VIDEO: New life marks Littlehampton school’s 40-year story

Bishop Kieran Conry celebrates with pupils at St Catherines L48791H13

Pupils and staff, both past and present, took part in the festivities marking St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School’s 40th year at its site in Highdown Drive, on Monday (November 25).

And to usher in the achievement, the Rt Rev Kieran Conry, Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, planted an acer rubrum sapling, better known as red maple, in the grounds.

Bishop Kieran said it was a proud moment for the school to be celebrating its 40th anniversary.

“It’s a fantastic achievement for the school to reach this anniversary,” he said. “I thought it was a delightful idea to have something tangible placed in the grounds that the children can watch grow over time. There’s already a silver birch tree here. So it would be nice for children who witnessed the planting of the acer to be able to come back to the school in years to come and say ‘I was there when that was planted’.”

The day, which was attended by former head teacher Josephine Widmer, who opened the Highdown Drive site, also saw a mass being given. The bishop was later taken on a tour of the school.