Dear Parents/Carers,
We have had a very busy week in school with lots of trips to the cinema, museums and theatres for various year groups and classes. As always our children were very well behaved and great ambassadors for the school and I would also like to say thank you to the staff who take care of the children on these trips and to you the parents for making sure all the trips were authorised on time. We had a hiccup with the Year 4 trip to the theatre yesterday as the coach we booked broke down on its way to school. Fortunately we were able to book another coach at short notice to take the children to the theatre. The Young Shakespeare Company was able to delay the performance of “Macbeth” for a few minutes to allow us time to get there.
Masses and Assemblies
Well done to Class 6P who presented a very moving Remembrance Assembly this week to mark the 101st Anniversary of the 1918 Armistice which ended the Great War. It was a great honour for the pupils of 6P to be leading the school on this and they responded perfectly. Class 3H will be presenting their first assembly in the Junior School on “Visitors” next Thursday 14th November at 2:30pm.
November
The month of November is a time to remember those who have died or have been affected by wars and conflicts. As always in school, poppies and other items will be on sale each lunchtime during the next few weeks to raise money for the British Legion’s annual poppy appeal. We ask for a 20p donation for the poppies themselves and the other items have a fixed price ranging from 50p to £1.50. Even in the first few days of November we have already sold a lot of items and raised lots of money for the British Legion. We have also created a display of poppies and other images in the main hall. If you have someone in your family who you would like us to remember, please send their names to me and we will offer prayers during the month of November.
Uniform/PE Kits
Uniform will be on sale next Wednesday 13th November from 8:50-9:30am and then every second Wednesday during the term. With winter on its way please make sure your child is coming to school with a suitable coat which remember should be dark blue or black. I would also like to discourage children, especially the girls, coming to school with large rucksacks. I know they are very fashionable and colourful but they take up a lot of space in our small cloakroom areas and can be a hazard to other pupils. Ideally the pupils should be using the blue school bags but if they need to have rucksacks they should be as small as possible.
Friends’ Association
- Friday 22nd November – Book Swap Day
- Sunday 8th December – Christmas Bazaar 1:00-4:00pm
- Friday 13th December – Christmas Coffee Morning to raise money for Save the Children (tie in with our “Christmas Jumper Day”) 9:00am
- Friday 13th December – Family Film Night 7:00pm
We will be holding more non-uniform days this half term in preparation for the Christmas Bazaar on 8th December. I have listed the dates below and what the children need to bring on each day. They are all on Fridays except Wednesday 4th December. Please note we now want the children to bring particular items which we can sell on the day such as new toys, bottles and items for a Christmas Stall. We would prefer them to bring these items but if they are unable to and still want to be in non-uniform, they should bring £2 which will enable us to buy extra items to sell. We have also sent home books of raffle tickets for you to sell. If you can sell additional books at work or to family or friends, please ask at the school office. If we sell all the books, we raise £600 for the school before we even hold the Bazaar on 8th December.
- Friday 15th November – bring a new toy (or £2)
- Friday 22nd November – bring chocolates/sweets (or £2)
- Friday 29th November – bring a bottle (or £2)
- Wednesday 4th December – bring something for the Christmas Stall (or £2)
- Friday 6th December – return of sold raffle tickets (or £2)
After School Activities
The new clubs are now up and running for this half term. The Tuesday Computer Club for Years 5 and 6 started week. Most of the clubs run by the school staff or sports coaches are now full apart from the girls’ football club on Thursdays which still has places and the choir (which remember is free!). The gymnastics club and the clubs run by Dance Stables still have places so you can book through them directly. I would highly recommend both the new Drama Club on Mondays and the Cheerleading Club on Fridays. I had a quick look at both clubs this week and they are well run and the children really enjoy them.
Apart from Cooking and Choir, all clubs finish at 4:15pm.
Trips
We had a lot of trips this week and there are more next week. Most of these trips are free but you still need to go onto the “School Shop” this week to authorise the trip for your child as we don’t want anyone to miss out. There are more free cinema trips to Stratford and Walthamstow next week for Year 3 and Year 4 plus Class 5L. If you haven’t done so, please go onto the school shop this weekend to authorise your child’s trip in good time. It was great that every child was able to go on their trip this week as they had been authorised in time.
“Art is Fun”
On Monday the Year 3 and 4 pupils took part in an art workshop led by an artist called John Kirk, again as part of the Borough of Culture Year. John helped the children explore their cultures and identities through art.
“Poppies and Poetry Workshops”
To mark the remembrance weekend, the children are taking part in a series of Poppies and Poetry workshops both yesterday and today led by a group called West End Theatre. I hope and think this will be a very fitting way for every pupil to be actively involved in remembrance this year.
Firework Display at St Joseph’s Infants (9th November)
St Joseph’s Infant School is hosting a firework display this Saturday 9th November 4:30-6:30pm. There will be a children’s entertainer plus lots of other activities. Tickets are available on the door or in advance from the infant school office.
Attendance and Punctuality
Congratulations to Class 4RB had the best attendance this week with 99% and Class 3K and Class 3H who had the best punctuality also with 99.5%. Again this has been a very good week for both attendance and punctuality so well done everyone, it makes such a difference.
Class of the Week
Well done to Class 6P who were “Class of the Week” for their very moving and well-presented assembly on Remembrance on Thursday.
Passports
Just to remind everyone that I am happy to sign passports for you or your children (as long as they are known to me) and indeed other legal documents etc. where there is an accompanying official letter. I charge a fee of £10 per passport/document which goes into the school funds.
Sonlight Concert
There is an evening of praise and worship with the band Sonlight at St Joseph’s Church on Saturday 30th November from 7:00pm. Entry is free with refreshments after the concert. There will be a collection at the end of the evening for the band’s expenses.
Yours sincerely,
J Alexander (Head teacher)
Future Dates for your Diary
- Saturday 9th November – Fireworks Display at St Joseph’s Infant School 4:30pm
- Monday 11th November – Cinema trips for Year 3 and 4 am
- Tuesday 12th November – Cinema trip for class 5L am
- Wednesday 13th November – School nurse drop in session 9:00am
- Wednesday 13th November – Year 6 classes visiting Leyton Orient pm
- Thursday 14th November – Class 3H Assembly on “Visitors” 2:30pm
- Friday 15th November – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar (new toy or £2)
- Saturday 16th November – Open morning for prospective Year 2 parents 10:15am
- Monday 18th November – Book Week in school
- Wednesday 20th November – Simon Murray (illustrator) in school today
- Friday 22nd November – National Literacy Trust Workshops for Year 5 classes am
- Friday 22nd November – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar (sweets or £2)
- Friday 22nd November – “Book Swap Day” in school
- Thursday 28th November – Class 5L Assembly on “St Andrew” 2:30pm
- Friday 29th November – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar (bottle or £2)
- Monday 2nd December – Maths Assessment Week in Years 3, 4 and 5
- Monday 2nd December – Parent Meetings 1:00-3:00pm and 4:00-6:00pm
- Wednesday 4th December – Non-uniform day for Bazaar (Christmas Stall or £2)
- Wednesday 4th December – Class 5O Assembly on “Hope” 2:30pm
- Thursday 5th December – Pantomime of “Aladdin” in school 10:30am
- Thursday 5th December – Fire Safety Talk for Year 5 pm
- Friday 6th December – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar (sold raffle tickets)
- Sunday 8th December – Christmas Bazaar 1:00-4:00pm
- Monday 9th December – Mock SATs Week in Year 6
- Monday 9th December – Reading Assessment Week in Years 3, 4 and 5
- Tuesday 10th December – Carol Concert led by Y3 in church 10:30am
- Wednesday 11th December – Carol Concert led by Y3 in church 7:00pm
- Thursday 12th December – Amnesty International Workshops for Years 5 and 6 pm
- Friday 13th December – “Christmas Jumper Day” for Save the Children”
- Friday 13th December – Family Film Night 7:00pm
- Saturday 14th December – St Joseph’s Infant School Christmas Bazaar pm
- Monday 16th December – Writing assessments today
- Tuesday 17th December – Y4 Shakespeare Concert of “Macbeth” 11:00am
- Wednesday 18th December – Christmas lunch
- Wednesday 18th December – Y4 Shakespeare Concert of “Macbeth” 7:00pm
- Thursday 19th December – Whole School Mass led by Year 5 11:00am
- Friday 20th December – Last day of term (finish at 2:00pm today)
- Monday 6th January 2020 – Staff inset day
- Tuesday 7th January 2020 – Staff inset day
- Wednesday 8th January – First day of term for pupils
- Saturday 25th January 2020 – School hosting Waltham Forest Music Festival pm
