Latest News
Keep up to date with all the news happening in school at the moment.
Please click a headline to read more.
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New Activall Activity Boards
Fri 22 Apr 2022Over the Easter break St Mary’s was extremely fortunate to have two new interactive ActivAll playground boards installed, just outside the Year 3 classroom, facing onto the playground. These interactive boards were kindly paid for using funds generated through PTA fundraising events throughout the last academic year.
So… What are Activall Boards?
ActivAll is the fantastic high-impact reaction wall, designed for fitness, health, and fun. Combining movement, action, coordination, and problem-solving, ActivAll is acknowledged as a unique inclusive fitness tool, giving everyone access to exercise regardless of ability, age, or fitness.
Þ Encourages active play during breaktime and lunchtime (as well as PE lessons)
Þ Engages those children who may struggles with PE and Sports, increasing the confidence and skills of pupils and staff
Þ Tackles obesity and improves fitness
Þ Strengthens cognitive skills, mental agility, as well as concentration and also improves mental health
Þ Increases competitive play and sport opportunities and records improvements
Þ Develops communication and team work
So… What do our pupils think of them?
Lucas said, ‘I really like the board because you get a lot of exercise and build your arm strength. A lot of people like doing it because you can see your score in different amounts of time, for example 5 seconds, 30 seconds and 1 minute. Some people hit it too hard and some hit it too soft! I really like the gloves because they are quite comfy!’
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Visit by Linda Strachen - Olympian Athlete
Fri 22 Apr 2022During this morning’s assembly we were very privileged as we were visited by an Olympic athlete—Linda Strachan—who is currently promoting the Commonwealth Games, which are happening in Birmingham, this July. Linda will be promoting this important event to all the local schools during the summer term.
During the assembly, she gave a fascinating and informative presentation about her experiences in the Olympics. We found out that Linda competed in the summer 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics in the discipline of Fencing. Linda was really great with our pupils and answered some thoughtful questions and pupils posed for photos with her afterwards, including our Sports Ambassadors. If you would like to know more about Linda Strachan please see more info on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Strachan
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ActivAll Interactive Boards
Fri 22 Apr 2022ActivAll Interactive Boards
Over the Easter break St Mary’s was extremely fortunate to have two new interactive ActivAll playground boards installed, just outside the Year 3 classroom, facing onto the playground. These interactive boards were kindly paid for using funds generated through PTA fundraising events throughout the last academic year.
So… What are Activall Boards?
ActivAll is the fantastic high-impact reaction wall, designed for fitness, health, and fun. Combining movement, action, coordination, and problem-solving, ActivAll is acknowledged as a unique inclusive fitness tool, giving everyone access to exercise regardless of ability, age, or fitness.
Þ Encourages active play during breaktime and lunchtime (as well as PE lessons)
Þ Engages those children who may struggles with PE and Sports, increasing the confidence and skills of pupils and staff
Þ Tackles obesity and improves fitness
Þ Strengthens cognitive skills, mental agility, as well as concentration and also improves mental health
Þ Increases competitive play and sport opportunities and records improvements
Þ Develops communication and team work
So… What do our pupils think of them?
Lucas said, ‘I really like the board because you get a lot of exercise and build your arm strength. A lot of people like doing it because you can see your score in different amounts of time, for example 5 seconds, 30 seconds and 1 minute. Some people hit it too hard and some hit it too soft! I really like the gloves because they are quite comfy!’
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Lily-Jo Project Visit
Thu 21 Apr 2022We were really lucky to have a visit from the Lily-Jo Project this week.
The children attended a workshop which was hosted by Nazerene Williams who has been in Disney’s Aladdin and the Dumping Ground as well as other productions.
The session covered:
• How to look after their own mental health.
• What to do and where to go if they are struggling.
To drive home the message, the Lily-jo Project utilised music, dance, and activities to make the session about mental health fun and memorable.
The children learnt about being Unstoppable kids and their own HERO:
Helping other
Exercising
Relaxing
Opening up
For further information please visit www.thelilyjoproject.com
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PTA Success
Fri 01 Apr 2022I would like to express my sincere thanks to the PTA for all of their hard work in support of our school. Once again this term they have been incredibly busy raising money to fund the added extras that mean so much to all of our pupils. Over £900 was raised from the Easter Hampers (see photos of some of our pupils proudly displaying their new ‘green’ and ‘blue’ hampers) and at the end of this Spring Term, the PTA even paid for Easter eggs for all of our pupils, which they kindly distributed for the pupils to take home yesterday, on the last day of term. I think you will all agree that this was an extremely kind and thoughtful gift for all the pupils to enjoy at the end of the term. Thanks to Ruth and Gemma for all of their amazing efforts! Please read on to find out more about the Pink Fun Run and see some of the fantastic photos taken of this event and how much money was raised for Breast Cancer Now.