21st November 2025
Year 4 - Christingle Service at St Thomas the Apostle Church
Dear Parents and Carers,
As you know, we always try to provide opportunities for pupils to enhance their learning across the curriculum. Such visits are valuable in enhancing our school’s provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and in preparing pupils for life in modern Britain, with its increasingly diverse communities.
This half term, the children in Year 4 will be studying Christianity in RE and looking at how Christingle forms part of the Christmas story. We are delighted to have been invited by the Reverend Rachel Revely at St Thomas the Apostle Church on Bramford Lane to share in a Christingle service. The visit will include learning how Christians celebrate Christmas singing some carols. We hope it will bring pupils’ learning to life and allow them to be curious about the faith and its practices. Kindly, Rachel has also invited parents and carers to share in the service.
At Whitehouse, RE is taught as an understanding of different religions and beliefs, from an unbiased perspective. In our view it is an essential part of the curriculum which is becoming more and more important as British society becomes more diverse. We feel strongly that pupils need a good understanding of different cultures, in order to learn respect for others and practise the values of acceptance, respect and unity.
The visit will take place on Wednesday 17th December and usual school uniform should be worn. We do not need a signed permission slip for this trip as it is covered by our local visit permission. If you have any further questions about the trip, please speak to your child’s teacher. As we will be walking to the church, children will also need to ensure they bring a coat and sensible footwear. If parents or carers would like to attend the service, you will need to arrive at the church at 1.45pm for a 2pm start. Due to limited space in the church, we ask that maximum one adult per child attends.
Please do not collect your child from the church, even if you are attending the service. All children will be brought back to school for collection at the usual time. Thank you for your understanding.
Please return the slip below to confirm your attendance.
Thank you for your continued support,
Kind regards,
Year 4 Teachers
Christingle Service at St Thomas the Apostle Church – Year 4
Childs Name __________________________________ Class ______________________
I would like to attend the Christingle service on Wednesday 17th December at 1:45pm.
Signed _________________________________(Parent/Carer)