It has been an extremely busy and productive week at St. Joseph's. The Year 1 children began their phonics assessments and we are really proud of all their hard work and achievements. We always review and adapt our teaching practice to meet the needs of the children and leaders are in constant conversations with the team to hone teaching and learnring based on progress and outcomes. As a result the children have made excellent progress and the Phonics Masterclass introduced in spring term has enabled even more children to succeed in their early reading- well done and thank you to the children, the team and parents for their support.

The Y4 children completed their Multiplication checks, they have spent a long time preparing and improving their skills and knowledge. We are really proud of how calm and relaxed they all were. Superb job to you all!

As you know both our schools are in the inspection window. On Wednesday, we had an external review which focused on Inclusion, Attendance, Safeguarding and the Quality of Leadership and Education across the Federation. It was an extremely rigorous process and the findings triangulated that we have made excellent progress at our schools and are in a very strong position.

As a team we have had to deal with and overcome many challenges and personal loss, but our offering and commitment to you and your children has never wavered because of the strength and love in our whole school community. To you we are grateful and for each other we are proud.

Today children from Nursery to Y2 took part in a sports experience day. It was wonderful to watch the children smile and laugh as they tried out different sporting activities on the field. The Juniors will also be having their day soon. Four sports coaches from Premier Education put together a carefully planned day for the children. We are grateful to them for their parentship in improving Sports and provision across our schools. Did you know that at lunchtimes two of their coaches do structured games for our children? This helps the children to learn the rules of sports, learn sportspersonship and self-regulation.

St. Joseph's is responsible for organising the Annual Catholic Cross Country Competition which took place at St John Fisher today. A huge thank you to Mr Abrahams for organising and Mr Teague, our Vice Chair of Governors, for allowing us to use his school grounds. The John Fisher sport leaders were are great help also.

Forty of our Junior children took part in the contest and for the 1st time in 10 years... we won! Superb result. Well done children, proof that hard work pays off.

Sadly we've had two further losses in our school community recently. I lost an aunty unexpectedly and Mrs Clements wonderful husband of 54 years, Morris, passed away this week. Please keep them and our families in your prayers. May God strengthen us and keep us at this time.

I hope you and your families enjoy each other's company this weekend, remembering how precious loved ones are. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads and Father figures in our in our school community. We are grateful for all you do!

Mrs Ashley and The St. Joseph's Team

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Helping Your Child Thrive Through School Transitions

Preparing children for transitions is important at any age, here are some top tips:

1. Familiarity: Arrange visits to the new school or classrooms to familiarise your child with their new environment and people as this can help reduce anxiety. Take pictures and make a digital or printed transition book.

2. Routines: Create a consistent daily routine that includes time for schoolwork, play, and rest to provide a sense of security and helps children manage their time effectively.

3. Independence: Encourage your child to solve minor problems on their own, whether it’s dressing themselves, handling a tricky homework question or resolving a playground dispute. This fosters resilience and critical thinking.

4. Organization: Help your child organize their school supplies and understand what they need each day. Labelling items and creating a checklist can be very helpful. A consistent homework routine reinforces good study habits.

5. Support Emotional Well-being: Maintain open and honest communication with your child about their feelings and experiences. Encourage them to express any worries or excitement and support your child in building and maintaining friendships. Role-playing social scenarios can help younger children, while older children might benefit from discussing social dynamics.

Transitions can be challenging, but with your support and encouragement, your child can navigate these changes with confidence and ease.

Early Years

Reception have had their second cricket session with Coach Stevens this week.

We learnt about fielding, bowling and catching the ball. We had to listen very carefully to Coach as he call out instructions that we followed. We had a lot of practice and then we had a competition. It was very exciting.

Key Stage 1

Year 2 had a brilliant week starting their new art topic on clay. They tried different ways to flatten and shape the clay. The students made pinch pots by using their fingers and thumbs to make the sides even. They learned how to smooth the clay and make it look neat. Then, they used tools to make marks and decorate their pots. Everyone had fun exploring and creating with clay. It was a fantastic start to their new art project!

Lower Key Stage 2

This week, Year in Geography, Year 4 have been learning more about rivers. We focused on what features can be found in the upper, middle and lower courses of a river.

After a group activity of sorting the correct features into the correct groups, we made our own 3D models.

Upper Key Stage 2

In Year 6, our students have been working hard to prepare for their upcoming writing moderation, honing their skills and showcasing their creativity. In Maths, we've tackled practical topics such as money, bills, tax, and wages, providing essential life skills.

Our Science lessons have delved into the fascinating world of micro-organisms, sparking curiosity and wonder. Art classes featured an engaging still-life lesson, where students explored their artistic talents and gave mature and deep meaning to their own drawings.

"Lilies are complicated and this represents our lives aren't always straightforward. The missing bits of the star shows that our lives can also be scattered." Josiah, 6P

Geography lessons included an independent fieldwork study, encouraging hands-on learning and exploration. In Religious Education, we focused on the theme 'Called to Serve,' reflecting on the importance of service and community.

Next week we will start preparing for our end of year production of the Lion King. We can't wait to see the final performance!

Curriculum Focus

STEM

A group of Y5 children had a wonderful time at BTG taking part in science experiments and developing their knowledge of the world. They had completed 6 science experiments in the morning sessions alone and we can't wait to hear about what they enjoyed most and learnt.

P.E.

Congratulations to our incredible cross country team on their outstanding victory at the Annual Catholic Schools Competition! Your hard work, dedication and commitment over the past months have truly paid off. A special shout-out to Gabriel S for winning the Year 3/4 Boys race and to Jacob D for finishing a close second. Also to Milena for her remarkable win in the Year 3/4 Girls race. You have all made our school very proud. I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Burgess for her unwavering support and guidance throughout the nine months of training. Thank you also to Mrs. Luri, Mrs. Winters (a fantastic scorer) and Mrs. Power for their invaluable assistance on the day.

Well done, team!

Mr Abrahams

Happy Birthday!

Everyone at St. Joseph's wishes you the happiest of birthdays.

N: Clara Reception: Reuben Yr 3: Marjus

Staff:Mrs De Jesus and Miss De Melo

Information

Come and join us for our annual Colour Run!

Supporting you to support your child's emotional wellbeing.

See dates of workshops above.

Key Dates

Friday 24th May - Marian Procession on the field. Parents/Carers welcome (Crowning Mary with flowers)

End of Term- 24th May

Monday 17th- Friday 21st June- KS1 SATs Week

Monday 17th- Friday 21st June - Science Week and Assessment Week

Wednesday, 19th June -Reception visit to Virgo (afternoon)

Friday 21st June Year 4 Assembly (Junior Hall) 9.15am Parents welcome

Friday, 28th June - 2J Class Assembly.

Friday 28th June - St Peter and St Paul Mass, Junior School (2pm)

Wednesday 3rd July Sports Day AM Infant School, PM Junior School

Thursday 4th July- Polling Day- School closed to pupils unless child is selected for special sport event

Friday 5th July- 2O Class Assembly.

Saturday 6th July- Colour Run

Monday 8th - Wednesday 10th July - PGL for Y6

Friday 12th July- Reception Trip to Norwood Park

Friday 12th July - Y6 Thames River Cruise

Tuesday 16th July- Reception Class Assembly 9.15am

Wednesday 17th July - End of Year Thanksgiving Mass at Virgo Fidelis (2pm) Family and Friends of the school welcome

Thursday 18th July - Y6 performance for parents (9.30am 6pm)

Friday 19th July- Y6 Leavers Celebration (After school)

Friday 19th July - Year 2 Celebration Assembly

Friday 19th July- Transition Morning (N-Y5)

Friday 19th July- End of year class parties pm

Monday 22nd July - Y6 Mass in the Junior Hall, 5.30pm

Tuesday 23rd July End of Term 2pm

We hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend

The St. Joseph's Team