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Catholic Life at St. Bons: A Vibrant Term 4
We began the term reflecting on the season of Lent. Key Stage 2 gathered for a moving Ash Wednesday service in the church, while Key Stage 1 participated in a special service here at school, marking the start of this important season of reflection and preparation.
Our Chaplaincy teams have been particularly active during this term. Our Year 6 chaplains thoughtfully planned and led our weekly Lent reflections, each one centered around a symbolic object from our "Lent in a Bag." They skillfully introduced the scripture and the object each week, inspiring classes to delve deeper during their own reflection time and share their insights in the following weeks.
Our Year 5 chaplains have been enthusiastically guiding our school's journey through this Jubilee Year, "Pilgrims of Hope." They led an engaging assembly explaining the meaning of the Jubille logo and launched our whole-school "Big Lent Walk" initiative for Term 5.
This term, our collective action focused on the "Big Lent Walk," a fantastic effort to raise vital funds for CAFOD, supporting communities impacted by climate change and poverty. This initiative built upon our exploration of the Gospel value "Seek the Truth" over the past two terms, where we learned about the reasons behind displacement and the challenges faced by communities without access to clean water. Inspired by this understanding, our children have been passionate about finding ways to bring hope to others, with a particular interest in supporting water charities. We have exciting fundraising plans in the pipeline for Terms 5 and 6 to make a real difference.
Our Walk the Walk Faith Awards this term shone a light on the Catholic Social Teaching (CST) principles of Solidarity, Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, and the Common Good. Each class considered how their "head" (what they know), "heart" (how they feel), and "hands" (what they can do) connect with these ' principles, sharing their inspiring actions in an end of term assembly. Examples of these actions for 'heart' included prayers of hope, dedicated class prayer sessions focused on the terms CST principles and examination of conscience. Within 'head' there were insightful class debates on the impact of laws on refugees and independent research on the causes of vulnerability and ideas for how those who are vulnerable can be supported through CST. 'Hand' actions included fundraising for the Little Princess Trust, the positive application of peer mediation skills, and thoughtful responses to the DfE curriculum review on how education can build a better world.
As well as sharing and celebrating each year groups actions, our "Walk the Walk" end-of-term assembly was a celebration of children who truly live out the Gospel value of "Seek the Truth" and the associated CST principles.
Building on their understanding of CST principles, all children designed symbols to represent each of the principles, and their creative ideas will form the basis of our school's official symbols.
To conclude the term, our Year 5 chaplaincy team led us in a powerful reflection on the Stations of the Cross, using freeze frames and accompanying prayers and reflections. We also came together for a Passiontide Mass in the church, where our Year 5 chaplains distributed Easter cards they had made to our parishioners.
Term 4 has been a testament to the strong faith and compassionate hearts within our St. Bons community. We look forward to continuing our journey of faith and action in the terms ahead!
Catholic Life at St Bons - January & February: Seeking Truth and Bringing Hope
We've had a busy and faith-filled start to the new year at St Bons, embracing the spirit of Epiphany and embarking on a journey of seeking truth and bringing hope to others.
Epiphany Mass and a New Gospel Theme:
We began January with a school Mass celebrating the Epiphany, led by our Year 5 pupils. Mgr Bernard's homily reminded us that Jesus came for everyone, a message that resonated with us all. We reflected on the journey of the Magi, their resilience and conviction serving as an inspiring example as we step into 2024. This reflection ties in perfectly with our Gospel theme for Terms 3 and 4: "Seek the Truth."
Our Key Stage 2 Gospel assemblies have been exploring the meaning of this theme and its connection to our Catholic Social Teaching principles for the next two terms: Solidarity, The Common Good, and Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. We've been engaging in thoughtful discussions about inequality and injustice in the world, delving into the root causes and exploring how we can make a difference. The children have shown particular empathy towards the stories of refugees, generating fantastic ideas on how we can demonstrate solidarity with them.
Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope:
Towards the end of January, we launched the Jubilee Year, "Pilgrims of Hope," with a CAFOD assembly. Each class now has their Jubilee Map, and our Year 5 chaplains are busy planning activities to bring hope to others throughout this special year. We are excited to see the positive impact our students will have on the wider community.
Children in Action: Spreading Hope and Love:
It's been truly inspiring to witness so many of our children taking the initiative to bring hope to others through their own fundraising projects. Their actions exemplify our Catholic values and demonstrate a genuine desire to make a difference in the world. We are incredibly proud of their efforts:
These are just a few examples of the wonderful work our children are doing. Their compassion and willingness to help others are a testament to the strong Catholic ethos at St Bons. We look forward to continuing our journey of faith, seeking truth, and bringing hope throughout the rest of the year.
December - A Festive Month of Faith at St. Bon's
December at St. Bon's was a vibrant month filled with opportunities for reflection, celebration, and service.
The month began with a special pop-up prayer space hosted by volunteers from local churches. Years 5 and 6 pupils enjoyed visiting in small groups, appreciating the time for quiet reflection and sharing their worries.
Inthe bustling lead-up to Christmas, our Year 6 chaplains guided the school through Advent reflections, focusing on hope, love, peace, and joy. Meanwhile, Year 3 pupils engaged in "Christmas in a Box" sessions with church volunteers, deepening their understanding of the Christmas story.
The school community came together to celebrate with joyful FS and Key Stage 1 nativities. The festive spirit continued with a heartwarming performance of carols by Key Stage 2 pupils, bringing light and music to all who attended.
Throughout the term, students have been exploring the meaning of "Love Your Neighbour" through the curriculum, assemblies, and child-led reflections. Our school faith awards encourage students to act on their faith and related Catholic Social Teaching principles by identifying what they know (head), feel (heart), and can do (hand) to put their faith into action.
Inspired by the 2023-24 Jonathon Rogers Award winner, Jack Shaw, many classes supported the homeless in Bristol by collecting warm clothes, creating cards, and wrapping paper for residents of the Julian Shelter. A highlight of December was a visit to the shelter to deliver these donations, leaving the children who attended feeling privileged and eager to continue their fundraising efforts in the new year.
November - A Month of Faith and Service at St. Bon's
November was a busy month at St. Bon's, filled with opportunities for our pupils to deepen their faith and serve others.
We kicked off the term with our first Adopt a Saint Day, where children and staff dressed as saints who inspired them. From well-known figures like St. George and St. Francis to lesser-known saints like St. Perpetua and St. Gertrude, the day was a celebration of the rich history of the Church.
A highlight of the month was the Pop-Up Prayer Space hosted by volunteers from local churches. Year 5 and 6 pupils had the chance to visit this peaceful space, reflect on their own and wider concerns, and connect with their faith in a unique way.
Year 5's assembly within our "Love Thy Neighbour" gospel theme was a powerful reminder of our responsibility to care for others. The children explored the impact of World War II and the experiences of refugees through history, writing heartfelt letters to welcome those seeking refuge in our country.
As we approach the end of our "Love Thy Neighbour" theme, our pupils have been reflecting on how they can put their faith into action. Many classes have chosen to support local homeless people by collecting warm clothes, wrapping gifts, and writing cards. Others are fundraising for global causes or planning to read to younger children before the end of term.
We are incredibly proud of our children's compassionate hearts and their enthusiasm for making a difference. Their commitment to living out their faith inspires us all.
October at St. Bon's: A Month of Prayer, Service, and Community
October was a busy month filled with faith-based activities at St. Bon's. Our year groups focused their prayer areas on honoring Mary, with Year 4's Rosary group meeting weekly to pray a decade of the Rosary.
Our class assemblies highlighted the importance of loving our neighbours, supporting our gospel theme. 3H explored the significance of friendship, while 6WA used the parable of the Good Samaritan to emphasise the importance of caring for others.
The Harvest Appeal was a success, with children dressing in bright colors and contributing to the CAFOD World Gifts Appeal raising £348.57. 5B and 6WA also organised a food collection for the church food pantry as part of their Faith Awards.
We celebrated Harvest Mass in church, sharing two harvest loaves from Joe's Bakery as a reminder to be thankful for our blessings. Inspired by the spirit of giving, Jack from 3H initiated a project to support the Julian Trust homeless shelter this Christmas, and classes are now brainstorming ways to contribute.
September Catholic Life Summary
Welcome Back and School Mission- We warmly welcomed our children back to school in September, reminding them of our school mission statement: "Striving to be the best we can, guided by the light of Christ."
Gospel Focus: Shining Bright- Our first school mass of the year featured the Gospel of Matthew, encouraging our school community to "let our lights shine." The children reflected on how they could make a positive impact and be beacons of hope in our school.
Gospel Theme: Love Thy Neighbour- For terms 1 and 2, our gospel theme is "Love Thy Neighbour," inspired by the parable of The Good Samaritan. Classes created relationships charters with their new teachers to explore how to treat others with kindness and compassion.
Live Simply Action: International Day of Peace- We celebrated the International Day of Peace on September 21st with a whole-school launch. The children decorated doves with prayers and hopes for peace and delivered class reflections on the theme. Our school display in the entrance corridor serves as a reminder of our commitment to peace.
6Ds Class Assembly: A Peaceful World- 6Ds class assembly continued the theme of peace, sharing their own poems about a world free from conflict.