Dear Parents/Carers, This week we have shown what a great community we are and really lived out our Mission ‘Together…
9th September 2022
Dear Parents & Carers
Today is a sad moment in history as we pray for the Queen. May her soul rest in peace. We remember in our prayers, her family, those close to her and everyone mourning her passing.
We held a special Assembly with the children offering up prayers for the Queen, her family and celebrating her life. The children were very reflective and showed great empathy and understanding that whilst she was our Queen, she was also a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother who will be mourned by her family.
We will be opening up a book of Condolences in School and children will have the opportunity to write sympathy messages and prayers. We would like to offer you a chance to add your messages. After the official period of mourning ends, we will arrange for the book to be sent to the Palace.
God of love and mercy,
embrace all those
whose hearts today
overflow with grief,
unanswered questions
and such a sense of loss.
Grant them space
to express their tears.
Hold them close
through the coming days.
It has been a pleasure welcoming you back to the start of the new academic year and seeing the children eager to return. A warm welcome to all our new families across the school. I look forward to getting to know you and seeing your child thrive at St Joseph’s School.
We are a wonderful inclusive diverse community and are always receptive to new ideas. The PTA are active and would love to have you join them, so please do get to know them, they can be contacted on the following email address, [email protected]
Thank you to Mrs Odewale for organising the coffee morning for our new Nursery parents. I hope you enjoyed the opportunity to get together and get to know each other. We will be holding another coffee morning on Wednesday, 14th September at 9.00 a.m. in the Infant hall for Reception and other new parents. I do hope you will be able to join us.
Parental Engagement
We are delighted that Mrs Odewale has been appointed as our Parent and Community Lead to promote parental engagement and links to the wider community. She has organised Coffee mornings where you will be able to engage in fun activities related to a specific theme. These will be held in our Library/Garden Hall from 9.00 a.m. to 10.30. All parents and carers are warmly invited to attend and do feel free to bring along a friend. The dates/themes are as follows\;
20.09.22 – Coffee & Calculation (supporting your child with Maths)
04.10.22 – Reading for pleasure
18.10.22 – Meet the PTA & Governors
Please do come along. We’d love to hear your ideas on how we can further develop parental engagement and topics you would like to see covered in the future.
School Day
Please remember that school now starts at 8.45 a.m. for children in Reception to Year 6 and 9.00 a.m. for Nursery. Children arriving after this time will be marked as late. Gates will be open from 8.40 a.m. and children should go straight into class.
End of school times are as follows:
Infants and Nursery 3.10 p.m. Juniors: 3.15 p.m.
Please could infant parents not wait outside the classroom until 3.10 p.m. as arriving early does distract children in class. Many thanks for your cooperation.
The children have made an excellent start to the term and I am sure will excel with their learning if they continue to be punctual, maintain excellent attendance and enthusiastically engage with their learning. They are a credit to you and thank you for supporting them over the summer break by reading regularly and keeping their writing and maths skills sharp. It has positively impacted on their learning and given them an excellent start to the term.
Curriculum information and Class newsletters
These have been uploaded onto our school website Home – St. Joseph’s Federation (stjosephsfederation.co.uk) and can additionally be found on your child’s Google classroom. Do make time to read the information about this term.
PE Days
Your child should come into school on PE days in their PE kit. If they have an afterschool sports club, please ensure they wear their PE Kit.
PE days are as follows:
Tuesday: Years 1, 2, 4 and 5
Wednesday: Reception and year 6
Friday: Year 3
On occasion, some classes may have additional sports sessions. In this event, Class teachers will notify the children in advance and post a message on Google Classroom.
Clubs
Bookings for children in Years 1-6 will be open on Monday, 12th September, with clubs starting on Monday, 19th September 2022. Places should be booked via the School App (Weduc) and paid for on Parent Pay. If payment is not made by the start of the club, your child will be placed on a waiting list. Reception children will have the opportunity to sign up to clubs after the October half term.
School Admissions
Secondary School applications
There will be a meeting for Y6 on Friday, 16th September 2022 at 8.00 a.m. & 2.00 p.m. both will be held in the Junior Hall regarding applying to Secondary Schools. The deadline to submit secondary applications is the 31st October 2022.
Year 2 pupils will need to apply to the school for a place in Year 3 and the deadline for applications is 15th January 2023
Applications for Reception will need to be submitted by the 15th January 2022.
I look forward to welcoming our new Reception children on Monday and to seeing you all over the week
Mrs L Fernandes
Headteacher
