Saturday, 28 February 2015


Dear Parent/Carer,

 

Welcome back to Term 4.  We hope you have had a good break.
 

Year Six Camp
As always, our Year Six proved to be a credit to our school on their residential week at Deanfield Study Centre.  There are lots of pictures of what they got up to during the week on the blog.  This year, in particular, the centre staff praised the children for their politeness, enthusiasm and singing! 

 
New baby on the way!
We are pleased to announce that Mrs Darville (Year 3) is expecting her first child in the summer.  I am sure you will join us in wishing her and her husband all the best.  She is hoping to teach her class up to the end of the Summer Term.

Rags 2 Riches
Last week your child brought home a ‘Rags2Riches4School’ collection bag.  Anything from baby wear to teenage hand-me-downs to Granddad’s shoes, all items of clothing and accessories are welcome.  Bags, hats, belts, scarves and gloves all count – pretty much anything wearable.  All we ask is for them to be clean and in good condition and for the shoes to be tied together.  Unfortunately pillows and duvets are not accepted this time. 
Any filled bags should come into school, via the main entrance, on Monday 2nd March.  There are some bags left if you have more you can fill. All proceeds will go to St James’ Priory in Bristol. Staff and Governors recently visited St. James’ and were overwhelmed by the incredible work the volunteers do to support vulnerable adults in our city.

E-Safety
             On Tuesday 3rd March, KS2 will participate in class workshops with Unique Voice, working on issues such as digital footprint, cyber-bulling, privacy and sharing 
       Parents are invited at 2.45 to watch each class present what they have learnt.

       On Thursday 5th March, EYFS and KS1 will watch an interactive performance by Unique Voice called ‘Wendy and the Worldwide Web’.
If you wish to find out more about Unique Voice and their workshops, please visit their very accessible website: www.uniquevoice.org

Lenten Bags
The purple bags that the children took home during Advent proved to be very popular with all the classes.  During Lent, we will be repeating this.  Two children in each class will bring home a purple bag containing a prayer card, cloth, candle and crucifix.  We ask that a ‘prayer area’ be set up and, as a family, pray together.  Each child will have the bag overnight, please ensure it is brought back into school the next morning so as to enable each child to have a turn.

World Book Day 5th  March 2015
World Book Day is a day set aside every year to celebrate reading, books, authors and illustrators. It is held in more than 100 countries around the world. A key aim of World Book Day is to give every child in the UK a book of their own to keep. The children will be coming home with a book token today which is valid from 2nd – 29th March 2015.

Comic Relief
As you probably know, Red Nose Day is on Friday 13th March.  On that day, children can bring in £1 if they wear something red and/or paint a funny face. If the weather permits, children with funny faces or dressed for the occasion will parade around the playground at 8.55am for your enjoyment!! We have lots of red noses for sale for £1, available in the playground before and after school or from the office at any other time.  One of your children could be lucky enough to find our very rare Golden Nose for schools.  If they do, they’ll win an amazing experience for the whole school from Aardman, the creators of Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Morph.  We are planning some inter-class fun sports activities on that day, organised by Mrs Gilvear. 


Teampoints
Term 3 teampoint winners are St John’s team.  The Year Six children in that team will be organising an afternoon of fun for all the children in St John’s team on Friday 20th March.                    .

 
Celebration Assembly  There will be a Celebration Assembly on Monday 2nd March at 9.15am.  The following children will receive their headteacher’s award:  Bianca (Y6), Alfie (Y5), Rachel (Y1), Melanie (Y2), Alicja (R), Jayden (R) and Benjamin (Y4)
 Super Stars Award:- Josh (Y6), Joseph (Y1), Darrell (Y2),  Chinnu (Y5), Maisah (R), Nelson (Y1), Milly (Y6), Tashrick (Y3), Alana (Y4), Harison (Y3), Aian (Y2), Rian (Y2), Rachel (Y1), Franek (Y1), Bianca (Y6).

Good Attendance and Punctuality Draw
Children with 100% attendance have been given 2 tickets; one to take home so that parents know they have a non-uniform day and one to be kept in school for the draw during Monday’s Assembly. All parents and carers are invited to this assembly.

Children’s Liturgy
We need volunteers to assist with the Children’s Liturgy during the 10.00am Holy Mass. Please inform Fr Paul if you are interested in helping with the Children’s Liturgy.

Parking in Chatsworth Road
We have had a complaint from the office block opposite the school gates.  May we remind you that their car park is private and not for our use.  Parents bringing their children into school need to find safe places to park elsewhere along the road.

 

Dates for Diaries
Tuesday 3rd March                           -           KS2 e-safety workshops and performance.  Parents
                                                                        invited from 2.45pm
Tuesday 3rd March                           -           Tag-rugby competition – Y5/6
Thursday 5th March                          -           KS1 & Early Years ‘Wendy and the WorldWide Web’
Thursday 5th March                                     -           Parents Evening 4 - 6.00pm (whole school)
Sunday 8th March                            -           Mass for Parish’s 90th anniversary
Tuesday 10th March                         -           Inter-schools Swimming Gala at Horfield Leisure Centre
Wednesday 11th March                  -           Year 6 visit to Leigh Woods
Thursday 12th March                        -           Year 2 Mother’s day assembly (CHANGED DATE)
Friday 13th March                             -           Comic Relief Red Nose Day
Monday 16th March                         -           Year 3 topic presentation
Tuesday 17th March                         -           Gymnastics competition – Y3-6
Wednesday 18th March                  -           Year 6 topic presentation
Thursday 19th March                       -           St Joseph’s Day Mass in hall (tea/coffee/tours for
                                                                        parishioners afterwards)
Friday 20th March                             -           Tennis competition – age TBC
Thursday 26th March                        -           Stations of the Cross led by Year 6
Friday 27th March                             -           Mass for Holy Week in church (Y3 readers)
Friday 27th March                             -           Local cluster choir festival at St Joseph’s
Friday 27th March                             -           End of Term 4
Sunday 29th March                          -           Palm Sunday
Sunday 5th April                                -           Easter Sunday
Monday 13th April                            -           Start of Term 5 
Sunday 28th June                             -           First Holy Communion in Church
Friday 17th July                                  -           End of school year

Yours sincerely,


Matt Condon
Headteacher

Friday, 13 February 2015

Dear Parents/Carers,

It’s been great being back at St Joseph’s over the last couple of days. Everybody is doing better than ever in my absence. Year 6 have had a great time on camp:

Rags 2 Riches

Your child will be bringing home a ‘Rags2Riches4School’ collection bag as we will be hosting a fundraising event in association with Rags2Riches4Schools.  From baby wear to teenage hand-me-downs to Granddad’s shoes, all items of clothing and accessories are welcome.  Bags, hats, belts, scarves and gloves all count – pretty much anything wearable.  All we ask is for them to be clean and in good condition and for the shoes to be tied together.  Unfortunately pillows and duvets are not accepted this time. 

Please bring your kind donations to the school on Monday 2nd March.  All proceeds will go to St James’ Priory in Bristol. Staff and Governors recently visited St. James’ and were overwhelmed by the incredible work the volunteers do to support vulnerable adults in our city.

Bristol Schools Swimming Competition
On Tuesday 10th March Bristol Schools’ Swimming Association is holding a swimming competition for all primary schools across Bristol.  We would like to give children from St Joseph’s an opportunity to compete in this competition.  Children can compete individually in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle and also in a relay team event.  The guide times that have been sent from Bristol Schools’ Swimming Association for 25m vary from 28 secs-31 secs and from 55 secs-63 secs for 50m.  If your children swim competitively outside of school or can swim these distances within a similar time to those times suggested above and would be interested in participating in the competition please ask them to come and speak to Mrs Darvill asap (year 3 class teacher).  Children must also be available on Saturday 25th April from 1-3.30pm as this is when the final is scheduled to take place.
E-Safety week is now E-Safety Fortnight!

E-safety is fast becoming an important part of the curriculum and we decided that one week just wasn’t enough! During E-safety fortnight the following is taking place:

·         Working in class on E-Safety issues.
·         On Monday 23rd February, the whole school will be listening to a talk from the police. Year 6 will follow this with a class discussion.
·         On Tuesday 3rd March, KS2 will participate in class workshops with Unique Voice, working on issues such as digital footprint, cyber-bulling, privacy and sharing.
·         On Tuesday 3rd March, parents will be invited into school in the afternoon to watch class presentations following their E-safety workshops
·         On Thursday 5th March, EYFS and KS1 will watch an interactive performance by Unique Voice called ‘Wendy and the Worldwide Web’.

If you wish to find out more about Unique Voice and their workshops, please visit their very accessible website: www.uniquevoice.org

Celebration Assembly

There will be no Celebration Assembly on Monday 23rd February.

Dates for Diaries

Friday 13th February                                                 -           End of Term 3
Wednesday 18th February                          -           Ash Wednesday
Monday 23rd February                                -           Start of Term 4
Monday 23rd February                               -           E-Safety week 2015
Wednesday 25th February                          -           Y6 Lifeskills visit
Thursday 26th February                                -           Full Governing Body meeting  
Friday 27th February                                     -           Lent Mass in hall (Y5 readers)
Sunday 8th March                                        -           Mass for Parish’s 90th anniversary
Wednesday 11th March                              -           Year 6 visit to Leigh Woods
Friday 13th March                                         -           Year 2 Mother’s day assembly
Wednesday 18th March                              -           Year 6 topic presentation
Thursday 19th March                                                -           St Joseph’s Day Mass in hall (Y4 readers – tea/coffee/tours for parishioners afterwards)
Friday 20th March                                         -           Tennis competition – age TBC
Friday 27th March                                         -           Mass for Holy Week in church (Y3 readers)
Friday 27th March                                         -           Local cluster choir festival at St Joseph’s
Friday 27th March                                         -           End of Term 4
Sunday 29th March                                      -           Palm Sunday
Sunday 5th March                                        -           Easter Sunday
Monday 13th April                                        -           Start of Term 5 
Sunday 28th June                                         -           First Holy Communion in Church
Friday 17th July                                              -           End of school year

Yours sincerely,


Matt Condon,

Headteacher

Friday, 6 February 2015


6th February  2015.
 

Dear Parent/Carer,

 Next week our Year Six children are off to Deanfield Study Centre in the Forest of Dean for their annual camp week.  We wish them the best of time in all their activities and hope they don’t get too cold!

 Feedback from INSET

Last Monday, 2nd February (school inset day), the staff and governors spent the most enjoyable, spiritual, and soul searching day at St James Priory, which is just behind the bus station, in the centre of town. There, we celebrated mass with Fr Paul in their beautiful church and had a very uplifting talk about the church, its history, the work they do to help those in need, in particular alcoholics and drug addicts. We have brought back to school lots of ideas of how we can help, fundraise etc. and will keep you informed of these. In the meantime, if you are shopping in town and fancy a coffee then, we would urge you to pop into St James.  They have a fabulous café.  You will be made most welcome and will be helping them in their important work.

 First Holy Communion

Application forms are available at the back of the Church.

 
Children’s Liturgy

We need volunteers to assist with the Children’s Liturgy during the 10.00am Holy Mass. Please inform Fr Paul if you are interested in helping with the Children’s Liturgy.

 

Bristol Schools Swimming Competition 
On Tuesday 10th March Bristol Schools’ Swimming Association is holding a swimming competition for all primary schools across Bristol.  We would like to give children from St Joseph’s an opportunity to compete in this competition.  Children can compete individually in butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle and also in a relay team event.  The guide times that have been sent from Bristol Schools’ Swimming Association for 25m vary from 28 secs-31 secs and from 55 secs-63secs for 50m.  If your children swim competitively outside of school or can swim these distances within a similar time to those times suggested above and would be interested in participating in the competition please ask them to come and speak to Mrs Darvill asap (year 3 class teacher).  Children must also be available on Saturday 25th April from 1-3.30pm as this is when the final is scheduled to take place.

Using the Internet at home and 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 parents/carers on internet use: www/saferinternet.org.uk

More information will be shared during E-Safety week, which is the first week back after the holiday.
Celebration Assembly  There will be a Celebration Assembly on Monday 9th February at 9.15am.  The following children  will receive their headteachers award: Teia (Y1), Rishon (Y1 and Austin (Y2

 Super Stars Award:- Olivia (Y5), William (R), Franek (Y1), Adedire (Y4), Jakub (Y5), Jaimie (Y4), Kayla (Y3), Dashana (Y2), Alex (Y1), Mackenzie (Y5),  Ben (Y1), Eloisa (R), Maddie (Y3) and Helene (Y4.)

 
Attendance

Well done to Reception and Year 6 with 98% attendance last week.   

 Netball Competition

On the 3rd February 10 pupils from Year Six competed in a Netball Competition at Bristol City Academy.  Although we only got to play friendlies, we still came joint-second in our group and won the Fair Play Award.  We would like to thank Mrs Gilvear for training us and helping us to achieve this.  We really enjoyed playing netball and had lots of fun.
From the netball team: Natalya, Daniel, Reuben, Praise, Edwin, Taychon, Bianca, George, Joel and Erikan.
Mrs Gilvear reported that the team was a credit to the school and the children thoroughly deserved the Fair Play Award.

 
Safety in the Playground.  May we remind parents that children are not allowed on the playground equipment before or after school, even if supervised by an adult.  We are not insured for any accident that may occur at this time, nor do we wish any child to be injured.  Thank you for your cooperation.

 

Dates for Diaries

 

Friday 13th February                                   -           Reception Lent Assembly
Friday 13th February                                   -           End of Term 3
Wednesday 18th February                          -           Ash Wednesday
Monday 23rd February                                -           Start of Term 4
Monday 23rd February                               -           E-Safety week 2015
Wednesday 25th February                          -           Y6 Lifeskills visit
Thursday 26th February                                -           Full Governing Body meeting  
Friday 27th February                                     -           Lent Mass in hall (Y5 readers)
Sunday 8th March                                        -           Mass for Parish’s 90th anniversary
Wednesday 11th March                              -           Year 6 visit to Leigh Woods
Friday 13th March                                         -           Year 2 Mother’s day assembly
Wednesday 18th March                              -           Year 6 topic presentation
Thursday 19th March                                                -           St Joseph’s Day Mass in hall (Y4 readers – tea/coffee/tours for parishioners afterwards)
Friday 20th March                                         -           Tennis competition – age TBC
Friday 27th March                                         -           Mass for Holy Week in church (Y3 readers)
Friday 27th March                                         -           Local cluster choir festival at St Joseph’s
Friday 27th March                                         -           End of Term 4
Sunday 29th March                                      -           Palm Sunday
Sunday 5th April                                            -           Easter Sunday
Monday 13th April                                        -           Start of Term 5 
Sunday 28th June                                         -           First Holy Communion in Church
Friday 17th July                                              -           End of school year

 
Yours sincerely,
Matt Condon,
Headteacher