Dear Parent/Carer,

Easter week

Next week we the children will be involved in a number of special events to mark the lead up to Easter. Parents are welcome to join us for the following events:

Tuesday 22nd March ~ Palm service (9.10am)

Wednesday 23rd March ~ Retreat day in school remembering the passion of Christ. (whole school reflection at 3.00pm)

Thursday 24th March ~ Passover Meal (1.45pm)

Playground Update

Well, there is good news and bad news!! 

Good News

• The transformation has begun with some wonderful climbing equipment and a recreation of Weston-Super-Mare in one area. The children are very excited at the prospect of using the new equipment, and so are the staff!
• Our new Lunchtime Manager, Miss Haste, joined us this week, as did two new lunchtime play assistants; Mrs Dowe and Mrs Perez. They are joining our existing team of Mrs Petela, Mrs Martin and Mr Buck. We are delighted to have an excellent team as we move forward with our plans.  Miss Haste will also be working as a Teaching Assistant replacing Mrs Johnson who is leaving to train to become a Maths teacher.
• The lunchtime team and all the classroom support staff have started an accredited Level 2 play-work course this involves 4 modules and will help us to really consider how we are going to provide the best lunch and playtime experiences we can.

Bad News

The new tarmac is not of satisfactory quality and will need replacing. We have negotiated that this additional work will not cost the school any more and the work is likely to be done during May half term. We are taking advice from the Diocesan surveyors to ensure any replacement will be of a high standard and do the job.

Down Syndrome International

Down  Syndrome International invites everyone across the word to wear LOTS OF SOCKS  on Monday 21^st March to raise awareness on World Down Syndrome Day.

We can do this if we all wear socks, brightly coloured socks, long socks, printed socks, 1 sock…even 3 socks for 3 chromosomes.  If you don’t normally wear socks, then wear them.

The choice is yours, but we ask you to join us wearing something which people will ask you about so that you can tell them all about WDSD.  It is easy to do so whether you are at home, nursery, school, work, play, travel, holiday or anywhere, join in!  Invite all your friends, family and colleagues to do the same.

Fundraising for Lifeskills

Thanks to everyone who came in own clothes and bought cakes at our cake sale on Wednesday.  We raised £263 to help the Lifeskills Centre, Bristol.

Y6

After School Clubs

After School Clubs for next term are Cricket on a Tuesday and Athletics on a Wednesday.  They are open to Years 5 and 6 only on a first come first serve basis.

Reception and Y1

After Easter arrangements for Reception and Y1 arriving in school will change.  Parents’ do not need to bring their children into class at 8.45am, they will now need to wait in the playground for the bell at 8.55am, and be led in by their class teacher. 

School Dinner

There will be fish fingers for lunch (instead of roast) on the last day of term (Thursday 24th March)

Easter Sunday Family Mass

On Easter Sunday the 10 o'clock mass will be a family mass with children from the school participating in the mass, and our choir will be singing. We are hoping lots of staff and families will join us for this mass, and Father Paul plans this to be the first of future regular family masses. Watch this space...

The staff and governors would like to wish all our families a very Happy Easter.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 21st March, where the following children will receive their headteacher’s award: Maeya (Y2), Sammie (Y3), Hannah (Y5) and all Y4 Class.

Super Stars:  Eoghan (Y2), Hollie (Y1), Dominic (Y5), Ruby (Y3), Claudia (Y6), Shaun (Y1) and Charlie (Y2)

                       

Thursday 24^th March                                    -                       End of Term 4

Monday 11^th April                                        -                       Start of Term 5

Friday 15^th April                                             -                       Reception Assembly

Monday 9^th May                                          -                       Year 6 SAT week     

Thursday 26th May 2016                              -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 27^th May 2016                                    -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 27^th May                                             -                       End of Term 5

Monday 6^th June                                          -                       Start of term 6

Friday 1^st July                                                 -                       INSET (school closed)

Monday 4^th July                                            -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 22^nd July                                             -                       End of School Year

Mrs McCarthy,

Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carer,

St Joseph’s Day

The Parish are holding a social evening and curry night in the parish hall on Saturday 19^th March at 7.00pm after Holy Mass.  There will be a starter, main course with a choice of roast chicken or curry followed by a sweet.  The cost per head will be £10.00 for adults and £5.00 for children under 12.  Tickets available from the Presbytery.

Sacrifice Beads

Everyone in school will receive a coloured card which has been threaded through 10 beads.  These beads are called ‘Sacrifice Beads’.  The idea of these beads is that at the end of every day, the ten beads will have been moved to the opposite side of where it started in the morning.  You move a bead to the opposite side of the cord every time you’ve done a good deed.  Not only are they used in school, you can use them where ever you wish to.  The children are responsible for their sacrifice beads and if they lose them, then they will not be provided with another one.  We encourage children to use them as much as possible and hopefully they will take good care of them.

Thank you.

Caitlin Y6 (Chaplaincy Team)

Raise Money for Lifeskills

On Wednesday 24^th February, Y6 went to Lifeskills Centre which is a place where children can learn how to stay safe in different everyday situations. But Lifeskills needs to raise money to re-develop the centre’s facilities, so all children in the area can have the opportunity to visit. This is a life-changing experience as this will help children to stay safe in the future.

Y6 are helping Lifeskills to raise money by inviting parents/guardians and governors for tea and cake on Wednesday 16^th March from 2:45pm. This day will also include a non-uniform day (with a suggested contribution of £1). Infants (YR, Y1 and Y2) will get the chance to dress up as their favourite emergency services team.

Libby and Lachontay, on behalf of Year 6.

School Library

The School Library will be open after school on a Monday from 3.30-4.00pm for parents and children to choose a book to take home

Attendance

Well done to Y5 with 100% last week.  The will be able to wear non-uniform on Thursday 17^th March.   Also to Y3 and Y4 with 99% and Y2 with 98%.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 14^th March, where the following children will receive their headteacher’s award:-   Owen (Y6), Adedire (Y5), Philip (Y3) Anna (Y4), Leona (Y2) and Fletcher (Y2).

Super Stars: Daisha (R), Amelia (Y1), Amelia (Y1), Alicia (Y1), Ben (Y2), Franek (Y2), Kieran (Y2), Eissah (Y3),  (Y5) Salvatore (Y6), Vanessa (Y6), Josh M (Y5), Rupert (R), Shaun (Y1), Jacob (Y1 and Harry D. (Y2).

Friday 18^th March                                   -                       Columbus Singing Festival 

Thursday 24^th March                              -                       End of Term 4

Monday 11^th April                                  -                       Start of Term 5

Friday 15^th April                                       -                       Reception Assembly

Monday 9^th May                                     -                       Year 6 SAT week     

Thursday 26th May 2016                         -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 27^th May 2016                               -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 27^th May                                        -                       End of Term 5

Monday 6^th June                                     -                       Start of term 6

Friday 1^st July                                            -                       INSET (school closed)

Monday 4^th July                                       -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 22^nd July                                        -                       End of School Year

Mrs McCarthy,

Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carer,

Allergy Intolerance Referral Fom

Eden Foodservices strives to provide menus for children with special dietary requirements whenever possible.  Their Allergy Intolerance Referral form is essential to allow the Nutrition Department to provide safe, special diet plans. 

We have recently had a couple of children who have said they are allergic to certain foods.  We are unable to let them have a school meal until Eden’s Allergy Intolerance Referral Form has been completed and Eden have been able to work out a special menu for them – forms can be collected from the school office and need to be signed and stamped/completed by a registered medical professional i.e. Doctor, School Nurse ensuring that the information is accurate.

Lifeskills need your support to win a share of £10,000 awards money in Airbus Community Awards

The Year Sixes visited the Lifeskills Centre last week.  This is a place where children learn how to be safe in real life situations.  It is a fabulous resource for Bristol children that need our help.  In the next few weeks Year Six will be holding a fund-raising day for Lifeskills to help towards keeping it going for other children.  In the meantime, if any parent receives the Bristol Post, you can help now by cutting out coupons from the paper and bringing them into school.

Voting coupons will be printed in the Bristol Post from 22 February until Monday, March 21.

Look out for bonus voting days in the Bristol Post when they will be issuing higher value votes. Please note that photocopied voting coupons will not be counted. You can submit as many votes as you like. The more votes Lifeskills receives, the more chance they have of winning an award, as the top 10 groups with the most votes will all win a share of the prize money.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Team Points

St Matthew's Team received the most team points last term and so will be having a celebration afternoon, led by the year 6 children, this Friday, 11th March.  They can wear their own clothes on that day.

School Playground

The playground upgrading has started and this week we should see new tarmac being laid, most likely beginning Tuesday and Wednesday.  This will mean that the playground will be out of use on those days.  Please take note of any signs.

St Joseph’s Pre-school are holding a PAMPER NIGHT!

On Friday 11th March. 7pm to 10pm in the Parish Hall.

Entry £4 to include a drink and nibbles. First 50 arrivals also get a free Goody Bag!!

Lots of treatments on offer plus pamper goodies to buy. Please do come along for a post Mother’s Day treat!!

Attendance

Well done to Y2 and Y3 with 99% attendance last week.  Also Y1 with 98%.

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 7^th March, where the following children will receive their headteacher’s award:- Jaspreet (Y3), Alicia (Y2), Clara (Y2), Dominic (Y5) and Alena (Y1).

Friday 11^th March                                   -                       Y1 Assembly

Friday 18^th March                                   -                       Columbus Singing Festival 

Thursday 24^th March                              -                       End of Term 4

Monday 11^th April                                  -                       Start of Term 5

Friday 15^th April                                       -                       Reception Assembly

Monday 9^th May                                    -                       Year 6 SAT week     

Thursday 26th May 2016                        -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 27^th May 2016                              -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 27^th May                                       -                       End of Term 5

Monday 6^th June                                    -                       Start of term 6

Friday 1^st July                                           -                       INSET (school closed)

Monday 4^th July                                      -                       INSET (school closed)

Friday 22^nd July                                        -                       End of School Year

Mrs McCarthy,

Headteacher