Newsletter - 8th February 2019
8th February 2019
Dear Parents and Carers,
We are already in the penultimate week of the first Spring half term. Time has flown by and we are almost at half term!
Building works
Over the next few months there will be significant building works taking place on site that will impact the whole school. This is the continuation of the windows project and essential work that needs to be completed regarding the external maintenance of our school building. The age of our school is beginning to tell!
School Dinners
Our school dinner company ‘Caterlink’ are producing some lovely meals for our children. We are very lucky in Southwark in that every child receives a free school meal in primary school. ‘Caterlink’ adhere to government guidelines regarding sugar intake and only cook with food that has been approved to the Soil Association Food for Life Silver Award standard. Please ask Mrs Gallagher, Mr Reilly or Ms Kirrane for any further information.
TeCola Project
Over the last couple of years Mr Balseiro has been working very hard to establish Spanish as our chosen Modern Foreign Language. This academic year he is engaging with a project that is directly linked to Queen Mary University. This project allows children from all over the world to communicate in real time with other children – in Spanish! We have some amazing children who are excellent at Spanish, even though it is not their first or second language, taking part in this project. This is very exciting for us!
Sporting activities
The school has again achieved well in sports this half-term. Yr 6 boys and girls have both qualified for the finals of the Bacon’s Cup whilst the girls are also through to a final where they are representing Dulwich Hamlet F.C. at Sutton Utd. Football Club. In athletics both Yr 6 and Yr 5 have qualified for the indoor finals to be held at Crystal Palace next week. Yr.2 competed in an indoor athletics competition against other Southwark Schools where they finished a close second.
Clubs and enrichment
A range of clubs are offered throughout the school; at present cooking, multi-sports, art, sewing, drumming, violin, football, drama, art, Taekwando and gymnastics are taking place. We have had some very good feedback about our clubs so make sure you register in good time for them.
School trips
All year groups are very busy supporting learning with their class trips. These have been very enjoyable and have added to the children’s life experience. Yr 3 have been to the Natural History Museum, Yr 5 are heading to Pizza Express to make pizza, Yr 6 are watching Beauty and The Beast at Sacred Heart. They also have an Anti-Radicalisation workshop and TfL Safer Travel workshop in preparation for transition to secondary school. Yr 1 are off to the Museum of Childhood soon to look at toys through history and Reception went to The Greenwich Observatory to study space!
Get Colourful Hair Day
We are supporting The Evelina Hospital with our ‘Get Colourful Hair Day’. A separate letter has been sent to you about this. Save the date and make sure you are ready for this fun activity!
Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, 6th March. Our Lenten Appeal will also be underway soon. As you know, our school supports CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development. With CAFOD, we believe that poverty is not part of God’s plan and that, as a Catholic community, we should not give up on the world’s poorest people. Therefore, as part of CAFOD’s Family Fast Day appeal, we are challenging our pupils to ‘give it up’ this Lent – to give up something they like and donate the saved money to help build a better world. We will be holding a non-uniform day to support this on Friday 15th March.
Safer Internet Day: Tuesday 5th February 2019
Every year we ensure that the children are reminded of how to be safe on the internet. This year as well as class lessons there will be a whole school assembly on Internet safety and Yr 2 and Yr 5 will have specific workshops. Please look on our school website which has a lot of information about e-safety.
Maths week
Monday 11th February sees the start of Maths Week and all that is maths!! There will be a maths shop, before and after school in each playground, cake sales, the creation of maths games, Mathletics – that is maths and PE, the ‘Maths Factor’ and lots more.
Breakfast Club - Magic Breakfast
Breakfast Club supported by Magic Breakfast continues to go from strength to strength. The children are really enjoying having a morning breakfast of cereal, juice, toast and/or toasted bagels. They have the opportunity to play games with their friends and relax before the school day begins in earnest. The school has just bid for some more funding to see if we can create a new ‘Shake Up Club’ which will run alongside Breakfast Club to encourage healthy eating.
Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
The children are on their fourth First Holy Communion lesson and they are trying hard to learn all the words to the Our Father and Hail Mary as well as learning off by heart the order and words for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This will take place on Saturday 23rd March at Sacred Heart Church at 10.30am.
Holidays/Events
Monday 11th February: Maths Week
Wednesday 13th February: Reception: Stay and Play with a SPACE theme.
Friday 15th February: Infant Making Peace Mass at 09.30 in the school hall.
Friday 15th February: break up for half term at 3pm
Monday 25th February: Return to school 8.45am for Juniors and 8.55am for Infants
Monday 25th February: World Faith Week
Monday 25th February: Year 1 visiting the V&A Museum of Childhood
Wednesday 27th February: Parents’ Evening (siblings)
Thursday 28th February: Parents’ Evening
Monday 4th March: Book Week
Tuesday 5th March: Shrove Tuesday
Wednesday 6th March: Ash Wednesday service in school for all pupils
Thursday 7th March: World Book Day- children dress in character (details to follow)
Thursday 7th March: Sacrament of Reconciliation Meeting for Yr 3 parents and those
making First Holy Communion
Friday 15th March: CAFOD ‘Give it up’ Non Uniform Day
Tuesday 19th March: St Joseph’s Day Non Uniform Day
Saturday 23rd March: Sacrament of Reconciliation takes place at Sacred Heart
Monday 1st April: Class photos
Wednesday 3rd April: The Passion of Our Lord Yr 3, 4 &5 performance
Thursday 4th April: Phonics Screening Check Meetings for Year 1 Parents
Thursday 4th April: Reception Classes Superhero fashion Show in the hall at 1.30pm
Friday 5th April: Break Up for Easter at 1pm.
Tuesday 23rd April: Return to School 8.45am for Juniors and 8.55am for Infants
Thank you for your continued support of the school.
Anita Gallagher
Executive Headteacher
