28 January 2022

I thought I’d begin my newsletter this week with an inspiring quote from one of our year 5 pupils

“You have to be brave and strong”

Miku (Year 5)

Our assembly was about the Holocaust and the importance of remembering the many important events in history. It led to a discussion about how our individual contributions can make a difference to the world and the fact that it takes courage to speak out against injustice. Children made excellent comments.

‘’Hitler and WW2 made me feel that no matter who I come across, I should take care of them as I take care of everyone. In our world, we are inspired to not be like him, and to realise that not everyone realised he was a bad person. We need to do our best to change”– Pedro

“The Holocaust makes me sad because over 17 million people were killed because of a selfish person with bad intentions and power. That also makes me worried because something in life like this can happen any time.” – Maggie

You can watch highlights of the assembly, exclusively, on the St Joseph’s App; under Newsfeed. 

 

Wellbeing week – 7th to 10th February

This has always been a very successful focused week and we are looking forward to inviting you to join your child for some sessions. Events include:

  • early morning exercise sessions (at 8:45 a.m.)
  • time to read and have breakfast with your child, art activities, Tai-Chi/QiGong and a photography project linked to hairstyles

We are really excited about this project, which will involve Mrs Oliver taking photographs of hairstyles as a way to celebrate individuality, culture and heritage. You will have the opportunity to have a photograph taken of you and your child/children for an art display in school. A letter and timetable of events will be sent out early next week.

 

Free-School-Meal (FSM) eligibility

Would you say no to getting more funding from the Government to improve your child’s education?

If your child is entitled to benefits-related Free School Meals (FSM), not only can we as a school get extra funding to support your child, you will also get supermarket vouchers during half terms and holidays, free holiday camps, free uniform (subject to certain conditions), discounted school trips and free rental of devices for remote learning (and a limited amount of free data).

Click here for Mrs Gallagher’s letter 

 

Music lessons

Mrs Chamberlain-Kent is pleased to be able to offer music tuition for a violin or cello. If you are interested please click on the letter below and return it as soon as possible.

Letter regarding violin and cello lessons

 

Parent / teacher contact meetings

These will be held on Tuesday, 22nd and Thursday 24th February 2022. Booking will be via the St Joseph’s App only. They will be face to face and give you an opportunity to look at your child’s books.

 

Celebrating children’s work

Thank you for the many positive comments about children’s work/comments in the newsletter and our weekly photo montage created by Mr Defty. We have some great quotes this week about work covered in Geography lessons in year 5. Children worked in groups and compared living in both rural and urban areas. They watched an interview of a family living in Brazil.

Kieran, Kyla, Samuel, Amber-Rose & Holly – Y5
‘Today we looked at urbanisation, it is when people from a rural part of the country move to the urban part which has lots of amenities. These are in the urban part where there are lots of buildings and big population. We went into two teams and one of the teams had to persuade people to stay in rural areas and the other team had to persuade people to go to the urban book. This is linked to our topic on Brazil. We looked at a family living in the rural areas and had the chance to move to an urban area

Stay – Reasons to stay
• Sometimes cities have more crime and it’s safer in the rural areas
• It will take more money to move to the city because it’s more expensive to live there
• You have less time in the city because everyone is busy

Leave
• It’s fun and a new experience for the family to live in a city
• She should leave for a better life and more things to do in the city
• Her new home will have running water and electricity
• She has family in the city
• There are more chances to go to school and have a good education
• In the rural areas there’s little health care and more hospitals in the city

 

Catering Survey

Please click on the link below to complete an anonymous survey regarding our school catering. For the past two terms, we have been trying several new things on the menu, including having more non-meat or vegetarian options as well as having alternatives to jacket potato such as wraps.

We would like to find out how you and your children are finding this, as well as the pre-order system and generally, what you think of the overall provision.

Catering Survey (January 2022)

Feedback will be incorporated into the Summer Menu 2022.

 

Giving back to the wider community

Remember that Mrs Luri, Mrs Mangan and Mrs Phillips will be taking part in the London Winter Walk to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. The walk will take place on Saturday 29th January 2022. The walk is a Half-Marathon (13 miles or 21km) beginning at the Oval. The route will take them eastwards through the streets of London over Tower Bridge and to the halfway point in Southwark Park, then back along the Thames to finish back at the Oval. Please see the links below if you would like to sponsor the ladies.

Mrs Phillips’s justgiving page
Ms Luri’s justgiving page
Mrs Mangan’s justgiving page

 

Have a safe and happy week and I look forward to seeing you around the school.

Pictures and Media this week are also available on the St Joseph’s App; please check under Newsfeed.

This week’s school photo montage

Reception class’ Ocean / Anti-Plastic Pollution march

 

Mrs L Fernandes
Headteacher

 

Future dates for your diary

  • 02.02.22 – Quiz competition (St Aidan’s School)
  • 07.02.22 to 10.02.22 – Wellbeing week
  • 11.02.22 – Inset day : the school will be closed for pupils
  • 28.02.22 – 04.03.22 – Book week