Celebrations
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School Pilgrimage to Downside Abbey to Celebrate Feast Of St Francis

We had a fantastic day at Downside Abbey. Thank you so much to all our parents, grandparents and governors who joined us for this very special celebration of our feast day. The children did us proud with the Abbey staff being impressed by their behaviour and the way in which they were so interested in what they did and saw. Talking to the children afterwards I was struck with how much they appreciated going somewhere so different and their enthusiasm through the day. They all engaged well when completing their practical tasks around the abbey, and sat beautifully for mid-day prayer in the abbey with the monks.

Eduaction Mass

We have celebrated some beautiful Masses together - for example, First Holy Communion , the Education Mass at Clifton Cathedral and mass at church for the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul. Well done to all those children who helped in any way, through singing in the choir, dancing as part of the offertory or leading readings and prayers. Congratulations to all our children who have made their first holy communion recently and who were able to receive communion at a school mass for the first time.

May Procession

This year's May Procession was a real community affair with families joining St Francis' pupils as the Year Four class beautifully led an afternoon of joyful singing and prayer to honour Our Lady.

Pentecost Assembly

A Pentecost Party took place this week to celebrate the birthday of the Church. Senior citizens from the parishes of St Francis' Nailsea and the Immaculate Conception Clevedon joined children and staff for a Pentecost Celebration in the school hall. Each class presented in word, song, dance and drama thoughts about the Holy Spirit and everyone enjoyed a slice of birthday cake. The celebration was organised by the School Prayer team who wanted to do something special for those who are elderly or live alone. Here are some comments from some of the visitors who spoke to the prayer team after the event "First class in all aspects!" "A really enjoyable morning. All the children did so well." "Thoroughly enjoyed it. Reminded me of my childhood!". "Fantastic assembly. Very creative". "Wonderful! The children have such a clear understanding of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit". "What a lovely way to celebrate the Church's birthday. Thank you St Francis' School!"

Passover Meal

On Wednesday afternoon, Key Stage 2 children enjoyed celebrating a Passover meal together. Tables were spread with an array of foods arranged on Seder plates, each food representing an aspect of the freeing of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Children listened to Passover music and shared the food together in a special order. Our six very youngest children all asked a question about the Passover meal, and the year six children answered them.

Many thanks to our fantastic year 5 parent helpers who went shopping, cooked food, chopped food and helped clear up afterwards!

KS1 Christmas Craft Workshop

KS1 children made Christmas decorations and participated in Christmas activities. They had a wonderful morning and many thanks to all the grown ups who joined us and helped.

KS2 Carol Service (Year 6 Pupil Report)
Our Carol Service was called ‘Treading in the Footsteps’ and all of key stage 2 took part and did something. Y3 were angels, Y4 were shepherds and years 5 and 6 led the choir and harmonies, acted part of the story and led the readings and solos. We processed into church with amazing costumes; white tops, black leggings or trousers and star headbands for the choir; robes and head dresses for the shepherds and tunics for the angels. We led the carols and at the end the congregation joined in with ‘O Come all Ye Faithful’. When we asked year 6 pupils their best carols ‘Prince of Peace’, ‘Treading in the Footsteps’ and ‘Bang the Drums’ were definite favourites. Special thanks to the school orchestra which started the service. It was a truly amazing moment because it was the last carol service for Y6 pupils and we loved it.

KS1 Nativity

A really big well done to our Infants and their teachers for giving us so much pleasure with their performance of the ‘The Hoity Toity Angels’. Feet tapped and songs sung - and that was just the audience! Every child was involved as actor, narrator, singer, dancer and musician performing their parts with total commitment and enthusiasm. Thank you boys and girls for giving us such enjoyment – you can feel very proud of yourselves

Advent and Blessing of the Wreaths

As part of our Advent preparation, children and parents shared morning prayer time in the playground.

The children started the Advent season in traditional style by making Advent wreaths and bringing them to school to display in the school hall. The wreaths were made from colourful candles and evergreen branches, and a candle is lit each week to mark the passing of the weeks until Christmas.

Christingle

We celebrated our Christingle Mass with Year 2 and Father Reg leading it. Children brought in their Christingle oranges to be blessed at Mass and brought home at the end of the day. A Christingle celebration is a Christian celebration of light – other religions also have such celebrations, eg Hanukkah and Diwali. Through a Christingle celebration we are reminded of the love and hope that Jesus brought to the world and that we often talk about Jesus as ‘the light of the world’. In the same way we are asked to bring hope and love to our families, friends and those around us.

Celebrations please click on the pictures to view full size...