Runnymede St Edward’s Catholic Primary School

This academic year, we have decided to take part in the ‘LiveSimply Award’.  This award is a scheme for Catholic communities, parishes, religious orders and schools to answer the call for us to care for our common home and stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world.

The Bishops of England and Wales have encouraged all parishes and schools to work towards the award as a way of ‘protecting this world which God has entrusted to us.’

Participants of this award scheme are required to select nine activities to complete over the course of an academic year each having a social, local or global focus.

We are delighted to be embarking upon our LiveSimply journey and have already set to work ‘rewilding’ our school site by planting a vast array of insect attracting plants and bulbs, with help from Ann Nichols of Edmund Rice England.

Our Year Six Edmund Rice Ambassadors have worked hard this term to plan, advertise and conduct a Fair-Trade goods raffle and work upon our newly renovated Prayer Garden and Wellness Garden is well underway! We cannot wait to enjoy these new spaces as the weather improves and to see our hard work come to fruition with a plethora of beautiful flowers, herbs, and plants for our community and local wildlife to savour.

In September, our Runnymede family raised over £600 to purchase plants and garden furniture for our Wellness Garden.  Our pupils also collected over sixty carrier bags worth of groceries to help support local food banks.  This could not have been achieved without the unwavering support of our parents and carers.  We continue to be overwhelmed by their generosity of spirit.

In November, our pupils enjoyed raising funds to support the charity Mary’s Meals.  Children across all year groups were invited to bring in £1 in return for a slice of hot, buttered toast. This raised over £330 to help serve life-changing meals to some of the world’s poorest children.

Improving and developing our site is one of our targets.  We want our Young Edwardians to be proud of their school site and to make best use of its potential.  Chef Mike has already been making the best use of our home-grown Rosemary and has been using it to make hand-kneaded focaccia each week for our children and staff to enjoy!

Additionally, Edmund, our school tortoise, continues to flourish from consuming all of our home-grown vegetables! It has been a sheer delight to watch our children’s faces as they share their produce with him to enjoy!

As new year approaches, we are looking forward to inviting our grandparents in, to a special coffee morning with our Year 5 pupils, a pre-loved book swap and a pre-loved summer uniform swap, to help combat loneliness and to encourage our Runnymede family to buy less and reuse more.

“Have courage, the good seed will grow up in the children’s hearts later on.”
Edmund Rice 1837

Artificial Intelligence at Runnymede St Edward’s

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform industries worldwide, its impact on education is becoming increasingly evident. Schools integrating AI into their systems are reaping significant benefits, from personalised learning experiences, to streamlined administrative tasks.

In October, Runnymede St Edward’s was delighted to host a prestigious event in conjunction with Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor and Century Tech, attended by over ninety Headteachers from across Liverpool, Knowsley and the Wirral.

Headteacher Kate Peaston opened proceedings after a beautiful rendition of ‘Let It Be’ by the incredible Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Choristers. The Head spoke about the challenges her school faces and how CENTURY has provided personalised learning for each child since they began utilising AI software three years ago. The BBC’s Today programme attended the event to better understand how traditional machine learning is utilised by Runnymede and interviewed students and teachers at the school to learn about their experiences.

Runnymede was delighted to be chosen to be at the forefront of this pilot programme to see Century Tech and the use of AI being brought to every primary school in Liverpool and demonstrate the impact on a regional scale.

It was incredible to see so many schools interested, representing more than 28,000 children and 1,300 teachers. It really highlighted the scale of the project and how many lives could be positively impacted by the use of AI technology.

Personalised Learning for Every Student

One of AI’s most celebrated contributions is its ability to create tailored learning experiences. AI-powered tools analyse children’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles, allowing staff to provide customized lesson plans and resources. Platforms like adaptive learning software can adjust the difficulty of exercises in real-time, ensuring the children are neither bored nor overwhelmed.

“AI has allowed us to cater to each student individually, something that was nearly impossible in the past,” said Kate Peaston. “Our Young Edwardian’s who were struggling are now catching up, and those who excel can move ahead without being held back.” This has positively impacted on the school’s outcomes at Key Stage 2 which has seen a three-year rising trend that puts the school significantly above national average and in the top 10% of schools for their reading outcomes.

Enhanced Accessibility

AI technologies are bridging the gap for children with additional needs. Tools such as text-to-speech programs, real-time translation apps, and AI-driven sign language interpreters make education more inclusive. These innovations empower children with diverse needs to access the curriculum on an equal footing with their peers.

Efficient Administrative Support

AI can be a time-saver. Tasks like assessing the work of children, tracking attendance, and managing schedules can now be automated, freeing up valuable time for staff to focus on teaching and mentoring. AI-powered analytics also help schools identify trends in children performance and behaviour, enabling proactive interventions.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

While the benefits are substantial, the adoption of AI in schools comes with challenges. Concerns about data privacy, biases in AI algorithms, and equitable access to technology need to be addressed. Schools must implement robust safeguards to ensure students’ information is protected and that AI tools are used responsibly.

A Glimpse into the Future

Experts predict that the role of AI in education will only grow. With careful planning and ethical considerations, AI has the potential to revolutionise education and create a more equitable and effective learning environment.

As schools continue to explore the possibilities of AI, one thing is clear: the future of education is here, and it’s powered by artificial intelligence.