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Parents Inofrmation - Diary dates, Term Dates, Uniform Guide, Bedtime Stories Newsletters School Attendance - A Very Important Message for all Parents & Carers Bedtime Stories Diary Dates CALENDAR FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR September 2024 -July 2025 Autumn Term 2024 Monday 2nd September 2024 To Friday 25th October 2024 Half Term Monday 4th November 2024 To Friday 20th December 2024 Spring Term 2025 Monday 6th January 2025 To Friday 14th February 2025 Half Term Tuesday 25th February 2025 To Friday 11th April 2025 Summer Term 20 25 Tuesday 29th April 2025 To Friday 23rd May 2025 Half Term Monday 2nd June 2025 To Friday 18th July 2025 INSET DAYS Monday 23rd September 2024 Friday 25th October 2024 Monday 24th February 2025 Tuesday 6th May 2025 Monday 21st July 2025 Bank Holiday Monday 5th May 2025 Please note that these dates may be subject to change Parent Meetings Nursery Nursery Welcome Meeting 2024 Reception Reception Welcome Meeting 2023 Reception RWI Meeting 2022 Year 1 Year 1 Welcome Meeting 2023 Year 2 Year 2 Welcome Meeting 2023 SATs Meeting 2025 Year 3 Year 3 Welcome Meeting 2024 Year 4 Year 4 Welcome Meeting 2024 Year 4 Maths Week Resources Year 5 Year 5 Welcome Meeting 2024 Year 6 year 6 FGM / CSE Meeting Year 6 Welcome Meeting 2024 Year 6 Confirmation Meeting 2024 Year 6 SATs Meeting 2025g Podcasts Wishlist If you would like to donate a book to our school, the links below contain items from our Top 20 lists and Book of the Month recommendations. Each book will be stamped with the name of the person who has donated it and will be placed on our class bookshelves. Nursery Year 3 Reception Year 4 Year 1 Year 5 Year 2 Year 6 Wishlist

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.

Pupil Absence Name of Child(Wymagane) Class(Wymagane) Date of Absence(Wymagane) Reason for Absence(Wymagane) Name of Parent(Wymagane) Email Address(Wymagane) Contact Phone Number(Wymagane) Submit Click the link below to see the local authority advice for parents School attendance, advice for parents.

EYFS Click the image above for the EYFS Handbook 25/26 Our Learning Nursery Long Term Plan 24-25 Reception Long Term Plan 25-26 EYFS Policy 25-26 Nursery Autumn 1 Knowledge Organiser Autumn 2 Knowledge Organiser Spring 1 Knowledge Organiser Spring 2 Knowledge Organiser Summer 1 Knowledge Organiser Summer 2 Knowledge Organiser Pre-Phonics Document 24/25 Reception Maths Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 1 Maths Knowledge Organiser - Spring 1 Maths Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 2 Maths Knowledge Organiser - Spring 2 Maths Knowledge Organiser - Summer 1 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 1 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Autumn 2 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Spring 2 Literacy Knowledge Organiser - Summer 1 Understanding the World Overview Autum 1 Understanding the World Overview Autumn 2 Understanding the World Overview Spring 1 Understanding the World Overview Spring 2 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 Robbins (Green Group). The teaching team in Reception consists of Mrs Jones and Mrs O'Brien (RSJ), Miss Coley and Miss O’Neill (RLC) and Miss Belcher (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.

School of Sanctuary at St Bernadette’s For some time now, our news media has been reporting stories about migrants, refugees, small boats, the expense of housing people in hotels etc. Much of this has been quite misleading and dehumanising with inaccuracies and wrong ideas taking hold in the minds of many. As a Catholic school, St Bernadette’s is looking to explore the realities of the asylum system and the experiences of people going through it right now. Our mission statement makes clear that, “… We follow the ways of Jesus using our talents and gifts to make our school special.” We must never forget that Jesus himself was a refugee. We will therefore, be seeking to gain the award of ‘School of Sanctuary’. What is a School of Sanctuary? A School of Sanctuary is a school that has received a Sanctuary Award from City of Sanctuary UK or a partner organisation in recognition of its good practice in fostering a culture of welcome, belonging and solidarity for those seeking safety. (1) How can St Bernadette’s become a School of Sanctuary? To become a School of Sanctuary, a school must take an intentional and reflective approach to reviewing and refining school practice in relevant areas and demonstrate that they have implemented three key principles: LEARN Schools help their students, staff and wider community learn about what it means to be seeking sanctuary and the issues surrounding forced migration. EMBED Schools are committed to creating a safe and inclusive culture of welcome that benefits everybody, including anyone in their community seeking sanctuary and working with people seeking sanctuary to co-produce their sanctuary efforts and practice. SHARE Schools proudly share their values and activities with their local communities and work collaboratively to build our movement of welcome. (2) As we move forward with the award, we will be partnering up with St Chad’s (who are already working hard in this endeavour), making collections for those in need and learning about the real experiences of people seeking refuge. We believe this will be of huge benefit to our children and community in an ever more precarious world. Notes (1) and (2) taken from the Schools of Sanctuary website. https://schools.cityofsanctuary.org/award Monday 27th January Pilgrimage of Hope: Refugee Journey On Monday 27th January, classes in KS2 and Year had the opportunity to take part in a Pilgrimage of Hope, reflecting on the journey of refugees. Station 1 Packing for a Journey : The children put themselves in a refugee’s shoes and imagined what they would pack if they had to flee their home at short notice. Station 3 The Long Journey : The children imagined the exhausting and dangerous journey, often across deserts, mountains, and forests, in search of safety. Station 5 Final Journey : The children reflected on the final stage of a refugee’s journey, where emotions mixed between relief, excitement, and nervousness as they arrived at their new home. Station 2 Emotional Goodbyes : They thought about the emotional goodbyes that refugees must face as they leave everything behind. Station 4 Refugee Camps : They paused to consider life in refugee camps, where some refugees wait years before being granted asylum. Station 6 A New Home : At the final station, they discussed what it might be like to arrive in a foreign land with a new language and culture. This pilgrimage was linked to the Jubilee Year's theme of Pilgrims of Hope, encouraging us all to walk alongside those who are displaced, offering empathy, support, and a shared journey of hope. It also reminded us to keep our hope in God, trusting that He was with us on every journey, and that with faith, we could bring hope to others. Watch this video capturing the pilgrims in 4KL.

Pastoral Support PASTORAL SUPPORT Pastoral Team: Mr Carroll, Mrs Shalvey and Mrs Payne. Please take a look at the following websites where you will be able to access support from various organisations if needed. BARNARDO’S – Support for children, young people and families in need. Contact details: www.barnardos.org.uk , Helpline telephone: 0121-550-5271. SHELTER - Housing advise and homelessness. Contact details: www.shelter.org.uk , Telephone helpline number 0300-330-1234 MIND - Adult support for mental health, benefits and housing. Contact details: Birmingham mind.org.uk, Telephone 0121-262-3555 Support for key worker practical advice for staying at home taking care of your mental health support for work, benefits, and housing talking to children about coronavirus how to talk to your anxious child or teen about Coronavirus and much more WOMEN’S AID - Provides front line domestic violence and abuse support to women and children in Birmingham and Solihull area. Contact details: https://bswaid.org/ Contact telephone number: 0800 800 0028 (freephone helpline)/   07891 492327 for anyone who would have accessed the drop-in centres. Any women at risk of homelessness as a result of domestic violence and abuse in Birmingham can call the Housing Options HUB. Telephone number:  0800 169 9604   EDWARDS TRUST - Support for Children and Families facing loss and surviving bereavement across the West Midlands. Contact details: admin@edwardstrust.org.uk Bereavement telephone: 0121-454-1705 CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE - Support for Children and Families facing loss and surviving bereavement. Open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm Contact Telephone number: 0808 808 1677 Email: www.cruse.org.uk BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S TRUST - https://www.@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY - Offer family telephone support for those living in Solihull - 5 days a week  Contact telephone number: 0121 779 1734 Email: socialsolihull.org.uk How best to look after your own and/or your child mental and emotional wellbeing on a daily basis How to talk with children about COVID - 19 and their worries relayed to it How to support children to engage with learning at home How best to maintain social connections whilst complying with social distancing How to manage behaviour that can be challenging or difficult to manage  FOOD BANK VOUCHERS - These can be obtained from school. Your local Children’s Centre will also be able to offer you advice and may sign post you to other appropriate organisations. We also know that lots of children will be over hearing adult conversations, listening to the news, and have access to social media etc. all of which may leave them feeling confused and frightened. Please have a look at these links with your children to help them understand about coronavirus, social distancing and self-isolation as they may benefit from a simple explanation; https://nosycrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Coronavirus_INSwith-cover.pdf Further support can also be accessed through: CHILDLINE- 0800 1111 SHOUT 24/7 - free text service for children- text to 85258 CHILDMIND HTTPS://CHILDMIND.ORG/ARTICLE/HOW-MINDFULNESS-CAN-HELP-DURING-COVID-19/ provides simple mindfulness activities to do with children PAUSE - is a drop in mental health and emotional well-being service for under 25s it is currently offering telephone support from 10 am - 6 pm 7 days a week for children and their parents. contact no: 0207 841 4470  email: askbeam@childrenssociety.org.uk OUR ROOTS CIC offers free telephone counselling (CBT or talk therapy) info@ourrootscic.co.uk Telephone : 0121 439 9045  For support, advice and information in a crisis please contact one of the following: - YOUR GP or out of hours service - SAMARITANS on 116 123 free 24hr support - POLICE -Call 111 (open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year) - SANELINE on 0845 767 8000 (open 4:30 pm – 10:30pm every day) - CALM HELPLINE 0800 58 58 58 open 5pm – Midnight 365 days a year

British Values Statement Promoting British Values The DfE have reinforced the need “to create and enforce a clear and rigorous expectation on all schools to promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.” As a Catholic Primary School we believe that everyone is made and loved by God as unique individuals, made in His image. Our Mission Statement and Catholic ethos embeds the foundations of British values: 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. British Values & SMSC Policy British Values: About Us Democracy We encourage our children to actively take part in democratic activities, throughout the school. Each class has an annually democratically elected school councillor, who form part of the School Council which meet regularly throughout the school year. In Year 6, pupils vote for their Head Boy and Girl. These opportunities are used as an avenue to promote and teach about the democracy and electoral process. Children in Key Stage 2 are also given the opportunity to visit the council house in Birmingham and a group of children visit Parliament and Downing Street. Our local MP also visits school and brings their role to life through a question and answer session, annually, with Year 5 and 6 pupils. Democracy is also taught in the curriculum (e.g. through historical research of Ancient Greek civilisation and looking at how Historical figures influenced democracy). Pupils’ opinions are highly valued at St. Bernadette’s School and their views and ideas are sought via their school councillor and through the annual Pupil Questionnaires. The Behaviour Policy identifies both rewards and sanctions, both of which the children and parents (through our Parents’ Forum) have contributed to. There is a strong ethos of pupils volunteering in and out of school time. This includes activities such as Nursery Prefects, school prefects, rabbit prefects, buddy partners. adette's Catholic Primary School. We’ve created a safe and accessible environment where students are encouraged to discuss ideas, collaborate on projects, share their work and receive feedback with pride. We give students the foundation to reach their potential and gain confidence both academically and socially. British Values: Student Life Rule of Law The importance of laws, whether they be those that govern the class, the school, or the country are constantly reinforced at St Bernadette’s. We have high expectations of behaviour in school and this is observed throughout the school. Our behaviour policy reflects our expectations and has been influenced by pupils contributing to our school rules, rewards and sanctions. Pupils have created an Anti-Bullying Charter, displayed in our dining hall. Pupils and parents have suggested rewards such as: behaviour badges, behaviour assemblies, Head Teacher, class and year band certificates, stationery rewards, star pupil and star table. Sanctions include missed play time or missed equipment time. Weekly discussions take place in class regarding behaviour and pupils self-evaluate their own and their peers performance and responsibility throughout the week. British Values: Text Individual Liberty At St Bernadette’s, pupils are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. As a school we educate and provide boundaries from where pupils can make informed choices. Pupils are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised how to do these safely, for example through our e-safety and PSHE lessons, Whether it be through choice of challenge, of how they record work, of participation in our numerous extra-curricular activities clubs and opportunities, pupils are given the freedom to make choices. Children are taught about personal responsibility, choices, ambition and aspirations. They are encouraged to have broad horizons and the opportunities provided include, theatre visits, theatre performances, musical instrument lessons, a rich breadth of PE in and out of the curriculum and art. Our school values its local environment and pupils are given opportunities to explore and visit the local recreation area, Eco Park and playing fields. During these visits road safety, stranger danger and life skills are reinforced. Children are taught the importance of keeping safe and taking responsibility for their safety on line and in reality. They are given opportunities to explore this through annual Life Bus visits, regular ICT teaching, NSPCC assemblies, emergency service visits, visits to Safeside and visits from our school nurse. British Values: Text Mutual Respect Mutual respect is at the heart of our Mission Statement. Children learn that their behaviours have an effect on their own right and the rights of others. All members of the school community treat each other with respect. Pupils are taught to respect their school, adults, peers, other pupils and themselves through our ethos, RE and PSHE curriculum and behaviour policy. Pupils are taught to have morals and will inform staff if they feel there is discrimination evident in school. Our school has strong links with a local school for children with a wide range of learning difficulties, encompassing moderate learning difficulties and increasingly more complex needs including autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs), behavioural issues, sensory impairment and language disorders. We celebrate the breadth of talents and support the needs that our own pupils have and children are encouraged to recognise effort and achievement. British Values: Text Tolerance of those of Different Faiths and Beliefs Pupils demonstrate an understanding and awareness that people in school and our community have different faiths and beliefs to the individual pupil and to the Catholic faith. They understand that these differences are part of our liberty and should not be the cause of prejudice or discriminatory behaviour. We value our local community links and children annually visit a many places of worship. The children, each year, visit at least one place of worship. This has been timetabled so that children will visit a place of worship for each major religion by the time they leave our school. Our school celebrates and recognises many faith festivals and we encourage children and parents from a range of faith and cultural backgrounds to share experiences and knowledge with our children. We encourage our children to interact with children from other schools, through organised activities and events. There are clear procedures and guidance in school for pupils who demonstrate a lack of respect or racist behaviour. British Values: Portfolio

Altar Servers ‘Let the children come to me’. (Luke 18:16) Our altar servers play an important role in the spiritual life of our Catholic school community. Being an altar server is a valuable opportunity for our pupils to grow in their faith and to serve others at the Ch urch’s liturgy. As altar servers, they have the privilege of serving the altar, assisting with the preparation of the altar and communion elements, as well as performing other duties during the Holy Mass. They also help the congregation to pray by being good role models and setting a good example. We are blessed to have such devoted pupils, willing to serve the Lord, their school and church community in the worship of God in a prayerful and reverent manner. Any child who has completed the First Holy Communion programme can become an altar server. Please talk to Fr. Fretch if your child is interested in deepening their faith and fulfilling their vocation to serve others by becoming an altar server. School Altar Servers The Guild of Saint Stephen Our altar servers have recently been enrolled into the Guild of Saint Stephen. The Guild of St. Stephen is an international organisation of altar servers, founded in England in 1904 by Fr. Hamilton McDonald. The Guild has spread and developed since then, and is active in many parishes in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Altar servers take Saint Stephen as their patron saint. Saint Stephen is one of the first seven deacons chosen to assist the apostles in service (Acts 6) and the first martyr of the Church. The objectives of the Guild are: To encourage, positively and practically, the highest standards of serving at the Church's liturgy and so contribute to the whole community's participation in a more fruitful worship of God. To provide altar servers with a greater understanding of what they are doing so that they may serve with increasing reverence and prayerfulness and thereby be led to a deepening response to their vocation in life. To unite servers of different parishes and dioceses for their mutual support and encouragement.

St. Bernadette's Policies & Admissions Admissions How to Apply. Check that your child meets the Admissions Criteria for St. Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School. Documents which must accompany the application: Birth Certificate Baptismal Certificate The completed application and requested documents should be posted or delivered to the school. St Bernadette’s School Hob Moor Road, Yardley, Birmingham, B25 8QL Late applications for appeals will be heard by At the same time as previously scheduled appeals or within 30 school days of appeal being lodged Decision letters sent to appellant Normally within seven school days In-Year Applications An application can be made for a place for a child at any time outside the admission round and the child will be admitted where there are available places. An application should be made via the local authority by completing the in-year admissions application form which is available from https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions . As a Catholic School, parent will also need to complete a Supplementary Information Form in addition to the standard application form that is submitted to the local authority. Supplementary Information Forms can be obtained from the school’s website at https://www.stberns.co.uk/copy-of-policies-admissions or a hard copy can be provided on request by contacting the school office on Mrs Smallwood, 0121 783 7232 admissions@stberns.bham.sch.uk Supplementary Information Forms must be returned directly to the school at St Bernadette’s Catholic School, Hobmoor Road, Yardley, Birmingham B25 8QL. If a Supplementary Information Form is not submitted directly to the school this may affect the priority given to the application and could affect the likelihood of your child being offered a place. The local authority will forward your application to the school for consideration by the governors. Where there are places available but more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria, as set out in the admission arrangements for 2023/2024, will be applied. The full admission arrangements can be accessed from https://www.stberns.co.uk/ or by contacting the school office to request a hard copy. Parents are advised to read the admission arrangements carefully before making their application. If there are no places available, the local authority will notify you of this decision on behalf of the governors and the child will be added to the waiting list. Please see the admission arrangements for more details regarding waiting lists. You will be advised of the outcome of your application in writing as soon as possible. Applicants must be informed of the outcome of their application within 15 school days of its receipt, but the aim is to notify applicants of the outcome of their application within 10 school days of its receipt. You have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel if your application is unsuccessful. If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions, please contact admissions@stberns.bham.sch.uk . You may also wish to discuss in-year applications with the local authority https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/schooladmissions. Appeal Timetable 2025 Admissions 2024-2025 Admissions 2025-2026 Admissions 2026-2027 In Year Application Form Supplementary Application Form Parish Boundaries for the Archdiocese of Birmingham

Our Building Dining Hall Computing Suite Computing Suite Nursery Nursery Nursery Reception Main Entrance Reception KS1 Playground Pirate Dining Hall Reception StBerns Mosaic Dining Hall Rohan Garden Entrance KS2 Hall Entrance Mosaic Library IMG_8026 Year 2 Spring Entrance School StBerns IMG_8027_edited Year 1 IMG_8022 Year 1 Playground KS2 KS2 Playground Nursery Outdoor Play Dining Hall Year 2 School Library DSC07903 Entrances & Drop Off Points Exits & Collection Points Our School Library

Miss Cowings – Head Teacher Mr Carroll – Deputy Head / Pastoral Faculty Leader Miss Finnegan – Assistant Head / Science Faculty Miss Z Boron - 6ZB Teacher Mrs C Brownhill – 6CB Teacher Mrs L Canning - 6LC Teacher Mrs O Armanaviciute – Year 6 Teaching Assistant Ms F Mohamed - 5FM Teacher Miss M Friar - 5MF Teacher Miss C Grant - 5CG Teacher / MFL Co-ordinator Mrs Colclough – Year 5 Teaching Assistant Miss K Lakin – 4KL Teacher / English Co-ordinator KS2 Mr A Markham-Jones – 4AMJ Teacher / PE Co-ordinator Mr R Wayne - 4RW Teacher / Topic Co-ordinator Mrs S Khan - Year 4 Teaching Assistant Miss E GIbbs - 3EG Teacher Mrs C Kidner - 3CK Teacher / ICT Co-ordinator Miss D Adu - 3DA Teacher Mrs K Yakoob – Year 3 Teaching Assistant Mrs J Docker – Teacher Ms J Ryan - Teacher Miss C Corkery - Teacher Miss C Connaire - Teacher Mr E Baker - Teacher Mrs E Lennon - Teacher Mrs K Harston – Maths Co-ordinator Mrs S Hussain - 2SH Teacher Mrs E Hill - 2EH / RE Co-ordinator Miss E O'Brien - 2EOB Teacher Mrs S Richards– Year 2 Teaching Assistant Mrs J Robinson – Year 2 Teaching Assistant Ms Baker – Year 2 Teaching Assistant Miss O Bowden – 1OB Teacher Miss O’Toole – 1CO'T Teacher / English Co-ordinator KS1 Mr N Lavin - 1MLNL Teacher Miss M Lavin - 1MLNL Tecaher Mrs Clarke – Year 1 Teaching Assistant Mrs Begum – Year 1 Teaching Assistant Mrs McCartan - Year 1 Teaching Assistant Mrs Jones – RSJ Reception Teacher / EYFS Co-ordinator Miss C Belcher - RCB Reception Teacher Miss L Coley - RLC Reception Teacher Ms T O'Neil – RLC Reception Teaching Assistant Ms O’Brien – RSJ Teaching Assistant Miss B White - HUB Teaching Assistant Mrs T Emilton - HUB Teaching Assitant Mrs S Rainey - Nursery Teacher Miss E Barron – Nursery Teaching Assistant Mrs S Buchanan - Nursery Teaching Assistant Mrs A Robbins - Nursery Teaching Assistant Mrs Shalvey – Learning Mentor / PSA Mrs Payne – Learning Mentor Mrs Smallwood – Office Mrs Byng – Office Miss K O'Neil – Office Mrs Apted – Technician Mr Abbott – ICT Operations Manager Mr Malone – Building Site Supervisor Mrs Worth - School Cook St. Bernadette's Staff Our Favourite Books EYFS Miss Deards Nursery Teacher My favourite book is The Last Bear by Hannah Gold Mrs Buchanan Nursery Teaching Assistant I’ve always loved this book, it allows me to unlock core memories of being a child reading this book with my family. Rereading ‘The Twits’ now, I am reminded that there is also a lesson in it; how we can overcome our differences and achieve common goals by being kind to one another. Mrs Robbins Nursery Teaching Assistant My favourite children's book at the moment is 'Oi Frog', by Kes Gray and Jim Field. I love that each animal's designated seat rhymes with their name. Miss Barron Nursery Teaching Assistant As a child I enjoyed that Lewis Carroll was able to create a colourful and wacky world that invited you to use your imagination. As an adult I enjoy it even more now that I can read it and feel like a child again diving into a world of discovery where normal rules do not apply. Mrs O'Brien Reception Teaching Assistant My favourite story book to read in Nursery is, Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson. The story is fast paced with a great structured repeated refrain. I love the build up to the scary Dragon wanting to eat the Witch and how everyone works together to save the day! Mrs Jones Reception Teacher My favourite book is 'The Twits' by Roald Dahl Miss Coley Reception Teacher My favourite book is 'As a child, my favourite book to read was Elmer! I loved the story for its bright colours and I thought Elmer dressing up as the other elephants was so funny. As an adult, I think it’s a beautiful story about friendship, and accepting people for who they are. We all have special qualities that make us unique, just like Elmer. Miss Belcher Reception Teacher My favourite book is 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' by Judith Kerr Mrs ONeill Reception Teaching Assistant My favourite book is 'Stick Man' by Julia Donaldson KS1 Miss O'Toole Year 1 Teacher My favourite book is 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl Mrs Clarke Year 1 Teaching Assistant My favourite book as a child was The Tale of Peter Rabbit . I used to love reading about Peter's adventures and would imagine that I was actually one of Peter's friends, helping him when he got into mischief Mrs Begum Year 1 Teaching Assistant My favourite book is 'Elmer' by David M'Kee Mrs Robinson Year 2 Teaching Assistant My favourite book as a child was The Enchanted wood by Enid Blyton. A wonderful book full of amazing characters, and adventures. Miss O'Brien Year 2 Teacher In Our Hands by Lucy Farfort is an inspiring story that shows the impact of small, positive actions. It carries wonderful messages about kindness, hope, and the idea that caring for our world is within everyone’s power. This book is perfect for encouraging readers to see themselves as capable of making a difference! Mrs Hussain Year 2 Teacher The Missing Piece by Jordan Stephens and Beth Suzanna. It's a lovely book about belonging and finding what makes you really happy. It has diverse characters in the illustrations and is wonderful as it allows some children to see themselves in literature. Miss Baker Year 2 Teaching Assistant My favourite book is 'Fantastic Mr Fox' by Roald Dahl Miss Bowden Year 1 Teacher My favourite book is Matilda by Roald Dahl. Mrs Hill Year 2 Teacher My favourite books as a child were the Famous Five series. I liked all of the adventure and mystery that the children and their dog Timmy had. I still enjoy reading mystery and adventure stories now. Mrs McCartan Year 1 Teaching Assistant My favourite book is 'The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis KS2 Mrs C Kidner Year 3 Teacher My favourite book is 'The Magic Faraway Tree' by Enid Blyton Miss Gibbs Year 3 Teacher My favourite book as a child was Charlotte’s web. It tells the tale of a budding friendship between two unlikely characters. I enjoyed reading this book as a child as I loved seeing how these two very different characters became friends. There are some sad parts to the story but it includes many joyful examples of great friendship and even a small touch of adventure. Miss Adu Year 3 Teacher My favourite books when growing up were the Jacqueline Wilson ‘Girls’ book series. I enjoyed reading these books because the characters were relatable and they went through similar situations I experienced with my friends. Wilson explores: friendship dynamics, growing up, self-discovery and many more topics I faced as a child/teenager. I love how the books have a perfect mixture of humour and sincerity which resonated with experiences and emotions during my childhood. Mr Wayne Year 4 Teacher Harry Potter has always been a fascination. You could be sat in a park, and you could transport yourself to a world of magic and wonder. Take a trip to the Gryffindor common room, roam around the Hogwarts grounds or explore the ominous forbidden forest- the possibilities are endless. The characters are relatable as they progress from child to young adult, and this can resonate with everyone as they grow up. Astonishingly, the idea that J K Rowling created her magical world on the back of napkins, on the way to meetings and in coffee shops makes it even more spontaneous and special. I think everyone single one of us can see ourselves in the Harry Potter characters. Sometimes a trip into a fantasy world can be the perfect remedy for a bad day. Miss Lakin Year 4 Teacher A book I first discovered with my Y6 class and would now consider to be one of my favourite children's books is Refugee by Alan Gratz. This historical fiction features three stories in one, following the lives of three refugee children in three different geographic locations and points in time. All main characters go on harrowing journeys in search of refugee with a twist at the end that took me completely by surprise! This is a must read for older children and there is always a copy on the bookshelf in my classroom. Mrs Ryan PPA Teacher My favourite book is 'When I See Blue' by Lily Bailey Miss Grant Year 5 Teacher My favourite book is 'A LIon in Paris' by Beatrice Alemagna Miss Friar Year 5 Teacher My favourite book when I was a child was The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I loved the sense of escapism that this book gave me as the whole story is so far away from real life. The characters in this book are so memorable and it is full of adventure! Mrs Mohamed Year 5 Teacher "Matilda by Roald Dahl is my favourite childhood book because it shows the power of being smart and brave. Matilda's story inspires readers to stand up for themselves and believe in their abilities." Mr Baker Year 5 Teacher My favourite book is 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkein Mrs Colclough Year 5 Teaching Assistant My favourite book is 'The Shark Caller' by Zillah Bethell Mrs Armanaviciute Year 6 Teaching Assistant My favourite book as a child was 'Matilda' by Roald Dahl. It's a story full of magic, wit, and triumph of kindness and intelligence. Mr Markham-Jones Year 4 Teacher My favourite book is 'The Twits' by Roald Dahl Mrs Ryan PPA Teacher My favourite book is 'When I See Blue' by Lily Bailey Mrs Ryan PPA Teacher My favourite book is 'When I See Blue' by Lily Bailey Mrs Brownhill Year 6 Teacher One of my favourite books as a child was Esio Trot by Roald Dahl. I loved Mr. Hoppy, how much he adored Mrs Silver and thought his magic spell to make Alfie the tortoise 'grow' was so silly that it actually was genius! Mrs Docker PPA Teacher My favourite book is 'Danny The Champion of the World' by Roald Dahl Miss Boron Year 6 Teacher My favourite book is 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R. Tolkein Mrs Lennon PPA Teacher My favourite book is Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. I love it because it tells the tale of an unlikely but ultimately beautiful friendship. SLT Miss Cowings Head Teacher My Favourite book was Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. As a young child I adored horses and would read widely many non fiction books about caring for horses. When I discovered Black Beauty, my emotions were turned upside down, as some chapters made me smile and others made me cry. I would recommend this book to children from the age of 7 years upwards. Mr Carroll Assistant Head Teacher My favourite book is 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' by John Boyn Miss E Finnegan Assistant Head Teacher Take your seat in the front row as this book flips the story of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ on its head! Follow this story as three circus pigs make a wild wolf do all manner of things! This is a story my daughter and I read nearly every night, the illustrations are spectacular and convey wonderful humour and emotions!

RSE at St Bernadette's RSE Relationships and Sex Education in Schools In June 2019, the Government released the final guidance document of what schools will need to deliver around RSE as part of the basic school curriculum. This guidance replaces the SRE guidance of 2000 The new statutory requirements come into effect from September 2020, although the DFE is encouraging schools to begin teaching the new curriculum now. As a minimum, all schools will be required to cover a number of themes and topics by the end of the primary or secondary phase. Relationships education Families and people who care for me Caring relationships Respectful relationships Online relationships Being safe Physical health and mental well being Mental wellbeing Internet safety and harms Physical health and fitness Healthy eating Drugs alcohol and tobacco Health and prevention Basic first aid Changing adolescent body Delivery Many schools currently deliver these topics as part of their timetabled PSHE (personal social and health education) The content also complements national curriculum subjects such as science, PE and computing. It is a requirement that all schools have a written policy in place for RSE and this is freely available to parents and stakeholders. The policy should reflect the needs of the children, parents and the community they serve. Schools are allowed to devise a policy that reflects the faith background of their pupils. Right to withdraw There is no right of parental withdrawal from Relationships Education or Health education elements. Parents do have the right to withdraw from some or all of the sex education, outside of the mandatory requirements ie that stated in the science national curriculum. RSE at St Bernadette’s At St Bernadette’s we have subscribed to an online RSE Programme provided by a Catholic company called Ten:Ten. Ten:Ten are an award-winning theatre, film and educational organization working in Catholic Primary Schools throughout the UK. We currently use the Collective Worship and Assembly materials provided by Ten:Ten. The program provided by Ten:Ten is called Life To The Full. It is being promoted by the Birmingham Diocesan Education Service. Further information can be found by downloading the PDF presentations below. RSE - KS1 RSE - KS2 RSE: Text