At St Edward’s Primary in Sheerness, pupils are fortunate to have a wonderful woodland on the school site. The school has developed part of the area so that it can support its pupils to develop their emotional resilience through lunchtime activities. Being named ‘Wonder Wood’ by the school council, this area will also be used as an outdoor classroom to teach Science, Geography, and a range of other subjects.

The project was run alongside Stanford Hill Prison who drew upon talented carpenters who designed and created bespoke musical instruments, bird houses, bug hotels and minibeast homes, windchimes, fairy doors, chalkboards, totem poles and wonderful seating areas. Take a look at some of the incredible features below!

With the Israel Gaza War now in its second month, Ursuline College Students in Westgate have taken time to research and remember one of the former Ramsgate School boys from St Augustine’s College, who gave his life in the First Battle of Gaza in March of 1917.

Charles Oscar Wilson (nicknamed “COW”) was a pupil at St Augustine’s College in Ramsgate between 1906 and 1910.  He left school at the age of 16 and at the outbreak of the Great War, joined the Army as a Private.  He later received a Commission as Second Lieutenant.  He lost his life on 30th March 1917 and is buried in the British Commonwealth Cemetery in Gaza City.

https://www.ww1cemeteries.com/isr-gaza-war-cemetery.html

Due to the conflict, the cemetery has been closed so this year, there was no Remembrance Service, laying of wreaths or blessing of the Graves.

At a special Requiem Mass held at St Augustine’s church and organised by the Old Augustinians (The Alumni of St Augustine’s College), Ursuline College Students gave up their time to remember those former pupils of the Ramsgate school who gave their lives in the two World Wars.

The students read the Roll of Honour and recited a prayer for Peace in the Middle East. They then told the story which they had researched, about the life and death of “COW” Wilson, before going on to lay a wreath at the Old Augustinians War Memorial where “COW” Wilson is listed.

Speaking on behalf of the Old Augustinians, their Chairman, Andrew Sharp said “the students were an absolute credit to the Ursuline College.  That today’s generation of students made the effort to reflect upon the sacrifice of those students from the past - and remember them, particularly given the current War in Gaza”

“In the absence of any Remembrance Service in Gaza City, the Ursuline Students made sure that Charles Oscar Wilson was Remembered.”

For further details, please contact the Chairman, Andrew Sharp on 07920 424990 or by email:  oldaugustinians@gmail.com.  For more information about the Old Augustinians, please visit our website www.oldaugustinians.org.uk

Reception class pupils at St Joseph's Primary, Broadstairs have been learning about Remembrance day. Children used clay to make some beautiful poppies and also wrote a special prayer together to say thank you for our beautiful world, and asking for help to bring to peace to all.

From over 200 nominations across Kent, Medway, Bexley and Bromley, for this year's Kent Wellbeing Awards, we are incredibly proud to announce that our colleagues Mrs Kerr, Mrs Watson, and Mrs Sutton at St Edmund's Secondary in Dover were selected as the winners for the Pastoral Care Award and also for the Champions Award for outstanding commitment and dedication to supporting the wellbeing of others!

The team celebrated receiving their awards at Hempstead House Country Hotel, with guest VIP keynote speaker, Humanitarian, Sir Terry Waite.

This is a fantastic acknowledgment of all the hard work they put in every day for our pupils. A huge well done!!!

#kentmentalwellbeingawards #kentcountrycouncil #catholicschool #KCSP #teamsteds

Pupils and staff at Stella Maris Primary in Folkestone enjoyed a wonderful Mass led by Bishop Paul, who pupils were really excited to meet, - one of the children even made their own special attire for the occasion!

A huge well done to all of our pupils and their families at St Peter's Primary, they donated Harvest items to their local foodbank in Swale and have managed to achieve a fantastic cumulative total of 173.35kg in donations!

Click here to read all about what the Youth SVP are doing down at the Ursuline College in Westgate on Sea. Nearly one year since they began, the St Vincent de Paul Society share some of the actions and initiatives they have undertaken since beginning, in a special article.

Well done to all involved! 

On Friday 20th October, St Margaret Clitherow's staff wore pink to support ‘Wear it Pink Day’. The team raised money for Breast Cancer research by joining in with various activities throughout the day. There were lots of cake and prizes on offer!  At the end of the day, staff held a collection with parents and carers, with all donations going to this very worthy cause. Well done to everyone involved!

The end of a glorious Indian summer was celebrated last week with St Joseph's annual Harvest festival, at which pupils mark the end of the growing season and give thanks for a bountiful summer.  It is also time when pupils remember those members of the local community who are in need of support, by bringing in contributions of food which will be sent to the school's local food bank at St. Austen and St. Gregory in Margate.

As well as celebrating, the school also reflected on the links it has with its own Parish church, Our Lady Star of the Sea by hosting a harvest tea for the elderly of the parish.  An afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones, and cakes was provided for around 30 parishioners and older members of the local community, all served by St Joseph's Year 6 pupils. Entertainment was also provided by each year group who had prepared special songs, and pupils received some really lovely feedback from some of their guests:

"I just wanted to take a moment to express my thanks to all of you and the amazing children who dedicated time and effort to the Harvest afternoon for us senior folk today! The afternoon was wonderful, and I have to say, you all really outdid yourselves. Your organisation was amazing. What a fab afternoon. I would like to give a special shout-out to Mrs Reid (those cakes!) Mrs Cawdron, Mrs Lintern behind the scenes, the lovely Year 6 servers and all the Staff and wonderful performers.  We all loved it. Thank you so much."

"Just a quick note to thank the staff and children who put so much work into this afternoon's event. We enjoyed ourselves very much indeed. The children, the entertainment, and service were great. The afternoon tea was worthy of a  tearoom. 10 out of 10."

A blaze of yellow replaced the traditional smart red and blue uniform at St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School in Margate last week.

Children and staff dressed in various shades of the sunshine colour to show their support for the Young Minds charity ‘Hello Yellow’ appeal on the annual World Mental Health Awareness Day (October 10).

As part of the initiative pupils could choose to wear an all-yellow outfit or something a little more discrete in exchange for a donation to the appeal.

Young Minds is the UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health. Their aim is to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health. They aim for all young people to get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what.

You can read the full article published in the Isle of Thanet News here.