Dear Parents/Carers,
Just a short newsletter as we prepare to return after the half term break this week. I hope everyone has had a good week and been able to spend time together as best you can with the current restrictions in London.
COVID-19
I sent everyone a letter on Monday regarding a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 in the school community. After carrying out a risk assessment with both the Department of Education Coronavirus Helpline and the local Public Health Team in Waltham Forest, I have been advised that there is no need for any pupils or indeed any of the teaching and classroom support staff to self-isolate at this time, so we will be opening as planned next Monday which I am very happy about.
Federation of St Joseph’s Junior and Infant Schools
Just to remind everyone that as part of the consultation process about the proposed federation, there will be a meeting for parents from both schools in our main hall next Wednesday 4th November at 8:00am, 4:30pm and 7:00pm. Both myself and the interim head of the infants, Mrs D’Souza will be there along with governors from both schools. Hopefully you will be able to come to one of the meetings next Wednesday.
After School Clubs
From next week we are going to start our after school sports/dance clubs for each year group. There is still time to sign up your child over this weekend if you want them to take part. These are the clubs, days/times and which year group they are for:
Monday – Multi-Sports Club for pupils in Years 3 and 4 (3:00-4:00pm). Book this directly with PTC Sports as their coach Luke will be running the club for us. Book at https://ptcsports.class4kids.co.uk/term/28. The cost of the club is £21 for 6 weeks. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. For further information about the club you can contact Taskin from PTC Sports on 07513 522 896.
Tuesday – Dance Stables for all year groups (3:00-4:00pm). Book this directly with Dance Stables at ds.team@dancestables.co.uk.
Wednesday – Multi-Sports Club for pupils in Year 6 (3:15-4:15pm).
Thursday – Multi-Sports Club for pupils in Year 5 (3:15-4:15pm).
Book both the Wednesday and Thursday clubs through the School Shop.
Catch-Up Tuition
The catch-up tuition clubs also begin next week on the following evenings:
Monday – Year 5 and 6 Maths Clubs from 3:15-4:15pm
Thursday – Year 3 and 4 Maths Clubs from 3:00-4:00pm
The clubs will take place in the pupils’ classrooms and will be run by the staff who normally work with them in their year groups. Please make sure your child knows if they are being collected after the club, have permission to go home (this should be only the older children), or are going into the After School Club until collected.
Trainee Teachers
We welcome two additional trainee teachers to St Joseph’s from next week to join the trainees who have been with us in Year 4 and Year 5 for the last month. Stuart Pine and Buse Kaya from the University of Greenwich will begin their placements in Year 3 from Monday and we wish them every success as they take their first step towards qualifying as teachers.
Uniform
We are selling uniform every second week in school on Wednesday mornings from 8:30am to 9:30am. The next sale will be next Wednesday 4th November. If you need an item of uniform in an emergency, please come to the school office. With the colder weather now here, it is important that the children are coming to school with a warm and waterproof coat.
Building Work at half Term
As of today the work in school replacing the lighting around the school and removing the asbestos beforehand in the lower school corridor has been finished with only some final decorating and tidying up to be done tomorrow ready for the return on Monday.
Yours sincerely,
J Alexander (Head teacher)
