Dear Parents/Carers,
I hope everyone is well and you are all continuing to keep safe. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Monday after this long period of lockdown. I truly hope this is the last one and we can now have an extended period with school fully open and running as normally as we can at this time. As well as the information below, I am attaching some letters and information leaflets from both the LA and the Diocese. Please read these carefully as they give lots of useful information on both the full reopening of school on 8th March and how to support your child during the next few days and weeks as they get back into the routine of school. This is for all children, whether they have been in school or working at home. If you have any worries or concerns about your child returning to school on Monday, please contact us and we will support you in any way we can.
- Letter to Parents and Carers – March 2021
- Return to school booklet – March 2021
- BACK TO SCHOOL TRANSITION AFTER LOCKDOWN
- School Memories Activity
Full Re-opening of School
We had the confirmation which came from the Government last week that all pupils can return to school on Monday 8th March, which is great news and something I had really hoped for, especially since this will be my last term at St Joseph’s. As I mentioned last week, essentially it will be a return to the arrangements we put in place during the autumn term with the staggered times etc. Just to remind everyone of the times we will be returning to from 8th March:
Years 3 and 4 arriving between 8:30am and 8:45am and departing at 2:45pm (it is especially important for Year 3 and 4 parents to note these times as they are different from what we have been running this term during lockdown).
Years 5 and 6 arriving between 8:45am and 9:00am and departing at 3:00pm
As part of the full return to school on Monday 8th March, we will be resuming both our Breakfast Club from 7:45-8:45am and the After School Club from 2:45-6:30pm. We will keep the prices (reduced from 2019-20) as before, so £2 per day for Breakfast Club and for the After School Club – £10 per day (£5 up till 4:30pm) and £40 for a full week. It would be useful if you could indicate whether you are likely to use either or both of these clubs so we can plan ahead for staffing etc.
We will also be resuming the use of sports coaches as quality PE lessons will play a vital role in the return of all pupils. As before the pupils should come to school in their PE kit on their allocated days which are: Year 3 Mondays, Year 4 Tuesdays, Year 6 Wednesdays and Year 5 Thursdays. The children should be in full school uniform on the other days except Fridays which will continue to be non-uniform days. Next Friday 12th March is going to be our Book Day in school (the national Book Day was yesterday but I wanted to wait until all the children were back in school).
I am confident that just as in September, all the children will return ready to learn and to embrace everything that school has to offer. We are going to use the first week to settle everyone back into routines, including staff! We are having our Book Week and it also Science Week next week so we are planning lots of fun activities for the pupils. I am also encouraging staff to take the children out as much as possible for walks, outdoor learning etc. and as I mentioned above we are resuming the sports coaches with every year group. I am also timetabling myself next week to do a creative writing lesson for Lent with every class.
As in September, it is my intention to assess all the pupils in literacy and numeracy before the end of term to see where they are in their learning and to plan the catch-up tuition for the summer term and beyond. I am planning to do these in the second week back as I want to give all the children next week to settle back in.
Federation
The Federated Governing Body continues to work hard to prepare for the full federation of the schools in April. Governors are meeting weekly to put plans in place and in addition myself, Ms D’Souza and the joint chairs are also meeting weekly to ensure a smooth transition at Easter. As part of this preparation, Ms D’Souza and I met all the staff individually at the junior school this week so that she could introduce herself formally to everyone before she takes over formally in April.
Covid-19
We ask that you continue to remain vigilant to any symptoms of Coronavirus within members of your household, even if your child is at home. If in doubt, please get yourselves or your child tested. All Waltham Forest residents are able to get tested even if they are not showing any Coronavirus symptoms, as this will reduce the spread of infection to others. If your child or a member of your family tests positive for Coronavirus, you will need to self-isolate as a family for 10 days and inform the school, even if your child is working at home or school is closed
Virtual Assembly
I did my last virtual assembly for now this week and hopefully most of you will be able to catch it at some point. This week’s Friday Assembly has been shared on-line and went “live” from Friday morning via j2homework. Although it was my last regular assembly, I still plan to do some on special occasions such as St Joseph’s Day on 19th March and during Holy Week in week beginning 29th March.
Book Week
It was the national Book Day on Thursday; however we are going to hold ours next week when all the pupils are back in school. We are having a week of activities around reading and writing and next Friday 12th March, the pupils can come to school dressed as a favourite character from a book, poem or any kind of literature. It will be a non-uniform day for everyone as normal so the children can come in their own clothes if they wish but it would be nice to see lots of interesting costumes etc.
Science Week
Next week is also Science Week and Ms. Le our Science Lead has planned lots of fun activities for all the classes across the week.
Uniform
To support the full return to school from Monday, we will be resuming uniform sales from next week. Uniform will be on sale every Wednesday for the remainder of term from 8:30-9:30am starting next Wednesday 10th March.
CAFOD Lenten Appeal
As we have done in previous years, we will be raising money for CAFOD’s Lenten Appeal over the next few weeks. This will include some non-uniform days and sponsored walks in the last week of term. More details to follow next week.
Friday Assembly
Remote Learning Awards:
- 3H – Lorenzo, Georgios and Emily
- 3K – Anthonia, Nel and Mirabel
- 4P – David, Jaiden S and Faith
- 4RC – Neddy, Nicole and Patryk
- 5L – Anna, Lily and Simeon
- 5O – Antonio, Rebecca and Joella
- 6PM – Kayleigh, Klara, Natalia and Robbie
- 6C – Joshua, Karolina and Kelsie
Key Worker/Vulnerable Pupil Awards:
- Year 3 – Dijon, Owen and Catherine
- Year 4 – DJuliana, Michelle, Adam, Nadia and Darcey
- Year 5 – Aisosa, Tyron and Bohdan
- Year 6 – Ella, Maria and Devonte
I wish everyone a safe week ahead. Again I would like to finish with a special prayer for Lent which I have shared with all the pupils this week both in school and at home.
Prayer for Lent
I arise today, Through God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, I thank God through Christ our Lord.
Yours sincerely,
J Alexander (Head teacher)
- Future Dates:
- Monday 8th March – full re-opening of school
- Monday 8th March – start of Book Week in school
- Monday 8th March – start of Science Week in school
- Wednesday 10th March – uniform on sale in school 8:30-9:30am
- Friday 12th March – non- uniform day (come dressed as a favourite book character)
- Wednesday 17th March – uniform on sale in school 8:30-9:30am
- Friday 19th March – St Joseph’s Day
- Friday 19th March – non-uniform day for CAFOD’s Lenten Appeal (bring £1)
- Monday 22nd March – cycle training in school this week for up to 24 Y5 and Y6 pupils
- Wednesday 24th March – uniform on sale in school 8:30-9:30am
- Friday 26th March – non-uniform day for CAFOD’s Lenten Appeal (bring £1)
- Monday 19th March – Holy Week
- Monday 19th March – Year 3 sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Tuesday 30th March – Year 4 sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Wednesday 31st March – uniform on sale in school 8:30-9:30am
- Wednesday 31st March – Year 5 sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Thursday 1st April – last day of term (end early at 1:45pm for Y3/4, 2:00pm for Y5/6)
- Thursday 1st April – Year 6 sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Tuesday 6th to Friday 9th April – Easter Holiday Food Programme for free school meals families
- Monday 19th April – Ms D’Souza takes over as head of the federated schools today
- Monday 19th April – staff inset day
- Tuesday 20th April – first day of summer term for pupils
