20 May 2022

Science week has certainly been full of exciting trips with science lessons encouraging children to apply reasoning skills, ask questions and predict outcomes.

 

“The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers, he is one who asks the right questions.”

Claude Levi-Strauss

 

Classes across the school have enjoyed trips to Streatham Rookery, Crystal Palace Park, the Science Museum and Chislehurst Caves. The children were totally amazing, receiving positive comments from the public about their behaviour, excellent manners and courtesy shown towards others.

St Joseph’s children have made us proud yet again!

 

Catholic swimming gala

Congratulations to our swimming team from years 5 and 6 who represented the school at the Catholic Schools Swimming Gala held on Wednesday, 19th May at St Joseph’s College.

The standard was high and competition tough, but our children showed determination and did their best.

My thanks to Mrs Mangan for organising and training the team and to Mr Defty and Mrs Parry for accompanying the children and cheering them on. Our children were wonderful, acknowledging other schools’ achievements and cheering each other on.

Congratulations to all our team:

  • Y6 – Laura, Taliyah, Lotti-Lee, Serene-Rose, Anaya, Carolina, Diego
  • Y5 – Nicolas, Aaron, Aiden, Aleck
  • Y4/Y5 helpers – Holly, Isabelle, Estella, Michael, Amanuel and Savannah

 

Outdoor learning at its best

To complement science week, staff from each year group attended a course on-site linked to developing the use of the outdoors to promote children’s learning, wellbeing and creativity.

George and Francis from Studio Cultivate worked with staff to deliver a range of teaching activities to promote an understanding and appreciation of nature. Mrs Tope and Mrs Steen Plommer successfully secured a grant to cover this training from the charity, School Food Matters. We are planning further sessions with children for the Autumn term 2022. Do visit their website for further information.

We are fortunate to have extensive grounds and thanks to recent projects initiated by Mr Navarro and supported by school staff, our areas have been further transformed to promote wildflower areas, vegetable and fruit patches and two forest areas.

 

Budding young entrepreneurs

Bailey and his brother have set up a new business Humble Bumble and Co. It promotes and encourages, ‘taking care of nature, sustainability, education about wildlife (plants and insects), well-being through active gardening, and environmentalism.’

They have been supported in their venture by their mother Ms Yeboah who has kindly volunteered to come into school next week to work with year 4. Bailey and his mum will be delivering a presentation about Humble Bumble & Co – explaining a little bit about why it was set up, why pollinators are important, and how we can save them.

This will be followed by a fun seed-bomb-making workshop!

Do read Bailey’s report about his business.

‘My name is Bailey and I am in year 4.

I am the CEO of Humble Bumble and Co – Seed Bomb company. I started it with my brother and mum after learning that bees and other important pollinators are in danger because of us humans, and they need more wildflower habitats for food and shelter.

Did you know that pollinators, especially bees, are responsible for 1/3 of the food we eat? Bees and pollinators are a really important part of our world and our lives.

I handmake and sell wildflower seed bombs and Slingshot sets; a fun and easy way for children and adults to help grow more wildflowers and #savethebees!!

It’s really important that we protect nature and save more bees! If we look after nature, nature looks after us! Please visit our website, like and follow us on instagram and facebook – and get seed bombing!’

This is a perfect way to mark National Gardening Week May 28th -June 5th. Thank you, Ms Yeboah, for giving up time to work with the children. I’m delighted that you have plans to work with other year groups over the next term and academic year.

If anyone is interested in helping run a gardening club before, during or after school, please email me at [email protected]

 

The sweet taste of St Joseph’s honey

It is an amazing opportunity to have our own apiary on our school grounds and for children to have the opportunity to learn about beekeeping. With all safety measures in place (including risk assessments, approval from our Health & Safety advisers and insurers, as well as the school becoming a member of the London Beekeepers Association) we have been able to enjoy the advantages of having the apiary on-site.

Our very experienced beekeeper, Ms Parminter, has a wealth of knowledge and skills. She spoke to the children about beekeeping and groups of KS2 children had the opportunity to observe bees at work in a secure glass tank from a safe distance.

Thanks to Ms Parminter’s hard work, we have our first every St Joseph’s honey produced by our local bees. Jars are now on sale on Parentpay. We have already received considerable interest so please do ensure you purchase your jars early in the week. It is a limited-volume, first-production batch, so the cost is £10 a jar and all money raised will go towards buying library books on sustainability.

It’s so apt that our first sale of honey coincides with World Bee day, set up by the UN General to raise awareness of the essential role of bees. Bees Abroad have organised and collated some events, details of which can be found here.

 

St Joseph’s Jubilee bake-off – Wednesday, 25th May 8:15 a.m.

We will be holding the above event on Wednesday, 25th May at 8:15 a.m. in the Junior Hall. If you would like to enter, please bring in your bake with your child’s name/class, together with the name of the cake and ingredients used. The more creative the better!

A panel of judges will then decide on 1st, 2nd and 3rd places

We are also asking for donations to sell at the event and all money raised will go towards buying library books on sustainability. So please do support us. Remember we are a NUT FREE ZONE

 

Marian procession – Thursday, 26th May 2:00 p.m.

This is always one of the highlights of our calendar when we pay homage to Our Lady – Mother Mary. Children and staff come together for a short assembly and then process through the school carrying flowers to lay at the statue of Mary. You have always been incredibly generous with your donation of flowers which we then distribute to residential homes and to people who are unwell.

Please send your child in with a flower/flowers on Thursday, 26th May 2022. Our procession will start at 2:00 p.m. on the school field. You are welcome to attend and join in our celebration to honour Our Lady.

 

School games day – Friday, 27th May 2022

I am delighted that we will be able to invite parents, carers and friends to this year’s school games day. The infants will participate in events in the morning, starting at 9:15 a.m. followed by the juniors at 10:45 a.m. This will be followed by our ‘Jubilee’ picnic where you are invited to share a picnic with your child/children and remain until early afternoon.

You will be able to take your child home after the picnic. Should you be unable to attend the picnic, staff will be sharing a school picnic lunch with the children.

Please note that all toddlers must remain with an adult and be kept away from the events.

 

St Joseph’s art exhibition – July 2022

I am pleased to share that we will be hosting an Art event in early July (date will be confirmed in next week’s newsletter). We will be having our first Gallery exhibition featuring artwork from every child in the school. The topic will be ‘Our future’ to present children’s vision of our planet and sustainability. You will have the opportunity to purchase your child’s art masterpiece and attend a session at our exhibition.

 

Holiday activities and clubs with links to St Joseph’s

As you may have noticed, we have shared many holiday and sports camp opportunities on the school app newsfeed for sports including cricket with Surrey Cricket, football at Whitgift School, triathlon at Trinity School, basketball at Coombe Wood School, at venues such as Crystal Palace, as well as useful advice from the Youth Sports Trust. The full list of the current options can be found on the school website under Discover St Joseph’s > Schools > Wrap around care or by clicking here. Thank you to Mrs Mangan and Mr Navarro for sourcing all of these opportunities for our pupils.

We are also pleased to let you know about free keyboard / piano lessons from Shabach Ministry, who are a Pentecostal Church that rents our premises during weekends and weekdays. Their pastor, Mr Reid, can teach up to 25 pupils for one session a week, from 7pm to 8pm in the Junior Hall, on the first two Wednesdays of each month. To get in touch with Mr Reid, please call on ph: 07534 449432 or email [email protected]

 

Summer Camp at St Joseph’s

Early-bird registration for our own Holiday and Activities Food (HAF) programme has now also opened. Our programme will run from 25 July 2022 until 19 August 2022, between 09:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mondays to Fridays. All children will be provided a healthy and nutritious hot lunch. This is the second year we have run a holiday programme this year as part of our overall COVID community support programme.

Click here for further details of our Summer 2002 HAF programme

 

Parental engagement and support

This is an area we would like to further develop and can only do so by working closely in partnership with you. It has been difficult over the past two years to host face-to-face events. However, now that restrictions have been lifted we would like to hear your views on how we can improve parental engagement.

We would like to start by running some parent sessions around helping your child to learn. We’re in the process of organising speakers from the National Autistic Society and professional supporting speech and language development. We hope to schedule these in late June. Details will be sent out once confirmed.

 

Government-funded Maths qualification – Adults aged 19+

This year the Government have launched a scheme called Multiply. It offers easy access to free maths courses, where you can gain a qualification and build your confidence to use mathematical skills.

You can access Multiply if you are aged 19+ and do not have maths GCSE. There are a variety of courses from beginner courses to more advanced courses such as GCSE maths or equivalent. Online support is provided and you can work at a pace that suits you.

If you are interested, click on the link Multiply – Skills for Life.

Should you require any support applying, kindly email Mrs Gallagher at [email protected]

 

Staff changes

We will be saying goodbye to Mrs Barret on Friday, 11th June as she has been appointed as an Early Help worker for Croydon family support. Mrs Barret has been with the school for over 18 years and supported many children and families over time. She has made a great difference to many people and her calm and caring approach has offered reassurance and comfort to many people facing challenges.

Whilst we are sad to see her leave our school community, this is an excellent opportunity for her to further develop her skills and make a positive impact on the wider community. I would like to thank her for her help and commitment to the school and wish her all the best for the future.

 

Almost there

Only one week to go until a week of relaxation and fun with your children at home with you. It is certainly going to be a busy final week of this half of summer term. I look forward to welcoming you to our Schools Games Day and celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee as a school community.

Click here for this week’s photo montage – Part 1

Click here for this week’s photo montage – Part 2

Mrs L Fernandes
Headteacher

 

Future Dates for your diary

1st half of Summer Term
23.05.22 – 27.05.22 – KEEPING HEALTHY WEEK
23.05.22 – Young Voices concert – O2 arena
24.05.22 – Young KS2 faith leaders meeting (Apostles of Mercy to attend)
25.05.22 – St Joseph’s Jubilee Bake-off
25.5.22 – Deadline to submit your entries to school for the Mattel story competition
(31.5.22 deadline if you post it direct to Mattel)
26.05.22 – Marian procession
27.05.22 – School Games week followed by a ‘Jubilee Celebration’ Picnic

2nd Half of Summer term
Term begins – TUESDAY, 7TH JUNE 2022
7.6.22 – Year 3 and 4 football competition 08:30 – 11:00
8.6.22 – Y6 parents meeting – Residential trip (8.7.22 – 10.7.22)
9.6.22 – KS2 Maths competition (2 teams) at St Thomas Becket Primary School
10.6.22 – Y2 Transition Meeting in the Junior Hall 8.15 a.m. start
13.6.22 – Group of Y5 pupils to attend a Science on stage workshop
14.6.22 – 5E Assembly 9:15 a.m. start (parents/carers welcome to attend)
15.6.22 – New Reception parents meeting – 9:30 a.m. (Infant Hall)
16.6.22 – New Nursery parents meeting – 9.30 a.m. (Infant Hall)
17.6.22 – Fathers’ Day Breakfast 7:45 a.m. –  8:45 a.m. (Junior Hall) tickets will be available from 10.6.22
20.6.22 – Croydon Sports Heats (Boys) 4.00 p.m.-6.00 p.m. Croydon Sports Arena
22.6.22 – Croydon Sports Heats (Girls) 4.00 p.m. – 6.00 p.m. Croydon Sports Arena
24.6.22 – Croydon Sports Finals Croydon Sports Arena
23.6.22 – KS2 General Knowledge Quiz Final – Central London (School Team)
23.6.22 – Celebration Mass at Aylesford Priory (Y5 pupils)
27.6.22 – 01.7.22 – MATHS WEEK
30.6.22 – Catholic sports competition – St James the Great (parents welcome to attend)
4.7.22 – 15.7.22 ART EXHIBITION
5.7.22 – KS2 SATS results published
6.7.22 – School Mass for all children making their 1st Holy Communion (Junior Hall)
7.7.22 – Catholic Infant sports competition – Thomas Beckett school
8.7.22 – 10.7.22 – Y6 Residential Trip
11.7.22 – End of year reports sent out Nursery – Y5 parents
11.7.22 – Y6 parent/teacher meetings to collect SATS results & end of year report 9.00.a.m. – 4.30 p.m.
12.7.22 – Y6 Production 5.30 p.m; Parent contact meetings (if you wish to meet with your class teacher)
15.7.22 –Y6 Leavers BBQ
18.7.22 – Y6 Leavers/End of year Mass – 5.30 p.m.