Friday Round Up 23.2.18

Friday Round-Up

Spring term Week 7

New Age Kurling team:

Congratulations, once again, to the St John’s Kurling team of Amaka Ude, Chigozie Ude, Aren Diallo, Scarlett Stevens and Freya Denton who, on Thursday, took part in the Essex County Final of Kurling – and finished 9th! They were a real credit to the school and performed incredibly well and clearly had a fantastic time! Thank you to Mrs Hodis for training the team and for Mrs Watkins for organising the event.

Please check out the school’s website for the report and photographs of this event.

 

Parents Evening:

Next week, on Tuesday and Thursday, are our Mid-year Parents’ Evenings. These are a valuable opportunity to find out about your child’s progress and how you can support their learning. As I am sure you can understand, due to the large number of parents that will be seen, it is vital that parents keep to the 10-minute time scale for their appointment. If you feel that you need a longer time to discuss your child, please arrange an additional meeting with your child’s teacher after school on another day.

 

World Book Day Dressing-up Day:

Next Friday, the 2nd March, St John’s will be holding a Dress-up Day, in honour of World Book Day (which is actually officially the day before!). We are doing this on the Friday, rather than the Thursday, because of Parents Evening. The whole school day will be devoted to the celebration of reading and more specifically, centred around this year’s national theme; ‘Share a Story’. We invite all children and adults at the school to dress up as Book Characters from favourite books – if they want to pair up with a friend to theme their dressing up idea than that would be great, but if they want to dress up as an individual character then they are also welcome to do so. We would ask that the children bring in £1 and give this into their class teacher. All funds will go to the school and will be spent on fun new resources for the children. Furthermore, in line with our ‘Share a Story’ theme, we ask that your child brings in their favourite story book, ready to share with their classmates. Thank you in advanced for your cooperation with making this day a huge success. I am already excited to see the weird and wonderful characters that will be visiting our school, next Friday!

 

Dance Festival:

For the first time in a few years, a group of Year 6 Dancers took part in a Dance Festival at Davenant Foundation School in Loughton this week. They had been rehearsing tirelessly every lunchtime to perfect their routine to ‘Electricity’ from Billy Elliot the musical. The practising certainly paid off, as they wowed the audience with their energetic and emotive routine. The feedback from the organisers used words such as ‘perfection’ and ‘good enough to be on the West End stage’. We are so very proud of these children, who have now been inspired to start a St. John’s Dance Troupe with Mrs Clarke, where they will work towards various upcoming performance opportunities. Watch this space!!

 

Fab 50 Success:

I am very pleased to announce that yet again, we have another child who has successfully read all 50 books on their year group’s ‘Fab 50’ list. Congratulations to Nellie Lan Jones in 1H who has been working so very hard with her reading. As a reward, she will be treated to a Headteacher’s lunch with myself next week where I shall look forward to her telling me all about the lovely books she has read.

 

Car park:

This is just a reminder… but please ensure that cars are not driven into the school before or after school when the children are arriving or leaving in large numbers, due to the obvious risks to children, other parents or staff members of the school. May I also remind you that the top car-parking spaces should not be used to park cars, as they belong to the Church.

Thank you.

 

ABRSM Music Exams:

Congratulations to Mrs Huff and the fifteen children (from Years 4 to 6) who have been taking Associated Board Music exams this week. I am sure that all of the practise that they have put in will surely pay off! Well done and good luck to: Fraser Hedger, Minnette Mohammad, Joe Coyte, Jaeden Twaites, George Koskinas, Theo Wong, Amber Braysher, William Truss, Oliver Sapiro, Matteo Vincis, Arthur Hammerston, Reuben Guinness, Rajan Mahil, Leonie Ryan and Mia Jenkins!

 

School Uniform:

I have been very pleased with the general standard of school uniform since we have returned after Christmas. However, I have seen some recent examples of children wearing trainers, rather than black school shoes. May I also remind you that jewellery should not be worn by the children, except small stud earrings. Please also ensure that children are dressed appropriately for the cold weather, as it is due to turn particularly cold over the next week.

 

25 Years Service!

At the end of January, one of our Teaching Assistants, Mrs Christine Shawyer, celebrated 25 years working at St John’s. This is, undoubtedly, an amazing achievement and shows outstanding commitment and service to the school!

Interestingly, Christine has worked under three different Head teachers in that time (Mr Adams, Mr Tidmarsh and Mr Jarmain), in addition to thirteen teachers! She has also worked alongside four school secretaries, including our lovely Mrs Lisa Seal, initially working for two years part-time, before having a break and she has even been the Secretary of the PTA for 5 years! Christine has also informed me that she has been on eighteen Year 6 Residential trips in that time and she has estimated that she has worked with approximately 750 children in her classes – which rises to 1000 if you take into account the afternoon intervention groups that she has been working with over this time.

Christine was deservedly presented with a special gift, some flowers and a card signed by all of the staff during a Friday assembly, to mark the anniversary of the 25 years. Well done Chris and thank you for all of your hard work!

 

Activities this week:

  • Monday 19th February at 8.55am: RETURNED TO SCHOOL.
  • Tuesday 20th February: Year 2 visited Royal Gunpowder Mills, Waltham Abbey.
  • Wednesday 21st February: Year 6 Forest School Science Competition.
  • Wednesday 21st February: Year 6 Dance Festival at Davenant.
  • Thursday 22nd February: ABRSM exams (music exams)
  • Friday 23rd February: Year 5/6 Sportshall Indoor Athletics Tournament at Roding Valley School (am).

 

Coming Up…

  • Tuesday 27th February: Parents Evening (from 3.30pm to 6pm)
  • Thursday 1st March: R2 Class Assembly (at 10am in the Church)
  • Thursday 1st March: Parents Evening (from 3.30pm to 6pm)
  • Friday 2nd March: St John’s World Book Day Dressing up Day.
  • Thursday 8th March: 2K Class Assembly

 

Do have a lovely weekend!

Mr C Jarmain

Headteacher