10th March 2023

Dear Parents and Friends

We seem to have experienced all the seasons in the past three weeks, but hopefully we can look forward to some warmer weather. In the meantime, please ensure your child wears their school coat and full uniform and keeps warm.

It’s been a busy week and all classes have visited West Norwood Library to enjoy access to a range of texts and workshops with the Librarians. It was fabulous to our children so enthusiastic about reading and wanting to revisit the Library. So please do make an effort to take your child to your local Library as often as you can. Libraries are open during the week and on a Saturday and often run workshops and parent/child sessions.

Click on the following link to take you to a website offering useful ideas to support reading for pleasure, together with suggested texts. Recommended children’s book lists – sorted by age or topic

St Joseph’s Mass – Monday 20th March 2023 at 1.30pm

Our school’s feast day falls on a Sunday this year, so we will be celebrating it on Monday, 20th March with a Mass at Virgo Fidelis Church. You are more than welcome to attend and we will be delighted to have you join us. Do please let your child’s class teacher know if you are free to walk up to Church with your child’s class.

News to celebrate

I am delighted to announce that St Joseph’s has qualified for the General Knowledge Quiz to be held on the 3^rd July at Oxford University. My thanks to Ms Allery for working with the children and especially to our amazing team: Foma, Diego, Gabriel and Hiyabel. What a brilliant achievement, we can’t wait to see you in the finals in July.

Teaching and Learning Review

Mr Cook visited the school on Tuesday to carry out a learning review with SLT. We observed in classes, looked at books and spoke to children about their learning. The children were very articulate and clear about the fact that they felt safe and happy to learn, stating that all staff encourage them to do their best and have high expectations. They were confident to talk through work in their books and explain how they could further improve. Mr Cook was complimentary about the teaching and learning in the school and we discussed ways to further improve to help children become even more independent.

My thanks to the staff and children for welcoming Mr Cook and demonstrating all the positive elements of St Joseph’s School. He felt that our school values of respect, kindness and self-belief came through strongly as seen through the positive relationships between staff and pupils. Well done everyone for showcasing the strengths of our school.

Class Assemblies

Primary Careers focus started this week and will continue until the 17^th March 2023. Class 2O and 1S led an assembly on Thursday sharing information about a variety of careers and their hopes for the future. This was followed by Year 4’s assembly on Friday on the same topic. Both assemblies were well attended and it was great to hear about our children’s future hopes and dreams. I have every confidence that they will be successful. Well done children!

The Passage – charity

‘Our vision is of a society where street homelessness no longer exists, and everyone has a place to call home.’

On Monday, Mal from the charity ‘Passage’ spoke to the children about his work with helping the homeless. We will be working with this charity to raise funds to support the homeless. Do click on the link for further information Our Vision, Mission and Values

Parent/child toddler group

I am delighted to announce that our parent/baby/toddler group started on Tuesday. My thanks to our parent champions for their hard work and I look forward to seeing the numbers increase. It’s a great support network for parents with young children and a way to build new friendships.

Parent/Teacher contact meetings

Nursery – Year 5 – Tuesday, 14^th March 3.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. and Thursday, 23^rd March, 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Please make an appointment to see your child’s teacher if you haven’t done so already.

STEM activities at the Cedars School

Some of our year 5 pupils attended Maths workshops at the Cedars, on a Saturday over five weeks.

They engaged in problem solving activities, working with other children from local primary schools. They enjoyed the sessions and being challenged. Do read some of their comments.

“On Saturday I finished taking part in a 5-week STEM course at Cedars that I was nominated for by St Joseph’s. I met lots of new children and the teachers were nice.

I learnt what a parabola is, we made a parachute and made a bridge out of straws to see how much weight it could hold.

Luca 5S

Portuguese Sessions

We are working with the Institute of Camoes, the who are linked to the Portuguese Embassy and responsible for the teaching and promotion of Portuguese in the UK.

In our school, Portuguese is taught across KS1 but the Institute offers sessions after school. If you would like your child to join for the school year 2023-2024 please click on the following link for further information.

https://www.e-portugues.co.uk/cursos/#

Click on this link to enrol

Industrial action days – Wednesday, 15^th and Thursday, 16^th March

School will be closed on the above days due to strike action. I appreciate it may cause you some inconvenience, but I know you will understand that staff have not taken this action lightly.

Should the situation change I will contact you before Wednesday.

You may also contact the teacher, Ms Rodrigues: [email protected]

RE Newsletter

‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40

This week’s question to discuss with your child is;

Mass Readings for Sunday

Sunday Mass Readings for March 12th 2023, Third Sunday of Lent, Year A
1st Reading	Exodus 17:3-7
Responsorial Psalm	Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
2nd Reading	Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
Gospel	John 4:5-42

If you click on the following link you can download an activity sheet for your child

Activity Sheet for 3rd Sunday of Lent

Celebrating achievement and hard work Headteacher’s and Attendance Award

Merit Certificates:

At St Joseph’s we aim for at least 97% attendance.

Year group	Merit Certificates	Overall Class Attendance
Nursery	Sapphire and Manuella	89%
RH	Avon and Harper	97%
RP	Lukas and Rebecca	88%
1E	Marianna and Faith	87%
1S and 2O	The whole Cleverclogs class for an amazing assembly on Careers	98%
		94%
2J	Ana and El Shaddai	96%
3S	Sienna Mae and Milena	95%
3T	Gracia and Lemuel	96%
4J	Gianluca and Veronika	93%
4O	Doretta and Sienna A	98%
5S	Bailey and Sophia D	98%
5E	Josiah and Gabriel	97%
6P	Yusef and Nnamdi	96%
6H	Joshua W and Javier	96%