Book Fayre

Thank you so much for supporting our book fayre again, it was a huge success and thanks to your generosity we have accumulated another £412 for library books. During the consultation evenings next week the books which we got free from last term's book fayre will be on display in the hall.

Prom Praise

On Tuesday 16th March a group of children from KS2 attended the Prom Praise Festival at the Royal Albert Hall. More than 70 schools took part and our children  had a fantastic time. We hope to take part again next year.

Tesco Vouchers

We are collecting the Tesco for Schools vouchers so please remember to send them into school.  We will put the vouchers towards some new software for our ICT suite, so we need as many as possible.

Drums

Our drum teacher, Ian Pattison, currently has vacancies for the summer term for anyone wishing to learn to play. If your child is interested please see Mrs Walsh in the office.

School Jackets

St. John's waterproof fleece lined jackets are now available from the office. We have several sizes in stock at a price of £15.00. They are black with the St. John's logo and would be suitable for the slightly warmer weather we will be experiencing shortly! Please feel free to come in and have a look before or after school. 

Ear Rings

Please note that children are not allowed to wear ear-rings because they present a considerable health and safety risk.  The reason for this is that they can be easily caught when your child is participating in a PE lesson or playing at break times and we wish to prevent any injuries which can be very distressing and painful. Please support us in this and please reove them before sending your child to school.

Hats

Please also note that if your child wishes to wear a hat they must be a St. John's School uniform hat which can be purchased from either the office or Mrs Defoe at a cost of £4.00. We are all very proud of the smart appearance of our children which is frequently commented on when we take them on school visits. I know it may sound a little bit "petty" to moan about  hats but if we allow little bits of non-uniform to slip in, before we know it our smart appearance will disappear.

Book Bags

We ask that you use a school book bag for your child's reading book while they are in the infants. This is because we have to store the bags in plastic crates to make them readily available for the teacher to access when they want to hear a child read. The practicalities of keeping reading books in bakpacs in the cloakroom make it very difficult for the teachers to get through the reading groups efficiently. I know the children love bakpacs and they are very welcome to use them for their PE kit.

Packed Lunches

We would be grateful if your child has packed lunch that you ensure this it is nut free.  We have several children who have a severe nut allergy and feel that it is the best interests of everyone if the school is a nut free zone.  This includes any cereal bars, cakes or sweets that children bring in either for their lunch or as a birthday treat for their class.  Thank you for your co-operation in this matter and if you have any queries please contact Mrs Defoe in reception class.

School Meals

The children in reception class are at present taking part in a "Childhood Eating Project" run by University College London.  There has been some press coverage recently about children's eating habits and at school we are trying to persuade them to choose more healthy options. Our new school cook is trying to tempt the children with more fresh vegetables and home cooked dishes. I am sure you will agree that influencing children's choices of food when they are young leads to a healthier lifestyle for them when they are adults and I know that you will support us in this venture.

Absence letters 

If your child has been absent from school could you please send in a letter and address it to the class teacher.  These letters are required  and have to be made available to the School Welfare Officer who comes in regularly to check our registers.  If there has been an absence without an explanatory letter it then becomes unauthorised. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Staff Car Park

We would really appreciate it if you could refrain from coming into the staff car park at the end of the day to watch clubs that are going on in the junior playground. Our aim in this is to keep your young children safe. If you want to watch you are welcome to go round the side of the school and watch from the playground itself. 

Term Dates

Please find attached to this newsletter the term dates for the academic year 2004/2004.

ST. JOHN'S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

TERM DATES

AUTUMN TERM 2004

FIRST HALF:                    Wednesday 1 September-Friday 22 October

HALF TERM:                    Monday 25 October-Friday 29 October

SECOND HALF:               Monday 1 November-Wednesday 22 December

SPRING TERM 2005

FIRST HALF:                  Friday 7 January-Friday 11 February

HALF TERM:                   Monday 14 February-Friday 18 February

SECOND HALF:              Monday 21 February-Friday 18 March

SUMMER TERM 2005

FIRST HALF:                 Monday 4 April-Friday 27 May

MAY DAY;                     Monday 2 May

HALF TERM:                 Monday 30 May-Friday 3 June

SECOND HALF:             Monday 6 June-Thursday 21 July

INSET

Wednesday 1^st  September 2004

Monday 1^st November 2004

Friday 7^th January 2005

Tuesday 3^rd May 2005

Monday 6^th June 2005