Dear Parent/Carer,

Welcome

We are pleased to welcome Mrs Daniels to the school staff team on Monday.  Mrs Daniels will join Mrs Montgomery and Mrs Lee in the School Office as our new Receptionist and Admin Assistant.  Mrs Daniels will work from 8.30-11.30 every morning and 2-4 on Wednesday to Friday afternoons.

Residential trips in 2016/17

There are still spaces on the Year 4 and 5 retreat to the St Cassian Centre in Kintbury and trip to Barton Camp in May.  The Year 6 trip to the Dean Field Study Centre is filling up fast but there are still spaces left so book soon. 

Please use the SchoolGateway to pay and return forms to the School Office as soon as possible. 

Infant Disco

St Joseph's PTFA are hosting an infant disco on Thursday, 20 October, 3.30 - 5.00 in the school hall. Tickets will again be available in the main playground from 3.30 on Monday. Cost £3 to include refreshments.

Applying for a secondary school place for the school year 2017 – 2018

If your child was born between 1st September 2005 and 31st August 2006 you must apply for a year 7 school place by 31st October 2016.  The easiest way to apply is online at www.bristol.gov.uk/schooladmissions     If you would like to complete a paper application please contact School Admissions at Bristol City Council by calling 0117 903 7694 or by emailing school.admissions@bristol.gov.uk

If you wish to apply for a place at St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School on religious grounds, you will also be required to send evidence of your faith commitment to the school by 31st October 2016. If, after reading the Admission Policy, you are not sure of the evidence required please call Mrs Nunnerley at the school on 0117 377 2050.

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!

St Joseph’s Cubs and Scouts

We have places available for children aged 8-10 years in Cubs and 10-14 years in Scouts.  We meet in the Parish Hall on Tuesdays: 6-7.30pm Cubs; 7.30-9pm Scouts.

Adults who are willing to help at either section would be welcome. 

Please contact Wendy or Marek Petela on 0117 960 6378 for more information.

The Bristol Story Carousel - BYO language

Saturday 22nd October   2 - 5 pm in Bristol Central Library Children's section

A FREE multi-lingual children's event for all Bristol families.  The event will have 3 activities running simultaneously:

•  Arts & Crafts workshop (age 6+) based on the Polish children’s classic ‘Mr Miniscule and the Whale’ by Julian Tuwim and Bohdan Butenko
• Story Carousel: Non-stop story reading by local authors and illustrators (feel free to bring picture books in the language you speak at home)
• Create your own paper cup character (activity led by local illustrators)

Celebration Assembly & Chaplaincy Team Commissioning

There will be a celebration assembly on Monday 10th October, where the following children will receive their head teacher’s award:  Amira and Bernard (Y1), Sophiya (Y2), Hugo (Y3), Szymon and Dashana (Y4), Anna (Y5), and Marlen (Y6) and the Chaplaincy Team will receive their Commissioning Certificates.

The Chaplaincy Team went to the Cathedral yesterday (6^th October) where they received their Chaplaincy Team badges from Bishop Declan. Cheyenne, Marlen, Jackson, Isabel M, Wiktoria, Areeba, Kiara, Dominic S, Jaimie and Allen are now wearing their badges with pride!

Dates for Diaries     

Tuesday 11^th October                     - Year 4 Trip to the Museum

Wednesday 12^th October              - Year 6 Trip to the Mshed

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

Thursday 20^th October                    - PTFA Infant Disco 3.30-5pm         

Friday 21^st October                         - Last day of Term 1

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, there will be no Extended School Club after school on 16^th December)

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