The Pied Piper
On Thursday 14th July, the incredible talented Year 6 at St Joseph's took to the stage to present the musical tale of The Pied Piper! The acting, dancing and singing was outstanding and we are so very proud of their spectacular achievement.
A special thank you to Sharon Trowbridge for an awe-inspiring backdrop, Gabriela Ramirez for incredible leadership in pulling together costumes and props, Becky Hall, Genoveva Holland, Enya Martin and Phoebe Jopson for their contributions to the set design, props and costumes. We simply could not have done it without you all.
The premises team for their relentless energy in erecting and dismantling the stage repeatedly over the past few weeks and for accommodating our every wish. We owe you a debt of gratitude.
The Year 6 teachers who have led, inspired, organised and motivated without hesitation and to whom we are all eternally grateful.
And of course the children for their passion, determination and enthusiasm which culminated in a fabulous performance. You have gone out with a bang!
Time to Reflect
As part of their transition to Secondary School and to celebrate their last year at St Joseph's, Year 6 took part in a Reflection Day. Mr Collins led a thought-provoking session in which the children shared their memories of school - some even back to when they started at the Nursery! As well as discussing the experiences and challenges that they have faced and how they have shaped who we are, we shared inspirational quotes such as 'Nothing is Impossible' and 'God loves you for who you are!' The children then picked their most meaningful and poignant quotes and scribed them on the bricks in the prayer garden as part of their legacy.
In another session, they created carefully decorated compliment jars to keep and take home. The children enjoyed passing a compliment on to a member of the class who wouldn't expect it from them.
Finally, we took part in three different prayer spaces, reflecting on what we are thankful for, worries we have and what we are looking forward to. The children had a wonderful time scrunching up their worries and throwing them in the bin, creating paper cocoons and setting butterflies free, representing the next exciting stage of their lives. Our thanks to Aseel and the Children, Youth & Families team at the Catholic Parish of Guildford for their continued support and inspiration.
And the award goes to...
What an absolute honour it has been to support the current Year 6 cohort through their journey at St Joseph's. As tradition at this time of year, we celebrate those children with outstanding achievements in a range of areas. We are immensely proud of all our year 6 children, including those that received one of these much anticipated accolades - well done; what bright futures lay ahead of all of you!
WE Howells Award
Awarded for demonstrating a gift or talent within Art, and for being able to bring art to life. This award is named after someone within our school community, Mrs Richardson’s dad, who was a huge advocate for Art and who inspired many young people who subsequently went on to achieve their artistic potential. Awarded to Calista Salting.
Bacon Cup
Named after a previous teacher who inspired many children to take part in musical activities and is therefore given to someone who shows growth and musical development and who participates actively in all musical opportunities offered here at St Joseph’s. Awarded to Keith Lo.
Cyrene Award
Named after Simon of Cyrene, the man who helped Jesus carry his cross. With this in mind, the award is given to someone who shares those same qualities and is selfless and compassionate to all. Awarded to Maisie Nyuyse.
Lucas Cup
This award is named after a famous French mathematician who was known for his work on the Fibonacci sequence. It is therefore presented to a Year 6 student who has shown perseverance in maths and who has strived to extend their knowledge and learning to become the best mathematician that they can possibly be. Awarded to Colleen Pantua.
Michael’s Cup
One of the longest standing awards, given to children who have shown remarkable resilience in overcoming a barrier. This might be a physical disability, a barrier to learning or a difficult set of circumstances that result in them having to achieve through adversity. The recipient of this award would be someone who has not let anything get in the way of them being the best version of themselves they can be and who has achieved above and beyond expectations. Awarded to Gwen May.
Margaret Fordyce Award
This award looks for more than just a good artist. The winner of this award will be someone who shows originality and creativity in everything they do. The award recognises someone’s innovative ideas and their ability to look for the best ways to present all their learning, across the curriculum. Awarded to Larissa Teixeira Fiorotto.
Spectrum Cup
Awarded to those who show outstanding sportsmanship towards others throughout the year. The type of person who would achieve this award is someone who recognises the value of team spirit, regardless of the score at the end of the game. This is awarded to one boy and one girl. Awarded to Sam Peedell and Imogen Donlan.
Yarrow Cup
Named after our very own Mrs Yarrow who is herself a talented sports person and who is passionate about inspiring young people to succeed in their sport. This award recognises outstanding sporting achievement. Awarded to Eliza Jameson and Samuel Osbaldeston.
Haigh Cup
This is a brand new award for 2022, created for our beloved staff member Mrs Haigh. Mrs Haigh loved a story - she was well known for her wonderful accents and impressions when reading a story and delving into a good book. This cup is awarded to a child for their outstanding ability at storywriting - bringing charaters and settings to life through their skilful use of vocabulary, grammar and characterisation. Awarded to Tyler Lewis.
D-I-S-C-O!
As is tradition at St Joseph's, the Year 6 Leavers were treated to a disco by the PFSA on Tuesday evening. Strictly "No Parents Allowed", it was a great opportunity for the children to enjoy a final song and dance together with their friends before the end of term.
Our thanks to the PFSA for funding and the school staff for hosting the event. A brilliant evening was had by all!