Wednesday 20 July 2011

Wednesday 20th July, 2011

Dear Parents and Carers,

An Amazing Year!

Welcome to the last newsletter of this school year. A paper copy is being sent home to all families this week. The children have had a great year of learning and are making better progress than ever before.

Many of our key stage results this year are well above national averages in almost all areas and are improving in all subjects. We are doing especially well in reading and writing, although maths is improving too across the school!

Here are some highlights -

Foundation Stage Outcomes

The children have done brilliantly this year in reading and writing, with our children doing better than ever! The children have a great foundation for learning in Year 1. Children have made good progress in all areas of the curriculum and are happy and confident individuals.

End of Key Stage Results – Key Stage 1 (level 2b is national expectation)

An amazing 47% of children attained well above average at Level 3 in reading compared to 26% nationally.
80% of children attained L2b+ in writing, compared with 60% nationally.
80% of children attained L2b+ in Maths, compared to 72% nationally.

End of Key Stage Test Results – Key Stage 2 (Level 4 is national expectation)

94% of children attained Level 4 in English overall. This compares to 84% nationally.
An amazing 97% of children attained Level 4 in writing. This compares to 70% nationally.

Attendance

This has continued to improve over the last 3 years and is now almost 95% overall.

Well done to the following children who have achieved 100% attendance this year - Evie Attwood, Jane Campos, Thomas Coombs, Rungkan Downes, Kelsey Ford, Ceris Lee, Samuel Masenyama, Ty Mitchell, Lea Scott, George Stenner, Aaron Tarr, Jerrin Thomas, Jordan Toy, Eoan Tuohy, Benjamin Underhill, David Wabissa and Vanessa Wabissa

Sing Up – Platinum Award

I am sure that you will be delighted to know that we have achieved the SingUp Platinum Award. We are only the second school in Bristol to have achieved this, and the only school in both Bristol and the wider area to have achieved the entire Awards journey from having no awards, through to achieving Silver, Gold and now Platinum! As a Platinum school we will now be working towards having an outwards focus to our singing, and will be helping other schools along their singing journey.

This is a huge achievement for our school and really emphasises the quality of the education that pupils receive at St Joseph’s. Well done to Mrs Marsh for leading us to this success and the whole school community for their enthusiasm and commitment.

A message from Maureen Tuohy (Foundation Governor)

As we come to the end of another school year I would like to say once again how proud I am to be a part of the St Joseph’s school community. I have attended lots of meetings, masses and assemblies this year, not to mention the sports day, summer fair and the fabulous year 6 leavers production of Oliver! I have also had the great privilege of visiting St Joseph’s during the school day, talking to children, looking at their work and being shown around by learning detectives. What I have found, as a result of all my contacts with St Joseph’s this year, is a lively, caring and happy community in which children are progressing in their learning.

This is reflected in the results of the questionnaire which was sent out last term. I plan to give detailed results in September but would like to share with you that the vast majority of parents (91%) who returned their questionnaire placed their responses in either the agree or strongly agree options. Comments included “A warm, welcoming school…”, “St Joseph’s is a very encouraging school.” and my personal favourite “ A good start in life to children to show that we can all live and work together even though we are different, because we respect one another’s differences.” Thank you to all of you who responded!

I look forward to working with the school again in September and can’t wait to see what the children will achieve next year! Have a great summer break!

Maureen Tuohy (Foundation Governor)

School Dinners

I am pleased to be able to inform you that the price of school meals will remain at £2.20 for the next academic year.

With the success of school dinner packed lunch, this will be continued until the end of term 1 when the menu will change.

After School Activities

After school activities will commence the week beginning 19th September. Letters will be distributed in the first week of term.

Goodbyes

We are very sad to be saying goodbye to Eva Gossan, who has been appointed business manager at Abbeywood Community School. We wish Eva all the best in her new role.

Also Miss Wright will be leaving the school this week. She has been a great Year 1 teacher and will be missed by us all. We wish her all the best in her future career.

Thank You

I would like to thank all children, parents, staff and governors for all your hard work and support. We look forward to making 2011-2012 an even better year of learning.

Leaver’s Mass is tomorrow at 2pm in the Church. The first two days of term (September 1st and 2nd) are staff training days. School will reopen on Monday 5th September.

Have a safe and happy holiday


Matt Condon
Headteacher.


Thursday 14 July 2011

Thursday 14th July 2011

Dear Parent/Carers,

A REMINDER THAT WE ARE CLOSED TOMORROW, FOR A STAFF TRAINING DAY

Year 6 leavers Lunch
The year 6 leaver’s lunch will take place on Thursday 21st July. The cost is £2.20 and the menu the children have chosen is hot dog and chips and chocolate crunch and ice cream.

Year 6 Leaver’s Mass

Year 6 Leaver’s Mass is now on Thursday 21st July at 2.00pm in the Church.

Camp Video

If you would like a camp video, could you please send £5.00 into the school office with your child’s name. Mr Conlon will then provide you with a copy. All proceeds will go to the PTFA.

Briarwood Special School

After some deliberations, the school choir WILL be going to Briarwood Special School to sing at their music festival on Wednesday 20th July. They need to be in school uniform and will need to bring a packed lunch. We will leave St Joseph’s at 12.00 and return before the school day ends.

Keyboard Reminder

Keyboard lessons will be on Tuesday 19th July and Friday 22nd July, for the children who play keyboard. Also there are more timetable alterations and children have been give a second slip with revised times. Sorry about the inconvenience. (Mrs Marsh)

PTFA Cake Sale

The PTFA are organising a cake sale on Wednesday 20th July, at 3.30pm and would greatly appreciate any donations. Please bring any cakes to the school office on Tuesday 19th July.

Parent Visits

We would like to invite all parents into their child’s class, so that children can share their learning and work. Dates for these will be Tuesday 19th July at 2.45pm for Mrs Joseph’s class and Wednesday 20th July at 9.10am for Mr Conlon’s Class.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 11th July, at 9.15am, where the following children will receive their headteacher’s award:
Jerrin Thomas, Josh Bristow, Shaan Singh, Airam Pamintuan, Izzy Poole, Matthew Bristow, Loredana Parrinello, Clement Harvey, Anique Sergeant, Alvin George, Muhammad Baig, Sam Iles, Samuel Toye and Anisa Rasul.

Dates for Diaries

Friday 15th July - INSET Day - school closed
Tuesday 19th July - Parents meetings (by request – see reports)
Tuesday 19th July - Year 4/5J topic presentation (parents invited)
Wednesday 20th July - Year 4C Topic presentation (parents invited)
Wednesday 20th July - PTFA cake sale
Thursday 21st July - Y6 Leaver’s Lunch
Thursday 21st July - Leaver’s Mass
Friday 22nd July - End of Year Mass
Friday 22nd July - End of the school year
Thursday 1st September - INSET Day – school closed
Friday 2nd September - INSET Day – school closed


Best wishes



Matt Condon
Headteacher

Sunday 10 July 2011

Friday 8th June 2011

Dear Parent/Carers,

School Reports

Reports will be sent out to parents next week. Earlier this year the governors consulted with a group of parents on how to give parents better information about learning and progress. The reports have been redesigned and we hope give parents and carers much clearer information about their child. We would appreciate any feedback about the content and format of these new reports.

School Uniform Ordering

There appears to have been a few problems accessing the website for online ordering. Please enter the following link to be taken direct to the schools page
http://www.your-schooluniform.co.uk/schools/StJosephsRCPrimaryBS163QR/
If you ordered by cheque to the previous company on or after the 7th June, we have been told by the administrators that the cheque will not have been cashed.

Dean Field Study Centre

The next instalment of £25 for the Dean Field trip is now due. If you are paying by cheque please make it payable to Bristol City Council.

Gardening Club

The gardening club will now be holding their plant sale and cream teas next Tuesday 12th July at 3pm in the garden area. Please come along and enjoy a relaxing cream tea and purchase some beautiful plants that the children have grown.

The Vassall Centre

The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue Fishponds will be having an Open Day on Thursday 28th July – 10am-3pm, where everyone is welcome. There will be stalls, refreshments, displays, meet a Dalek and children’s activities. This is funded by the Greater Fishponds Neighbourhood Partnerships.


Year 6 leaver's Lunch

The year 6 leaver’s lunch will take place on Thursday 21st July. The cost is £2.20 and the menu the children have chosen is hot dog and chips and chocolate crunch and ice cream

Parent Visits

We would like to invite all parents into their child’s class, so that children can share their learning and work. Dates for these will be in dates for diaries below. Dates for Mrs Patton’s and Mrs Mantle’s classes will be shared next week.

Thanks to the many parents who visited the reception class today.

PTFA Cake Sale

The PTFA are organising a cake sale on Wednesday 20th July, at 3.30pm and would greatly appreciate any donations.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 11th July, at 9.15am, where the following children will receive their headteacher’s award:
Maya Buckler, Natalia Warmuz, Jennifer Eubebeagu, Daniel Edwards, Chelcia Velmurgan, Julia Dombek, Samantha Masenyama, Stephanie Williams, Jerrin Thomas, Nadia Naibet, Lewis Hodder, Rebecca Davies, Sandra Paslawska, Issy Woodruff, Micah Gayle and Vanessa Wabissa

Dates for Diaries

Tuesday 12th July - Year 6 Performance
Tuesday 12th July - Gardening Club sale
Wednesday 13th July - Year 6 Performance
Thursday 14th July (2.30pm) - Parents invited into Year 6
Thursday 14th July (3pm) - Parents invited into Year 1 and 2
Friday 15th July - INSET Day - school closed
Tuesday 19th July - Parents meetings (by request – see reports)
Wednesday 20th July - Year 4C Topic presentation (parents invited)
Wednesday 20th July - PTFA cake sale
Thursday 21st July - Year 6 leaver’s lunch
Friday 22nd July - End of Year Mass
Friday 22nd July - End of the school year
Thursday 1st September - INSET Day – school closed
Friday 2nd September - INSET Day – school closed


Best wishes


Matt Condon
Headteacher