The ‘wider curriculum’ refers to an experience of learning which goes beyond the limitations of the National Curriculum or the expectations of chief examiners. It is based on an understanding that a child’s experience of school must involve far more than the number of qualifications they have gained. Whilst this will always be the main measure under which we are held accountable, we should also hold ourselves accountable for the number of minds we have broadened, the number of friendships we have fostered, and the number of young people who leave our school equipped to face the challenges of a changing world.
Junior Chef Academy (JCA) is a fantastic partnership between Our Lady and St Chad Catholic Academy and Chartwells. We have run two JCA’s so far which consist of professional chefs provided by Chartwells and the Compass group who come into school and run ten weeks of culinary classes lasting 2 hours each. The course takes students through a range of delicious meals to expand their ability to prepare fantastic dishes. Students wear their chef whites and look very professional as they learn to understand ingredients and where produce comes from. At the end of ten weeks, the students cook a three-course meal for their parents as a celebration event where we share the experiences of the previous ten weeks. Successful students then receive their graduation certificates. Every Graduate of the academy has the opportunity to attend a work experience in a professional kitchen later in the year which gains them further invaluable experience. There is also a real opportunity to move onto an apprenticeship in the compass group. So far, we have had one student recruited from year 11 directly into and apprentice chef position at the Molineux and three other students are looking to take up positions at the end of year 11 this year. One of the aims of the Academy is to attract new Chefs into the industry which was decimated by COVID-19. Traditionally this has not been a typical route for our students, however the JCA run by Chartwells has awakened and nurtured a passion for food and cooking in our students and they are as a result now looking to move into the industry. I personally think this is the way forward for lots of industries to work with schools to attract students into their businesses with the skills they need. I am proud and privileged to be part of this amazing partnership.
School Prayers
Prayer for St Kolbe:
O Lord Jesus Christ who said “greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends”, through the intercession of St Maximilan Kolbe, whose life illustrated such love, we beseech You to grant us our petitions.
Through the Knights of the immaculate movement, which Maximlian founded, he spread a fervent devotion to Our Lady through the world. He gave up his life for a total stranger and loved his persecutors, giving us an example of unselfish love for all men - a love which was inspired by true devotion to Mary.
Grant O Lord Jesus, that we too may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant Maximilian.
Amen
Prayer for St Catherine of Siena:
O Catherine of Siena,
God our father enkindled the flame of holy love in your heart as you meditated on the Passion of Jesus His Son. Moved by His grace, you devoted your life to the poor and the sick, as well as to the peace and unity of the Church.
Through your intercessions, may we also come to know the love of Jesus, bring His compassion to all, and work for the unity of His Church. We ask this in Jesus’ name for His sake Amen
Prayer for St Bernadette:
St Bernadette pure and simple child, you who were privileged to behold the beauty of Mary Immaculate and to be the recipient of her confidence eighteen times at Lourdes: you who did desire from them on to hide yourself in the cloister of Nevers and there live and die as a victim of sinners, obtain for us that spirit of purity, simplicity and mortification, which will lead us also to the glorious vision of God and of Mary in Heaven.
Amen
Prayer for St Peter:
O Holy Apostle, St. peter, because you are the Rock upon which Almighty God has built His Church; obtain for me I pray you, lively faith, firm hope and burning love; complete detachment from myself, contempt of the world, patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, recollection in prayer, purity of heart, a right intention in all my works, diligence in fulfilling the duties of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the will of God and perseverance to the will of God even unto death; that so, by means of your intercession and your glorious merits, I may be made worthy to appear before the chief and eternal Shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and holy Spirit lives and reigns forever.
Prayer for St Romero:
Give us the strength,
To be humble, to be faithful,
To stand with our sisters and brothers.
Give us the strength,
To be like our brother Oscar, Complete, committed to christ
Saint Oscar Romero
Pray for us.
Amen
St Teresa of Calcutta
Dear Jesus, help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine.
Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus. Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine, so to shine as to be a light to others.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us.
Amen
St Francis of Assisi
Lord make Me an instrument of Your peace
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness joy.
O Divine master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand.
To be loved. as to love
For it's in giving that we receive
And it's in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born...
To eternal life.
Amen
St Clare of Assisi
O glorious Saint Clare!
God has given you the power of working miracles continually, and the favor of answering the prayers of those who invoke your assistance in misfortune, anxiety, and distress; we beseech you, obtain for us from Jesus, through Mary, His Blessed Mother, what we beg of you so fervently and hopefully, if it be for the greater honor and glory of God and for the good of our souls.
O Blessed Saint Clare, your life shines like a beacon and cast its light down the ages of the Church to guide the way of Christ.
Look with compassion on the poor and humble who call on you for help. As you bow before your Eucharistic Lord in Heaven, speak to Him of my afflicted body and my broken spirit. Ask Him to heal me and to wash away my sins in His precious Blood.
Great Servant of Christ, remember the needs of my family and all those I pray for. Defend us from everything that would threaten our Holy Catholic faith.
Hear the cry of the poor and make it a song of intercession, rising from your poor heart to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, our Healer, our Savior, and our Lord.
Amen.
St Francis and St Clare Catholic MAC
Following the Light of Christ
Dear Lord,
As the sun rises, let Your light shine on me.
May the warmth of Your presence remind me of the moments of humility and compassion I have witnessed.
May the brightness of Your love remind me of the love I have felt from my family, friends, colleagues and pupils.
May the radiance of your joy remind me of the laughter and happiness I have felt and witnessed in others.
May the shining of Your hope remind me of your love for me and of the futures my vocation has helped to guide.
As the sun rises, Lord, let Your light shine on me, my family, friends, colleagues and pupils.
Your light to guide, your light to lead, Your light to direct, Your light to brighten. Let Your light shine on me.
Amen
Prayer for the Diocesan Vision
Spirit of God,
descend on me this day.
Grant me the Spirit of joy, to lift me,
the Spirit of hope to inspire me,
the Spirit of love to surround me and
the Spirit of truth to enlighten my path.
Holy Spirit,
I pray for a new outpouring of your grace,
so that I may grow in worship of your name
in love of you in my prayer
and in my actions towards others.
Come Holy Spirit into my life to guide me.
Strengthen and defend me,
so that I may be drawn ever closer to you.
Help me this day and always
to be a channel of grace
in all I say and do
and invite others into relationship with you.
Amen
Our Father
Our Father,
Who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
hail our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve:
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy towards us,
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Students’ Prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas
Creator of all things,
true source of light and wisdom,
origin of all being,
graciously let a ray of your light penetrate
the darkness of my understanding.
Take from me the double darkness
in which I have been born,
an obscurity of sin and ignorance.
Give me a keen understanding,
a retentive memory, and
the ability to grasp things
correctly and fundamentally.
Grant me the talent
of being exact in my explanations
and the ability to express myself
with thoroughness and charm.
Point out the beginning,
direct the progress,
and help in the completion.
I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
