Our new Lower Key Stage Two Chaplains will be meeting at Chaplaincy Club to make items for sale to raise money for Emmaus and CAFOD this year as part of their service in bringing hope to others this year. They began their journey by walking through our Jubliee Door of Hope after being welcomed into their role by Neil Peixoto.
We have put giving and sharing at the heart of our Advent celebrations . We have collected money for Emmaus and The Children's Hospice at each of our nativity performances ; we have bought seeds to plant in our local area ; and we have made Christmas decorations and cards to sell to raise money for CAFOD and to give to the elderly in our local area.
Our Christmas charity Book Sale and Raffle at the Parent Coffee morning following the Christmas Mass in church.
Following Laudato Si principles in Class 2 . Little superheroes spent their time recycling , sorting the library and picking up litter.
2023 - 24 Round Up !
Last summer (August), a school governor donated a week's holiday in a West Country Coastal resort to a Ukrainian refugee family on behalf of the school community.
We collecected for Cafod and Open Door at Harvest in October.
We sold poppies in aid of The Royal British Legion in the weeks running up to Remembrance Day.
Class Four led a charity event for Children in Need in November.
We collected for Cafod during Lent .
We made cards and tree decorations for the residents of our local redisenrial homes for the elderly. Our Chaplains visited the residents with their gifts and gave of their time to bring Christmas spirit to the lonely.
Our choir sang Christmas carols for the elderly during Advent.
We used our Jesse trees to donate to the homeless through the Open Door Project.
The whole school collected for Cafod during Lent - a challenge was set to see how many colecting vessels we could fill .
Our Spring Term RE Wow was centered on the lives of saints.
Staff and children researched saints and produced presenatations, artwork and written reports detailing how the saints lived out Social Teaching Principles and how their examples can influence our lives and our commitment to living for the common good.
In March, Class 5 took part in a Catholic Social Teaching Debate led by the Catenians. Class 5 chose to live out their debate presenatation by committing to a half term of social action .
Over a half term they:
Wrote to Rebecca Pow to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless in Taunton
Regularly litter picked in the local area
Went on 'give a smile' walks with the Head Teacher
Recycled and composted
Completed school 'ecochecks' around classrooms to reduce electricity consumption
Visited Open Door to learn more about the chairty and collected donations which they hand delivered
Took part in Taunton's Big Sleep Out for the homeless (virtual)
During the Easter Break, a friend of the school and church community extended a family in need respite time in a Dorset coastal rental on behalf of the school community.
In June, the school supported Refugee Week. Mrs Weetch led an assembly entitled 'Love the Stranger' and the Chaplains went into each class on the Tuesday and Wednesday of the week to lead prayers. Other Key Stage Liturgies followed up on the assembly and we concluded the week with reflection in our Golden Book Assembly.
In the summer term, Class 3 followed up on the actions of the Chaplaincy Team during Advent and spent an afternoon chatting to and reading with the resdients of Calway House to bring joy and friendship to the lonely.
The Chaplains continued their fundraising work in the summer term by making and selling book marks for charity.
Class 6 chose to 'Live Simply' in the summer term and made pedges and wrote prayers on how they could continue to live the message of living simply and resepecting our Common Home as they prepared to leave our school.
This year, the school dramatically increased its PFSA provision to support families. Our PFSA's role has been invaluable in extending our care and support to our school community.
We finish our round up with a big thank you to all of the individuals who raised money through personal pledges and challenges for MND in solidarity with a treasured colleague. Your efforts were a testimony to the strength of the St George's Team.
Over the past few years, and with big final push during the summer break this year , SLT have made it their mission to ensure accessibility on our school site. When we returned in September, we were greeted by fully electic doors and gates, paths to the Library and Music rooms and drop kerb pavements.
2024 - 2025
We have chosen to base our Key Stage Prayer and Liturgy sessions on Catholic Social Teaching principles and each week teachers will cover a concept or they will profile an inspirational Catholic whose life exemplifies Catholic Social Teaching in action.
This year, we have already had a cake sale in aid of Macmillan Cancer Research. This event was chosen and run by Class 5 and Class 6.
Pupils were given the opportunity to share their ideas on the prayer life of the school. In response to their suggestions, we are moving forward with our prayer garden, increasing sung prayer and including more opportunities for silent prayer and quiet reflection.
The staff and governors hosted a charity evening in the school hall to raise money for MND and to show their solidarity to those suffering from the condition.
Our SLT and our PFSA have organised parent drop in cafes to offer a friendly ear and advice to parents who might need to connect.
Our PFSA continues to offer advice and support to families throughout the year.
Class 4 planned a Children in Need Cake Sale event for the 15th November. The children choose how they will fundraise and organise the event each year.
In the weeks running up to Remembrance Day, we sold selling poppies in aid of The Royal British Legion.
On Friday, 8th November, we brought in donations and wore yellow to support St Margaret's Hospice in solidarity with members of our school community.
We had three separate collections for Harvest and gathered a very generous hoard of donations to take to Open Door.
This year, parents were invited to stay for tea and cake after the services and collections were made for Cafod.
On Tuesday, 12th November, we took part in Odd Socks Day to show solidarity against bullying. Teachers linked the message of Solidarity to the Anti Bullying resources through assemblies and SCARF lessons.
This Advent, in readiness for the 2025 Pilgrims of Hope, Jubilee Year, we will be collecting for both Cafod and Emmaus as well as our local Open Door Project.
The staff are planning to create a Christmas Food and Gift Bank for families in need this year.
We are planning to invite members of the elderly community in for a Christmas Lunch which will be served by our School Chaplains.
We will sing for the elderly and take them cards and decorations made by the Chaplains.
We will be singing in the town Library and sharing the Gospel Message within our community.
The Jubliee opening date is November 24th 2024.
In 2025, as Pilgrims of Hope, we will launch our Jubliee Year with our Live Simply Award pledges. The launch day in school is the 24th January.
Please see the Jubilee Page and the PowerPoint to children for the outline of the events.
The Jubilee Pledge Days are in June and July 2025.
In September we will celebrate International Peace Day on the 21st September and focus on Little Way Week as we move into October.
On November 16th we will remember those in need on the World Day of the Poor .
Finally, we will celebrate our Jubilee Year efforts with a celebration on the 21st November.
