Ripon Cathedral School Update
Week ending Friday 26th March 2021
Reflecting on the Last Year
A Time for Reflection
Our Spiritual Council led our worship which focused on everyone reflecting on how we have all experienced change. During the worship children were invited to write prayers for loved ones, comments about the way that the pandemic has impacted on their families or prayers to say thank you to the NHS and people who have shown great support, care and love throughout this difficult time. These have been hung by the children on our reflective tree outside the school hall.
At 12pm we gathered for the first time in a year as a whole school outside (distanced in our bubbles) to join in the national one minute silence and listen to the bells of Ripon Cathedral ringing out for those who have sadly lost their lives to COVID-19.
A Virtual Easter!
Letter from the Governors
Dear Parents, Carers and Friends
It hardly seems possible that we are about to break up for Easter already. The end of term has certainly been more normal than the beginning and the governors are celebrating that the children are all safely back in school. It has been the most challenging of times and I think as a school we have risen to those challenges. We are very proud of how hard our staff have worked to ensure high quality home education. We are also very proud of our families who have supported the children’s learning. You have all been amazing.
We would particularly like to thank our teaching assistants, administrators and ancillary staff for being in school throughout the lockdowns and supporting our key worker families. I think the fact that the school remained open during the snowy weather says it all. Well done everyone!
The governors have managed to go about our normal business via Zoom and have maintained our monitoring duties and supported the school in as many ways as we could. I know many schools have functioned well below their normal capacity but at Cathedral School standards have been maintained and as many activities as possible have gone ahead. This is largely down to the hard work and ingenuity of the staff team. They have gone above and beyond what could reasonably have been expected. As well as ensuring high quality learning for our children, the school has even kept daily school worship going and I know many of you have enjoyed “dropping in” to Zoom sessions which were aimed at keeping our school family connected with one another. I’m sure parents have appreciated that the school has kept everything as normal as possible for everyone.
As a school we are very blessed to have a strong sense of community and this has helped us through the worst of times.
We wish you all a wonderful Easter holiday and the joy of the Resurrection.
With our grateful thanks,
The Governors
Goodbye Mrs McCormick
The children presented a star of the week award, flowers, a book of messages and a leavers hoodie for Mrs McCormick. During today's worship we shared a special film of messages from across the school, showing how Mrs McCormick is a much loved member of our school family.
We will really miss Mrs McCormick. Her new school is very lucky to have such a committed, caring and dedicated new Headteacher
Mrs McCormick was overwhelmed by her gifts which included a hamper of Ripon goodies and a very generous gift certificate so she can choose a water feature for her garden. Thank you so much to all the parents and governors who contributed. Mrs McCormick is very much looking forward to making her choice and knows that every time she sits in her garden, she will be reminded of her Cathedral School family.
Goodbye Mrs Elcock
Plant Hunting!
Year 2 enjoyed going on a plant hunt this week, where they identified common flowering plants. We recorded our data in tally charts and used this to make pictograms when we got back to school. It was a brilliant morning! We also have been so excited to see how our beans, that we have been growing in glass jars, have grown! We can't wait to see how they have changed after Easter.
Stars of the week
Nursery
Lily has worked really hard on her pencil control and has produced some super work.
Reception
George for really growing in confidence to have a go at all challenges in the areas of the classroom, especially his writing.
Year 1
Ella for becoming more independent and sharing fantastic perseverance, particularly with her writing.
Year 2
Elsie for showing perseverance and determination with her handwriting. Well done Elsie!
Year 3
The Year 3 class gave their stars of the week to Mrs McCormick and Mrs Elcock for being fantastic teachers.
Year 4
Ernie for being enthusiastic about everything he is learning in class and for making links between different subjects.
Year 5
The whole class are stars as they have worked brilliantly over the last three weeks with Mrs McIlmurray teaching the class over Zoom!
Year 6
Grace for her persevere with her poem this week in English. Grace did a fantastic job at developing her vocabulary . Well done!
A huge well done to all our Cathedral Stars.
Promoting Gratitude
A message for the Friends of School
Dear Friends
The governors would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the wonderful work you have done during lockdown. You have not only supported our families with your wonderful on-line games and puzzles, but you have even raised money for the school! There cannot be many schools where friends have risen to the occasion as you have. As a school, we are very blessed to have such a wonderful school family which has cheered us all up, made us laugh and smile and generally kept us well entertained in the darkest of times.
Thank you
The Governors
Easter Events
Ripon Library has asked us to let you know about these great events:
Are you wondering what to do this Easter Holiday?
Why not book for a free North Yorkshire Libraries online event using the links below?
Poetry Club Wednesday 30th March 11am – 11.45am
Join poet Andy Croft for a standalone poetry club for ages 6-11.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/easter-online-poetry-club-week-1-tickets-141674408971
Poetry Club Wednesday 7th April 11am-11.45am
Join poet Andy Croft for a standalone poetry club for ages 6-11.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/easter-online-poetry-club-week-2-tickets-141676970633
A zoom through the solar system with Cosmic Carol
Saturday 10th April 2.30pm -3.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-zoom-through-the-solar-system-tickets-142914574339
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Email: admin@riponcathedral.n-yorks.sch.uk
Website: www.riponcathedralschool.org.uk
Location: HG41LT, United Kingdom
Phone: 01765 602355
Facebook: facebook.com/riponcathschool
Twitter: @riponcathschool