New – “Example” – Whole School Resources #3

We are in the 6th week of Eastertide and the word of the week is “Example”

This week’s Prayer Intentions…

For Year 6, Year 11 and Year 13 students, as they prepare for and sit their SATs, GCSEs and A Levels – that they may be filled with calm, confidence and trust, and know that their worth is not defined by exams.

For everyone’s mental health, that we may find peace in times of stress, support one another with kindness, and remember that we are never alone.

For the Year 10 students at The Briars this week — that they may have a joyful and fruitful retreat, growing in friendship and faith.

Please keep these intentions in your prayers this week, and don’t forget to add any suggestions for prayer intentions in the comments box below.

Celebration of the Word and Catholic Life Rota

This week’s COTW will be virtual and led by our wonderful year 12s as we celebrate our give a gift totals!

This week we are celebrating Mental Health Awareness week and each year group will take part in a well-being walk.

Well-being walk Rota – Form time WC 11th May – see the do tab for more information

• Monday 11th – Year 9
• Tuesday 12th – Year 10
• Wednesday 13th – Year 7
• Thursday 14th – Year 8
• Friday 15th – Year 12

Monday and Wednesday lunchtime – chapel open – students are welcome to come and help count and bag the CAFOD money!

Wed / Thurs / Fri form time – News and Communications team and Respect and Diversity Team will be helping to plan and create next week’s prayer resources for “Communications” week and culture day – Please register first and then come to the chapel.

Wednesday after the end of the day bell – year 10 students attending the Briars need to come to the chapel for Briars announcements and departures

Thursday – we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord – there will be a virtual Ascension themed COTW for this day.

Friday lunchtime – chapel open

Year 10 Briars – Wed 13th – Fri 15th May

Year 10 students attending the Briars:

• You are allowed to come in own clothes on Wednesday. All clothing must be appropriate. Make sure to bring your suitcase with you too!
• Suitcases and medication should be dropped off with Joe in the chapel on Wednesday morning, before the 8:40am bell.
• You will be in normal lessons on Wednesday – don’t forget to bring all of your books/ equipment/ conduct cards/ PE kits etc!
• At the end of the school day, please come straight to the chapel for final announcements and departures.
• Students will return just before the end of the school day on Friday.
  

Year 9 Briars – Mon 1st – Fri 5th June

We are still missing some outstanding forms for the year 9 Briars retreat (behaviour contract and health consent). You must hand these in by the end of the week. If you need a spare letter, you can collect them from the letter holder just outside the chapel doors. The chapel will be open during Mon, Wed and Fri break and lunch if you need to drop letters off or if you have any questions.

Culture day! – Friday 22nd May

Please carefully read through the plans for the day so that everyone can get prepared for this joyful occasion and fully celebrate our vibrant school community!

Organised by the Respect & Diversity Chaplaincy Mission Team and the Becket School Council, Culture Day will happen on Friday 22nd May (just before Pentecost Sunday – the birthday of the Church), when the Good News was shared across languages and cultures by the disciples.

What to Wear:

On Friday 22nd May, students are invited to wear:

• Traditional or cultural dress that reflects their heritage
• A national sports shirt (no club teams)
• Colours of their country or culture

All clothing must be respectful, with no offensive symbols or inappropriate logos.

Form Time Celebrations:

During form time, each tutor group will host a Pentecost celebration with their tutor. You could:

• Share food from different cultures
• Bring an item for cultural show & tell
• Share music, dance, or a short video
• Speak or perform in different languages

Form prayer resources will be available on Be Inspirational.

Lunchtime Celebrations:

Talent Show!! – You said, we did…by popular demand we are going to host a culture day extravaganza!

At lunchtime, we will host a celebratory culture day talent show, featuring 1–2 entries from each house. Houses are welcome to collaborate on acts – this is a celebration, not a competition!

Performances might include:

• Dance
• Music or instrumental performances
• Singing
• Poetry or spoken word
• Other forms of cultural performance

Please speak to your House Captains or Heads of House if you are interested!!

Sharing Table Fundraiser

There will be a food sharing table in the hall during the talent show.

Students are invited to donate items such as:

• Cakes and biscuits
• Sweet treats or desserts
• Cultural snack dishes (e.g. samosas, spring rolls, pastries, flatbreads)

Food will be sold at a small price – please bring some change.

All proceeds will go towards CAFOD.

Important: Please include a list of ingredients for any food donations. We are a nut-free school – no nuts allowed please. 

Culture Day – Period 5 – Pay to Play Fundraiser – students and staff off timetable

During period 5 on culture day, our celebrations will conclude with a pay to play fundraiser organised by the School Council. More details will follow from the school council.

“Example” Celebration of the Word

In Lent, our year 12s led the whole school in launching our Lenten and Easter Fundraising project – Give a gift for CAFOD!

For 6 weeks in school, you have been working hard, getting creative and sharing hope by donating to your CAFOD boxes and organising independent student led fundraisers – it has been incredible!

This morning, the same group of lovely year 12s who started this journey off for us, are now going to conclude this journey for us as we reflect on the theme “Example” and hear some of our fundraising highlights!

Let’s prepare our hearts and minds as we begin this week’s Celebration of the Word together…

Good morning, we invite you start our time of prayer today by making the sign of the cross…
In the name of the Father and of Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 and this year’s theme is Take Action.
While awareness is important, real change happens when we take action too.

This week, the Mental Health Foundation encourages us to think about:

• What actions we can take to support our own mental health
• How we can help others in our school and community
• What changes could be made more widely to support everyone’s wellbeing

This year’s theme, “Take Action,” reminds us that caring for our mental health is not just something we talk about – it’s something we do.

Even small, everyday actions can make a difference. Whether it’s reaching out to a friend, taking time to rest, or speaking kindly to ourselves, these simple choices help us feel more hopeful, connected and supported. Together, our actions can build a stronger, more compassionate community.

Let’s now hear from some of our Year 8 and Year 9 students as they introduce this week’s Word of the Week…

💭 Take Action Reflection Activity

Take a look through some of the Mental Health Foundation top tips posters, then reflect and discuss on the following questions with your pairs and the rest of your form…

✏️ Action For yourself

What is one small thing you could do this week to look after yourself?

🤝 Action For someone else

How could you show kindness, support or understanding to someone around you?

🌍 Action For the Government or Wider society

What bigger changes would help improve mental health for everyone?

🙏 Let us finish with a closing Prayer…

Loving God,
We thank You for the gift of our minds, our health and one another.
Help us to be people of action, not just words and thoughts.

Give us the courage to care for ourselves with kindness,
the compassion to support those around us,
and the wisdom to build a community where everyone feels valued.

When we feel overwhelmed, remind us that we are never alone,
and guide us to take small steps towards hope each day.

We ask this through Christ our Lord,
Amen.

Let us finish this time of prayer together, by making the Sign of the Cross.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Well-being walk for Mental Health Awareness Week

🚶‍♀️ Rota:

• Monday 11th – Year 9
• Tuesday 12th – Year 10
• Wednesday 13th – Year 7
• Thursday 14th – Year 8
• Friday 15th – Year 12

🚶‍♀️ Route and Timings:

• 8:40 – Registration
• 8:45 – Expectations and conversation starters (below on Be Inspirational)
• 8:50 – Leave bags, head to the astro or field – TBC by Progress leaders depending on weather and exams
• 9:00 – Return to form room, collect bags, and get ready for period 1

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and this year’s theme invites us to take action to support good mental health.

Raising awareness around mental health is brilliant but this years theme calls us really take action with supporting good mental health. Even small actions can help us feel hopeful and less powerless. While our individual actions matter, when we come together, we are even more powerful.

This week, we are taking action by going on a well-being walk – a simple but meaningful way to care for ourselves and one another, and to really do something physical to get us thinking about mental health more.

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🚶 Why a Well-being Walk?

The Mental Health Foundation gives us some top tips for supporting mental health and two of them are talking and moving!

💬 Talk Things Over

It takes courage to share how we feel, but opening up to someone we trust can bring relief and remind us that we are not alone.

🏃 Move Your Body

Being active can boost mood, reduce stress, and improve confidence. Whether it’s walking, stretching, or simply being outside – it all counts to improving mental health.

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🌿 Today’s walk is an opportunity to:

• Step away from distractions – (really try to leave your distractions and worries in the classroom before your walk!)
• Enjoy the outdoors
• Check in with one another
• Take action for our wellbeing

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✅ Walk Expectations

To make this a peaceful and supportive experience for everyone, please make sure to:

• Walk in pairs (or threes if needed) — no larger groups
• Walk calmly and respectfully
• Keep conversations quiet and within your group (no shouting or calling out) – remember there will be other year groups inside and there might be exams happening
• Represent our school by following the Becket Way at all times

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💭 Conversation Starters

Use these prompts if you need help beginning a meaningful conversation:

• What are the things that help your mental health? (sport, drawing, reading, listening to music, meditation, being in a particular place)
• What helps you feel calm when life feels overwhelming?
• Who is someone you can talk to when things feel difficult?
• What does good support look like to you?
• What is something you’re grateful for today?
• How can we be kinder to ourselves when things don’t go as planned?

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🙏 Before We Walk, Let’s Pray together…

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Heavenly Father,
As we walk today, help us remember that You are always there to support us.
Open our eyes to the beauty around us and the importance of caring for one another.
Guide our words and actions, so that we may be a source of kindness, strength and compassion.
Help us to notice when someone needs support, and give us the courage to reach out.
Walk with us, Lord, in every step we take.
Amen.

Let us finish our prayer with the Sign of the Cross…

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Good morning! We invite you to begin by making the Sign of the Cross:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

As we continue through the month of May, the Church invites us to turn our hearts in a special way towards Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

May is known as the Month of Mary because, as nature comes to life around us, we are reminded of the beauty, gentleness and faithfulness that Mary shows in her life. Around the world, Catholics honour Mary in simple but meaningful ways – through prayer, flowers and quiet moments of reflection.

Mary teaches us how to slow down, listen to God and trust Him in the everyday moments of our lives.

🌿 Why Mary Is an Example to Us

Mary is a powerful example for us all because she shows us how to live with faith, even when things are uncertain.

• She trusted God, even when she didn’t fully understand what was happening
• She said yes to God’s call with courage and love
• She cared for others, always putting love into action
• She stayed faithful, even in difficult and painful times

In the Gospel of Luke, Mary says: “My soul magnifies the Lord” (Luke 1:46) This reminds us that Mary’s whole life pointed towards God. She helps us to do the same.

✏️ Prayer Journal Activity

Today, in our prayer journals, we are going to reflect on the example of Mary and how we can take action inspired by her life of humility, trust and love.

Mary shows us what it means to say “yes” to God – even when things are uncertain. She lived a quiet life of courage, care for others, and deep faith.

🎨 Step 1: In your prayer journal, draw a symbol that reminds you of Mary. This could be:

• 🌹 A flower
• 📿 Rosary beads
• ⭐ Stars
• 💙 A simple image of Mary
• 🕊️ A symbol of peace

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💭 Step 2: Take Action Inspired by Mary

Think about Mary’s life:

• She trusted God
• She cared for others
• She stayed faithful, even in difficult times
• She lived with humility and love

Now think of one small action you can take today, inspired by Mary’s example.

Write in your journal: “Inspired by Mary’s example, in the month of May, I will…”

“…say ‘yes’ to doing the right thing, even when it’s hard.”

“…trust God when I feel worried or I am doubting.”

“…help someone without being asked, like Mary cared for Elizabeth and the disciples when Jesus had left them to heaven.”

“…be kind and patient with others.”

“…take time to pray and listen to God.”

As you write and draw, listen to Mary’s song of praise – the Magnificat. We know it’s a Becket favourite, so feel free to sing along quietly as you journal…

Closing Prayer

As we prepare to go forward in our day and the month of May, let us ask Mary to pray with us and for us, as we say together…

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.

Mary the mother of the Church, Pray for us

Let us finish this time of prayer together, by making the Sign of the Cross.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.