Dear Parents/Carers,

School Blog

Our School Blog is now 5 years old, so you can look back at 5 years of learning and life at St Joseph’s.

Being Safe

We have been reminding all children that it is important that they do not talk to strangers or other people they might not know well enough. We have also reminded children that if they have to wait for parents/carers to collect them, they need to wait in the school playground. If parents/carers are late then they need to come to the school office.

The children have a great knowledge of how to be safe and we are very proud of how sensible they all are.

Pupil Premium - Free School Meals

The Government is giving money to schools to help children from lower income families do their very best. This funding is called a ‘Pupil Premium’. For every child registered at St Joseph’s, the school gets £619.00 this year. This is expected to significantly increase next year.

With this money we could organise more individual tuition, increase Teaching Assistant support and improve learning opportunities in lots of other ways. If you are registered for Free School Meals you could also get support for school trips and have help with after school clubs.

If you think you might be entitled to free school meals, please contact the school office.

Attendance

Well done to Mrs Ford’s class with 97%, and Mrs Joseph, Mrs Patton and Mrs Bell’s classes with 96% attendance.

St Joseph’s Christmas Mass Times

Monday 24^th December – 6.00pm Children’s Mass

Monday 24^th December – 9.00pm Carols and Readings

Monday 24^th December – 9.45pm Christmas Mass

Monday 24^th December – 11.35pm Syro-Malabar Mass

Tuesday 25^th December – Christmas Mass
After School Clubs

After School Clubs will start the second week back (week beginning 14 January 2013):

Day	Club	For Years	Finish Time	Dates
Monday	Drama	To be confirmed	4.45pm	To be confirmed
Tuesday	Choir	3 to 6	4.30pm	15 January
Tuesday	Ultimate Frisbee	4 to 6	4.45pm	15 January to 19 March
Wednesday	Gymnastics & Dance	1 to 6	4.45pm	16 January to 20 March
Thursday	Football	1 to 3	4.45pm	17 January to 21 March

 

 

 

 

If your child would like to attend any of the After School Clubs, please contact the school office for a Parental Consent Form, which will need to be completed and return prior to the first session. Unfortunately, for safeguarding reasons, children will be unable to join without the school receiving their completed consent form (and full payment if required).

Drama Club – start date to be confirmed. Awaiting confirmation of the theme from Big Foot, watch this space!

Due to the high number of children wishing to attend Gymnastics Club, pupils on the waiting list will be given priority.

Deb Davies – School Business Manager

Date for Diaries

Friday 21^st December                     -                       End of Term 2
Monday 7^th January                        -                       Start of Term 3
Friday 25^th January                          -                       Y6P and Y6B WW2 educational visit
Friday 1^st February                           -                       INSET –  (school closed)          
Monday 4^th - 8^th February               -                       Deanfield Studies Centre visit for Year 5/6
Wednesday 20^th February              -                       Life Skills Year 6 visit

 

Can I take this opportunity to thank all of you for your help and support this year.

 We wish you all a peaceful and happy Christmas and we will see you all on Monday 7^th January.

Matt Condon

Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

Community Carols Around the Tree

You are all invited to our ‘Community Carols Around the Tree’ on Thursday 20th December 3.40-4.40pm, followed by mince pies, tea and coffee provided by the PTFA.

Nativity Play

Foundation and KS1 will be performing their Nativity Play on Monday 17th December at 2.00pm and Tuesday 18th December at 9.45am.

National Test Results

These were published yesterday for all primary schools. The results show that St. Joseph’s has performed very well in all areas - especially in ‘value added’, which shows pupil progress, where the school is in the top 15 out of 92 across the city. Well done to everybody for your on-going success.

Parking in the Local Area

Can I please ask all parents and carers to be considerate towards residents who live in the local area when they drive and park their vehicles. It can obviously be very frustrating to local residents when then are unable to access driveways or if the road is blocked by cars dropping off children. Can I also remind everybody that dropping children off in the middle of the road is also very dangerous.

Deanfield Study Centre

The next instalment of £30.00 for Deanfield is now due and the remainder (£25.00) is due on the 7^th January.

Attendance

Well done to Mrs Ford’s Class with 99% attendance last week who will get a special non uniform day as a reward. Also, well done to Miss Holman’s class with 98% attendance. Overall attendance this year has been lower than last year, so let’s look forward to even better attendance in 2013!

100% Attendance for Terms 1 and 2

A big well done to all the children who achieved 100% attendance for terms 1 and 2:-

Alexander, Benjamin, Summer, Laura, Darrell, Janice, Evie, Saul, James, Ellie, Harrison, Lachontay, Al-Janat, Catalina, Evelyn, Alana, Joshua, Kai, Oliver, Marlen, Micah, Abbey, Daniel, Alfie, Sydney-Kay, Alfie, Charlie, Amy, Dashana, Ashley, Hannah, Olivia, Madeleine, Marco, Alisha, Ceris, Oliver, Jeleil, Rosemary, Mathews, Jackson, Samuel, Isabel, Jeswin, Rian, Ty, Nadia, Emily, Adedire, Maciej, Michal, Martyna, Patrycia, Bethany, Anna, Irene, Charles, Austin, Josmi, Edwin, Godwin, Anique, Jesselyn, Joel, Zahra, Lena, Lionel, Jordan, Dean, Jake, Jaimie, Jessica, Joel, Aleena, Allen David, Vanessa, Hector, Pawel and Liam.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 17^th December at 9.10am, where the following children will receive their Headteacher’s Awards:   Olly Wiercioch-Giles, Ollie Louch, Isobel Nurse, Javier Graham, Poppy Kelliher-Swash, Talia Scott and Thomas Jaworski.

These children will receive Superstars Sports Awards:  Anna Raju, Jerin Mathew, Wiktoria Pawlaszczyk,  Reuben Reji, Ruby Walsh and Rebecca Davies.

Date for Diaries

Monday 17^th December                -                       Infant Nativity – 2.00pm

Tuesday 18^th December                 -                       Infant Nativity – 9.45am
Wednesday 19^th December          -                       Carol Service – 2.00pm
Thursday 20^th December                -                       Carols around the Tree – 3.30pm
Friday 21^st December                     -                       Christmas Mass (at 9.30am in the school hall)
Friday 21^st December                     -                       End of Term 2
Monday 7^th January                       -                       Start of Term 3
Friday 25^th January                          -                       Y6P and Y6B Swindon
Friday 1^st February                           -                       INSET – assessment (school closed)          
Monday 4^th-8^th February                 -                       Deanfield Studies Centre visit for Year 5/6 
Wednesday 20^th February              -                       Life Skills Year 6 visit

 

 

 

Best wishes,

 

 

 

Matt Condon

Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carer,

 

A reminder that the school is closed this Monday for an INSET day (maths focus).

Website and Online Newsletter

Just a reminder that the school Blog (online diary) and the weekly newsletter are available via the school website (the address is on the letterhead). If you no longer want to receive a paper copy, please let the school office know.

We also have topic plans for all classes and important school information available online. Please click on the links on the right hand side of the main school blog to find this information.

Choir Performing at Cabot Circus

The choir will be singing at Cabot Circus on Wednesday 12th December for Ronald Macdonald House. This is an independent charity which provides home from home accommodation for families of critically ill children.

Community Carols Around the Tree

You are all invited to our ‘Community Carols Around the Tree’ on Thursday 20th December 3.40-4.40pm, followed by mince pies provided by the PTFA.

Nativity Play

Foundation and KS1 will be performing their Nativity Play on Monday 17th December, at 2.00pm and Tuesday 18th December at 9.45am.

Infant Christmas Film Night

This Christmas, the PTFA are staging a special infant Christmas film night for years YR - Y2, on Tuesday December 11th, from 3.30pm - 5.30pm. It will be a U certificate Christmas film and there will be an interval half way through for drinks and snacks. Tickets will cost £2.00 and will also include a non-uniform day on the Tuesday (for infants only). Look out for the form in book bags next week.

Junior Christmas Disco

We are having a Christmas disco for years Y3-Y6 on Friday 14th December at 3.30 - 5pm.  You can pick your own playlist and there will be a tuck shop. This also includes a non-uniform day on the Friday (for juniors only). Tickets cost £3.00, so look out for the form in book bags next week.

Deanfield Study Centre

The next instalment of £30.00 for Deanfield is now due and the remainder (£25.00) is due on the 7^th January.

Attendance

Well done to Mr Conlon’s class with 98% attendance last week, and also Miss Holman’s class with 97% attendance.

Disappointingly overall attendance since September has not been as good as last year, although can I thank all the children who have 100% attendance (or nearly 100%) so far this year.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Tuesday 11^th December at 9.10am, where the following children will receive their Headteacher’s Awards:  Rochelle Christian, Will Scammell, Wiktoria Pawlaszczyk ,Pawel Wisniewski and Luke Briones.

These children will receive Superstars Sports Awards: Isobel Nurse, Allen Vincent, Melani Biju, Joshua Bristow, Sydney-Kay Haberfield, Dean Turner and Rachel Butcher 

Date for Diaries

Monday 10^th December                -                       INSET day – maths focus (school closed)

Wednesday 12^th December          -                       Choir at Cabot Circus
Monday 17^th December                -                       Infant Nativity – 2.00pm
Tuesday 18^th December                 -                       Infant Nativity – 9.45am
Wednesday 19^th December          -                       Carol Service – 2.00pm
Thursday 20^th December                -                       Carols around the Tree – 3.30pm
Friday 21^st December                      -                       Christmas Mass (at 9.30am in the church)
Friday 21^st December                      -                       End of Term 2
Monday 7^th January                       -                       Start of Term 3
Friday 25^th January                          -                       Y6P and Y6B Swindon         
Monday 4^th-8^th February                -                       Deanfield Studies Centre visit for Year 5/6
Wednesday 20^th February              -                       Life Skills Year 6 visit

 

Best wishes,

 

Matt Condon
Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carer,

School Dinners

Choose school dinners every day for a week from 3rd-7^th December, for the chance to win a family ticket to see Aladdin at the Bristol Hippodrome. Here is the special menu for that week:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Oven Baked Sausages   Halal Oven Baked Sausages   Macaroni Cheese or Baked Jacket Potato with Tuna Mayonaise   Jacket Wedges, Baked Beans or Salad   Twin Bread   Chocolate Crunch with Chocolate Sauce             Seasonal Fresh Fruit Platter 1	Roast Topside of Beef & Yorkshire Pudding   Halal Roast Topside of Beef & Yorkshire Pudding   Vegetable and Lentil Roast Or Baked Jacket potatoes with Baked Beans   Oven Roast Potatoes Creamy Mashed Potatoes Green Cabbage and Carrots   White Bread   Jam Sponge and Custard         Seasonal Fresh Fruit Platter 2	Cheese and Tomato Pizza or Cheese and Sweetcorn Pizza   Baked Jacket Potato with Tuna Mayonaise   Herby Pasta, Roasted Vegetables or Coleslaw   Wholemeal Bread   Fruity Flapjack                   Season Fresh Fruit Platter 3	Roast Cajun Chicken Drumstick   Halal Roast Cajun chicken Drumstick   Roasted Vegetable Wrap or Baked Jacket Potato with Baked Beans   Roasted Parmentier Potatoes, Sweet Tomato Pasta, Garde Peas, Vegetable Medley Herb Bread   Strawberry Delight             Seasonal Fresh Fruit Platter 4	Oven Fish Fingers   Vegetable Pasta Bake Or Baked Jacket Potato with Cheese   Chunky Chips, Mashed Potato, Baked Beans   Tomato Bread   Fruit Jelly with Ice Cream                   Seasonal Fresh Fruit Platter 1

 The Grand Appeal

Mr Conlon’s class are selling yoyos, book marks and ‘jumpies’ as part of their project, ‘Show me the Money’.  All the money raised will go to their class charity – The Grand Appeal.

Choir Performing at Cabot Circus

The choir will be singing in Cabot Circus on Wednesday 12th December for Ronald Macdonald House. This is an independent charity which provides home from home accommodation for critically ill children.

Community Carols Around the Tree
You are all invited to our ‘Community Carols Around the Tree’ on Thursday 20th December 3.40-4.40pm, followed by mince pies.

Rock Band Performance

Year 6 performed their Rock Bands to parents earlier this week. Thank you to Mrs Attwood for this lovely e-mail I received yesterday:

As a parent who watched the Rock Band performance, I would like to say what a FANTASTIC job they did and thank you for sharing it and inviting us to watch. Both classes worked really hard in the 9 weeks they had to put on a show like that and also well done to all the staff behind the scenes! I thought Neil and Johnny were "really switched on" to the children and I know Evie has really, really enjoyed her time with them.

Thank you for giving my child this experience and I know she will remember it for a long time.

Infant Christmas Film Night

This Christmas, the PTFA are staging a special infant Christmas film night for years YR - Y2, on Tuesday December 11th, from 3.30pm - 5.30pm. It will be a U certificate Christmas film, and there will be an interval half way through for drinks and snacks. Tickets will cost £2.00 and will also include a non-uniform day on the Tuesday. Look out for the form in book bags next week.

Juniors Christmas Disco

We are having a Christmas disco for years Y3-Y6 on Friday 14th December at 3.30 - 5pm, you can pick your own playlist, and there will be a tuck shop. This also includes a non-uniform day on the Friday. Tickets cost £3.00, so look out for the form in book bags next week.

Deanfield Study Centre
The next instalment of £30.00 for Deanfield is now due and the remainder (£25.00) is due on the 7^th January.

Attendance

Well done to Miss Phillips’s class with 100% attendance last week.  They will get a special non uniform day as a reward. Also, well done to Mrs Bell’s class with 97% attendance. Dates for all non-uniform days will be published in the newsletter.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 3^rd December, at 9.15am, where the following children will receive their Headteacher’s Awards:  Sydney-Kay Haberfield, Evie Attwood, Hannah Long, Raisa Ahmed and Jennifer Eubebeagu.

These children will receive Superstars Sports Awards:  Oscar Johannson, Thomas Jaworski, Talia Scott, Vivian Johnson and Laura Apperley.

Date for Diaries

Monday 10^th December                -                       INSET day – maths focus (school closed)

Wednesday 12^th December          -                       Choir at Cabot Circus
Monday 17^th December                -                       Infant Nativity – 2.00pm
Tuesday 18^th December                 -                       Infant Nativity – 9.45am
Wednesday 19^th December          -                       Carol Service – 2.00pm
Thursday 20^th December                -                       Carols around the Tree – 3.30pm
Friday 21^st December                      -                       Christmas Mass (at 9.30am in the hall)
Friday 21^st December                      -                       End of Term 2
Monday 7^th January                       -                       Start of Term 3          
Monday 4^th-8^th February                -                       Deanfield Studies Centre visit for Year 5/6
Wednesday 20^th February              -                       Life Skills Year 6 visit