Collective Worship

This week, we have learnt about the Hindu Festival of Light, Diwali, which was celebrated on Monday.  We thought about the significance of light in many religions and what light symbolises and represents.  We then considered how we could be the light in someone’s day.

Later in the week, we concluded our Black History Month celebrations.  The children spoke with confidence about significant people that they had been learning about, in classes.  We then finished the week with a focus on Maya Angelou and her wonderful words of wisdom.  Maya’s life and work are an inspiration.  We learnt that Maya was the first African American woman to work as a street car conductor and the difficulty and hardship that she had to endure in order to be able to achieve that position.  We also read some of her poetry.  We finished with a reflection on Maya’s wonderful quote, “If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”

Changes to start of the day

Wednesday 22nd October 2025

Dear Families

Thank you for your patience while our emails were out of action yesterday. Fortunately, the issues have now been resolved.

I am writing to inform you of some changes that we will be making to the start of the day, from after the half term holiday.  The gates will continue to be opened at 8:40am.  However, children will no longer line up in classes on the playground and will instead go directly to their classrooms, via the allocated entry point, from 8:45 to 8:50am when the bell will go for the start of the day.  This is similar to the arrangements that we have during bad weather.  Staff will be positioned at the gates to the school and at the entry points.  We would ask that families do not approach the classrooms or class teachers directly and instead inform the adults that are on the playground or at the allocated doors, who will pass any messages on.

Allocated doors:

Reception pupils and pupils in 1-2B and 1C: up the ramp outside of reception classes, to the double fire exit doors

Pupils in 2S and 3N: through the peace garden to the double fire exit doors

Pupils in 3-4JB, 4C, 5CS, 5-6M and 6P: bottom of the steps on the path at the side of school, through double fire exit doors.

There will be staff present on the playground and at the doors to help direct the children to the correct entry points.  We will also be explaining these arrangements to the children before we break up.

We very much appreciate your support with this and feel that it will make the start of the day a much smoother start for our children.  Children will be greeted at the classroom door and will have relevant learning activities to start the day. It will also improve the safety of the school site by reducing the amount of congestion on the playground at the start of the day.

Kind regards

Mrs L Mason

4C Lowry Art Work Part 1

Today in 4C, we have been drawing some of the local buildings in Wall Heath ready for painting and creating our final pieces. Here are some of our drawings:

Dudley Performing Arts Music Lessons

The last day to enrol for lessons in school with Dudley Performing Arts for the Autumn term is Monday 20th October, for lessons to start after October half term.

After this, enrolments will close for Autumn.  They will then re-open for lessons to start in the Spring term, January 2026.

After School Clubs

There will be no Key Stage 2 Choir next week (Monday 20th October) due to staff on Year 6 residential or first week after half term (Monday 3rd November) as that is an INSET day. Choir will resume on Monday 10th November.

There will be no Year 6 football or Year 5/6 Tag Rugby next week as Mr Bradley is away on Year 6 residential.

Attendance Figures

Class RH  98.3%

Class RY  100%

Class 1C  90.7%

Class 1/2B  98.3%

Class 2S  97.3%

Class 3N  94.5%

Class 3/4JB  98.7%

Class 4C  95.5%

Class 5CS  95.5%

Class 5/6M  94.3%

Class 6P  93.9%

 

Head teacher’s update

Our Worship Leaders led very thought provoking services for us, this week.  We really enjoy opportunities to visit church and carry out our acts of worship there.  The services made us consider the journey that food takes from the farm to our forks.  We were shocked to learn how little of the profits go to the farmers who work so hard to ensure the quality of the produce.  Father Chris then led a Harvest blessing for us.  Thank you Worship Leaders, Mrs Moore and Sian Morgan for all of your hard work in putting together the services for us. Thank you to all of our families for your very generous Harvest contributions.  We currently have a library full of donations for the Black Country Food Bank.  Thank you, we know that they will be very gratefully received. The donations will be collected from school on Tuesday morning so we would be very happy to accept any further items, until then.

Thank you very much to the HSA for organising such fabulous discos, this week.  The children had a fantastic time and behaved brilliantly.  We are very grateful for the time and effort put into these events which raise vital funds for school – thank you, HSA and all the children who attended! The HSA will be meeting on Monday 20th October at 6.30pm, at school, to start plans for Christmas celebrations – all are very welcome.

Due to many of our year 6 pupils and some of our staff being on residential next week, we have made the decision to postpone our half termly praise assembly until after half term, Friday 7th November.  Families of those receiving a certificate will receive a separate message and invitation.

 

 

 

 

Collective Worship – the greedy farmer

Thank you very much to our school volunteers and the Open the Book team, who hosted this week’s collective worship.  We were able to watch a re-enactment of a story that Jesus told to his followers – the greedy farmer.  The greedy farmer spent a lot of time and energy focusing on how he could make more and more money, but never got the chance to enjoy the rewards.  The assembly was thought provoking and enabled us to reflect on what we truly value and what really matters to us.

Flu Immunisations

The vaccination team will be in school on Tuesday 14th October to administer the flu immunisations.

You need to complete the online form even if you do not wish to give consent.

The form can be found here: https://midlands.schoolvaccination.uk/flu/2025/dudley

Please complete if you have not already done so. Thank you for your support.

Open Events

Do you know anyone who has a child due to start Reception in September 2026?

We have a number of school tours for prospective parents in October and November. If you know anyone who would like to view the school, please ask them to contact the school office on 01384 818760 or email info@chur-ascen.dudley.sch.uk to book a place on the following dates:-

 

Tuesday 21st October 1:30pm

Wednesday 22nd October 9:30am

Thursday 23rd October 1:30pm

Tuesday 4th November 9:30am & 1:30pm

Thursday 6th November 9:30am & 1:30pm