Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Celebrations! We celebrate many things, wedding, birthdays, a new baby, even the sun appearing! Many of our celebrations are to do with thanksgiving, and it never hurts to say thank you.

Over the last month we have had many celebrations and times of thanksgiving in the Cathedral at our Church School Festival, 7 days of year 6 joining us for fun, celebrations and thanksgiving culminating last week with a day for year 2s from our infant schools. Pupils have enjoyed learning songs, having fun in the education and discovery centre and having a tour of the magnificent Cathedral with some very entertaining and knowledgeable Cathedral tour guides.

The day ended with a service reflecting on the day and looking forward to the next step in the journey for the pupils leaving their church schools and moving on to the next phase in their life.  This year we had lovely weather on each day so while it was chilly in the Cathedral lunch was able to be eaten outside in the warm.

It has been so good to celebrate with schools each day (even the day the fire alarm went off as everyone was arriving!!) spending time reflecting on what to means to be part of the church school family.  There really was a sense of  ‘entering his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; giving thanks to him and praising his name’ (particularly the year 2s singing Hey Hey Hey, they were spectacularly loud and having great fun).

While for many schools this time of year can have some sadness saying goodbye to pupils but I hope the next few weeks are also a great time of celebration and thanksgiving.

from—Lynsey Norris, Assistant Director of Education