Dear Parents/Carers,
I hope everyone is well and you are all continuing to keep safe. Can I begin this newsletter by wishing everyone a very happy St Joseph’s Day. I think this day is particularly special for two reasons this year. Firstly of course because in December Pope Francis declared 2021 as “The Year of Joseph”. Secondly because it was this time last year when it was confirmed that schools were going to close and the country was about to enter the first lockdown. This meant that we could not celebrate St Joseph’s Day in the way we would have liked, as has been the case with so many things in the last year. To mark the day, the Diocese of Brentwood live streamed a special Mass for St Joseph to all schools at 11:00am. We cannot have any whole school events such as Masses at this time, but this meant that all the pupils were able to watch and be part of this Mass at the same time from their respective classrooms. This was a nice way to spend my last St Joseph’s Day in school and what a lovely sunny day we have had. St Joseph was certainly smiling on his school
Full Re-opening of School
As part of the full return to school, we have resumed both our Breakfast Club from 7:45-8:45am and the After School Club from 2:45-6:30pm. We will keep the prices 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. From this Monday we have been taking children from the infant school into the ASC as part of the new federation. This is the first of what will be many links between the two schools as we move forward, which is very exciting for the community of St Joseph’s.
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 (see below).
Assessments
I was able to assess all the pupils in literacy and numeracy this week to see where they are in their learning and to plan the catch-up tuition for the summer term and beyond. The Year 6 pupils also did a set of Mock SATs papers this week. We are currently marking these and will be able to share them with the pupils before the end of term. It will also be valuable information for the teachers in their forward planning.
Federation
Governors continue to meet 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.
Covid-19
We ask that you continue to remain vigilant to any symptoms of Coronavirus within members of your household, even when 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 at home or school is closed e.g. weekends or holidays.
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. The next non-uniform day will be on Friday 26th March plus we will have another lunchtime cake sale next week. The children should bring £1 for CAFOD if they are in non-uniform plus some money for cakes (20p/30p per cake). Your child should have brought home a sponsor form for our end of term “Walk for CAFOD”. In the past we have done this as a whole school but this year each year group will do their walk on one of the days during Holy Week, so Year 4 on Monday 29th March, Year 3 on Tuesday 30th March, Year 6 on Wednesday 31st March and Year 5 on Thursday 1st April (I have changed the days from last week to make sure as many staff as possible can join us each day). I think doing the walks during Holy Week itself is special and of course it is my intention to walk every step with the pupils over the 4 days so I am currently in full training! Please support your child to collect as many sponsors as possible. During my time at St Joseph’s, one of the things I am most proud of is our wonderful charity work over the years including the CAFOD Lenten Appeal, so I would really like to make my last one as successful as possible.
Masses for Holy Week (29th March to 1st April)
I met with Father Gerry last week and we are hoping to organise year group Masses during Holy Week and to take the children down to church for the Masses. The provisional dates for the Masses are – Year 4 on Monday 29th March, Year 3 on Tuesday 30th March, Year 6 on Wednesday 31st March and Year 5 on Thursday 1st April (all at 10:30am). I will confirm these next week.
Cycling
As was the case when schools re-opened last September, the government is encouraging as many pupils as possible to walk, scooter or cycle to school safely and avoid public transport or use of cars. As part of this we will be putting on training for some of our pupils, beginning next week on 22nd March with Cycle Confident Training for 24 Year 5 and 6 pupils. The pupils who applied to do the training will have received a letter this week confirming their place on the course and the details of the training.
Uniform
To support the full return to school, we have resumed uniform sales. Uniform will be on sale every Wednesday for the remainder of term from 8:30-9:00am including next Wednesday 24th March.
Friday Assembly
We did not hold our normal Friday assemblies today because of the St Joseph’s Day Mass and other activities planned for the day. Next Friday I am hoping to hold the end of term assemblies for each year group and will be awarding our termly prizes and certificates etc. I will of course share all our prizewinners in the newsletter next week.
As always 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 in school.
Prayer for Lent
I shall pass through this world but once.
Therefore, any good that I can do,
Any kind act that I can perform,
For any fellow creature,
Let me do it now.
Let me not delay or forget it,
For I shall not pass this way again.
God, send your Holy Spirit to guide me,
And give me strength.
Yours sincerely,
J Alexander (Head teacher)
Future Dates:
- 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 8:30-9:00am
- Friday 26th March – non-uniform day and cake sale for CAFOD (bring £1)
- Monday 19th March – Year 4 Mass 10:30am and then sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Tuesday 30th March – Year 3 Mass 10:30am and then sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Wednesday 31st March – uniform on sale in school 8:30-9:00am
- Wednesday 31st March – Year 6 Mass 10:30am and sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Thursday 1st April – last day of term
- Thursday 1st April – Year 5 Mass 10:30am and then sponsored walk for CAFOD
- Tuesday 6th to Friday 9th April – Easter Holiday Food Programme
- 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
