-school uniform day to raise funds for this incredible organisation.

With every penny donated by our generous students and staff, we are proud to stand tall as a school that actively contributes to making a positive impact on the lives of those in need. Every donation allows the Hospice of the Valleys to continue providing compassionate care and support to patients and their families during difficult times. Together, we raised an incredible amount through this non-uniform day.

A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who had a hand in making this possible. Your generosity will undoubtedly make a significant difference in the lives of those touched by the Hospice of the Valleys' invaluable services.

Remember, it's not just about the money we raise, but also about the positive impact we create together. Let's continue to strive for a more compassionate and loving society!

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A thank you letter from our local rugby club.

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Throughout the Autumn term at St Mary’s, we have been focusing on growing to be Learned and Wise, Generous, and Grateful and Faith-filled and Hopeful within our everyday lives. On Friday, Year 5 & 6 decided to be generous with their time and spread kindness and joy at the local care home.

They spent the afternoon singing Christmas carols and creating Christmas crafts with the residents. It was a lovely experience for both pupils and the residents. Well done to all our amazing students for their generosity and compassion! Keep spreading joy and making a difference in the lives of others.

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Our choir, along with staff and parents, had a wonderful time at the Heads of the Valleys Advent service, joined by Catholic schools from the area! It was a wonderful evening, filled with beautiful music and a sense of community.

We're incredibly proud of our choir for representing our school so brilliantly at this special event. Their hard work and dedication truly shone through in their performance.

It was fantastic to experience our school community and wider catholic community come together in celebration during this Advent season. We're grateful to everyone who joined us and made the Advent service a memorable occasion.

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As a school, we are committed to supporting our local community, we were deeply saddened to hear about the recent break-in at our local rugby club. The theft of valuable equipment has had a significant impact on the club and the wider community.

At St Mary's R.C., we understand the importance of coming together during challenging times. We stand in solidarity with our local rugby club and are committed to supporting them in any way we can. This is a great opportunity to teach our students about the importance of community and coming together to help others in need.

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Our Mini Vinnies are on a mission! They're hard at work towards achieving the CAFOD Live Simply award, aiming to make our school a Live Simply School. This award is firmly grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, embodying values of sustainability, social justice, and compassion.

We are thrilled to be part of this journey, embracing the opportunity to create a positive impact within our school community and beyond. Through our dedication and collaborative efforts, we aspire to live out the principles of simplicity, stewardship, and solidarity.

Join us in supporting the Mini Vinnies as they lead the charge towards positive change! Together, let's inspire and empower each other to embrace simplicity, promote social justice, and care for our planet.

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Pope Francis reminds us that God sends us all out on an important mission to share God's love with everyone. This is the instruction that Jesus first shared with the people during his time on earth.

In the Bible we learn that all people are made in the image ofGod. Because of this we are to treat ourselvesand each otherwith special care. When we show love and respect for oneanother, we show our love andrespect for God.

When thinking about the mission that Jesus left us- to shareGod’s love with everyone, everywhere. We would like to say a big thank you to our school community for generously contributing to our foodbank appeal.Thanks to their generosity, we were able to gather an incredible number of supplies. Their support really is appreciated, and it helps strengthen our mission of showing love and care to others, making our community a better place for everyone.

On Wednesday 18th October 2023 our Mini Vinnies proudly delivered the donations to the Rotary Club ready for distribution.

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When voting for charities to support, CAFOD received 51.3% of the vote. Therefore, to mark CAFOD Family Fast Day on Friday 13th of October, our pupils have requested that we donate to Blaenau Gwent Food Bank and Tabor Chapel.

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In Reception, we created posters of what the mission statements means to us and what is looks like in our class every day. We have created a mission statement display and the children chose their own words to remind us how we can achieve our mission statement every day.

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In Year 3 the children brainstormed ideas on what they felt each word of the mission statement meant. They worked in mixed ability groups and came up with some lovely and thought ideas on what the mission statement meant to them. We recorded some of their responses.

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In Year 2 the children first suggested actions and chants to add to the mission statement to help them learn it. This was a creative session. Each morning we use this to recite our mission statement.
We then broke the mission statement into sections and discussed them meaning of each part as a class.
Secondly the children were split into groups and I recorded them explaining what each section of the mission statement means to them.
There were a few videos fot each group, the PowerPoint above just includes a few examples of the videos across the groups.

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A group of girls from Year 6 decided to get creative and make their own song!

First they researched the beat, before adding their own lyrics to create a song all about our mission statement.

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In Year 2 children added actions and rhythm to help us remember the mission statement.
We then discussed each part of the mission statement in groups and the children explained what it means to them.
Each day we recite the mission statement to remind ourselves what the school values.

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In Year 6 we have been discussing what our school mission statement means to us. We identified each word in the mission and reflected on what it means to us. ​

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Using what we had learnt during the discussion we then created our own posters, PowerPoint and song about the significance of the mission for us!

Our posters are up in the classroom to remind us how we can live through our mission statement in school. ​

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Take a look at the posters and song we have made!

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In Nursery we created a new display to make sure our mission statement can be seen by everyone who comes in to our classroom. We have also been practising how to make the Sign of the Cross when we say our prayers.
The children have been brilliant in the nursery, showing how they are working, praying, sharing and learning together.

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In Year 5, we took part in a Round Robin activity to discuss and reflect on the meaning of each word in our mission statement. We explored how these words are represented in our daily lives at St Marys. Using what we learnt during this activity, we then wrote about the significance of the mission statement specifically for us as learners in Year 5. We used what we know about Rights of the Child to link them to our mission statement. Take a look at our class video where we share what we have learnt about our mission statement.

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In Year 4, Children thought

about each word and

what it meant to

them in our school.

Our mission

statement is up in

our classroom with

some of the

children’s words

around it to remind

us of how we can live

our mission in

school.

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Mini Vinnies Podcast- Laudato Si Week during our whole school Sustainability topic. 

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Mini Vinnies Podcast- Laudato Si Week during our whole school Sustainability topic. 

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In line with our summer Sustainability topic, our pupils explored the significance of Stewardship and the importance of caring for our common home, through learning about Laudato Si .

The topic encouraged pupils to become stewards of the environment, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

Our pupils embraced the message of Laudato Si and showcased their understanding through a podcast. They delve into the key concepts of the encyclical, discussing the challenges our planet faces and presenting solutions we can all adopt.

Through their podcast, our Mini Vinnies aimed to spread awareness about the Laudato Si movement and inspire others to take action. This podcast was shared with the school community via ClassDojo and our School Website.

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Charity Selection Data & Responses 2023/24

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Charity Selection Data & Responses 2023/24

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Here are the results from the charity selection questionnaire completed by pupils and parents (2023/24). The top 3 choices are CAFOD-51.3%, Dreams and Wishes-45.4% and Hospice of the Valleys-38.2%.

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 Catholic Life and Mission-Data Responses

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Example of Charity Selection Questionnaire 2023/24

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Example of Charity Selection Questionnaire 2023/24

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At the end of the 2023 Summer Term, we created this Catholic Life and Mission - Charity Selection online questionnaire. This allowed pupils to take ownership of the selection process of the charities we support as a school. We then shared a link with our parents via ClassDojo to include them in the selection process also.

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Catholic Life and Mission-Charity Mission Pupil and Parent Questionaire 2023:24

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Our choir performing at the Head's of the Valleys Catholic Primary School Carol Concert.