Our News

Key Stage 1 at Think Tank

The children from Key Stage 1 visited the Think Tank in Birmingham. On the trip the children had the opportunity to explore many activities.

"The robot is moving all by itself."

6 March 2010 - Lenten Appeal 2010

This year our Lenten Appeal is for 'Children with Leukaemia' called 'The Cheeky Monkey's Marathon Challenge.'

Our Year 6 children were keen to find a fun and exciting marathon Challenge and were delighted when Red Watch from Sheldon Fire Station agreed to bring a fire engine to school on Friday 6th March 2010. The children were sponsored by family and friends to wash the fire engine in 26 minutes.

Sponsored events were held by all our classes during Lent to raise funds for 'Children with Leukaemia.'

July 2009 - Artsmark Award

St Thomas More was awarded the Silver Artsmark for our excellence in the teaching of the performance arts and the creative arts.

Mrs McGrory, Miss Delaney, and two pupils from Years 3 and 6 attended a presentation at Birmingham Town Hall. We were treated to a celebration of the arts including rap poetry, solo and choir performances and a touching dance collaboration between Brays Special School and the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Our two pupils proved great ambassadors, conversing freely about the quality and quantity of St Thomas More's arts provision to the representatives of Bright Spark.

It was a wonderful day. However, we must confess to opening our award before reaching the stage for the official presentation. Too much excitement!

December 2008 - Christmas Card and Calendar Competition

The pupils were asked to design a Christmas card and a calendar for the New Year. The entries were of a high standard this year and it was a difficult decision to find the winning entries. In the end it resulted in a staff vote. This year we had three Christmas card winners and one calendar winner. The cards and calendars will be sold and all profits will go towards the school Arts fund.

Card Design Winners
Lauren - Reception
Elena – Year 3
Emily - Year 4

Story Winners
Christie – Year 1
Taylor – Year 3
Thomas - Year 6H

Calendar Winner
Grace – Year 4

Well done to all the winners, we look forward to seeing the entries for the coming year in October 2009.

4 July 2008 - Yardley Junior Schools Basketball Tournament

St Thomas More School Basketball Team played against other primary schools at Sheldon Community Centre. Our very skilled basketball team reached the semi-final.

The final match against the Oratory Catholic School was very fast and exciting with players on both sides striving with all their energy to score valuable points.

Both teams were extremely well matched with each side taking the lead at various points in the game and consequently supporters on both sides were on the edge of their seats with the tension and excitement of the match.

Finally, with only second to go until the final whistle, the score was even and the Oratory School scored.

The children of St Thomas More School were awarded an impressive cup to keep for the school as runners-up and each player also received a medal to keep. They had played brilliantly and deserve to feel really proud of their skills, behaviour, sporting attitude and good humour throughout the day.

21 May 2008 - Fire Safety Quiz Night

Pupils from Year 5 spent an exciting evening competing with other schools in the Sheldon heat of the West Midlands Schools Fire Safety Quiz 2008.

The team of five had to answer a range of questions on road safety, water safety and first aid, as well as fire safety.

The quiz supports the Every Child Matters Agenda and is part of a series of activities for Year Five pupils as part of Science, Citizenship and PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) within the National Curriculum.

In a hotly-contested competition the children came a commendable fourth and were presented with certificates from the station's Chief Fire Officer.

February 2008 - A Message from a Former Pupil

A VERY former pupil - I left in 1964! Even though I have long since left England I do return to Sheldon from time to time. I always make a point of wandering down Horse Shoes Lane to check on my well-remembered former school and the 'new' church (built during my school days I think, or not long afterwards - services used to be held in the hall alongside).

I am delighted to see the school thriving - it indeed seems to remain the happy place I remember, if your excellent website is anything to judge by.

Times have changed greatly of course. An ICT room, basketball coach, lady football coach! Mr Corrigan and Mr Dempsey must be shaking their heads in wonder as they look down.

And class saints. If my memory serves we had 'houses' comprising the patron saints of the four UK countries.

I have many happy memories. One was acting as Crown Bearer in the annual May Procession, which comprised the whole school one May Sunday each year and devoted to Our Lady. Happily I recently made contact with my fellow principal player that day, the Queen of the May, Pam Rutter (then Morris). I see that this no longer features in your highlights of the year. I'm not really surprised as I think overt religious occasions such as this no longer sit comfortably in a school context. I would be extremely interested to learn when the May Procession died out - do your records show this?

Again I am delighted to see the school doing so well and I send you every best wish from Dublin.

Roy McCarthy

October 2007

Our school garden team entered the BBC Gardeners' World Live 'Grow a Turnip' competition this year.

Our efforts won the school and individual growers a Dedicated Growers Award. Here are some of our successful winners! Next year we hope to grow some prize winning potatoes.