22 October 2021

Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day.

We have made it through to the end of the first half of the Autumn term, and the children have been fantastic, settling into routines and making good progress with their learning.

Thank you for attending the parent/teacher contact evening this week and I am delighted you had the opportunity to look through work and discuss your child’s progress and targets with staff.

It has been a busy term and I would like to thank staff, Governors and all of you for working hard to achieve positive outcomes for the children. ‘Together We Can’ continues to be our drive; we can always improve, but working together for the good of the whole school community and not personal gain, guarantees success.

We continue to reflect on our practice as a way to improve and your suggestions are always welcome. There are many highlights this term and the following are just a few to be proud of:

Children returned on the 6th September to normal routines and collective learning
Collective worship – weekly assemblies and hymn practice
School Mass to celebrate children making their First Holy Communion
Class assemblies – attended by parents (year 6) next term will be other year groups
Our heritage celebrations – including our shared meal and world costume day
‘Show Racism the Red Card’ day
School trips re-commencing
Sports events – Tag rugby competition, swimming recommencing, cricket coaching
Increased PE opportunities for all pupils with staff delivering coaching linked to recent professional development
Mrs Mangan completed her second London Marathon in as many years
All pupils running a mini-marathon in school
McMillan Coffee morning – raised over £500
Harvest collections – donations shared with Brixton and Norwood food bank
Clubs resume – lunchtime and after school
Pupil Leaders elected
Links with Cedars and The Laurels schools, including for our first Fireworks event
Audiences with authors (in-person and virtual)
Visitors coming into school to speak to the children about career pathways
The launch of our newly refurbished music room – complete with a working organ
Class music lessons resume together with individual music tuition
Children start to use our new Library
Plans for a new Forest school in the juniors. Work to clear the area has already started
Pathways repaired in the infant school
Launch of our 150th Anniversary celebrations – Tea party for former staff members
School marketed in the wider community through the use of our website, banners, leaflets and through social media
Open days well-attended both on Wednesday mornings and on Saturdays until December.
Parent/teacher contact meetings
Pandemic Steel Pans club joins the school community to host their club
Supermarket vouchers issued to FSM-families for the October half-term

Show Racism the ‘Red Card’

Children across the school today wore red to show their commitment to fighting racism.

Well done everyone; your comments and questions really show a great understanding of why we all need to show racism the ‘red card’.

Please see Mr Abrahams’ letter

Parent questionnaire

Thank you to those of you who have already completed our parent questionnaire about how you can help support the school.

Please click on the following link to complete the survey

I know we have a wealth of skills and experience in our school community and I look forward to tapping into your expertise to benefit all children.

Chromebooks at a discounted rate (Final opportunity)

Should you wish to purchase a Lenovo Chromebook 300e at a reduced price of £179.99 (normally £269.99) please do so by going to your parentpay account. The offer ends on the 29th October 2021 and this will be the last time we will offer this.

We will collect all the payments and place the order with LGFL the week beginning 1 November 2021 which means the chromebooks should arrive the following week.

Supermarket vouchers for FSM-eligible pupils

We have again received funding to provide supermarket vouchers for FSM-eligible pupils, this time for the October half-term, so please do check your emails as these were issued today.

Please do email me if you have any concerns on [email protected]

Christmas holiday club

We will be running our holiday provision over the Christmas holidays, between 20 – 23 December 2021, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children will be provided with a healthy and nutritious lunch. Activities will include arts & crafts as well as a trip to the pantomime.

If you do sign up for sessions, you will need to be on time and commit to attending. FSM-eligible pupils can attend for free; fee-paying places are £20 per day.

Our summer club was a big success but unfortunately, some children did not attend regularly even though places were booked. It meant that we had to turn down other children who would have loved to attend. So please do attend if you book.

Click here to register for a place

School lunch pre-orders

I’m pleased to say that the Relish Pre-Order service is now available. You will be able to choose meals, together with your child, prior to them coming into school, for up to a term in advance. Why not make it an activity you do with your child – perhaps choosing meals which are more sustainable or environmentally friendly?

Relish Pre-Order

You will be able to view the menus for the whole term, the recipes for the dishes as well as the ingredients, improving allergy management. This will also speed up registration in the morning if you pre-order your child’s meals.

Click here for a user guide to Relish Pre-order
Click here for a YouTube video showing how Relish Pre-order works

Wildcats – Girls’ football

Mr Navarro has arranged for Palace for Life Foundation, Crystal Palace F.C.’s charity, to host a girls-only, after-school football club, Wildcats at St Joseph’s.

The club will be held from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on school grounds on either a Monday or Wednesday, be taught by coaches from Palace for Life Foundation, and will cost only £1 per session.

Click here for more details

This is tremendous value for money and we are very lucky to be able to offer it. However, we do need to ensure we have sufficient pupils to make it viable. We are therefore asking you to express your interest by filling the survey below. If we get enough interest, we will be able to start in January 2022.

Click here to express your interest

Gymnastics Saturday club (Yrs 1-6)

I am delighted to inform you that Mrs Mangan has organised this club which will be run by Mr DuCase, a qualified gymnastics coach. It’s wonderful that we have been able to secure this exciting opportunity.

To secure your place, please go to your Parentpay account and pay by 29 October. We shall let you know on 1 November if we have enough numbers to launch the club. If we do not, we will of course refund all the payments.

Click here for Mrs Mangan’s letter

Free breakfast at school for all children

Through our new partnership with the National Breakfast Programme and the charity, Family Action, we can now offer free bagels and cereals to all children, from 08:30 a.m. in both the Infants and Juniors halls. Children can come with their parents, have breakfast and read a book together, before going to class. Thank you to Mr Navarro for arranging this.

It is a great opportunity to spend time reading together and will ensure that none of our pupils starts the school day hungry. This will start on Tuesday, 2nd November 2021.

Half-term homework

Remember to have lots of fun and read as many times in the day as possible.

Minimise the time spent online and on devices and please do monitor your child if they do go online.

Nasal flu vaccination form

Please do read the following information on the Nasal Flu vaccine. I have included it in every newsletter for the past four weeks as it is vital that you read it to be fully informed.

Any questions please do email me on [email protected]

The nasal flu vaccine will be offered to all school-aged children and will be delivered in school on the 8th of November. It will be administered by NHS nurses in school but only if you have consented to it.

It is important to be fully informed before making your decision.

Class assemblies

6P’s assembly was wonderful today and they delivered a very powerful message about self-pride and celebrating everyone as individuals.

They shared some amazing poetry entitled ‘I am me’ they celebrated their strengths loves and dreams.

Thank you 6P you’re fabulous young people with a great future.

Secondary school open days

The Laurels will be holding an open morning tour on Tuesday, 16th November 2021. We have been very fortunate this term to have had the support of the Laurels’ sixth form students working with our students, so if you are interested in a girls school for your child, please click on the link below.

Laurels School

Fireworks night – Wednesday, 3rd November 2021

Do you have a good reason for not being at our fireworks event?

Tickets sales close on 28 October 2021. Tickets will not be sold at the gate

Prices are as follows:
£6.00 per adult (16 years and above) ; £4.00 per child (aged 3 -15 years). All children must be supervised by an adult who also has a ticket. Please do not leave your children at the gate and expect staff and/or volunteers to supervise them during the evening – we expect over 1,000 people at St Joseph’s that evening so please be sensible.

Click here to buy your tickets

Food and refreshments will be on sale, together with an array of glow bands and other illuminated accessories. We shall have card readers on-site so you do not need to bring cash.

You are not permitted to bring your own fireworks (e.g. sparklers). Alcohol is also not permitted, under any circumstances. Similarly for cigarettes or e-cigarettes as our entire site is a smoke-free zone.

We will provide temporary toilets by the lower gates in the Infant playground (these are portaloos and will be located by the gate on Crown Dale). Other than for disabled guests, there will be no access to the school buildings or school toilets, other than into the Infant Hall, to buy food.

Marshalls will be on duty throughout the evening.

Please do email the PTA on [email protected] if you are able to help on the day; we need lots of volunteers.

If you have bought tickets, the last day to collect wristbands from the PTA will be on 1 November. Please do not ask the office for your wristbands as we do not have them.

We would also ask that you be patient if there is a queue to collect. The PTA are volunteers and we are all working together to raise money for our pupils. If you think you can improve the process, why not consider volunteering yourself?

St Joseph’s honey

We are exploring plans to put in a small number of beehives on our grounds.

We are working with the beekeeper owner of ‘Dulwich Honey’, Ms Parminter, on the ideal location and we are working through a comprehensive set of risk assessments and safety procedures.

She is a member of both the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) and the London Beekeepers Association (LBKA), is insured and will manage the hives entirely.

We will then have our own supply of ‘St Joseph’s honey’, drawn from all the wildflowers we have sown on our grounds and the surrounding area. Once the bees are settled, she will be able to give demonstrations to staff and students about bees and the honey-making process, which will be wonderful for our curriculum and outdoor learning.

Please do email me if you have any concerns on [email protected]

CALAT – Family learning

CALAT Family Learning offers popular and successful programmes of short courses, where mums, dads, grandparents and carers can enjoy learning together with their child and/or other adults in a safe and friendly environment.

Over the last half term, we were fortunate to host CALAT Family Learning who delivered a short course entitled “Small Steps into Work”. The aim of the course is to help parents to think about preparing to get a job in the future or return after a break from work or change of career direction.

Next half term CALAT will deliver a craft-based course “Making Maths Games”; the aim is to include the learners own children and encourage having fun as a family with maths.

If you are interested in enrolling on this course or would like some further information please contact Ms Pauline Barrett via email on [email protected]

Have a lovely half-term

Thank you for all your support and hard work this term, it’s been a pleasure to see the children settled and happy.

I wish you all a happy and restful half term and look forward to welcoming you back on the 1st November 2021 at 8.45 a.m.

Best wishes

Mrs Fernandes
Headteacher

Click below for this week’s pictures and for a summary of this half-term.

Autumn Term Highlights
Nursery
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6

Key dates for events are as follows

Please note that all these events are also on the school calendar on our website. Sometimes we may need to change dates but advance warning will be given.

25.10.21 – 29.10.21 – Half term week
31.10.21 – LAST DATE FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL APPLICATIONS TO THE LA (CAF FORM)
01.11.21 – 2nd Half of Autumn Term begins
03.11.21 – St Joseph’s Firework Display – 6.00 p.m. start
04.11.21 – Thursday, 3S Class Assembly – Parents welcome
11.11.21 – Thursday, Class 2O Class Assembly (Remembrance Day) – Parents welcome
12.11.21 – 3T class assembly (World Science day) – Parents welcome
18.11.21 – Thursday, Class 2J Assembly (Anti-bullying) – Parents welcome
05.11.21 – Y4, 5 and 6 Trip to the Royal Opera House (Giselle ballet)
19.11.21 – 4J class Assembly (Anti-bullying) – Parents welcome
25.11.21 – Year 1 collective assembly (Advent)
26.11.21 – 4O class Assembly (Advent)
03.12.21 – 5E class Assembly (Celebrating diversity) – Parents welcome
08.12.21 & 9.12.21 – Infant Advent Assembly (S&O J &E) – Parents welcome
10.12.21 – 5S class Assembly (Human rights – respect, freedom of speech, tolerance/understanding) – Parents welcome
14.12.21 – EYFS Advent play
15.12.21 – KS2 Advent Service – Virgo Fidelis (10.00)
16.12.21 – Christmas Lunch day