Friday 5 December 2014

Dear Parents/Carers,

Book Fair
A massive thank you all for your support for this year’s book fair. We sold over £455 of books which gave the school library an incredible £213 worth of new books which are already in the library. Can I especially thank the small group of parents who helped run the fair after school.
Prayer at Advent
During Advent each child will bring home an ‘Advent bag’ for one night.  It consists of a purple cloth, a prayer, a cross and a light.

Please encourage your child to set up a little prayer area, and together say the Advent prayer, discussing how Advent is the time when we are preparing for the Birth of Jesus.

Please ensure the bag is returned the following day.

Many Thanks - Mrs T. Bell (Assistant Headteacher and RE Subject Leader)

Reception and Year 1 - Procedures at the Start of the school Day
To improve the start of the school day for children in Reception and Year 1, we are going to trial a different way to start the school day:
     From 8.45 parents are welcome to bring their children into class. Parents can stay until 8.55am, or leave their child in class. Children who are in class can start the day with some simple learning activities. We will be asking all parents to leave classes at 8.55am.
       Both classes come into class via the Reception Courtyard (through the doors the children exit at the end of the day). It is important that parents do not then go anywhere else in the school. If you need to visit the main office, please exit the building and visit the office via the main entrance.
       Teachers will still collect any remaining children from the playground at 8.55am.
We hope that this new arrangement will give our children a more settled start to the school day whilst maintaining close contact with parents. This remains a trial, so we will be seeing how things go over the next couple of weeks.
Medical Appointments

If possible (I am aware that some appointments can only be made on the day), could you please inform the teacher in writing in advance if your child has a medical appointment during the school day.

Taekwondo Club – a message from Sean Turner in Year 3

I am asking for your help to save my taekwondo club. I go to this club with my brother and I really enjoy it. I have been in competitions and won some medals. There are other people from this school that go there including my friend Marco. The club came to the school summer fair and even Mr Condon had a go.

The council are planning to knock it down and it might have to close. The members of the club need as many people as possible to sign a petition to help us to save the club. Please can you, your family and friends help me by signing the petition.
Thank you.

Sean Turner (Year 3)

All the details are on the website below with a link to sign the petition. There is also a paper copy of the petition which Sean’s mum will have in the playground but you cannot sign both.

Planning Cultural Celebrations
At St Joseph’s we are very lucky to have families from such a diverse and rich background. To celebrate this we would like to plan, with parents and the wider community, events which enable us to share and learn together. A few years ago we had some great celebrations where parts of the community came into school and shared their heritage and culture.
If you have an idea for such an event, please come and see me.
St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School
The Governing Body of St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School are consulting on the Admission Policy for the academic year 2016 - 2017. The proposed policy can be found on the school website www.stberns.bristol.sch.uk

The consultation period runs from Wednesday 3rd December 2014 to Wednesday 11th February 2015.

If you have any comments you would like to make about the policy please e-mail them to
Mrs Nunnerley at consult@stberns.bristol.sch.uk by Wednesday 11th February 2015 or send them to the school addressed to Mrs Nunnerley, Admissions Consultation. If you require a paper copy please contact the school and ask for Mrs Nunnerley. Thank you for your help with this matter.

Admissions for Reception 2015

If your child is due to start school in September 2015, you will need to apply online as well as collecting an ‘Additional Information Form’ from the school office. The closing date for applications is on the 15th January 2015.

Security – A reminder

For security reasons, when children arrive late, we are unable to allow parents to escort their children to their classrooms. Children will be quite safe walking to classrooms by themselves. All adults who enter the school building (even just to go into the front office), must be signed in and given an identification badge by a member of staff. Any adult without authorised identification will be politely challenged. We still want to be friendly and welcoming but we have to ensure unauthorised adults do not enter the school.

After School Clubs

If you give your child permission to walk home after Clubs, could you please let the school have it in writing.

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 your email address, mobile or home address has changed, please let the school office know.

Attendance

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

       Y2 and Y3 with 99%

Lost Property

We have lots of unclaimed lost property in the blue box in the entrance foyer. Can I ask parents, carers and children to check the box, if they have lost anything, as all contents will be recycled at the end of this term.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 8th December at 9.10am, where the following children will receive their headteacher’s award:    William ®, Sammie (Y2), Jeremy (Y2), Eva (Y1), Jackson (Y4), Josh (Y4), Edwin (Y6), Ruby (Y3) and Tihanna (Y3). The main celebration assembly will follow the Y6 Topic Presentation.

Super Stars Award:  Jackson (Y4), Edwin (Y6), Edwin (Y6), Max (Y3), Samuel (Y4), Leona (Y1), Fletcher (Y1), Maeya (Y1), Jayden ®, Eissa (Y2), Adam (Y2), Joseph (Y5), and Praise (Y6)

Dates for Diaries

Monday 8th December                                          -           Year 6 Topic Presentation/Celebration
Thursday 11th December                           -           Christmas Lunch
Thursday 11th December                           -           Infant Nativity – 2.30pm
Friday 12th December                                -           Infant Nativity – 9.30am
Monday 15th December                                        -           Year 4 Topic Presentation
Wednesday 17th December pm               -           Carol Concert in Church (mince pies for parents/parishioners afterwards in school hall)

Thursday 18th December                            -           Infant party in morning
Thursday 18th December                            -           Infant Christmas Disco
Friday 19th December                                 -           Christmas Mass in Church
Friday 19th December                                -           End of Term 2
Monday 5th January                                   -           Start of Term 3
Wednesday 7th January                                         -           Year 5 topic presentation
Monday 2nd February                                -           Staff training day (school closed)
Sunday 28th June                                         -           First Holy Communion in Church
Friday 17th July                                            -           End of school year

Yours sincerely,



Matt Condon,
Headteacher


No comments: