DCET Newsletter Spring 2026
This has been a busy two terms for everyone! There have been celebrations of many and varied events including sport, music, retreats, performance, reading, fundraising, public speaking, Lenten focus – so many, and such wonderful opportunities for learning, and for building relationships and confidence to become the rounded adults of tomorrow. It’s so important to recognise that these occasions don’t happen by chance and I would like to thank everyone – governors, staff, parents, volunteers – for creating and delivering these exceptional experiences for the children. It has been a period of working carefully with our schools to build balanced and effective budgets for the coming year amidst the challenge of funding we all recognise. We continue to focus on achieving this whilst providing great education and thank everyone in schools for their hard work on this task. It is always such a joy to read about all the wonderful work through our schools, and I look forward to making some visits in terms 5 and 6. We are approaching the period of celebration with the resurrection of Christ at Easter after our reflection and anticipation during Lent. I wish everyone in our Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust my deepest thanks, a welcome break, and a happy and peaceful Easter. Catherine Christie Trust Board Chair of Directors
What a wonderfully busy Spring Term it has been. As you can see below, our schools have been exceptionally active. I am always impressed by the breadth of opportunities offered and the rich variety of experiences our students enjoy. In March, we celebrated our 5th Annual Catenian Public Speaking Competition, with fourteen schools participating. The standard of presentations was outstanding, each drawing on a wide range of Catholic Social Teaching principles. Congratulations to all who took part, and a special well done to Christ the King, who were awarded the Allan Paver Trophy. It has been a privilege to spend time in schools throughout this Lenten season. Many have taken part in the CAFOD Lenten Walk, raising significant funds, and we have shared in reconciliation services, Stations of the Cross, and Masses. It is a blessing to experience this important liturgical season as a community. I would like to wish you all a happy and holy Easter break. Helen Taylor Chief Executive Officer
Christ the King Spring has sprung here at Christ the King and our school is certainly walking with a ‘spring’ in it’s step following the amazing achievements of our school family this term! Our Town Council has recently launched a bid to become the first UK Town of Culture and children in the community were invited to write what our community means to them: we made sure that all of our KS2 pupils had time in school to reflect on this was important to us and our school’s own community engagement. It is with great delight that of the 5 overall winners, 4 children from Christ the King had their “Our Amesbury, Our Community” essays chosen – well done to Kai, Faith, Sonny and Alex for your contributions. Faith and Kai have twice as much to smile about making up two fifths of the winning Catenians Public Speaking Competition alongside their friends Ruby, Lucia and Charlie. Their speech on dignity and how we live this out everyday at Christ the King was enhanced by some of the Makaton we’ve been learning and using everyday in school too. After much anticipation, we also had our Ofsted visit – we are still awaiting the final report and look forward to sharing this with our Trust Community when it is published, but it is safe to say that we give immense thanks to the entire DCET family for their support before, during and after the inspection. This term, notably falling during the season of Lent, we’ve given much time to reflecting on our value of ‘forgiveness’. A whole school penitential where all members of the community were invited to present their prayers for forgiveness marked the start of term for us, and we are looking forward to ending the term with a solemn Stations of the Cross Liturgy this Friday presented by Birch and Maple Classes. We’ve also had the privilege of attending Mass in our namesake church, celebrated by our new priest in residence, Fr. George, who warmly welcomed the children and spent time talking to them all after the service too.
Elsewhere in the school, our youngest pupils in Oak and Cherry Classes have enjoyed the latest addition of a sandpit to their re-vamped outdoor area and our nature explorers and loving to see the colours emerging all around them as flowers slowly start to bloom in early spring. As Term 4 draws to a close, we’d like to wish all of our Trust family a very Happy Easter when it arrives – from all of the staff and pupils at Christ the King, Amesbury.
Corpus Christi We have had a wonderful Spring Term at Corpus Christi, filled with enriching learning experiences for all our children. This term, Year 6 pupils took part in a Public Speaking Competition in Frome. Each child spoke confidently and passionately about one of our core values—stewardship. We were incredibly proud of how well they represented our school. It was also a fantastic opportunity for them to meet and connect with pupils from across our trust. We also celebrated British Science Week and World Book Day. During Science Week, the children took part in a range of fun, hands-on workshops, exploring different areas of science in exciting and engaging ways. Our Year 1 and 2 pupils especially enjoyed learning about artificial intelligence and discovering how technology can “think” and respond. World Book Day was another highlight. The children had a brilliant time, sharing stories, exploring books, and taking part in reading activities throughout the day. This term, we have been focusing on Prayer and Liturgy. A variety of year groups have had children’s Class Mass and Class Liturgies of the Word which have been very well attended by parents. These gatherings provide a lovely opportunity for our school community to come together in prayer and reflection. One Year 2 parent commented, “All children were very well spoken and all respected each other. It was lovely to see the children so confident and happy.”
Our Chaplaincy for All team has continued their mission to raise funds for Weston Hospice. They organised a very successful Valentine’s Disco, enjoyed by all, and raised £297.70. As well as this, they have been evaluating the class prayer areas and offering support to teachers where needed. This term, we’ve continued to provide a wide range of after-school clubs and enrichment opportunities. The School Sports Teaching Association has delivered weekly multi-skills sessions, and children have also enjoyed Mad Science Club, Homework Club, Choir, and Dance. Our dancers are especially excited to perform at the Weston Playhouse as part of the NSSPEA Dance Festival—an amazing chance to experience performing on a professional stage. During this time of Lent, we have been reflecting together as a community. We look forward to sharing the Stations of the Cross and our Lenten Service—moments where we can come together in unity, prayer, and preparation.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel World Book Day at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School World Book Day at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School is always a highlight of the school calendar, but this year’s celebration was one of our most vibrant and inspiring yet. With a theme that combined reading, creativity and the joy of movement, pupils and staff came together to honour stories, heroes, and the power of imagination. A central part of this year’s celebrations was our wholeschool project inspired by the Little People, Big Dreams series. Each class selected a figure from the books and transformed their classroom door into a beautifully illustrated tribute. The doors became bright, bold storyboards filled with artwork, facts and inspiring quotes. Walking through the corridors felt like stepping into a museum dedicated to extraordinary dreamers—artists, athletes, scientists, activists and more—each display reminding us that big achievements often start with small dreams. Our costume theme added an extra spark of excitement: pupils were invited to dress as famous sports personalities. The school was buzzing with miniature versions of sporting legends such as Serena Williams, Lionel Messi, Simone Biles and Marcus Rashford. The costumes not only brought colour and fun to the day but also helped pupils reflect on the determination, resilience and passion that real-life athletes share with the heroes of Little People, Big Dreams. To celebrate reading itself, we held Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) sessions throughout the day. At surprise moments, a bell sounded and everyone—teachers, pupils, and even visitors—paused whatever they were doing to pick up a book. Classrooms, corridors and even the playground became quiet pockets of reading joy. These moments reminded us of the simple pleasure of getting lost in a story and highlighted the importance of making reading a natural, everyday habit.
Throughout the day, classes explored books, discussed their chosen role models and compared the achievements of sports stars with those found in the inspirational biographies from the Little People, Big Dreams collection. Some classes wrote fact files, others illustrated story scenes, and many shared books linked to their favourite sports. The celebrations concluded with a warm and lively endofday assembly. Each class proudly presented their decorated door and shared something they had learned about their chosen inspirational figure. A sea of sports costumes filled the hall as children beamed with pride. The assembly also highlighted the importance of reading for pleasure, and pupils were encouraged to continue exploring stories at home and in school. World Book Day at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School was more than a themed event—it was a joyful reminder that reading opens doors to new worlds, new ideas and new dreams. By blending books, creativity and the spirit of sport, the day inspired pupils to believe in themselves, celebrate their uniqueness and, like the heroes we learned about, dare to dream big. Inspired by their classwork on oceans, our Save Our Oceans group organised a book sale to raise funds for the Marine Conservation Society. The event raised £100, thanks to generous book donations and support from across the school community. A second group held a jewellery sale, raising £60 for Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) World Gifts, purchasing a goat, chickens and two queen bees to help families in need.
St Benedict’s This term has been an especially busy and rewarding one for our school community. Across all areas of school life, we have remained firmly rooted in our core school values, which have guided both our learning and our relationships with others. We demonstrated our commitment to curiosity and stewardship by taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch with the RSPB. The children showed great enthusiasm as they carefully observed and recorded the birds they spotted around the school grounds and at home. We then submitted our data as a whole school, contributing to vital research that helps track bird populations in our local area. In addition, we were delighted to welcome local nurseries into school, where our Wellbeing Champions led a creative session helping younger children make bird feeders to hang around the grounds, further strengthening our links with the community. Our Kingfisher and Kestrel classes showed fantastic curiosity, respect and resilience during their residential experiences. Year 6 pupils embraced new challenges such as caving and gorge walking, demonstrating impressive teamwork, courage, and determination. Year 5 joined our Camino schools for a retreat, where they enjoyed meeting new friends, reflecting spiritually, and pushing themselves through a range of activities including archery and abseiling. World Book Day was, as always, a highlight of the term, celebrating a love of reading across the school. Alongside our Reading Rocks programme, which provides new books and author sessions each term, the day allowed children to explore different authors and share their favourite texts. Our Wellbeing Champions also visited local nurseries to read aloud, spreading their love of books and storytelling within the wider community.
Our community focus has continued to grow with the introduction of the Mini Police programme, supported by our PCSO and partners including St John Ambulance. Pupils learned valuable first aid skills, took part in speed awareness checks outside the school, and developed a deeper understanding of how the police support the community. We are also proud to have achieved the Bronze Award as a Rights Respecting School. Our Rights Rangers have been actively sharing knowledge of children’s rights, and these principles are now embedded across our curriculum, worship, and Catholic Social Teaching. As we moved into Lent, we focused on forgiveness and supported CAFOD through the Big Lent Walk, collectively walking over 200 miles. Our Chaplaincy Team enriched this journey further by visiting Holy Ghost Catholic Church with Fr Martin to learn about the Stations of the Cross; they will now create their own stations of the cross to share with classes across the school in Holy Week. Overall, it has been a vibrant and enriching term, with strong community engagement and our values at the heart of all we have achieved.
St Edmund’s St Edmund’s have had a very busy and exciting term 3 and 4! During the half term holiday, our EYFS and Year 1 classrooms were combined to create a new, open-plan learning space! The impact on the children has been immediate – the space is more inviting and they have enjoyed the freedom it’s given them to explore and interact with the environment. Teachers have already seen a positive change in the children’s engagement, and the classroom supports the school’s wider curriculum vision, providing an environment where pupils can explore their creativity, develop new skills and grow in confidence. There’s been quite a focus on the literary during Terms 3 and 4! Willow Class had a visit to Calne Library where they all enjoyed exploring and choosing books to borrow. They also prepared themselves for our visit from author Sophie Kirtley, by reading one her books together. Sophie visited us on World Book Day, where the costume theme was ‘Wild’! We had tigers, crocodiles, butterflies and bears loose around the school! Sophie then stayed on to give children the opportunity to purchase signed copies of her books, and afterwards, FOSE had arranged for the children to get cosy in their PJs for bedtime stories! Year 6 once again took part in the Public Speaking Competition at St Catharine Alexandria Church in Frome, where they impressed us with their excellent communication skills and entertained with their interesting topics! Sadly, they did not win this year, but we were pleased to see the effort that they put in to the preparation of their speeches.
Year 5 and Year 6 children took part in The Life Exhibition at Calne Free Church where they had the opportunity to learn more about Christian beliefs and Jesus’ life through an innovative multi-media experience. The children loved how interactive it was, and enjoyed taking part in the quiz – the squash and biscuits were also very much appreciated! We are very proud that it was noticed by the Church staff how knowledgeable the children were, and how well-mannered – they were true ambassadors for St Edmund’s. St Edmund’s pupils have not only been exercising their minds, but their bodies too! We are continuing our relationship with St Mary’s School in Calne; we welcome their pupils’ support with running a netball club for KS2 on a Friday afternoon and they have also worked hard with some of our KS2 children to put together a dance show, which was held at St Mary’s on the 12th February. St Edmund’s children were so excited to take part in this and they blew us all away with their performance! We look forward to the Easter Break and what terms 5 and 6 bring!
St Gildas This term at St Gildas has been filled with celebration, community, learning and faith in action. It has been a vibrant and joyful period for our school, marked by memorable experiences for pupils across all year groups and rich opportunities to strengthen our Catholic ethos and community partnerships. We began the term with the celebration of our school feast day, a truly special occasion that brought together pupils, staff, governors and families. We were honoured to welcome the Mayor of Yeovil, who joined us for this joyful event. The celebration highlighted our school values and provided a wonderful opportunity for pupils to reflect on our mission and identity as a Catholic community. Our Year 5 residential visit to Kilve Court was a highlight for the children, offering them the chance to develop independence, teamwork and resilience. They took part in a range of adventurous outdoor activities, embraced new challenges and strengthened friendships. Staff were extremely proud of their enthusiasm, behaviour and willingness to try new experiences. This term we also participated in the DCET Public Speaking Competition, where our pupils represented the school with confidence and maturity. Their ability to articulate their views and speak with clarity was a real testament to the high expectations we continue to foster around oracy and communication. As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting a love of reading, we held our Non‑Fiction World Book Day, which celebrated curiosity, real‑world learning and factual texts. Pupils engaged in research projects, author studies and cross‑curricular reading activities that broadened their understanding of the world. The enthusiasm across the school was inspiring to see. Faith has remained at the heart of our school life this term.
We joined with Leweston School for a shared act of worship at Holy Ghost Church, participating in a beautiful Lenten liturgy that deepened our reflection and preparation for Easter. Our Chaplaincy Team also took part in their Big Lent Walk, raising awareness and demonstrating social action through faith. These moments helped pupils grow spiritually and understand the importance of service, community and compassion. Safety education has also played an important role this term. Pupils took part in road safety and railway safety sessions, equipping them with essential knowledge to help them keep themselves safe in their daily lives. These workshops were interactive, age‑appropriate and well‑received by pupils. As a school, we proudly supported Comic Relief by “dressing funny for money” or wearing red. The day brought laughter and creativity, while also reinforcing the importance of giving to others and understanding global need. Towards the end of term, we celebrated the joy of Easter through our Easter Bonnet Parade, which was a colourful and uplifting event enjoyed by pupils, staff and families alike. Pupils showcased their creative talents with beautifully designed bonnets that brought smiles across the school. We concluded our Lenten journey with a reflective Stations of the Cross and a reverent Holy Week liturgy, allowing pupils to engage meaningfully with the Easter story and deepen their understanding of its significance. This has been a rich, purposeful and faith‑filled term at St Gildas, filled with opportunities for learning, growth and celebration. The pupils continue to shine, and we look forward to building on this strong momentum as we move into the next term.
St John’s We’ve been very busy at St John’s over the past two terms and the children have enjoyed a vibrant and enriching Term 3 and Term 4, filled with exciting opportunities to develop their talents, build confidence and create lasting memories. Earlier in the term, Year 6 embarked on their much-anticipated residential trip to Skern Lodge at the end of February. The week-long stay provided children with an unforgettable experience full of adventure, teamwork and personal challenge. Activities such as climbing, kayaking and tunnelling encouraged the children to step outside their comfort zones, support one another and develop resilience. The trip also helped to strengthen friendships and independence as the children prepared for the transition to secondary school. The following week it was our Year 5’s turn when they enjoyed a fantastic three-day residential experience to Kilve Court. During the trip we were joined by children from St. Mary’s, Bath, St. Benedict’s, Midsomer Norton and St. Patrick’s, Chippenham which is always a great experience for all the children with many aiming to go to St. Gregory’s for secondary school. Set in beautiful countryside, the visit allowed children to explore the outdoors while taking part in a variety of activities including: grass sledging, a beach walk and a challenging low ropes course which were all designed to promote teamwork and problem-solving. Whether navigating challenges together or learning new skills, the children embraced every moment with enthusiasm and curiosity. One of the highlights of the Spring term was the opportunity for four of our Year 6 children to take part in the DCET public speaking competition which the school attended for the first time. Representing the school with confidence and maturity, the children demonstrated excellent communication skills, thoughtful preparation and impressive courage in speaking in front of an audience. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to showcase their ideas and personalities, and we were incredibly proud of the way they represented St John’s. Creativity has also been shining across the school. Our Year 3 and Year 4 children recently completed their delightful production of Alice in Wonderland. The performance was a fantastic celebration of drama, music and storytelling, with children bringing the well-loved characters to life through expressive acting, colourful costumes and enthusiastic singing. The production was thoroughly enjoyed by families and staff alike and highlighted the children’s hard work, teamwork and creativity throughout the rehearsal process.
Alongside these events, many of our talented children have been participating in the Mid- Somerset Festival. A number of children took part in a variety of categories, demonstrating their abilities in music, speech and performance. It has been brilliant to see children stepping onto the stage, sharing their talents and representing the school with pride. Their dedication and commitment to practising and performing have been truly impressive. Across both terms, St John’s has continued to provide a rich and supportive environment where children can thrive academically, creatively and socially. From adventurous residential trips and inspiring performances to competitive events and opportunities to develop new skills, our children have embraced every experience with enthusiasm. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to the exciting opportunities that the remainder of the school year will bring.
St Joseph & St Teresa’s We have had a very busy terms 3 & 4. During National Storytelling week, Nightingale class had a visit from Siobhan Goodwin to tell them the local legend of the Worminster Dragon. They learnt that the dragon is remembered every 50 years to stop it returning. Einstein and Shakespeare classes were visited by Kare from Carymoor Environmental Centre who led an assembly and a workshop about how to improve our reducing, reusing and recycling. The children took part in practical activities where they had to sort different recycling and then looked at some items such as bags, pencils and footballs that had been made by reusing materials. Rosa Parks and Malala classes enjoyed a day trip to Wells Cathedral, where they had a tour of the Cathedral, took part in a singing workshop and had a science workshop which looked at how an organ works and how air molecules are used to create sound. Shakespeare and Einstein classes had their sharing afternoon with parents. They joined forces in the hall where they completed lots of children’s mental health activities with their families. We had a parent come into provide our children with a lovely mindful yoga session which partnered with our National Children’s mental health week. We celebrated National Careers week and Science Week. We had lots of visitors come into school and share their skills. Liam Cahill from Road.CC talked about cycling journalism and youtube content. Malala class took part in a live lesson from BBC Teach, Wizarding World, where they learnt all about special effects. Rosa Parks took part in an engineering tower challenge and made sherbet. Shakespeare tested their own gliders, aeroplanes and helicopters. Every class made bread. Nightingale class went to Daluciano’s pizzeria to learn about their job and taste pizza. A huge thank you to all the other parents / visitors who came to support us in Careers and Science Week! Our School Council with support from Miss McKinley organised an amazing day provided by @bugfest. Nick came in and brought our school a spectacular show and workshops. The children learnt about everything bugs and the impact they have on our planet, endo and exoskeletons, habitats, adaptations, classifications and much more.
We celebrated World Book day in style. Staff and Pupils could come dressed in their pyjamas or favourite book character. Mr Schwartz (Assistant Head) came as Goldilocks and Mrs Harvey (Head Teacher) came as the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. Rosa Parks class shared their assembly with the school and parents about a journey through time. They started with life as a Victorian child in a school, heading to WW1 and life on the Western Front. The journey then continued to WW2 and learning about Anne Frank and her difficult times. Next, shooting through space to Mars and the curiosity rover. Rosa Parks led a lovely Class Mass based on the feast of St Joseph (one of our Patron Saints) and Shakespeare class led a beautiful Class Liturgy based on the feast of St Joseph and incorporated Mothering Sunday into it. NEXT: We are looking forward to our ‘Washing of the feet’ Mass; reflections around the cross; stations of the cross and our CAFOD Lenten Walk. We say a sad farewell to Miss Dyer who is moving onto pastures new after 11 years of working at St Joseph & St Teresa’s and wish her all the best.
St Joseph’s, Bridgwater Sports News YEAR 5/6 SPORTSHALL ATHLETICS COUNTY FINALS After qualifying in 2nd place in the Sedgemoor Sportshall Athletics event in November our Year 5 and Year 6 athletes travelled to Richard Huish to take part in the County Finals. We competed against 7 other primary schools from the Sedgemoor and Taunton area in a variety of running, jumping and throwing events. With some great performances on both the track and the field, particularly from our final relay teams, we came a fantastic 2nd place in the County. Year 3 and Year 4 took part in their annual Sedgemoor Sportshall Athletics at Bridgwater College. This was the first school competition for a number of children and despite their nerves they performed brilliantly in all events. We came 6th out of 11 schools, however the great news is that we were 2nd overall out of the small schools! Football We have played a number of friendly matches against other schools this term. The highlight was our Year 3/4 footballers taking part in a Year 3/4 Futsal Tournament at Haygrove School. They played some excellent football with great passing and defending skills. It was lovely to see such good sportsmanship and teamwork on show. They won 3 out of their 4 matches winning 40, 2-0 and 1-0 and losing 0-1. These results made them joint top of their group but overall winners on goal difference thus earning them well deserved gold medals. Tag Rugby Our Year 6 children took part in a Tag Rugby tournament at Brymore School. Due to the wet weather we hadn’t had time to practice so we turned up willing to give it a go and do our best…..and remember to pass the ball backwards! As the tournament went on we gained confidence and a greater understanding of the game. We played as a team with some excellent runs with the ball and really strong defending. We won 3 out of 4 games and came a fantastic 2nd place overall. Key Step Gymnastics Our gymnasts from Years 2/3/4 took part in their Key Step Gymnastics Competitions. First up were our Year 2 children. They have been working hard during lessons to practice and refine their routine which included rolls, balances and jumps. They performed brilliantly in a very close competition and came first overall! Next up were our Year 3/4 children who gained silver medals after performing their set floor routines.
RSPCA Visits We welcomed a visitor from the RSPCA, who taught us all about the importance of picking up our rubbish and looking after our environment. The children learned what can happen to animals and habitats when litter is left behind, and why it’s everyone’s responsibility to help keep our community safe and clean. After the session, the children explored the school grounds using litter pickers, working brilliantly as a team to collect rubbish and make sure our school is tidy. They showed great enthusiasm, teamwork, and care for their environment. We’re very proud of their efforts. This was a great workshop which linked to our work on Catholic Social Teaching and our work towards the CAFOD Live Simply Award.
St Joseph’s, Burnham-on-sea What an exciting term it has been at St Joseph’s. Our Year 3 and Year 5 pupils had a fantastic time at The Museum of Somerset in Taunton, where they stepped back in time making soap, writing with quills, visiting an Almshouse and exploring fascinating artefacts from the past. Year 4 also enjoyed an inspiring visit to Police Headquarters as part of their Mini Police programme. Our sports teams have had a brilliantly busy few weeks too. Congratulations to our Girls’ Football Team, who represented the Trust at the ESFA County Finals, and to our Athletics Team, who secured an impressive 4th place in the County Finals. Our Year 2 Gymnastics Team proudly placed 3rd in their area competition, while the Year 4 Futsal Team finished as runners up locally—well done everyone! A number of pupils also shone at the Highbridge Festival Set Verse Speaking competition, returning with medals and big smiles. We have celebrated a love of stories throughout the term. For World Book Day 2026, pupils took part in Secret Stories—signing up for a book based only on its title before discovering their mystery reader and enjoying 45 minutes of shared storytelling. During National Storytelling Week, the whole school also came together for a special school-wide story experience. Finally, a huge congratulations to our Year 6 pupil who represented the school beautifully in the DCET Public Speaking Competition with a thoughtful speech on the preferential option for the poor. We also marked Safer Internet Day with important discussions on staying safe and responsible online.
St Louis St Louis have been incredibly busy Loving, Wondering and Achieving Together over the last two terms. Our Gospel Values have been Curiosity and Forgiveness, which have shone through in all the children do. Term 3, curiosity was particularly evident during Aspirations Week. Pupils met a range of visitors, including a pilot, translator, paramedics and police officers, who spoke about their careers, how they got there and which subjects helped them in school. The Mayor of Frome spoke to the children about leadership and community. Pupils asked thoughtful questions and showed genuine interest in the different roles, demonstrating their growing awareness of the wider world. Across the school, learning in different year groups reflected this curiosity. In Reception, children began developing their understanding of the world through hands-on exploration, preparing for new topics such as “Wonderful World.” In Key Stage 1, pupils focused on developing core literacy skills, including storytelling and writing. Year 2 pupils created their own stories inspired by “The Lord of the Forest,” showing imagination in their choice of characters and settings. Year 3 explored Animals Including Humans in science, working towards their own investigations. In RE, Year 4 focused on the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats and linking this to the Works of Mercy. Year 5 planned, practised and prepared for the DCET Catenians public speaking contest, where they spoke about stewardship and Catholic Social Teaching. Year 6 used their persuasive skills to write a letter to Prime Minister Asquith to convince him to give women the right to vote, based on their learning from The Unstoppable Letty Pegg. In Term 4, Reception pupils have been exploring space, writing facts about planets, creating papier-mâché models, and designing their own rockets. In Year 1, pupils worked on diary writing based on The Naughty Bus and began editing their work using purple pens, helping them to reflect on and improve their writing. Year 2 developed their understanding of mathematics by learning division and using their 2 times tables to support calculations. In Year 3, pupils have been writing using lots of description, based on Mr Penguin and the Museum of Extraordinary Objects, with some fantastic word choices being made. Year 4 used The Wolves in the Walls to write their own writing newspaper reports, developing their understanding of writing for purpose and audience. Year 5 began rehearsals for their Easter Praise
performance, learning songs, scripts, and taking on acting roles. We were so impressed by the number of children who put themselves forward for solos! Year 6 continued their work on The Girl of Ink and Stars, writing detailed setting descriptions to build tension in their own myths. Sport has also had a keen focus over the last two terms, with children taking part in golf, dance and superhero PE lessons. In KS2, children haven competed in a number of competitions and galas at various sport venues in Frome. We have had a swimming gala, football tournaments and a tag rugby competition. We may not always win, but the resilience, teamwork and sportsmanship on show has been fantastic! As we move towards the end of Lent and the beginning of Easter, we reflect on the Lenten season and we can reflect, repent, repair and return to Christ. Families have been joining us for our Lent reflections, led by Years 6, 5 and 4. We look forward to Springtime coming and the summer terms ahead!
St Mary’s, Bath Looking back over the last two terms, the staff and pupils of St Mary’s have achieved so much having been offered a wide range of experiences. Our chaplains became Mini Vinnies at the end of term 2 and delivered a very informative assembly on St Vincent de Paul to share with the rest of the school who he was and what he stood for. A few weeks ago, they were inspired by the ten staff members who were going to run the Bath Half Marathon in memory of Mrs Thomas’ son, Will, and they organized a cake sale to raise money for the charity CRY (Cardiac Arrest in the Young). Many pupils and their families then came to support the staff on their epic run which was such a huge celebration of the St Mary’s family. Our Y5 pupils set off to Kilve Court in March on a retreat with pupils from St John’s, St Benedict’s, St Patrick’s and Our Lady of Lourdes. The children had a wonderful time trying new skills and making new friends but also finding out more about themselves and growing in independence. There have been several sporting opportunities and successes this term with our pupils representing St Mary’s at the BANES Y3/4 and Y5/5 gymnastics competitions, the Y5/6 swimming gala and the Football Cup. Y2 and Y5 have attended the local secondary school for a winter and spring sports festival which was run by sports leaders and our YR and Y1 children have had a sports festival run at St Mary’s by their Sixth Form Sports Leaders. The children and staff also had great fun in our annual interhouse pancake races at the start of Lent! We have been very lucky this term to have several authors come to school to share their new books with our children curtesy of Mr B’s Book Shop in Bath. The highlight was during book week when the children dressed as their favourite book characters and had a visit from Emma Read who shared some interesting facts about spiders and how a book is put together from initial ideas to the finished product. Our Reception children are learning all about people who help us and they have been into Weston village on a trip where they bought themselves a biscuit from the café and met the local police officers. The staff and children celebrated the end of Children’s Mental Health week with Feel Good Friday. The staff and children took part in four different activities from sewing to Forest School and junk modeling to playdough. We had a wonderful day and were ready for the half term holiday.
A few weeks ago, the children in Reception and KS1 led a beautiful Mothering Sunday service which brought lots of happy tears to our eyes and the Y2 children represented St Mary’s at Dance Umbrella at the Forum in Bath with their dance ‘Happy’. This term we have also experienced our first public speaking competition with our Y6 leading a wonderful speech about stewardship and how we really live out our catholic social teaching at St Mary’s. This has continued with the Cafod Big Lent Walk where we all set off on a hike up to Kelston Roundhill to raise money for our brothers and sisters around the world. At the end of a very busy term the staff and children at St Mary’s wish you all a very happy and holy Easter.
St Mary’s, Chippenham What a whirlwind of a term it has been at St Mary’s! In just five short weeks, we have packed in an extraordinary amount of learning, celebration and achievement. This term saw the long‑awaited publication of our Ofsted report, which was very positively received and even made its way into the local press. It was heartening to see our school recognised publicly for the dedication, care and high expectations that define our daily work. Read the full report here. Our faith We have been celebrating the liturgical season of Lent across the school this term and pupils have been thinking about ways to raise money to help others. Every class has been fundraising for CAFOD - we have seen non uniform days, cake and toy sales and a wonderful soup lunch hosted by CAFOD club. Thank you for your generosity and support with all of these initiatives. It is wonderful to see how our kindness is helping those less fortunate than ourselves and serves as a reminder to us all that, in line with our Mission, we really are all part of one global community. Our Lent retreat day last week offered a beautifully spiritual pause in the busyness of school life. Children reflected deeply on the meaning of the season. This has been followed by a reverent school Mass this week with Father Keith where we took time to reflect on the feast of The Annunciation. Year 6 also led a particularly poignant Stations of the Cross, guiding the school through the story of Jesus’ final journey with maturity and compassion. In other news this term... World Book Day was another particular highlight this term, with visiting author Sophie Kirtley inspiring our pupils with her stories, writing wisdom and encouragement. Curiosity and discovery took centre stage again during British Science Week, where hands‑on workshops ignited scientific thinking across the school. We also marked Neurodiversity Celebration Week, helping pupils to understand, value and champion the many different ways people think, learn and experience the world—an important step in building empathy and inclusivity. In sport, our children took part in tag rugby and netball festivals, where they shone not just in skill, but in teamwork, resilience and fair play. We were delighted to see their efforts recognised by event organisers. Our pupils also represented St Mary’s brilliantly at a DCET public speaking competition in Frome, earning praise for their oracy skills, confidence, politeness and respect for others—qualities we are proud to nurture every day. Musical showcase To end the term on a high note, our Spring Music Concert showcased an impressive array of musical talent. From recorders and violins to pianos and brass instruments, our children performed with confidence and joy. A special
mention goes to Year 5, who are making excellent progress in brass under the expert guidance of Simon from Corsham Wind Band. As always, thank you for your ongoing support. St Mary’s continues to thrive because of the collective effort of pupils, families, staff and the wider community. I wish you all a peaceful, happy Easter break and look forward to welcoming everyone back for an exciting summer term on Monday 13th April.
Loving God, As we walk together through this holy season of Lent, open our hearts to Your presence in our daily lives. Help us to follow the example of Jesus in kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Give us the courage to recognise where we can grow, the humility to say sorry, and the generosity to help those in need. Bless our Trust community—students, staff, and families— as we learn, pray, and serve together. May this season draw us closer to You and to one another. Lead us toward the joy of Easter with renewed hope, deeper faith, and hearts ready to welcome Your risen light. Amen.
Contact Us DCET - Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust Park Avenue Bridgwater Somerset TA6 7EE Visit us on the web at Home: The Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust (thedcet.com). Safeguarding DCET are committed to ensuring the welfare and safety of all our children in all of our schools. We believe that pupils have a right to learn in a supportive, caring and safe environment which includes the right to protection from all types of abuse; where staff are vigilant for signs of any pupil in distress and are confident about applying their/our safeguarding processes to avert and alleviate any such problems. Safeguarding is about ensuring that everyone is safe from harm - safe from bullying, safe from people who could abuse, safe from discrimination or harassment - and that we all feel safe in our environment. If you are ever concerned about the safety or well-being of someone at one of our schools, please talk to one of the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead's (DSL's).
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