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Our Mission At St. Bernadette's Catholic School you will find us caring, hardworking and co-operative. We follow the ways of Jesus using our talents and gifts to make our school special. We show respect to all and welcome you. Click play below Our Behaviour Expectations and Values Our Catholic ethos promotes positive relationships based on respect; pupils are helped to make moral choices about their behaviour and their contribution to the school community. Our behaviour expectations are based on Christian values. We expect children to be polite, co-operative and considerate of others. Staff are committed to creating a school environment where these qualities are seen to be important and are positively encouraged and reflected in their own conduct. Classroom behaviour is based on simple expectations and values that the children can understand and have confidence in and which relate to all aspects of school life. Below are the 8 positive behaviour statements that are displayed around the school and prominently in classrooms.

EYFS Click the image above for the EYFS Handbook 25/26 Our Learning Nursery Long Term Plan 25-26 Reception Long Term Plan 25-26 EYFS Policy 25-26 Nursery Autumn 1 Knowledge Organiser Autumn 2 Knowledge Organiser Pre-Phonics Document 25/26 Reception Maths Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 1 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 1 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Spring 1 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Summer 1 Maths Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 2 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 2 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Spring 2 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Summer 2 Understanding the World Overview Autum 1 Understanding the World Overview Spring 1 Understanding the World Overview Autumn 2 Understanding the World Overview Spring 2 Follow us on Instagram #wix @wix Load more Early Years Foundation Stage Welcome to St. Bernadette’s Early Years Foundation Stage! Our teaching team in Nursery consists of Mrs Rainey (Red Group), Miss Barron (Yellow Group), Mrs. Buchanan (Blue Group), Mrs Nield (Green Group). The teaching team in Reception consists of Mrs Canning, Mrs Lennon and Mrs McCarten (REL), Miss Coley and Miss O’Neill (RLC), Miss Belcher & Mrs Colclough (RCB). . Our school is a beacon of hope and a place that offers children in the EYFS an education rich in wonder and memorable experiences. We want our children to succeed in our ever-changing world; we hope our education gives our children the best chance to become happy and well-rounded individuals, reaching their full potential and fostering our school motto, ‘Love to Learn, Learn to Love ’. At St Bernadette’s School, we are committed to the Catholic faith, recognising and valuing every individual as special and unique, created in the image and likeness of God. We welcome and celebrate differences and our curriculum is designed to recognise children’s diverse range of experiences and prior learning from their previous settings and their home environment. We know the crucial role that early years education has to play in providing firm foundations upon which the rest of a child’s education is successfully based. Our EYFS curriculum is driven by our four fundamental EYFS curriculum drivers: Learn to Love, Love to Learn We want children’s curiosity and creativity to be nurtured so their love for learning is ignited. Through developing learning behaviours, such as: playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically, we want children to be autonomous with their own learning and resilient. We want them to plan, implement and review this process and do it with integrity and become successful, lifelong learners. Communication Communication and language skills are the cornerstone of learning. We want our children to be able to speak clearly and process speech sounds, express their ideas and to understand and interact with others. We want them to develop an enriched vocabulary and a love for reading. Communication is the vehicle for learning, making friends and succeeding in life. Community We want our children to develop a sense of pride in themselves and respect and tolerance for others in their immediate and school community, as well as the world that is beyond their local environment. They need opportunities to experience the richness of our diverse community and show they care about its management and sustainability. We want to cultivate partnerships with families and engagement in their child’s lifelong learning journey. We want children to develop a sense of citizenship in line with British Values. We follow the Values and Virtues from the Archdiocese of Birmingham's Catholic Schools’ Pupil Profile; we see them in action in our lives and in the lives of others and we work on how to encapsulate these values in our lives. Possibilities We are passionate about broadening the horizons of our children, providing rich learning opportunities and experiences to develop imagination, curiosity, creativity and ingenuity. Our children cannot aspire to things that they have never encountered; we want to expand their knowledge of the world in which we live. Play Based Learning Outdoor Learning Reading Reading Tips Nursery Ryhmes Maths Pencil grip Outdoor Learning “The best kept classroom and the richest cupboard are roofed only by the sky” Margaret McMillan (1925) The outdoors provides young children with one of the best possible environments in which to learn. Why is learning outdoor important: Physical development is the pre-requisite for the children’s growth. It enhances the development of gross and fine motor skills, develops co-ordination, balance and body awareness. It develops a life-long good habit of daily exercise, encouraging them to be active and healthy. It provides the opportunity for assessed ‘risky’ freedom, where children can play and socialise freely and use their own imagination an initiative. All the areas of learning can be achieved outside while the children’s long-term social, emotional and mental health are being enhanced. Learning outside the classroom gives children contact with the natural world and offers them experiences that are unique to outdoors, such as direct contact with the weather and the seasons. Playing and learning outside also helps children to understand and respect nature, the environment and the interdependence of humans, animals, plants, and lifecycles. Outdoor play also supports children’s problem-solving skills and nurtures their creativity, as well as providing rich opportunities for their developing imagination, inventiveness and resourcefulness. The outdoor environment offers space and therefore is particularly important to those children who learn best through active movement. Very young children learn predominately through their sensory and physical experiences which supports brain development and the creation of neural networks. For many children, playing outdoors at their early years setting may be the only opportunity they have to play safely and freely while they learn to assess risk and develop the skills to manage new situations. At our school we have two well equipped outdoor areas, as well as a garden where the children can explore, learning and play. In addition to this, the children will have the chance to visit the EcoPark where they can experience, hands-on, pond dipping, mini-beast hunts, explore the seasons and build dens to name a few. Outdoor Play Based Learning Play underpins the Early Years Foundation Stage at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School. When children play, they are learning at the highest level and through play, children develop language skills, their emotions and creativity, social and intellectual skills. Play takes place indoors and outdoors and it is in these different environments that children explore and discover their immediate world, practise new ideas and skills, take risks, show imagination and solve problems on their own or with others. We provide high quality planned and unplanned experiences for children’s play and our teaching team support children’s learning so that it is both enjoyable and challenging. Play Reading At St. Bernadette’s Catholic School we foster a love of reading from the onset, sharing stories, poems and rhymes to develop vocabulary and comprehension. We have selected a number of high, quality texts to support a love of reading. Nursery Reading and Rhyme Spine Reception Reading and Rhyme Spine Nursery Rhymes in EYFS We also follow Pie Corbett’s ‘Talk for Writing’, this is a multi-sensory approach, introducing a simple way to inspire young children's language development through storytelling. Our children learn language through memorable, meaningful repetition. The ‘Talk for Writing’ approach enables children to internalise the language of story so that they can imitate it, innovate on it and create their own effective stories independently, allowing their language development and creativity to flourishes. We have a secure, systematic, synthetic phonics programme taught from the beginning of Reception, with phase 1 listening and attention activities being the focus in our Nursery. Our children have many opportunities to read and reread books that match their phonics stage. We also have a robust assessment system in place to quickly pick up children falling behind and thus we are able to give these children targeted support. Check out our Reading area on our school website for more information. EYFS Mathematics There's more to mathematics than just counting! Children learn about maths through play and their daily experiences and the more meaningful to them and hands on it is, the better. Our Nursey and Reception (both indoors and out) is full of mathematical opportunities and has exciting things for children to explore, sort, compare, count, calculate and describe. This supports them to be creative, critical thinkers, problem solvers and to have a go and to be resilient. EYFS Mathematics Overview Click here to visit our Mathematics area of our school website for more information. Please refer to our Maths Knowledge Organisers above. Literacy We believe that literacy and communication are key life skills. We will help children to develop the skills and knowledge that will enable them to communicate effectively and creatively in both spoken and written language. We want the children to enjoy and appreciate a rich variety of literature. Literacy skills permeate the curriculum and are vital in ensuring progress across all subjects. We aim to develop pupils’ abilities within our core programme of reading, writing, speaking and listening. The children have opportunities to use and improve their skills in other subject areas. We are committed to engaging our children with stories and rhymes from a very young age. Early language development is established through daily stories and rhymes. Children will experience quality reading, story, rhyme, talk and play on a daily basis. This is carefully planned within directed teacher led sessions and in our continuous provision. Please refer to our Literacy Knowledge Organisers above.

St. Bernadette's Policies & Admissions Policies Safeguarding Child Protection Policy 2025 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 865KB 2025 Behaviour Policy 2025 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 337KB 2025 Complaints Procedure 2025 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 344KB 2025 4. Charging and Remission 2025 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 100KB 2025 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy 2025-26 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 366KB 2025 Admissions Policy 26-27 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 181KB 2026 Accessibility Plan 2025 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 48KB 2025 Parent Code Of Coduct 2025 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 78KB 2025 Computing Policy 2025 - 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 122KB 2025 Online Safety Policy 2025 - 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 126KB 2025 PE policy 2025-2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 495KB 2025 Mathematics Policy 2025 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 103KB 2025 1. EYFS Calculation Policy .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 1.45MB 2025 2. Year 1 Calculation Policy .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 1.20MB 2025 3. Year 2 Calculation Policy .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 1.60MB 2025 4. Year 3 Calculation Policy .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 1.63MB 2025 5. Year 4 Calculation Policy .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 6.25MB 2025 6. Year 5 Calculation Policy .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 6.51MB 2025 7. Year 6 Calculation Policy .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 7.31MB 2025 Geography policy 2025-2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 186KB 2025 History policy 2025-26 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 195KB 2025 Design Technology policy 2025-26 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 199KB 2025 English Policy 2025-26 with HWr Progression .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 563KB 2025 Art policy 2025-2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 195KB 2025 Science Policy 2025-2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 209KB 2025 MFL Policy 2025- 2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 174KB 2025 Religious Education Policy 2025-2026 .pdf UploadFile_Viewer_Download • 89KB 2025

Science At St. Bernadette’s, we are in the process of writing and developing a bespoke curriculum based on the National Curriculum. “…careful curriculum design, where new knowledge is broken down into meaningful components and introduced sequentially, can support all pupils to learn scientific concepts. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.” Research Review Series: Science. Ofsted, 2021. Science Policy 25/26 Science Curriculum Overview 24/25 Intent, Implement, Impact Science Prior Knowledge “Assessing students' prior knowledge allows an instructor to focus and adapt their teaching plan. For students, it helps them to construct connections between old and new knowledge.” Assessing Prior Knowledge, Cornell University, 2022 Each unit with a prior knowledge check – this aids both teachers and learners. A focused flashback helps pupils to retain prior knowledge on the topic and make links between old and new content. Each planning grid outlines prior knowledge in order to support teaching. Retrieval “Sufficient curriculum time must be allocated for pupils to embed what they have learned in long-term memory through extensive practice before moving on to new content.” Research Review Series: Science. Ofsted, 2021. Each lesson begins with three flashback activities: The idea is that this: Will help to transfer information into pupils’ long term memories Will act as a ‘pre-teach’ for key concepts and vocabulary Will address common misconceptions before they arise Will lead to greater understanding as we progress through a topic as effective links can be made. Vocabulary “Vocabulary plays a crucial role in science because it is at the heart of science learning and knowledge building. To discuss and build knowledge, students need to have access to the vocabulary of science.” National Science Teaching Association, 2020 Each unit contains: A discrete lesson on vocabulary that is taught at the start of the unit, this pre teaches new scientific words. A selection of key vocabulary showcased on classroom science display boards. Each lesson contains: Scientists “Researchers have found that the sense of belonging in science matters more than grades and background when it comes to keeping students in science majors and careers. Creating a more equitable, inclusive, and leakproof STEM pipeline requires helping more students feel like scientists.” Helping students (re)think of themselves as scientists. C&EN, 2020. Each unit has a key scientist linked to it. These scientists have been reviewed to ensure our curriculum is more diverse and relevant to our pupils. Many units also have a ‘Just Like Me’ scientist also included, helping pupils learn about people like them working in different careers within the field of science today. When learning about scientists, we will focus on: the impact that scientist had on the world whose ideas that scientist built upon the barriers some scientists faced and how they successfully overcame these to make a significant difference to the world around them which of our ‘Working Scientifically’ skills these scientists utilized. Here are examples of a few modern and diverse scientists included in our science curriculum: Environmental Awareness “Environmental education promotes critical and creative thinking skills and inspires kids to become more engaged with their communities. It helps kids understand why the environment is important and provides them with the building blocks they need to live eco-friendly and sustainable lives.” Why Environmental Education is Important for Kids. Rubicon, 2021. The golden thread of environmental awareness runs through each unit in school. Each unit has a linked environmental focus – ‘Care of God’s Creation’ (linked to Catholic Social Teaching). This makes our curriculum more relevant to issues faced today, which should engage pupils and help them to see the real-world purpose of their learning. Enquiry Types Throughout school, children are exposed to five types of enquiry: Comparative/fair testing Research Observation over time Pattern seeking Identifying, grouping and classifying Working Scientifically A set of characters have been created to represent each of the ‘Working Scientifically’ skills that the children will utilise within their investigations and enquiries. These characters are displayed in every classroom and appear in many science lessons, even when the focus is not directly linked to enquiry. Reading At St. Bernadette’s, we believe that reading is a cornerstone of each and every curriculum area. As such, opportunities to share picture books, as well as fiction and non-fiction texts, have been planned into each unit. A range of books related to each science topic have also been purchased for each classroom in order to allow children to extend their learning outside of lesson time. Reading as part of the Curriculum (sample): Wider reading material (sample): Reading Across the Curriculum Science in Nursery and Reception The EYFS framework is structured very differently to the national curriculum as it is organised across seven areas of learning rather than subject areas. The skills taught across EYFS feed into national curriculum subjects and statements from Development Matters are prerequisite skills for science within the national curriculum. The most relevant statements for science are taken from the following areas of learning: Communication and Language Personal, Social and Emotional Development Understanding the World Science in EYFS Science Knowledge Organisers Year 1 Plants Seasonal Changes Everyday Materials Animals including humans Year 2 Living things and their Habitats Everyday Materials Animals including humans Plants Year 3 Animals including humans Rocks Forces and magnets Plants Light Year 4 Living things and their habitats Animals, including humans States of Matter Year 4 Sound Electricity Year 5 Living Things and Their Habitats Animals, including Humans Forces Earth and Space Properties and Changes of Materials Year 6 Living Things and Their Habitats Animals, Including Humans Evolution and Inheritance Electricity Light World Earth Day At St Bernadette’s, we celebrate World Earth Day each year and mark this day across the school with an array of activities, assemblies and special visitors. The aim of this is to raise awareness of the harms of plastic pollution and planetary health. This day is celebrated across the world and the themes cover a range of environmental issues, climate change and promoting clean energy to protect endangered species. Click here to read more

MFL at St. Bernadette's “A different language is a different vision of life." Federico Fellini St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School is a place that offers pupils an education rich in wonder and memorable experiences. Through our creative and inspiring MFL curriculum, it is our aim that children ‘learn to love and love to learn’ as global citizens. We believe that acquiring a foreign language and developing skills in communication are a necessary part of living in a multicultural society, essential ingredients to broadening our children’s horizons. Language lessons place a strong emphasis on developing the speaking and listening skills of the children: expressing their ideas and thoughts as they interact and communicate with others orally is at the heart of our MFL curriculum. The bespoke KS2 curriculum is organised around a wide range of engaging and relevant topics and themes; it aims to teach language that is purposeful and of high interest as well as nurture linguistic curiosity. MFL Overview Assessment Statements for MFL Intent, Implementation & Impact statement Language Ambassadors At Saint Bernadette’s we have Language Ambassadors who promote the school’s positive ethos in language learning. These children have been chosen to represent our school as great role models, promoting the importance of language and the diverse world we live in. What an amazing job they do- thank you so much for sacrificing all those lunch times and giving your class a voice! Pupil Voice The children at Saint Bernadette’s really enjoy their French lessons and the experiences the French curriculum provides. Here are some of their comments: “I love my French lessons as there are so many activities to do and I know I am progressing because I can do the recaps without any help” Y6 pupil. “This is only the second time I have cooked in my life and now I learnt how to make crepes” Y5 pupil “I enjoyed going on the Mrs Colclough’s plane because it felt real and exciting to fly to France. I have never been on a plane before” Y1 pupil “French is important for our lives so we can meet new people, go on holiday, speak to people and not offend them” Y6 pupil French Day Every year at Saint Bernadette’s, we hold a special French Theme Day to celebrate France’s Bastille Day. Each class across school is involved in a vast range of fun and practical French related activities where they learn about the country’s geography, history, food, art and culture. All children are invited to come into school dressed in a French theme and get the opportunity to cook and taste selected French cuisine, re-create the work of well-know French artists and architects, as well as participate in a variety of workshops and experiences such as ballet, Cirque Du Soleil, pétanque, Tour de France, a Journey to Paris to name but a few. Take a look… Learning Outside the Classroom We know that reviewing and consolidation new vocabulary and grammatical structures is an integral part of learning and memorising a new language. As well as looking out for the ‘Réviser Votre Français’ section on the school newsletter, below are some web links to support your child’s language learning journey. Enjoy! https://www.french-games.net/ https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=french https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z39d7ty Why not join in on your child’s language learning journey by downloading Duolingo, the fun, free app for learning 40+ languages (including French) through quick, bite-sized lessons. Practice speaking, reading, listening, and writing to build your vocabulary and grammar skills. https://www.duolingo.com

Maths Policies Sequence of Work Bar Modelling KIRFs Mathematics is a life skill. It helps us to make sense of our world, providing a precise means of communication using numbers, symbols and shapes. It is a powerful, universal language used to explain, predict and represent events and tackle problems in everyday life. At St. Bernadette’s Catholic School, our aim is for the children to Learn to Love, Love to Learn and to develop an ability to solve problems, to reason and think logically, to work systematically and accurately and most importantly to be curious and resilient learners. New mathematical concepts are introduced using the ‘Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract’ (CPA) approach; enabling all children to experience hands-on learning when exploring new concepts. This allows all children to have clear models and images to aid their understanding. Time is devoted, daily, to teach and practise arithmetic and basic maths skills which ensures key mathematical facts and concepts are embedded and children can recall them accurately. Our mathematics curriculum is designed so that it is accessible and engaging for all pupils to maximise their full potential and make rich connections across other areas of the curriculum, preparing them for their future lives and careers. EYFS Calculation Policy Year 3 Calculation Policy Policies Mathematics Policy 24/25 Year 1 Calculation Policy Year 4 Calculation Policy Year 2 Calculation Policy Year 5 Calculation Policy Year 6 Calculation Policy Sequence of Work Sequence of Work at St. Bernadette’s Catholic School The National Curriculum lies at the heart of Mathematics at St. Bernadette’s. We use the National Curriculum and White Rose to base medium term planning on. The National Curriculum for Mathematics aims to ensure that all pupils: become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions. The KS1 and KS2 Curriculum specifies ten strands of mathematics, namely: Number - number and place value Number - addition and subtraction Number - multiplication and division Number - fractions (including decimals and percentages) Ratio and proportion Algebra Measurement Geometry – property of shape Geometry – position and direction Statistics The EYFS curriculum specifies two strands of mathematics: Number Numerical Patterns Here you will find our sequence of work for the academic year 2024-25. Reception EYFS/KS1 KIRFs Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Policies Sequence Bar Modelling Bar modelling is a key element when considering teaching for mastery. An amazing and powerful pictorial representation for revealing the structure and patterns within a maths problem, Bar Modelling promotes profound mathematical understanding and insight. The bar model method draws on the Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract Approach — an essential maths mastery concept. The process begins with pupils exploring problems via concrete objects. Pupils then progress to drawing pictorial diagrams, and then to abstract notations such as the +, -, x and ÷ symbols. Bar modelling is a versatile maths model strategy that can be used across a wide range of concepts and topics. It gives pupils a powerful and adaptable strategy for solving increasingly challenging problems that draws on the Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract approach. Below you will find more information on Bar Modelling for each mathematic concept. Addition & Subtraction Multiplication & Division Algebra Other Problems Fractions Ratio Bar KIRFs KIRFs (Key Instant Recall Facts) Y3 Spring 1 Y4 Spring 1 Y5 Spring 1 Y6 Spring 1 Y3 Spring 2 Y4 Spring 2 Y5 Spring 2 Y6 Spring 2 Y3 Summer 1 Y3 Summer 2 Y4 Summer 1 Y4 Summer 2 Y5 Summer 1 Y6 Summer 1 Y5 Summer 2

The Sacraments At St Bernadette’s School, the children have the opportunity to receive three of the sacraments: The Sacrament of Reconciliation in year 3 First Holy Communion in year 3 The Sacrament of Confirmation in year 6 The preparation for these sacraments takes place in school, with meetings held for parents and children in the early evening. The Sacramental Life of the School: About Us Reconciliation Reconciliation is one of the seven Sacraments of the Church. It is one of the two sacraments of healing, the other being the Sacrament of the Sick. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation we receive God’s forgiveness for our sins, his pardon and healing and reconciliation with the Church. Baptised Catholic children in Year 3 will usually receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time during Lent. This takes place in a special Reconciliation service at Holy Family Church. Preparation for this important sacrament takes place in school through the RE curriculum and during an after school meeting, where parents meet with Fr Fretch and children work with teachers and catechists. All You Need to Know About Reconcilliation The Sacramental Life of the School: Our Mission First Holy Communion The Holy Eucharist is described as “the source and summit of the Christian life.” This is because it is at the very centre of the practice of the Catholic faith. It is one of the three Sacraments of Initiation into the Church, which are necessary for people to become full members of the Church. The other two Sacraments of Initiation are the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. In receiving Holy Communion we are united with Christ in a physical way and we enter more fully in to the Body of Christ. The more we receive Christ the more Christ-like we become. At St Bernadette’s, Baptised Catholic children in Year 3 will make their First Holy Communion during a Mass held at Holy Family Church in the Summer Term. Preparation for this important sacrament takes place throughout the RE curriculum and in the form of after school meetings where parents meet with Fr Fretch and the children are supported by Catechists. All You Need to Know About The Sacrament of The Eucharist The Sacramental Life of the School: Our Philosophy Confirmation Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments of the Church. It is one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Church which are necessary for people to become full members of the Church. The other two Sacraments of initiation are the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. Through Confirmation the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are received: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. These gifts can help a person to live as a follower of Christ. Through receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit it is hoped that the candidate will, through their thoughts, words and actions bear the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control and joy. It is a means by which the candidate publically professes their faith and shows their commitment to becoming a full member of the Church. Children at St Bernadette’s usually receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in Year 6, during the Autumn Term. Preparation for this important sacrament begins in Year 5 and is continued in Year 6 through the delivery of the RE curriculum. Children have the opportunity to work closely with Fr Fretch and Sr Maura during this time. They are encouraged to think carefully about their chosen saint’s name and opportunities are provided for them to find out more about their saint and reflect on their life. All You Need to Know About Confirmation The Sacramental Life of the School: Text

St. Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Yardley, Birmingham We are delighted to have achieved the 'School of Sanctuary Award'! You can discover more about our journey towards the award by visiting stberns.co.uk/school-of-sanctuary St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School 1/10 Parent Pay Newsletter School opening hours Monday to Thursday 8.30am -3.15 pm Friday 8.30am- 2.00pm Total time 32.5 hours Pupil Absence Staff Email OPEN DAYS Monday 3rd November 5:00pm Monday 10th November 9:00am All Welcome

Updates on the Corona Virus and it's impact on pupils, parents & staff. CORONA VIRUS - Updates and Information Risk Assessment Covid Catch Up Premium Remote Education Provision Blended & Remote Learning Covid Management Plan For the latest information relating to Corona Virus, please visit the Government website and World Health Organisation. https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public For any urgent queries regarding Corona Virus, you can contact the Department of Education Helpline using the contact information provided below. This is for Staff members and Parents. Department for Education Helpline: Phone: 0800 046 8687 Email:DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday) NHS Information: NHS 111 has an online coronavirus service that can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do. Use this service if: you think you might have coronavirus in the last 14 days you’ve been to a country or area with a high risk of coronavirus – see travelling advice you’ve been in close contact with someone with coronavirus enquiry@stberns.bham.sch.uk What are Covid 19 Symptons? The main SYMPTOMS OF Covid-19 are: - A new continuous cough and/or - Fever (temperature of 37.8 degrees or higher) - Loss of or change in, normal sense of taste of smell (anosmia) What is the mode of transmission? Covid-19 is passed from person to person mainly by large respiratory droplets and direct contact (close unprotected contact, usually less than one metre). These droplets can be directly inhaled by the person or can land on surfaces which another person may touch which can lead to infection if they then touch their nose, mouth or eyes. When is a person infectious? A person is thought to be infectious 48 hours before symptoms appear, and up to seven days after they start displaying symptoms. Are pupils at risk of infection? Pupils of all ages can catch the infection, but pupils make up a very small proportion of Covid-19 cases with about 1% of confirmed cases in England aged under 19 years. Pupils also have a much lower risk of developing symptoms or severe disease. If setting has been notified of symptomatic pupil/staff member, should the rest of the class/bubble be excluded? No, the class/bubble should continue to attend the education setting as normal. The symptomatic case should stay at home and follow the stay at home guidance: the staff member/pupil’s parents encouraged to get tested. Any siblings of the pupil attending the setting/staff’s household member should self-isolate for 10 days. Should a pupil/staff member come to School if a member of their household is unwell? No. If a member of the pupil’s/staff member’s household is unwell with COVID-19 symptoms then the pupil/staff member should isolate for 10 days starting from the day after the household member(s) became ill. If the pupil subsequently develops symptoms then they should isolate for 10 days from the date. Can the siblings of a pupil who is self-isolating because they are a contact of a case attend the education? Yes, other household members of the contact do not need to self-isolate unless the pupil, young person or staff member they live with in that group subsequently develops symptoms. If a pupil has Covid-19 symptoms, get tested and tests negative, can they return to the education setting even if they still have symptoms? If the pupil is NOT a known contact of a confirmed case the pupil can return to the education if the result is negative, provided they feel well, and they have not had a fever for 48 hours. Should close contacts of a positive case get tested? No, they are not required to get tested unless they develop symptoms during the 14 days of isolation. Key Worker Contact Form A message to all the children at St. Bernadette's

Prayer Clubs At our school, our faith journey extends beyond the classroom. Our extra-curricular prayer clubs provide a haven for our pupils to explore and embrace their faith, whilst also promoting a sense of unity. Pupils are encouraged to engage in meaningful discussions and cultivate their religious practices. We understand the importance of nurturing the whole child, and our prayer clubs play a vital role in supporting their emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. We invite all pupils from EYFS to Year 6, seeking a space for reflection and connection, to participate in these integral extra-curricular prayer clubs. December - Advent During Advent, we have the opportunity to gather as a KS2 family to share ideas about how we can be ready to meet Jesus. This year the children collectively created an Advent Reflection. They reflected on simple steps that they could take in their daily lives and explored how they could carry out our mission. Lent During Lent, we gather together to explore CAFOD’s Lenten calendar to help us journey through Lent. This year our Year 4 pupils reflected on Pope Francis’ Lenten message and began each session by exploring how Jesus speaks to us through the word of God. They explored daily readings and used CAFOD’s online Lent calendar to journey through Lent with their global family. The children created purple prayer cubes and encouraged each other to preform acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lenten Prayer Club Through the inspiring resources from Mission Together, we gathered together in prayer, exploring themes of repentance, sacrifice, and renewal. Our interactive sessions incorporated Lent-themed craft activities, providing hands-on experiences that reinforced the messaged shared in the weekly Gospel reading. May - The Month of Mary Our prayer club in May is dedicated to “Mary”. This year, the children were provided with the opportunity to learn about, explore and pray the mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Each week the children explored and reflected on one of the four mysteries. June - The Sacred Heart During the month of June, children from Reception and KS1 have the opportunity to take part in a Sacred Heart Prayer Club. This year the children gathered together to learn about the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The children were encouraged to be prayerful and attentive during this special time. All children took an active role in the club; setting up the prayer table, writing and reading prayers, singing Hymns and listening to the word God. The children had the opportunity to create Sacred Hearts using a range of different materials, building upon skills they have learnt during their art lessons. They also reflected on the devotion of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and shared prayers of love and thanks.

Liturgy and Prayer at St Bernadette’s School “The first task in life is this: prayer. But not the prayer of words, like a parrot; but prayer of the heart; gazing on the Lord, hearing the Lord, asking the Lord.” Pope Francis. As a Catholic primary school, collective worship is a vitally important part of life at St Bernadette’s. In worship we acknowledge God’s presence in our lives and we respond to this through prayer. Growing Closer to God In its simplest form, prayer is defined as “talking to God.” It is a personal time of opening our hearts to our Heavenly Father and bringing everything in our hearts to Him. Prayer can be a powerful force for change in our lives, and the importance of doing it on a daily basis is instilled in our children. Communication is the foundation for success in any relationship. When we communicate openly and freely with each other, we learn to know each other as individuals. This principle also applies to our relationship with God. By talking to God, we can learn more about who He is and what plan He has for us. Prayer Has a Purpose It is important that our children and our staff understand that there is a purpose to prayer. Jesus frequently prayed during His life on Earth. He had a reason for doing so. Our prayers are something that God deeply desires. But our prayers are not for His benefit; as a perfect Divine Being, God is complete in His power and knowledge. Catholic Meditation Meditation is a valuable skill for children, helping them find stillness and peace in today’s busy world. Catholic meditation encourages children to pause, listen, and reflect, allowing them to grow closer to God. This practice is more than just calming the mind; it’s a way for children to focus their thoughts, feelings, and imagination to connect with God’s presence within them. At our school, children will have the opportunity to participate in Catholic meditation as part of their class prayer services. These sessions will help children become familiar with meditation, starting with a shared prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to meet you in the silence. Holy Spirit, teach us to be still and know that you are God. Jesus, may our meditations and reflections lead us closer to you. Amen After this prayer, we’ll play gentle music or a guided meditation video. During this time, children may be invited to draw or write their thoughts, connecting to the prayer service theme. At the end, they can share their reflections if they choose. We hope this experience will help our children find peace, deepen their faith and listen to God speaking within their hearts. Pupil Prayer Children will pray four times daily in school. They are expected to learn a variety of traditional prayers as they move through school, but they are also expected to write their own prayers and have an understanding that prayers fall into five main categories: praise, adoration, thanksgiving, intercession and prayers of petition. Children will have the opportunity to take the class prayer bag home each week, to encourage families to pray together. The expectations for each year band can be seen below. About: About Us Year Band Prayers EYFS Prayers Y1 Prayers Y4 Prayers Y2 Prayers Y5 Prayers Y3 Prayers Y6 Prayers Liturgical Year The Liturgical Year, also known as the Church Year or Calendar. It consists of the cycle that determines when different Seasons of the Church, holy days, feast days, including celebration of Saints, are observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read either in an annual cycle or in a cycle of several years at Mass for the Gospel and other readings. Aside from the readings, the Liturgical Calendar also determines the interior decoration of a Church, the Priest's vestment colours (distinct liturgical colours are used in connection with different Seasons), the timing of spiritual seasons and practices such as Lent, and much more. The Year is divided into seven main parts. The shortest but most holy being the Sacred Pascal Triduum. (The three days leading up to Easter.) The Churches year starts with Advent in November or December and ends the following November or December with the Feast of Christ the King. The Stations Of The Cross As a school community, our prayers and liturgy can have a different focus throughout the liturgical year.

Holy Family Parish Parish Holy Family St. Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School is in the parish of Holy Family Church. "Greetings to all parents and parishioners, May the peace of God be with you and your families. You are always welcome to visit our church" Father Fretch Ballesteros (SDV) is our priest at Holy Family Church in Small Heath. The parish was founded in 1901. The church was built in 1928 and extended in 1966 Tuesday - Friday Mass 10:30am. Sunday Morning Mass: 10.30am. Weekend Mass times at Local Parishes Parish Saturday Sunday Holy Family 4 pm 10.30 am and 5.15 pm St Thomas More 5.30 pm 8.30 am and 10.30 am Corpus Christi 6 p m 10.30 am Holy Souls 5pm 8.30 am, 10 am and 12pm (Noon) The Holy Rosary - 9.30 am and 12 pm (Noon) Fr. Fretch Ballesteros History of Holy Family Church A brick building of the 1920s by George Drysdale, built on a Greek cross plan, and significantly enlarged in the 1960s to accommodate a large influx of (mainly Irish) Catholics, attracted by jobs in local industry. The interior is a fine barrel vaulted space. An intended campanile was not built, the result being that the townscape contribution of the church is relatively minor. The mission in Small Heath was founded by the Revd James Wright in 1901 from St Anne’s in Digbeth and Mass was said in a workshop in Green Lane until a school-chapel was built in 1903, then Mass was said in the upper floor of the new school (this was destroyed by enemy action in 1940.) Subsequently, the first Parish Primary School (Holy Family) opened its doors in Holy Family Church on 11 January 1904. The permanent church opened in 1928. The church is orientated roughly north-south, but this description follows conventional liturgical orientation, as if the altar was to the east. The church was built in two phases. The first, in the 1920s, was on a Greek cross plan, and was built of local purple brown bricks, with Green Westmorland slate roofs. The eastern arm of this was demolished and the nave extended to form a Latin cross, using complementary materials, in the 1960s. An intended northwest campanile was not built. So the present church originated as a Greek cross design by George Drysdale, seating 400, and opened in August 1929 (builders William Sapcote & Sons). It was described in The Tablet as ‘a quiet design …unity of character has been sought in the architecture, in the treatment of furniture and fittings, and also in the arrangement of the forecourt’. The 1920s church had open pediments on the north and south faces with moulded brick string courses and a row of arched clerestory windows. The east end was apsidal. The interior was an impressive barrel vaulted space, with a groin vault at the crossing. Although externally expressed, there is no internal separation into ‘nave’ and ‘aisles’, the nave is one wide space, with the barrel vaulting springing from great steel joists spanning east to west. There is a gallery and narthex at the west end, with a mosaic roundel of the Holy Family fixed to the gallery front (figure 2), possibly from the 1929 church and possibly by Pippet. In the narthex are brass panels to Fr Wright, founder of the mission, and Fr J. P. Dowling, benefactor. At the east, arched openings are located at the corners of the Greek cross. The sanctuary is placed in the eastern arm, and is dominated by a large freestanding altar, with a crucifix and tabernacle in the apse. Side chapels were placed at either side. There is a large organ of 1903 by Steele & Keay of Burslem, acquired c.1993 from Pitts Hill Methodist Church, Stoke. The forecourt was developed in the 1960s when, following a large influx of (mainly Irish) Catholics drawn by jobs in local industry: Birmingham Small Arms;the Chrysler Factory; JJ Gallagher the Builder. The local population used to say that they were either coming out the Blues ground or Holy Family Church. And so the priest, Father O'Keefe extended the church in 1966, and that's why it is so big now. The nave was extended to form a Latin cross plan, increasing the seating capacity to approximately 1,000. The architect for the additions was J. T. Lynch of Jennings, Homer & Lynch, and the extended church was blessed on 25 October, 1967. New sacristies, meeting rooms, a cry room and confessionals were also built, but an intended 100ft campanile was never realised. The total cost was for the built additions was about £120,000. In that period a second Parish Primary School was built on Hob Moor Road, (St Bernadette’s) which served the Irish community. Previously, St Benedict's Church of England School had been used for some of the children because of the enormous numbers. The 1960s additions were a modern and simplified version of the original work. The west front had a brick pilaster/piers at the corners and an open pediment framing a large central ‘feature panel’ faced in Portland stone. A crucifix was placed against this. Below this, solid oak entrance doors were placed beneath a flat canopy, with windows on either side. Flanking the entrance, low flat-roofed wings with recessed stone faced bays incorporating windows were presumably built as the baptistery and a side entrance. Above these, a round arched window on either side lit an internal gallery. Beyond this were raised (but not as high as the nave) and plain ‘aisle’ walls, the ‘aisles’ lit by one rectangular window per bay. The present church was consecrated on 10 June 1976.