Weekly Update – Friday 20th December

Happy. Inspired. Ready

‘Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding.’ Proverbs 2:2

OUR VISION:
Outstanding education in a caring community with God at its centre.

OUR VALUES:
We are a church school committed to excellence, working in close partnership with St Stephen’s Church as well as our parents and carers. We provide a happy and stimulating environment, rooted in Christian values, and strive to develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of religious beliefs and practices. We enable children to deepen or realise their own beliefs and respect the freedom of other people to hold beliefs different from their own. Our children are cared for and nurtured spiritually, morally, intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally.

We are a school with high expectations for all and where all are valued as individuals.

With the sound of carols echoing throughout the school, it’s hard to believe that we have come to the end of the Autumn term— and what a fantastic term it has been! We are now officially a two form entry school, with all our classrooms filled with happy, inspired children ready for life’s adventures – did you see what I did there? Well, it is Christmas and what better way to celebrate
than a few quotes from Frank Capra’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (the story of George Bailey who has given up his dreams to help others and is shown by his guardian angel Clarence, all the lives he has touched, and how different life in his community of Bedford Falls would be if he had never been born) – every year Rachel and I sit down to watch this film, as we wrap presents, and every year at the end of the film I turn to her with tears rolling down my cheeks to find that she has once again fallen sleep and missed the ending.

Who would have believed in September that the new Reception and Nursery children who were taking their first tentative steps into the world of education are now confidently embracing the life of St Stephen’s, complete with a tea towel on their heads at this time of year? Our Year 6 children are about to enter their final year with us but I am rushing ahead of myself and we have months and  months of endless learning and fun ahead of us – ‘Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people!’ – couldn’t resist that quote from ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’!

“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” That is so true. Every one of us can make a great deal of difference in the lives of so many and that can be for good or for bad. At St Stephen’s we are well and truly blessed to have the most wonderful community and our community is working hard for all our children. We can all make a difference, be it planting a tree, scraping plates into recycling bins at school events, helping with the homework, cheering on at the touch line, helping at school events, attending school events, praying for our school, buying a raffle ticket and the list goes on. One of the most precious gifts we can give however is time – time to listen to each other, explaining the rules of that board game, spending time with our loved ones, going on that family walk when you would rather sit at home watching TV ( so guilty of that). This Christmas give your family time, put those screens away, give yourself time to enjoy your wonderful life, family and friends. “Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love Clarence.”

Finally, the last quote “Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way…show me the way.” So give God a little time this Christmas as he is at the centre of our amazing community and our wonderful lives. Now you are ready to watch the film – open that bottle of port, kick off your shoes and let the warm glow of Frank Copra’s classic unfold before your eyes.

It just remains for me to say a massive thank on behalf of myself and all the staff for your generous cards and gifts – they really are much appreciated.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.