CT - Spring 2014 - 1
Dear Parents/Carers,
Happy New Year and welcome back to Spring term.
I hope everyone had a happy and peaceful Christmas tide. Thank you for all the good wishes sent to staff at Christmas. They were much appreciated. The new term might be known as Spring 1 but clearly the weather has some way to go before showing signs of new life.
As before if the weather is bad, rain or ice, please bring your child down to the lower play area and we will let the children in from there at 8.45am.
If there is a massive snowfall overnight, please check your mobile phone and the website. A message will only be sent if there is a change to usual routine and the school is closed.
If there are no messages on either of our systems or Tameside webpage then school is open as usual.
Diary Dates
Sun 12th January Sacramental programme meeting 9.15am
Sun 19th January Sacramental programme Mass
Sun 2nd February Sacramental programme meeting
Sun 9th February Sacramental programme Mass
Thurs 13th February Cake sale from KS1 and FS
Fri 14th February School closes for half term
Tues 25th February School reopens
Wed 5th March Mass for Ash Wednesday
Thurs 13th March Finance Governors meeting 5pm
Sun 16th March Sacramental programme meeting
Wed 26th March Parents evening for Reception to Y6 parents
Thurs 27th March Full Governor meeting 5pm
Tues 1st April Easter egg bingo
Fri 4th April School closes for Easter
Assembly rota
Fri 17th January Class 5
Fri 24th January Class 3
Fri 31st January Class 4
Fri 7th February Year 2
Fri 14th February Year 1
Parking
All local schools have been contacted by the local police recently with regard to dangerous parking by parents. They are making checks outside schools and are issuing tickets. We are lucky at St. Joseph’s because there is lots of space to park, provided everyone follows the law. Blocking entrances, stopping in the middle of the road, dropping children off on the yellow zigzags and double parking however are not legal. Please ensure ALL of our children are safe by being fair to one another. Park in a safe place even if it means you have to walk for one minute. Each child’s life is worth a lot more than that.
Home School Association- Thank You
The HSA was very busy last term organising events to enhance the social life of the school. Thank you to all those who worked so hard at each event. Thank you also to everyone for supporting events. The HSA spend money raised on the children and the pantomime was subsidised for all children by the funds raised by the HSA. Well done.
Website
The school website is updated on a regular basis. If you have never seen it the address is:
www.st-josephs.tameside.sch.uk.
Copies of newsletters are posted on here so if you are missing a date or just want to look at some of the events happening in school please take a look.
Nursery Places
The Governors will shortly be looking at all applications for places in the school. If you have a child who is three years old before August 31st this year they are eligible for a Nursery place.
The Nursery is open daily from 8.55am until 11.55 am. If you have already registered an interest you should have received a letter from school asking you to confirm this interest and requesting copies of birth certificates and baptism certificates. If you have not already done this please contact the school office for a form.
Reception Class Applications
All parents of current Nursery children and those of any child who will be aged four before August 31st this year should have applied online for a Reception class place. If you have not yet applied it is essential that you do so before January 15th.
If applications are not received on time it is unlikely that parents will receive their first choice of school. If you are unclear about the process please call into the school office for help and support. Please tell your friends and relatives of this important date for places in reception class at any school in 2014.
Uniform
The majority of our pupils always appear smartly and correctly dressed each day in school and reflect the hard work and care of parents. Thank you very much for supporting the uniform rules. The school uniform was designed through consultation with parents. It is designed to be hard wearing, practical and distinctive and suited to all age groups.
Every couple of years parents are consulted again about uniform to check it continues to provide good service. If you have any ideas about the uniform please let me know so that it can be discussed further. One area of concern recently has been the shoes worn by older children in the school many of which are sportswear really. Is it practical to ask parents to ensure children have separate school shoes to other shoes?
Can I also ask that parents check all items of uniform have a name on them. Named lost property was given back to the children before Christmas and they were all asked to look through the items in the lost property box but, despite that, many items of clothing have never been claimed. We are starting the new year with an empty lost property box and it would be great to keep it that way.
Jewellery
The school has a no jewellery policy to prevent accidents and loss of items. This includes all items of jewellery from earrings to chains around necks to bracelets. No exceptions are made for any sort of jewellery.
If you as a parent decide that your child has to have pierced ears, they have to be covered over with plasters for 6 weeks and then removed daily for school. Children are not allowed to take part in PE, swimming or free play if they are not following these rules. Thank you to all those who have supported this rule fully throughout their child’s time at primary school.
Levy
Each year parents are asked to pay the Salford Diocese School Levy. This cost to the school by the Diocese is to ensure the Catholic schools can be adequately maintained and continue to exist. The charge is £20 per child each year in main school and £10 for Nursery. Some parents have already paid the full amount but others chose to pay in two instalments, September and January. I would be grateful if parents/carers could send in any outstanding levy money in a named envelope, marked levy, by the end of January. Thank you.
Apply for Free School Meals
Can I encourage families to apply for this, even if they do not wish to give their child the school meal?
Part of the school budget is now allocated according to number of pupils on free school meals.
Similarly a sum of money is also allocated to providing children on free school meals with specific benefits in school such as free trips and levy. If you think you may be eligible please apply.
Topics this term
Information about the curriculum taught in each class is detailed on the website but please find below the topic titles for this half term in each class. If you have knowledge about any of these topics or particular resources that may be of interest please talk to the teacher concerned.
Class 5 Victorian Mills and Forces
Class 4 St. Lucia
Class 3 Ancient Greece
Year 2 The Circus
Year 1 Vehicles and Forces
Foundation Stage Under the Sea and Pirates
Finally, it is lovely to put something on about children for a change and I have been “advised” to say Y6 are awesome! As it was the Feast of the Epiphany this week. I thought you might want to read their retelling of this story.
Well done Y6 and Abbie and Louie in particular for this version.
"The three kings gazed in wonder up at the beautiful night sky. They discovered an amazing twinkling star high above their heads. Turning to each other they nervously whispered, “We must follow that beautiful star to discover where it leads.”
"The three kings carefully grasped their precious gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Seconds later, they mounted their gorgeous golden furred camels and followed the shining star. They set off over deserts to find this miraculous new born baby.
"Travelling along the everlasting sandy and humid desert, they followed the warming, bright, star twinkling high in the night sky. They were weary, worn, tired and alone.
"They stopped at the magnificent palace, why had the star brought them here? The wicked, evil Herod was impatiently waiting for them. Craftily asking if they had found the king of the Jews. Herod desperately wanted the knowledge of where about the young king was. In his evil mind he wanted to know if the three kings had found his victim.
"In a flash the three kings went on their way, once again following the glowing star. Confused and alone, they rode on down the cold dusty track. The brightest of all stars stopped over a cosy, warm stable.
"Mary was there rocking her miracle baby with Joseph at her side. Gingerly the wise kings scurried into the old worn out stable to witness the small miracle. They gazed at the little baby Jesus as they gave their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
"A bright, glowing angel briskly appeared and softly spoke,”Go home a different route.” Waving to Mary and Joseph, the wise Kings climbed on their golden camels and trotted off to their beautiful home town, vanishing into the sunset."
