Festivals and Celebrations
Celebrations are an essential part of life for people of every age and faith. The cycle of a year and the span of a lifetime are marked by rituals, when people gather to celebrate with their friends.
Rejoicing and celebrating help all of us to reach into the heart of life and to realise the deepest meaning of what is happening here. They keep before us what is important in life: its joys, difficulties, sorrows and successes. Celebration is an opportunity to experience joy and also to come to terms with sadness and difficulty in order to feel joy again. Our understanding is heightened so that we are able to get back to living with renewed vision and hope.
At Runnymede, as we explore the topics in ‘Here I Am’, we have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and understanding of our Catholic faith. Through the themes for each term, the children will become familiar with the seasons of the Christian Church. Through the topics, they are introduced to the traditions, customs and practices of seasons and special feasts. Making time to celebrate enable children to acknowledge the value of the experiences they have explored.
During the year, we at Runnymede make every opportunity a time to celebrate. Towards the end of each of the three topics pert term there is Rejoice section. A time when the children plan a celebration of the work they have completed during that particular topic. This could involve, singing, dancing, scripture readings, art work, dressing up, picnics a walk in the beautiful grounds or many other alternatives. A truly special time.
Outside the curriculum lessons we celebrate many aspects of our lives and the lives of others. We begin the year celebrating a new beginning. There is often a special Mass for the staff, to enable us to offer our year for the school community.
Our first celebration is the feast of St.Edward on October 13th. We celebrate in school and the children also have a holiday from school (attached to half-term).Before the end of the first half term the whole school celebrates Harvest Festival. A time to thank God for all we have and a time to share with those who do not have as much. We collect tinned food, which we give to the Christian Brothers in Parr Street in Liverpool City Centre who distribute it wherever there is need.
Advent is a time of preparation. We always celebrate the beginning with a Mass or a special Collective Worship. During Advent we fill our Shoe-boxes so they can be sent to children who otherwise would not receive any gifts at Christmas. We celebrate the latter part of Advent with a Christingle Service, which is all about light in the darkness. Christmas is celebrated with Nativity plays, Carol Services, Christmas concerts, Carol singing and of course lots of parties and fun.
The Spring Term begins with us celebrating the Epiphany, the arrival of the The Wise Men. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, this is usually celebrated in school with a Mass or special Collective Worship, but this year Ash Wednesday was celebrated during half-term. During Lent we celebrate again how lucky we are by collecting for the Nugent Care Society, the “Good Shepherd”. Children are asked to do extra jobs at home to raise money e.g. set the table for tea, help with the dishes or tidy their rooms. Year 3 celebrate the
Sacrament of Reconciliation just before Easter, with their families and Prayer Sponsors from Year 6 there to help and support them. To celebrate Easter we celebrate Holy week with special Collective Worships, led by the children. We also have Easter bonnet parades and Easter Rabbits visiting the school!
The Summer Term is a time to celebrate so many things. May marks the feast day of the founder of the Christian Brothers, Blessed Edmund Rice. Year 3 celebrate their first Holy Communion, with exciting preparation and celebration Masses and parties. Year 6 have a special Mass to celebrate their life in Runnymede as they leave to move on to their Secondary schools. This term is also a time when we celebrate achievements, academic, sporting, musical and progress formally taking place at the Cathedral for the Runnymede, Prize Giving.
All throughout the year many people help us celebrate, visitors to the school, parents, teachers, support staff, but especially Father Kieran from St .Paul’s parish, West Derby. He is a regular visitor to school and is an important part of our school community.
Other Faiths
Runnymede is a Catholic school, but we have children and families of other faiths. We have an open attitude to all faiths. As Catholics we are committed to respecting people of other faiths and to recognise that God is in work in them. In the multi-faith society of today, Religious Education introduces children to the background and beliefs of people of other faiths so that prejudice and misunderstanding can be overcome from an early age.
In the Autumn term we explore Judaism and in the Summer term we look at either Islam, Hinduism or Sikhism.
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