Debate Day

On Friday 16th October, we warmly invite parents to join us in class from 2.45pm to 3.30pm for our Debate Day.

Pupils will be sharing their debates and presentations, demonstrating how they use their oracy skills to express ideas clearly, listen to others and present different points of view.

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing the children’s fantastic work!

Green Team

Our Green Team had a busy and productive session this week! We began by thinking about a motto for the Green Team that links to our school vision, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” We agreed on “Love your Neighbour, Love our Planet.” We discussed how caring for our environment is one way we can show care and respect for others, both in our school community and beyond.

We then shared ideas about how we can encourage everyone in school to become more environmentally friendly. One of our key ideas is to run class workshops to share information and practical tips about saving electricity and looking after our environment.

We also discussed having four environmental monitors in each class. Two monitors would be responsible for checking and organising recycling each day, while two others would make sure that any unused lights, screens and electrical equipment are switched off.

Next week, the Green Team will be busy creating posters and presentations to share with classes. We are looking forward to helping everyone understand the small changes we can make every day to reduce waste, save energy and care for our shared environment.

Keeping Our Children Safe at Drop Off and Pick Up

We kindly ask all parents and carers to refrain from driving on the streets immediately around our school at drop off and pick up times.

Isabella Road and Mehetabel Road are both part of the School Streets initiative, which is designed to reduce traffic around schools and create a safer environment for children and families at the busiest times of the school day.

With many children walking, scooting and cycling to and from school, reducing the number of vehicles on these roads helps us create a safer, calmer environment for everyone and supports our safeguarding responsibilities.

The safety and safeguarding of our children is our shared responsibility. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep the streets around our school safe for every child.

Meet the Teacher Coffee Sessions

We are looking forward to welcoming parents and carers to our Meet the Teacher Coffee Sessions coming up shortly. These sessions are a lovely opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, hear about the year ahead and ask any questions you may have.

• Monday 12th October, 2:45pm – Years 1 and 2
• Wednesday 14th October, 2:45pm – Years 3 and 4
• Thursday 15th October, 2:45pm – Years 5 and 6

Please sign in at the school office on arrival. We look forward to seeing you there!

School Nurse Drop-In Sessions

Our school nurse will be available on the first Wednesday of each month, from 9.30am to 12.30pm, for drop-in sessions in the Multi-Purpose Room. No appointment is necessary – simply come along if you would like to speak with the school nurse.

These sessions provide a friendly and supportive opportunity for parents and carers to seek advice, ask questions and discuss any concerns about their child’s health and wellbeing. You may wish to discuss topics such as, but not limited to:

• Sleeping difficulties or establishing healthy sleep routines
• Eating habits, fussy eating or concerns about nutrition
• Bedwetting and toileting
• Your child’s emotional wellbeing
• General health and development concerns

Please note that these drop-in sessions are not intended for children who are currently receiving support from CAMHS. If your child is already receiving CAMHS support, please continue to work directly with your child’s existing team for advice and guidance.

Upcoming dates:

• Wednesday 7th October – 9.30am–12.30pm
• Wednesday 4th November – 9.30am–12.30pm
• Wednesday 2nd December – 9.30am–12.30pm

All parents and carers attending a session must sign in at the front office on arrival. This is an important safeguarding measure to help us maintain a safe environment for everyone in our school community.

We hope these sessions will be a valuable source of support for our families. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Prayer Of The Week

 Loving Father,

Help us to be mindful of your presence in everything we do and say today. Teach us to pay attention to the world around us and to notice when others need our help.

May we be thoughtful in our actions and considerate of how our choices affect others.

Amen

Healthy Packed Lunch Reminder

As part of our commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting children’s wellbeing, we would like to remind families about our healthy packed lunch expectations. This guidance also applies to packed lunches provided for school trips.

If your child brings a packed lunch to school or on a trip, please ensure it contains a healthy and balanced selection of food that will help them stay focused and energised throughout the day.

Packed lunches should include:

• At least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables
• A healthy source of protein such as meat, fish, eggs, beans or hummus
• A carbohydrate such as bread, pasta, rice or wraps
• A dairy item such as yoghurt or cheese
• Water only (milk is also provided in school)

Please be reminded that the following items should not be brought into school or on trips:

• Crisps
• Sweets or chocolate bars
• Fizzy or sugary drinks, including juice drinks such as Capri-Sun and Fruit Shoot
• Any nut products, including chocolate spreads containing nuts, as we are a nut-free school

Healthy alternatives could include:

• Fresh fruit or vegetable sticks
• Rice cakes or crackers
• Cheese cubes or yoghurts
• Wraps, pasta salads or sandwiches
• Water in a reusable bottle

Thank you for your continued support in helping us encourage healthy habits for all children. Further information can be found on the school website.

Reminder: After School Club Collection Procedures

This is a gentle reminder that our After School Club finishes promptly at 5:00pm each day. If you wish to collect your child before 5:00pm, you must inform the school office in advance, so we can ensure your child is ready for collection. We have had an increase in parents arriving at different times between 4-5pm and this causing significant disruption.

For safeguarding reasons, we are unable to accommodate parents waiting in the school office until the club finishes. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and secure environment for all our pupils.

Thank you for your continued support.

Reminder: Outstanding ParentPay Balances

We would like to remind all parents and carers to please check ParentPay to ensure any outstanding balances are cleared. If anyone needs support with accessing ParentPay, please come to the school office and speak to Miss Nifa, who will be happy to help.

School Uniform

As part of our ongoing efforts to maintain a smart, inclusive and focused learning environment, we’d like to send a friendly reminder about the school uniform policy here at St John and St James.

Our school uniform consists of the following items:

• Grey trousers or black jogging bottoms
• Grey skirts or tunics
• Plain red, white, or grey socks or tights
• Red or white polo shirts, shirts, or blouses
• Red sweatshirts(with or without the school logo)
• Red cardigans(with or without the school logo)
• Sensible black shoes
• Plain black trainers

During the summer months, children are also permitted to wear:

• Grey school shorts
• Red and white gingham summer dresses

Please also be reminded of the following additional guidelines:

• Footwear must be black, either sensible shoes or plain black trainers.
• Jewellery should not be worn, except for small studs in the ears.
• Hair accessories should be simple and in keeping with the uniform (e.g., plain headbands, clips, or ties).
• Tights or socks should be plain red, grey or white.
• School uniform MUST be labelled with your child’s name.

We appreciate your support in helping ensure that your child arrives at school in the correct uniform each day. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you for your continued cooperation in maintaining our school’s standards.

Keeping Our Children Safe at Home and In School

Safeguarding is EVERYONE’S responsibility. Our attitude is, it could happen here.

At St John & St James we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect ALL staff, volunteers and visitors to the school to share this commitment.

If you have any concerns about the safety of a child, please speak immediately to our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Joshua Watson.

If Mr Watson is not available, you can always speak to one of our school’s Deputy Safeguarding Leads: