Dear Parents/Carers, It was wonderful to welcome you and the children back to school this week. The children settled back…
26 February 2021
Welcome back to the second half of the Spring term and to the wonderful news that we will be able to welcome back all our pupils on the 8th March 2021.
I am so proud of the way we have worked together as a strong community through the lockdown. Remote learning has been a great success and whilst it has been wonderful seeing children on zoom sessions, nothing is as good as having all the children back in school.
You should be very proud of the amazing job you have done, supporting your child with remote learning. Without a doubt you all deserve a merit award for effort and attainment.
I hope the children are excited about returning and getting back to normal. Staff have begun to prepare an exciting curriculum incorporating wellbeing.
Every class will focus on the following, ‘Book of Hopes’ and ‘The Boy, the Fox, the Mole and the Horse’. Children will engage in writing around the theme of hope, incorporating activities related to wellbeing. They will have the opportunity to talk about their emotions and experiences and be encouraged to express their ideas through art. Outdoor learning will play a major part in our curriculum and children will be involved in gardening and a school project around developing our school environment.
I will write to you early next week with further details about the return to school and the possibility of wrap around care. Drop off and pick up times will be staggered to avoid too many people on the premises at one time and adults are requested to wear a face mask on the premises.
I am sure all the children will have gone through a growth spurt, so do take this time to check that their uniform fits and they have full school uniform in time for their return. We still have some second hand uniform left, do contact the school office if you need some items. Please remember that children should wear the Burgundy school coat.
Time to write
Thank you for supporting your child with their writing. I have seen some excellent work and children have positively engaged, rising to the challenge. Please encourage your child to complete this week’s task to the best of their ability. Remember to read through their work and add a positive comment with the next step for your child to work on.
Book week
Monday, 1st March is the start of book week, with world book day on Thursday, 4th March. Please encourage your child to dress up as a book character and attend the class zoom session. Do take photographs and email them to your class teacher or to me on [email protected] and I will feature them in next week’s newsletter.
Please see the attached letter from Mrs Tope with activities for book week. Staff will be reading a range of stories on zoom, details will be uploaded onto Google Classroom.
Book week will be different this year, but we would like it to be engaging and a chance to share new and favourite books with your child.
Click here for Mrs Tope’s letter
Remote learning
Thank you for the many positive comments and suggestions regarding remote learning.
Click here for this week’s examples of remote learning
We are delighted with the progress the school has made since March 2020 and children have been able to access live teaching sessions. We are pleased that we have been able to meet the needs of our school community and provide devices for those requiring support. I would appreciate it if you could complete a questionnaire relating to remote learning.
Click here to complete the questionnaire
St Joseph’s new library
A good school library is an important part of a school community and one of our dreams is to develop a library to nurture a love for reading and books. I am delighted to say that our dream is becoming a reality and thanks to Mr McEvoy’s hard work we have begun the first stages of turning the Garden Hall into a library. He has already crafted rows of shelves with a magical arch leading into a reading area. The next stage will be to decorate and purchase new furnishings.
Without a doubt, the most important part of the library is the books which we hope will draw children into a world of adventure and exploration.
This is where we desperately need your help, with buying new books for the library. It would be much appreciated if you could buy a book (or books) from the list below and donate it to the library. We are happy for you to buy the book and bring it in when your child returns to school.
Click here for a suggested list from Croydon LA
Click here for a suggested list from the Literacy Trust
Moving forward we will be launching a fundraising drive through parentpay where you can donate money. In appreciation, we will put your family’s name on display in the library. Information will be shared with you when we are all back to school. In the interim, your donation of a book will be greatly appreciated.
We will be involving the children when they return, as pupil voice is so important. Our aim is to raise over £5,000 to equip our library and develop reading areas around the school. How wonderful would it be to have your name on a Founders plaque as a result of your donation?
This is an exciting stage of our school’s development and our library project is just the start of a bright future.
“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better.”
Sidney Sheldon
PTA
Our PTA continue to work in the background, organising distribution of second hand uniform and maintaining contact with our school community via their Whatsapp group. The PTA have arranged for a local estate agent to donate £15 for every board displayed outside a home. The boards advertise school events and promote the school in the wider community. It can generate a big income if lots of you sign up, so please click on the link below to register your interest.
Consent form for real estate boards and to be contacted by the PTA
Upcoming PTA Events (please check the school calendar regularly for updates):
- AGM – March
- Virtual quiz evening – April
- Summer year group picnics
- Fundraising events to develop a Music & purchase of instruments
Thank you for your messages of support and good wishes over this term. It seems like it’s been a long time since we’ve been together as a school community, but not long to go until we are back together.
I would like to welcome Mr Lewis Johnson who will be working with us for the rest of this academic year. Mr Johnson is an academic tutor and will be supporting children in groups and on an individual basis.
Keep safe and do contact me if you need any support at any time [email protected].
Mrs L Fernandes
Headteacher
Merit awards for the week
- Nursery – Dalisabel & Pablo
- Reception – Bonnie, Leo, Claribel & Oscar
- Year 1 – Aniah, Rafaella, Sienna Mone & Zachary
- Year 2 – Muna, Laila-Rae, Kailem & Zack
- Year 3 – Isabelle, Paul, Preston, Michael, Ouley & Zara
- Year 4 – Harrison, Shane, Martin & Miku
- Year 5 – Alexis, Simao, Riyah & Samuel
- Year 6 – Eden, Joshua, Mariana & Henri
- Star classes of the week – RH & 3LJ
Star writers of the week
- Betty (Nursery)
- Sophia (H)
- Teniola (P)
- Finin (1E)
- Sidona (1E)
- Sophia (1S)
- Roberto (1S)
- Sienna (2J)
- China (2J)
- Erin (2O)
- Jake (2O)
- Cara (3LJ)
- Kahish (3SP)
- Victoria (4U)
- Nathaniel (4U)
- Kyla (4DM)
- Hiyabel (4DM)
- Frank (5B)
- Jeremy (5C)
- Misha (5C)
- Frank (6P)
- Jasmyn (6W)
- Tobias (6W)
