Dear Parents/Carers,

First Holy Communion

There will be a parents meeting after mass (11.00am) on Sunday 2^nd February in St Joseph’s Pre School (Rainbow Room) for all who are interested in receiving their First Holy Communion this year.

Sports at St Joseph’s

Just a little update from Mrs Gilvear with regards to sports at St Joseph's:

Because children are playing so well this year, we are able to add a bit more competition to the lunchtime activities. We are currently running a variety of competitive games (in particular hockey, football and basketball) with year groups playing against each other. This so far has given some surprising results including Year 1 beating Year 2 at football and Year 5 beating Year 6 in hockey!

In the coming months there will be lots of different sports and competitions so watch this space!

Guidance on Sickness and Diarrhoea

National guidance states children with these conditions should be kept off school. They can return 48 hours after their symptoms disappear.

Occasionally there may be a clear reason why the child has been sick which is not related to an infection (e.g sometimes children may be sick due to coughing). In these cases it is possible that the child may come into school before the 48 hour period, but this must only happen with the school’s agreement.

We thank you for your cooperation.

Parent Helpers

Next Tuesday ‘Active Ian’ (from Sustrans the cycle charity) will be running a series of 1 hour Safety Workshops in Years 4, 5 and 6. If would like to come along, help and join the fun, please let the office know.

Attendance

Well done to the following classes with their attendance last week.

·         Year 3 with 99%

·         Year 5 with 98%

·         Year 6 with 98%

This means Year 3 will have a special non-uniform day on Friday 7^th February.

Lateness

Still on some mornings I am greeting many children who are arriving late for school. Children who arrive late often come to school unsettled and embarrassed. Can I please ask all parents to ensure their children are ready to line up for school at 8.55am. Where lateness is an ongoing concern, we will be asking parents to come into school and discuss matters further.

Celebration of Achievements

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 3^rd February, at 9.10am where the following children will receive their Headteacher’s award:  Jeleil (Y6), Melita(Y2) and Christian (Y1)

Super Stars Sport:  Casper (Y1), Evelyn (Y1), Michal (Y1), Javier (Y2), Sophie (Y2), Thomas (Y3), Pawel (Y3), Cheyenne (Y3), Olivia (Y4), Izza (Y6), David (Y6) and Alfie (Y6)

Super Stars Art:  Paige (Y2) and Shane (Reception)

Dates for Diaries

Tuesday 4^th February                                   -           Safety workshops in Years 4, 5 and 6

Friday 7^th February                                       -           Year 6 topic presentation (change of date)
Friday 7^th February                                       -           Year 3 attendance non-uniform day
Friday 7^th February                                       -           Year 4 topic presentation
Monday 10^th February                                -           Y6 camp week
Tuesday 11^th February 2013                       -           Safer Internet Day 2014
Tuesday 11th February at 3pm                  -           Parents’ tea and coffee afternoon
Wednesday 12^th February                          -           Year 1 topic presentation
Friday 14th February                                    -           End of Term 3
Monday 24^th February                                -           Start of Term 4
Monday 24^th February                                -           Y6 – Lifeskills visit
Wednesday 26th March                            -           Year 2 topic presentation (change of date)
Wednesday 26^th March                              -           Year 3 topic presentation
Wednesday 2nd April                                 -           Year 5 topic presentation
Monday 12th May 2014                              -           Year 6 SATs week

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Matt Condon
Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

Reading at Home

Reading is the most important homework that parents can do with primary school children.

It is most important that children realise that his or her parents take an interest in and value the reading experience. Remember, your child's education is a partnership between home and school.

We hope that all parents will enthusiastically encourage their children to read at home by sharing a book with them. For younger children please use their reading records to show they are reading at home.

Parent Helpers

As always, we welcome any parent helpers who would be able to read with children. The gardening club would also welcome any parents who are available to help during lunchtimes. Please see the office if you can help and thank you in advance for any support you can give.

E-Safety Week

It is important that children’s use of the internet is monitored at home - in particular, children’s use of social networking sites. Soon we will have our E-Safety Week where the children will be learning more about how to use the internet safely.  There is a website available which advises parent/carers on internet use:

www/saferinternet.org.uk

There is also useful information on the main Internet Safety link on the school website.

Updated Contacts/Medical

If your child’s contact details or any new medical conditions have changed since the end of last term, could you please let the office know as soon as possible.  Also a reminder that medicine can only be administered if it has been prescribed by the doctor, with the child’s name on and a Parental agreement form from the school office to administer medicine.

Attendance

Well done to the following classes with their attendance last week.

·         Year 3 with 98%

·         Year 4 with 97%

Celebration of Achievements

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 27th^th January, at 9.10am where the following children will receive their headteachers award: Kealen (Y5), Josmi (Y5), Martyna (Y5), Jess (Y1) Meikel (Y4) and Lyra (Reception)

Dates for Diaries

Friday 24^th January                                      -           Reception non-uniform (good attendance)

Monday 27^th January                                  -           School E-Safety week
Tuesday 28^th January                                  -           Reception reading meetings
Wednesday 29^th January                           -           Y6 visit to Swindon Steam Museum
Friday 31^st January                                       -           Year 2 Assembly (Chinese New Year)
Thursday 6^th February                                  -           Year 6 Topic Presentation
Friday 7^th February                                       -           Year 4 Topic Presentation
Monday 10^th February                                -           Y6 camp week
Tuesday 11th February at 3pm                  -           Parents’ tea and coffee afternoon
Wednesday 12^th February                          -           Year 1 Topic Presentation
Wednesday 12^th February                          -           Year 2 Topic Presentation
Friday 14th February                                    -           End of Term 3
Monday 24^th February                                -           Start of Term 4
Monday 24^th February                                -           Y6 – Lifeskills visit
Wednesday 26^th March                              -           Year 3 Topic Presentation
Wednesday 2nd April                                 -           Year 5 Topic Presentation
Monday 12th May 2014                              -           Year 6 SATs week

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Matt Condon

Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers,

Reception Reading Sessions

Thank you to the parents who attended yesterday’s informal sessions about reading at home. The afternoon was fully booked so we are arranging a second group of meetings on the afternoon of Tuesday 28^th January.

If you would like to meet Miss Phillips, please let her know to arrange a time.

Parent’s Tea and Coffee afternoons

A big thank you to parents who joined us for tea, coffee and cake yesterday afternoon. We’d like to invite parents in again on Tuesday 11^th February from 2.45pm onwards.

 

Zig Zag Lines

This week all the children learnt in assembly that all parents need to:

Please do this to help make our roads safer for everybody.

E-Safety Week

It is important that children’s use of the internet is monitored at home - in particular, children’s use of social networking sites. Soon we will have our E-Safety Week where the children will be learning more about how to use the internet safely.

Topic Presentations

As you all know, these are short presentations where the children tell the story of their learning in their most recent topic. These presentations are in dates for diaries.

Medical Appointments

A reminder that if your child has a dentist’s or doctor’s appointment during school hours, could you please put a request in writing in advance for the attention of the class teacher. If we are not notified in advance, any time missed will need to be recorded as unauthorised.

Attendance

Well done to Reception with an outstanding 100% attendance last week.  They will be able to wear non-uniform on Friday 24^th January. Also well done to Year 5 who had really good attendance with 98%.

Celebration of Achievements

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 20^th January, at 9.10am where the following children  will receive their headteachers award: Abby (Y2), Marlen (Y3), Lamoiya (Y3) Leona (R), Jeremy (Y1), Tash (Y4), Jake (Y5), Allena (Y5, James (Y6) and David (Y6)

Super Star Sports Awards: Agnel (Y1), Ruby (Y1), Kayla (Y2), Isobel (Y2), Rimmon (Y3), Areeba (Y3), Lachontay (Y4), Vanessa (Y4) and Harry (Y6).

Super Stars Art Award: Philip (Y1)

Dates for Diaries

Friday 24^th January                                      -           Reception non uniform (good attendance)

Monday 27^th January                                  -           School E-Safety week
Tuesday 28^th January                                  -           Reception reading meetings
Wednesday 29^th January                           -           Y6 visit to Swindon Steam Museum
Friday 31^st January                                       -           Year 2 Assembly (Chinese New Year)
Thursday 6^th February                                  -           Year 6 Topic Presentation
Friday 7^th February                                       -           Year 4 Topic Presentation
Monday 10^th February                                -           Y6 camp week
Tuesday 11th February at 3pm                  -           Parents’ tea and coffee afternoon
Wednesday 12^th February                          -           Year 1 Topic Presentation
Wednesday 12^th February                          -           Year 2 Topic Presentation
Friday 14th February                                    -           End of Term 3
Monday 24^th February                                -           Start of Term 4
Wednesday 26^th March                              -           Year 3 Topic Presentation
Wednesday 2nd April                                 -           Year 5 Topic Presentation
Monday 12th May 2014                              -           Year 6 SATs week

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Matt Condon
Headteacher

After School Clubs

Dear Parent/Carer,

As you know after school clubs are planned for next week.  Unfortunately interest has been low and I know that some parents have expressed disappointment that certain changes to last term’s clubs.

At St Joseph’s we always do our best to respond to the wishes of children and parents. We are also committed to involving as many children as possible in after school sport activities.

In view of this we are going to make the following changes:

·         The football club will now be open to children from Years 1-6

·         Due to very low interest, unfortunately the Multi- spots club will be cancelled.
In place of Multi- sports, we will continue the Gymnastics club. This club will be open to Years 1-6.

·         To encourage greater participation in after school sports, we will be using government sport funding to fund clubs for this term. This means that these clubs will be free and offered on a first come-first served basis. All children already signed up for clubs will be given preference and a refund.

As before, to sign up for the club, please contact the school office.

On the reverse is an updated overview.

Yours sincerely,

Matt Condon,
Headteacher.

Club	Finish Time	Year Groups	Start date/day of club	End date	Cost
Textiles	5pm	3-6	Monday	Continuing until the end of Term 3 when the club will take a break.	Continuing without cost.
Choir	4.30pm	3-6	Tuesday	Ongoing	No cost
Gymnastics	4.45pm	1-6	Wednesday	(payment covers until end of Term 4)	No cost
Football	4.45pm	2-6	Thursday	(payment covers until end of Term 4)	No cost for terms 3 and 4
Mandarin	4.15pm	1-6	Friday	Ongoing	No cost
Art	4.45pm	R - 6	Thursday	Ongoing (payment covers until end of Term 4)	£2.00 per session = £22 for terms 3 and 4
Energy Club	4.30pm	R-2 3-6	Monday Friday	Ongoing	No cost
Kodu Club	4.30pm	5 and 6	Monday	Ongoing	No cost