Dear parents/Carers, We have had a wonderful end of term. We held a special Stations of the Cross Service in…
25 April 2021
Welcome back to the start of the summer term and hopefully to some warm sunny weather.
The children are settled and enthusiastic about being back to school. It is always a pleasure to greet the children at the school gates and see them keen to be in school and engage with their learning. It is going to be a busy term so do keep an eye out for important emails and texts regarding future events.
Please do visit our website for up-to-date news and events.
Class teachers will be uploading their newsletters and topic webs for the term on Google Classrooms. There are numerous ideas on how you can support your child, together with targets they need to work to.
Important dates for your diary
30th April 2021: The National Daily Mile Day
St Joseph’s children continue to be impressive, showing resilience and determination. Mrs Mangan and Mr Abrahams have been driving sports across the school and have registered us for the National Daily Mile day on Friday, 30th April. Please ensure that your child comes into school in their PE kits on that day as they will be taking part in the national daily mile challenge.
Eliud Kipchoge is the world’s fastest marathon runner! On 12th October 2019 in Vienna, Austria, the Kenyan athlete became the first person ever to run a marathon in under two hours when he achieved the superhuman time of 1:59:40:2. He is working with The Daily Mile Foundation to promote this first national event day. All children at St Joseph’s will take part over the course of the day and contribute towards a major national achievement.
Monday, 3rd May 2021: May Bank holiday – Public holiday (School is closed)
Wednesday, 5th May 2021: World Portuguese Language Day
The infant school have been learning Portuguese since September 2020 and continued via zoom to access lessons during lockdown. We are delighted that these sessions now take place in school. To celebrate this new initiative, we will be hosting Portuguese workshops, activities and an assembly for the whole school, including a visit from a Portuguese author/writer. Details will be sent out to you this week.
We have been working with Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua to see if we can offer after-school sessions at St Joseph’s for families who would like to access this provision. Once this is finalised, details will be shared. I understand that many families from our Portuguese community travel great distances after school to attend ‘Portuguese school’. This would not only help our families but strength our links with the wider community.
Thursday, 6th May 2021: Polling Day – Local council and Mayoral elections (School is closed)
The infant school will be used as a Polling Station. Therefore, the Nursery, Infant and Junior Schools will be closed. Teachers will be based in the junior school and participate in training, but school will not be open to children. Work will be uploaded onto Google Classrooms.
Monday, 17th May 2021: – School Photographs
Please note that advance warning has been given and the date has been up on our website. A text reminder will be sent shortly before the date, but it will be parents’ responsibility to remember.
Monday, 31st May 2021 – Friday, 4th June 2021: Half term (School closed)
Friday, 18th June 2021: Inset day (School closed)
School will be closed to children, but staff will be in for professional development training sessions
Thursday, 22nd July 2021: End of academic year
Please note that this is a day earlier than previously advertised as the school was open to pupils on Friday, 12th February 2021 and it was not used as an inset day.
Uniform
Children may wear their summer uniform or can continue to wear their winter uniform up to the May half term. Please remember that our school summer dresses are pink stripes and not checks. We have worked together with our suppliers at SchoolWearUnited to offer the summer dresses at a reduced price and with a better fit so please do visit them if you need new uniform.
Time To Write
This is a writing initiative we set up during lockdown. The main purpose was to encourage children to write weekly, applying writing skills, whilst also focusing on handwriting and high standards of presentation. Thank you to those of you who supported the initiative and continue to do so.
Unfortunately, several pupils have not brought back their books and this places them at a disadvantage. Kindly ensure that your child brings in their book this week. A new task has been set for children to complete. This initiative also gives you a chance to comment on your child’s writing and asses it against expected age-related standards. Please do email your child’s class teacher on the year group email if you have any questions.
Earth Day – 22nd April 2021
The children have been discussing Earth Day and Year 5 have led the campaign at St Josephs. They have produced some excellent writing and been creative in celebrating this event. Do take time to read a sample of their work attached to this newsletter.
Click here for this week’s pictures
Chicks
The highlight of the week has to be the hatching of our chicks in the Infant School. Reception and Year 2 have been looking after the eggs were delivered on Monday, 19th April. Within a day, the chicks began to emerge and children had the opportunity to observe. It was an amazing experience and was not only a wonderful learning opportunity but so important to wellbeing.
We held a zoom session with the junior school so that all children could see the chicks. Following careful safety guidelines, we were able to move the chicks to a central area, where children could visit them and see them at first hand. It was so successful and we plan to have chicks in each of the schools next year. Enjoy the time-lapse video below of Year 2 chicks hatching.
Safeguarding and parking
Safeguarding is always a key priority and we work closely with you, the children and all members of the school community to keep everyone safe. Please do remember to park with care and consideration to everyone and kindly do not block drives or impede the free flow of traffic. As a result of parents’ poor parking last week, both Lambeth and Croydon parking wardens will be patrolling Woodend, Bradley Road and Crown Dale so do expect parking fines if you do park inconsiderately.
Please remember (or if you are a new parent at the school) that Woodend is a ‘school street’, which means that only pedestrians, bicycles and local residents are allowed to drive in between 08:00 a.m. to 09:30 a.m. and between 02:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is very clearly signposted and should be common knowledge among our community; unfortunately, once you receive a ticket from Croydon LA, we do not have any rights of appeal as a school, so the only choice you have is to pay the £65 fine before it doubles to £130 after two weeks.
As part of our safeguarding drive, we have established a link with the Metropolitan Police to support children and families affected by domestic violence. Please do read the attached letter with further details.
School telephone number, office and access into school
There is now only one school office for the whole Federation; it is the one located in Woodend. All queries should be directed to this office, where Mrs Johnson or Miss McRoberts will see you. Please do not go to the old infants office expecting to be seen as there is no one there to meet you.
Please note that until further notice, and while we complete the upgrade of the school phone system, the number to contact the school or to report absences (whether infants or juniors) is 0208 653 7195.
If your child is late, you will need to go to the junior gate on Woodend, whereupon office staff will admit you. Please do not go to the pedestrian gate on Crown Dale in Infants as the buzzer has been deactivated and the door has been disabled.
Easter Provision
This year St Joseph’s was fortunate to be able to offer an Easter programme for a number of children across the school. They were invited to attend during the second week from Monday to Thursday, from 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. We were lucky to receive some funding from DfE and Croydon LA but supplemented the additional costs.
My thanks to Mrs Odewale and her team for arranging and running the Easter provision and to Mr Navarro for organising and liaising with the local authority. By all accounts, the children thoroughly enjoyed the sessions. My thanks to Mrs Mangan for giving up her holiday to run the sporting activities each day. Children engaged in sports, art and design activities and prepared healthy meals. Please do take the time to look at some of the photos attached to the newsletter.
Click here for the photos from our Easter provision
Final thoughts
Many of you will have already met Mr Defty, our new Assistant Head who has joined us this term. He will be working across the school and I am sure you will quickly get to know him.
I know this is a long newsletter, but I have so much to share with you. We have come through two lockdowns successfully by working together. Whilst we still need to be cautious and follow all safety guidelines, it is wonderful that we have all the children back in school and they are without a doubt, settled, happy and learning.
I look forward to seeing you over the week and to our continued success!
Mrs L Fernandes
Headteacher
