As we journey through Ordinary Time in the Church’s liturgical calendar, we are reminded that faith is lived out through our everyday words and actions. Celebrating Mass together gave the children an opportunity to listen to God’s Word, give thanks for the wonderful gift of creation and reflect on our responsibility to care for one another and the world around us.

This linked beautifully to the words of Jesus:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

(Matthew 5:9)

As a school community, we were reminded that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a difference as we strive to become peaceful, caring and responsible global citizens, living out our faith and sharing God’s love with the world.

Our Live Simply Award 

Our celebration also connected closely with our journey towards the Live Simply Award, encouraging us to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with others. By exploring peace, kindness and compassion, the children reflected on how we can care for one another, our wider community and God’s beautiful creation. Through our everyday actions, we are learning that living simply is not just about what we do, but how we treat others and the world around us. Together, we are putting our faith into action and working towards a more peaceful, just and sustainable world for everyone.

Nursery

Nursery celebrated the International Day of Peace by exploring the importance of using kind hands every day, especially when playing and interacting with our friends. The children shared their wonderful ideas about how we can use our hands to show kindness, care and love, such as helping others, sharing toys and giving comforting hugs. To celebrate these thoughtful ideas, the children worked together to create a beautiful Kindness Rainbow, reminding us that even the smallest acts of kindness can help make our world a more peaceful and loving place.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another.”

(Ephesians 4:32)

We reflected on how God calls us to show love through our actions and how our kind hands can help make everyone feel happy, safe and loved.

Reception

Reception celebrated the International Day of Peace by exploring what it means to have a kind heart. The children discussed and demonstrated how to be kind, caring and supportive friends, while also exploring the different emotions we experience and how we can understand and express them. Through thoughtful discussions and activities, they discovered how small acts of kindness can make a big difference in helping everyone feel happy, safe and loved.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another.”

(Ephesians 4:32)

We reflected on how we can share God’s love and help create a peaceful world through our kind words, caring actions and loving hearts.

KS1

KS1 celebrated International Day of Peace by exploring the power of kind words and positive friendships.

The children discussed how using kind and thoughtful words can make others feel happy, valued and included. They also explored how simple acts of kindness, such as helping others, sharing and showing care, can help us to build strong and lasting friendships.

To bring their learning to life, the children created their very own “Peace Potions”, filling them with ideas for kind words, helpful actions and friendship qualities. They thought carefully about the ingredients needed to make a strong and happy friendship.

We reflected on the words from Scripture:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another.” — Ephesians 4:32

The children discovered that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference and help to create a more peaceful, caring and inclusive community.

Year 3

Year 3 celebrated International Day of Peace by exploring what peace means around the world.

The children discovered how people greet one another in different languages and explored how greetings can vary across cultures. From Japan and India to Italy and Spain, the children enjoyed learning about the different ways people connect, communicate and show respect for one another.

They also explored a range of symbols of peace used around the world and discussed what these symbols represent. The children reflected on how, although our languages, cultures and traditions may be different, we can all share the same hopes for kindness, friendship and peace.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” — Matthew 5:9

It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to celebrate diversity, develop their understanding of different cultures, and consider how they can be peacemakers within our school and the wider world.

Year 4 

Year 4 celebrated International Day of Peace by exploring the important themes of fairness, respect and peace.

The children explored how artwork can be a powerful way to communicate important messages and inspire positive change in the world. They discovered how artists can use colour, imagery and symbols to express ideas about peace, unity, fairness and equality.

The children then took on the role of creative pioneers, using their imagination to create their own unique pieces of artwork. They were challenged with the thought-provoking question:

“If peace was a picture, what would it look like?”

The children came up with some fantastic and imaginative ideas, carefully considering how they could represent peace through their artwork. Their creations showed that peace can be expressed in many different ways and encouraged them to think about how they can contribute to a kinder, fairer and more respectful world.

“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” — Micah 6:8

This message encouraged the children to consider how justice, kindness and respect can help create a more peaceful world, and how each of us can make a positive difference through our words, actions and choices.

Year 5 

Year 5 celebrated International Day of Peace by exploring the important theme of resolving conflict peacefully.

The children explored five crucial steps that can help us manage disagreements and resolve conflict in a calm and respectful way:

STOP → LISTEN → TALK → THINK → AGREE

Through discussion and reflection, the children considered how each step can help us understand different perspectives, communicate our feelings and work towards a fair and peaceful solution.

The children then became peace ambassadors, creating colourful and informative posters to teach others about this five-step approach to conflict resolution. Their posters highlighted the importance of listening carefully, speaking kindly, thinking before we act and working together to reach an agreement.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” — Matthew 5:9

The children explored how being a peacemaker means choosing kindness, understanding and respectful communication, even when disagreements arise.

Year 6

Year 6 celebrated International Day of Peace by exploring how they can become the peace leaders of tomorrow.

The children reflected on the important role they can play in creating a more peaceful world, focusing on how prayer, hope and motivational words can inspire positive change and encourage others.

As part of their learning, the children wrote their own heartfelt prayers for peace, sharing their hopes for a world filled with kindness, understanding, unity and respect. They considered how their words and actions can make a difference, both within their school community and in the wider world.

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” — Psalm 34:14

This powerful message encouraged the children to think about how they can actively seek peace, stand up for what is right and use their voices to inspire others. Through their prayers and reflections, Year 6 showed that they have the potential to become the peace leaders of tomorrow.

This week, we were delighted to welcome Alison to our assembly to tell us about the wonderful work she is doing to support children with albinism in Tanzania.

Alison is currently fundraising to provide prescription glasses for children who need them. For many children with albinism, clear vision is essential to accessing their learning, yet the glasses they need can cost over £200 per pair. Sadly, many children go through their school journey without access to the glasses that could make such a significant difference to their education and daily lives.

We are incredibly excited to be part of this important cause. As a school, we hope to build a lasting connection with one class in Tanzania. The children will send us a video so that our pupils can get to know them, learn more about their school and everyday lives, and hear their thanks for helping to make a difference.

To support this worthwhile cause, our pupils will have the opportunity to fundraise, with even a donation of just £1 from each child making a meaningful contribution. When we come together as a community, these small acts of generosity can have a truly powerful impact and help us begin funding prescription glasses for children who desperately need them.

Our staff will also be contributing, so that together, as one St Monica’s community, we can make a real difference.

Living Simply, Living in Solidarity

This project also links beautifully with our commitment to the Live Simply Award. Live Simply encourages us to live in a way that respects our world, cares for others and recognises that we are all part of one global community. By choosing to give, share and think about the needs of others, our pupils are learning that even small actions can have a significant impact.

Our connection with the children in Tanzania gives us a wonderful opportunity to move beyond simply learning about global issues and to take action. Through fundraising, building relationships and learning about the lives of children in another part of the world, we are developing compassion, solidarity and a deeper understanding of our responsibility towards our global neighbours. This is a powerful example of how we can live simply, care deeply and make a difference together.

Faith in Action

This is a wonderful opportunity for us to put our faith into action and live out the message of Scripture. In his letter to the Galatians, St Paul reminds us:

“Let us not become weary in doing good… Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people.”
 

(Galatians 6:9–10)

These words beautifully capture what we hope to achieve through this project. By showing kindness, generosity and compassion, we can help children who live thousands of miles away and remind our pupils that being a global citizen means caring for others, wherever they may be.

At St Monica’s, we want our children to understand that even the smallest act of kindness can make a difference. Together, our pupils and staff can help provide children with the gift of clearer vision, greater access to their education and, ultimately, greater opportunities for their future.

This is faith in action. This is living simply and living in solidarity. And this is our St Monica’s community reaching beyond the walls of our school to show love and care for others on an international scale.

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