Personal Development at St Michael’s
Our school motto is ‘With Jesus we can achieve what we dream and believe’ and it is this, alongside our Mission Values, that underpins our ambition that all children are able to access a range of experiences, both academic and personal, during their time here at St Michael’s. This ensures that they are ready to become community and global citizens.
Mission Values
Our school Mission Values were chosen by our school family back in 2015. They underpin everything we do here at St Michael’s. They play an integral part in our PSHE overview and each value is addressed across the year.
Each week our Headteacher sets a challenge based upon one of the values and children work towards embodying that value during that week.
Core Themes
We are extremely proud of the diverse nature of our school. Our children speak over 40 languages and our families come from all over the world, representing every ethnic group.
We have chosen the core themes of ‘Equality, Diversity and Aspirations’ to further support our Mission Values and ensure that ALL pupils are supported and encouraged to achieve what they dream and believe.
Residentials
We have a growing programme of residential trips for our KS2 pupils. These residentials provide an opportunity for pupils to experience activities that they previously may not have encountered. They are a wonderful chance for our children to grow in confidence and independence, discover new skills and talents and visit new places.
Year 4/5
Children attend a 2 night residential at CHET, Little Crosby. This is often the first time that many of our children have stayed away from their family and is an opportunity for them to develop socially and emotionally.
Year 6
Children attend a 3/4 night residential at Colomendy, North Wales. This residential allows the children to experience a wide range of physical challenges which support resilience, both independence and teamwork and self-esteem.
Clubs
We offer a growing range of free extra-curricular activities for our children across the whole school. These are provided both by members of staff and specialist providers such as LFC, Resonate Music Hub and Faith4Change.
Our aim is to provide children access to activities they may not have experienced previously.
Children also have the opportunity to take part in sporting competitions and musical performances both in school and in the community.
School Council
Each class from Year 1 upwards is represented by a democratically elected school councillor. This is an embedded part of school life and children relish the opportunity to share their ‘Campaign messages’ with their peers who then vote for their class representative. School councillors are involved in interviewing new members of staff, bringing forth ideas and issues from their class and representing the school in the community.
Head Pupils
In Year 6 children have the opportunity to apply and campaign to become Head and Deputy Head pupils. They are encouraged to share their ideas on how best to fulfil the role with their Y6 peers who then vote. Head and Deputy Head pupils are involved in interview panels, organise school wide fundraising and represent the school when visitors come.
https://stmichaelscatholicprimary.co.uk/about-us/school-ambassadors/
Prefects
In Year 6 children have the opportunity to apply and campaign to become prefects. They are encouraged to share their ideas on how best to fulfil the role with their Y6 peers who then vote. Prefects are chosen for roles around the school such as door monitors and supporting younger pupils.
https://stmichaelscatholicprimary.co.uk/about-us/school-ambassadors/
Helping Hands
Our Helping Hands ambassadors work hard at play and lunch times to ensure that all children have someone to play or talk with if they so wish.
Each class from Y1 upwards selects 2 Helping Hands.
St Michael’s Ambassadors
Each term teachers select a pupil from each class who embodies the school’s motto and Mission Values.
These children are presented with a certificate and badges in the end of term assembly.
Choir
We have a thriving and talented choir here at St Michael’s led by school staff and our music specialist Rosie.
Children from across KS2 are encouraged to join and they have performed both in school for parents, governors and visitors and in the community in such places as out local care home and at the Cotton Exchange in Liverpool.
St Michael’s work in the community
Our community is an integral part of who we are as a school. We have worked with and supported several local charities. One of these is ‘An Hour for Others’ who have do an amazing job by donating time and resources to support local families. At Christmas our Head Pupils organised a food collection in order to create hampers for local families. We have also been supporting Cafod’s ‘Walk against Hunger’ campaign.
Red Neighbours
As our school is so close to Anfield we are able to take part in their Red Neighbour scheme. This has meant that over the years many of our children have been able to attend home games, see trophies and even meet their favourite players!
We even had several of the players visit our school at Christmas 2019 to surprise some of our pupils. This has inspired many of our pupils to strive for their own dreams.
Trips
Covid has recently meant that we have been unable to undertake as many trips as we normally would. However, this year we are looking forward to getting back out there with our children!
In previous years we have visited places such as Chester Zoo as part of our Palm Oil sustainability project with the zoo, The Maritime Museum, Delamere Forest, The Beatles Story, Chester as part of our Roman History work and many other amazing places. We have very strong links with our Parish Church and have been able to visit for Collective Worship.
Sporting Competitions
Sporting talent is something else that we are inundated with here at St Michael’s! We take part in a variety of inter-school competitions each year and have been eager to get these back up and running post Covid. We take part in athletics competitions at Wavertree Sports Centre, Dodgeball competitions, Netball competitions and Football competitions amongst others.
Radio Show
This year our Year 5 children are taking part in a community radio project with a local charity that will culminate them in performing a drama piece to their peers and recording a podcast. The aims of the project are to increase confidence, communication and self-esteem and give the children the opportunity to perform.
Aspire and Achieve
Aspire and Achieve Week is one of the initiatives that we are most proud of here at St Michael’s. It was created several years ago by our Pastoral Team and has become an annual event that all children and staff look forward to each year. The week is all around highlighting the importance of attending school in order to succeed in the future and throughout the week we invite people from all areas of work to come in and speak to the children about their chosen career. We have had visits from pilots and chefs, gymnasts and archaeologists to emergency services and farmers. We have also had many of our parents come into school to talk to the children about their jobs. It is a wonderfully positive experience that allows the children to aspire to achieve their dreams!
E-Cadets
Keeping safe online is a priority for our children as they grow and develop whilst at St Michael’s in order for them to be prepared and able to access the tech savvy world in which we life in a way that keeps themselves and others safe. Each class has a designated E-Cadet who meets on a regular basis with our Computing Lead who trains them up to deliver key safety messages back to their class.
Walk to School
This year we have signed up to the Living Streets ‘Wow – Walk to School’ campaign where parents and children are encouraged to walk, scoot or cycle to school or park the car that bit further away in order to raise their awareness of the impact that cars have on the environment.
The more they use a more sustainable method of getting to school – the more badges they earn.
