St Mary's Weekly Update for 23rd May 2025
“Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close, help us with her intercession and love. So I would like to pray together with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole church, for peace in the world, and let us ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace.” Pope Leo XIV
Jubilee Week 16th-20th June
In celebration of the Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church, we are having a Jubilee Week. This sacred year only comes once every 25 years, making it a rare and meaningful opportunity for spiritual renewal and communal reflection.
The Jubilee Year is a time to pause, reflect, and reconnect—with God, with one another, and with all of creation. Throughout Jubilee Week, we will on themes of community, friendship, and faith.
On Tuesday 17th June, we ask that children come dressed in the colours of the Jubilee Logo: All red, blue, yellow or green.
On Thursday 19th, we are inviting children who have made their Holy Communion this year along with their parents to celebrate with a coffee morning hosted by the Mini Vinnies. This is an opportunity to commemorate the significant milestone the children have completed.
Also on Thursday 19th, we will have a pledge picnic. All Catholic schools are invited to make a Jubilee Pledge to live out Catholic Social Teaching. A better world needs all of us, and the Pledge will be a whole school, long-term commitment to building a fairer world. Please note the menu will be different for this day (similar to our VE day).
World Environment Day 2025 – Caring for Our Earth
On 5th June, people around the world will mark World Environment Day – a time to appreciate the natural world and think about how we can look after it for the future.
This year’s theme is “Our Land. Our Future. We Are #GenerationRestoration,” which encourages everyone to take care of the land, plants, and wildlife that are so important in our lives. Healthy soil, clean water, and green spaces benefit us all – and even small actions can make a difference.
In school, we’ll be encouraging pupils to care for the environment by reducing waste, recycling, and learning about nature.
Families can join in at home too – whether it’s enjoying a walk in the park, planting something in the garden, or simply talking about how we can help the planet in everyday ways.
Looking after our environment helps to create a healthier, happier future for everyone.
Celebrate reading at our Book Fair 10th-13th June!
ParentLine
SMI Celebration of Diversity week
Parent-led workshops
The week of the 9th June 2025 will be St. Mary’s Celebration of Diversity week. We want to invite you into the school! If you or a family member would like to come in and talk to the children about your culture or heritage, read a traditional story or do a ‘show and tell’ with the children (other ideas are all welcome!), please email us at reply@smi.hounslow.sch.uk and include ‘SMI Celebration of Diversity Week’ in the subject line.
The Cultural food event is back!
We are delighted to announce that our Cultural Food Event is back and will take place on Thursday 12th June at 3.15pm in the school playground. After the success of last year’s event, we are excited to once again celebrate the wonderful diversity of our school community. We invite all families to join us by bringing a dish that represents their culture or heritage. This is a fantastic opportunity to share food, stories, and traditions with one another as we come together to celebrate and appreciate the richness of our different backgrounds. Everyone is welcome – we look forward to seeing you there!
Cultural clothes day
In addition to the food event, Thursday 12th June is also a day that children can come into school wearing traditional clothing from their culture, the colours of a flag or clothing that represents their culture.
Year 1 trip to Natural History Museum
Year 1 enjoyed a fantastic trip to the Natural History Museum to consolidate their learning about the Mesozoic Era. We visited the exhibition, attended a workshop about Sophie the Stegosaurus and even saw a mechanical Tyrannosaurus Rex! We tried to tell the children that the Tyrannosaurus Rex was real, but they were quick to tell us that dinosaurs have been extinct for 65 million years. We have been so impressed by the children’s passion and interest in dinosaurs. Thank you to all the parent volunteers who came along with us.
Year 1 are going plant mad!
Year 1 have been busy studying plants this half term. As part of our studying, we have learnt to identify all the component parts of the plant. Please quiz us at home – we can tell you all about roots, stems, leaves, petals, buds and flowers. We have also enjoyed examining plant roots and repotting, as well as planting our own sunflower seeds which we will bring home over the half term.
You can plant the sunflowers out in your garden, a public space or keep them on your windowsill. We would love to see pictures of them as they grow!
If you can help out in the school garden please email reply@smi.hounslow.sch.uk with 'School Garden' in the subject line.
Year 3 trip to Twickenham & Thames Valley Beekeepers Association
To help support our understanding of Plants and Pollinators, the Year 3 classes visited Twickenham & Thames Valley Beekeepers Association. It was an incredibly successful and educational experience for all the children.
We all had the unique opportunity to see beekeeping in action. The children observed the beekeepers working with the hives and learned about the essential tools used in beekeeping. Our young explorers learned fascinating facts about the life cycle of bees, the different roles within the hive, and how they contribute to the growth of many of the foods we eat.
The pupils also learned about the importance of bees in pollination and their critical role in our ecosystem was a key takeaway. The children even had the opportunity to hold a bee in their hand!
Year 4 Viking day
On Tuesday 20th May year 4 had a Viking day. We took part in various activities including Viking law and order and Viking fun and games. The children particularly enjoyed using quills and ink to write their names in Viking runes.
However, the highlight of the afternoon was to create a shield wall which the opposite class had to attack and break through. The children really enjoyed the day!
Reception and Year 5’s Pilgrimage to Redlees Park
On Wednesday, Reception and their Year 5 buddies completed a pilgrimage to Redlees Park to celebrate the Jubilee Year. Whilst we were there, we discussed why we took our pilgrimage to our local park – to enjoy and explore God’s creation. We completed a ‘bug hunt’ finding pictures of different mini beasts around the park and some tree and leaf rubbings. We all had an amazing afternoon together in God’s creation!
Year 5’s Trip to Tate Modern
Last week, Year 5’s enjoyed a trip to Tate Modern. We explored an exhibition called ‘electric dreams’, which contained interactive art using light, sound and energy. The psychedelic environments created by artists in the 1950s and 60s and the machine-made art from the 70s and 80s linked to our retro-futuristic imagery we are exploring in Art. These installations inspired us to imagine what the future may look like and how art can represent it.
Attendance and Lateness
As we wrap up the first half of the summer term, we want to express to all our families for your continued support. It's been a term filled with enriching activities and memorable moments.
Our Year 2 students embarked on an exciting trip to The Science Museum, delving into the wonders of space and the International Space Station. Their enthusiasm and exemplary behaviour made us proud.
The Walk to School Week was a tremendous success, promoting healthy habits and environmental awareness. Students who participated actively were rewarded with a delightful breakfast, and we're thrilled to continue the WOW Walk to School Challenge, encouraging at least one active journey each week.
Looking ahead, we have several exciting events planned:
Both of our Y6 classes are visiting Rome over different weeks in June. Whilst we're there we'll be undertaking a pilgrimage and entering St Peter's through the Holy Door. We can't wait!
SMI Celebration of Diversity Week: Kicking off on Thursday, 6th June, students are invited to wear traditional cultural attire or the colours of their national flags. We're also hosting an after-school food event and welcome parent-led workshops to share and celebrate our diverse community.
Sports Day: Scheduled for Friday, 5th July at Redlees Park, this event promises fun and camaraderie. We're seeking parent volunteers to assist with setup and event coordination. If you're interested, please email reply@smi.hounslow.sch.uk with 'Sports Day' in the subject line.
Transition week - when all the children move up a year and spend time in their new classrooms with their new teachers is the week of 30th June.
We wish you all a restful and joyful half-term break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the second half of the summer term on Monday 2nd June!
