Religious Education
Our Prayers
Life to the Full Plus
St Helen’s uses a Relationship Education Programme called Life to the Full Plus. Relationship Education became statutory for all schools from September 2021. The Life to the Full Plus programme has been produced by the Catholic Educational organisation, Ten Ten , in response to these statutory guidelines.
Life to the Full Plus is much more than a series of lessons. It is an entire platform of creative resources that will engage, inform and inspire our children and, indeed, you as parents. This includes interactive video content, story-based activities, employing a wide range of teaching tools, original worship music and an accompanying programme of classroom prayers.
Life to the Full Plus is intended to be a partnership between home, school and church.
The attached document gives an overview of the structure and content of the programme.
Below you will find a link to the online parent platform so that you, as parent and carers, can engage with this resource and deepen the experience for your child. To access the online parent platform please visit:
www.tentenresources.co.uk/parent-portal
School Username: st-helens-ss0
School Password: magic-red
Our latest news
Sharing the Travelling Crib
Our Travelling Cribs have been making overnight journeys during December visiting families within the school community. We have been sent some lovely photos from families sharing their crib experience.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Hedgehogs and Squirrels visit the Church
Helping our local community
Well done to our Eco Warriors and School Councilors for a fabulous soup and a roll breaktime. We were so busy we actually ran out of soup and bread! We raised over £82 for the SVP. Well done to our school community in supporting our local community!
Creation and Covenant
As the children approach half term we wanted to share some of the magnificent RE work that has been completed this term.Our topic this term was titled ‘Creation and Covenant’ and is the first branch of the Religious Education Directory. The children have encountered lots of stories from the Bible including the Creation story, Noah’s Ark, the story of Abraham and Moses and the burning bush. Year 2 also produced a lovely hall display for us depicting the Noah’s Ark story which included a rainbow which was Gods covenant to us all.
October Newsletter
https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/
September Newsletter
https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/
The Hungry Cupboard
We are collecting food for those in need in our local community. We have been talking about the hungry cupboard.
2 Oysters Rosary Challenge
Rosary Challenge
The children at St Helen's will be taking part in the Rosary challenge for the month of October in honour of Mary. We will be using the Mark 10 mission videos to support the challenge throughout the school.
Here is the link below if you'd like to also join us in completing the challenge
https://www.themark10mission.co.uk/
Keep an eye out for pictures of the children taking part and for details of dates you can join us to say the Rosary.
Mrs Conyard
Big Questions
The children are beginning their RE topic answering the Big Questions and looking at the vocabualary for their topic. Work has started on their themes. Please see the newsletter for the Bible story your child’s class is studying .
Newsletter September 2023
https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/
Our Liturgy Leaders
Awarding our Citizens
A special assembly was held on Monday to celebrate the achievements of our Citizens of the Year. Unable to go to Brentwood to collect their certificates, Mr John Adams from Brentwood Diocese, visited on behalf of the Bishop to present our three lovely winners their awards.
We took the opportunity to introduce our three new school awards, Star of the year, The Pope Francis Award, and the St Helen’s Community award at the same time.
The winners of Stars of the Year- The Liturgy Leader Group.
St Helen’s Community Award- The School Council
The Pope Francis Award- Our Eco Warriors.
Our pupil groups have worked extremely hard this year, not only being interviewed by the Catholic Schools Inspection Team and Ofsted inspectors, but by putting in place and re-establishing pre covid expectations.
The Eco Warriors have been looking after our school environment. The School council have made informed decisions on the new playground equipment and school uniform policy. Our Liturgy leaders have led the Rosary during May and October, whilst raising money for Cafod alongside the school council, by organizing soup and a roll at break times. We are very proud of their hard work and felt they were deserved winners of our new awards this year.
A huge thank you to Mrs Mertens, Mrs Clarke and Mrs Green for supporting the role of our pupil groups.
Our beautifully decorated School Prayer
Our school prayer wall in the hall is now complete and it looks beautiful. The children in KS2 had a competition to decorate the school prayer. Our winners were Sharon-Rose and Kassie and their ideas were used in the design.
Our thanks to Mrs Felstead for making all the wonderful vinyl lettering and Mrs Hardcastle for her amazing artwork.
July 2023 Newsletter
http://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/
Celebrating Mass with our First Holy Communion Children
June 2023 Newsletter
https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/
Some wonderful work on display in our classrooms for topic 7 of Our RE - Pentecost and Serving.
Sharing the Rosary
Easter Performance
Thank you to all the Year 4 children and staff for a very moving performance of the Easter story. It has given us all a great deal to reflect upon. It was a joy to listen to all the wonderful singing.
Easter Mystery Bags
Our Easter mystery bags have been delivered to families this week. Huge thanks to Mrs Howe who came to visit us and collated and packed the Easter Mystery Bags with help from some of the older rainbow children and Mrs Mertens.
Sharing our wonderful work
As Topic 5 of our RE programme is coming to an end we wanted to share with you some lovely displays and some wonderful work completed by the children during the topic. The children show great respect for the work they produce, we are very proud of them.
Ash Wednesday
The children in Key Stage 1 took part in a Service in school where they received the ashes. The children in Year 3 took the responsibility of looking after the youngest members of our school and all the children thoroughly enjoyed the service. Our preparations for Easter have begun!
Using the Bible
Year 6 had the pleasure of Andrew's company today. He discussed using the bible as a source. Year 6 had to locate references to crack the code. The code was 'Look after your mind and your body and things will go well.' Year 6 really enjoyed the talk. Thank you. Later in the day, Year 6 compared the role and life of a Baptist minister to a Catholic priest.
Come and See what we have been learning
Newsletter January 2023
https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/prayers-for-home/parent-newsletter/
Year 6 Synagogue Visit
Year 6 enjoyed their visit to the synagogue. They were shown around by Jeffrey and Jeffrey! The children were able to answer many of the questions posed and increased their knowledge
A SELECTION OF ANTI-BULLYING PRAYERS AND POEMS FROM OUR ANTI-BULLYING WEEK COMPETITION THIS YEAR WE ARE REACHING OUT TO STOP BULLYING.
STOP
Stop bullying – it’s unnecessary and mean.
To the bullies – your actions are mean and nasty for no reason – if you need help, tell someone.
Officially, you should be told off but if you tell a friend, they can help by giving you some advice.
PUT A STOP TO BULLYING!
By Aarian (6ST.R)
A PRAYER
Dear God,
Help us to stop bullying -
People doing mean and horrible things.
Help us to be a good friend to everyone.
Amen
By Tabby, Emma Matthew, Eliana and Annabelle (3S)
REACHOUT
Reach out to help someone who is getting bullied.
Even help other people – if you’re not getting bullied.
Always be on the lookout for bullies.
Can you stop the bullying in your school?
Help the people that are getting bullied.
Other people might be sad if you bully them.
Unfriendly behaviour is inappropriate.
Tell an adult if someone is bullying you or someone else.
By Maya (4G)
A PRAYER
Dear Lord,
Please help us not to be bullies and help us to avoid our sins.
We will try not to hurt others, nor their feelings.
We also will be kind.
We will think about our actions….if it is kind or not.
If we have done something wrong,
we shall apologise to who we have hurt.
Amen.
By Anson (4G)
A POEM – REACH OUT
Respect people
Everyone should be treated with kindness
Always help out others
Care for people who are emotionally hurt
Help everyone.
Our school shouldn’t have people who bully.
Unfriendly people should be helped
To not be a bully – don’t be unkind.
By Anna (4G)
A POEM – STOP BULLYING
Stop bullying people
Because they’re kind, they’re lovely and smart.
But when you bully you make them cry.
So stop bullying because this is not kind –
Then all the world will be happy again.
By Marta (4G)
A POEM – STOP BULLYING
Stop bullying other people.
Talk about it if someone is being mean to you.
Other people might be feeling as sad as you are feeling.
Please be nice to others
Bullying is mean
Unite against bullying
Let other people help you
Let other people know that you are feeling sad
You should always be against bullying
I will never be a bully.
Never be a bully.
Get someone to help you if you are.
By Ishana 4G
My Prayer
Dear God,
Please help us to stop bullying.
It’s wrong and it hurts people’s feelings.
I know if someone is bullying the other person –
Something might be going on in their life.
But it is wrong to pick on someone else.
Thank you for everything you do.
Amen
By Evie (6St.R)
A POEM AND PRAYER THAT WERE SHARED IN ASSEMBLY
STOP
Stop,
Don’t bully me,
It’s not okay,
You’re making me feel small,
I don’t deserve this at all,
Please just stop.
Whispering in my head
O God,
Close my ears to the whispering and the
sniggering and the name-calling of those
who want to torment me.
I hear them in the playground, I hear
them in the corridor, I hear them on the
way home.
Worst of all, I hear them in my head when
I am alone in my room and when I am
awake in the night.
O God,
Close my ears to ignore them, and open my
mouth to tell on them, not because I am
mean, but because I am brave to stop their
nastiness spreading even further.
Amen
Remembrance Day
The children in each class have made a poppy wreath and laid it on our whole school display. As a school we came together at 11 o clock to hear Miss Paice play the Last Post on her cornet. The children were extremely respectful during the two minute silence taking the time for their own quiet reflection.
Baptism / Confirmation and Belonging
The children are coming to the end of their second RE topic this school year, Baptism / Confirmation and Belonging. They have produced some lovely class displays and have completed some fabulous work in their RE books. The children will be introduced to another faith in their next Come and See topic, which is Judaism.
Life to the Full
St Helen's Relationship Education Programme is called Life to the full.
As you may be aware, Relationship Education became statutory for all primary schools from September 2021.
The Life to the Full programme is based on ‘A Model Catholic RSE Curriculum’ by the Catholic Education Service which was highlighted as a work of good practice by the Department of Education
In addition, we have an online parent platform so that you, as parent and carers, can engage with the teaching and deepen the experience for your child.
To access the online parent platform please visit: www.tentenresources.co.uk/parent-portal
School login: st-helens-ss0
School password: magic-red
Please read the information in the booklet below.
Some beautiful work from our Hedgehogs and Squirrels
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Come and See Competition
Congratulations to all the children who entered the Come and See RE competition. They received their prizes during their key stage assembly on Tuesday morning.
Mrs Conyard was thrilled with all your entries and has made a display in the school hall as she was so very proud of all who took part.
Hopefully parents can 'Come and See' all the marvelous posters soon.
Our RE this term
The children and teachers have completed topic 1 of their Come and See RE curriculum. There is some lovely work on display and the prayer focal areas in the classrooms are looking magnificent.
Our Beautiful New Upstairs Prayer Room
