Catholic Life and Mission of the School

Success for all within a Christ-Centred Community

"St Monica's is an inclusive happy, safe and welcoming school. The whole school community lives and works by its mission. Children are ambassadors of their mission."

Archdiocese of Liverpool Monitoring Report 

At St. Monica's Catholic Primary School, we are committed to Catholic Social Teaching. We help our pupils understand the dignity of every human person and encourage them to work hard for the common good and the well-being of all. We teach that every individual deserves respect and care, regardless of background, and we ground this in the teachings of Jesus.

Following these important teachings, we strive to promote and support the Catholic Life of our school, constantly looking for ways to make our community and world a better place to be. We support our children with spiritual, cultural and moral guidance throughout their time in our school in order to help them develop their values, motivation, aspirations. 

In our blog, you will find all the ways in which our children and staff contribute to, and benefit from, the Catholic life at St. Monica's Catholic Primary School. 

Our Blog 2025

Year 6 Christmas Carol Concert

Our traditional Year 6 Choir Concert was a truly beautiful and prayerful way to celebrate the coming of Jesus. With our church filled with families, friends and parishioners, the atmosphere was one of joy, reverence and gratitude.

The children sang with confidence, harmony and heartfelt expression, offering their voices as a gift to God. Through music, they helped lead our community into the true meaning of Advent and Christmas, reminding us that the birth of Christ is a celebration of love, hope and peace.

As Scripture tells us:

“Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.”
(Psalm 96:1)

Our Year 6 Children did exactly this, lifting their voices in praise and thanksgiving. Their dedication and maturity shone throughout the concert, reflecting not only their musical talents but also the values of faith, service and commitment nurtured during their time at our school.

We give thanks to all who supported this special tradition — our wonderful children, dedicated staff, supportive families and parish community. May the message shared through song remain in our hearts as we prepare to welcome Christ anew:

“The Word became flesh and lived among us.”

St Monica’s Nativity – Camelamadingdong! 🎄

What a joyful and faith-filled celebration we shared at St Monica’s with our Nativity production, Camelamadingdong! Across three sold-out performances, our children delighted audiences with laughter, energetic dancing, joyful music and truly beautiful singing.

Each performance was a wonderful reminder of the excitement and hope surrounding the birth of Jesus. With confidence and enthusiasm, our children brought the Nativity story to life, sharing the Good News in a way that was both entertaining and deeply meaningful. Their commitment, teamwork and courage shone through, and we are incredibly proud of every child involved.

As we watched the story unfold, we were reminded of the angel’s words to the shepherds:

“Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
(Luke 2:10–11)

The joy on stage reflected the joy of this message — a joy that filled our hearts and our school community. Through song, movement and storytelling, our children proclaimed the coming of Christ with openness and wonder, reminding us all of the true meaning of Christmas.

Thank you to our talented children, dedicated staff and supportive families who helped make this celebration so special. May the joy, peace and love we experienced continue to guide us as we prepare our hearts for Christmas:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours.”
(Luke 2:14)

Year 5 - Exploring Scripture around the Nativity retelling

Our Year 5 pupils have been diving deeply into the Nativity story this week, exploring the two Gospel accounts found in the books of Matthew and Luke. Working carefully with the texts, they identified the similarities and differences in each telling and discussed why the Gospel writers might have chosen to highlight different details.

The classroom quickly filled with thoughtful comparisons and excellent questions:
Why does Matthew focus on the visit of the Wise Men?
Why does Luke describe the shepherds and the angels?
What do these differences teach us about Jesus and the message each Gospel wants to share?

What followed was a wonderfully rich theological discussion, full of curiosity, deep thinking, and respectful debate. It was inspiring to see the children engaging so confidently with Scripture and exploring the Christmas story with such maturity.

To support their learning, Year 5 looked closely at passages from both Gospels:

From Matthew:
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea… Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.” — Matthew 2:1

From Luke:
“There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” — Luke 2:8

Together, these accounts give us a fuller picture of the birth of Jesus and remind us of the joy, wonder, and hope of the Christmas season.

Well done, Year 5, for your brilliant insights and meaningful discussions! 🌟💭

Year 5 - Advent Tree

Our Advent Tree is growing brighter and fuller each day as our children carefully add their leaves of hope, kindness, and promise. 🌿✨

Each leaf represents a thoughtful action, a kind word, or a special commitment made during this season of preparation. It has been wonderful to see our pupils reflecting deeply on how they can bring light to others—both in school and at home.

As the tree grows, so does our sense of togetherness. Advent reminds us not only to look forward with joy, but also to share that joy through compassion and generosity. The children’s contributions are a beautiful reminder of the true spirit of this season: small acts of kindness that shine brightly.

We are inspired by the words of Scripture as we journey through Advent:

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16

and

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” — Galatians 5:22

May our Advent Tree continue to glow with hope as we prepare our hearts for Christmas. 🌟

 

✨ Lighting the Second Advent Candle: A Reflection on Peace

Mrs Evans joined Reception to light the second Advent candle, and together they discussed its meaning, focusing on its representation of peace.

Lighting the Way: Class 4W’s Advent Assembly

✨ We are incredibly proud of Class 4W for leading a heartfelt Advent Assembly, sharing the fruits of their learning about Advent. They reflected on each candle:

• Hope – “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:2)

• Peace – “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.” (Isaiah 11:1-2)

• Joy – “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’” (Luke 2:10-11)

• Love – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

We ended the assembly by lighting the first candle of Advent, the Candle of Hope, reminding us of the light Christ brings into the world. A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who joined us in prayer and celebration—it was truly a special moment for our community. 💫🌟

Year 3 – How to Be More Like Joseph: Trust and Obey God

 

Year 3 have been reflecting on Matthew’s Gospel. The Bible tells us that Joseph was a good and faithful man. When he was shocked by Mary’s news that she would have a child, he could have been afraid or angry, but he stayed by her side. Joseph showed resilience, trusted God, and obeyed His guidance.

How can we be more like Joseph in being brave, kind, and obedient?

Matthew 1:24–25: “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”

Reception’s Advent Wreath: A Symbol of Hope and Preparation

 

Reception have been exploring the meaning of Advent in their RE lessons. They especially enjoyed creating their own Advent wreath. Through this, the children discovered that Advent is a special season of hopeful waiting and preparing for the birth of Jesus. 🌿❤️

To deepen their understanding, they also reflected on the words of Jesus: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” — John 8:12

Year 5 - Jesus is the Light of the World

 

In RE this week, our Year 5 pupils have been deepening their understanding of the theme of Hope, reflecting especially on what it means for Jesus to be the Light of the World. 🌟

Together, we explored how Jesus brings light into moments of darkness and how His example inspires us to shine that same light through our words, choices, and actions. The children shared thoughtful ideas about showing kindness, including others, forgiving one another, and helping those in need — real ways they can follow Jesus’ example every day.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” — John 8:12

Mary’s Moment: 2M Explore the Annunciation

2M have been learning all about the Annunciation, when Mary was asked by the Angel Gabriel to prepare to become the mother of Jesus. We role-played Gabriel’s message and discussed how Mary might have felt upon receiving such surprising news.

Year 3 Reflect on the Birth of Jesus 

Year 3 have been exploring the story of the birth of Christ as told in the books of Luke and Matthew. Today, the children wrote their own prayers, thanking God for the gift of Jesus and expressing admiration for Mary and Joseph, who remained obedient to God even when they felt anxious. We also made promises to try to be more like them by listening to one another and following instructions.

BullyBusters - Respect for All, November 2025

Today we were very fortunate to welcome the Bullybusters team into our school for a special assembly all about kindness, respect, and the superpowers we all have inside us.

During the assembly, the children explored the different “superpowers” we can use to help stop bullying. We learnt that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference to someone’s day. Smiling at others, inviting someone to play, speaking kindly, and standing up for what is right are all powerful ways we can help create a happier, safer school for everyone.

The Bullybusters team reminded us that each one of us has the power to make our school a place where everyone feels valued and included. By choosing kindness, we help to stop bullying before it even begins.

As a Catholic school, we know that showing kindness and respect is not only important—it’s something Jesus taught us to do. In the Bible, we are reminded:

• “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:32

• “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” – Luke 6:31

• “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” – John 13:34

These verses help us remember that kindness is something we are called to live out every day, not just in big moments but in small choices too.

We are grateful to Bullybusters for visiting us and helping our pupils understand how powerful kindness can be. Together, we can use our superpowers to make our school a place where everyone feels loved, supported, and safe.

Year 5 - Hope (Advent)  November 2025

Year 5 began their new Advent topic today with a sense of excitement and reflection. ✨
Together, we explored the themes of hope, light, and preparation, thinking carefully about what Advent truly means for us as a school community. As we gathered around the glowing Advent wreath, the soft candlelight helped us pause and reflect; we sang ‘The Servant King’ with reverence, reminding us of the example of kindness and humility that Jesus sets for us.

The children spent time discussing how we can prepare our hearts during this special season, sharing thoughtful ideas about helping others, showing gratitude, and spreading joy. We then created our own Advent promises, each one a personal commitment to bring a little more light into the world as we journey towards Christmas.

With the first Sunday of Advent approaching, Year 5 are ready to step into this season with hope, faith, and a renewed sense of purpose. 🙏🕯️💜

Harvest Festival

St Monica’s: Harvest Festival Food Donation : November 2025

Today, our School Councillors delivered your generous donations to our Harvest Festival to St Monica’s Church Foodbank. 

These contributions will provide vital support to families within our local community, and we are grateful for the kindness shown by our school family.

Father Pat expressed his sincere thanks for the donations and praised our School Councillors for their conduct and initiative to drive Harvest Festival this year. Hopefully, our children will see they can make a positive difference to our community and the wider world.

Psalm 67:5–7

“May the people praise you, God. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.”

 

Nursery – The Annunciation

Today we listened to the story of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to tell her that she would have a baby boy. After discussing what happened in the story, we dressed up in costumes and worked together to act it out. Everyone enjoyed taking part and bringing the story to life. 

Mary said, "Yes, I will have a baby and call him Jesus." Luke 1: 38

Year Two - Celebration of the Word

This week, the children completed a beautiful Celebration of the Word focused on the theme of courage. They reflected on the scripture from Deuteronomy 31:8, which reminds us that “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Through prayer and sharing, the children explored how God gives them the bravery to face new challenges. Their thoughtful responses and reverent participation showed a growing understanding that they are never alone—God walks with them wherever they go.

                                             

 

Remembrance Day

 

This morning, our school community gathered for our Remembrance Day assembly. As a Catholic school, this is a time to pause, pray and reflect on those who gave their lives in the service of others. We listened to the story of the poppy and reflected on Jesus’ teaching: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

We observed two minutes of silence with great respect, remembering those affected by war and praying for peace in our world today. We ended by asking God to help us become peacemakers in our own lives, showing kindness, courage and compassion each day.

Lest we forget.

 

 

Year 5 Life Choices: Living Our Mission – October 2025

In Year 5, as part of our Life Choices topic, we explored what it means to follow Jesus and live out our school mission. After reflecting on Scripture from the book of Ephesians, we discussed and identified practical ways we can demonstrate our values at school, at home, and in our community. 

 

The Power of Prayer – October 2025

In their RE lessons this month, our Year 5 pupils have been exploring The Power of Prayer. Together, they reflected on how prayer helps us to feel close to God, to give thanks, and to seek His guidance in our daily lives.

As part of their learning, the children read the beautiful reflection Footprints in the Sand. This well-loved poem reminds us that God is always by our side, even – and especially – in the most difficult times. Year 5 thought deeply about the message that when we feel most alone, God is carrying us.

Inspired by this, the children wrote their own prayers of thanksgiving, recognising the many ways in which God walks beside us each day. Their prayers expressed gratitude for family, friends, creation, and the gift of faith, as well as trust that the Lord will guide and strengthen them in times of challenge.

Through this work, Year 5 have shown how prayer is not just words we say, but a conversation with God that brings comfort, peace, and hope. It has been a wonderful opportunity to see the children living out our Catholic mission, growing in faith and recognising God’s loving presence in their lives.

 

Jeans for Genes Day at St Monica’s: Living Out Our Catholic Mission - September 30th 2025

 

 

At St Monica’s, our Catholic mission calls us to recognise the dignity of every person, created in the image of God. We are inspired by the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). This week, our school community lived out that mission in a simple but powerful way—by taking part in Jeans for Genes Day.

By wearing jeans and donating, our pupils and staff helped raise vital funds to support children living with genetic conditions. Behind every pair of jeans was an act of solidarity and compassion, reminding us that we are all part of one family, called to care for one another.

Jeans for Genes Day also gave us the chance to teach our children about inclusivity, kindness, and the importance of helping those who face daily challenges. Together, we reflected on how small acts—whether it’s wearing jeans, offering a smile, or showing support—can make a big difference.

Thank you to everyone who joined in and gave so generously. Your contributions will go towards transforming lives, offering hope, and supporting families across the UK.

At St Monica’s, we are proud that events like these allow us to live out our Catholic values of love, service, and community. Together, we are helping to build a brighter, more compassionate world.

 

Year 5 RE: Learning about St. Monica

Today in Year 5 RE, we explored the life of St. Monica — a powerful example of patience, faith, and a mother’s love. We learnt how her prayers and devotion guided her son, St. Augustine, on his journey of faith, inspiring us to reflect on the impact of love and perseverance in our own lives.

 

Our School Mission Day 

At the start of this year, we celebrated our annual mission day looking at our wonderful school mission of "Success for all in a Christ-Centred community". This year we looked at St. Monica and the influence that she has on our school mission. Each year group took a different part of the mission statement - Early years and Year 1 looked at 'Success', Year 2 and Year 3 looked at 'for all', Year 4 and Year 5 looked at 'Christ-Centred' and Year 6 looked at 'Community'. We all had so much fun participating in a wide range of activities including drama, dance, writing, artwork and song. The day ended with a fantastic celebration assembly where we all shared what we had been doing. 

Ukraine 

We are taught in the Bible to always strive in Peace.

"Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and Peace will be with you." Corinthians 13:11

Therefore as a School and Parish Community we are deeply saddened at the outbreak of war in the Ukraine. We always want to seek ways to help as the Catholic Social teachings tell us that God wants us to help people who don't have a safe place to live. We have reached out to our Parish and school communities for donations to send to the people of Ukraine. A local organisation has arranged for lorries with essential humanitarian supplies to be sent to the Polish-Ukrainian border. These supplies will be distributed to help mothers with children who had been forced to flee. Our community have been so wonderful and we cannot thank you enough, we have received so many boxes of donations that we had to hire our own van to deliver them to the Charity. You have been so wonderful. We will continue to keep the people of Ukraine in our hearts and prayers and we pray for a peaceful resolution.

Our Start of Year Mass - St. Monica's Church

On Monday 26th September we as a school all gathered in Church to begin our new school year together with God. We welcomed our Reception classes to their first ever school celebration in Church and they thoroughly enjoyed the mass as Father Ged explained the different parts of the mass to them. Our Year 6 children led the mass beautifully as we prayed for a successful and happy year ahead for all.

Class 3L's Family Assembly - Harvest

Class 3L started our Harvest celebration with a wonderful assembly all about Harvest Festival, the traditions behind it and how we are able to help others at this time of year. It was wonderful to have our families joining us and sharing this special celebration.

Our Harvest Festival 

As part of our Harvest Festival, we made up food and toiletry bags to help those in our local community. We also donated some bags to Liverpool Food bank. 

Meet our Religious Education Ambassadors

Please meet our wonderful RE ambassadors for this year. This wonderful group of representatives from Year 3 4, 5 and 6 will be promoting RE across the school. They will be helping across the different year groups in a range of different ways: promoting the Catholic life and mission of the school, helping children to plan and deliver prayer and liturgy and assisting with our charitable work. They all embody and embrace our Mission Statement of 'Success for all in a Christ-Centred Community. 

Class 5F's Family Assembly 

Class 5F presented a wonderful family assembly based on the theme of 'Forgiveness'. They used rhyming couplets to tell the story of The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32). They told us all about the importance of being able to forgive others and why it is so important to do so. We were so lucky that so many of our wonderful families were able to join us to watch this special message.

Children in Need 

We had a wonderful day raising money for Children in Need by completing a series of sporty circuits in our classes. Our wonderful families donated money and we raised money for vulnerable children in the United Kingdom. 

Poppy Appeal and Armistice Day 

For this year's poppy appeal our wonderful year 6's sold a variety of poppy day stationary to raise money for the British Legion Appeal. Our families and children were as generous as ever and we raised just over £150. On Armistice day a group of children from Years 3 - 6 had the opportunity to visit the World War 2 memorials at the King's Garden in Bootle. We laid wreaths from the school and reflected upon the sacrifices made by all of those who were killed. We finished with a prayer. At School we held a special assembly and marked the 11th hour with a two minute silence. For the fallen, we shall always remember.

Baptism visit from Father Ged

We were incredibly lucky to be joined by Father Ged today as part of our RE topic looking at the Sacrament of Baptism. He was able to tell us all about the Sacrament, the signs and symbols involved and how we are welcomed into God's family through Baptism. Father helped us to role play what happens so that we had a better understanding. Thank you Father Ged!

Beginning of Advent

Sunday 3rd December marked the beginning of Advent. In school we have been busy getting ready, our nativity scenes have been placed within our classrooms and our school foyer, our prayer table cloths have been changed to purple, we have made our Advent promises, begun to lit our advent wreaths and we have begun to open our Advent calendars. We are focused on learning all about the events leading up to Christmas and the Birth of Jesus. Our advent calendars are always special and focus on following Jesus' example by doing kind and caring things during this special time to show that we are getting prepared.

Class 4W's Family Assembly - Advent

Class 4W marked the beginning of Advent with a beautiful family assembly exploring the meaning of Advent and how it is celebrated around the world. They reflected upon Advent promises that they had made and how our school helps others during this special time as we wait in joyful hope. Our wonderful families were able to join us and share the lighting of the Advent Wreath.

Our Christmas Toy Drive 

At the end of November, as part of our commitment as a school to the Catholic Social Teachings of the 'Common Good', we collected donations from our Parish and School community of new or nearly toys. We know that God wants us to help others so that everyone can have a good life. We opened the school to any families who were in need of these toys for Christmas and we also donated some to the Venus Centre in Bootle who are a local charity that support women and children. 

Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to show God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Since 1990, more than 157 million children in over 160 countries have experienced God's love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. This year, St Monica's have donated to this wonderful cause, sending over 100 shoeboxes. Thank you to all of wonderfully generous children and families who created a memorable Christmas for less fortunate children around the world.

Our Infant Nativity

On Thursday 15th December and Friday 16th December our infants performed our annual Nativity, we were very excited as it was the first time in two years that we were able to invite all of our families and friends into school to watch our performances. Our Year Two children led the way telling the story of Jesus' birth while Year One sang beautiful hymns and carols. Our Nursery and Reception also added extra sparkle with their own songs about this wonderous event. Thank you to all our wonderful families who came to watch and we wish you all a happy and holy Christmas.

Christmas Carol Concert

On Monday 19th December Year 6 led our traditional Christmas Carol Concert at St Monica's Church. Our entire school was present to listen the Nativity of Our Lord told through scripture readings and song. Year 6 led the service with wonderful contributions from Year 3, 4 and 5 who sang a selection of traditional carols and hymns. We were also very lucky to be joined in Church by many of our families and Parish community as well as our wonderful Parish Priest Father Ged. It was a reflective morning which focused on the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of our Lord Jesus.

Our Christmas Community Foodbank

Just before we finished for Christmas we collected in food donations from a local company. We also purchased turkey crowns, potatoes, vegetables and mince pies to make up Christmas Dinner bags to help families over the festive period. Families were able to come and collect a bag. Bags were also donated to members of our local community and Liverpool Food Bank.

St. Monica's Catholic Church

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