The Bishops’ is one of a small and unique number of joint Anglican and Catholic schools in the country, and we are the only such primary school in Essex. But we are here to serve all those who wish their children to enjoy an education which puts the whole of their development at its heart – academic, creative, physical, social and spiritual. Whilst our heart and foundation is strongly Christian, and our foundation is jointly Anglican and Catholic, our families come from a range of faith backgrounds, and we are well supported by our local clergy and community.
Because of the uniqueness of our school we have a very distinctive lead up to Christmas and this year, despite another year of Covid, is no different.
It’s early December, the choir have sung at the church fete (socially distanced of course!) and ‘Knock knock knock!’ is echoing down our corridors as children are rehearsing for their nativities and the outdoor Carol service. Due to Covid things will be a little different but equally special – our nativities will be recorded and sent to parents in the final week of term on our remote learning platform.
As I walk around the school, we hear the excited chatter of children who are already talking about the enormous chocolate muffins that are famous at our school Christmas dinner! Parties - in year groups or class bubbles - are being planned with great excitement and orders placed (just biodegradable where we can to support the world around us!), and the children are noticeably bubbling! As a church school we encourage our children to be thoughtful of other who are less fortunate than ourselves and we are proud of the links we have developed with local charities who are asking for connections to our vulnerable families so that presents and hampers can be provided. As the Omicron variant is threatening to ambush all the fun and festivities, I am a little relieved that we had already decided not to fill the hall with parents and children for the productions. Normally the last three weeks of this term are overtaken with back-to-back rehearsals and performances and a thousand different parents/carers/ grandparents grace our hall and imbibe the excitement and wonder of their little angels. This year – for the second time – they will do so from home (hopefully with a festive mince pie and a drink) – and they will be able to share the videos with their wider families and friends. There are silver linings everywhere to these clouds and remote learning and the advances in technology have made keeping in touch so much easier.
Christmas in a Church school is an important time of year where we can reflect on the gift of Jesus and the journey the wise men and the shepherds took to celebrate his birth. To give our families time to reflect on this journey we will (hopefully) be welcoming families into the playground for our annual carol service – with a manger and stable.
Stain glass windows are created in each classroom by the children to shine through the playground as a trail to show the Christmas story as we lead families through this outdoor carol service led by our school choir who recently sung at The Royal Albert Hall as part of the Young Voices Choir.
Over the last two weeks of term, we will transform the school with decorations and Christmas trees; especially put up with the help of our SEN pupils with their 1-1s.
We’ll teach the children some traditional Christmas carols and we’ll send our choir to sing outside the windows of our local residential home –we’ll set up a full-size crib outside and invite everyone to celebrate with us, battery candle-lit, and receive a Christmas blessing from the crib. Part of what makes Christmas in a church school so unique is the mix of traditional and modern ways to celebrate. As always, our schools encourages both staff and children to embrace 'Life in all its Fullness' and the craziest of the staff will record a Christmas video for the children, too – that’s most of us!
Despite the gathering storm-clouds of the continuing pandemic, we’ll look to the children and to the message of a vulnerable Christmas baby to give our community hope – and a bucketful of festive fun.
Greg Waters
Head Teacher
The Bishops’ C of E and RC Primary School
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