Welcome back to all our families after the Easter break. We hope that you all feel refreshed after the good weather. We are looking forward to a new term with Year 2 and Year 6 SATs tests, Year 1 Phonics, Year 4’s residential trip to Stubbington and class photos ensuring it will be a very busy one.

REMINDER: School will be closed on Monday 2nd May and Tuesday 3rd May (next week) for the Bank Holiday and for the agreed Portsmouth schools’ day off for the Queen’s Jubilee.

Our fortnightly theme:  – You don’t need to see to believe

The Gospel story of Doubting Thomas inspires us this week and next. In our modern world where answers are at our fingertips the children are learning that it is difficult to trust things that we cannot prove – science and the internet provide most of the answers we search for. However, when Thomas refused to believe that Jesus was alive after His resurrection we are reminded of ourselves and our actions which sometimes prevent us from showing that Jesus is alive in all of us. The story reminds us to have faith in what we can’t see.

Eternal Father, As we travel through life’s valleys, in the places of darkness, and despair, we know that you are with us. Even when life’s doubts assail us, we know that you still abide with us, watching over us. Strengthen our faith. Help us remember that you never give us more than we can handle. Embolden us to share our doubts, to question our absolute truths, our certainties, and to grow ever closer to you. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen

Ukraine: 

We have forwarded the ‘Messages of Hope’ that the children wrote for the people of Ukraine; here is a link to the Hampshire Ukrainian Community Facebook page where the children’s work has been shared also – https://www.facebook.com/hampshirukrainiancommunity.

Mr Declan Dixie-Goodwin Headteacher

A prayer for Ukraine, Russia and peace

O God,
it is your will to hold both heaven and earth 
in a single peace.
Let the design of your great love 
shine on the waste of our wraths and sorrows,
and give peace to Ukraine,
peace among nations,
and peace in our hearts,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

https://bigmouththeatre.com/clubs

Following on from the responses from the music survey we are pleased to say that we will be able to offer ukulele and keyboard lessons in September. During the last week of this half term those children who have been learning to play an instrument will perform in assemblies and at the jubilee celebration day, mentioned above. We hope to inspire some more children to take up an instrument in the new academic year.

We are excited to say that we are now able to re-start the school choir! The choir sessions will be on Thursday lunch times and will be available to children in Years 3 – 6 and will begin after the Easter break. Children attending choir practice will be given an “early lunch” pass so they do not need to worry about missing lunch.

The school photographer will be coming in on Friday 27th May to take class photographs so please make sure your child comes in to school in correct school uniform and tidy hair. For parents of Year 6 children, this will be the last opportunity to gather together for a Year 6 photo.

It would be a great shame for any of the children to be missing from this photograph as it is a lasting memory that children can look back on in years to come.

Church News St Swithun’s Church will be running some English classes for the local community to help people to improve their English.

C H A T C A F E !

· ENJOYABLE ENGLISH CONVERSATION PRACTICE
· ADULT GROUPS IN SOUTHSEA
· PATIENT & FRIENDLY NATIVE ENGLISH EFL TEACHER WITH 12 YEARS EFL TEACHING EXPERIENCE
· NEW GROUPS STARTING IN MAY 2022
· WEDNESDAY EVENINGS & SATURDAY MORNINGS
· FUN ATMOSPHERE TEA, COFFEE & BUSCUITS

Please contact Pete Mann for further information about location and timings.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEND AN EMAIL TO PETE at pmann35@hotmail.com

Speak to you soon!

Prompt Collection of Your Child Please.

Please could all families leave the playground promptly after collecting their children. On quite a few occasions children in our Twilight care have been waiting to safely use the playground for games and activities. Thank you for your support.

End of Day Pick-Up – We respectfully ask parents:

• not to stand in the staff car park before or after school
• to keep control of their children inside the school grounds
• to keep their children off equipment
• to stop their children riding scooters or cycling on school grounds.

Reminder – Naming Your Child’s Clothes

Please, please, please can we remind parents to name every item of clothing or personal items brought to school. We appreciate that this can be time consuming, but it does make it much easier to return “lost” items to their rightful owners

Hive Portsmouth’s pop-up school uniform ShareStore

Hive Portsmouth’s pop-up school uniform ShareStore is helping local families. Getting children and young people kitted out in their school uniform, ready for the start of the new term and for the rest of the year as they grow, is a constant activity for many families. However, the cost of a new uniform, school shoes, PE kit and other essentials can soon mount up, and add to the financial pressure on parents, especially in these challenging times.

That’s why Hive Portsmouth has set-up its new pop-up school uniform ShareStore.

https://hiveportsmouth.org.uk/news/pop-uniform-sharestore

After School Care Assistants – St Swithun’s Catholic Primary School

Sunbeams

You may be interested to know that our pre- school, Sunbeams, is now able to support families with 2-year-old children.

If you or someone you know requires a nursery or pre- school place, please contact the preschool through

email at sunbeams@st-swithuns.portsmouth.sch.uk.