St Vincent de Paul Primary School, recently focused their learning for a week on Laudato Si’ . Staff received training on Catholic Social Teaching and there was also discussion about how the Pope’s message could best be shared with pupils
Key Stage One concentrated on recycling and saving water, with assemblies led by a science teacher from the local Catholic high school and a school-linked CAFOD volunteers. A story teller led a session for every EYFS and KS1 class on the environment and its impact on wildlife.
The children enjoyed exploratory activities outdoors, to appreciate the beauty of God’s world and the need to take care of our common home.
Key Stage Two groups adopted a CAFOD theme: Water, Climate Change, Food, or Picture my World.
Tania from CAFOD’s Latin America team led sessions helping the children view the world’s resources as God’s treasures that he shares with us. The children then took part in a scavenger hunt, which helped them appreciate the beauty and value of the objects they brought back to the classroom.
Each of the eight KS2 classes spent a half-day working outside with a conservationist who, although not of any religious persuasion, commented: ‘I feel nearer to this Pope than any other before in my life and I was very impressed by the children’s responses in the assembly’.
Working with the conservation team, lower KS2 learnt about the beauty of God’s world through trust games, bug collecting, camp fire lighting, etc. Upper KS2 went off-site and explored conservation projects in the nearby park and lake area.
The week concluded with an assembly led by a Year 6 class, based on resources from the CAFOD website and left staff inspired to plan further projects for our whole school community.