Dear Parent/Carer,

Chaplaincy Team

The chaplaincy team attended an induction day at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College this week. They prepared an action plan for the year and prepared for the commissioning service being conducted by Bishop Declan on 6^th October.

Residential trips in 2016/17

A reminder that deposits for year 4, 5 and 6 Camps are due by next Friday, 7^th October. Please use the SchoolGateway to pay and return forms to the School Office. 

This year we are offering 3 camps.

Year 4 and 5

In December we are going on a 2 day retreat to St Cassian Centre in Kintbury. We will be thinking all about Advent and preparing for Christmas.

In May Year 4 and 5 children will be going to Barton Camp for 3 days and will make use of the excellent facilities including an outdoor swimming pool, adventure playground, sports hall, woods and fields. They will have fun doing lots of exciting activities.

Year 6

Children in Year 6 will spend a week in February at Dean Field Studies Centre taking part in a fantastic programme of exciting adventurous activities, including canoeing and caving.

Extended School Club (ESC)

As Reception class children are full time from Monday they can now be booked onto our ESC along with all children registered for the club from all year groups. ESC’s morning session runs from 8-8.55am at a cost of £2.50 (no breakfast provided so please make sure children have breakfast before they come!). ESC’s afternoon sessions run from 3.30-5pm for £3.50 or our longer sessions from 3.30-5.30pm for £5 per session.  All sessions must be booked in advance using the SchoolGateway.  If you need to register please collect a form from the School Office.  Payment for ESC is due at the end of each term – our preferred method of payment is the SchoolGateway (https://login.schoolgateway.com/0/auth/login).  We also accept childcare vouchers.  Please ask in the School Office if you want to use childcare vouchers.

New Crossing Patrol

On Monday (3^rd October) families will be able to cross the road to and from school with Mrs Perez at our new crossing patrol.   Mrs Perez will be by the school gates on Forest Road.

Family Masses at St Joseph’s Church

The parish is now trying to maintain a ‘Family’ Mass on the 2nd Sunday of each month at 10am and we would really like to get more children involved and actively participating in the service. Children can take part by singing with the Music Group, reading a bidding prayer, helping with the Offertory Procession, or with welcoming and handing out hymn books at the door. The next Mass will be on 9th October. If you think you and your child would like to be more involved then please contact Cathy Williamson on 07917276994 (You can call or Text). Thank you!

Celebration Assembly

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 3^rd October, where the following children will receive their head teacher’s award:  Mati and Daisha (Y1) William (Y2), Eoghan and Anns (Y3), Ruby (Y4), Liam (Y5), Josh M and Isabel (Y6).

Dates for Diaries

Thursday 6^th October                       - Open morning for Reception 2017 parents
                                                             (9.30-10am)

Thursday 20^th October                    - PTFA Infant Disco  

Wednesday 19^th October             - Harvest Festival Service 9.30 in school

Thursday 10^th November                - Open morning for Reception 2017 parents
                                                             (9.30-10am)

Thursday 24^th November                - Open afternoon for Reception 2017 parents
                                                             (2-2.30pm)

Wednesday 30^th November          - Advent Mass 9.30 in school

Tuesday 6^th December                   - Infant Nativity 2.30pm

Wednesday 7^th December            - Infant Nativity 9.30am (repeat)

Wednesday 7^th December            - Christmas Lunch for all pupils

Thursday 8th – Friday 9th Dec        - Years 4/5 Trip to Kintbury

Tuesday 13^th December                 - Pantomime trip for Infant Classes

Wednesday 14^th December          - Infant Christmas Parties (am)

Wednesday 14^th December          - Theatre trip for Junior Classes (pm)

Thursday 15^th December                - Junior Christmas Parties (pm)

Friday 16^th December                     - School breaks up for Christmas Holidays
                                                             (2pm finish)

School term dates 2016-17

Term 1                        1/9/16 – 21/10/16

Term 2                        31/10/16 – 16/12/16

Term 3                        3/1/17 - 10/2/17

Term 4                        20/2/17 – 7/4/17

Term 5                        24/4/17 – 26/5/17

Term 6                        5/6/17 – 21/7/17

We will inform parents of the dates of the remaining INSET days as soon as possible.

Mrs Jackie McCarthy
Headteacher