Humble Christ

In Celebration of the Word this week, we heard the parable of the workers in the vineyard (25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A). On the surface, the parable seems extremely unfair - the workers who do a full day's labour get the same reward as those who just did one hour's work! However, we learn that God's wisdom is not our wisdom. Those of us who are priviledged to receive and respond to the invitation to build God's Kingdom must learn to love the difficult and challenging work, with the humility of mind to recognise that others may not join us until later in the day.

We have reflected on the Gospel Value of humility and the contentment that can flow from putting ourselves last. Children have practised putting themselves at the back of the queue, waiting until others have sat down before finding a place and inviting friends to use equipment before them. It has been a joy to see humility in action around the school this week!

A - 25th Ordinary

Welcome Back 2026

Welcome Back Meeting

By popular demand, we have filmed this year's Welcome Back Meeting main presentation for all those parents who were unable to attend the sessions at the end of the school day. Thank you for being understanding of the need to protect the staff team from an additional evening away from their families and we hope you find this recording a useful way to be actively involved in our school mission this year.

Standing Tall

In DT, Year 1 have been exploring what structures are (they can be made by humans or animals and are built to do a job) and how to build a stable structure. We learnt that for a structure to be stable, it needs a wide base and a narrow top. We then explored how weight can also help to make a structure stable using the idea of basketball hoops. We created our own mini basketball hoops out of paper straws and investigated where to put the modelling clay to make them stable. Well done Year 1!

Living History

As part of our History learning about schools in the past, Year 2 were delighted to welcome two visitors who came to share their memories and experiences of school life. One of our visitors was a former pupil of the school and gave the children a fascinating insight into how much our school has changed over the years. He told us about the swimming pool that used to be at the school, the hand-held bell that was used to signal the start of lessons, and how the locations of the school buildings have changed.

Our other visitor shared her experiences of attending boarding school and described what her teachers and classrooms were like. She also told the children how she would write a letter home to her parents once a week and how much she loved her time at school. The children were fascinated by their stories and asked thoughtful questions to help them understand how school life has changed over time. They listened carefully, showed excellent manners and behaved wonderfully throughout the visit—they were a real credit to our school!

The Colour Monster joins St Joseph’s!

This week, Reception children have been learning about their feelings. We have been enjoying listening to the Colour Monster story and learning about the Zones of Regulation. We have also created some calm areas in our classrooms that we can visit whenever we need to.

Getting our teeth into Science...

This week, Year 4 became mini dentists as we explored the fascinating world of teeth! We learnt about the different types of teeth in our mouths and discovered that each one has an important job to do. From biting and cutting food to tearing and grinding, our teeth work together to help us eat and digest our food.

We then had the chance to become scientists and investigate our own teeth. Using mirrors, the children carefully observed their smiles and looked closely at the different shapes and types of teeth they could see.

To finish our lesson, we used plasticine to create our own models of teeth. The children worked carefully to recreate what they had observed, thinking about the size, shape and position of each tooth. It was a fun, practical lesson, and Year 4 certainly gave us plenty to smile about!

Harvest Time

Despite the challenging conditions this summer, we were still blessed to enjoy an abundant harvest from the school's allotment this week. Tomatoes aplenty, alongside potatoes, onions, pears and rhubarb. Our first effort at sweet potato also proved successful, with some whopping tubers pulled from the ground this autumn. There are still butternut squash, pumpkins and marrows maturing over the coming weeks.

Thank you and well done to all the children across the school who helped to sow, germinate, plant and tend to this remarkable harvest.

Getting to Know You!

Over the past few weeks we have welcomed our new families and children into the Nursery, as well as our returning children. They have been getting to know the staff and each other while exploring the environments inside and outside. The term got off to a great start with some beautiful sunny weather, the children enjoyed the large sand pit and the water play. The bikes and the pirate ship have also been a firm favourite.

The knee bone connected to the...

This week, Year 3 have been learning all about the human skeleton! The children worked together to identify and label the main bones in the body, including the skull, spine, ribcage, pelvis and the bones in our arms, hands, legs and feet.

They also put their measuring skills to the test by measuring different bones using rulers and then ordering them from longest to shortest. It was a fun, hands-on way to explore the size and structure of our skeletons while developing our scientific vocabulary and measuring skills.

Stormbreaker Sparks Deep Thinking

In Year 6, we launched into our new Guided Reading unit with huge enthusiasm. We are reading Alex Rider: Stormbreaker and it has already captured our imaginations.

This week’s Book Club session was a real highlight. Working in small groups, the children took responsibility for researching key reading skills such as clarifying, questioning, summarising and predicting. They gathered evidence from the text, discussed ideas and then fed back their findings to their peers.

It was wonderful to see them working so independently - exploring the story, checking their understanding and supporting one another to dig deeper into the plot. Their confidence grew with every conversation and the classroom buzzed with thoughtful discussion and genuine excitement.

By the end of the session, the children were eager to continue reading and discover what happens next to Alex. If the start of this unit is anything to go by, we’re in for a brilliant journey together!

Humility in 6A

Congratulations to St Andrew's Class for a remakable whole school worship this morning. We heard how, in traditional tales and throughout the Gospel, we are encouraged to recognise that we are all uniquely gifted. Comparing ourelves to others, boasting of our talents and putting ourselves first will achieve little in our world. However, putting ourselves last - like our servant king - and recongising the dignity of every single person as a child of God will achieve the humble culture that makes our work a better place. What an incredible message to end the week - well done 6A!

Humble Witnesses

Our thanks and congratulations to this week's Witness Award winners, for their response to the Tool of St Joseph - humility. In putting themselves last and accepting the hard work of the Gospel message, they have build God's Kindgom here at St Joseph's, just like the workers in this week's parable. An outstanding contribution - well done!

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