Dear Parents/Carers,
We have now reached the end of our first full week back in school and everyone is settling well into routines. Again I have to mention how impressed I have been with our Year 3 pupils this week, their behaviour and general attitude to learning are excellent. This has been the case across the school in all classes. Every day I make a point of popping into every class for a few minutes just to see how things are and even walking around the school I am so impressed with the atmosphere of calmness and purposeful learning. Earlier this week I was showing a couple of prospective parents around the school and they both commented on the calm atmosphere.
Masses and Assemblies
We were due to have our first Whole School Mass on Thursday led by Our Year 4 pupils but I have had to re-schedule it to a later date as Father Gerry has not returned from his holiday. We will have our first class assembly next week presented by Class 6C on “Loving” on Thursday 19th September at 2:30pm. There is a list of all the Masses and assemblies for this term in the list of dates at the end of the newsletter. Parents and families are always welcome to join us for any of the Masses or assemblies that are held in school.
After School Activities
All our after school activiites are up and running this week. It has taken a bit of organisation and communication back and forward but we are almost there and by next week should have established a timetable for this half term. So far around 100 children have signed up for the various clubs which is great. Please note we have had to move two of the clubs to another evening from next week. The Year 3 and 4 Boys’ Football Club will be on Tuesdays from next week (moved from Wednesday) and the Year 3 and 4 Basketball Club will be on Fridays from next week( moved from Thursday). The following clubs are now full and cannot accept any more bookings for this half term – Monday Computer Club, Wednesday Cooking Club, Thursday Gardening Club and Friday Art and Craft Club. The sports clubs still have some places so you can book from next week but you will pay for 5 weeks now. There are also places in the Thursday School Choir and these are free! Again please note that the Monday Gymnastics Club and the Tuesday Dance Club both have to be booked through the teachers/coaches running them, not through the school. The Gymnastics Club started this week and the Dance Club begins next Tuesday. Both have places available. If you want your child to go into the After School Club after they have finished their activity, you can arrange an ad hoc booking for that night of £5 up till 5:30pm and £10 up till 6:30pm. Children who already attend the ASC can of course book one of the activities as well.
After School Club
We are currently taking bookings for our After School Club which runs from 3:05 to 6:30pm each school day. Application forms are available from the school office or can be downloaded from the school website. Our prices remain unchanged for this year so the current cost is £14 per day or £50 for a full week. We also offer an occasional ad hoc service which costs £7 up till 4:30pm and £14 up till 6:30pm.
Breakfast Club
Our Breakfast Club runs from 7:45 to 8:40am each school day, last entry being 8:25am. The cost is £3.00 per day (same as last year) and there is no need to book in advance. Please note there should be no children in our playground before 8:25am as they cannot be supervised.
Uniform/PE Kits
Uniform will next be on sale on Wednesday 25th September from 8:50-9:30am and then every second Wednesday during the term. Please make sure all items of uniform are clearly named, this helps us return lost uniform to the correct child. All pupils should make sure they have a full PE kit in school, again clearly marked with their name and kept in a suitable bag.
Piano Lessons
We offer piano lessons at school run by Tracy Swart. Lessons are offered from Beginners up to Grade 5. Tracy has re-started with her existing pupils this week and if you would like your child to have lessons please contact her on 07894580286 and she will give you all the details about cost etc.
Year Group Parent Meetings
Thank you to all the parents who attended the Year 6 meeting on Wednesday evening, I hope you found it useful and an insight into Year 6. A meeting for Year 3, 4 and 5 parents will be held on Wednesday 25th September at 3pm also in the school hall. Please note that this is a general year group meetings. An individual consultation evening will be held later in the term.
School Photographs
All the photographs taken last week are now on line for parents to view and then order. The deadline for ordering a photograph is Friday 27th September. After this date all orders will be sent to the school to give out to parents.
Mosaics
I am currently working with an art company who want to come into school this term and work with the children to create mosaics. More details next week.
Attendance and Punctuality
We are very keen in school to ensure that both attendance and punctuality are the best we can achieve at St Joseph’s and you will have noticed that some banners are on the fence near the school gate as a daily reminder of why both are so important. From this week I will be giving a prize at the Friday Assembly to the class or classes who achieve the highest rates for both attendance and punctuality, with a special prize for any class which achieves 100% that week. Congratulations to Class 4P who had 100% attendance this week. Congratulations also to Class 4RB who achieved 100% punctuality this week. Both classes are continuing their excellent records for attendance and punctuality which they established in Year 3.
Class of the Week
Well done to Class 3H and Class 3K who were both our first “Class of the Week” for the excellent start they have made to the new term and for the mature and calm way they are approaching their learning in school. They also represented the school so well this morning at a special Mass to celebrate the 50th birthday of St Joseph’s Infant School which was led by Bishop Alan.
Lettings
The school is available to hire for events such as birthday parties, family events etc. We can offer facilities such as the hall, dining room and the playground at very competitive prices. I have hired the facilities myself on several occasions for family events and we already have some bookings for this term. If you would like to make enquiries or a booking, please come to the school office for a form.
Library
Most of the library has been painted and decorated and we have bought new books and beanbags for the pupils to use when it is up and running which hopefully will be very soon. We are aiming to have everything ready for the arrival of the autumn book fair on 25th September. Thank you to the parents who have come in this week to clean shelves, sort out books and get everything back in order. Again if anyone can help next week getting the books back on the shelves, doing a bit of cleaning and dusting, labelling etc. that would be great.
Non-Uniform Days
We will be holding 2 more of these days on Fridays in September when children can bring £1 in return for wearing their own clothes. All the money raised on Friday will be for school funds. The dates for non-uniform days this half term will be: Friday 20th September and Friday 27th September. We will keep you up to date on future non-uniform days as we go through the term. Please make sure that if your child is in non-uniform on a Friday they bring their £1. I noticed quite a few children this week in their own clothes but they hadn’t brought anything.
Friends’ Association AGM
We will be holding the AGM for the Friends’ Association on Tuesday 1st October at 7:00am. We need a good and representative turn out on the evening so that we can plan events for this term and beyond. Refreshments will be available on the evening.
Fitness Class
The fitness class which was running in school last term on a Thursday evening has started again this week but has moved to Tuesdays at the later time of 6:30pm. For more information contact Leah on 07939 342990 or come along on Tuesday.
Yours sincerely,
J Alexander (Head teacher)
Future Dates for your Diary
This is a list of important dates for this term; it will be updated and amended each week. Please keep it in a safe place to refer to.
- Tuesday 17th September – Dance Stables Dance Club resumes 3:15-4:15pm
- Thursday 19th September – Class 6C Assembly on “Loving” 2:30pm
- Friday 20th September – Non-uniform day for school funds (bring £1)
- Wednesday 25th to Friday 27th September – Autumn Term Book Fair 8:10-8:50am
- Wednesday 25th September – Mosaic project for Year 3
- Wednesday 25th September – Year 3, 4 and 5 Curriculum Meeting 3:30pm
- Thursday 26th September – Mosaic project for Year 4
- Thursday 26th September – Class 4P Assembly on “People” 2:30pm
- Friday 27th September – McMillan Coffee Morning 9:00am
- Friday 27th September – Non-uniform day for McMillan Cancer Support (bring £1)
- Saturday 28th September – Parish International Event in school 1:00pm
- Monday 30th September – Start of “Judaism Week” in school
- Tuesday 1st October – Friends’ Association AGM 7:00pm
- Friday 4th October – Judaism Assembly 1:15pm
- Monday 7th October – Class 6C leave for their residential retreat at Buckden Towers
- Tuesday 8th October – Class 6P leave for Buckden Towers am, Class 6C return
- Wednesday 9th October – Class 6P return from Buckden Towers pm
- Thursday 10th October – Year 4 Shakespeare Workshops on “Macbeth”
- Friday 11th October – CAFOD Harvest Day in school
- Friday 11th October – Non-uniform day for CAFOD (bring an item of foodstuff)
- Monday 14th October – “Writing Day” in school
- Tuesday 15th October – Class 4RB Assembly on “Called” 2:30pm
- Thursday 17th October – Class 3K Assembly on “Promises” 2:30pm
- Friday 18th October – Last day of 1st half term (finish at normal time of 3:05pm)
- Friday 18th October – Non-uniform day for Harvest Food Collection (bring foodstuff)
- Monday 21st to Friday 25th October – Autumn half term break
- Thursday 31st October – Friends’ Association Meeting 7:00pm
- Friday 1st November – Whole School Mass for All Saints Day led by Year 3 9:00am
- Wednesday 6th November – Year 6 cinema trip to Stratford am
- Thursday 7th November – Year 4 visit Millfield Theatre to watch “Macbeth” am
- Thursday 7th November – Class 6P Assembly on “Remembrance” 2:30pm
- Friday 8th November – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar
- Thursday 14th November – Class 3H Assembly on “Visitors” 2:30pm
- Friday 15th November – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar
- Friday 22nd November – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar
- Thursday 28th November – Class 5L Assembly on “St Andrew” 2:30pm
- Friday 29th November – Non-uniform day for Christmas Bazaar
- 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 – 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
- Sunday 8th December – Christmas Bazaar 1:00-4:00pm (TBC)
- 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 (TBC)
- Wednesday 11th December – Carol Concert led by Y3 in church 7:00pm (TBC)
- Friday 13th December – “Christmas Jumper Day” for Save the Children”
- Friday 13th December – Family Film Night 7:00pm (TBC)
- Monday 16th December – Writing Assessment Week for all year groups
- Tuesday 17th December – Y4 Shakespeare Concert of “Macbeth” 11:00am
- Wednesday 18th December – Y4 Shakespeare Concert of “Macbeth” 7:00pm
- Thursday 19th December – Whole School Mass led by Year 5 9:00am
- Friday 20th December – Last day of term (finish at 2:00pm today)
- Monday 6th January – Staff Inset Day
- Tuesday 7th January – Staff Inset Day
- Wednesday 8th January – First day of spring term for pupils
