Great Crosby Catholic Primary School
Great Crosby Catholic Primary School
"...that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10
Great Crosby Catholic Primary School
"...that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10
Great Crosby Catholic Primary School
"...that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10
"...that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10
If you receive a positive COVID-19 result it is vital that you inform school immediately via the following email address covidalert@gcp.org.uk stating child's name and class. Many thanks, Mrs Speed.
Welcome to Great Crosby Catholic Primary School website. We are a large Catholic primary school serving the parishes of Ss. Peter and Paul and St. Helen’s. Our Catholic mission underpins all we do.
Our school family works hard to provide a place were the Gospel values are lived out each and every day. We strive to create a community based on love, respect and forgiveness; a place where each individual can learn and grow in love of God and of each other.
At Great Crosby we strive to create a place of academic excellence whilst ensuring the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is given an equally high priority. We want everyone in our school family to simply be the best they can be. We work hard together to ensure that our pupils really do ‘have life and have it to the full.’
Our termly curriculum brochures keep you informed of the themes being studied and ways in which you can support your child at home. Our weekly edition of the Wednesday Word also allows you to support your child and the family in your faith journey.
Great Crosby also has Teaching School designation and works closely in partnership with other schools in Sefton and Liverpool to share good practice and ensure that we stay at the forefront of educational development.
We are also a member of the Archdiocese of Liverpool Primary School Improvement Trust.
P A Speed
Headteacher
Mrs Speed's message to parents, carers and children about home learning, Holocaust Memorial Day candles, Instagram and Winnie the Pooh.
Oak National Academy have set up Virtual School Library, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust.
Every week a popular children's author or illustrator will provide you with free books, exclusive videos and their top three recommended reads.
Having access to a school library is really important for children. School libraries nurture a love of reading that can enrich children’s literacy skills, academic achievements and mental wellbeing. The Virtual School Library will complement existing school libraries and will ensure that children have access to the magical world of stories all year round, whether they are learning at school or at home.
They’ve worked with brilliant publishers and inspiring authors and illustrators to ensure that the books and activities in our Virtual School Library will support children’s wellbeing through reading.
Sefton Council have issued a letter (click on the image above) with updated government guidance for parents and carers accessing places in schools: ‘Children with at least one parent or carer who is a critical worker can go to school or college if required, but parents and carers should keep their children at home if they can.’
Full guidance for parents and carers can be found by clicking on the gree
Mrs Speed's latest message for children, parents and carers.
On the Feast of the Epiphany, Mrs Speed has a video message, particularly for the children.
Mrs Speed's video message following the January lockdown announcement.
Please visit our Parents > Letters page, by clicking on the white button below to read Mrs Speed's letter and to check whether you meet the government's criteria for key worker status. If so, please contact the school by 9am Tuesday 5th January to the email addresses in the letters.
Mrs Speed's final video message of the year as we finish the term and look forward to the Christmas holidays.
Please visit the Catholic Life of Our School page to watch our Advent Liturgy that the children watched in school today. We were pleased to include Mary and Joseph's journey and a real baby.
Click on the image above.
Sefton Council have informed us that there will be limited council services over the Christmas period. Services that will continue to operate include critical social care services for children and adults.
Emergency contacts on December 24th, 29th, 30th, and 31st between 9:00am and 5:30pm:
Children’s Social Care 0151 909 1206
Adult Social Care 0151 909 1523
For Social Care emergencies at all other times call the Emergency Duty Team 0151 934 3555
Support can also be accessed from the Family Wellbeing Centres in Sefton. There will be 3 operating across North, Central and South Sefton.
North Locality: Talbot Street Family Well Being Centre, St Andrew Place Southport PR8 1HR. Tel: 01704 534975
Central Locality: Netherton Family Well Being Centre, Magdalen Square, Bootle L30 5QH Tel: 0151 282 1405
South Locality: Marie Clark Family Well Being Centre Linacre Lane
Bootle L20 5AQ Tel: 0151 330 5260
Please click on the image above to access Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) website, which will have details about Sefton Council services, useful contact numbers, foodbanks, homeless shelters, GPs, pharmacies, Christmas meals and social activities.
All the children had an active day with some time outside for the Santa Dash. Here are Y3, mostly dodging the puddles. Click on the image to see more Y3 photos. Click on the green button to see photos of Y1.
We are proposing a change to our admissions criteria for September 2022. This will bring us in line with the vast majority of schools across the Archdiocese. Current parents and carers should have received a notification of this. The Archdiocese are holding a consultation period until 29th January 2021. You are invited to submit comments in writing about the proposals. Click on the green button to visit our Parents > Admissions page, where you will find a number of documents to read and contact details for responses.
Mrs Speed's update of school news including a request to display Mary and Joseph in your windows together with two purple candles for the second Sunday of Advent.
Have you been on the bird's eye view flyover of our school?
Our Catholic Life of Our School page has three Advent calendars to follow! One from Liverpool Archdiocese with two-minute prayers. There are two from CAFOD with daily reflections and activities for you and your children in preparation for Christmas. You can also watch our Advent crafts video and Mrs Speed's Assembly with Year 6.
An update from Mrs Speed with some information about Christmas.
On our Parents > Letters page, we have this week's newsletter, information about the forthcoming Santa Dash, news from Sefton Health Team and a Wellbeing Advent Calendar.
Click on the green button.
A short film to answer some questions that families may have about schools and health during the pandemic.
Maura Foster, one of our school governors, usually has a workshop at this time of year with parents, to show some Advent crafts and activities for families. This year, we are pleased to share this video.
Thank you all for the fantastic response to our National Kindness Day
foodbank collection. We were overwhelmed with the number of items
collected through the school. These will be much needed in these current times.
Well done to all.
Our Y2 to Y6 classes have been entered in the Maths Week England Times Table Rock Stars Rock Out 2020 competition which starts tomorrow (Monday) running from 07:30 until 19:30 each day until & including 14 November 2020. Who can improve their rock status? Click on the image to login.
A short video message from Mrs Speed to thank parents and carers for their patience during the water shortage issues of last week.
Please take a few minutes to read the latest guidance for parents and carers about early years providers, schools and colleges in the autumn term. This guidance will be further reviewed and updated shortly following the Prime Minister's announcement on 31st October. Click on the image above.
Mrs Speed's end of half term message to parents, carers and children about some new arrangements for the next half term.
Sefton Council have announced that they will be supporting children and families during the half-term holiday by providing free school meals. Click on the image for more information.
Our Fantasy Football Premier League starts on Saturday 17th October. Please click on the green button to visit our letters page, to download the instructions, including our private league code. Click on the image to visit the fantasy league website.
Mrs Speed's video message about the Reception bubble closure, our visit by HMI, Meet the Teacher evenings and keeping safe.
As we are unable to invite parents and carers into school, we will be hosting online 'Meet the Teacher' evenings this term. We will be trialling this with Year 6 on Wednesday 7th October from 3.30pm - 7.00pm. If this is successful, then we shall announce further dates. Appointments can be booked online on our Parents Evening page, where you will find more details. Click on the image above.
The Governors are looking to appoint three Teaching Assistants (Level 1) as soon as possible until 31st August 2021. You will also be required to do 30 minutes per day as a Welfare Assistant.
The closing date is noon on Friday 9th October.
Click on the green button for more details.
Mrs Speed's latest update about school life so far this term.
Mrs Speed's message to welcome all our children back to school and information about the new school year arrangements including starting & finishing times, entrances, classrooms, lunchtimes, uniform, bags and PE.
Please take the time to read our Covid-19 risk assessment and information from Sefton Council regarding potential cases and illness.
To restrict the number of people on site, we ask that adults only come onto the school site at the designated time of dismissal, wearing face masks and following social distancing rules. This is to ensure that everyone stays safe and well, so that school stays open.
Click on the image above to visit our Covid-19 Information page.
Dear Parents/Carers,
Thank you to all parents and carers for your patience and support during our first full week in school. A special welcome to our Nursery and Reception pupils who have really settled in well. As you can imagine information around COVID-19 changes frequently and we appreciate the higher levels of anxiety amongst parents. To assist you in deciding whether your child needs to stay at home Public Health England have produced the flowchart attached to help support parents and carers in their decision making. Click on the green button below to view the flowchart.
We appreciate the symptoms of COVID-19 can mirror lots of childhood illnesses, which makes the job more difficult, so we would ask you to exercise caution and if in doubt, seek medical advice.
Let’s try to keep everyone safe and well.
Kind regards, Mrs Speed
Our Reception staff have put together some useful information for parents and carers of our new Reception children who are starting on Monday 7th September. It will also be sent by email. Click on the image to visit our Reception page, where you can also watch some video messages from the teachers. Click on the green button to visit our letters page.
Dear Y6 parents
It is with a heavy heart that we are writing to say that unfortunately we have no other choice than to cancel the Y6 leavers party. It is now apparent that social distancing guidelines will not be lifting as we had hopefully previously thought.
We know you will be extremely disappointed for your children as we all are too, but everyone’s safety is our utmost priority.
We will be returning your deposits to you as soon as we can by September in cash in separate envelopes. Please bear with us, as you will appreciate this will be a logistical nightmare but we will be working on this over the next couple of weeks. If you haven’t received your deposit by 1st September please email lizheron1@yahoo.co.uk.
We wish you and your children all the best in their new learning journey at secondary school. They will always be a special part of history even though this is not the ending we had hoped for.
Best wishes,
The Y6 leavers team
We are sorry, but the school has been unable to send out an email to all the Y6 parents, as the Groupcall system has been updated.
Fr John's end of term message and blessing, including an appeal to help CAFOD.
The recipient of the second Jack Riding Trophy has shone throughout their time in Great Crosby. When other teachers were asked to describe this person, some of the words that were used were: kind, dependable, supportive, hard-working and a joy to teach and to know. Other children admire and look up to them as a positive role model and friend as well as an excellent sports person.
Their modest and unassuming attitude has enabled others in the team to develop and grow in confidence in a game they would not ordinarily have been involved in thus nurturing a love of sports in them. Jack would have admired these attributes.
The skills and extraordinary talent the recipient has shown has been a joy to watch. Their never say die attitude has turned losses into draws and draws into wins, and always with a smile.
Felicity - you are an inspiration
Attention all Go Givers! The results of the RSPCA's competition for Most Compassionate Class of 2020 are in and you are one of the three runners up! Congratulations on your success and thank you for your hard work! More news to follow... Click on the image to watch the GoGivers' video.
Monkhouse Schoolwear have re-opened their Crosby Store. Please click on the image above to visit our Uniform page, where you can find a document to help you to understand the purchasing system. Parents and carers of new children are being offered appointments which can be booked online. Parents and carers of children who will be in years 1 to 6 are encouraged to order online.
Mrs Speed's readings and messages for our patron saints' feast day. In school we would usually have a celebration Mass and some party activities, so if you are at home, please try to have a treat!
Please watch Fr John leading assembly on the feast day of our school patron saints - Peter and Paul.
Please click on the green button for more activities.
Welcome back to all our children who are returning to school. We've made a number of changes to our entrances and exits. Follow the markings on the ground.
Our school community looks forward to joining others during CAFOD’s assembly this week. Please click on the image or green button at 10am on Thursday to hear more about hope in the time of coronavirus.
Please take some time to read the letter from Sefton Council regarding the delaying of the wider opening of school to Nursery, Reception and Year 1 until 22nd June. Click on the image or go to Parents > Letters.
All the Children > Year group pages have been updated with links to the Come and See activities for this half term on the theme of reconciliation and inter-relating. The Catholic Life of the School page has additional resources from CAFOD, Missio, Aid to the Church in Need and Synod 2020.
In the half-term break, why not go on a virtual holiday? There are lots of museums, art galleries, street views & rooftops all over the world to explore. You can even go into space. Y3 - can you find the Amazon rainforest? Y4 could visit the Colisseum and Pompeii. Y5 can you find some sites from Ancient Greece in Athens and beyond? Y6 could visit the Mayan city of Tikal. Use the Search, Explore and Nearby functions.
Please take some time to read the letter from Sefton Council, recommending that schools start to open on 15th June for Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. Further information will be given when a safe plan has been drawn up and agreed.
Jospice have released a message of thanks to the schools - Great Crosby, Sacred Heart, Ursuline and St Edmund's and St Thomas', who have been raising money for both Jospice and Aintree University Hospitals Trust through a variety of events. Click on the Jospice logo to read it.
The Year 1s in school had great fun learning a dance to 'Get Back Up Again' from the film Trolls.
If your child has any worries or concerns about CoVid19, remember our website has a Learning Mentor Advice & Wellbeing page with eBooks & articles recommended by Mrs Solkin. Look in the 'Parents' tab.
From this week, White Rose Maths worksheets and answers, for Years 1 - 6 are on our website, rather than the White Rose website. The videos and previous week's materials are still on their website. Please look at your child's yeargroup page, Children > Year__ where you fill be able to download them. The school has a subscription, so parents do not need to subscribe. We will upload each week's materials as they become available. Next week's should be there on Friday. We also recommend the NCETM video lessons, which also have links on the yeargroup pages. Mr Cannell was involved in planning and recording weeks 3 and 4 for Upper Key Stage 2 (Y5/Y6).
The Archdiocese of Liverpool has provided work from the Come and See Religious Education programme which is taught in all Catholic schools in. There is a general guide to the learning opportunities that your child may have come across in school and have only suggested and selected a small amount of the programme. The activities aim to keep Religious Education practical and fun. They are in Year groups however, there is no harm in completing other year group work as this will help your child to remember and strengthen their learning. Please look at the Children > Year__ page for your child. There are additional resources on our 'Catholic Life of the School' page for family prayers and CAFOD home learning projects.
Our Speech and Language therapist has recommended some booklets to help children to understand the Covid 19 crisis through words and pictures. Click on the image to visit our SEND page.
Our school nurses have been in touch to
remind us that the School Health Team are still available to offer support and advice ,to parents and carers, if you have any health concerns regarding your child.
The School Health Team is part of the 0-19 Team which includes health visitors, nursery nurses, school nurses, community staff nurses and clinical support workers.. There is a duty practitioner available Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 9am to 5pm. They can be contacted on: 0151 247 6354. If they are unavailable, please leave a message including your child’s name, date of birth, school attended and your contact number and someone will return your call. Alternatively, you can email the team email address on: nwbh.princestreet0-19@nhs.net Click on the image to read and download the full letter.
We have a new page to help you to prepare for next Friday's VE Day 75th anniversary. Here you will find several ways to learn about the end of World War Two on Victory in Europe Day and ideas to help you commemorate it in your families. Click on the image above.
The teachers in each year group from Reception to Year 6 have chosen a song / poem that they would like the children to learn for when we return and are all able to celebrate together. You can find them on the year group pages, with the heading 'Learning a song for when we return' under the Children tab. There are external links to videos on YouTube and lyrics. Please take care when access them.
The Primary School Wednesday Word is an outreach which shares Sunday's Gospel with all school families, in a unique way.
Each family usually receives the weekly handout consisting of high-quality Sunday Gospel leaflets and booklets. This is a weekly Gospel 'gift' from the school to the child to take home, which then becomes a 'gift' from the child to the whole family.
While schools are closed, The Wednesday Word are offering free-of-charge 'online' editions until things return to normal.
Click on the image above and then click on the same logo on the page you are taken to, to read the latest edition.
With the London Marathon postponed due to the coronavirus crisis, sports stars answered the call to take part in the 2.6 challenge. Raising money for the charities missing out as a result of the race being off, various big names stepped up to take on doing 2.6 or 26 of anything. Sacred Heart have asked us to join with them in calling for pupils, teachers, parents and friends of the schools' communities to raise funds for Jospice and Aintree Hospital Trust. For example, one can run or walk 2.6 miles, 2.6km or for 26 minutes, you may even juggle, dance or even hula hoop for 2.6 minutes. Actually any activity following social distancing rules and raise funds to support our charities.
Please submit any funds raised to
Barclays Bank: subject ‘2.6 challenge’
Sort Code 201084
Account Number 40369632
Please send any pictures to
admin.sacredhearthigh@schools.sefton.gov.uk and Instagram great.crosby.catholic.primary
Fr John has recorded a special message for all the children in the parish's schools.
Mrs Harvey has recommended the Child Mind Institute's website for parents, particularly during the CoVid19 shutdown. It has articles and ideas about how to cope with children with ASD, ADHD, and many other issues surrounding mental health in children. Click on the image. There are more links on our SEND page, in the Key Information tab. Click on the green button.
Watch Archbishop Malcolm's Easter Message. Click on the image.
Please take some time to read the letter on our Parents > Newsletter page (click on the image) about our joint fundraising for Jospice and Aintree Hospital, with Sacred Heart College, Ursuline Primary and St Edmund's and St Thomas'. Please enter the Rainbow competition & share your photos on
Twitter @GreatCrosby and Instagram great.crosby.catholic.primary
Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it. Published by Nosy Crow, with expert input, he book answers key questions in simple language appropriate for 5 to 9 year olds. Click on the image to visit the Nosy Crow website and to download the book.
You may have seen this on social media already. As we are going through this unusual time of the Covid19 lockdown, it would be an interesting keepsake, to make some notes about ourselves and our experiences, to look back on in the future. Click on the image or green button to visit our downloads page.
We think we may be able to help Queenscourt Hospice with donations of unopened toiletries. They are extending their care to Covid-19 patients. We will have a collection trolley on the gate 8.30am until 9am and 3pm to 3.30pm each day, if you want to drop anything off whilst passing on your daily walk. They would be most grateful . Thank you.
Alder Hey Hospital has made this video as it can be difficult to find the words to explain coronavirus to young children. This useful guide helps, answering some of the most frequently asked questions.
Click on the image.
There is more advice on Mrs Solkin's Learning Mentor and Wellbeing page. Click on the green button.
Take a look at our Catholic Life of the School page. Fr John has recorded a special Holy Week message for the school. We are uploading reading, activities and songs so you can celebrate Holy Week at home.
Ms Miller reads 'Harry the Dirty Dog', her favourite book when she was a little girl. Click on the image to go to the Year 3 page.
Mrs Speed has set up a school Instagram account. She will upload daily quotes together with images of children's activities from home and school. Remember not to include faces or names in the images you send her.
Father John will be celebrating Mass live from Ss Peter and Paul's on Sunday at 10.30am. It will be live on You Tube. Click on the image above. The whole Mass can be viewed again through the same link. He is also going to be recording Stations of the Cross and a Mass for the Sick.
We have updated our SEND page in our 'Key Information' menu or click on the image above.with some resources from NW SEND Regional Network and The Sensory Project. We also have a video with images & Makaton to help to explain Coronavirus.
Mrs Solkin, our Learning Mentor, now has her own Advice and Wellbeing page on our website. You can find it in our 'Parents' menu. So far, we have good advice on helping anxious children from 'Hey Sigmund', Liverpool CAMHS and Action for Happiness's ways to stay mentally healthy. Click on the green button.
Merseyside Police have issued two leaflets to help residents avoid scams and fraud during the current Covid - 19 pandemic. We have uploaded them to our newsletters page.
Y5 & Y6 have been challenged by Everton Free School in a Times Table Rock Stars 'Top of the Rocks' with Bedford Primary Blackmoor Park Juniors Linacre Primary Our Lady of Lourdes, Plantation Primary & St Gabriel's CE Primary, Huyton . Come on Y5 & Y6, the opposition is good, we can be better.
On Thursdays we usually have our Star of the Week celebration. If you would like to award 'Star of the Week' certificates in your house, click on the image above for a link to our downloads.
Thank you for joining with Pope Francis's wish for us all to say the Lord's Prayer at midday. Mrs Speed has asked us to remember to pray every day. If you need some ideas, download the 'Children and Spirituality' leaflet by clicking on the image above.
Please take some time to read the letter from Sefton Council, about the support for children of key workers and vulnerable children, on our newsletter page (click on the image or button).
We are adding home learning resources to the website for parents and carers to use with their children. You will find links to them on the Children > Favourite Websites page, which has links to Purple Mash, Mangahigh, Times Table Rock Stars, White Rose Maths, Classroom Secrets, and Twinkl. There are and will be additional resources on the Children > Year Group pages, including a set of weekly themed activities called 'Learning Projects'. These will be added to as time goes on. Children will also be bringing home work packs on Friday 20th March. Please read Mrs Speed's letter by clicking on the green button.
Dear Parents/Carers,
As we are bombarded with information on the TV and social media, Mrs Speed has written a letter to reiterate the school’s position on COVID-19.
Click on the green button for a link to the letter.
Well done to all the children & staff who wore odd socks today to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
Click on the image for some ideas to help you and your children stay healthy. Great tips on school lunch boxes, meal plans for at home and ideas on how to stay active.
We were honoured to welcome Margaret and Barry Mizen, parents of Jimmy, who was tragically killed in 2008. They spoke to Y6 about the importance of forgiveness, peace and hope in our daily lives. They gave us a Peace Bear to help us to remember. The Mizen family are true inspirations and role models on how to live with God at the centre of our hearts. We thank them very much and will keep them in our prayers.
Sharon and Paul from Conquerlife provided a 'Stay Safe' workshop for Y6. The children learnt a lot about how to keep themselves safe whilst out and about. It was an interesting and engaging program.
As we begin 2020, we continue our journey to live simply and look after our beautiful world, as Pope Francis has asked us to.
We continue to make simple changes in our school life:
· ensure we recycle paper
· switch off lights when not in use
· use reusable plastic to carry our lunch
· reuse single-use plastic bottles to make and store
· walk/cycle/scoot to school more often
· no longer using single-use plastic for jelly/ fruit in the kitchen
· letters home are electronic, where possible
· one paper-free day per term
We are working towards being zero-heroes for the environment.
Can you as families do any of the above? Or more?
Let us know any good ideas via admin.greatcrosby@schools.sefton.gov.uk
Creator God,
Your world is a wonderful and beautiful place, full of variety, full of wonder, full of life.
Teach us to care for the Earth and help us to build a world that is filled with your goodness.
Amen
If you would like a paper copy of any documents or to contact Mrs Speed, please click on the 'Get In Touch' button to send a message to Mrs Mason in the school office or email: admin.greatcrosby@schools.sefton.gov.uk