Newsletters

Friday 11th of February 2022

It has been another extremely busy half-term. The children and staff have all been working incredibly hard, and I know now we are all ready for a well-earned rest.

I hope that you all have a lovely half-term break and enjoy spending quality time with your family and loved ones.

Next half-term really does look an exciting one, we have Science Week, World Book Day and Fair trade Fortnight to look forward to. Of course next half-term, also sees the start of our Journey in Lent.

Monday the 21st of February is a staff INSET day. I look forward to seeing all the children back in school on Tuesday the 22nd of February.

Language Legend this week is Ava from Y6 for her excellent attitude to learning and beautiful presentation in her French book.

World Book day is on Thursday 3rd March. On this day and throughout the week, we will be running various activities, author talks and competitions, as well as having a Scholastic book Fair in school, which all year groups will be able to visit.
On Thursday 3rd, we are inviting all children to dress up as a BOOK character (not a film character), it could be as elaborate as you like, or as simple as wearing your pyjamas.
There will be prizes for the most creative and uniquely considered costumes.
We are also running a ‘World Book Day Potatoes’ competition. We would like as many of you as possible to decorate a potato to symbolise your favourite book. These should be brought in on Thursday 3rd, where they will be displayed and judged. Prizes will be awarded.

Examples could be:

We will also be running a ‘Guess Who’ competition, which we would like you to take part in. Please take a photo of yourself reading your favourite book, but don’t let us see your face. (Please email these to your class teacher.) Can you guess who they are? Teachers will also be taking part and reading the book they are hiding behind to the children on World Book Day.

Examples:

The Book Fair will be open to parents with their children on the following days and times and your child will also have the chance to visit the fair with their class during the week:

(You will need to supervise your child during these times)

Monday 28th Feb 8:30am - 8:50am (EYFS and KS1)

Tuesday 1st March 8:30am - 8:50am (KS2)

Tuesday 1st March 3:20pm - 4pm (EYFS and KS1)

Wednesday 2nd March 8:30am - 8:50am (EYFS and KS1)

Wednesday 2nd March 3:20pm - 4pm (KS2)

Thursday 3rd March 8:30am - 8:50am (KS2)

If you are unable to come into school with your child and do not want to send them into school with cash, you can click on the following link to pay for and create a gift voucher ahead of time for your child to spend. https://bookfairs.scholastic.co.uk/gift-vouchers

You can also pay online whilst you are at the book fair using this link or the QR Code below https://bookfairs.scholastic.co.uk/pay:

There are over 200 titles for you and your child to choose from, and with prices starting from only £2.99, there’s sure to be a book for everyone. Don’t forget that every book you buy can help to get FREE BOOKS for our school library!

We would like to say a huge thank you again to all of our families who donated books from our Class Amazon wish lists. It has been wonderful to see the children making the most of these new books - they are always so excited when they receive a delivery of brand-new books.

Should any families wish to make a further donation to school, then this really would be greatly appreciated. All the individual lists are still available - links shall be emailed out again by your child class teacher.

What is Fairtrade Fortnight?

For two weeks each year, at the end of February and start of March, thousands of schools, colleges and universities across the UK come together to learn from the people who grow our food and drinks, mine our gold and who grow the cotton in our clothes – people who are often exploited and underpaid.

Through learning about how we are all connected through the things we eat, drink and wear, young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills to shape a more compassionate and sustainable world.

What will be the learning focus of Fairtrade Fortnight 2022?

So, this Fairtrade Fortnight, we are invited to stand with farmers and workers seeking climate justice. The children shall be carrying out activities which explore the inequalities at the heart of the climate crisis, and learn how governments, businesses, schools and individuals can take collective action for a fairer future.

This week we would like as many of you to get involved with the PE Home Challenge. A special well done to Sophie and Ruby from Year 2 for their amazing efforts last week with the Rock Around the Sock challenge!

Take some time to look at our Year 6 Sports Prefects with their demo video, via the YouTube link below.

https://youtu.be/5vpxQWxnOIw

We are aware that some parents found it difficult to submit results via Twitter, so this week we are opening a thread on our St. Joseph's Facebook page, where you can all add your scores in a safe online environment. If you also wish to video your efforts, we would love to see that too, but this is not essential.

Have fun and good luck!

We thank you, Lord, for this term. For our challenges, our successes, and the mistakes from which we have learnt. Be with us as we spend our time with family and friends. Give us strength and courage to do what is right: to be witnesses of our faith.