Book recommendation: The Grumpy Owl and The Joy of Christmas by Jonathan Maltz and Christopher Poch |
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Something wonderful is about to happen in the old, lonely, empty barn. A very special baby is going to be born. But the grumpy owl who lives there just wants to be left alone. Can any of the other animals help him change his mind? Or will he miss out on the amazing joy of the first Christmas? The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas tells the story of Jesus’ birth through the eyes of an owl who seems determined to miss all the excitement. The human characters in this book are portrayed as Middle Eastern. |
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Bags of Hope Project linked Book Recommendation: The Suitcase by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros (includes a free audio book) |
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When a weary stranger arrives one day, with only a suitcase, everyone is full of questions. This is a story full of heart, hope and kindness, about how we treat those in need. Alex Scheffler, author of The Gruffalo says: This is a simple, powerful way to introduce the idea of kindness to strangers to young children. |
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Diocesan Education Project 2025-26: Bags of Hope |
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Our Project booklet is now available here. There are pages of curriculum ideas, art and craft ideas, ready made school worships, and much, much more! It’s worth reading the Introduction so you have an overview of the project, and the contents page so you can see the wealth of support materials that can be used ‘off the shelf’.
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Diocesan Education Project Installation at The Cathedrals and The Priory 2026 |
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Our Installations have become an annual feature of our project, being appreciated by thousands of visitors, often from overseas where our projects are replicated! This year the cost to schools will again be minimal. Specific details will be sent to schools next term, but in essence we will be asking children to fill-in a luggage label, and potentially putting a QR code on the back linking to work in their school, or someone they’ve studied as part of the project. These will be placed around a display of Backpacks, and the ‘stream’ of Luggage Labels will grow, as we invite visitors to interact with the installation by writing on a label and adding it to the schools’ Installation. The national love of Paddington Bear is at a time of resurgence, with the new West End musical ‘Paddington’. How timely! As the cost of the installation to schools will be a mere piece of card for each child, in terms of a luggage label, I’m asking if schools (and individuals, parishes and anyone inspired) to donate a Paddington Backpack and a soft-toy Paddington Bear. This will only cost schools between £10 and £25. The Installations will be amazing, but the impact even deeper – as we will donate the backpacks and soft-toys to various charities that support migrants and displaced people. |
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Students from Christ The King College on the Isle of Wight give rallying call for greater care for creation at Net Zero Conference. |
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Students from Christ the King College recently joined other speakers to share their views at the first Net Zero Carbon conference at Newport Minster. The conference attracted worshippers and organisations from across the island, and a few who made the trip across from the mainland, looking at how local church leaders and organisations have been pioneering new technology to help island residents care for the environment and live more sustainably. The students gave a presentation on how they were incorporating environmental sustainability work into routine aspects of their school life, and gave a rallying call to join with young people to tackle the root causes of environmental degradation and climate change. You can see the Powerpoints used by Christ The King students and read more here. |
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Creative for Climate Justice |
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Christian Aid are launching their new Climate Justice art project and teachers are invited to attend a webinar to find out more. These are being held from 4:00 to 5:00 on Tuesday 2nd December or Wednesday 3rd December. Even if you can’t attend, you can use the link to register your interest and you will be sent all the relevant information. Last year, pupils from Brockenhurst CofE Primary School and William Gilpin CofE Primary School had winning entries exhibited in the Houses of Parliament. |
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Picture News Live from Antarctica |
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Join Picture News for a live broadcast from Antarctica on Friday 5th December 9.15am-9.45am. Streaming 600 miles from the South Pole, Robert Swan OBE will share stories from the ice, the importance of protecting our planet’s frozen continent, and inspire young people everywhere to become champions for Antarctica. For more information and to register, please visit their website here.
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Join the Festive Fundraiser for Schools of Sanctuary |
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This festive season, The Schools of Sanctuary are inviting schools to take part in an exciting festive-themed fundraiser, helping ensure that more children and young people seeking sanctuary are met with warmth, understanding and support. Every penny raised helps them to provide tailored support, events and resources to teachers across the UK and any donation you, or your school make between midday on Tuesday 2nd December to Tuesday 9th December will be DOUBLED!. Please visit the website here for more information and festive fundraising ideas. |
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Interactive Advent Calendar |
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Christian Aid Advent and Christmas Resources |
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The education team from Guildford Diocese has created an interactive advent calendar for schools on the theme of ‘Joy to the World.’ Behind each door you will find an image, a video filmed around the world and some wondering questions. The calendar runs from 1st to 19th December, the last day of term. There is more information on the Guildford Diocese website here.
Click here to enter the Primary Advent Calendar
Click here to enter the Secondary Advent Calendar |
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Christian Aid have produced some new resources to help schools explore Advent and Christmas. They are linked to this year’s Christian Aid appeal about a young family forced to flee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. You can down load the materials from their website here.
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The National Conference for CofE Schools |
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The National Conference for CofE Schools is being held on Thursday 22nd January, London. There are still spaces available – if you would like to know more information and details of how to book, please visit the website here. |
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Small Sounds at Portsmouth Cathedral |
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Portsmouth Cathedral are holding Small Sounds, every Tuesday morning for Pre-school children and their parents and carers. Email music@portsmouthcathedral.org.uk for more information. |
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Pop UK have a Christmas Library of songs for Schools' celebrations. Please visit their website www.popuk.org for more information. |
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Free Live-streamed Chanukah Event |
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The Sanctuary Foundation, who work extensively with refugee families, is inviting schools to a free, online nativity event on December 10th, with Gemma Hunt from CBeebies and a group of Sudanese refugee children from Kenya. You can find out more information and reserve a place for your school here. Children are being encouraged to dress up as a character in the Nativity story, so they can join in with the interactive retelling of the Christmas events. |
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The Jewish Museum is inviting primary schools to take part in a Chanukah broadcast on 9th December. This would be a great opportunity for any classes learning about festivals of light in their RE lessons this term. The event will include storytelling and a live candle lighting, and you can find more details and book a place here. |
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Celebrate Christingle with The Children's Society |
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Christingle is a heartwarming celebration that unites families and communities to share the light of Jesus and bring hope to those in need. This year one million people will participate in a Christingle event, and your school could be hosting one in a special school and parish worship or incorporated into your carol service. Resources are available here. Speakers from The Children's Society are also able to attend your event to talk about their work and how you can make a difference. You can contact Jonathan de Sausmarez (Winchester) here or Ian Coombs (Portsmouth) here for further information. |
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Free Advent School Resources |
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Applications are now open for Farmington Scholarships 2026 – 27. These provide funding for RE leaders or Headteachers to research an area of RE or Christian Distinctiveness, based at Harris Manchester College in Oxford University. A number of heads and teachers across the two dioceses have successfully completed Farmington Scholarships in recent years. Please see the flyer here for more information. |
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The Archbishops Young Leaders Award (AYLA) has produced a set of Advent resources aimed at pupils in KS2 and KS3. These are linked to the CofE campaign The Joy of Christmas. You can sign up for the resources here. For younger children, AYLA have rewritten the story of The Grumpy Owl and The Joy of Christmas and you can order copies of the book here. |
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